Pioneer Woman at Heart

(Sapphire chillin' one evening) While I had the internet off, I worked on my recovery.  It's not so fun, when you cannot taste your food.  I used hot and cold compresses, took hot, steamy baths, and sipped hot herbal teas.  I am still suffering from the sinus pressure, but thankfully, all my work paid off to help my sinuses drain.  I'm still congested, but much better.  And if you have never had Thyme tea to break of mucus, it really does work (remember I am not a doctor, only sharing my experience). I couldn't really work on too many "crafty" projects, as my pounding head made anything (even reading) almost impossible.  I did do a lot of sleeping. I managed to write another postcard, and was able to sew up a few fabric yo-yo's . The meat chickens are slaughtered now, the bedroom closet catastrophe is repaired (which caused us to clean out our clothes and donate 2 bags of clothes to the thrift store), and more goat fencing supplies were purchased ...

Due to a certain number of kids around here, who can't get their dishes done, the internet is off for a few days (or longer).  I'll see you all when they learn to prioritize and be responsible. My 14 year-old never made last night's dinner either.  She went "shopping" with her 19 year-old sister, and never came home until after dinner (even though they were told to be back in time to make it).  They both knew I was not feeling well, and I am still not feeling well.  

I've been sick for the last week, and while resting all day, waiting for my appointment to see the doctor, the younger two girls decided they wanted to write letters. I have been joking with them that when school starts, the only thing they will be able to share is, "I sat around on my bum and playing around on my tablet." They came up with writing letters on their own.  So, a few of my family members may be getting some hand written letters from either of the younger two.  We actually ran out of stamps and I had to ask my son to bail me out.  He did. Stocked with stamps again, who knows who they will write next. Oh, and to share something interesting about this letter writing, one of them had to look on the internet on how to address the envelope.  One also didn't know where to place the stamp.  Even though they both write thank you notes, they lost their memory on all of this.  One said to me, "well they don't teach you this in school."  I...

I was searching the internet one day, and found this recipe at

  . . . found this cute goat planter at a local store.  We got it for a fraction of the cost Menard's was selling them for (small ding in the bottom, so they marked it down for us).

  Do you want to hear about our terrible, miserable, very bad, rotten day yesterday?  Well, it wasn't really that bad, but if it went wrong it did.  By the way, my daughter gave me her permission to post the photo.   I didn't have to bake the cake this time, as my 19 year-old was using my kitchen to bake and frost over 100 cupcakes for her boyfriend's graduation party. First, I woke up miserable from my allergies, and possibly a sinus infection.  I was tired, congested, and cranky.  Not a day to ask me to do anything. It was my 2nd youngest daughter's birthday.  We had her gifts out, and she was up and running, full speed ahead to get them open.  We didn't even get photos taken (of her opening gifts), she was that quick, and I was half awake.  So far so good. Then, I had to pay the bills.  On Sunday.  Hubby had me running all over hilter skilter the day prior.  The family knows that when I pay bills to scatter....

If Hubby had said to me, "let's not grow a garden this year" I would have said "okay."  Then I would have secretly done the "hallelujah" dance when he wasn't looking.  Honestly, I think he feels the same way this year. Seriously.  Look what's next - wild black raspberries.  I decided to skip making mulberry jam.  The birds are too quick for me, and the pie pans in the tree are not working in my  favor. I admit it.  I have garden burn-out syndrome this year.  And it has just begun.  I think it's the 95° heat index, and the humidity.  Mom sent me an e-mail sharing her "Snapdragon" days.  It starts out with a nice photo of snapdragons in a garden.  Then it gets funny, with a turtle looking haggard.  I laughed my bum off. It said, "Part of me has snapped, and part of me is draggin." Ha ha ha ha! We're allowed to feel that way.  Or should I be saying "shame on me?" It's going to be another "...

I woke one day last this past week, and did not want to garden, can, or clean.  I dedicated the day to my writing.  And that's exactly what I did.  Or maybe "tried" to do. I had to go to the barn to get my breakfast - no eggs in the house.  After I walked into my room to tidy it later, I got caught up in striping the bed and doing 2 loads of laundry. Then, while putting the laundry on the line, I saw that the flower pots needed watered.  And before that, I skimmed a crock pot recipe book for something to toss in for dinner (which I did, and adapted it to whatever I had in the freezer from last season).  However, when I did that, I pulled stuff out of the freezer to take a quick inventory. And that's how it went.  However, I did get rid of 3 magazines (to the recycling box), put two sweatshirts away for fall camping, and picked up other things in my room (where my writing desk is).  Then I made a list of to-do's and put it on the computer ...

I found this recipe in a library book - Food to Live By , by Myra Goodman. The recipe is more so a semi-homemade recipe, as you will see when you read it.  I did find an organic soy sauce at my grocery store (naturally brewed, and made by Kikkoman).

The 19 - 1/2 pint jars of strawberry jam I canned, are already being opened.  The family loves it.  I just hope I can keep some in stock all winter, as the wild black raspberries are on already.  I'm still watching our mulberries, but they are not ripe yet. The kitchen has been in over-drive, but not nearly as it will be when tomatoes are in harvest.  A few days I didn't even wear an apron.  It was that hot. The goats love me when I can.  Especially when they get the strawberry leftovers.  Not much goes in our compost this time of year.    I somehow managed to read an entire book in 2 days.  I am taking my youngest to the library for the summer reading program, and even though I have a ton of books here to read, I brought one home last week.  I never expected to read it either.   How did I do it? Well, I read in between making all those batches of strawberry jam, while walking on the treadmill, and taking...

I have had this wicker wreath for over 5 years now.  Each year I decorate it with something new.  This year, I got clearance priced silk flowers. Hubby got into a "Get'R Done" mode, and put up our new porch sign. Slowly, but surely, it's looking pretty nice on the porch.  Down in the lower right corner of the photo, you can see part of my tractor plant holder.  I forgot out it, and found it in the barn.  It needs a good washing, and a plant for it. A new pot of flowers I added  

Use your extra radishes for soups.  I am planning to dehydrate some here for just that reason.  My Farmer's Market neighbor told me this tip.  You could freeze them too, but she says they are great it soups.  One year I did this with my extra Kohlrabi. Update on the Refrigerator Radish Pickles - Hot!  Joke-ster Hubby was the first to taste, and graciously gave me one, saying, "These are crunchy, but they're not hot."   He lied.  They are hot.   I guess the amount of "heat" they would have, will depend on the "heat" that your radishes already have too. I do like the fact that they do last for up to 6 months in the fridge.  I can make several jars for salads, just eating, or what not.  Yum!

Refrigerator Radish Pickles

   . . . picked broccoli, radishes, and strawberries.  Sugar snap peas will soon be ready.  Picked some lettuce too. I made a pint jar of Refrigerator Radish Pickles, using a jalapeno pepper.  I've never made these before, and I see there are many variations.  I found my recipe in a library book. . . . potatoes are doing great! . . . spent hours weeding, and found that half the carrots and beets did not come up, so we replanted.  Some of the heirloom green beans didn't come up, and replanted those too. . . . got down to weeding the cauliflower and broccoli, and stopped due to a predicted storm. . . . still need to till between the peas and then weed the lettuce.  Half of the lettuce didn't come up either.  That second frost really did affect the garden this year. . . . all the peppers are weeded, but look at my cucumber mounds! Yikes!  That's next. . . .zucchini is doing pretty well, and the onions n...

Michelle at Michele's Little Piece of Heaven , set up a craft swap with fellow bloggers.  My swap partner was Heidi at White Wolf Summit Farmgirl , and she surprised me with a box of goodies! A beautiful handmade apron.   A dishcloth and hand towel for my kitchen, with beautiful herb photos on them, and cute bees. A magnetic notepad, beautiful cards, and gorgeous note cards. The rose on these cards, have sparkly glitter too! And that's not all!  She also sent me this fun lunch tote!   Thank you Heidi!  And thank you Michelle for setting this up.

Although my naughty hens got into one strawberry beds, I was able to pick enough for a delicious summer fruit salad.  Here is the recipe for the dressing:

 (Tim just chillin') Not really an exciting post, but here's my  "Extreme Clean - Get'R Done" update: -re-potted one house plant -cleaned out some items from the utility room and donated them -my son cleaned out the fridge (YAY!) and he wiped all the shelves in it -got the back porch cleaned off and furniture out (most of it) -got storage containers for yarn and organized them in the utility room -my son and 16 year-old daughter took two trips to recycling (Yay!) -Hubby cleaned out all his magazines from the bedroom, and is dropping them off to recycling (big YAY!) -Yesterday I dropped yet another box of items to donate to the thrift store this week. Empty canning jars are a problem this time of year - I have them everywhere.  I need to get them back into the pantry in which they came from, until harvest time. We do use many of them for the goat's milk too. And, those dusty light fixtures, remain dusty.  I have yet to get them all down and ...

I snapped this photo a day before the rain arrived.  Color is blooming all around the home this summer.   I took my book, and this time a highlighter and notebook, to the front porch.  Oh, and do you see what else I took out there?  A gourmet lollipop!  Butterscotch.  Yum! I've made it to "Part 2" in this book now, but I've already checked off several "tests" and feel these questions have been repeated so many times in other books.  So far, I have only been reminded that I have too much stress in my life, and most of it is "Chronic."  I guess I have a lot of work to do.  And many more family meetings. However, I did realize that I do have a habit of waiting until a time of "crisis" before praying (I bought this book at a Christian bookstore).  So, I took my Bible, dusted off the cover (tsk, tsk), and headed back to the porch.  When I opened it, I found an article I had clipped and tucked inside it.  Here's what ...

Hubby and I have been busy weeding flower beds, herb gardens and the vegetable garden. I also cut some oregano and thyme for drying.

"You can't put that thing in the garage! It's a pest not a pet!" I screamed at the kids. "Fine Mom," they said reluctantly putting the baby raccoon in the wood barn. And that's how it started.  As the entire family ooh'd and ahh'd over this tiny raccoon, I remained inside finishing dinner and putting it back in the oven to wait for everyone to come inside.  They saw it roaming around the driveway about 5pm-ish.  They immediately started making phone calls. "No one will take that thing," I tried to explain.  "It's considered a pest." After dinner the kids had made their call and left a message.  The next day, they called back.  They would not take raccoons, but had a number of someone who would. Early in the morning, I walked out to the barn to check on the baby, and my 13 year-old walked out with me.  The first thing out of my mouth was unexpected, and of course my daughter had to repeat it to everyone th...

Here is where you join me with a cup of tea, while I share tidbits of yesterday and this morning. I trimmed off my garlic scapes, and need to cook them up.  I picked more strawberries and my painted rocks are working.  However, I need to make sure one is at every plant.  I have doubled the amount I am picking.  Also, the plants that are directly behind the banging pie pans are completely untouched. We had another baby raccoon yesterday.  This time it was 5:00pm-ish, and in the driveway.  We did leave a message with Nature's Nursery, but have not heard back yet. I swore I would not buy petunias in hanging pots, and I did.  I am not spending every morning dead heading them.  I just hope I get to see our yearly hummingbird again. Yesterday, after dinner, we heard the beautiful song of our yearly Baltimore Oriole.  He presented his song from a tree seen from the kitchen window.  However, I don't have photos.  He flew off as ...

I made Honey-Jalapeno Grilled Chicken the other day.  I have to say, it was pretty good.   

Remember all those winters I got very sick?  Pneumonia and so forth?  Guess what Hubby found last night?

From the Homesteading Journal . . . . . . made my own bird deterrent for the strawberry beds - recycled pie pan, string, and a piece of recycled tent pole.  I used what I had, considering the budget is tight right now (from the tile project).  Later in the day I saw robins snacking away as soon as the wind stopped (and the pie pans stopped banging away).  I guess I better start saving up for bird netting and supplies.  However, I did spray paint some small stones red, and placed them under the plants for now too.  We'll see if they return after pecking at a stone.  . . . planted new curly parsley, and more tomatoes.   . . .in preparation for hot days, I started to save and fill empty plastic bottles with water.  They are being frozen to place in goat water buckets. . . . the bathroom tile project continues - humidity is a huge factor in it's completion. I cannot wait to use my shower again. . . .found a way to recycle t...