End of April

                 

I've been spring cleaning so to speak.  Really, the entire house needs swept and mopped, so I'm tackling one room a day when I can.  I am moving furniture and washing any rugs.   I have also been washing bed covers/comforters.   The weather is up and down for using the clothesline.

I pampered myself with a home hair treatment.  It saved me  $$ from going to the salon.  Well water is not my hair's best friend.  We all deserve to pamper ourselves.

Another "finish" for April - set of cotton hot pads to donate.

                             

The deer have started to roam the homestead, and we are not happy.  We have not gotten the fencing up (deer jump fence if it's too short).  There has not been time to do it. Heck, we haven't even had time to buy the rest of the supplies to get the job done. 

In the meantime, my garden solar alarms are up.  They will annoy the heck out of them until we can install a garden fence (on the 2nd garden area).

I may just get my donkey yet.  I already have a name picked out too.  They are great protectors, in case you are wondering.  They have legs that can kill a coyote.

Last Sunday we went back to colder weather, with a frost warning.  The morning started with a brisk 35°F.  Not unusual for us.  Monday was 39°F in the early morning, but we warmed up to the lower 70's.

Thankfully, I have the asparagus patch buried with straw for added protection, and it continues to provide for our meals.   I am almost out of all of the pesto I made last summer and froze.  

(chicken with basil pesto, potatoes and garden asparagus)

The freezer has swallowed the Thai basil pesto however.  I shall find it yet, ha ha!  I had it in the door to located quickly, but someone here moved it on me.  Anyway, we are down to that and some red pepper pesto.

By the way, I used my homemade jalapeno salt (first year to make and try this) in this easy egg/sausage/spinach breakfast casserole.  Delicious too.

April did not pass by without adventures, despite my husband's very long work hours.  We found joy in each day, added some new "first time" events to our lives, did a lot of outdoor walking, more small-ish homestead updates, did some foraging, read more books than April of last year, and was so thankful for everything (April of 2024 was a bit of a bummer). 

End of April   ©  April 2025 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

If you give me scrap crochet thread

I have him-hawed over this scrap (leftover from another project) #3 cotton crochet thread.  I almost donated it to an area store that actually sells scrap balls of yarns.  I did not.  I let it sit around for almost 6 months, ha ha!

I tackled one of the leftover threads.  I have no idea how it even solidified in my brain, but a series of events made it happen.  

First, I was scrolling on my phone while out and about, and the husband was driving  (not a usual event for me to scroll facebook).  I wasn't looking at anything in particular, but a crochet pattern popped up, I screen shot it, and weeks later, it all came together.

I found free bookmark printables in black and white, and printed a sheet of them to tuck and package the hand crocheted bookmark.

I had this much left.  This thread made 3 more flowers for 3 more bookmarks.

 I used the last bit to tie a bow onto the finished, packaged surprise gift. Nothing wasted.

I gave a bunch of books (12 books and 1 puzzle) to one of our daughters (my finished load off my home bookshelf), and gifted her the bookmark to go with them.  I absolutely love the finished bookmark, and loved the end packaging result too.  The free printable was a bonus bookmark.  I will be looking to see if I have more scrap thread to make a few more for surprise gifts to make someone's day (just because).  If you crochet, it literally takes less than 10 minutes to make one.

note:  original pattern uses worsted weight yarn and an H hook.

Free Pattern can be found online:  Daisy Cottage Designs

Free bookmark printables are also online:  Printabulls.com

If you give me scrap crochet thread  ©  April 2025 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

A Year of First Times ~ Surprise Weekend Visit

 I got the chance to go on a new outing, and with a surprise outing with one of the kids.   I was over joyed to get out of the house and do something fun.  It really has been a year for "first" times for so many things, and it is bringing me (us) pure joy, adventures, and fulfillment.  Big or small.

First, I received gifts!  A bag, new Spring bathrobe, garden gloves and a coffee mug.

The garden gloves are touch screen, so I can keep them on to use my cell phone if needed.  They work too!  Fit great! Love them!

Oh, and here is the "first time" part of the special day. . .we went to a coffee shop that we have never been too (first visit).  It's been open for many a year or so.  It's small, quaint, and oh boy, sells used and new books (gulp!).  They also sell locally made crafted items as well.

I got to try hot and iced coffee flights for the first time ever!!  Oh my gosh, these were delightful.

My first ever blind date with a book.  I will have an update on this, when I read it.  How cool is this get up?

My new pen!

These were the teabags on each of our blind date books.  I got the mint and rose tea.

As long as the coffee shop continues to stay open, it will be a special place to enjoy in the future.  The coffee was spot on good.  The used books will definitely get me into trouble, as I have enough to read right now, ha ha!

We had so much fun, that we may plan another coffee adventure in the near future, and yes it will be another "first time" adventures.

A Year of First Times ~ Surprise Weekend Visit  ©  April 2025 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

A Few WIP (Work in Progress) Finished

I finished the lap afghan in the green yarns.  It will be the last blanket to be crocheted until fall/winter time.  I prefer small projects during hot weather here.

Finished the current knitted dishcloth.  I had forgotten about it, as it got tucked in the midst of my projects.  There isn't much yarn left on the yarn cone, so I'm not sure what I'll use the remaining yarn for yet (this color was discontinued).

I finished another book, hence another book blanket granny square.  I don't know how people can read 200 plus books a year.  I do not have the time to sit, and sit to read that much, but there has been progress this year (much more than last year).  

A few of you have given me a few ideas for audio books too.  Like combining an outdoor walk/hike with such books, or while cleaning house.  It's a year of new things and "first times" this year, so it may happen.  This is the first year to read an ebook and could be the first year to borrow audio books.

Finished Lap Afghan and a Book Blanket Granny Square  ©  April 2025 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Wild Violet Jelly ~ A Spring Time Treat

 Normally, wild violets would be up by the beginning of April.  The cold weather delayed them this year.  I spent an afternoon, on a sunny warm day picking wild violets.  I didn't get to do this in April of 2024 (broke my foot).

Wild Violet Jelly in the making!

You can see the process on a post here:  Wild Violet Jelly

Wild Violet Jelly ~ A Spring Time Treat  ©  April 2025 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Foraging ~ Purple Dead Nettle ~ Pesto and Tea Making ~ Dandelions

 Any foragers here?  I have a few reference books, but zero information in them in regards to if Purple Dead Nettle and Henbit both have the same nutrition/medicinal benefits to the body.  Anyone? I know, it's crazy question, and there are not many homesteading blogs still blogging anymore these days.

Spring rain is great for a lot of things, but it is always the reason we get stuff planted so late.  The gardens are soaking wet, and this is what most of the vegetable gardens look like.  Not kidding.  They are too big to cover for winter.  We use a lot of space.  They are full of purple dead nettle and chickweed.

The last few warmer days should start to dry up the gardens for us.

I have added spring chickweed to salads and other meals in the past, but according to my blog (and other notes), we have not yet tasted purple dead nettle.

Foraging was pretty easy (just look at the above photo, ha ha!).

I did a lot of reading, and yes, I have a few foraging books (not all of them have pesto recipes).  I used to follow a blogger that posted all about their meals being foraged, based on the seasons.  However, like many bloggers, they stopped blogging several years ago.

I try to not add my parmesan cheese until we are ready to eat it, so if I am freezing the pesto for future meals, I leave that out until the day of preparing meals with it.  It's just my preference.

Pesto is our number one recipe for this medicinal/healthy Spring "weed."  If you want to try it, you can research the recipes available online or check foraging books from your library.

I like to dehydrate some more purple dead nettle for tea.  

You can find more recipes online with dead nettle and even chickweed.  There are even classes online to (you have to pay a fee) to learn to forage too.  We had local classes a few years back, but those are hard to come by anymore.

Dandelions are up now too.  I see some dandelion flower bread, or other foraged meal. 

I actually have a cookbook for dandelions.  Yes, I have made dandelion jelly, but the work vs. the flavor are not that amazing to us, so we only made it once.  There is more flavor (in my opinion), with wild violet jelly and Queen Anne's lace jelly (on my blog too).

Happy foraging!

Foraging ~ Purple Dead Nettle ~ Pesto and Tea Making ~ Dandelions ©  April 2025 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

35 weeks until Christmas

Not much going on in the way of Christmas countdown, other than trying new recipes lately.  I am borrowing books from the library to do this fun research too (other than one recipe).

I picked up one more advent gift, and it was a very good price.  A hand towel and hot pad set.  Yes, it's store made and not handmade, but it was perfect for an advent gift (useful and inexpensive).  I'm working on the next gift, and it will be handmade.

I am still trying to locate stores that offer paper bags.  I have plans to use them to wrap the advent gifts, but it's hard to find paper bags anymore.  I even visited one Wal-mart to find that brown craft paper on a roll.  Nope. Nothing.  I'll keep looking when I am out and about.  

New Recipes Tried and my very first fruit cake!

Butterscotch Shortbread.  I was very much intrigued to try this recipe, simply for the "butterscotch" in the title.  I made the recipe.  It sliced very nicely too.

The recipe for the short bread was in this borrowed library book.  The recipe was very easy to make, but when I pressed it down into the pan, the mixture started to stick to my utensil (I even tried the back of the measuring cup, parchment paper, and even slightly wet hands and they all stuck), and started to lift the mixture back up.  I got it all pressed down (or so I thought), and in the end it was delicious.  However, the dough makes a very, very brittle short bread, and after one bite, the piece falls to pieces in your hands.  Delicious flavor, but the dough is missing something to bind it better.  That was a bummer.  It could just be it needed pressed down more, but again, that was an issue.  We both said not worth keeping the recipe.

On to the next recipe . . .

My first fruit cake!

It has been on my try-it list since Christmas of last year, and it was about time to get it off the list.  The only reason I wanted to try it, is because the recipe was hand written by one of my Aunts, and the note on it states the recipe came from a friend of my Grandmother.

You'd be surprised at what ingredients you can buy in Amish bulk stores, so thanks to finding ingredients, I got to work.

I'm freezing half of it, but everything I am reading says it will only last up to 3 months in the freezer.  Any thoughts?  Am I the only nut baking fruit cake, ha ha!?  I don't know how people mailed this stuff.  It's like a brick with all those dates and pecans in it.  It is very good.  Once I have the recipe shared with all of my family members, I'll be back to write it out to share here as well.  My Aunt wrote, that if you were going to make a fruit cake, that this is the one to make.  One of my cousins also let me know that my Aunt used to make this very bread every Christmas.

35 Weeks until Christmas ©  April 2025 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Cucumber and Cottage Cheese Toast ~ Support your library ~ More Spring Blooms

Nothing is tastier and more satisfying, than picking freshly grown cucumbers from the garden.  In anticipation of summer garden goodies (trying to pump myself up, because I'm lacking garden mojo this year), I'm trying a new recipe.  More so, I wanted to taste this combination, because it would be great for a hot summer day when eating a full meal seems too much work.

 The credit goes to the cook book "Come Hungry" by Melissa Ben-Ishay. I borrowed the book from the library.  It has a lot of good recipes, and some repeat instructions I already know, but one caught my eye for a high protein snack.  It's nice to have a hearty snack available when we come in tired and worn out from garden work.

If you have dill growing in your herb garden, that is a plus to make this.  Along with a few pieces of homemade sourdough bread.

In the making of this, cottage cheese was one cheese I never got around to making when we had dairy goats here at the homestead.  Do you make your own cottage cheese?  Any recipes to share?  Until then, I'll be buying it, unless I can locate fresh goat milk (most unavailable in our neck of the woods).

Try-it results:  Fantastic!!  We both loved it, and it's the most simple meal/snack you can make.  I hand diced the cucumber and used an entire English cucumber (recipe called for another type, but good luck finding them in stores, and organic). Anyway, this recipe is a keeper for us.  I'm going to borrow the book from the library again.

I told my husband, that if I wasn't already writing a blog, I would be writing one just solely based on recipes tried from borrowing free library books (could still happen so don't go stealing my idea).  I'll admit, when it's a good recipe to keep, it's a happy moment.

More Spring blooms to share:

Blooms from another variety . . .

Red roses gifted to me (and delivered on surprise).  Yes, I was all giddy and all, considering I was feeling pretty low at the moment.  He's working the worst hours a human can possibly work right now (or so it appears that way anyway).  The words "this too, shall pass" are roaming about my brain.

Until next, time, I hope you borrow the book from your library and give the recipe a try.

Cucumber and Cottage Cheese Toast ~ Support your library ~ More Spring Blooms  ©  April 2025 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart