Pioneer Woman at Heart

There is so much on our plate lately, it's making our heads spin.  I don't know why, but they are taking forever to get things done for his sister in the hospital. Meanwhile, our daughter "T" who lost her son, is having a horrible time getting through each moment of every day.  We will be making a visit soon.  I'm thinking all take them some baked mac n' cheese.  I made a pan of it for our niece and her family (the ones with the new baby) and we got word back that they all loved it, and one little one who hates cheese ate three helpings of it.  It's definitely a crowd pleaser. I'm still tapping my fingers, waiting on the doctor's office to call me.  I can't wait to get my leg taken care of and get back to a regular visit to the garden.  I have to start yanking stuff before the snow flies.   I didn't get a lick of anything done Friday.  Youngest had no school, so we spent the first part of the day shopping for a homecoming dress and...

Cloudy sunrise, but pretty. Pure happiness, and first jalapenos to go in the freezer. Harvest of our green bell peppers is small and peppers are small, but I'm just happy to have some to freeze for winter meals. Started two jars of mullein tincture. Started one jar of sage tincture.

Here is a photo of the vintage tablecloth I bought while on the island last weekend.  I love it!  I need more of the longer ones too. Overnight breakfast casserole has been made and baked.  We love this one.  It's spicy but good!  I don't make it often, as it's loaded with sausage.  I'll be playing around with homemade sausage to see if I can whip up a better flavor and much healthier. I finally got a few bunches of swiss chard in the freezer.  I lso froze the stems for saute's with the leaves, or to mix in with celery and onion as well this winter.  I blanched the leaves for 2 minutes and the stems for 3 minutes (bagged separately). We finally got our Kelley's Island Christmas ornament in the mail.  She only made 200 and I ordered it during our July trip there.  It's our first island ornament to go on our Christmas tree this winter. Well, we are going through another rough patch with family and health.  Hubby's...

Yep.  You read the title of this post correctly.  I'm so glad we are getting "something" from this garden.  I picked these last Monday morning - 4.5# of hot goodness.   I have more on the plants too. We also enjoyed a homegrown bell pepper and some of those jalapenos for dinner - southwestern black bean burritos (and they were delicious!). I canned one batch of cowboy candy.  I have forgotten how long it takes to slice up the peppers.  I'm just happy I got some canned. So happy to get something from the garden this year.  Now I sort of feel on the normal side again.  I have green bell peppers out there yet too.  I'm waiting until after this week's rain, in hopes for some to get a bit bigger. 

I'm trying to find a coral colored 100% cotton yarn (chemical free) for  a project, but cannot find any reasonably priced.  I like Lily yarn, but if you know of a company selling it, please leave a comment.  I found Sugar n' Cream 2.5 oz in Tangerine, but they want $2.99 per ball for it.  That will make my project cost go up.  I am already paying $1.77/ball at Wal-mart. Two men were supposed to come Tues. evening to buy the old truck as-is.  They did not show up.  Wed. came around and they didn't show up again.  If they don't show up tonight, we'll be fixing it up and putting it up for sale for a higher price.  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  We are going off grid until next week.  We are calling it our "wellness weekend" where we'll pamper our mind, body and souls.  We'll relax and rejuvenate, block out the bad, and soak up some "good."

I am finally back to the stove for making a good and healthy breakfast.  Swelling in my foot and leg has gone down enough to stand a bit longer. It's another scramble this week, but I haven't made a breakfast in over 2 weeks now - eggs, potatoes, onion, bacon, zucchini, dandelion greens, fire powder and garlic. I was almost full swing back into my routine - sorted mail, washed, dried and put away a mound of dirty dishes, ran the dishwasher, washed a load of towels and hung them on the line, watched the pup, spritzed my sprouts (which are already sprouting, emptied trash, washed more clothes and put them on drying racks, and crocheted.  I have an order for a set of pot holders and another order for dish scrubbies.  Nylon netting was cut, but not much.   I also got around to making crock pot beef burgundy, noodles and mashed potatoes and corn.  Thankful for a good meal and thankful I can pack a lunch for the Hubster (as well as breakfast).  A b...

Finished this bracelet - a special request.  I had trouble with the green beads, but overall turned out nice.  I won't buy beads from the company that made the green ones again.  They were not the exact size as specified and I had to use my tool to enlarge the holes on almost all of them (green).  Anyway, it turned out nice. Finished these bracelets as well, but they need ends sewn in and buttons yet.  The black one was finished and gifted.  I'll be making more. Finished these sets of pot holders.  That bottom one was the new yarn I bought.  It's not the colors I thought it would be, but it reminds me of a cabin in the woods sort of color. Finished this dishcloth (knitted) and a matching set of pot holders. The positive aspect of having to sit around with my leg up, is that all of this has gained me more to sell at the winter craft show (s).  I'm completely out of my black yarn, so my "f" bombs are not resto...

Thank you all for your prayers, good thoughts and well wishes.   We have gotten through the funeral of our grandson, and are trying to push forward.  Little man would want us all to be happy.  I will admit, it was the hardest thing I've had to do as a grandmother, and as parents watching our daughter bury her infant.

I'm doing a little bit more every day, although I am watching myself on not over doing it.  I'm still getting of handiwork time.  Adding more vitamin C to my diet with organic lemons. I had partial day of help yesterday, and boy did it feel good to have a homemade dinner last night.  I dug through the freezer and pulled out meatballs, a jar of home canned pepper mustard sauce from the pantry, and I pulled a lonely last jar of home canned pickled beets (I do love my beets). This is why I also like canning and doing freezer food prep - you never know when you need something quick and easy and healthy. I did a few more small loads of laundry, made a nettle tea infusion, and unloaded the dishwasher and put other dishes away. My hands have been so dry from handiwork over time, that I'm putting lotion on the top of the list after the leg procedure is done.  Speaking of my helper, it was my 20 year-old, and she even drove all the way out to the homestead to dri...

I couldn't take it any longer.  I was left alone, so I washed dishes (twice), emptied and reloaded the dishwasher and did a few loads of laundry.  Hubby has been busy helping our daughter with funeral arrangements and our youngest is grieving.  I had to do something.  Every dish in the house was dirty. There is a lot of things I still can't do, but I at least put a dent in the mess here.  By the time Hubby gets home, he's mentally exhausted and doesn't want to do a thing, so I had to do it or it wasn't getting done. I'll admit, I'm not eating as healthy as I should because I can't do the cooking involved, which is also driving me mad. Also, my refrigerator is contaminated with leftover take out.  Gah!  It is about to explode from lack of attention too. My fresh spinach went bad.  Double Gah!  I need a trip to the store for fresh greens so I can make some fruit/green smoothies for my lunch and breakfast.  We are totally out of...

The tomatoes are a complete and total loss this year.  Not really surprised with our weather struggles this year.  We may get 10 to pick to eat and that is it from the 50-some plants.  Not sure about jalapenos and green peppers yet.  Tomato plants will be getting yanked when someone can volunteer for me.  We've gotten some rain here and there, so I'm hoping for the peppers, carrots and beets yet.  Thankfully, we are to get rain mid-week (one more thing I don't have to ask someone to do). We've had to cancel another camping trip (last weekend, weather would have been absolutely perfect too).  We've also canceled attending a bike fest we were going to (motorcycle event next weekend).  These cancellations were no surprise to us.   Most importantly, you all want to know the update at the consultation with the surgeon, right?   I was pretty anxious to get a plan in place, but squeamish about which way we'd go. I mean, my regul...

Thank you everyone for your prayers, good thoughts and well wishes overall.  We are all so shocked and deeply saddened over the passing of our grandson.  They have no diagnosis, and his family awaits an autopsy.  They awoke to him not breathing. On a more pleasant note, when I changed my bandage this morning, I noticed the wound (at my ankle) getting smaller, which is a sign of healing (but still nasty looking). Hubby plans to go load up the car our daughter totaled, tow it here, and scrap it for parts.  He then plans to sell what's left for a derby car.  The engine, tires and other new parts will be sold.  That's the plan. Daughter will then use that money to help pay for a new one eventually.  We hope the car is derivable, so they can get it up on the trailer today.  It's costing us $17 a day for every day it is still there at the tow yard. I am trying to figure out a crock pot dinner, that can be tossed together and then just heated up to...

I got a call about 11am-ish Friday morning, and when I couldn't understand our 20 year-old, I calmly asked if there was a policeman there.  She put him on the phone. An hour later I was with her in the ER at the hospital.  I drove despite pain in my ankle, because she had no one else to be with her and get her home. Her car was totaled, but she came out with bruises and a small cut. Thank God she had nothing broken.  Thankfully, I calmed her down, got her to even laugh, and got some knitting done while we waited for x-rays and other tests. I got her home, then myself home, and foot was back up. We got a call this morning at 6:30am.  Our daughter (my step-daughter) was at another hospital with our youngest grandson.   He had passed away. I feel like I'm in a bad dream.  Our hearts ache right now. I have yet to tell our youngest, who is very very close to our young grandson. Hubby is on his way to that hospital (doctors are looking f...

I had to come to the kitchen to get myself a cup of coffee (I need Hubby to put it in a large thermos tomorrow), so I thought why not share this.... Breakfast and dinner have been depressing for me, but dinner the most.  Hubby has been a dear and bringing me my breakfast in bed. The latest breakfast was a scramble, but with only eggs and smoked sausage. Dinner time, I am used to eating with the family and having conversation.  Not lately.  I'm in another room by myself, with foot up, eating alone, and no conversation.  I told the family I feel like I'm being punished (they laughed). Last night my youngest came in and said, "Mom I gotta tell you something." She proceeded to tell me she "needs her Momma back" and that she misses me all around, including me being here to clean out the fridge, and put potatoes and greens in her breakfast scramble.  I busted out laughing at the mention of the missing ingredients in the scramble.  I too, secretly miss...

Just a quick update - got the appt with the surgeon finally scheduled next week.  I won't know what the plan is until I see him.  I am pretty certain some sort of surgery will be happening. Meanwhile, I'll continue to be the "Queen of Crochet" and Hubby the "King of Take Out."  He's too tired to cook when he gets home, and daughter has her dog, dishes and homework.  However, our 20 year-old came out yesterday afternoon to take care of Romeo for me.  I was so grateful  for that.  Putting pressure on my right leg is downright painful. However, Hubby has brought me breakfast in bed the last few mornings, prior to him leaving for work.  Love him for that! I was considering sneaking out (more like hobbling out) to the edge of the larger garden to see if there are sprouts of Russian kale, but decided not to do that.  Although a nice crock pot home cooked soup would be nourishing and delicious.  I mean I already have cooked sausage in the...

I'm so glad we had a long holiday weekend, so I didn't have to take this turd out on a bum leg.  He was very cuddly the first two days of school, but after that, wanted to play and lay around outside. First visit to the doctor.  First of all, I am lucky to have been at home until second visit.  His first words were, "you should be in the hospital."  Cost for my meds before insurance.  After insurance?  $5 each.    One of my breakfast meals, served in bed.  Hubby made us bacon veggie omelets.  So good!  So thankful for it too.  I was tired of toast and coffee.  Second breakfast in bed was french toast, scrambled eggs and sausage. Hubby and Daughter were not all that happy about taking over my chores, and I often heard long sighs, but they did it for the most part.  And although the guys invited Hubby for a bike ride, he stayed home, cleaned my chicken coop and mowed.   He even pu...