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~

Wednesday, September 23, 2015

Feeling Thankful

I'm down to two large bowls of home grown potatoes.  It's disheartening to see such a terrible garden year, but in other areas of work we are getting more done than I ever expected.

Today I am thankful for:


~ celery in the freezer so I can make a quick chicken vegetable soup for dinner, so we can work on the barn in the evening

~ for the library and free borrowed books

~ fish in the freezer 

~ my chickens, for the eggs they continue to provide us, and the delight they give me when I watch them run around the homestead

~  hot organic coffee

~ my herb garden

~ answered prayers

~ the start on one big job...the barn

~ wood for winter

~ God's Protection and Guidance


Last night I marinated salmon for the grill.  Tonight's dinner will be completely ready when Hubby gets home, so we can go straight out and start knocking off more barn boards.  

Today the soup recipe is from the "pile" I have, but I also tossed out two without trying them.  It gets easier to toss as I go through the pile now.  

I've been watching the weather in hopes for even a bit of rain, so gutting the garden would go easier for me.  There is no rain in sight for now.  It appears the temperature will once again rise to the 80's in a week, so I may leave those pepper plants just a tad bit longer.

My herb garden needs badly weeded, but it's producing at it's best.  Harvesting this week from it will be a relief.  I need more parsley for winter.  Yesterday's fish marinade used fresh thyme and fresh parsley from the herb garden.

I still have a few more bits of deep cleaning, but holding off on those for the rainy days ahead.  

I managed to finish our 2014 family photo album - only 7 more years of albums to go.  This was one thing I put off every year.  Most likely I'll be working on these when the snow arrives.  For now, I have two other barns that need painted, those two trees that remain standing still have to come down, and that big barn.  This is the best "get-it-done" year.  

I'm encouraging the Hub's to knock down the trees and cut and split them on the weekends.  I can haul and stack while he's at work, getting the job done quicker.  Both trees are Ash, so they will require us to have extra chainsaw blades.  It's either that, or we'll make it a family event and while Hubby and I work the wood, they can haul and stack getting it done in one weekend.  

. . . a woman can dream.

10 comments:

Mama Pea said...

Someday I'd like to read a post from you that said you did absolutely nothing all day but sit and do handwork! For some reason, I'm doubting that will ever happen . . . but isn't it wonderful when you're bone-tired at the end of a day while knowing you got such good progress made on what needs to be done? (Now if I could just get this green oil-based paint off my hands . . . )

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Mama Pea, you gave me a good laugh. Ha ha! Some day in the future, when the barn is down and gone, and the dead trees are nicely stacked, I might be able to sit and do handiwork all day. Maybe.

HIBISCUS HOUSE said...

I always like to see what you are doing. I'm sorry this years gardens didn't do better. Ours here in SC were horrible. Too dry and hot. Like you though I am thankful for what we have.

Patricia @ 9th and Denver said...

Girl! How do you ever find the time to do All this? ...and blog about it?
You must be one of those people who manages their time well.
I'm not. I'm the type to wander aimlessly. (I've probably said that before)
...but you know I have good intentions, right?

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Thank you Dolly, let's hope for a better garden season next year.

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Patricia, if I am not careful, I too can wander aimlessly.

RB said...

Our garden was a disappointment this year too...not a single thing to harvest. Some years are like that, perhaps a part of God's plan that everything rests now and then, even the land.
As for rain, with a S'oueaster off the coast of SC and headed northward along the coast, we're getting plenty of gentle calm soaking rain that we're mighty blessed for, though we're praying for those nearer the coast who have or will experience storm surge, that they don't get flooded. Thank God we live on the highest part of the county, not only too high for flooding rains, but also for the wonderful breezes we often get when no one else does.
Prayers too everyone will have a safe blessed weekend.
God bless.
RB
<><

Stephen said...

I hope you get some rain soon too. Every night I scan the weather map here and hope it'll show a decent rain-dump coming for the Goulburn Valley. Nothing yet :(

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Thank you RB.

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Stephen, I've had to wet down the flower beds to weed those. Hopefully we'll get a tad of rain soon.