Pioneer Woman at Heart

One Flourishing, Frugal and Fun Family!

One family learning to live off the land, cut back on expenses, and to live a simpler and a more self-sufficient lifestyle.

Adopted Motto

"Eat it up,
Wear it out,
Make it do,
Or go without."
~A Pioneer Sampler, by Barbara Greenwood~

Monday, June 3, 2013

From a Journal Junkie . . .


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 the plastic from an old, broken portable closet.


. . . made a homemade non-toxic, herbal fusion, disinfectant.  I'm looking forward to seeing the results.  I can make it from everything in the garden, with the exception of the organic apple cider vinegar (for the recipe and others:  14 Bleach-Free Surface Disinfectants).


. . . dehydrated 2 lbs. of organic carrots (with another 2 lbs. to dehydrate) I bought on sale for $.99 at the grocery store.  The only bad part about buying these, is the leftover plastic bag.




From the Handiwork Journal. . .


. . .crocheted another rag rug.  It's made from old sheets and pillow cases. 



From the Family Journal . . .

 . . .my youngest daughter gets to spend a few days with her Grandma.

. . . my son surprised me by cleaning out the refrigerator.

. . . my allergies are flared up from spending so much time in the wind this past weekend.  I hope to get some relief today.



From the Gratitude Journal . . .

 Today I am thankful for:

~ Much cooler weather. It's nice to have a break from the heat.

~ My rose bushes blooming again. 

~ My herb garden.  It's come in use for more than just cooking and baking.

~ God's promises.

~ The quiet morning here today.  I can't hear anything, but birds, and my dehydrator.  

 


5 comments:

Sandra said...

I love your rag rugs.
I hope you find something that works to keep the birds out of your strawberries.
We need to find a way to keep them out of our pole building, they have taken over this year!

Michelle said...

Hi just a reminder.
This Thursday is the end of the craft swap. Please have your swaps mailed no later then this weekend. I know everyone is excited to see what they got. If you have received your swap, please let me know so that I may feature it and your blog on my sight.

EMMA said...

Your shower looks great.
I would be interested to know if the painted red pebbles work.
I make cleaner by soaking lemon rinds in white wine vinegar for three weeks then diluting it 50/50 with plain vinegar and adding a few drops of eucalyptus oil. I tried using herbs once but the product got mould after sitting for a few weeks.

RB said...

#1 - You can reuse plastic bags tied to sticks to keep critters from your garden. You can cut them into strips and tie to a stick, or just tie them to a stick whole. The wind will flutter them, and the critters don't like that.

#2 - I've reused plastic bags to crochet a rug for the bathroom and the deck. I cut them across so you're left with a bunch of long rings, then I loop the ring ends together, twist into a rough thread, and crochet away. You can either save like colors so you can make a pattern, or you can just do it piecemeal and end up with scatterings of color. They last quite a while. In the bathroom, I sprayed the bottom with a product that kept it from slipping across the floor.
And I betcha any $$$ you could also do them into strips (short for short pile and long for long pile) and use them to hook a rug with that hooking fabric stuff and a hooking needle. Do you know what that is?

God bless.

RB
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RB said...

Emma - I bet if you used Tea Tree Oil in your cleaner solution, mould wouldn't form.
It's natural, it's a disinfectant, and we love the scent it leaves in the house.
It's about $5 for a small bottle in the health section at Walmart, but lasts quite a while cause you don't use more than a few drops at each usage.

God bless.

RB
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