Pioneer Woman at Heart

One Flourishing, Frugal and Fun Family!

One family learning to live off the land, cut back on expenses, and to live a simpler and a more self-sufficient lifestyle.

Adopted Motto

"Eat it up,
Wear it out,
Make it do,
Or go without."
~A Pioneer Sampler, by Barbara Greenwood~

Showing posts with label Family Health. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Family Health. Show all posts

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Tuesday Tidbits

I'm up at 4am.  Can't sleep, so I'm gluing snowflakes/stars to the tops of a few wine cork Christmas trees and sipping hot coffee.  I've already let Romeo out, as he came to the gate and let me know (I think I woke him up).





Meanwhile, over the weekend, Daughter became more ill.  I made her sage tea, and homemade ginger ale.  She's congested and has a sore throat.  I also gave her a eucalyptus steam.  She slept a lot over the weekend too.

Sunday we needed wood cut, and it did not get done.  Instead, I pushed the start button on the dishwasher, and water was suddenly flooding the kitchen floor.  Hubby's attention was called to the situation, and he spent a while working on that.


All this time the problem wasn't the dishwasher falling apart by it's self.  A mouse chewed through all the rubber hose parts and water wasn't getting to the dishwasher or back to the drain.  Parts may cost up to $50.00.  I may have Hubby convinced to rip out the dishwasher and put in a cupboard with shelving for me.  We'll see what happens.  Until then, mouse traps are set.

I didn't get time to post Monday due to an early morning doctor appt.  It was the last follow up with my vascular doctor.  Between doctor appts for me, Hubby and Daughter, I nearly finished a set of pot holders in the waiting rooms.  Literally.

First, we left the house at 8am for my appt.  In and out, good check up, given the go to get back to lifting (even exercise).  Then out to breakfast and a run to the store before his appt.  

However while heading to the store, our youngest texted she wasn't feeling up to finishing the day at school.  I called the school, she met us in the "Big City" and we had her checked out at one of the urgent care centers.  

She wasn't diagnosed with a sinus infection, but given a nasal spray - hope it helps.

She drove on home, we went to Hubby's appt, then back to the store for medications.  Yep.  Ugh.

Hubby has always had problems with his blood pressure and blood sugar, and after his heart attack we really watched his intake of food choices.  Well, guess what?  He can't have any carbs now.  At his check up, blood pressure was perfect (I do have a tea on order to help get him off those, which by the way is just a small water pill), but his blood sugar was not.  It's going to be a  challenge for me even more - no tortilla for breakfast burrito, no pasta (very little), no bread etc.  Not sure I want to make dough today for Thanksgiving rolls.

I have looked, and Einkorn is half the carbs of regular flour, so I may be able to make homemade pizzas at home with home canned sauce and veggies.  I may have to order einkorn pasta to also allow a pasta dish here and there.

Looks like a millet skillet will be in the menu, as well as more veggie hash/egg breakfast meals.  


Anyway, we left at 8am and returned home at 4pm.  Long day, and where we got to visit with our 21 year-old how came out to do her laundry.

Sorry for the long post, hopefully, the next will be much shorter and more interesting.





Saturday, January 13, 2018

Random Tidbits


It's been nice to be back in the kitchen baking breads.  First on the agenda - biscuits.  I'm playing around with different size cutters, to obtain just the right size for a breakfast sandwich.  Oh we slobbered over our recent sandwich with farm fresh eggs, cheese, and organic bacon.  Yum.


I use my 2 inch cutter when the biscuits are for sausage gravy or hamburger gravy.

Wednesday, April 5, 2017

Visiting Blog Drafts ~ Homemade Facial Toner

I am going through old blog drafts that didn't make the cut for some reason or another.  I found this one from May of last year.  It's sort of funny too.  

Check out the magazine recipe to the left!  It's the nettle hair tonic I made recently (only without essential oils), only this recipe states to leave the tea in and not rinse it out.  Although it's been about two weeks, I'll be leaving it in my hair from now on.

The rest of this is a draft from last year:

Tuesday, September 27, 2016

Coming Home....

I'm bringing my husband home today folks.  He had the best care at the best hospital, and a high-five to Yawni, his nursing assistant who had us laughing a good amount of the time. Good laughter, good conversation, and lots of laughs.  Although I think Hubby talked her ear off with all my self-sufficient ways, and weed remedies, ha ha!  

He got to talking about comfrey and I could not stop the man. He is definitely feeling much better and I can't wait to sit on the porch and love on him today.  

Thank you for all your good thoughts, well wishes and prayers.  We will be celebrating life.  Tomatoes can wait.  Or they can be part of dinner.

The temperatures here really dropped, so the tomatoes may have rotted overnight anyway.  I better get this posted so I can get the laundry on the line before sun-up.  I have to get that love of my life back home where I can spoil him again.

Thursday, September 26, 2013

Homemade Vapo-Rub


Remember those baby food jars I needed?  Well, I finally got around to making one jar of homemade vapo-rub.  I think I will be trying several recipes.


A farmgirl shared the recipe with me.  This recipe is for adults (over the age of 12 I believe, but you could always swap out the peppermint for a safe oil for children).  Always do your research on what oils are safe, if you have young children, infants or if you are pregnant.

Thursday, March 21, 2013

Messing with Milk


I am so happy they we have fresh goat's milk, as part of our self-sufficiency, and health reasons.

The government just can't stop messing with milk these days.  Read here:  Flavored Milk

. . .  just passing this along for anyone interested.  "Diet" Milk? Ugh.

Friday, June 22, 2012

How I am Doing It - Getting in shape and Exercise


I've had a few people ask me what I am doing to lose weight and get in shape. My goal is to completely shed 50 pounds(or more).  I am down 14.  At our ages, it doesn't come off as fast, and if it took me 6 years to put it all on, I would rather it came slow to ensure it stays off (vs. fast).  I do not do weight watcher's or any program that requires buying frozen meals. 

Here is what I am doing:

~Eating as many real foods (homegrown without chemicals or organic) vs. processed foods (even Subway is very high in sodium so don't let them fool you).  We cut out shortening, eat less bread, and now can jam with honey vs. sugar.  Last year we planted a boat load of green pepper plants, I am just now finishing up the last in the freezer.  It lasted all winter long. Peppers, along with apples, are high in pesticides in stores.  Even at some orchards.  We are trying to eliminate all foods that would have chemicals.


*For example: eating fresh farm eggs with veggies, or oatmeal with garden pumpkin, or steel cut oats vs. store boxed cereal.  We utilize our goat's milk in everything we can also.


~Exercise, on top of our regular physical outdoor and indoor work.  We regularly go to the gym for a good hour or more.  We lift weights followed by cardio (treadmill or elliptical etc.).  Some times we ride our bikes there or bike ride instead.  Hubby and I love to box also.  He entered a boxing contest back in the day.  Years ago we bought a heavy bag and a speed bag.  They are both in the garage.    The gym we go to, is set up in our old high school, and out in the country.  The fees for families with children in the school system there are $25.00/month per family - affordable and in a good location.  I bench press just like hubby etc.

~Rest.  To be fit mentally, I am really working on taking "rest" days.  They help us stay emotionally fit.  With a blended family of 8, there can be a lot of stress in this house.  

~Eliminate or Limit Alcohol.  This is a huge must if you want to stay in shape and be healthy.  Hubby still enjoys a beer after a long day at work and having mowed the grass, but it's limited.   I plan to order us some organic wine for special occasions (dates alone, Christmas, etc.).

~Insurance Reasons:  Our health insurance requires not just my hubby, but myself also, to participate in an on-line exercise/health program.  We participate in various things and earn points.  By a certain date we must have 1000 points in order to keep our insurance as it is, and at the same price.  If not, we lose benefits, and pay a higher price.  Some programs are logging exercise hours, losing extra weight, learning to cook (which I already do anyway), calling a nurse, watching on-line movies about health and taking a quiz etc.  It's a pain in the rear and time consuming, but we can't afford to have bad health or pay higher prices. 


Misc:  I am also buying local honey and drinking a mix of 1 tsp. honey/1 tsp. Bragg's apple cider vinegar and 8 oz. of water each day (many benefits).

I'm not selling any product, nor am I a doctor.  I'm just sharing what we are doing.  Hubby had lowered all of his numbers for cholesterol and I'll be getting mine checked soon. 

More Misc:  Limit computer and TV.  This is more important to me than the kids.  They could care less, but I am mentally fit when I spend less time on the Internet and computer.  If I spend too much time, I am groggy and not in a pleasant mood.  It zaps my energy.

Friday, June 15, 2012

Mission Impossible? ~ Kidney Update

I have not found balance in my daily routine.

This may be something for me when all of the kids have moved out, and my daily duties are more at a minimum.

I have been crocheting a car wash cloth for 3 weeks - messed it up twice, taking it out twice.  Sigh....

Friday, May 11, 2012

Canning Coffee Jelly, Gardening Updates, and More

 If you think I have found strange and interesting recipes over the years.....we now made coffee jelly.

It's actually pretty good. 

Sunday, May 6, 2012

from the Homesteading Journal . . .

....planted a Colorado Blue Spruce seedling, purchased cumin seeds to grow again, and planted two new apple trees.

...planted more lettuce, radishes, beets, carrots, Swiss chard, and spinach.  Rain is coming so we will till and plant more after that.

...planted several zinnia seeds.

Monday, March 19, 2012

After the flood


You can see the mud splatters on my daffodils.  The sun is shining and the flooding is over.


Short post today.....15 year-old daughter has been running a 102° fever all weekend.  


Have a Blessed Day!

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Ring Bling ~ One Writer's Muse

Who knew that a gift from my mother would also be my inspiration to write?  For years, "ring bling" has been my writing muse, along with a secluded place.


On the left is my grandmother's ring, in the center my mother's ring, and on the right, another vintage spoon ring (also my mother's).  


I love these unique rings.  They not only have family ties, but are so fun to wear. 


On the far left is my fun, department store bling.  My 10 year-old also uses ring bling for her writing inspiration.  These rings are on one of my mother's vintage hankies.

I think I'll spend time writing today....

Yesterday I made a trip to the grocery store.  I came home and filled small lunch size containers with fresh pineapple, grapes, blueberries, raspberries and strawberries.

I also filled bags with pistachio nuts, almonds, and bought organic raisins.

Now I can finally break the kids of grabbing store bought granola bars for breakfast.  I stopped buying them, but cannot make them myself every day, so I stocked  up on fruit.  Now the kids, hubby and myself, can grab a healthy snack "to go."

Although I am not keen on buying plastic lunch bags, it will have to work for now.  I need to invest in more reusable containers.


This morning, I heard one daughter screaming in delight.  She was thrilled to have healthy food already packaged up for a trip to school.


Yesterday, my daughter and son, placed cement blocks out for the billy goat to stand on.  He was so tickled to get them, that my daughter had to have my son hold him off, so she could place the blocks together.  When I heard that Orion (billy goat) was thrilled, I went out with my camera to snap some photos.  


However, he was already tucked away in his shed and was not about to come back out for me.  On my walk back up to the house . . .

....I snapped these photos.  Each one in another direction.  It was light out, so the back ground on the moon is interesting.  The jet was pretty neat to see too.  Next time, I plan to take a tripod out and get better photos.


A year of quotes:
"A vacation is what you take when you can no longer take what you've been taking."  ~ Earl Wilson

Saturday, September 3, 2011

New Discovery!

For years, my husband has had to take over the counter medication for stomach problems (heart burn etc.).  Guess what?!

After finally getting to the point where processed foods have been weeded out of our diet (we need to do a bit more weeding), we made a discovery.

We had continued to buy canned tomato sauce from the store for many recipes.  However, now that I have been using my homemade sauce, with chemical free tomatoes, hubby doesn't get heart burn after a meal.  

Imagine these medication businesses going out of business if more people made their complete diet without processed foods.

The medication he used to take was not cheap either.  I had no idea that canning my own food would bring us more benefits than it already has.


I just had to share. 


Thursday, September 1, 2011

Dentists

Well, it's another day to the dentist today (long sigh).  My daughter, who was in a car accident a few years ago, still needed broken teeth fixed.  As many people know, insurance only covers so many crowns in a year.

Last week we went, hoping to get her current cavities filled (and crowning the last broken tooth), and once the dentist drilled the last one, she called me back.

The cavity was too close to the nerve (sigh), and why they didn't know that in the x-ray is beyond me.  Anyway, they put something over it, and we are heading back to not only have a root canal done, but top it with yet another crown.

What was expected to be a one visit cost of $187.00 out of pocket, is now close to an $800.00 out of pocket visit.  Aiyee!

My tomatoes are piling up and I don't have time to do anything with them today yet.  My son worked third shift last night, and there is no way I waking him up to chop tomatoes for me.  I guess they can wait one more day.

I was successful at getting some random writing done yesterday - about 200 words.  It's a start.

Monday, August 15, 2011

Poison Oak, Sewing and Embroidery lessons, Word of Wisdom

My son, bless his heart, went to work looking like he had not slept in a week.  His co-worker, told him he looked like he was on drugs.  

His eyes were swollen, his ears were swollen and covered with poison oak, as well as his entire body.  I was about to take him to the doctor for a quick fix, when we started using a spray bottle of apple cider vinegar and water (50/50).  

He had been using a wash that we've always used, followed by a cream to dry it up. It just kept showing up in other places on his body.  

We mixed the water and apple cider vinegar and he sprayed himself, anytime, including taking a small bottle to work with him.  He looks so much better and he's not scratching.

I think we found the culprit too - one of the dogs.  We think the dog slept with him, then spread it, and spread it.  We did a major wipe down/clean up too. Even I got it on my arm after walking in the house and only being home for about 15 minutes.  I looked down and my entire wrist to elbow was covered in poison oak.  

We've got all three poisons here, so we have to be so careful.  We have poison sumac to kill this fall, and we've already killed much of our poison ivy.  It's the oak that keeps showing up.

As for the sewing and embroidery, my 9 year-old daughter has shown more interest than the older girls.  She's been asking for felt to make her Tiger Needle Case.  I did help her with the pattern and cutting (very sharp scissors).



She completed the embroidery, and the stitching to bind the two pieces together.  She also did the drawing for the nose, mouth and dots.

Tiger meets Tiger, and approves of him.

This morning I sipped soothing, hot coffee, from a mug from the Gauley River.  It's a mug from my Uncle.  The kids find these mugs/cups very special and take special care of them.  The mug made me remember the words of wisdom my Uncle told me.
Watch your thoughts, they become words.

Watch your words, they become actions.

Watch your actions, they become habits.

Watch your habits, they become character.
Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.
These words will now be written in my quote book, and read over and over, along with others.

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Docters and Dentists & Preparing For Another Recession

I nearly crocheted an entire dishcloth yesterday.  The dentist office was so full, that people were standing throughout our visit.  My body is getting sore from all this "sitting" time.  My kids told me I should just stand up and stretch and do exercises, and not worry about if people think I'm on drugs. Ha ha ha!

My son had to drive my older daughter to the doctor.  She came home very sick and very sleepy.  They gave her a Tdap shot to protect her from many  possible, deadly illnesses.  However, she just started her job, and guess how many side effects this one single shot has?

RISKS AND SIDE EFFECTS
Tdap may cause the following mild side effects, which usually last only a few days:
  • Body aches
  • Chills
  • Fever
  • Headache
  • Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea
  • Rash
  • Redness or swelling at the injection site
  • Soreness at the injection site
She had a horse riding lesson, and today, she has to work both at her job and at the stable.  This will be interesting, as she was so nauseated, that she had to pull off the road last night.  She does not even take over the counter medications such as pain relievers, so you can imagine how sick she felt.  She and I are alike that way.  We don't do well at all with medications.  Migraines are about the only thing I can't take medications for.  Even when I gave birth the the kids, I went without pain shots, epidurals, etc. Medications just make us more sick.

If you are watching the news lately, have you been preparing yourself for another recession?  How about paying gas prices up to $8.00/gallon?  We are still preparing and still searching for a goat in milk.  We can't pay $6.19/gallon for organic milk, and the cheap stuff has nothing in it that is good for our bodies.  Having goat milk or investing in a cow would really be a safe move right now.  However, all this money that is going to doctors and dentists, is really draining us financially.  I horse could get us to town for emergencies when we can't pay the higher gas prices that may arrive sooner than we want.

Speaking of doctors......ugh.

My son, after they pulled in from the doctor, went out to check on the goats.  As he came back he accidentally stuck his hand with a nail in the barn.  How? I have no idea.   I joked that I need to drive the entire family up and get them all a tetanus shot. 

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

True Homestead Meals

We are making great strides to get our meals back to unprocessed, natural, and healthier meals.  We have many steps to make yet, but have gained over the last year. 

Tonight we are roasting two chickens we raised ourselves for meat, along with garden grown potatoes, and onion.  Soon we can add our carrots, but they are not up yet.  For a side, I picked a bowl full of green and wax beans.  I can season all of the food with herbs for the garden. 

It feels so liberating to know I can feed my family without buying something from the store.  Although I know that stores need support, there is a limit to what we buy. Anyone can sell anything to make a buck, but it's the buyer who needs to be alert and conscience when choosing what to buy.


While weeding the beets, carrots, more green beans and zucchini, I noticed we have a 3 inch zucchini already growing.  It will add to the meals, and desserts, nicely.

Thursday, June 30, 2011

Garlic, Lemon Balm, and a Toad

What a combination to write about too.  First, I decided to add more fresh garlic in my diet and found this delicious salad.  I had a few of the kids try it, as the rest of them had no interest in trying it.

Southwestern Quinoa and Chickpea Salad
(From The Doctors Book of Food Remedies, By Selene Yeager and the Editors of Prevention Health Books)
1 cup quinoa
1 3/4 cups water
4 tsp. olive oil
1 cup rinsed and drained canned chickpeas
1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped
3 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
2 Tbsp. minced fresh cilantro
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 clove garlic, minced
1/8 tsp. salt
Place the quinoa in a fine sieve and rinse well with cold water.  Drain and transfer to a medium saucepan.

Add the water and bring to a boil over medium heat.  Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the quinoa is tender but still slightly crunchy.  If all the water has not been absorbed, drain it through a fine sieve.
Place the quinoa in a medium bowl.  Drizzle with the oil and toss to mix.  Add the chickpeas, tomatoes, lime juice, cilantro, cumin, garlic, and salt.  Toss thoroughly to mix.

Makes 4 servings.  Tip:  Try baking dry chickpeas ahead of time.
I planted cumin for the first time ever this year.  I see only a few came up, but we had a very strange start to our summer.  The abundance of rain, followed by no rain, caused some odd growing in the plants.

I cut some lemon balm yesterday.  I will dry it to add to a tea for my sore throat.  I am also considering finely chopping some fresh lemon balm, and adding it to our Lemon Wild Black Raspberry Muffins.  

Oh....and for the "toad" part of today's post . . .

Check this out.  A toad has made his home in my redbud tree pot.  We removed him, and later in the day, he was right back in the pot.

Look just above the word "Pioneer" on the photo.  You can see his head barely sticking out of the dirt.  You may have to click on the photo to enlarge it to really see it. 

Saturday, June 25, 2011

Bad Weather? Bad Allergies?


 
It's official.  I blame the weather.  I think my migraines are about lined up with thunderstorms, and I am so sick with cough, sore throat, laryngitis, trouble breathing, watering eyes and so forth. Here's an article that pretty much tells about it.

http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/health/Weathers-Influence-on-Your-Allergies-123917124.html

Good for the garden, but miserable for me.  And I didn't need to read that if you are over weight, it's harder on your lungs - ugh.  Even more reason to get the extra fat off.