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, May 2, 2016

Random Tidbits ~ Chicks get Sunshine

Breakfast - potatoes, red bell pepper, dandelion greens and eggs. No cheese.  It's delicious flavored with onions and/or shallot powder.

Sorry this post is so long.  I didn't mean to keep writing, but I think I'm trying to procrastinate my exercise today, ha ha!
  


Seems like the longest part of my day - exercise.
Seems like the shortest part of my day - porch time.

Although Hubby and I got a good dose of porch time yesterday.  It was cloudy all day, no sunshine, very damp from the previous night's rain, and chilly.   Too wet to plant the remaining onions, too wet to mow, etc.  We could have split wood, but we didn't.

We took up on the porch and waited for it to warm up, then took a ride on the motorcycle.  I didn't feel quilty at all. 
 

Eight pounds of dandelion greens are making their way to my freezer.  I'm pretty happy about that.  I asked the produce guy if he could order me some (organic), and he said "sure."  I bought the entire case, as I would be the only customer buying it.  I have a bit more to blanch yet today.  Why not dig them up here?  Well, I could, but for the price it was totally worth buying and I know my dogs haven't tinkled on them.  The dog fence is being planned out, for more than one reason. 

My herb garden is almost ready for a load of new dirt.  It's been 8 years and it's looking like half the dirt washed away. I have a natural rock border (rocks from the property), but I still like the look, so I keep it that way.  I just need to do a bit more weeding and sprucing up.

Speaking of herb garden, I caught "Rory" in the thyme again.  I was flipping homemade french toast on the griddle, and looked out the kitchen window.  Low and behold, she squeezed between all those skewers and plopped herself down.  I ran out the door with my spatula still in my hand, screaming for her to get out of it.  Everyone in the house was just laughing at me. Urgh.  I guess I'll need a few more skewers, ha ha!

And speaking of french toast (King Flour recipe), I made a new recipe - Coffee French Toast.  I didn't have espresso coffee, so I used our organic french roast.  It wasn't strong enough to taste, but you could smell it when it was baking on the griddle.  It was fun to try, but I'll stick with my good ol' regular french toast.  My family was spoiled too.  I used homemade bread to make it.  I think we used about 1 1/2 loaves of bread for breakfast alone.  Next time I may make it with cinnamon raisin bread.  

It's wet out again today.  Cloudy as cloudy can get too.  I have a ton of indoor chores so I don't lack work today.


Hubby helped me clean coops, and I got their watering units scrubbed cleanSaturday they got a small dose of sunshine and their first feel of the grass.  The "little ladies" are a bit too little to start introducing them to the others yet.  I'll keep putting them out like this, in the run, to get them used to each other.  The are small enough, a hawk could get them, so I'll wait for them to get to older.  I'm still training them to come when I call.  Some are getting it, a few are hesitant. 

We'll see how these chickens do with egg laying, but I think eventually, we'll go back to all Rhode Island Reds.  So far the barred rocks lay more than all the types we have had, aside from the reds.

 

8 comments:

Sam I Am...... said...

You are so lucky to be able to get all that organic stuff! Glad you got some porch time with hubby too. I love French toast with my homemade bread too. I always love to use leftovers for scrambled eggs and or pizza...sometimes soup too.
Your girls are getting big!

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Sam I Am, I am very lucky to be able to buy organic anything these days. Last year's garden had a terrible harvest so we had to buy many things. I can't wait for this year's bounty. The girls loved being outside, so I hope they all get along in the run.

Mama Pea said...

Love these posts of yours about random "this and that." Never boring, just gives a look-see into what's going on in your life. What is going on? LOTS! :o]

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Mama Pea, thanks. I tend to get off track with the random post, ha ha.

Liz said...

We have a yard full of dandelions this year, but I am afraid to pick them do to the same problem you have! lol..
Your chicks are getting big! I agree the Reds are the best layers. A few of my girls have been giving us double yolkers!

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Liz, I miss getting those double yolkers. Maybe next year I'll be able to add more Reds.

RB said...

I had to laugh, you know you're going to lose that fight with the cat. LOL
Chickens are never too big for hawks to get, we found that out when one took a mature, full sized pet duck of mine a few years back. They get them by the neck, wring the life out of them and their done for. That's why we have a top over our chicken run.
Hoping everyone's having a great week.
God bless.
RB
<><

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

RB, that cat has never sat in the thyme before. They have in the past, sat between the chives and other herbs on the dirt, but never on top of an herb. We hope to get a new coop built, so we can utilize our barn space better. It's all a matter of time and supplies this summer.