Pioneer Woman at Heart

In 2016, I canned sweet-hot caramelized onions for the first time.  I used them often in different recipes, meals.  This time I used the onions on pizza.... Garden Swiss Chard, ricotta, Parmesan, garden garlic, herb garden thyme, barnyard egg....topped with home canned sweet hot caramelized onions.  Tasted amazing. Here is how I made mine, but you an google for other recipes:

I thought I'd post a handiwork update while the kitchen is in full swing. . . . made more granny squares for the baby blanket, only 11 more to ma ke.  . . .making progress on the dishcloths.  Finished this one, which was gifted to my older brother for all that fish he gifted us.  Another one still continues in progress. . . .started on a set of embroidered kitchen towels. These are for Grad Daughter's Hope Chest.  I had to hold this down in the wind to get a photo of it.

Although I had different plans, my daugther reminded me it was Family day at the zoo (provided free by Hubby's work).

Woke up to 48°F.   Break out the carhartts. Brrr!  This is not normal for August. Hubby worked late last night.  When he got home he advised me about Hurricane Harvey.  I had no idea.   I don't get the news on my TV.   Praying for Texas and any surrounding areas. My recent garden goodie harvest.  This is only two rows of the back tomato patch.  I later enlisted the help of a daughter and got all the tomatoes picked (aside from rotten ones and ones the chickens got into).  The grand tally later was 51 lbs.   That didn't include the grape and heirloom pear tomatoes either.  Despite cooler weather and no rain.

I feel like I need to add music to this post, ha ha ha! I decided to take photos after all.  A little humor for you today. I was outside taking photos of Youngest on her 2nd day of school, and just started to laugh. You have to have humor to see this, and deal with this (all things considered). This doesn't even include the jungle of a vegetable garden we have either. Grab a cup of java/tea or your favorite beverage.  Things just got interesting....

We were to get rain all day the other day, and got  a 1 second sprinkle.  The garden really needs it too. In the meantime, I wrapped up my leg really good (I didn't want dirt in it) and went out to weed the jungle of my herb garden.  I needed to get in it to start dehydrating for winter. One hour later, my left eye started to itch and burn.  Sure enough when I came inside, it was red and swollen.  Allergies.  I am almost out of nettle, so I whipped up a cup of nettle, ginger and peppermint tea.

First off today, it's the first day of school and this Mom didn't wake up until 9am.  I feel so awful.  I had a busy day yesterday, but Grad Daughter was up and took my traditional bus leaving the house photos.  Her bus picks up at 7:04am this year, and normally I am up. I woke up to an almost empty coffee pot and then realized I missed her getting on the bus.  I feel terrible.  Oye.  Oh so terrible.  At least Hubby already had coffee made, and I already had breakfast made.  That should have helped ease her morning. Yesterday, my day started with chopping up and coring 10-11 pounds of tomatoes.  Our tomato year is poor this year. they are much smaller and we have very little compared to last year.

While beets boiled in their skins, I read a short story in a magazine to get an idea of what is expected of submissions.   And laundry was washed and put out on the line.   Bathrooms were scrubbed by help from the kids, and floors cleaned.  By the way, my Grad Daughter has now been taught to boil potatoes and eggs both.  I hope she keeps up on her learning skills.

Hubby came home from working midnight, and went straight to repairing my back brakes on the car.  In the meantime, I pulled and pulled and got my motorcycle boots on.  My feet are still swollen from the meds, but are getting better.  I got the boots on, and Hubby had the bike out and washed up.  I sat on the porch with my feet up, hoping to take more swelling down.  His only wish that day was for me to go on a ride with him.  We did.  And we came home with sore rumps.  Ha ha ha!   Our Sunday went very quickly.  I did a bit of handiwork on the porch, but it was pretty hot and humid. Today, I'm back in the kitchen, so I'm up early.  My spider bites are starting to itch, although the larger has a ways to heal. 

While I had 4 days to rest up even more, I decided to get out my mother's sewing machine and learn how to chance the thread.  I have used it many times for sewing goat coats for the new born kids, but used the same thread.  I know, I know. I have sewing project on my mind.  One that will save us money, and one that will possibly be an item to sell.  Etsy just may see me soon.  We'll see. On top of that, there are still 3 more possibilities of handicraft sales - one Hubby and I both agree on, the other two are good ideas too.

More beets were picked, and washed outside.  They get brought in for me to scrub, and remove greens to blanch and freeze.  The beets are boiled with skins on, then peeled, sliced and frozen.  I am thrilled to get more in the freezer.  The greens were all bug eaten this time around.  There are more out there, so the next rain should plump them up. Carrots are looking very good. Flower beds were tackled.  Or should I say "attempted." And quickly abandoned.  Very quickly.  Things have overgrown and it will just have to wait.

          Grape tomatoes are starting to come in.  Beets are hopefully still holding out for me.  I'm glad everything else is not ready to can yet.  I am also glad it is going to rain today.  That gives me another day to not worry about the garden harvest, and gives me another day to rest up. I can smell the thousands of Queen Anne's Lace from the pasture.  Good thing I really don't need more jelly.  Maybe next season.

As promised.  Here is a new bloom in my garden of "weedin." It's another gladiolas blooming, and it takes my eyes off the 6 foot thistle in the flower bed, ha ha! Here is my bean snapper I had over last weekend.  That was bowl #1.  There was a bowl #2 after that.  Her older sister had to work, and Hubby was mowing.  It took us 1 1/2 hours to clean all those beans, ha ha!  I have them now in the freezer, and very thankful for the bean picking help, cleaning, and the help bagging after blanching.  Thankfully, there were no green peppers ready, and unfortunately, we let some blackberries accidently die on the plant.

I just had to pop in this morning, and let you know that our 15 year-old did a great job on dinner last night.  I failed at photographing the dinner, but she even insisted on some boiled green beans.  We ate dinner on the front porch.  First time since the onset of illness. She has now learned how to boil noodles, prepare and boil potatoes, make stove top tuna and noodle etc.  I'm pretty proud that this blessing came out of this. I can't wait to be sharing some beautiful and happy homesteading photos soon. Today, the girls are checking my garden.  Even though my eye infection is not completely healed, I am able to assist in the kitchen.  I am told the tomatoes are in full force, so I told them to hold off a day or two (if they could).

While all the hospital/doctor hoopla was going on, this arrived in the mail.  It was passed down from my Uncle.  He tucked a few "goodies" inside too.  Nothing better than a dose of happy right now.  One goodie was tea.  Another was a drift wood bird from FL.  I love good vibes.  Especially now. My left foot started cramping up from not moving around enough, but that has changed.  With all this up and back and forth to outpatient meds, I'm moving around.  Trust me. However, I dug out my foot massager, and it did the trick to relieving cramps.

Good afternoon my blog friends!  I hope it continues to get better.  I could barely send an email this morning, as my eye is not healed completely. Today was "day 2" of outpatient antibiotics.  Here is why.  I finally, finally got Hubby's doctor to looked at my first spider bite (for a second time).  I had a follow up, after getting 3 units of blood, and he checked all my levels and said the pneumonia was getting worse (even though I felt better).  So, he insisted the outpatient drugs.  At the same visit, I had "Dr. Red" with me (grad daughter), and she kept reminding him to look at the first bite.  He was rude and told her he was more concerned about what would keep me out of the hospital, and I'm thinking "Dude!  The damn spider bite is going to put me in the hospital if you don't look at it!" 

As long as my left eye can handle the bright lights of internet, I will type you up some "scoop" on the poo" here.  I was up all night coughing, and half awake, but awake. As of today, my fever has left the house. The I.V. comes out later today, I am typing because I think I messed it up (the I.V. that is) already from the night long coughing attacks.  I could have used an inhaler. So, back when the first nurse diagnosed me with a virus and to come back in 10 days?  She was wrong.  Very wrong.  What would we do without good doctors today?  Are there any left? Friday rolled around, and with said fever and cough still hanging around, we went to town to a second opinion.  We were heading to urgent care, when Hubby said, "you know what?  I'm calling my doctor."  And he did. That was the day after Sister "L" passed away.  We were sent to the hospital, making it an all time record - visited radiology, diagnostics, and the lab.  On...

My heart falls heavy to tell you all, that Hubby's Sister "L" passed away last Thursday night. I'll be back with an update on me when the IV comes out of my arm.  

In case you are wondering, it's day 4 of the virus and I woke up to the fever (again).  I thought for sure it was done yesterday.  It spiked at 103.2°F and with ice, stripping off clothes, and Tylenol, we got it down by bed time.  I felt great. This morning?

I want to say to, "don't ever have a plan" but some plans work out.  Just no this plan.    I wish I had better news than this, but sweet corn is in full swing.   I saved the weekend for this big job (which ran into this week due to me requiring so much help - lifting the bags of corn, shucking, lifting the pan of kernels to dump into pans to cool etc.) However.  Plans change.  I felt dizzy all weekend, and felt I was just needing rest.  I took a lot of naps, and Sunday was the worst.  Monday I got into my doctor (or a new one rather).  Hubby went to his eye doctor and is off work.   Diagnosis?