Pioneer Woman at Heart

  A new "first time" for us was to make a cold infusion with cleavers.  It is a bonus weed that we get this time of year when we weed the flower beds and the vegetable garden.  Heck, I see it growing in the asparagus, so I'll be pulling more of it this weekend (in between rainfalls).  If you harvest wild medicinal weeds/plants, I would love your feedback on this.  I believe I dehydrated it many years ago, but it's best when harvested fresh.  I have only one friend who also harvests this, but sadly, she does not live very close to me. Side note: I made a face wash back in 2018 with cleavers, but never kept up with making it and using it over the years. Rain returns starting tonight, and on and off all weekend.  Woke up to 49°F, and again we have not planted the vegetable garden yet. Still on time, but slightly late if we can get it done soon.  However, we were unable to obtain organic sweet potato starts, so no sweet potatoes will be planted (as of...

  I've been using a sample size of horsetail salve, to see if it will help with the very dry cracked skin on my hands (joys of gardening).  I did a bit of reading (like a tiny bit), and it apparently is good to help brittle fingernails too.  I do not make the salve.  I, honestly, never heard of it, until we bought some earlier this year.  So far, it's helping restore my hands and heal the very dry cracks.   Garden planting is still on-going.  The rain has now moved later into the week, so watering newly planted seeds and plants is happening.  I obtained a few packets of organic collard seeds, and have a new plan for them this year.  I read that if they are planted next to thyme, they thrive better (we'll soon find out). Our garlic is starting to grow scapes, and the radish plants have not even sprouted due to late planting.  The two together, make the most delicious dip.  I don't need to cut the scapes just yet, but I read they...

  Any writers here?  Are there any free downloadable programs that are similar to what Word offers?  Other than Google docs and notepad?  Looking for one like Word, in which to use for writing, with options to save to a removeable drive as well as save to the computer.  Font options, italics, underscore, paragraph widths and all the options that Word has. Or an inexpensive program to purchase similar to Word? Our Word program expired a few years ago, and I do not like notepad at all.  It comes in handy for a recipe, but that's about it. Thanks to anyone who can give me recommendations.  I think I follow a few that write books, and possibly a few that keep journals (not blogs, but actual personal journals) using their computer/laptap or tablet.   This tip may be a repeat tip.  Sorry if that is the case.  I started buying 2# bottles of Dawn on sale, and use them to refill our smaller bottle.  Saves us a lot of money, as we can, p...

When ever I read something new about a weed I harvest, I give it a try if I can.  The season for cleavers are over for us, but I wanted to share this. I made a tea with cleavers . I just made sort of an infusion in a pint canning jar, strained it and put it in the fridge.    Dip your washcloth into the tea and rinse your face with the tea solution at room temperature (or cold).  Cleavers at as a skin tightener, so in reality, reduces wrinkles and lifts up the skin naturally. Some people may have a bad reaction to this facial wash, so try a small area at first.  If you use fresh cleavers in you tea (not recommended for this), you have greater chance a having a skin reaction. I used this tea for 2 straight weeks and feel and see a difference.  I also used it cold on my face, and it felt great in the heat of summer.

I canned more wild violet jelly first thing after my work out, and checked the weather.  Were you wondering if our rain stopped yet?  Well I was. We got more rain, but I had a break in the day to get outside.  Oye. It's wet out there, but after checking the asparagus and garden (for damage), I high tailed it to the flower beds.  I could spend a week out there, plus the herb garden. I have a plan for the wettest part of my vegetable garden.  Updates to follow if it works out. I felt like the "If you give a Mom a Muffin" but with the weeds yesterday.  One thing just led to another. I started weeding flower beds, and found several ornamental apple trees growing in it.  I dug up two and transplanted them.  I went back to weeding, but after pulling all the cleavers, it was almost a day with the cleavers.  I filled my dehydrator with them, and had a bit leftover. Knowing our family motto, that has been on this blog for years now, y...

I harvested some wild g rowing cleavers this past week.  I have been pulling these from the flower beds for years, and had no idea they were a weed to keep.  Golly.  I learn something every year. These are also called "sticky weed."  You may have them too.  You know, those annoying weeds that stick to everything?  Well, my l ymph nodes were swollen and ginger and lemon wasn't kicking it's butt.

I have been weeding the rose bed, which may get all torn out and roses moved.  Every year one particular rose plant in one area dies.  I think they get more shade than sun, so I may have to re-think what I'll plant there for color.  Anyway, I had a good amount of chickweed, cleavers and dandelions in that bed too. I got all of them into the dehydrator for other uses, including facial cleansers, and even got a bit of dandelion root dried.