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~

Showing posts with label #10 Cotton Crochet Thread. Show all posts
Showing posts with label #10 Cotton Crochet Thread. Show all posts

Thursday, May 11, 2023

Getting Outdoors ~ Doily Finished

 


The chicks are about 7 weeks old now, so they got a day of introduction to the hens.   They say your chicks should be as large as the smallest hen, before putting them in the coop together.  I had to laugh, as the hens were scared of the chicks and they were on the other side of the run fence ha ha!

My potted comfrey is springing back to life.

Updates with the garden(s):

-planted about 100 cloves of garlic for spring planting (it was very difficult to locate organic garlic for spring planting too).  As some of you read, voles ate our entire 80 fall planted cloves, so we moved the grow bags this year.




-started weeding the herb garden, and I will be digging up all the lemon balm and moving it to the water trough (hopefully I don't kill it, as I use it often, and I need to dig out some chives that moved their way to the green onions

-started weeding the larger rose bed (this one is terrible)


-asparagus is getting harvested

Asparagus is up that we grew from seed last year.  I gave up on it, but it did not.  It's on the weed-it list after the next rain.

-rhubarb is ready to harvest as well




Herb Garden Progress.  I filled the wheel barrow 4 times with weeds, it was that bad.  I got some of the flower bed weeded as well.  They are FULL of purple dead nettle, chickweed, and thistle.  My bum muscles are sore and my arms are scratched up.  I need a day of rest, and a slather of chickweed salve.  

My arms were covered with itchy spots. Not as bad as stinging nettle, but between that and a mosquito bite.  I had no idea that tall thistle, that is dead, can still have thorns on it.




Here is a before and in progress of part of the flower bed.  We plan to expand it (why oh why??), to make mowing easier.  We weighed a tarp down with landscaping stones to kill the grass.

 I think our plan is to put in a ground cover there, such as ground phlox.  We put it off last year.  It may be next year.  You can see the trimming has not been done.

Our hired help used to be hired to mow/trim once in a while, when we are pinched for time.  Not anymore.  We are doing it, as he has raised his prices.  He's not doing more either.  Actually he'd be doing it all in less time, so yeah, we are doing it now, and it's just taking it one day at a time.

I spent my birthday doing more weeding, replanting, and putting some starts in pots for donating to a plant fundraiser.
I also got a haircut and treatment to pamper myself at the end of the day, and dinner out.  Honestly, I would have been okay with grilled dinner on the porch, but we were in town, and our empty propane tank was at home.





One done.  Finished and blocked.  My new porch project.  Only one more to make for the living room lamps.  I ended up with a larger doily than the pattern said.  I took this on a road trip, so my stitches may not be as tight as they should be, but it still turned out nicely.  I found this pattern for free online.  

Today is going to be a hot day.  No weeding today, as the ground is so dry right now.  The rain will be returning, and lots of it.  It's a brisk 49°F this morning but a high of 82°F. 

Tuesday, January 29, 2019

Arctic Blast Moves In ~ Crochet/Knit bucket list

The news continues to warn us that if we are outside longer than 10 minutes, uncovered skin can get frost bite.  I'm not sure I can get to the barn, take care of the chickens and get back inside in 10 minutes.  I guess we'll be finding out.  My eyeballs are gonna hurt.

Of course the Mom in me, took to calling some of the kids to be prepared for frozen pipes.  The apartment complex that two live in, has this problem.


Barn kitty Aurora hanging out on the sofa with Jesse.  They all get along, even with Tiger.  

To keep warm, I am cleaning and tidying and just organizing where it's needed.  The movement will help warm this gal.

On the hooks:
...and getting marked off my "bucket list" for crochet/knit projects.  I am finally, finally getting these cup coasters off my list.  I think they are gorgeous, and can't wait to get them all made.  I've had this pattern on my list for a few years now, and this winter weather finally gave me the chance.  There is hope for more on the list.

There have been some positive vibes from this cold weather:

1. getting more inside work done
2. getting more crochet/knit items done
3. getting more time to write and read

Oddly school is not even delayed, however Michigan has declared a sate of emergency for tomorrow.

Friday, June 30, 2017

Creative Meals ~ Eating Empty Pea Shells ~ Handiwork ~ The Garden Grows

Another creative week of stretching meals - used up the last two organic sweet potatoes I had on hand.

I had green onions and dill in the herb garden, so I made us some creamy sweet potato salad.  Yum.  The dressing is half yogurt and half mayo.  We love this stuff. 

Fish was pulled from the freezer (so thankful for that), and we still have veggies in the freezer from last year.   That bumper crop of green beans has been useful.  I still have a few servings of broccoli too.

Friday, June 16, 2017

Hot, Humid and Down Right Uncomfortable

Rain was in the forecast yesterday, so I decided to do a long workout, then go out and pick what I could, and return to the indoors.  I baked burger buns for a grill out dinner.....


....blanched and froze swiss chard....

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

I got "Notered" ~ Granny Square Crochet Bookmark ~ Random Tidbits

I woke up with a hot cup of coffee, and sat down to read my email and discovered I was "notered" by Youngest Daughter.

(The history of the "noters":  for years we exchanged uplifting notes.  I'd put them in their lunches, and Youngest loved to write me back often).

Here is what I found in my email today:

 
 "Soo I don't really have anything to write about but I love you mommy. You're amazing and you care for me and I love you. Also check facebook :) I couldn't help but brag about how amazing my mom is.. I love you. You do a lot for me and there should be more than one day of the year that I show my gratitude to you and how much I appreciate you, and of course the work you do for me. You are AMAZING. I love you. I love you times 10000000 <3 :d="" are="" br="" hearts="" lol="" love="" mom="" symbols="" those="" you="">

Sent from my iPod=



That just made my day start even better.  I did hack into Hubby's facebook to see what she posted too (Sigh....in a good way).
 


Lookie, lookie! (just trying to be funny)  I found another one!  (actually I found two, but I'll explain the other one on another post).

While shuffling through my leaning-tower-of- Pisa stack of magazines, I found this:

Saturday, February 14, 2015

The little things that say "I love you"

Happy Valentine's Day!

I wanted to make something useful for the kids this month - a little something to say "I love you."  I don't like to simply wait for February to tell them, so my challenge to myself is to tell them more often.


I used scrap fabric to make these homemade cards (right), and old book pages (left) to create the envelope.  I used a fine-line black marker to make dashes around the scrap fabric heart (adhered with fusible web). 

What's inside?

Monday, March 3, 2014

Pretend Snow Day ~ Homesteading Tidbits


The snow did not arrive as the forecast predicted.  The wind came with a small bit of it, and that was it.  I had Saturday night and Sunday to do whatever I felt like - no demands, no errands, no schedule, pretending I had a few snow days. This morning we have a -9° wind chill.  The bitter cold has moved back in on us.

Grab of cup of coffee or tea.  It's a long Monday morning ramble. . .