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~

Tuesday, February 7, 2023

Collecting Recipes Addiction ~ Deep Clean Continues ~ Tea Healing Trick ~ Longest Egg Laying Hiatus Ever!

 I've been going thru a box of recipes from Mom's house.  I know where I get the collection addiction from now.  Golly.




It appears that Mom started to create her own cookbook many, many years ago, in a binder (by typing it up).  She saved every recipe the local newspaper printed, and she used to sit and listen to a radio show where they shared recipes.  There were notepads filled with recipes she wrote down from that radio station.

I found her recipe for Chop Suey.   When I was a young kid, Mom made me sit at the table until I finished chop suey, and I hated it.  I remember being forced to sit and finish another meal I did not like, but chop suey was on the top of the list.  Not sure why I did not like it, but the memory of that was traumatic.  I never forced my kids to sit and eat something they did not like.  Anyway, the box has been delivered to the next sibling.

I copied only two recipes that involved rhubarb.  I think this box has cured me of collecting recipe, ha ha!  Now I need a cure for collecting crochet patterns.  Sheesh.  Do you have a "messy" habit of collecting something you really don't need? Or something you collect, and then neglect?



I got one more kitchen cupboard shelf cleaned and lined, and one more drawer.  I have more to do, but I feel better if I do at least one a day (or every other day), so I can still rest up after regular chores.  






My laryngitis is still hanging on, but slightly better.  Trying a trick my Dad taught me about curing sinus infections (but will also help laryngitis) - add a few drops of oil of oregano to my teabag before brewing (food grade oil).  I rememebered this hack, after someone suggested I drink oregano tea.  As you can see, the cool mist humidifiers are going, plus one diffuser.

My washing machine was giving a code again, so my husband took the filters apart and cleaned them (both water incoming and water out going).  He found a quarter blocking the out going.  


This winter was the longest hiatus from egg laying in history.  Not one egg since last October.  So it got me thinking.  I checked the ingredients on the organic feed we buy.  I am pretty sure they dropped the amount of protein in it, so we switched it up, and I picked up some black sunflower seeds.  Of course they get kitchen treats from me too.  Never, have we ever,gone this long without fresh laid eggs.


12 comments:

Jackie See said...

You are making some big progress. I hope the tea helps and you get some more energy in your body. My mom used to listen to a radio show called Kitchen Klatter. Your post today brought back that memory. Have a good day and take care of your health! ~jackiesee~

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Thank you Jackie See. My goal is to go into garden season with a tidy/clean and put back in order home. We still have more rooms to deal with, but the main living space/kitchen etc will be in order and free up my garden/outdoor time. I am hoping the tea will speed up recovery of my voice. It's just tiring.

Susan said...

Having to go through boxes of recipes that my mother cut out of magazines has definitely cured me. I'm trying to use my cookbooks for reference now, instead of looking everything up on the internet. It looks like you will be ready for spring with a sparkling clean house!

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Susan, it's the plan to start garden season with a clean home. Especially the kitchen, so it puts my focus on the garden and outdoor work. Yeah, my Mom saved so many recipes from magazines, newspapers etc. I too can get too many recipes if I'm searching online vs. my cookbooks and recipe box.

Leigh said...

Your story about the chop suey reminded me of my mother's pot roast. It was so tough! NO amount of chewing would reduce the size of that wad of meat in your mouth. Like you, I couldn't leave the table until I ate it. And like you, I never forced the same practice on my kids.

Your problem with your chickens makes me wonder what brand of feed you are using. There are numerous (NUMEROUS!) reports of peoples' chickens stopping laying with Tractor Supply chicken feed. Miraculously, they all start laying again when the feed is switched. Of course Tractor Supply Co denies it, but we experienced it ourselves. That may not be the case with you, but it might not hurt to switch brands.

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Leigh, one time I fed my dinner to our dog under the table just so I could leave the table. Awful. I was buying chicken food from a farm/feed store, organic brand, but I pour it into a metal can to store, so I can't remember the name, but not from TSC. We switched brands and got supplements now.

Mother Em said...

Course the old girls might have "tightened up" from the cold weather this year! Just kidding, but hope they start again with the price of eggs these days.

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Mother Em, they just started laying again, but I had to switch feed, and add a few supplements. The weather is warming up too.

Carol said...

I hope you are able to get eggs soon. I had not thought about my humidifier with my sinus infection. I will try it tonight. I am so over being sick with the infection.

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Carol, we are getting eggs again, now that we switched feed. I hope you feel better soon.

Bridgette said...

Collecting.....I so am that gal. I have a odd obsession with rickrack and trims in those index size packages. I just can not seem to pass them up. I have many, and of course I could use some, but most of the time I just cant bear to break the cello wrap. I see the old time price printed on them and it just seems wrong. So in the baskets and boxes they live.
Hoping the tea is giving some soothing treatment to your throat. ~Bridgette

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Bridgette, my Mom had a lot of those in her old sewing machine, but she did a lot of sewing when I was younger. So far, the teas are not helping me.