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~

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Garden Beauty

We left the camping spring blooms behind, and came home to some very pretty colors in the flower bed.




Many of the hyacinths are up now.


These white (with yellow centers) daffodils are new to the garden.  I planted them last fall.

I'm taking photographs this spring, so I can make a plan for fall bulb planting, and know where everything is(after their season ends).  


With the chill in the air, and everything wet outside, I mixed up a crock pot full of stew.  It's similar to the vegetarian sweet potato/black bean chili we make.  This one contains pork shoulder, tomatoes, onion, spices, sweet potatoes, black beans, peanut butter and lots of swiss chard.  Now if that isn't a protein packed nail growing meal, I don't know what is.    Next time, I'll have to put the sweet potatoes in later.  They pretty much mashed up as I stirred in the end.  It was delicious anyway.

Note:  I cut the fat off the pork shoulder first, cut the meat into 3-4 inch pieces, and after about 7 hours of cooking, took it out and diced it it.  It was so tender it just fell apart.

10 comments:

Susan said...

Ooh, that sounds so good! Especially on this rainy, chilly day. I love that daffodil - I would like to plant more bulbs, but the voles get them before I can enjoy them!

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Susan, we had moles for the first time, and I read they only live 3 years. I hope they are right. I don't use chemicals, but I do walk the dogs in the area of their tunnels, so the dogs can pee on them. The moles eat tulips, but leave the daffodils and hyacinths alone.

Mama Pea said...

Learning how to plant bulbs that will bloom all season long has been on my to-do list for SO long. Wonder if I'll ever actually do it? (I need a full-time gardener. And cook. And house cleaner. And . . . ) No, I just need to DO IT! :o]

We've got rain/snow mix here today so I sure wish I had a pot of soup simmering on the stove. But I don't so I think it will be egg salad on fresh spinach (store bought . . . sigh) for lunch and Stuffed Green Peppers for dinner.

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

I wish I had more soup simmering today. The wind is terrible and the ground is too wet to do anything with yet. Egg salad and spinach sounds delicious. I haven't had stuffed peppers since we had a huge crop of bell peppers.

Candy C. said...

I love your hyacinths, so pretty! The stew sounds like just the thing for a chilly, wet day. :)

My Garden Diaries said...

Lovely blooms friend! And your stew looks absolutely incredible! Wishing you a wonderful week! Nicole xo

Carolyn said...

We're getting into some cold weather at night again (in the 40's) and only in the mid 60's during the day so I think soup will be on our menu (and on top of my woodstove) again.

I wish we had more bulbs...the stupid squirrels dig them up every winter.

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Thanks Candy!

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Thank you Nicole!

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Carolyn, it's starting to get colder at night here too.