Pioneer Woman at Heart

We don't have much to pick this year.  Too dry despite watering.  Zero red raspberries this year. Does anyone know what this is?  It's a form of a vine growing in the trees.  It doesn't have any sort of berry on it either.

I don't have any photos for today's post.  We had a very busy day yesterday, and we had to go help one daughter (the one with our grandkids) with her van.  Unfortunately, it's their only vehicle and my husband told her it's the transmission.  So....we are trying to get them a vehicle.  And...and...our daughter that lives here and works STILL needs one too.  Ugh.  So many things going wrong all at once.   The same daughter with the van, also needs a new washing machine, and now their mower broke down.  I'm barely holding on.  Update on the pandemic in our state and county:  We went down a notch on his scale he made, putting us out of the mask mandate, but then put one state-wide.  He actually said that more people were wearing them, but yet the numbers keep increasing in our county and he's expanding day care (but today he may start shutting down bars).  None of this makes sense.  We personally know people who got no...

My garden visitor the other day, and oddly, orange and blue.  Those are the favorite colors of daughter's deceased boyfriend. Monday we got a glorious pour down from the Rain Gods!  So happy to have that happen.  We were getting worried about the well and no rain lately.  However, in the morning, you could never tell it had rained (it's been that dry here).  Youngest was gifted a butterfly bush and a rose bush.  She planted both just before it rained. I canned.  It was a half batch of hot pepper mustard sauce.  A success, even though splitting all the ingredients in half taxed my brain.  Thank goodness for google to make sure I was accurate. In total, I have now lost 3 hens and 2 roosters.  Trap has been re-set, and only time will tell. Somehow I scratched up two of my pairs of readers.  I ended up ordering some on Amazon.  I didn't want to go to the store and most likely I wouldn't find them.  The last t...

A raccoon (or two) got 2 more of my hens.  I had a total melt down in the barn.  Followed by that?  Thoughts in my head "I'm never doing this again!"  "I'm done with this homesteading life"  and on and on. I put an SOS out on social media asking for friends and family to come help build a coop.  One person answered.  My best friend from high school, who was also kind enough to come to our daughter's grad gift drop off. She sent photos and offered a price of $75.00 for her chicken coop.  Getting it here and off the trailer will be a job though.  We have a trailer and we also now have a person with a skid steer to load and unload. It will take a few tweeks to ready it before moving them into their new home.  It needs windows or a fan.  It has no ventilation.  They have to unhook their electric to it.  They had a fan system, so we'll have to either put it near the barn or house to hook up electric, or invest in sola...

What happens when your husband takes the laundry down, lol!  Sort of made me chuckle.  He had told me "I probably didn't do it right."  Ha ha! I'm joining Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom today, although it's not been happy around here for a very long week.  The weather . . .  Well, it's supposed to thunderstorm this afternoon.  We'll see if it actually happens. How I am feeling this morning . . . Frustrated, mad, sad.... On my mind . . . A lot.  I may be canning for the first time this garden season.  We shall see. On the breakfast plate . . . (I'll add a picture later) Sausage, egg and cheese muffins. On my reading pile . . . Nothing right now. On the TV . . . Anything interesting. On the menu . . . I'm going to cook for the first time since last Friday - crock pot sloppy joes and oven baked sweet potato fries. - have no idea otherwise From the camera . . . N...

Well, we made it through the funeral for the best friend.  Rough, rough week I tell ya'.   We have arranged a drive thru graduation gift drop off for our youngest (since we canceled her grad/prom party).  We asked her first and she loved the idea. My new project!  Jar Gripper/Jar Opener.  I'll be making more and getting them up for sale soon.  It's about 6 x 7 inches. I caught the raccoon.  I have a bad feeling there are more so the trap is re-set.  Sigh. Our favorite organic coffee beans have been swapped with something else.  We just brewed a bag and it tastes horrible. I guess we switch coffee now (after years of buying it).  Blech. It's back to watering the garden again.  No news there. I have been trying to catch up on laundry, but I keep forgetting I have it in the washer.  My mind is just all over the place lately.

It's been a very rough week.  Some days are just trying to do something to stay busy, others are tough as h-e-double hockey sticks. I hadn't washed dishes since last Friday, so we are taking turns on the rounds to catch up.  Movement helps. Project supplies arrived, so there is more that can keep me occupied, other than the garden.  The chicken coop needs mucked as well. Picked another round of beans - almost 2# Black beans are finally climbing and the blossoms are on.  We got rain, but not enough.  Just enough to give them a dose of goodness.  Many people who are watering with city water are losing their gardens in this drought. On another note, I have been trying to order a replacement part for my sauce maker since last fall.  I pulled up their site, and it's still out of stock.  I emailed them, and guess what?  They asked for my address and shipped me one FREE!  How awesome is that? My side bar bible verse has bee...

This was supposed to be last Saturday's post.... Yesterday's pickings.  The beans are from the first planting, second planting are loaded with blossoms.  Praying for more rain.  I only picked one hot banana pepper.  There are more on the plants but need to plump up before I pick them. What is your preferred way to can green beans?  Raw pack or hot pack?  I think I will can the next picking to save room in the freezer. I watered and watered, and then went back to weed.  The garden is full of weeds, but plants look great so far.  We need a good soaking rain to get things flowing out there. Speaking of a hot mess, my house is a hot mess.  That happens when garden work takes over. I'm not stressing over it, and I'm putting the girls to work when they can.  One daughter works a lot, so that leaves one. What's your favorite way to use turnips?  How do you store them as well (I don't have a root cellar nor basement)? I ha...

My bell peppers are starting to come on.  I just hope I am watering enough to plump them up in size.  It's still a drought at our homestead (even though surrounding areas are getting rain). The trees are starting to lose their leaves, and my berry bushes look terrible. We spent most of the day with our daughter's boyfriend's family.  We took them dinner and went to the funeral home with them.  Long day, but I know they appreciated us being there. It's another hot day here. 

I have a nothing new post today.  Strange.  I'm always so pumped to get something posted, but not today.  So much on my mind right now. We got spit on yesterday.  The storm came through and it literally sprinkled for less than a minute.  I am so sad on top of everything else.  We are in drought conditions and now I am worried about the garden. Hubby is out watering flowers.  When he's done I'll start on the garden.  My root veggies are not getting what they need.  I can't remember a year like this.  Ever. We had visitors all day yesterday, and even had a meal delivered.  Our daughter is not okay.  Youngest.  We are doing our best to keep her around someone.  She is not allowed to drive herself anywhere right now either.  She is having the most horrible time right now.

Update:  no funeral.  He was a tissue donor and will be cremated.  There will be a backyard church service, and a celebration of life later.  Thank you for all your kind words.  My stomach is pretty upset, so homemade ginger ale is brewing on the stove top right now. Our yard.  It's so dry here, but Queen Anne's Lace is growing all over it.   There is a possibility of rain later today. Something fun for me.  I wanted them for stitch markers, but the coffee cup one and camper are a bit to heavy (larger than I though).  I will find a use for them though. My morning visitor, but I didn't get too close either.   Not sure if I updated on this, but I got the raccoon that was terrorizing my chickens.

While we were planning our youngest daughter's grad party (for today), which would have also been her prom combined (just got her a prom dress yesterday), God had other plans. Her love of her life and his best friend were killed in an accident last night about 7pm.  The jeep malfunctioned and they rolled in a ditch then hit a tree.  Both did not survive. He was her rock. Her everything.  When I say everything I mean everything.  He was like our son.  We were helping him get a vehicle.  His best friend treated us like his parents.  My heart breaks for both families and our daughter. It feels so unreal.  Party of course was canceled, and we'll be taking food to her boyfriend's parents house later today. I will not be posting for a few days as we get through this.  I don't know how long this will take, as it feels like a bad dream...a nightmare.  So unfair.  They would have married and had kids.  I cry just looking at...

I wasn't sure I'd even get blueberries this year, as it was a dry spring.  Strawberry season was short too. However, I was on top of it, and brought home 10# of blueberries.  We cannot grow them here, so I'm tickled pink we can re-stock them. I made this the other day.  It's a side dish, but I made it a "main" dish for a hot day.  It has black beans in it, so that counts as a protein.  So good too.  It's Tex Mex Pasta and the recipe is online at Spruce Eats.  You can utilize your garden goodies for this recipe.  Oh, I forgot to add the fresh cilantro from the herb garden.  Will add that today too. Do you know what these are?  Hard to see in the bag, but Hubby surprised me.  French waffles.  A country nearby town had a food truck.  Woohoo!  We helped someone out financially, and filled my tummy with some yummy fair food (I know it's not healthy, but it's once a year ha ha!). Got up early (ag...

I love my Mom.  She gave me another project to do.  I won't be crocheting masks, but she asked me to make a mask extender.  The only problem is, that the pattern is too small.  I'm re-doing this today and making it larger and having my daughter who works try it out at her work.  My buttons have been shipped, so that will happen when they arrive. It's not the new project that I was talking about though.  That is yet to start, but will share when I have it made. Once I have the size figured out on this project, I'll most likely be selling some.  I know many people have to wear a mask the entire day, and it's uncomfortable.  One person who has one already told me hers measures 6 1/2 inches.  I think that would be too large, but we'll see. Rain is due here today, but we've only had a sprinkle.  I sure hope we get more today.  We badly need it.  I spent the morning tying up my 100 some tomato plants.  They are looking g...

We have a huge fly problem out by the vegetable gardens.  They are flesh flies and are everywhere.  I'm guessing there is a dead animal near the woods or in the pasture, so I went online and ordered environmentally safe fly traps.  My homemade bug spray doesn't work at all, and it's miserable trying to work out there.   Garden bounty is starting to roll in.  Jalapenos and bell peppers are on the plants now too. I went out to the coop yesterday, and low and behold, another hole in the chicken wire.  Just like the last two holes and I'm getting tired of it.  Live trap is set again.  Deer camera is up too just to see if there is more or it's something different doing it.

Thanks to the only rain we have gotten, I have more new blooms at the homestead.  I am picking green beans almost every other day now.  Well, the mask mandate is causing so much chaos in our county.   I simply shop in another county.  So sick of this stuff.  What will they come up with during the next 5 months to keep everyone fighting and dividing?  Who knows.  I'm glad I have my garden to keep me busy.  Our state is being watched by counties now, and have a level grid.  Our county was put in a level to put a mask mandate in place.  They only change status by the week as well. Cases are escalating in our county daily.  I'm starting to wonder if it's not a virus and rather a bacteria now.  It won't be long before they close everyone again. We have no plans to return to the island.  Three businesses have not closed to quarantine.  If campgrounds do not close this fall, we do have plans to go campin...

Guess what?  We got rain.  Finally.  It brought a slight cool down, but the heat returns next week.  So every thankful for the rain. Short post today.   On another good note, thanks to my Mom, I have a new project to work on soon.  Once my supplies arrive, I will have show you.  

Green beans and wax beans are starting to come on. Although we have a ton of Queen Anne's Lace, I won't be making jelly this.  Maybe. Thanks to the tip from Goatldi yesterday, I froze corn for the chickens cool down treat.  They loved it! I spent all yesterday morning watering everything.  We had a heat advisory. Today rain is in the forecast.  I'm taking a chance and not watering, so pray it does.  We are being warned of a second heat wave after the rain.  Sigh... The heat is just sucking the positive mojo and energy right out of me.  One daughter is depressed (the salon called yesterday and told her they can't afford to keep her on staff).  Hubby is agitated when he gets home.  Who wouldn't be?  He works in this heat and next to 600°F equipment off and on.  Yesterday he had to work where it was 120°F. I need a motorcycle ride or camping trip.  Both will not happen in this heat either.  I need a ...

Our shell peas are done for the season.  Sadly, we did not get what we should have due to lack of rain.   Speaking of lack of rain...everyone is on edge here at the homestead.  Not sure if it's just the heat and drought, or what's going on in the world.  Lots of agitation, anxiety, depression, mood swings, and lack of patience.  I know I am tired of all of it. I've been icing the chickens.  They are so hot they are panting in this heat.

We are suffering drought conditions.  No rain, and I'm watering daily to keep the garden from burning up.  Green beans are on, so I must be keeping up with it pretty good.  I have to start really early so the plants can soak it up before the sun burns it dry.  I am concerned about the height of my tomato plants and the growth of our root vegetables. Tomatoes are starting to come on, but again, plants are short. I am emptying the dehumidifier 2 times a day, the humidity is that bad as well. I had peaches that were getting soft, so I whipped up a peach pie before it got too hot.  People are asked to conserve electricity from 2-6pm this week. Look who stopped long enough for a few very quick photos?  They are not in focus, but I was quick to snap a few while the sprinkler watered the garden(s). I'm re-doing the menu.  We had taco salad last night.  Too hot to cook.  Egg salad sandwiches sound good too.  What's your...

The garden has taken most of my time out of my day, so very little handiwork is getting done.  I still have some items on hooks, that I had on them months ago. . . . patriotic dishcloth still on the knitting needles . . .finished this crocheted dishcloth . . . started another thin dishcloth in bright coral and white (my to-go project) . . .another dishcloth/washcloth on  the crochet hook I have a lot more in project bags etc.  I am just concentrating on these first.

I still haven't been able to get a photo of the wrens.  They are small and quick.  I didn't see many out at all this morning.  I think they know it will be hot and getting hotter as we go into the week.   We spent all of Saturday on the Harley, and I never got sun burn oddly.  Had a fantastic weekend, with another ride yesterday.    Although we went to one of our favorite restaurants and won't be back.  They changed their menu completely, and nothing looked good.  They took away the perch, and many more items including my favorite Philly.   One burger was served cold, with toppings that were asked to be left off.  It was raw, and when they brought toppings, the BBQ sauce was as thin as water.  The service was horrible, messed up one drink.  They switched perch out for cod and over priced it.  It was horrible too.   I'm sure they changed it due to this pandemic, lack of employees returni...