Getting Through and Gearing Up

Yesterday, you could hear a pin drop in the house, when normally it would be filled with chitter chatter, laughter, screaming, running through the house, and dogs barking.

It was one of those days when you feared giving a hug, because it would induce a bucket full of tears.

Sadie

January 30, 2015 (today) was the last day we had with Sadie Lou.  She was a wonderful dog, and will be greatly missed.  Click on "read more" for photos.  She was a part of our family in so many ways.  She was the "mother" to all.  She was the protector to Oldest Daughter.  She was greatly loved.

 

January 20, 2015

 

January 24, 2014

Writing Mojo Needs Fueled

The wind always makes the house feel colder, but the wood stove was going good and strong when I got up this morning.

I abandoned all chores (aside from animals) and retreated to my room to write yesterday.  I started out pretty well, but found myself wandering to the kitchen desk, and fiddling around on the internet.

"Mom?! What are you doing?  Get back in your room and write something," said Oldest Daughter.

"I will, I just have to find something."

Tidbits ~ Egg-less Blueberry Muffins

People driving by often ask Hubby if he makes me put the laundry out in winter.  Nope.  For show?  Nope.  It's my real life.  It smelled so good when I brought it in, and it dried completely.

Sittin' Pretty

I happened to look out the back window, and I spotted a small, bright red moving object.  

Pinto Beans ~ Pantry Lunch Packings ~ Handiwork Developments

I finally broke down and rinsed our home grown pinto beans.  The piddly harvest....we all know that story right?  Either way, I am cooking them to go with breakfast burritos, snacks and after school burritos.   We get creative with breakfast burritos.  Which reminds me, I better open a jar of zucchini salsa too.

Savory Soup ~ Snow

I tried a new white bean soup recipe - White Bean Soup with Greens and Rosemary.  I found it in a book my Dad gave me years ago (Super Foods Rx), but there are many versions of it online as well.  The rosemary in this soup makes it taste wonderful, along with a pinch of cayenne.

Handiwork Developments ~ Home Canned Potatoes ~ Hand Lotion Update ~ Library Blip?

I am afraid to dig into more boxes, as I have found another dishcloth I need to finish crocheting.  I must have taken it camping, along with other "go-to" projects.

Here is the latest development ~

 Before

Gratitude

I woke up to an orange furry feline, sitting on my stomach, nose to nose with me, and every so gently pressing one paw up on me over and over again.

"Wake up sleepy head," he was silently saying.
 
His eyes were begging me to get up and feed him, as his master is away at a (gulp) sleepover.  No one is on agreement with me regarding sleepovers this winter, so if this one comes home sick, then my opinion is getting enforced.
 
Well, it's been a long time since I did a gratitude posting.  Oddly, I am thankful for being in bed for two days, because I finished one book before the month was even over. 

I have one book left in my personal stash.

Recovery ~ Sadie Update

We are recovering.  The sickness got three of us (if I could only teach one to wash her hands more often).   We used hot herbal teas (ginger, mullein, thyme and others),  homemade vapor-rub, eucalyptus inhalation steams, homemade ginger-ale, and homemade elixir.  I encouraged them to gargle with salt water too.  It really helped me.

Sickness ~ Hubby ~ Homemade Graham Crackers ~ More Hand Lotion

The only reason I am up this morning, is to locate the school's transportation number and cancel the bus today.  Both kids that ride it are sick with fevers and whatnot.   As luck would have it, the school was calling me as I was calling them, and they closed today due to snow and bad roads.  Traffic outside, is moving extremely slow.

As for me?  I woke up at 4am freezing cold.  I knew at that point I was the next to get the sickness (that our 15 year-old brought home from a sleepover).  My temperature was 101.4 and I am not feeling so well.   

Winter Slow Down ~ Making Decisions ~ Christmas Ornament

I'll admit, the chilly outside air has kept me indoors more often.  I do have to enjoy it and slow down.  So far, we have avoided the flu, although our 15 year-old recently came home from a sleepover sick.   The more I am home, the less contact I have of airborne and other nasty germs.  I am, however, considering banning sleepovers during the remainder of the winter (flu hospitalizations are up in our area).   I just want to keep sickness out of our home.  This is the second time this season that she has come home sick from a friend's house.

Although it is snowing right now, we did have a warm up, and the weather was perfect for drying laundry outdoors.  And it was warm enough to let the ladies out and clean the coop.  We tried last week (to clean the coop), but everything was simply frozen to the ground.  

I've taken some time to think on things, and ....

Coffee Pot Collection Re-do ~ Sadie Update

Almost a year ago, I shared my antique coffee pot collection.

This year, I decided it was time to use them or lose them.

Handiwork Developments

The cat blanket is finally finished.  I got the ends sewn in, and it's on the couch....out of the closet and into good use.

Sunrises ~ Smoothies ~ Smacking Myself

The last few mornings, we've has some beautiful sunrise skies.

Spring planning ~ New Seed Catalog

It's hard to believe it's already January 16th.  Pretty soon winter will be over and we'll all be back to our regular spring routines.

What are you looking forward to?  I'm looking forward to

In the Kitchen ~ A Year of Ernest Hemingway

Chore time was so peaceful and quiet yesterday.  If fact, it was beautiful outside.  I had to go inside and get my camera out and take a few photos.

Updates ~ Tidbits

Homemade "vaseline" - I have used more than half my jar already.  After bitter cold weather (even with my face covered out there), my skin was very dry.  I even used this on my face when it was very dry from winter air.  I will definitely make this again.

Happy Homemaker Monday

I'm joining Sandra over at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom today - 1/12/2015.

The weather outside is. . .

On the breakfast plate this morning . . .

I kind of made this up as I went.  I'm out of bacon, so I simply made it with baby kale and beets - breakfast quiche.  I opened a jar of home canned (spiced) beets for this breakfast.  The ingredients I used:  onion, garlic, chopped baby kale, fresh eggs, Greek yogurt, beets (canned spiced beets from this past garden season), and salt and pepper.  It was actually pretty good.  I saved some for Hubby.

Dehydrating Orange Peel ~ Orange Peel Powder

Our grocer is finally carrying organic oranges, so I have been saving the peels and dehydrating them.

This is a first for me.  I've never dehydrated the peels due to not having access to organic oranges.  My plan is to use them for recipes for now.  We use orange peel in our hot cranberry punch, and now that I am making more teas, I think it would be nice to have some on hand for tea making.

I plan. . .

Suited Up ~ One Roasted Chicken

Okay, Mama Pea said she wanted "picture proof."  

Here it is:

I'm not moving very fast in all the get-up either, but it is keeping me warm and well covered.  I just have to be careful when walking.  Hubby's old carharrt is a bit long for me (oddly).  I had a problem with steaming up my sunglasses, but that morning sun was piercing my eyeballs yesterday.  I am thankful for it (sunshine), so no complaints. I wear Hubby's hat over the face mask in colder weather too.


Want to know how far one roasted chicken stretched for us?

Normally, one home raised, roasted chicken lasts about two days around here.  However, with Son gone (and oldest Daughter gone more often), we have more leftovers.

Tidbits and Herbal Tea Making

I have only tried my home canned pepper mustard sauce on chicken so far.  I know meatballs would be wonderful, but this time I tried it on organic pork tenderloin (in the crock pot).

Delicious.  Another winning way to eat from our summer stock up.  We topped it over organic brown rice, and had a side of roasted brussel sprouts.  

We are having another cold day. 

Cinnamon Maple Macadamias

With the cold of winter here, we are enjoying hot oatmeal for breakfast.  Something (nutritional) we discovered to top it with is this recipe.  It also heats up the kitchen on a cold day.

Simply chop 1 1/2 cups (non-gmo, organic) macadamia nuts and mix in 1 teaspoon of organic cinnamon.  Next. . .

Drinking Kale? Bitter Cold Returns

The most recent issue of Country Woman magazine contained an article about ginger.  

They included a recipe for a Kale and Ginger Smoothie, and Youngest wanted to try it.  I was skeptical, as I have never put raw greens into a smoothie. But....

Snow arrives...

I took this photo Monday morning.  Winter has officially arrived - rain, freezing rain, snow and bitter temperatures (but not as bad yet as last winter).  

Yesterday, although a bit cold, the sun was shining and there was a pretty good wind out there.

Larger towels were dried in front of the wood stove.


I've sort of been hibernating and ever so slowly finishing up some crochet and knitting ventures.  

I took this crochet project camping in August of 2014.  I found it in a bag in my closet while cleaning. . . .

Christmas break ends for.... ~ My Herbal Journey

Normally, I'd start my morning around six o'clock, by putting wood in the wood stove, feeding barn cats, letting dogs out, and feeding house cats (all before a cup of coffee).

This morning?

My alarm went off at 2:35am, I slipped on shoes, brewed a pot of coffee and was out the door by 3:00am with Hubby, Son, and Youngest (one daughter didn't make it back out of bed, ha ha!).

Randomness ~ Barn Kitty ~ Last Christmas Tree

It's raining here this morning, and the step is a sheet of ice.  Every dog did the "bambi splits" this morning.  Needless to day, the didn't go far to do their business.  
 
I can't really say I am writing out my new year resolutions, but I am randomly writing down a "wish" list of needs and other possibilities for this year.  Of course that is after a good strategic financial plan is in order.

Honestly, I told Hubby that if we only had one thing to reflect on at the end of 2015, I would be elated to write down

Cold Temps ~ Tidbits

I was pretty happy with our "system restore" here, by getting the Christmas decorations down and put away, but slumped my shoulders when I entered my bathroom.  I forgot about the Christmas tree in there.

It's coming down today.  Then it's all back in storage. All but the outside lights.  Those will have to wait for a warmer day.
 
It's been pretty cold here lately.  I'm not complaining.  I am glad we don't have snow (yet).  I have family traveling about the same time my Son will travel, so we are praying for good traveling weather.  We are dwindling down to the last few days before he has to leave again.

Although I forgot to take a photo, I do have a new recipe to share.  Our grocery store is stocking more organic pasta (I know, I know, I should be making my own noodles right now). 

I decided to make

Happy New Year ~ Sister's Question ~ Popcorn Storage

Happy New Year!

I was out getting wood for the wood stove, and snapped this quick sunrise photo.  It's not the best photo, but winter sunrises here are difficult to catch. 

 At our Christmas family gathering, my one sister asked me, "so now what are you doing?  You're done with the garden right?"

To answer her question,