Pioneer Woman at Heart

....and just like that (snap!) my tidy quiet house went to noisy, chaotic nerve ending mess.  Once the dogs wore each other out, it was finally quiet again. Due to complicated events, and work schedule not all of our daughter's belongings have been moved.  What a mess. Sigh. We need to find her an apt. like yesterday, for my peace of mind.  It'll be tough considering the pandemic, and the number of animals she has.   Keep us in your prayers.  I'm so stressed with anxiety right now.  I found my 18 year-old in my closet doing homework, but when I walked in, she was sobbing.  Her peaceful space upstairs has been disrupted for now, and he's having trouble accepting it temporarily.  We all are, but to have our 20 year-old here is the only thing we can do to help her.  We are all trying our best to think positively about it all.  First, finding her a car....not sure how that's gonna happen. On a good note.... Dinner last n...

Quarantine day 15.  Just like the rest of you, we are in this until April 30th now. Daughter and I have been doing virtual zoo tours online with our favorite area zoo.  It's been a fun way to keep a bit of normalcy and keep our sanity time. Okay, now I need a tried and true pizza crust recipe using all-purpose flour (now that I cannot make Einkorn flour pizza crusts).  I have yeast. I spent Sunday mostly in the kitchen.  I was tickled pink to get organic zucchini, and spinach, so those went into the freezer. There is a lot I am not able to get in organics, but thankful for what I can get.  I also made us some hummus. Today I'm joining Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom. The weather outside is . . . Over the weekend we had to deal with flooding, heavy rain, thunderstorms and high damaging winds.  Today's weather is a high of 45°F, rain later again. How I am feeling this morning . . . Frustrated, worried, anxious....who isn't, ...

Hubby made us omelets with veggies and leftover ham.  The muffins are organic from the store since I still cannot find wholewheat flour anywhere . We did a grocery pick up (no toilet paper...again).  It's limited now, and we never know if we'll get what we need.  I try to get some sort of greens in each order we need to do. Pan of veggies we had one night. I got an email that stated one seed order was shipped.  The other order came back with "out of stock" on about 4 of my items.  Sadly, I had to go and reorder them from another source, crossing my fingers this all arrives timely.  We did not start any seeds indoors this year, so that means relying on our garden resource for a few other items, especially tomatoes.   Hubby dropped a jar of 4 thieves vinegar and spilled the remaining goodness.  He looked like he was going to cry.  Literally.  I had another jar, so he was relieved, and I'm making more, but using th...

If it wasn't for this weather, we'd be popping up the camper and roasting weenies over a campfire.  Literally.   Romeo has free range of the entire house now.  He is loving it.  He can see out all the doors and windows and is a wonderful watch dog.  He came and joined me during my 2pm crochet hour yesterday.  He just melts my heart with love.  And yes, those are Christmas socks on my feet. Speaking of being a good watch dog, (sorry if I already told you this), a car pulled in, honked his horn and rolled down his window.  He wanted to know where the lady lives that repairs boat covers.  I had a word for this guy, and it wasn't nice.  Anyway, Romeo is always watching out for us. He later stole my pillow.  He is just so full of love, and we need it right now.  So glad my Mom has her two cats, as she lives alone and has been locked up longer than we have. Rebecca at Rebecca's Hearth and Home blogspot , shared th...

Bigger stores have now put limits on things like toilet paper (which you can't even order on clicklist nor get unless you go early and into a store).  Dairy items are limited to 3, meat to 3 eggs to 3, which is smart considering the hoarding still going on, but I wish they'd limit flour etc.   School continues to email updates and has postponed prom and graduation (not canceled like many have). Mom and Dad are still isolated in their homes.  I have a brother and daughter making sure they have what they need, but my younger brother is a first responder in the police force.  That daughter also works in the public. I finally got an email from one of my other daughters.  She has lost her job, no pay while off, and has not gotten another job.  I am trying my best to help via email with updated places hiring (her apt. complex is still charging rent during this pandemic). I have not heard from my oldest daughter yet.  I know our Governor has put a...

I'm looking for a knitted sock pattern online for beginners.  Do you of you recommend one?  There are so many online, and what needles will I need?  I have yarn.  I do not have any sock yarn knitting books.  Guess it may be time to order one. I have this yarn.  Is it enough for size 11 socks?  Each ball has 247 yards.   I have no idea what size these knitting needles are nor the circular one.  I have a feeling they are too big anyway.  Why do they not label them?  I'll need to order whatever needles I need too.  Thanks a bunch! Update: Oh Lordy...my printer is now out of ink.  Sigh...ordering ink now if I can just in case one of you have an online pattern for me. Another update:  I found the size 6 double pointed in my knitting stash.  Woohoo.  Do I still need a circular?  and is that the right size?

Morning coffee on the porch this morning. Well folks.  I have nothing to update, but there is another case in our county.  A 71 year old man. Thank you Debby for the black beans.  Can you tell me again what the proper name of them is?  Thanks again! I wish I took pictures, but something is eating the tops of my garlic.  I spent some time gathering up bits of wire to cover the tops of the grow bags and will move them this weekend.  It could be the stray cat that hasn't left yet (the other 2 have left). Today I am thankful for. . .  -my treadmill so I can have daily exercise -daughter home to have person to person conversation -Hubby working, so we can pay the bills -that Hubby's work is following instructions on keeping things sanitized (they even have doors open to not touch door knobs, someone is spraying minute by minute, chair removed from lunch room to make sure they sit 6 feet apart, even their trucks have been cleaned). -the...

Monday I literally was so busy in my kitchen I didn't have time to think about the virus shut in situation.  I am thankful for my lifestyle in those terms (self-sufficient as much as I can).  The odd thing is, is that more of us are home bound, and my number of views on my blog have plummeted to an all time low.  I'm still blogging despite. I decided to change up my breakfast and make a batch of strawberry/blueberry pancakes. The only downside to this pandemic for us right now, is finding organic flour and Einkorn flour.  I found some online, but at horribly high prices.  I hope they restock by the weekend. I told Hubby, enjoy your cookies.  You may not get them again, nor homemade pizza crust, and pancakes (rather anything I use it for).  I'm rationing it.   Day 10 of self quarantine: Tiger wanted fed at 4:30am.  Anyone else have a cat like that?  Then he curled up with me in bed. Yesterday.  County wor...

Today I am thankful for . . . -eggs from the chickens -greens to blanch and freeze -yarn -having 6 acres and plenty of space to get fresh air -wood to cut -Romeo, he's become a wonderful guard dog -coffee -books -the internet -pen and paper -music -my family -my dehydrator -my blog friends -wild, medicinal weeds

I posted earlier this morning, and then realized it was Monday today.  To be honest, with Hubby home off and on, I forget what day it is, and what time it is too often. As I said earlier today, we have a state order to stay in our homes - non-essential is all closed.  We have 2 cases of the virus in our county now and another in a larger city we shop in off and on.  The 2 in our county are 60 year-old's that recently traveled to Europe, and are self quarantined in their home with no hospitalization. All day cares that remain open, are ordered to reduce to 6 kids now and must have a "Pandemic Permit."  It puts essential workers in a predicament. The order was issued to stay at home starting tonight at midnight, but we self quarantined and are on day 8 now, so now another 2 weeks.  It's not new to us, but frustrating that people are not staying home so we can get back to normal. I need to change my header intro to "surviving today's pandemic" now. ...

We have snow again.  It actually started coming down last night.  I didn't want to see that right now.  I'm ready for spring. If you didn't hear it.  Our state is on "lockdown" but they are just calling it an "order to stay-at-home" until April 6th (at which time I'm sure they'll extend it).  All non-essential businesses are ordered closed by midnight tonight. Nothing really new to post, but have a full normal day of chores today, so I'm not at all bored.  I'm used to being home anyway, I just wish I could get some porch time is all. Short post, but I'm trying to keep to my regular routine.  Hopefully, I'll have some handiwork to share soon. Update:  I just realized it's Monday, so I will post a Happy Homemaker post later too.

What are some things you find yourselves doing more now that you were not before this self quarantine?   I for one, miss the library.  I had to put in an order with Thrift books to calm myself down.  I'll spray the packages when they arrive.  It'll be the last until this is over, as I have a few other books to read too.  To be honest, I'm doing more cleaning right now, but it's tapering off.  I haven't increased my crochet time, but that will happen soon. I have been putting more food in the freezer from the last grocery run - blanching and freezing greens, freezing bell peppers, dehydrating mushrooms and onions, freezing more broccoli and cauliflower etc.  I could not find organic zucchini anywhere.  Hopefully, next trip I can find some.  Most people are not buying fresh fruit and veggies so I try and pick some up when we need any essential (pick up service now since delivery is not possible and we don't want to go in st...