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~

Thursday, May 30, 2019

Changing Plans ~ Weather Crisis

Horrible thunderstorms woke us up Tuesday morning, and later I found out there were tornadoes that touched down within an hour of us.

Youngest started her internship, and with the rain constant along with Hubby's work schedule, it's been indoor work for the most part.  

I broke down, did some research, and ordered us some reusable potato grow bags.  I just need to get the dirt and give an update on that.  I could not find one person with experience or a resource for bags, so I went with what my out research did.  It can't hurt at this point, as we are as desperate and desperate can be.

I sort of have a plan for the 54 jalapeno plants, but not for the 54 plus green pepper plants.

Rats chewed another hole in the chicken coop.  We patched that and built a rat trap, but noticed a crack in the bottom of my 5 gallon bucket.  We'll buy a new one and reset it.

As for the ants in the herb garden, I sprinkled grits on the hill.  So far, no ants.  You just need a dry day to do it, so they eat it.  Not sure on my weed killer yet.  No good dry days to use it.

Of course we got more rain, and major storms were in the forecast.  Thankfully most went past us giving us less rain.

Wednesday morning it was calm with no rain, but still in the forecast.


I made a sausage and kale millet skillet (recipe is online, but with ham and cheese), considering I couldn't do a thing outside.  The humidity is bad here too.  So bad, I have sinus issues and have been downing tinctures and teas to relieve the pressure.  When that failed to do it's job, I remembered a trick my Dad taught me a long time ago - add one drop of oregano oil (talk to your health store professional) to a teabag and make hot tea.  Worked like a charm.

I'm also having to run our dehumidifier and empty it often.  So this means no painting of anything either.   When I first turned on the dehumidifier it read my bedroom was 85% humidity.  windows in the kitchen and front room have been closed for that reason.

Which leaves me to cleaning.   Cleaning, organizing, and it's driving us all mad.  The rain that is.  We are all literally in bad moods.  The rain has made our "can't do" list so long it's frustrating and downright maddening.  We are all grouches and argue a lot lately.  Hubby's work schedule is also draining him and the rest of us, also adding to the "can't do" list.

The old truck is still broke down, one daughter's car remains in the driveway broke down, the septic not dug, bathroom remodel halted, chimney not swept, garden not tilled nor planted......

On top of that, we kind hearted people let one nephew borrow our mower for his house lot, where we have 6 acres.  He borrowed it Monday morning, and we even had a cookout there the same day, and I don't remember seeing the mower there.   He wasn't answering his phone either.  We only have short windows of opportunities (mostly dry times when Hubby's at work) to mow our own grass.  I have a biker friend we can hire to help me, but we can't do it without our mower.  The mower was to be returned last night, but they never showed up, so mowing didn't happen.  We are pretty upset considering we actually got in touch with them too.

We also went out of our way to locate hay for the nephew's horse.  It's very difficult to find right now, and with the rainfall there is a huge shortage.  The friend was willing to sell a few bales and as of we know, he hasn't gone to pick it up.

If by luck, you may see a "gratitude" post soon, just to try and shift my thinking lately.  It's been pretty depressing.


We didn't get too much rain on Wed. but we will get buckets of it again today (if the weather man is right).  I really, really need to find my "happy" place again.

10 comments:

Debby Flowers said...

HI Kristina - so sorry about all the rain there. The need to garden is more than raising food for you family isn't it - there is that, but there is also that need to put you hands in the soil - so healing.
Hope that mower comes back!!! Frustrating situation! Does the nephew read your blog?

Robin said...

I found a recipe for a weed killer that I will be trying: a gallon and a half of vinegar, 1 1/2 cup of epsom salt and two tablespoons of dawn. We raise honeybees so we are very careful. We don’t put anything on our lawn or spray for weeds. Two weeks ago, I got into something (weed) and am covered in poison. I am willing to try this as a weed killer. I will share my success or failure. Thanks for your blog.
Robin

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Debby, ha ha! No he doesn't read my blog, but I don't care if he did. Hubby is pretty livid about it.

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Robin, that's the recipe I'm using and it started to kill off the weeds, but it rained and rained and rained. Hopefully I will have a chance to use it again.

Henny Penny said...

I sure hope the rain will stop so you can get some things done. I get really down when there are days and days and days of rain and gloomy weather. We had that back in Feb. and March, in fact, my husband said those potatoes you planted will rot in the ground. It was so wet. Well the rain stopped and now we are so very dry I am watering the garden every morning. Seems like it's either flooding or a drought. I haven't dug any potatoes yet. :)

mamasmercantile said...

Sorry to read about the rain, and tornadoes too so disheartening. It must be a big disappointment not to have the mower returned, you know the answer do not lend it out again. Tough love!

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Henny Penny, thanks. We are having a dry day today, so here is hoping to plant more.

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

mamasmercantile, we won't be loaning out the mower or anything. We loaned out a large axe, they broke the metal piece off and never replaced it. I think we are done with loaning stuff out anymore. It'll be the kicker when we have to go borrow one from someone else just to get the grass mowed.

Susan said...

Is it just me or our relatives the worst people ever at returning anything? It’s as if they think, because you’re related, the rules don’t apply to them. I hope you get your mower back and it’s in working order! I really feel for you with this weather. It is very difficult to find your happy place when everything around you is sodden and gray. And specially the amount of rain in those storms, too. I hope things dry up in time for you to get those 54 green pepper plants in!

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Susan, it is the pits, and we have been wondering if they broke the mower and haven't told us. Either way, we do have a relative closer, but the same relative who borrowed our mower borrowed the trailer from him and hasn't returned it either. This means driving 30 minutes to get the trailer and either pick up ours or someone else's. I needed Hubby to till and now he's forced to mow the 3 hours himself after a long work day. My mower guy showed up to mow on Thursday and I had no mower. Just downright frustrating as well.