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, January 31, 2017

Random Tidbits

One of our kids actually made a sandwich using my homemade sweet potato butter and peanut butter.  She said it was pretty good.  I love it on toast at breakfast, but have yet to try it on a pancake or waffle.  This is not canned with a water bath method.  It is stored in the freezer, so I am making sure we continue to use it, as well as our pumpkin butter.

Monday, January 30, 2017

Happy Homemaker Monday

Happy Homemaker Monday!  In all the not-so-fun tribulations brought to me already this morning, I will find the joy today.  I'm joining Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom today, with today's post.

Sunday, January 29, 2017

The Scarf of Many Colors

Dolly Parton had a coat of many colors.  I now have a scarf of many colors.  

I need another project, like a need a hole in my head.

However.

I've wanted to learn the corner to corner (C2C) crochet stitch, and I'm using up leftover, leftover yarn.

While I'm crocheting the scrap blanket, there are small balls of yarn.  That would be the "leftover, leftover" yarn balls.  They are too small to even make one row across the blanket, so they are in a basket.

My inner, "you can't store that anymore" and "can't waste it mode" (again) kept poking at me.

Saturday, January 28, 2017

Random Tidbits ~ We have a Winner!

I am still deep cleaning, sorting, tossing, and donating.  The kitchen has been an obstacle course for a few weeks.  Book shelves moved out, more piles of books to donate, misc. items stacked in piles ready to be bagged....and I started on my roll top desk.

I have to admit, I dreaded the desk cleaning.

Oh the guilt that flooded me for all those lost days of writing.  Oh the joys of finding things again.  

I found 3 long lost, large eye needles and a needle threader I had been looking for.  They were all in the bottom of a can used for pencils in my desk.

Friday, January 27, 2017

Keeping Track - Prepardness

As we enter into a new year, a new gardening season, and a new stock-it-up season, I am tracking more.

It's not to late to start (I told myself).  We ran out of items over this winter, and I want to be better at that.  So, in my own planner, in which I keep track of bill payment dates and such, I am now writing down what we use.


Every time I open a package of paper towels (writing down the number in the pkg.), Kleenex, peanut butter, softener salt (always running out), dog food, cat food, coffee (oh, we drink a lot of this), I will write it in my calendar.  At the onset of next winter, I will have a better idea of how much we use, and what to pre-stock before the snow starts falling.

Thursday, January 26, 2017

What's Cookin'?

Strawberry Chocolate chip muffins.  These were so delicious.  I sort of made it up.  To save on the organic milk budget, I used powdered milk, then tossed in some leftover mini-chocolate chips.  The family loved these for breakfast or snack.  It uses canola oil, so here is where my canned applesauce comes in handy to stretch that budget too.  Organic oil is not cheap either.

Tuesday, January 24, 2017

Homemade Noodles

Before I start, there are many cookbooks you can borrow from you library on making pasta.  The very basic recipe is easy to make.  You can make a small batch or large batch of noodles.


The first time (2010) I ever made homemade noodles, I used a pizza cutter to cut my noodles, after rolling them with a rolling pin. They were not "pretty" but delicious.  The first recipe I tried, used egg whites vs. the whole egg. I've since then changed recipes.

Monday, January 23, 2017

Random Tidbits




Woke up to no coffee (again).  Our first one broke down before Thanksgiving.   Our Army daughter had a cheap-o version in the garage.  

Well, we obviously wore it out.  I woke up to it not brewing this morning.  So, so bummed.  

I'm forced to drink organic instant to wake up, then wait for the rain to give me a break, and pop up the camper and get are third back up pot out of the camper.  There is a fourth back up too (the kind you heat up over a campfire). 

On a good note.....

Sunday, January 22, 2017

Growing Heirloom Peanuts

I'm very late in posting about the peanuts, so it's being posted today.

We grew heirloom peanuts last year.  A small "test" patch area of the garden, and although a few did not sprout leaves, many did.

We planted Negrito Manduvi peanuts, and purchased the starter peanuts from Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Co.

We pulled the plants (or I should say "I" pulled them), and allowed the tops to dry before removing the peanuts.

Saturday, January 21, 2017

The Clean Machine

I can get so side tracked while cleaning.  Really I can.  I started the other day by finding a page (one of two) to a crochet pattern.  Yes, you get two posts today.

...don't give up on me.  I'm going somewhere with this story today.  There is a bonus at the end too.

They're Back!!!

The recipes.  In my best sing-song voice....they are back.  The new ones "to try" are back. Torn from magazines, newspapers, freebie cards from the store.....they are back!!!!

(bad photos due to the weather dark and dreary that day, and the light not on yet)

They are haunting me.  I swear they are!


Not just one binder full....

 ...not just two binders full, but

Friday, January 20, 2017

Tidbits ~ Homemade Vaseline

Another one "bites the dust" bah, bah, bah, bah....you know that song right?  Ha!  Got another "unfinished" project done.

 
Free Printable Pattern, by Lily Sugar n' Cream yarn:  Scrubby Posey Pattern
 

....and a dishcloth that has been on my needles the entire summer.  Boom!  Done!

And I didn't have to get into PJ's at 3pm to do it.  Although I joked with Hubby that I should run my own "crochet" marathon, and do the 3pm thing for 3 days straight.  I could use the time to get that scrap blanket done before winter is over.

I sort of earned the time.  I delivered over 150 books to the thrift (oh my back).  I also pulled another 20 books to donate, and have one more bookshelf to purge (and dust, cough, cough). 

Here is the link to the homemade "vaseline" I make:  

Homemade "Vaseline"  

Thursday, January 19, 2017

What's goin' on in the kitchen?

Bread baking has resumed.

 I made a batch of flourless brownies too.

Wednesday, January 18, 2017

Random Tidbits

I have mixed up a few tablespoons of oil and two essential oils, to use on my back.  It's still sore from that hospital bed.  I had to sleep elevated with that tube in my nose, and my back is still sore most days.  I hope it helps with the inflammation and pain. So far, it is helping.

I'm down to a half jar of homemade "Vaseline" too.  It has saved my feet.  The hospital visit was terrible on my skin.  My feet were the worst with dry, cracked, damaged skin.

Tuesday, January 17, 2017

Monday, January 16, 2017

For the Love of Books

I purged books yesterday.  Books are always a difficult item for me to clean out, and get rid of.  

I have a bookshelf dedicated to homesteading books, herbal books, etc.  I have a bookshelf simply for my "how to" writing books, and a bookshelf for my fiction books.  

In my living room, we have a large bookshelf that still contains non-fiction books from my homeschooling days.  We kept most of them.  

I guess I have a terrible time donating non-fiction, considering how the internet is taking over the book reading industry.  My one college daughter has to get her books online, and read them from the computer.  They are not issued most of their books in book form anymore.  So sad.  Even one college book store in my home town closed for that very reason.

So......

Sunday, January 15, 2017

Christmas Homemade ~ 2016

We finally had our family get together (a winter, non-Christmas gathering) yesterday, with my side of the family.  I can share what Christmas gifts I gifted.  I ran out of time, then you know, got sick, so it was not very much this past holiday. I had them ready, other than the recipe to attach to the sage (but emailed everyone it, along with what to do with sage).

Saturday, January 14, 2017

Nasty Weather Inspiration

Although the weather is better now, it was nasty a few days ago.  This was a "small" rain shower.  We had thunderstorms and 50 degree weather most of the day.  It was a swamp.   Nasty weather is always a welcoming reason to deep clean and then treat myself to crochet time.


...or baking time.

 I've been a bit lazy getting breakfast made with greens lately.  I just love the home canned cherry jam I canned last year.  LOVE IT!  It's on the list of restocking this summer.


 A large container of homemade hot chocolate has been restocked.

...it's also a good day to restock supplies like dishwasher detergent.  My laundry detergent needs restocked too.

I started my 30-minute per day/per area cleaning/clutter clean up challenge.  Now that the blanket is done, I have time to get my home in order.  It's the first thing we see when we wake up and the last when we go to bed.  It's important for me to keep it clutter free, while teaching the kids to clean up too.

Friday, January 13, 2017

...from the handiwork journal


The baby blanket is finally finished.  I used the diamond pattern that I used for two other previous blankets.  I edged it in a row of white and pink to give it a different look.

I crocheted a newborn baby beanie to go with it.  Just for fun!
I hope the gift recipient and my cousin (buying it) likes it.

Thursday, January 12, 2017

It's all good!

The "mason jar" challenge:


I have a cousin, who lives in CA, who has been in TV commercials and even been included as a character in her friend's published novel.  She is now a life coach.

Wednesday, January 11, 2017

Bad Weather ~ Baking with Booze

Weather was nasty. School was canceled.  It's was a perfect excuse to bake a cake for dinner.  We woke up to ice, sleet, slush, then pouring down rain on a layer of half melted ice....then in the evening 55 mph winds.  We may have lost a pillow to the back porch swing (should have run out and collected them, but forgot about them).  It's too dark and early to tell.  When the sun is up, I'll go take a looksee.
 

I dug out my old, hand-me-down cake pan, and baked a maple-rum pound cake with maple-rum glaze.  It was a new recipe that had been floating around the kitchen.  I believe I tore it out of a King Flour magazine.

The results?

Tuesday, January 10, 2017

Stocking up was so worth it!

I had so many people tell me to "take a break" and "is it really worth the work?" while I was putting up my 530# tomato season last summer.  Honestly, I see that I didn't stock up enough green peppers (diced), nor onions, but we learn each year too.  I need to freeze more homegrown asparagus too.  I really miss it this time of year.

Was the work worth it?  

Absolutely.

The weather is terrible today - ice, slush, high wind and snow on the way....who wants to go out to the store in this weather (unless you have to go to work of course).
 
Dinner prep from yesterday - pulled homemade noodles from the freezer.  I also pulled some chicken, a jar of home canned BBQ sauce, some potatoes and some frozen green beans.  All the work for the real food was worth it.

I would have loved to make a beef and noodle dinner, but these vegetarians in my home had me thinking of something else.

I made a mushroom sauce with leftover cream cheese and sour cream with the noodles, made mashed potatoes, and then put the chicken in the "crocky" with the BBQ sauce.  This made every one happy.  By the way, this last recipe I used for canning BBQ sauce is a keeper.  Best flavor yet!

Monday, January 9, 2017

Random Tidbits

It's been a week of "random" everything here.  I made it to the library.  I have never read this book, and sort of excited to read through all the recipes.  

I have found the first "new" thing I'll be doing this year.  Once I have supplies, I'll be posting about it.  This "new" thing is not the "biggest" of all things, but a new experience for me.

I keep asking Hubby to let it be the year we butcher our own hen, and learn how to do it, but that darn lingering tree is keeping him from any other decision.

Saturday, January 7, 2017

Homesteading Happenings

Yesterday's breakfast:  collards wilted down with a tiny clove of garlic (I'm still out of onions), with added leftover sausage, our eggs, and some chives I froze.  Oh, the toast is organic bread topped with home canned caramel apple jam.  The last jar of the jam, which I will probably not can again, unless I am really bored.  It's more time consuming than apple or apple butter.  It's delicious, but.....

Friday, January 6, 2017

Chili ~ Homesteader Variety

I got up yesterday morning and fell in love with the giant snowflakes.  I was inspired to cook dinner for once.  I love cooking, so this is a huge step forward in recovery.  The girls cooked the last two nights.

This is not your regular chili.  To get this pot of awesome delicious-ness going, I went into my "pretend root cellar" and got a few sweet potatoes (so thankful we still have some, and in edible condition). 

The garage is too cold to store my potatoes.  I put a card table up in my utility room (which has a doorway directly across from the side door we go out of most often).  The heat is never on in that room, so it stays cool (unless we hit below zero and then I turn on the heat to prevent frozen pipes).  Sadly, it was not the best way to store my red potatoes.  When I got home from the hospital, I saw they all had long "eyes" on them.  Back in November, the temperature was not cold enough in that room.

Thursday, January 5, 2017

A Little of "This" and a Little of "That"

I brewed a canning jar of home picked, wild growing nettle yesterday.  It tasted so good.  I am running low, but I have many other teas to enjoy this winter - chamomile, ginger root, tulsi, lavender, lemon balm, catnip....the list is long.  The health benefits are awesome.


I'm gearing up for a possible "Farmer's Market" season this year.  I may only do a few dates, as it 's taking a long time to create the "goods" to sell.  This is one "set" I am creating - over sized pot holder, hot pads to match, one crocheted flower dishcloth, and a soap saver bag.  I am using up extra "country yellow" yarn, but many not have enough to knit a matching dishcloth.  I guess we'll see.  I like to make an entire matching set, even if I put them all in separate groups to sell.  One customer once told me she buys "matching sets" for three family members each Christmas.  That put a light bulb on for me.

Wednesday, January 4, 2017

Laundry on the Line

The "homesteader" in me has been in my blood for years.  Hanging laundry outside has been a habit of mine, even when I lived in the city.  I was ever so thankful to have a long two line clothesline in my very first house.

It was at the house, where I planted my very first herb garden, and first tomato plant too.  Even our first pumpkin vine and green bean plant.

Oh, I had a dryer.  The inexpensive kind, and I hardly used it.  I loved taking my laundry outside.  I got exercise, movement, fresh air, and could enjoy the outdoors, even for a short while.

My laundry always smelled so good bringing it back in too.

Many, what I call "city" people, complain that they have no time to hang laundry out.  And that it's "more work" etc.  For some it's just physically not possible.  I understand that, and some day I may be struggling with that (hopefully not) too.  We can always put wheels on the laundry basket, ha ha!

Tuesday, January 3, 2017

Walking and other Tidbits

Good news!  I made my first walk to the barn (spikes are in my muck boots), and gave my hennies a treat of rotten bananas and over-ripe apples.  They were super excited to see me.  Don't worry, Hubby toted the bucket of water.  For some reason, I am not strong enough to carry it (double hmpf, which sort of makes me mad, which made Hubby laugh).  Today, I plan on walking and lifting some lightweight weights.  I took the leftover water and watered those annoying yet lovable goats.  I think they gained a few pounds since I last saw them, ha ha!

I also helped stack the firewood.  I took a trip to town with Hubby as well, however, by dinner time we were all too tired to even cook (ha ha ha!).

Although.....

Monday, January 2, 2017

First Ride! ~ Tidbits

Although I do not have a photo here just yet, Hubby took the Harley out on January 1st, and took the first ride of this year.

Was on I the back?

No.  

He said, "quick trip" and "just need to fire up the battery" and "I'll be back in a jiffy."

Ha!

He came back after an hour.  

An hour folks.  

He wore my half-chaps and my lined gloves too.  Said it was nice and cozy on the ride.  Hmpf.

Sunday, January 1, 2017

Happy New Year! ~ Random-ness and feeling chatty.....

I'm at that point in my life, when we stay home for the New Year celebration - with pets, kids and the coziness of pajamas.  The last thing I ate?  Apple slices and fruit dip.  Yum!

I myself, fell asleep at 8:30pm.  Normally that is not the case, but I'm still recovering, so I that's okay.  Hubby however, was still up, sort of scolding the TV.  The Buckeyes played, and well, they played terrible.  It was as if they never played football before. 

I woke up later to realize that the team never even scored one point.  I'm pretty sure he'll be in a sour mood this morning, but hopefully, we'll have a grand day today.

I was up early.  I got the wood stove going, coffee brewing, and accidentally woke up the dogs.  The cats were meowing for their very early breakfast, and I took care of that too.  Everyone is still in bed, but one kiddo has to get up to go to work today.