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, March 31, 2022
Processing the Process . . .
Wednesday, March 30, 2022
What's Cookin'? ~ Mom's Recipes
Tuesday, March 29, 2022
Zucchini Pizza Casserole
I intended to take a photo of the casserole with cheese (fresh out of the oven), but it smelled so good we scooped and ate right away.
The only thing I did differently, was mix the pepper in with the onion (vs. sprinkle on top the cheese). Well, that's not the only thing I did differently, I also used sage sausage vs. ground beef, and used home canned pizza sauce vs. tomato sauce.
It was delicious. I think it smelled divine, because it was home canned pizza sauce.
I froze the other half of it, so we had an easy meal for another night.
Just google the name of the recipe, and Taste of Home. Recipe is online.
Great way to use your zucchini this season (and for us avoiding pasta), and using up some home canned pizza sauce.
Monday, March 28, 2022
Happy Homemaker Monday
We didn't have to make breakfast Sunday. Our niece and her husband invited us over.
To top that off, she baked my husband's favorite cheesecake. I'm sure we'll be sharing as he shouldn't be eating it, ha ha! So good though.
We picked up another load of stuff at Mom's house. There is much more to do there. I just put all the gardening stuff in the barn and will go thru it all after we finish the kitchen floor project.
Sorry for my lateness this morning. I am easily distracted with my multitasking today.
Saturday, March 26, 2022
Funeral Visitation ~ Snow
The funeral home is the last place I wanted to be last night, but we went to visitation, regarding the young 22 year old that went missing. The mother works where my husband works. I'm still a little rough around the edges, and emotions were a bit sparked by being there, but glad we went. She was so happy to see us. She came to my surprise birthday party years ago.
It's tough to see this happen, as we have a 22 year old as well. It's not said how she passed, other than she went missing, they went out searching and found her too late. It's just so heart breaking for the family.
Woke up to snow. Not much, but UGH! We went from several dreary, windy days to this. I hope it's gone by tomorrow. Sheesh. My daffodils are already coming up.
Friday, March 25, 2022
New Cake Carrier and tidbits . . .
Check out my new round cake carrier! I just love it. I have had a Tupperware one for maybe 30 years and this replaced it. It can be used for all sorts of make and take foods as well.
I wiped down the wooden towel stand that was in the smaller bathroom, and it will go to the road for free this weekend weather permitting. The bathroom has no linen closet, so I have a wall unit that now holds the towels and washcloths. Daughter K is coming for a weekend in April, and after that we'll be ripping stuff out of there soon.
I'm still debating on replacing the sink, mirror and wall light. I could paint it, but then there is the garden too. It's a small bathroom, so the sink is pretty small compared to a normal bathroom. Not sure if we would even be able to find one that size. Time will tell, so will the pocket book.
We have not gotten the estimate on the kitchen floor main work, but have been making plans ourselves in the meantime. I am hoping that Daughter K is here this weekend for another load, so I have more room in the living room to move stuff from the kitchen.
If the weather is good today (it rained yesterday again), I will trim my lavender plants. I'm hoping for a good harvest this year.
My siblings and I are pulling funds together to purchase a memorial flag for Dad. It will have his picture on it and will be displayed on a main street flag pole along, with other flags, at his hometown. He now also has a Korean war veteran flag holder at his head stone at the cemetery.
Thursday, March 24, 2022
Kitchen-ness and other ramblings
Wednesday, March 23, 2022
This and That
Took advantage of good weather and got the chicken coop mucked, and just before the rain moved in. I did a little bit of sweeping on the front porch, and swept living room.
Craft stuff put away until big repairs are complete. I really don't have time to create right now. I will try to carve out a break time for my self some how.
I guess I'll be collecting more boxes. I have two more cupboards to empty.
I purchased a new toilet paper holder for the bathroom remodel. It pivots up, and has no spring thing to deal with. It should arrive today.
My kitchen is full of boxes that Daughter K needs to come and move yet. Sigh....I do not like my house looking so chaotic. In time it will be looking spiffy.
Here is our big job to-do list for this year:
1. Rip out some counter tops and cupboards, rip up flooring and sub floor, replace joists, re-do sub floor and complete new flooring, put cupboards and counter top back in, hutch back in, and re-fill with the dishes that are already boxed up.
2. Rip out entire bathroom off kitchen. Replace dry wall, all new flooring, install new shower and toilet. I already pulled a tall shelve unit that I will clean today and put out by the road for free (just needs painted again) and I'm too lazy tired to haul it all the way into town to donate. I will paint the entire bathroom as well and Hubby will install a fan (never had one for some reason). We already have the new shower and paint for this job.
Note: When this bathroom is all done, we will hire someone to re-tile the master shower floor. We hired family the last time and the grout washed away.
3. Rip up part of front room floor, replace joist, replace sub-floor, replace carpet (painting will be next year I think). Replace furniture (dogs destroyed it).
4. Rip out and replace all carpet in stairway and upstairs. Again, dogs, cat and rabbit destroyed it. Painting and removing old wall paper will be another year. No time for that this year with a garden.
5. If we have the time, rip out old carpet in our master bedroom and replace with new flooring. Remove and install closet door to a change where the entry way is (it's in the center of a wall right now) so we can move furniture into place better.
6. Build new chicken coop and covered run.
7. Purge garage
8. Utility room will get new flooring and paint (next year).
We already hired a friend to finish the unfinished new hallway, and have someone coming out today to give an estimate on the two floors that need new joists. If it's out of our budget, we are doing it ourselves. The hall can wait for now, but knowing someone is hired already gives my brain a rest.
Now....what to make for breakfast? And dinner? That is top of the list this morning. I will figure it out after I down some good ol' coffee.
Tuesday, March 22, 2022
Progress with the repairs . . .
I am still working on re-homing the Rock Band. We don't have the games anymore, and it's leaving as soon as I hear back from people.
Daughter E is taking all the board games, so those will be out of my living room.
A guy is stopping out this week to give us estimates on both kitchen and front room floors. Whoever put the woodstove in way back in the day, simply cut out the corner of the floor. It has to be ripped out, new support system in place and new sub floor. Kitchen problem is a bad joist that needs replaced.
We will need to go to town and buy furniture sliders to move the heavy stuff too.
I had to re-do some e-mail paperwork, but next up is to clean up the entire corner of the kitchen to prepare for taking cupboards and counter tops out, which means unhooking the computer and moving that to another room. There will be a blip in blog posts I imagine.
In the process of getting kids to clean up their stuff they have left, I am filling boxes of my own for donation. You don't really realize how much you have until you have to box it up to move to put in new flooring.
Thank you for your prayers regarding the missing 22 year-old. Unfortunately, they found her and is now in Heaven (so, so sad to hear this).
Monday, March 21, 2022
Happy Homemaker Monday
The weekend was super busy, but Daughter E squeezed my husband and I in for a haircut. I actually got a hear treatment while she cut his hair. It was way over due.
It hasn't been decided yet, but due to my husband's new position at work (12 hour days) and lack of help with the garden, I may be doing more downsizing for this garden season.
Sunday, March 20, 2022
Rainy and Windy Day
It was not really the best weather day to do this, but we drove to Hobby Lobby and with my wire cutters in hand, made this in the truck on the way to the cemetery. It wasn't cheap, but worth every penny to put together. I think it turned out very nice.
Saturday, March 19, 2022
Blue Roses
Wednesday, March 16, 2022
Beautiful Spring Day
Tuesday, March 15, 2022
Tuesday Tidbits
Although I thought my brain would re-set, after a break, it has not. Yesterday I forgot my husband's birthday. Sigh. My husband told me yesterday I was a "hot mess" and not to drive anywhere today. There is nothing worse than instinctively picking up my cell phone to call Mom and realizing I can't. I guess the ol' journals will be coming out again. Maybe designate one solely for chats with Mom. It will take time to get thru this for sure.
The chickens however, are back to laying a good amount of eggs. I never got around to baking a breakfast, so that must be done today, or my husband has no to-go breakfast for work.
The weather is warming up enough for drying clothes on the clothesline, so I'm going to tackle all of the remaining laundry today.
I felt like everything, at a point of the day where I just wanted to relax, went wonky. First my scanner froze in scan mode. Then, when that was fixed, my emails were not going out. It's all working again this morning thankfully. Electronics can be a headache for sure.
I still have a huge pile of mail to sort, toss and take care of. My computer desk area is in total disarray.
Meanwhile, Daughter K continues to move stuff out of the house. Her rabbit is now at her new apartment. However, I am constantly on dog duty, meaning that first early am trip out is on me. I am not eagerly excited about taking two dogs out in the dark. Her cat Jasper is acting funny, and possibly needing a trip to the vet for a check up. On a good note, her new job will almost double her pay.
Hopefully this crazy schedule and mass load of things to be done will taper off soon.
Monday, March 14, 2022
Happy Homemaker Monday
I'm back, in case you wondered where I've been. It was a last minute decision. Literally. The vacation dates were set in May of 2021, and unknown to me, my husband did not cancel them.
He kept asking, and I kept saying no due to the situation, but my mental and emotional state was not good and he picks up on that pretty well.
So....off to FL we went. We literally in one day borrowed a box trailer, loaded our motorcycle, and off we went to meet our friends, who were already there (and also encouraging us to get there). They literally still had a room in the house for us. Daytona beach (Bike week) was the most crowded we have ever seen it in the last three years. Unbelievable.
We had a really good time, so I am glad we went. What made me say yes, is that my husband's job is moving him up, and overtime will begin soon and we may not get another vacation the rest of the year. So we went.
What I really didn't like, is getting text messages the entire trip, while on vacation. However, our house was in the boonies, and cell service was about zero. We all couldn't send texts, emails (I don't get those on my phone, and like it that way), and even calls. My phone was either in the trunk of the bike, or charging. We basically got service where ever we stopped or ate food.
I knew we both needed the wind therapy. One of our sanity savers, and a way to decompress and rejuvenate.
Today I am joining Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom.
The weather . . .
60°F and sunny.
As I look out my window . . .
All of the snow has melted.
Right now I am . . .
Sipping coffee and trying to slowly wake up. Daughter K took a car load to her new apartment last night, so I have dog duty today (all day), and wasn't happy about that, but.....
Thinking and pondering . . .
Lots of stuff. Too much stuff.
Homemaking tips . . .
Hm. I haven't consumed enough coffee. Will have think on this one.
How I am feeling . . .
To be honest, exhausted from the second leg of driving home. The first leg, we dealt with bad wind and we had to slow down (losing time to get going). Pulling the trailer with our bike was a bit rough, and traffic was crazy. Just after we left, a tornado went thru the area we were leaving in Florida. We didn't find out about the tornado until the next morning.
I'm also cold. 90 degrees agrees with me much better, ha ha!
Also, while in FL, my chin connected with the end of the bed frame and boy it's so sore, my ankle is swelling. I am back to hobbling around.
On the breakfast plate . . .
Bagel, coffee
On my reading pile . . .
Finished this one.
On my TV . . .
Anything really.
On the menu . . .
Have no idea. I know it's pick up today, since we just got home yesterday.
From the camera . . .
Looking around the house . . .
It's a hot mess. I knew if I left town, it would be, but that will change soon.
To-do list . . .
Prayer list . . .
...for all the folks in the Ocala, FL area who suffered due to the tornado that went thru over the weekend. Jasper. Daughter K's cat. His health is not well, so she'll need to take him to the vet to find out what's going on.
Friday, March 4, 2022
Spring Clean Battles Move Out
The quilt photo is a quilt from my Great Grandmother. The photo was taken in 2011, when I attempted to donate it to a historical society. It didn't happen. I have had it in a bag on my bedroom floor since last fall.
It was time to clean up my own bedroom. I still have Christmas presents in there for the grandkids (not wrapped either). I sent an email out to my siblings to see if they wanted it. I do not want to store it anymore. It's thread bare, and cannot be used or washed, and I have no where to hang it (and protect it from dust).
Heck, I just put away more Christmas decor my daughter left out, and today a small Christmas tree, and this weekend the outside Christmas lights come down. Life has been that hectic, busy, and so forth.
In the midst of a snail's pace of getting order again, I have several lists going for the next trip to town, in either direction. I think I will try and make my own arrangement for Mom's headstone, but have yet the chance to visit the craft store. I have something in mind.
I'm planting new herb seeds for my indoor pots, and hoping it warms up so the window area is not so cold.
Thursday, March 3, 2022
Beautiful Tablecloth
My brain was on over drive yesterday morning, as I had one day to try and attempt to at least clean up the kitchen. It was a bit tough to dodge packed boxes, but I'll deal with it all, and boxes will be gone soon.
Wednesday, March 2, 2022
New Recipe ~ Greens and Tibits
Tuesday, March 1, 2022
This and That