Pioneer Woman at Heart

Shell peas are slowly coming on, so I decided to take the first picked bit, and toss it into a breakfast frittata.  I did not have enough for a meal for all of us, nor enough to freeze. This time I used cauliflower, potatoes (s liced) , and peas.  I had one gree n bell pepper ready to pick, and one hot banana pepper.  I tossed all of that into my cast iron ski llet (cooking a ll the veg etables first), and did not add any other spice/herb .  I just added salt and pepper and it was delicious.

I was heading out to the barn to close it up for the night, and Leo ran out from under my car and meowed at me.  First time ever for him to come to me like that.  He won't eat with the other cats, so I gave him a water and food bowl.  He wouldn't let me pet him standing up, so I got down to his level, and he rolled over, thanking me for the food.  I guess he's warming up to us.

This young guy has been seen off and on since last winter.  We thought he was housing up in what's left of our largest barn, but wasn't sure.   Well, my Vet Tech-in-training, has been able to get the cat to come to her, let her hold him (a bit reluctant), and will come to the house to eat the cat food.

We have three barn cats.  One is been getting on my nerves lately.  I keep finding her sitting in my thyme, flattening it, and preventing new spring growth.  Grr. I have since "skewered" the thyme, and after this rain I can finally weed it.  It looks terrible.

Some days, okay almost every day, I forget to do something that should already be ingrained in my brain.  You know, the routine stuff? I forgot to collect eggs one day, and the next day I got this full basket of bounty.  You can see the four araucana hens are now laying as well again.  I got two eggs from them.  However, the full basket indicates that our black araucana is not eating eggs anymore.  She very well could be eating her own, but I'll have to keep watching her.  Maybe all of her isolation, and feeding her mustard filled eggs worked.

Everyone needs a "watch cat" right?  Ha ha!  I guess Sapphire thought the top of Hubby's truck was the perfect spot for watching. Good kitty.

Hubby bought a new sign for the front porch.  I thought you could use a short post to read today, since a wrote such a long one yesterday.  Ha ha!   After weeding the herb garden (or rather part of it), I tossed some lemon balm  I thinned out, into the chicken's nesting boxes.  I read that some herbs are great pest controls in the coop (Backyard Poultry Magazine, 2011, June/July issue ).   By the way, the author of that article, Susan Burek (Herbalist), also has an article you can read online. It's for making a natural  citrus disinfectant .  And it's for the chicken coop of course.  I found her article very interesting, because we do have a natural branch ladder in the coop, and I never thought once about the cracks and the possibility for mites to live and breed.  We don't have an infestation, but this is a nice preventative.  And it's natural.   I have also found that my chickens don't eat my herbs....

....it's 10:00am, and I know I'm forgetting to do something  - watered the goats and chickens, cleaned the coop, planted the apple tree, watered the newly planted stuff, put laundry on the line.....there has to be something.... Anyway,

Yesterday I had a very nice laundry day.  Every line was completely full.  I did not get all the rugs washed as planned, but got all the barn cat bedding washed and put back.  It was nice to see Timmy in one of the boxes this morning, sleeping peacefully. The baby goats had outside playtime.  They love to run and play.  By the time I got out there to film them, they were pretty tired.

Well, the weatherman was correct.  We woke up to snowing and blowing, but that was after the rain came.  School was closed.  It is to snow all day today also.

The start of this morning's sunrise was beautiful.  After taking this photo it clouded over and was completely gray outside.  I was thankful to capture the moment to share.

This morning's sunrise (view from the front porch) was very warming to watch. It was incredibly peaceful, and a pleasant way to start the day.

A few sunflower cup/mug coasters.  Small accomplishment, but finished.  I just may have to make more later if I have time.  Still crocheting the Bavarian stitch baby blanket and knitted dishcloths (depending on my mood).

We did get snow on Friday night, but most of it came down all day Saturday.  Thank goodness there was no wind, so drifting was not a problem.  We are getting more snow today too.  I took advantage of the snowfall, and stayed in and cleaned my bedroom.  I was just getting a table ready for Hubby and I to have a candlelight dinner in there, but work called him away. 

"Yikes! She caught me!" Jasper has been more skittish than before, ever since the propane "boom" we had.  He walks around looking startled by any little movement or noise.  I have such a hard time getting a photo of him. The other day, before the school bus arrived, I was able to snap this photograph.  He was actually playing until he saw me get down to his level and snap a few shots. Ha ha! As for today's weather here. . . . .

Even though it's November, we are still seeing some color in our flower beds.   "Huh, I haven't heard you say, I'm going out to the garden today, in a long time.  I think I could get used to that," said my 11 year-old early this morning. Speaking of garden, my fitbit is reading 3,000 less steps per day, now that I'm not outside doing any outdoor work.  However, we haven't figured out our heating situation yet, so  that may change with splitting wood.  I'm going to have to do something to continue to get more exercise.  This may mean heading back to the gym, with a 5am workout.  Hubby needs it anyway.  They are warning employees about weight.  They are at a point now where they will not hire anyone that is over a specific weight, and will start looking for ways to fire employees, that weigh over a specific weight.  More and more employers are taking this route.

I printed this pattern from the internet.   It's a cat bookmark.  I gave the pattern a w hirl.  What do you think?  I did not have fingering yarn, so I used #3 cotton (coffee) .  The ears still show holes, unlike the photo, where the ears a p pear solid, but the kids liked it.  I do need to sew in the ends a nd and block it .   I actually made that a few night s ago .  My hands hurt too much to do any crocheting la st night.  Yesterday I spent the day doing laundry, and weeding flower beds ( with a lot more to weed yet ) . I woke up today to rain an d the temperature a bit chilly.  I t should warm up, and I will be heading out to plant in the vegetable garden.  The peas are up about 3 -4 inches now.  I bough t Nasturtium seeds, to plant along the squash .  I 'll let you all know if it really does rep el the nasty , pain in the rump, squash bugs. O nly in our home, will you see a crazy woman, jumpin...

This was day 2.  I think Aurora is not giving up my plant pot.  Howe ver, I did check on the comfrey, and after a good rain it should spring back to li fe.   Today my hands hurt bad ly.  This morni ng, I dropped the coffee grounds, and then a two bowls.  My fin ge r join ts and hands are not working well today.  Pl anting 299 onions doesn't h elp.  I t's amazing how many onions I got from 1 lb. of re d and 2 lb s. of yellow.  I still have m ore i n the ba g.  Those will get planted in with the strawb erri es today. I've been gardening these past few days, and will hav e updates on all that in a day o r so.  Rain is on the way, and I have to get more planted.  My son finished all the mowing , and we still need to finish up trimming everything.  We have been so tired. Ye sterday was perfect for laundry.  I had all my clothes lines working over time.  Somehow I managed to make crock pot las agna for dinner...

I can't tell who is going to win this plant pot.  Will it be the cat or the c omfrey?  See that little sprig to the right , in the bottom photo?  Th at's my comfrey, trying to come back to life.  Silly cat's.  The other day Timmy was in that very same pot.

I made homemade deodo rant for the first time. I learned to be more resourceful.  Finished a crocheted bla n ket to take camping.  Had "wig" night with the kids (and pets too).  I baked more foods from scratch. (pho to take n by my daughter) Buried a very much loved barn cat named Joey.  D id many farm/barn repairs.  Tried new foods and recipes.  (photo taken by my daughter) Experienced the birth of two different baby goats. Took an "accidental" road trip with hubby. I added a few more useable anti ques to our home. I nvested in Araucanas .  (our daughter who tends the goats and makes the soap) Ha d successful soap making.   Partici pated in the Farmer's Market fo r the first time ever.   Got through m any trials and tribulations.  Took more time out for my self.  Made homemade ricotta cheese with our go at's milk for the first t...