Friday's Finish and One Liners

I finished the purple baby blanket.  I thought I only had one row of diamonds to crochet, but had 2 rows.

 Thank you so much Susan for helping me find the yarn.  It'll be priced for sale today (hopefully).

Current library loot.

Barn Clean Up

It's been hectic around the homestead.  Morning is crazy - feed dogs, feed cats, feed barn cats, dogs in, dogs out, dogs in, dogs out.....chickens out, dogs in, dogs out....chickens back in...

I'm on dog duty until Daughter is feeling up to it again.  She is still recovering from the removal of her wisdom teeth.  She took care of me while I was sick, and now I'm taking care of her.  I am using my ice chipper to grind up ice for her.  She is still very sore around her jaw. 

Unfortunately, she has inherited something I inherited from my mother - can't handle pain meds (nausea).  I had to call the dentist.  They told me to take her off the pain meds and the ibuprofen and put her strictly on Tylenol.  She is not getting sick any more thankfully.

Weekend work resumed, although we were invited to ride to IN for the day, we opted to work.  While the guys worked on the barn, I weeded the herb garden and Youngest did the mowing.  I was super happy to find mullein growing in one of my flower beds.  It's safely transplanted into the last pot I had available.  There is hope to have a large harvest of it soon again.


Deep cleaning continues as well - washed down the outside of the stove, top, under knobs, dishwasher, more cabinets, etc.  I also took everything off the bathroom door hooks, washed down the door, and washed our winter bathrobes.  It was just in time for nice clean robes to take dogs out at the crack of dawn. It's been chilly early morning again.

 

And for a different cleaning story. . .

. . . update on the barn clean up.

Happy Homemaker Monday

I'm joining Happy Homemaker Monday with Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom.  I'm needing my to-do list public - staying on task today.  Or I hope to, ha ha!

On my breakfast plate. . .

Good News! ~ Finished!

Good News:
Doctor gave me the thumbs up.  Spider bites should heal on their own.  No skin graphs or specialty doctors.  He was very impressed with my progress, and I even told him I did some dancing over the weekend (and no swelling).  It will be a few more weeks for healing, buying a semi truck load of gauze and roll gauze, but it will heal.  I will have a nasty scar, but I am very happy.  I really like my new doctor too. Once again, nurses came to see the updated larger bite, ha ha!  I'm like a hot topic there when I arrive.  Trust me, if you saw a photo of what it looked like when I first went to the second doctor, you'd be "sweatin' bullets" too.  He and I both were concerned.


Bad News:
The heat is drawing the spiders into the house and I have yet to spray inside.  As they crawl in to escape the heat, however, the outside spraying should keep them from living too long if they do get all the way in.  I had to swat at jumping spiders all yesterday afternoon.


Mediocre News:

This and That ~ Canning

It didn't take long for the recent medical bills to start flowing in (again).  I spent time on the phone taking care of those, so I can pay monthly until they are at reasonable amounts to fully pay off. 

A bit of sad news.  The small quilt shop that I have wanted to take lessons at (and procrastinated for years) is now closing it's doors.  It was very close to home too, and local.  I guess Youtube and I have a date this winter.  The sewing machine sits and waits for me.  Yeah, not happening any day soon due to the last haul of tomatoes.

Lemony Tomato-Basil soup was canned first.  I had very little basil in the herb garden, so I did a mix of parsley and basil this time.

Welcome to the Jungle! Homemaking at it's Best ~ Fox and the Chickens ~ Garden Provides

I feel like I need to add music to this post, ha ha ha!

I decided to take photos after all.  A little humor for you today. I was outside taking photos of Youngest on her 2nd day of school, and just started to laugh.

You have to have humor to see this, and deal with this (all things considered).

This doesn't even include the jungle of a vegetable garden we have either.

Grab a cup of java/tea or your favorite beverage.  Things just got interesting....

Beets, Housework, Preparing for Winter, and Handiwork

While beets boiled in their skins, I read a short story in a magazine to get an idea of what is expected of submissions.  

And laundry was washed and put out on the line.  

Bathrooms were scrubbed by help from the kids, and floors cleaned.  By the way, my Grad Daughter has now been taught to boil potatoes and eggs both.  I hope she keeps up on her learning skills.

Bird watching and other fasicnating fun. . .

My to-do list was so long on Monday (washed rugs, rags, bed quilt, bathrobe etc.), I woke late on Tuesday.  Literally.  I overslept by an hour the next morning.  Sigh.  I knew I was pushing too hard.  I took the day off on Tuesday, as it rained anyway, so I couldn't work outdoors. Or so I thought.

Spider Webs be Gone!

The weather here has been rain.  Rain, and more rain.

I've had a slight blurp in my blogging lately.  There are many reasons for it.  One, Hubby called me one day, and whisked me off for a half-day vacation day.

Two, I took a day for a Mom/Daughter day out.  And it was

Random Tidbits ~ Swiss Chard Pesto

Experiment #3:  I used 1 cup einkorn all purpose flour, and 2 cups einkorn whole grain wheat, my home canned applesauce (no other oil/butter), and my homemade yogurt.  The only difference I notice, is when my bananas are a bit too ripe.  Then the bread is super moist.  Overall, delicious and easy grab-n-go breakfast/snack for the family.  I think I'll add 1/2 cup more blueberries next time.

The Study

Although the room is still in the "works" I have photos to share. The kids are already using it for doing their homework.
 

 I love the saying on this tiny sign.  It also ties all the colors of the room together.  There is a bit of that country red in the curtain and the matching runner.

Random Tidbits

Many of my houseplants died while I was in the hospital.  Hubby and I picked up a few to bring a bit if life and beauty to homestead - Florida Beauty to the left and an Exotic Allusion Arrowhead in the upper right.

Monday Madness

We are already going through a second batch of homemade hot chocolate.  The chill was in the air.

Bailey's too?  Don't mind if I do, ha ha! (that was Sunday morning).  Today, there is very little chill.  I won't even need to fire up the wood stove today. It's a good day for hanging my laundry outside.

Dust Bunnies ~ Peanut Butter Cookies

My 17 year-old laughed as I sat at the computer and whined - nothing to blog about today.  Who wants to hear about my day of painting (which continues today)?

Ha!

I also spent yesterday with the dust bunnies.  Lots of them.  If you don't think you have too many books, just move a bookshelf.  Well, the bookshelf is not moved just yet, but the books are all off and dusted.  

I found more books to donate to the "donation station" in my progress.  I was so happy to get that job done, but now boxes and a laundry basket fill my living room floor with dog temptations (books).  I must move quickly and move the shelf and re-shelf the books I am keeping.  Either way, I was thrilled to get this far, on this job.

Random Tidbits

If you are wondering how my "to-do" list is going....slow.  I can't seem to get a job completely done.  I need more patience when it comes to painting.  The taping part is so much work.  I need to talk myself through it, and not roll my eyes so much.  Even the kids are avoiding it like a plague. 

If you are wondering if I've been able to take a tea break at 2pm, I have.  If you are wondering if I have been stealing away at 4pm for an hour to myself?  Ha, yeah.  That's not happening.  I think the change of weather, and longer, brighter nights are keeping me from curling up with crochet.  The 4 o'clock hidey hole, was mainly to stock up for the Farmer's market, but that's been difficult to do.

We just went from warm/rainy weather back to snow and cold.  It's nothing but a few flurries.

I whipped up a bowl of slaw.  Organic cabbages went on sale.  This tasted so good since we haven't had cabbage for a while.

Happy Homemaker Monday

I'm joining up with Sandra, at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom, for Happy Homemaker Monday today.  My back is getting a super work out (and a painful one).  I'm on my 6th load of laundry, and have 2 more to go, and it's already noon.  Yikes.

Random Tidbits ~ New Recipe

My extreme clean continues.  .  . but slower.

Every crafting container is being opened, but I know in reality, some drawers and containers will have to wait for a rainy day or next winter.  My kids are all growing up, and we just don't use some items like acrylic paints.  I think 90% of the bottles I had in a container, were dried up and tossed.  Top news, right?
 

My days are continuously emptying, sorting, tossing, donating, and getting organized.  I spent a few days putting recipes back in the "homesteading" binder, and canning recipes back into their binder (have been laying around the kitchen since last November (yikes!).  I am emptying the "try it" recipes from plastic page protectors, and filling the trash.  I (gulp) saved a few to try when the garden is producing once again.  We love sugar snap peas, and I'm always looking for a new way to cook them.

It's a good thing I took the time to hand write two recipes.  When I went to put them in the recipe box, I found all the recipes the kids used at Christmas, all in one slot (not even close to the correct tab).  I would have gone bonkers this next Christmas looking for them.

Hubby joked that I'm on "round 3" of cleaning out the utility room and our closet.  He's probably right.  But....the reality of daily chores has increased as well. 

Got Wine Corks?

My name is....and I am a wine cork hoarder.

It's true.  I have had this tote of corks in my crafting supplies for years.  Many years.  Since before we moved here.

I have made many Christmas tree ornaments over the years, gifted many, and maybe even sold some.  I can't remember.

..... so I'm him-hawing at letting go of these corks.  Or keeping a handful.  Or not.  

Today, I decided to take you down "wine cork memory lane" (and myself) to decide if I shall pass these corks on.  They were not saved for storage over the years.   I have been a bit creative.

Just Do It!

Saturday was a "just do it" sort of day for me.  Hubby had to take off in Daughter's car to diagnose it.  Yeah...more car repairs.  We just put a $170 part in the truck.

I have been going from utility room to closet, back and forth. It's due to the magic I am preforming.  I'm downsizing, and moving as much crafting supplies as I can, to the utility room.  The kids will have easier access and there is a small table to work on too.

Last night Hubby said, "Hey! There's a floor in there?" laughing of course.  I had yarn everywhere.

Upon entering my closet,

Pearl ~ Purging the Bedding

Ever wake up feeling like Pearl (we accidentally left her out all winter)?  Rained on, snowed, on, hailed on, wind blown, knocked down.........looking all haggard?  I did.  All of December and all of January.

February is a new month, and I am back to almost walking 2 full miles a day.  It's been painful, but trips to the chiropractor are swiftly returning my body to a painless stage. It's a lesson to myself really.  I think about that miserable experience, and I wake up to a fully charged, positive demeanor.  

I don't skip the herbal teas.  I don't skip the exercise.  I clean something every day even in the midst of a canning day, or other engaging day.