Pioneer Woman at Heart

We woke up Tuesday morning, to find most of my green tomatoes all over the kitchen floor and living room.  Mia, the hairy green tomato thief stole them during the night.  There were teeth marks in all of them, and it appeared she didn't eat one.   Yesterday's start of the sunrise.  Our temps got up to the lower 60's! The sorghum cookie recipe I used (posted in a previous post), is found online called "Sorghum Syrup Crinkle Cookies" by Golden Barrel.  I used my local sorghum, and regular ol' sugar.  They were delicious and the family has requested them again already.

I have lost my notes on our pear wine. Sigh.  I found a recipe in my County Wisdom and Know How book though.  I may have to adjust it depending on how many pounds of pears we have. Thanksgiving plans are falling into place.  We are not going to the restaurant like we did last year.  We are having two meals this year.  Once with Hubby's family here, and one at my younger brother's house.  I am just trying to figure out what to make for each get together.  Pies do better with our Christmas meal, so I doubt I'll bake one.   I devoted Monday Madness to paperwork.  Got so much done, and have a pile to burn now.  Now if I can just keep it that way. Unfortunately, the wife to a very good friend of Hubby's had a bad stroke a few weeks ago.  She's close to my age.  We got word last night that she is being moved to hospice today.  We are so emotional today, and feel so badly for them.

Youngest Daughter had her Halloween party.  She even had candles that drip "blood."  Orange lights were up, blinking light candles going, scary movies playing etc.  With all the company over, and another daughter here for a visit, Mia got a case of the "zommies."  Every rug was turned up, ha ha!  I wish I got it filmed for her Mom.  So funny. Saturday morning we woke up to cold, rainy, and windy weather.  Hubby had to work all weekend, so I couldn't even do the major deep cleaning projects (need the extra muscle to move stuff).  Oh darn (ha ha!). Daughter had one friend sleepover, and Hubby was working his double shift, so I whipped up some larger homemade biscuits and cooked some homemade sausage patties for egg/sausage biscuit breakfast sandwiches.  I used my largest biscuit cutter and it worked great.  I just have to make the patties thinner next time.  Yum!  I even saved some for Hubby. So.... Had a long talk wi...

When I woke up, took the dogs out and stoked the fire (again), I realized I hadn't cleaned my vegetable scrubber the night before.  It went into some water and vinegar first thing, while I puttered around early morning. I'm working on giving my blog a new look.  What is your favorite site to create a blog banner or collage photo etc?  Pic Monkey charges a monthly rate to use now, and that is who I used for free in the past.   My brain needed a boost, so I made a nice cup of Rosemary-Lemon Thyme Tea (recipe is in Rosemary Gladstar's book - Medicinal Herbs).  Speaking of her book, has anyone made her recipe for honey onion syrup for colds?  It is not written if the syrup can be made and stored in the fridge for any period of time.   Or would you simply consume this often during winter to ward off a cold?  Thoughts welcomed on this.   We all needed a boost of iron, potassium, magnesium, B vitamins and so forth...

Finished a navy headband for my oldest daughter. Finished these knitted dishcloths to sell.  They are almost restocked for the next craft show. Finished another mug/coaster set. Finished a set of elf boot cuffs for Youngest daughter.  I'll most likely adjust this pattern for a shorter top on it, and round the top round in white vs. green yarn.  Small bells will be sewn onto the tips of the red part too.  Or possible leave them as they are, and give buyers an option prior to a craft show.  I guess you could glue on pom poms too.  It'll be interesting to see what Youngest wants on hers.  She can't wear them to school, but can elsewhere.  This pattern is for sale at Etsy by AllieCatsHats (not an affiliate, just sharing). Started this scarf for an order for a Christmas present. Current dishcloth on the knitting needles. Current lapghan on the crochet hook. I got a set of boot cuffs croche...

In case you missed the Hunter's Moon Wednesday, here you go.  We woke up to 33°F yesterday morning. Here is the moon this morning.  We woke up to a chilly 28°F.  I got up at 5:30am to take the dogs out and stoke the fire.  Typically, I put Mia on a leash and let Jesse go do his business within sight of our pole light.  However, after I called for him, a group of coyotes moved through, and they were close.  Loud too.  I had to yell "treaty" to get him running inside.  I will be taking him on a leash now when it's dark.  They were across the street somewhere, and the corn is still up there.  My hands were literally shaking, they were that close.  Coyotes were always an issue when we had kid goats.  Thankfully, they are not around our area as much as other areas.  This is the second time we've heard them this year. I only worked outdoors yesterday for about 30 minutes yesterday - too cold.  I can't function pul...

Although the weather is now in the 40's and not the 60's, I'm back out to the garden.  It's going much slower.   I hope to have a post on the garden, as I attempt to get it ready for next year.  Of course it depends on the weather too.  I was super irritable Monday evening.  I am trying to once again find the humor in all of this.  You could say this garden was a complete success if all you wanted to harvest was foxtail. Mia must not like my knitting needles.  If I sit to knit she starts up with her need to play.  If I crochet, she naps.  Hm.  Coincidence?  I do need breaks in my day too. I started my infused oil, but I had to heat up the kitchen too.  I am smacking myself for starting it so late.  However, the sunny window where it sits, is right behind my dehydrator (which about to start heating up too). Mixed up some more handmade foaming hand soap.  This time I used my 18 in 1 Hemp lavender c...

Nothing more creepier than hearing something crunch through the tree line, while hanging laundry out at 8:30am. Meal ideas come to me and the oddest times.  While washing the morning dishes yesterday I decided dinner would be Sloppy Charlies (organic ground beef and homemade condensed cream of mushroom soup), corn and zucchini saute and roasted brussel sprouts. Speaking of the weekly menu, here's what else I came up with so far: Breakfast (or dinner):  Homemade biscuits and sausage gravy, fried potatoes and scrambled eggs Dinners: -Creamy mac n' cheese, sweet potato hash browns, BBQ green beans with bacon, Chicken with home canned hot pepper mustard sauce, quinoa, broccoli, a spinach/parsley pesto pasta....still working on it.... Even though I wrote out a list for Sunday errands, I realized I forgot to buy borax and washing soda.  Urgh.  So cleaning the bathroom was put on halt until today. Breakfast today is a sweet potato (thank you Garden Gods),...

Good morning!  I'm joining Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom today.  It's been quite a long time since I joined.  I have a long list of possible "to-do's" so it'll be interesting as to what I actually get done.  I'll link up as soon as she posts this morning.  I was up at 5:20am, so hence my early post. The weather outside is . . . This isn't from today, but from yesterday as the "winter" rain and wind rolled in.  It's cold again today.   On the breakfast plate this morning . . . Blueberry pancakes, sausage and eggs As I look outside my window . . . See that broken window in my one barn (in the above photo)?  Yeah...gotta cover it with thick plastic for the winter, so I can get it replaced in the spring.   Clear and sunny skies today, but cold, cold, cold. Right now I am . . . Folding towels. As I look around the house . . . It definitely needs cleaned up.  We took the day off of work yesterda...

We've had a few beautiful sunrises at our place lately. Mia, wanting to play as soon as I sat down to knit a bit. Made my first Einkorn chocolate chip cookies.  I didn't have whole wheat, but they tasted great! Started up the wood stove once again, but had to use my clothes dryer for the first time in a looooong time.  It was cold and it rained.  At least the garlic is getting a good watering. Cleaned all the straw out of my emergency chicken coop (adjacent to the main one), because the rat (or something) came back and starting chewing a new hole. Grr!  Re-set the trap. While embarking on the mission to do the dishes, I found 45 other things that needed done (while mentally making a list of other things that needed done).  Isn't that how it always goes.  I walked into the garage to see if we had newspaper, and noticed garlic hanging.  Oops.  Brought that in right away. Got the mail, and my beautiful bling wallet arri...

I'm very concerned about Hubby.  His long hours have totally exhausted him and he's not feeling well. Wednesday night was the first time he would try one of my tinctures for sinus pressure (and it worked and he wanted it this morning).  I brewed a tea infusion for him, for exhaustion.  He was willing to trudge out to the coop and help me fix that hole, but I could tell he didn't want to do anything but eat dinner and lay in bed. As the holidays approach, I thought it would great to share this comfort food recipe we love.  Although homemade noodles are wonderful, I made it this time with organic/non-gmo macaroni noodles. Have leftover ham?  Make this delicious garden to table casserole! Ham and Pea Pasta 1 cup diced  home grown onions 1 Tbsp. of organic butter*   Saute together until onions are clear, then add 1 cup diced ham, and cook about 5 minutes.  Remove from heat. 3 cups organic/non-gmo pasta (cook and drain while you saut...

To all of you who read through yesterday's long post, thank you for your dedication and patience to read through it.  Today's post will be much shorter. It's was gonna be a cold night last night (second freeze warning), so I trudged out to the barn and brought in more wood.  Hubby is already starting to show the signs of sleep deprivation and exhaustion.  He's a grouch.  He apologized, but he'll need a lot of rest after this long work week.   It was a chilly 30°F this morning, and the wood stove was going strong.  In October.  So odd. The coop got a good cleaning, and I stuffed the roost with extra straw.  I had to wait a bit for the temperature to rise, but it was still cold out there.  The ladies and gent will want the warmth in this cooler weather.  I had to fix their coop ladder too, and as I fixed it I noticed a hole chewed through the chicken wire.   It's between the main coop and the emergency smaller coo...

Mia was intrigued with my yarn.  She was sniffing it and wondering what it was as I crocheted.  So funny.  I tried to get some photos, but they just wouldn't sit still, ha ha!  Jesse is with us now too, and they get along well.  Tiger is just not happy.  He comes in my room at night to his "safe" space and curls up right next to me to get his "love" time now. Oh my gosh, it was cold yesterday morning.  I had a ton of things that needed done, and it didn't heat up very fast.  We had a freeze warning last night, so the last of the jalapenos were picked, and we woke up to a temperature of 31°F. I got soup beans into the crock pot, got my breakfast, and washed the dishes, in hopes to get to the garden.  A freeze warning is upon us now.   I dug up all the sweet potatoes. Here's what they look like.  .  . I harvested about half of what I normally get, but they are larger than I thought they'd get.  I d...