Pioneer Woman at Heart

  The weather is much to be desired this garden year.  We should have been picking weeks ago, canning and enjoying by now.  We literally just picked (yesterday) our first heirloom Shintokiwa cucumber (English variety).  One plant already died, the other two types of cucumbers are are not looking good. I picked two pickling cucumbers, and have put them in my vegetable storage containers, that keep them fresh longer.  In hopes to get more, and possible just get some relish canned this year. The humidity has been at it's worst , and with the lack of rain, the garden suffers.  The weather these next two days will be in the upper 90's, and the humidity at it's worst yet.  This morning the humidity is 92% already.   We have only gotten green beans from two plants so far, as we had to replant twice (after we finally fenced them). The tomatoes are at their worst ever.  They are very small, lack any production good enough to do any canning, and t...

  I may be popping in here now and again.  It's only been a few days, and I miss writing my blog.  You may get a post here or there in the near future.   Although in that short time, I have purged about 40 books, and most were literally from home schooling days, and non-fiction books from when the kids were all in school.  I have also purged 2 boxes of craft supplies.  I kept a TON of crafting, recycling craft supplies and more, for when the kids were in school as well. Cleaning the "spaces" has been gratifying, so we can eventully "enjoy" the newly organized spaces.   I'm am working on transitioning from raising kids, and having the roll of "Mom" for so many years, to "empty" nesters.  It's not like I am out of "things" to keep me busy around here, especially during garden season. You'd think I'd be busy with the role of "Grandma" but sadly that is not the case.  I'm trying not to dwell on the fact, th...

I started this blog way back in 2008.  It's hard to believe I've been writing this blog for 16 years.  It doesn't seem like it's been that long either. In those years we raised kids, dairy goats, chickens, pets, and so forth. I've shared our going-on's and gardening ups and downs.  I've shared my home repairs, upgrades and renovations.  I've shared my dehydrator experiences, handicraft and other craft experiences.  I learned a lot from fellow bloggers and followers.   I've shared many foraging recipes, DIY salves, lotions, chapstick recipes and more.  My blog was a great place to both share and learn.   I really enjoyed writing my blog, reading blogs and sometimes laughing out loud.  Our family also went through many losses in the past 16 years. It has come to the point where screen time is less, and more person to person is more, and overall more free time.  It's time to put an end to Pioneer Woman at Heart blogspot. Finale ©...

  I had a recipe (put on the internet in 2021) I made once last year, and could not find it.  I ended up finding it, but the recipe called for Weber's store brand Garlic Jalapeno Seasoning.   You know me right?  I went on a mission.  First, I am not really a person to store a "mixed spice" in my pantry, other than my homemade "fire powder" for spicing up dishes when I want to. However, they do come in handy for traveling, and especially when camping.  Mixed spices also come in handy for grilling out, grilling at a picnic etc. To see the actual ingredients in the store brand, you can simply read the label next time shopping, or find it on the internet.  I have no idea what stores sell it, or if they even make it anymore, but sharing what my mission was pretaining to this seasoning. The original seasoning contains sugar (more than the jalapeno), "spices" (no specifics on what this is), citric acid, gum arabic, rice concentrate, and "natural flavors...

  The tree baffles are up, but the second one will need some work.  The bottom branches are lower on the other tree.  Anyway, we'll see if we can save our apple tree harvest this year. If you are interested in how we built our tree baffles (a device to keep raccoons/squirrels from climbing up the tree to eat the fruit), here is the source with the "how to" on how to build one with a 5 gallon bucket. Source: Welcome Wildlife, Tree Baffles... Update:   The tree baffles work!  I happen to look outside at just the right time and a raccoon was at one tree, looking up confused.  It ran off.  Our $4.00 buckets paid off.  You could possibly get them free if a restaurant could save buckets too. (Source:  Menards) Temporary fencing has been installed around the green/wax beans now.  We simply used inexpensive plastic fencing on a roll, zip ties and wooden tomato stakes.  It's high enough to keep the rabbits out, but low enough we can ste...

  My go-to porch project, and car trip project has been crocheting "face scrubbies."  Initially, these were made and sold at craft shows, but brought in very little cash.  They can be used to wash your face, used to help remove makeup with face soap, or used to apply facial toner. They are environmentally friendly to use in place of cotton rounds for face toner. I made a few with scrap cotton yarn for myself, and tucked them into our travel case for traveling and camping, but decided to make several for the master bath. I was purchasing 100 count cotton rounds, which are not that expensive, but I do use 56 a month.  The cotton rounds are about $2.38/100 pack, which is slighty over a pack for every two months.  Not a huge savings, but a savings no less, and nothing goes in the trash. I use my clothesline to save on electricity, and I also have a small clothesline indoors, as well as drying racks. Years ago, I made these reusable face pads using scrap fabric on on...

  I hope you all had a wonderful 4th of July.  We had zero plans.  The humidity was so bad, it could choke a person, and then it rained.  However, by dinner time the rain had cooled down the heat and thinned the air, so we grilled out with a few kids and played cards. Today the air quality is said to be bad.  More rain is on the way. Whats been happening?  Well, it's been hot.  Very hot.   Delivery days happened.  There were personal deliveries to those who had "stuff" in our garage, a trip to the thrift store for donations I purged, and more.  We have more planned deliveries for other items. I'm now contemplating a book purge on another bookshelf.  The photo only shows a portion of one shelf on the bookshelf (gulp). On the repair front, weather stripping needs replaced in a few doors.  The weed whacker needed a new part (now fixed), and a few windows needed new locks installed. On the garden front, we have harvested a few...

  July 1st was fantastic weather here.  I was literally in the garden the entire day. I came in about dinner time, to start making breakfast for the next day.  I was at my limit of energy, so it was a big batch of scrambled eggs, with some Canadian bacon and blueberry sausages.  There may be pancakes later this week.  There may be radish hashbrowns depending on if they are ready soon (planted late this year). Kitchen time is so much better , now that I have a new kitchen faucet. It's had problems with water pressure, and getting hot water (build up most likely) for awhile now, and the hose recently broke.   We are heating up this week now.  We are to be back to the 90's today. Our peach tree.  Despite it looking half dead (as it has the last few years), it's still hanging on.  The apple trees are full of apples again.  Tree baffles are on the to-do list.  We plan on making our own, but every year we forget due to other projects...