April Begins

 We ended March with a high 77°F with an evening of thunderstorms.  We started April with temperatures in the low 30's, with a lot more rain.

I've started my infused oil with horsetail.  I'm reading through my herbal books, watching Youtube videos and the like.  It's an herb/weed new to use.   I did not buy my horsetail online.  I purchased at an herbal health store.  However, the one store nearest us, does not carry it, and another apothecary does not grow it or carry it (40 minute drive). 

We are very limited to access to stores or apothecaries with medicinal herbs, tea herbs, and the like.  It's frustrating, but in some cases, forces me to simply grow some of them myself.  It is depressing to not have any like-minded folks in our lives.  Most people we talk to about it, just laugh and act like it's all a waste of time or a joke.

Speaking of Youtube, I'm watching several videos on spring wild violets right now (tinctures, teas, lemonades, and so forth).  I'm watching them in between moments of sit time or coffee time.  I did learn something about which type of alcohol to make a tincture with one specific wild plant.

By the way, I used my homemade goldenrod tincture 3 days in a row recently, due to bad sinus pressure.  It worked great to drain the sinuses and the pressure.  I also used my mullein tincture once).  My research, by reading books borrowed from the library, and books I own, state that goldenrod is great for treating sinus infections (or sinus issues).  

Ended March with harvesting more green onions in the herb garden.   It feels so good to get outside and do this again, especially after a very, very long winter.

  

Baking and cooking from scratch, as well as the dish washing, drying and putting away take a good chunk of my daily time.  I am still using up the blueberries we froze last summer (Einkorn flour pancakes - upper photo), and I mixed another batch of black bean and corn "salsa" for any meal or in between meals.  I like to have a healthy go-to light meal on hand each week.  Or for those moments of needed a quick snack to eat before a hike/walk or when needed..

Our daffodils are mostly up now, and the hyacinths are right behind.  Not the best photo, but it was raining out and dark.  It's so nice to see the flowers in bloom again.

Speaking of spring colors, I have one more lap afghan on the hooks in the colorway of purples and white.  I'll try and get a photo for you.  It will be the last blanket of the season, of this size.  It's been a very slow going crochet project, with spring weather here now (spending much more time out of the house).

Before the rain, we hiked a new-to-us trail, and we loved it. A little background info on these hikes/walks.  It's all part of my physical therapy, and also for my husband's.  We don't have the liberty to walk on the road where we live, so as a bonus, we get to travel for our walks, and locate new and more interesting places. 

One of our area libraries started a seed library.  It's not the first one to come across, but it is nice to see more libraries offering this to patrons.  I have not visited this one yet, so I do not know if they are organic/heirloom varieties of seeds.

April Begins  ©  April 2026 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

March days well spent

 March was, not what I call "busy" for us, but adventurous, and filled with more of "living life" than doing all the "doing" stuff we do all day every day.  Warning:  Post is long today (gulp!).  Grab a cup of java or tea.

"Busy" is sort of synonymous with negative vibes.  I mean, we still had medical appointments (some regular, some needed), hair appointments, husband's full time job, but only a few commitments.  However, we spent much of the month "enjoying" life  (maintaining balance). 

I have not harvested much other than fresh grown green onions.  I do have some oil on order to restock homemade hand/body lotion. Not sure if I will re-stock our homemade lip balm just yet.  We have a plan to build one more item for the chicken castle (more on that later), and we plan to better landscape one flower bed.

Planted:  Feverfew, Mullein, Radishes (two types), Beets

Harvested: Green onions

Purchased:  Seed potatoes

On the "to-buy" list:  Sweet potato slips 

Oil infusion started:  Horsetail

There was a birth and a death in our families this month.  Home repairs continue, but slow going.  We are slowly chipping away it the list, but checking it off (vs. letting it roll over into next year).  

The weather has been crazy.  At one point, very high winds that took out power all over the state.  It ripped roofs off, knocked trees down, power lines down and the like.  The temperatures are going up and down, and the spring flower bulbs are confused.  We've had rain, thunderstorms, high's in the 70's and sunny, and even snow and cold this month.  We actually woke up to 9°F one morning about mid-month (with rain the very next day, our weather has been that crazy).

I've upped my culinary experience with new breakfast meals for us.  I, personally, felt like we were in a rut.

I've made breakfast stuffed peppers before, but these contained homemade chicken sausage, and were delicious. Yes, that's green onion on top, from the herb garden.

Sheet pan breakfast - mushrooms, bell peppers, red onion, sausage, seasonings, and eggs.  Super easy way to prepare it, and have no idea why I never thought to do it this way.  I used fresh mushrooms.  However, this produced liquid at the bottom of the container after being in the refrigerator overnight.  I'm guessing from the fresh bell peppers.

(both recipes are online with Clean Food Crush).

We are also trying, or should I say inventing new dinners.  It is a fajita type "bowl" with out the tortilla bowl.  I made our rice in the crock pot and loved it (new recipe and it's a keeper), then I sautéed bell peppers and onions (later added more cilantro to this too), and added black beans and corn , then on top of that we blackened chicken tenders (very easy to do), and then topped with salsa and homemade sauce (sour cream, fresh lime juice, fresh cilantro, salt).  The blackened chicken gave it much more spice, and we loved it.  We went light on the bottom layer of rice, but it's definitely a keeper recipe meal.

We have many more new recipes to try, including a few with sweet potatoes in them.

Side note:  Did you know that the Anchor 2 cup measuring cup does not have a 1/4 cup measure mark?  I probably knew that, but my Pyrex markings rub off so often, I replace them way too often, so I bought Anchor.  Sigh.  I am told the 1 cup measuring cups have the 1/4th on them. 

We hiked a new waterfall trail (loved it!), and lots of other adventures we crossed off my new spring list of our "we are doing this" list.   

We are rediscovering areas we already walked, but taking other new-to-us trails and loving it.

I already (sigh) broke my personal vow to not buy new books this year.  Actually, it was my husband's idea to go inside the bookstore, and he made the picks and purchases (including a shirt and sticky notes {very cute sticky notes}) other than one book I picked put.  I better get busy reading now.

We accomplished more organizing, purging, etc.  This type of "busy" was good, refreshing and fun.  The kitchen drywall repair (where we removed an old light fixture) job was completed, and ceiling painted.  Drywall repair has been started in the stair way as well.  Over the years, the kids cut gouges into the walls moving stuff up and down, and holes created where they kept the dog gates.  

We have much more work to do on the stairs, stairway and upstairs.  You would not believe how much scotch tape (and other tape), poster putty and other sticky residue the kids left on the walls up there. Think big bucket of drywall mud vs. spackle to fix all of the holes and gouges.

I finished one entire photo/photo album project, with leaves us with only one lengthier "album" project (both side projects from a closet clean out). I spruced up the kitchen with spring colored dish towels (old ones get recycled or repurposed), and a spring (found on clearance) rug for one bathroom.  It's amazing how a few splashes of color or moving things around can change your overall daily views.

Lastly, my current books:

A gift.

We end this month with our weather in the 70's, and a lot of rain arriving later today.  The rain will stay with us for a few days.

March days well spent  ©  March 2026 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Berzerk Weather

 

Our weather has been bouncing from one extreme to another.  I'm excited to say I had a day to dry laundry out on the clothesline, and even dried bedding, and more.

However, the 70°F quickly moved into a very bad thunderstorm last night, where some areas nearby had hail as well.  This morning?  A brisk 20°F over night.  Ha ha ha!  Oh boy.  Winter just doesn't want to leave.  

Despite the back and forth extremes, my green onions look great in my herb garden, and the thyme is springing back to life.

Something fun to share.  Although the photo is not that great, they are herbal themed stickers.  They are for my new "Herbal Remedies" Journal.  I have a binder with recipes, but when I am experimenting or trying new oils to infuse, with new herbs, the journal will keep me organized with note-taking.

I honestly, do not have one friend who even grows an herb garden for culinary reasons.  It's becoming harder and harder to talk to others who make herbal salves, tinctures, teas, oxymels, vinegars, and such.  

Heck I have two chive plants that I put in pots last year, hoping to find them a new home (they were volunteer plants that grew up in other parts of the herb garden), and they are still sitting in pots.  I am going to look into area community "food" gardens to donate them to this spring.

Are you an herb grower?  Do you make your own herbal concoctions?  Are you a culinary herb grower, tea brewer, or salves and tinctures?  

Berzerk Weather  ©  March 2026 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Comfrey ~ Kitchen Down ~ Christmas Extract Update

 

The teaser 60-70°F days, we have been having, are bringing up sprouts of comfrey in my "weed" garden.  However, the rabbits (or something) is finding it tasty, so I best get to the hardware store and add more fencing to it.  We left a space, where we ran out of fencing last year, and completely forgot about it until this spring.  

Comfrey is great to have on hand for medicinal needs, and yes, it is invasive, but the rabbits may keep it from getting too big, ha ha!  

I make comfrey salve using this "weed" and I dehydrate it as well.  We've made numerous poultices with it over the years, and so glad I learned about it.

Kitchen Down!  

The current repairs are being done in the kitchen, so it is hindering any cooking or baking.  I will be glad when it is all done either way.  It's also helping push me to finish other projects in the mean time.

I'm still planning a "coffee with me" meet up at our homestead, but not until we don't have hired help going in and out, and things are looking spiffy again. 

I forgot to update you all on the use of the "Christmas" Extract I made last year.  I used it to bake us a strawberry crisp, as the cinnamon and clove compliment the dish.  We'll be continuing to experiment with it (peaches, plums, bananas, pineapple, pies/crumbles, muffins, and more).

Comfrey ~ Kitchen Down ~ Christmas Extract Update  ©  March 2026 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Dehydrated Ginger ~ Baby Blankets for Donation ~ Tidbits

 I freeze fresh ginger often, so that I have it on hand for all sorts of recipes, and it has worked out very nicely.  Many people do not know you can do this with fresh ginger root (we purchase organic).

How I Freeze Ginger Root

I wash the organic ginger root, dry it, wrap it a few times in plastic wrap, and store it inside a freezer bag.  I date each bag and the door of the freezer works best, or it may get lost in your freezer storage.

Back to the dehydrated organic ginger root.

We love herbal/herbal medicinal teas.  I dehydrated a small-ish bit of organic ginger root in May of 2025.  I have been using small bits of it for tea infusing and tea brewing.  It's worked out great, and continues to maintain it's flavor.  I will definitely keep dehydrated, organic ginger root a staple in my pantry. I will be using it to experiment with other recipes.  Considering the amount of power outages this year, I've decided a few more dehydrated (food, herbs, etc.) experiments will be done. 

I used my dehydrator to dry the sliced ginger root, but I am told that some very new models of kitchen ovens, have the "dehydrator" option on them.  I am also told, some air fryers have a dehydrator option.

The baby blankets I have completed, per a request from an area pregnancy center, are a one-color pattern, and a different color edge (all using yarn I was given).  They are all like the one above, but with different edging.

The main part of the blanket is with Aran Redheart yarn.

Three baby blankets ready to donate.  Each one took about 2 full skeins of Aran yarn, but as I got to more of the skeins, I found them shorter in length (even though the ounces were marked the same).  Either way, the edges were scrap yarn as well, but all are ready to donate, and I still have more Aran colored yarn (and more of a few other colors, for more baby blankets). 

It is still cold here.   This morning is was 18°F (windchill), with a temperature of 23°F, so I got them finished in time to be used this winter.

More repairs have been started, and one almost finished.  I'm so thankful to get these jobs done.   More supplies are needed to continue.  I'll be back with a more lengthy update on winter shenanigans. 

I can tell you one thing.  Two side projects developed from my closet purge project, and one is putting letters into a book.  My word, it has become so time consuming.  I'll be honest, I am not sure it will be affordable, so the back up plan is to scan and print them, and put them in a binder for us.  

The only two kids slightly interested in these old letters, cannot read cursive  (nope, our schools stopped teaching it sadly).  All of the letters are to my Dad from 1944 to 1958.  There are many more than span from the 80's to about 2003, but my focus is the first set of letters.

Before I sign off this post today, I can tell you that the yarn I ordered from Herrschners online, back in November of 2025, is still on back order (it was for another project).  It may be getting  canceled.  

Somebody.  I can't say who (gulp!).  Forgot to buy new radish seeds for the garden this spring.   Just a modge podge of life happenings right now, but wanted to pop on here and share a few things today.  Last year ended with several months of chaotic activity (much out of our control).  I have discovered a gallon of outdoor paint, in which neither of us can even come up with one idea of what we bought it for.  The goal this year, is no more chaotic activity.

One question for "writers" here  - what writing resources are available today?  I used to read The Writer magazine, and Writer's Digest magazine.  I see that "The Writer" is no longer printed.

One question for those who bake/cook - any good and interesting ways to use frozen strawberries (prefer healthy recipes, but ....) up?  I think I froze too many last summer, ha ha!  I do make cobblers or crisps, and muffins.

Dehydrated Ginger ~ Baby Blankets for Donation ~ Tidbits  ©  March 2026 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Yarrow Salve (update #2)

 

                                              

In 2024 I made our first yarrow salve, after learning more about the herb.  I have a lot of it growing here, and have used it many ways.  I'd have to go look into my notes, but I believe I used olive oil, or sweet almond oil.

I have, in the past, pulled off some fresh leaves and rubbed it on my arms in a quick pinch to ward off the mosquitos while gardening (will be added to our homemade bug spray), and I have used it many times for a bloody nose (who knew?).  I read, sometime about 2 years ago, that one can simply put the fresh leaves in their nose to stop a nose bleed (have not tired that, but read it somewhere on an herbal blog or book).

I infused oil, and whipped up some salve in 2024, and the most use over the last two years, has been for a bloody nose brought on by dry heat indoors over winter.

It has helped stop the nose bleed in a matter of a minute or two, vs. 20 minutes without it.  

I also keep the salve in a smaller container to travel with, when staying at hotels for more than one night.  Hotels have very dry air in the winter and summer, and I was glad to have it one trip a few years ago after first making the salve.

I'm not a doctor or herbal specialist.  I am simply sharing my experience with our herbal salves.  

Yarrow is invasive, so if you grow it in a pot, and do not regularly cut the flowers off, the seeds will re-seed on the ground around it and you will have yarrow all over the ground in that area.  Just a heads up on that if you are new to planting the herb.

I have used it in "sleep" tinctures, and in teas, but do your research yourself.  If

What have I learned so far?  Yarrow is well known for it's ability to slow bleeding of cuts or wounds, and works as an astringent for those pesky scratches you many get doing outdoor work or garden work.  I have read a few articles that it is edible, but I have yet to add it to any recipes.  Please comment below if you have any experience with yarrow.

In all the years of growing, harvesting and processing herbs of all types, I have not kept a specific "journal" for it.  Often, I'll infuse an oil with an herb spontaneously, and forget to write what oil I used on the label.  I forgot to keep track of uses, and such, and I am now starting (a new "first" this year) my own journal for my herbal journey/apothecary journey.  A simple notebook works for this note taking, but I see that there are several herbal journal options online as well.

I do not know anything about the salves sold online, or by folks on Etsy, but we have located a good (and true) apothecary in our state, who makes salves (and tinctures, teas, and all sorts of other items).  

Winter is still lingering.  Morning temperatures are about 23°F and the skies have been cloudy and dreary.   Rain again.

Yarrow Salve (update #2)  ©  March 2026 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Winter Lingering. . .

 

I just wanted to make a quick post to say I'm still here, and our winter is lingering, with teasers days in between.  I took this photo on a nicer day.

I'm working on the writing project, with the deadline at the end of the month.  I forgot how much time was involved with such a project, so time is zipping by much too quickly in that sense.

We've discovered two new-to-us health stores, and it's refreshing to know we can obtain some items I either cannot make or just don't have time to make (or make in large amounts for our use).

A big thank you to Anne in the Kitchen (Cooking and All that Jazz), for sharing her list of spring "aims" that motivated us with a list of our own (already checking things off).  It's kept us focusing on new adventures, all-things-positive, and uplifting lifetime events.

As "empty nesters" it's been a transition from kids around all the time to absolutely no kids.  The hardest part of the transition is to let them grow up, build their own lives, and not need you.  I tend to compare how often I visited my own Mom an Dad, to how often our kids visit us.  We have moved on from this transition, and are focusing on our blessings (and what we are thankful for).  

I've declared cell phones (and social media) completely annoying.  I never realized how annoying the beeps are, until I sat down to write for a few hours.  I miss the landline only days, where people actually called you to really talk.  Texting is convenient, but boy is it annoying (learning to turn it off more often).  I think it really hit me, when a friend told me she spent 2 hours on fb within one group, and then invited me to the same page (nope, not happening). Time is one thing you can't get back.  I also feel that the convenience of cell phones (texting, social media) has caused families to disassociate. It's easier to go online and see what people are doing instead of actually talking to them.

Okay, moving on . . .

Life is good.  Garden plans are moving forward.   Organizing the home continues.  Adventures continue, as well as physical fitness.  I didn't realize how much around here got so disorganized during the time of surgery, and surgery recovery, (I only had one day of help from one person) so it's been invigorating to get the homestead back in order, clean, and spic n' span restored.  I'm definitely not done yet either.  Catching up with restoring the home, has brought some purging to my attention in the midst of it all.  

With that last part said (about help), I'm more inclined to pay attention to those who need help, could use help, need a pick-me-up, or someone to talk to.  In other words, the lack of action of others, has motivated me to be the "action" and help others more often. 

I'll work on getting another post up soon.  I started my morning with a 200 blueberry pick up, and before my coffee (ha ha!).  The container fell out of the fridge and blueberries went flying across the kitchen floor.  Sigh.  Off to enjoy some coffee....by the way, my husband thought it was very funny.

Winter Lingering . . .   ©  March 2026 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Lima Bean Hummus ~ Cooking for Two

 

Lima Bean Hummus (my recipe)

1 can of lima beans, drained and rinsed

2 cloves of garlic, minced (we used home grown)*

1/3 cup tahini (dry roasted seeds, but any tahini will work)

2 Tbsp. plus 2 tsp. real lemon juice (from a fresh lemon)

1/4 cup water

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1/4 tsp. salt

Mix everything in a food processor until smooth.  Adjust salt and garlic if needed.  If you do not grow your own garlic, you may need to add more to adjust flavor. Our homegrown garlic is loaded with flavor.

Lima Bean Hummus   ©  March 2026 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Homemade Fajita Seasoning (Dry Mix)

The recipe I use for our dry Fajita seasoning mix, is on my blog HERE.   I store the dry mix in a repurposed jar, and label it.  If you add the dehydrated onion  (especially if you make it yourself), you may want to store the jar in the door of your freezer.  The dehydrated onion can very easily absorb moisture (even in the cupboard), and the mix will become hard.

Note:  We plan to add some home grown, dehydrated oregano to this mix next time it's made.  If we like it, I'll add it to the recipe, and how much we add to the recipe.  I almost feel it should contain some garlic powder too.  I've made notes on the original post.

We use this dry seasoning mixture for chicken tacos too, but you could use dry taco seasoning as well.  We make that ourselves too.

Homemade Fajita Seasoning (Dry Mix)   ©  March 2026 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Welcome March ~ This and That

 Not much to talk about with winter lingering.  Other than the weather, which is back and forth and all over the map lately.  We may actually leave the cold weather this week, and venture into the lower 70's.  However, the spring rains and thunderstorms come with it.  We have had a lot of foggy days lately too.

I have been doing the boring refreshing spring cleaning.  We took a large load to donate (mostly clothing).  We are not even close to being done, but chipping away at getting it done before garden planting season.

In the mix of this cleaning/purging and re-organizing, I now have two photo type projects to complete (but frees up space it was taking, and will put it all to a good use).

On the zero purchasing this year list:

-books (unless it's non-fiction, and absolutely needed), concentration will be on reading what we have (both of us).  I love, love love browsing used book sales, and stores, but no more this year until we have read through our current book stash.

-yarn (this last large load of gifted yarn was overwhelming, and is taking up a LOT of space)

Kitchen work never seems to end, nor give me a break.  Cooking from scratch can do that.  I once told a friend, that I don't even know how people can keep their houses clean, if they work full time too.  I don't regret it, but there are some days where washing all those dishes can really get to me.

It seems that all homemade dry mixes run out at the same time here.  It's been a month of refilling them, like homemade dry taco mix, fajita mix and the like. 

Speaking of "kitchen" chores, we were out running errands and I picked up a free brochure.  It contained a free recipe for soup that we tried, as we had one last butternut squash to cook up.

The soup is very simple, yet delicious.  Great way to use up that small "junk" jar of leftover pastas, or what some people call their "orphan" past a jar (a mix of bits of leftover uncooked pasta from other cooking days).   The only problem was, our freezer was out of spicy Italian sausage, and we could not find it at two stores we went to.  Either way, we used a "hot" sausage and it turned out good. We will keep the recipe, as it's very simple and can be adjusted to a crockpot recipe very easily.

We have gotten some appointments off the calendar and have already set more for later in the year.  The book in the above photo is a "tea" brewing/informational book.  I love to learn new things, but so far there is a lot of information I already know.  I do plan to finish the book to see if there are any "nuggets" to learn.

One fun "bit" so far, is that the teabag itself was invented by accident.  A man sent "samples" of tea in silk bags and the teabag convenience was born.  

I finished another baby blanket, which used up two more skeins of the Aran colorway yarn, and some leftover pink that was also in the mix of gifted yarn.  Basic blanket, but yarn put to good use (donations for a pregnancy center).

We are very behind in spring garden preparation.  Many of the home repairs we started to collect supplies for, have been delayed.  The word "delayed" is such an annoying word (more like frustrating, ha ha!).

I have also "delayed" a writing project, that has a deadline this month.  I really had the ambition, but trying to keep all my "ducks" in a row this spring has been a huge challenge.

Wise words from my current devotional . . .

"Find time to rest and set yourself apart from the busy, busy, busy of this world."  (Just Breathe, Devotions and Prayers for the Overwhelmed Heart, Barbour Publishing, 2024).

Welcome March ~ This and That   ©  March 2026 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Tidbits

Our weather is warming up soon, or so they say anyway.  We are looking forward to sunny days again.

We've obtained asparagus roots, and will expand our existing asparagus patch in the vegetable garden this spring.  We will not be planting anything squash related this year, to give the garden a "clean sweep" from squash bugs.  

We are late, but seeds will be started for a few garden goodies, including a few for the herb garden (that are medicinal herbs).

The next room to clean out, prior to giving it a planned new coat of paint, is a room where my canning supplies are stored.  I may be reducing the numbers in there.  

I still have the supplies to can our favorite "Christmas" jelly, which did not happen.  Not sure if it will yet or not.  

The winter has been a long winter, and not much blog content, here are a few fun freebies we snagged.

Free bookmarks.  I absolutely love this one.  It was the last one at one of the area libraries.  No purchase necessary.

Free stickers (these were sent in the mail to me).  Not sure what I'll use them for, but they'd make fun snail mail or I could slap them on a a cover of a notebook, journal, or gift maybe.  I love the barn sticker.  No purchase necessary.  I do have a few more free stickers we picked up at another event last year.  Stickers seem to be the rage right now.

As winter dwindles, we are looking forward to another garden year, but we are reading forecasted dry weather.  We've seen it all, experienced it all, so we will just have to wait and see.

Tidbits  ©  February 2026 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Donating Baby Blankets and Random Tidbits

 

We went from sub zero straight to a week of up to 64°F, and a sloppy, slushy, muddy mess.  I was very tempted, and almost twice, used the clothesline.    

However, with the warmest weather days brought us rain and thunder storms (yes thunder storms in February).  Add that rain to the already mushy mess, and you have slosh yards.

The house was refreshed with several days of open windows, and we are very thankful for that. Nothing better than fresh air circulating indoors.  

Of course, as it is still our winter season, the weather cooled right back down to the 30's and brought a small but of snow.  We got outside anyway, and did our very first "snow" walking trail.

It's been a mish-mash of a February.  Lots of re-organizing, purging, and home repairs.  It seems like the hardware store shopping list is maintaining it's weekly to-do list.

We have not cleaned out clothing in more than two years, so it's been this month's focus, and boy it takes some time.  I'm trying to squeeze in a few minutes in between everything else.

Winter time can become monotonous, so I've changed up some décor (rotated what I have), but found some new bath linens for a great deal.  A new color is like a breath of fresh air, and it balances the mood.

Most days this month have been ending exhausted, but productive. 

It has been very satisfying to cross off long over due home repairs/updates.  However, in the meantime, there are those repairs that get thrown at us, like the tile soap dish falling off the tile shower wall, after 20 years or more.  Replacing the tub drain that just stopped working after 20 years or more.  You know, the wear and tear projects that sneak up on you.  You know, you can't get these jobs completed with one trip to the hardware store.  It takes numerous, because the clerk gives you the wrong tools, so you have to return and get the right ones.

New recipe tried.  It was a result of "use it up" in the pantry.  I had some green lentils that needed used soon, so we tried Lentil Salad and loved it.  Recipe is online from Cooking Classy, and we did not "roast" the red bell pepper.  It contains cooked and cooled green lentils, cucumber, red bell pepper, red onion, feta, fresh parsley, fresh cilantro, and a homemade dressing with freshly squeezed lemon juice, olive oil, minced garden grown garlic and mustard. 

Finally, a observation by my husband and I both - many people (friends, family, acquaintances) we know have detached themselves from us.  Not sure if it's a result of 2020, where everyone was nervous to be around anyone, or if people are choosing to be so busy they would rather keep their "circle" small or what.  Relationships are a thing of the past for so many people we know.  The best advice from an acquaintance for this concern/unsettled thinking?  Count your blessings and build from that.  Thankful for the few who want to stay connected.  Life is something to celebrate, not bury ourselves in being so busy we forget to really live our lives.  

Please pray for a friend of mine.  Marilyn.  It may be nothing, but it could be serious.  It is a heart concern, but testing is not for a week or so.

Experienced my very first professional pedicure (a gift to me).  What a treat!  

Current Crochet Charity Updates:  Baby blankets

I have been crocheting this pattern for using some of the 27 skeins of Aran colorway yarn I was gifted.  I am using scrap balls to edge them, to add color, and offer options with donated baby blankets.  It's been a very easy pattern to take "on-the-road" for any traveling. I've used this pattern before, but for headbands for winter.  

I think the baby blankets are turning out very nice for the Mom-to-Be resource facility.  I have more yarn stashed, so I am considering adding more "baby" items to this cause.  It all depends on free time.  It has been my on-the-go project, and works very well with the very easy, one-color pattern.

What is left from the two skeins of yarn it took to crochet the center part of the blanket.  It's the closest I have come to using up project yarn for one "project" and it thrills me.  I do not need more scrap balls of yarn, ha ha!  (amount above is leftover per each skein {2} of yarn in Aran colorway)

A friend who works at the pregnancy facility, and is in charge of assisting those in need, reached out to me, so it's on the hook for now, but I will resume lap afghans for senior centers/assisted facilities/single elderly living alone, after that.

I'm still looking for my pattern for one last committed crochet project in the mean time.

February has been a very cold month, with a splash of a summer teaser.  I think we are all ready to see the weather warm up for good.

Donating Baby Blankets and Random Tidbits  ©  February 2026 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

 

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Spiced Nuts (Recipe)

 

We've been making spiced nuts for the last 18 years.  Crazy, how much time has passed while writing this blog.  

Christmas time brought us recipes that used mixed nuts, and other ingredients, that never got used up (or used at all).  There was a lot going on this past holiday, so I'm slowly using up the unused ingredients. 

I had about a cup of cashews (should have been cashew brittle at Christmas), a bit of walnuts, and I had some mixed nuts (I buy these non-gmo, with zero bad oils, but it contains way too many almonds), we also had some pumpkin seeds, and.....

....we had some of these non-gmo chocolate type candies (healthier option to M & M's in Christmas cookies).  By the way, we bought both to test out for holiday baking.  We did not really like either one, and both are very expensive options.

I tossed all of the nuts and pumpkin seeds into a bowl, and roasted our favorite spiced nuts.  Let it cool completely, and then tossed in the leftover chocolate candies.  It filled two quart jars for snacking.  Most importantly, we found a way to utilize it all, and the small amount of chocolate bits make it a perfect on-the-road, every day, or hiking snack.

Here is how we make it:

Spiced Nuts

1 egg white - whisk this until frothy

(add that egg yolk to your morning breakfast)

Add: 1 tsp. water

1 Tbsp. pure maple syrup

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground cumin

1/4 tsp. ground coriander

1 tsp. cayenne pepper (1/2 tsp. for less heat)

1/4 tsp. salt (or more if you'd like)

Toss in 3 cups mixed nuts/seeds and coat well.

Roast at 325°F for 25 minutes, on a rimmed baking dish (I use parchment paper or my stoneware baking dish), and stir at least once while baking.  Cool completely, and store in an airtight container.  Enjoy!

If 3 cups is too much for you, share with a neighbor or friend.  Winter time is hard on many people.

Spiced Nuts (Recipe)  ©  February 2026 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart