Happy Homemaker Monday

 We had some delightful, and much needed, beautiful sunshine over the weekend.  We however, had a sick raccoon climb the old chicken coop fence one afternoon.  There was another coyote (daytime) sighting not too far away.

I am joining Sandra at Diary of  Stay at Home Mom.

(I will link up when she posts) 

The Weather . . .

Not out of the negatives just yet.  A brisk -8°F, and snow on the way.

Right now I am . . .

Writing a list, writing this blog post, and sipping hot coffee.

Thinking and pondering . . .

Well, letter writing back-fired on me.  I wrote to an extended family member on my husband's side, thinking it would be a fun snail mail exchange (I really miss the letter writing I did with an Aunt who has passed).  Instead of writing me back, she texted ( a  long text ) back to my husband.  Sigh.  I even bought special writing paper. 

Pondering a list of where, and when, to donate lap afghans, baby blankets etc. to this year.  I have a list with new locations, in addition to the current donation locations.

Pondering - Starting a cooking club at our house once a month.  Hosting a book exchange/swap sometime this year.

How I am feeling . . .

Tired.  Extremely cold weather can zap one's energy.

On the breakfast plate . . .

Breakfast burritos with meat/eggs and veggies.  Coffee. 

On the menu . . .

Chickens are getting sprouted peas for winter nourishment.

. . .for us?

-Lima Bean/Ham soup, and a new type of homemade cornbread

-Stuffed Acorn Squash

-a new sheet pan dinner to utilize the freezer

-leftovers

-possibly a healthy snack, homemade hummus (with veggies)

On the TV this week. . .

-Movies:  Walk the Line, and a few others, Hallmark movies a few times.

Looking around the house . . .

The magazine shuffle has ended!  They are gone, and I found a thinner cookbook underneath the stack of all things.  Not even sure how I obtained the cookbook, but it's what's left to take a look-see at.  

Painting may resume when the temperatures improve, but we are on the fence with when (and who) will do the wall repairs (yes lots of wall repairs thanks to the kids etc) upstairs.  New light fixtures are badly needed, along with new window coverings.

To-do list today . . .

(all week vs. just today)

-pay bills, run errands etc.

-housework (laundry, dust, dishes, floors)

-library returns and pick ups as needed

-try a few new recipes

-make a call, send messages/inquiries

What I am creating . . .

Catching up on granny squares for my crochet book blanket.  Matching them the best I can with scrap yarn on hand. 

Crocheting a current larger afghan, and still waiting on back ordered yarn for another project.

From the camera. . . 

Devotional, prayers, Bible verses . . .

Prayers for two families who lost their long time 17 year old dogs (both different people we know, and both with dachshund dogs).

No personal prayer requests today.

Prayers for the southern states dealing with the weather hardships right now.

Happy Homemaker Monday  ©  February 2026 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

 

Book Blanket ~ Lifting Books and Hooks ~ Garden Clean Up Starts

I finished this book, which I believe I was prompted to read by a blog here I follow (Far Side of Fifty maybe?).  It was good, but it took me forever to read, as it was canning season, and the days were long and tiresome.  The thought of lifting a book or hook was out of the question at the time.

Anyway, I crocheted a granny square to match the cover.  The colors in the square could have been done about a dozen different ways.  I just went with what colors I had in scrap balls. I'll try and get an updated photo of the actual blanket soon.  

Clinking my hot tea cup to yours, to books and hooks again.  I'm hopeful that it will be soon for myself too.  

The weather is pretty warm for fall right now.  We've been in the lower 70's and sunny.  We may even hit the 80's this coming weekend.  It's garden clean up season for us, and those days are hit or miss, with what's on the busier-than-normal fall schedule.

Rosemary plants were pulled out of the actual vegetable garden and placed in the dehydrator.  I have however, left two plants in the herb garden, considering the weather has been so warm, and rain is on the way.  

Book Blanket ~ Lifting Books and Hooks ~ Garden Clean Up Starts  ©  October 2025 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

On the Hook

 

The latest granny square for my "book" blanket.  I try to match the colors the best I can, and with what yarn I already have.  I just have at join it to the blanket.  The book is being passed on to one of the kids, so another book out the door and off the shelf.

On the Hook  ©  March 2025 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

. . .from the handiwork journal {Feb 28, 2025}

 The month of February typically is the month we tend to get the most snowfall.  Now we are thawing out, and having some flooding.  Heck, Wednesday we started out with everything frozen again, then snow showers, followed by a day of rain.

Yesterday we woke up to fog.  The weather is all over the map right now.  Just after dinner time last night, we had a rain shower.  

 Ribbit, Ribbit. 🐸  Sounds like Rip it, Rip it.  It's where the term "frogging" a crochet project comes from.  Ripping out stitches due to mistakes in previous rows.

I did more frogging this past week than I wish I had, ha ha!  I worked on the blue and white baby blanket, but kept making mistakes.  I am not sure if it was my husband talking to me, or if I was just having an "off" day. Ha.  If fact, I had to rip out a few rounds last night (again) due to an extra stitch I had made in a previous row.  I hope to get it finished soon.  

Update on the "book" blanket granny squares.  

.  .  .  finished more books, so more matching granny squares for my "book" blanket. These books were both on my shelf for several years (other than the very last book). The first book granny square is a repeat photo from last Monday's post, but these are all the newest ones made for the "book" blanket.  All of them have been crocheted to the blanket (other than the last three).

The "BAT" book was tucked into a drawer and forgotten about last year.  My Mom gave me book #1 and I read it about a year ago, and bought book 2 and 3.  She just handed me the book with a giggle, and told me I just had to read it.  Hence the kids book included in my reading this year.

. . .  some embellished paperclips, to use up the last bit of some crochet thread.  

Lastly. . . 

I found a new pacifier holder pattern, and I love it.  Funny story about finding it.  I went on a search, so I could make one to gift with the pink baby blanket soon. 

I can't exactly remember how I saw the one I liked. Maybe doing an image search?  Once I found the one I wanted, I checked Ravelry.  All of the finished ones were noted with a pamphlet or copy of Crochet World Magazine.  After extensive searching, I somehow found a book that it was published in, and wa-la, our library had a copy.

                         

My first crocheted pacifier holders - Pattern is from Crochet Crowd.  As you can see at the clip, it is rounded, and slides back and forth on the clip.  It's cute, but I was not really that happy with the final results.  I also had a hard time getting it to lay flat, even after blocking it.  

These crochet up very quickly, and they fit the clip much better than the last pattern I used from Crochet Crowd (using #3 crochet thread).  The pattern I used, uses #10 cotton crochet thread.  I already had the clips, because I had made a few using the last pattern.

Last month, I was him-hawing about getting rid of a bag of misc. beads.  I'm glad I did not.  I used some jewelry supplies, jewelry tools, spare beads, and created a way to attach a row counter to my project bag (or project) for traveling.  Talk about a happy gal.  No purchases needed.  The row counter actually came in a bag of odd assortments from a thrift store haul years ago.

Results?  I love this for road trips or just any long drive with time to do handiwork.  I still feel I will be using paper and pen any other time.

. . . from the handiwork journal  {Feb 28 2025} © February 2025 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart