Apples and Tomatoes Oh My!

 The early morning weather here has been downright chilly.  One morning it was 42 degrees.  Flower beds have been weeded.  The herb garden is next in line, but I do need to figure out what to do with all the rosemary plants I planted in the actual vegetable garden.  I have not mastered keeping them alive all winter indoors.  They will not survive the winter if left outside.

Did any of my blog writing followers locate a better "blog" platform online?  Just curious if anyone is moving from blogger. 

Happy Homemaker Monday

Could Spring finally be here to stay?  The heat has been shut off.  The first mowing has happened, and the grass is a beautiful and bright green again.  The flower beds look really nice again, and I have dug up and moved some flower bulbs.  New fruit trees were planted, and porch furniture covers removed.

I've not been online much at all (hence the long post today, so grab a cup of java), and even hand wrote a letter this past week.  I've done a lot of cooking, but mostly the prep work for fresh salads to go with meals.  Soak, chop, slice and dice, mix....lots of good food, but a lot of dirty dishes too.

Third Year Asparagus.

First planted asparagus

Our first asparagus is sprouting, the asparagus beds have been cleaned up and ready for a Spring harvest.  We planted more more new asparagus roots, and we are preparing a new area to expand the asparagus patch again (we never have enough to freeze).

I planted rosemary seeds prior to a good rain. I have more seeds to plant for other herbs.

I have transplanted a few house plants, and one does not look too healthy.  I am hoping it just needed a larger pot.  I have not had house plants in many years due to cats and dogs, but I inherited my Mom's plants when she passed away.  I've been doing pretty well with their upkeep, but the cactus isn't looking too good (insert sad face).

I hope you had a nice Easter Sunday.  As for us, we did not do anything in the way of a special meal/gathering (no invitations).  My husband had to work, and the kids all spent the day with their other families or had other plans.  

I spent the Easter holiday cleaning and lining the last kitchen cupboard, and other jobs around the house.  Apparently, the double decker, lazy susan I bought from K-mart almost 17 years ago has broken.  I'll need to find a replacement.  Otherwise, that job is done. Tossed some rennet from 2016 (gulp!) I didn't even know we still had (from dairy goat cheese making days) it. I think I eventually went to a liquid rennet that needed to be refrigerated, so I was shocked to find old rennet in the cupboard.

Put those pesky toothpicks in a canning jar.  The boxes are always breaking and I'm tired of shoving them in plastic bags.  The lid is a repurposed lid that fits half pint Ball jars.

Food scale recommendations?  Online or in store.  I am in the need to replace ours (have had it since we raised dairy goats).

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

I will link up when she posts today. I am up early.

The weather in our neck of the woods . . .

Rain early today, high of 71° and sunny later (hopefully).

As I look outside my window . . .

It's raining.

Right now I am . . .

Getting this blog post posted.

Something fun to share . . .

Cute! If you crochet anyway. My Mom had been after me for a few years to crochet cactus plants in crocheted pots, to sell at my craft shows.  I never did get any made, but a few years ago one of my daughters encouraged me to crochet leaves and a pot, in which the leaves were cup/mug coasters.  I donated a set to a plant bingo that was taking place last year. 

In fact, I crocheted flower dishcloths and filled a cactus looking plant pot, to appear as a plant, and donated that too (you can see both of my plant projects in the blog post link).

Thinking and pondering . . .

To sell or not sell our wine making supplies.  We made pear wine once, with our homegrown pears, and we learned a lot from the experience.  I doubt we will ever make homemade wine again.  Although, the way things are going in this world, the finished product would make a nice item to barter with.  Just thoughts rambling.

To work on making something this year, to donate to the plant bingo next year.  Maybe.  Maybe not.  I have time to consider it.  

Make something for the advent gifts.  I have a crochet project in mind.  It's a useful item.

When God created me, did he make a "blooper?"  Do you ever wonder what your God given "gift" is?  I'm still wondering.

Possibly going back to work.  Full time?  Part time?  Not sure.

I miss fun "snail" mail.  My Aunt and I used to write hand written letters, and she was the last person who stayed in touch with me that way.  I loved writing her a letter.  I do miss that.

Not to make this post any longer, but have you ever actually written down your own happy list?  A list of what truly makes you happy?  What brings you joy?  From simple to complex?

Being that this weekly, Monday "Happy" Homemaker post has "Happy" in the title, and the funny thing that this was the daily reading for Easter morning  - 

The book the daily readings are from.  Some are pretty good, some are just meh.

Do you have a "happy" list?  I did not.  It got me thinking.  

On my bedside table . . .

3 crochet hooks, yarn needles, notepad and pen

On my TV . . .

Ransom Canyon

Listening to . . .

Radio, 90's

On my reading pile . . .

Besides my three morning readings (two are devotionals, one is a daily positive reading, all of which I bought a year ago), I am currently reading this book:

ebook (my first ever ebook)

(photo source:  Google)

On the menu this week . . . 

-chicken fajitas
-grilled burgers, veggie side
-crock pot lasagna (new recipe to try), veggie side

-leftovers

On the to-do list . . .

-make a few calls
-check asparagus
-check wild violets

-handle some paperwork

-muck coop

-meal prep

-mail in a rebate

What I am crocheting, knitting, sewing or creating . . .

See last post:  HERE to see current projects

Pot holder set in the making.

Picked up a free bookmark craft from the library.  I plan to make this sometime this week.  I just need to buy Elmer's glue (to secure the ends, according to the instructions).

My simple pleasure . . .

Nail polish.  I only get the chance to polish my nails in between garden seasons.

Looking around the house . . .

I have extra bed pillows that need stored.  I'm thinking the best way will be to buy those suction type bags, but they are very expensive (and in the past they don't hold items compressed very long). Hm.  

From the camera . . .

These two were sitting out back a few weeks ago.

Bible Verse, Devotional, Prayers. . . 

"God thank You that even hard days can be good days when we hold on to You.  Guide me throught them with strength, peace, and the comfort of Your love.  In Jesus' name. Amen." (180 Devotions for Your Best Day" Barbour Publishing.

Happy Homemaker Monday  ©  April 2025 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Chicken Predator ~ Current Crochet Project ~ Prayers for Florida

 

A quick post.  My chickens would not leave their run the last few days, and now I know why.  I had a feeling something was a threat to them.  It was literally watching them, so I may need to come up with a way to net the entire coop to cover their current run.  I'm hoping it just moves on.  Between everything needing done or going on around here, we have not finished the new coop yet (and I wish we had).

I picked these balls of yarn to decide on my next go-to project (with very limited free time).  All of them were in my stash.  The color on the left may end up a winter hat/scraf for my husband, and the right was chosen to crochet a new baby blanket pattern.  My husband was shocked the white and pick were in my stash (huge on pound from Caron).  Yes they were.  I was an ambitious person when I did baby items for craft shows.

Current crochet project.  A big thank you to Betsy at Blogspot The Simple Life of a Queen.  She had shared her crocheted blankets on her blog, and graciously shared where to find the pattern.  I don't think I have any blue in my stash, but this one is turning out stunning.  Plus, my husband is happy to see me de-stash the stash.  I'm not sure yet if I will keep this one, or donate it.  I do like to have a few on hand for gifting.

A big thank you to Leigh for her post on 5 Acres and a Dream blogspot, for her Prepper Check post.  We are currently working on more prepping.  The hurricane, and everything else going on in this world, has us concerned.  If you haven't read her post, it has some very good information.  

Rebecca's Hearth and Home blogspot is doing a giveaway for a very nice planner.  Be sure to go and enter.   She has several options for your entry.

Prayers for Florida, as they prepare for another devastating hurricane.  Prayers for all of Florida and any surrounding areas.

Chicken Predator ~ Current Crochet Project ~ Prayers for Florida © October 2024 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Odd Sight

 

Minutes before the darkness set it from the eclipse yesterday, I snapped these photos of two eagles that just stopped flying and sat together in a tree.  They were probably confused as much as the rest of the wildlife.

Odd Sight © April 2024 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart