This and That

I'm slowly trying to get order of the homestead.  Thankfully we hired our biker friend to mow the almost 6 acres on the only sunny dry day, while we were gone.  Whew.  

While I put loads of laundry on the line (cold but windy), I picked the asparagus.  It's still doing well for us.

Also, while the washer hummed away, I cooked up dandelions, potatoes, onion, bacon, jalapenos and eggs for a scramble.  Poor Youngest was complaining about missing my cooking.  Not that I was in the mood to jump back in, but it was done.

Hubby is back to work, and in full swing.  It's that time at work where they shut down and work double shifts, 16 hour days for 4-6 weeks.  

Not the greatest picture since it was super windy, but my bleeding hear is in full bloom right now.

A late bloomer.  Nice.  I hope it keeps spreading.  It's the only purple one I have right now.

Our youngest was being bullied (was threatened by a student) at school prior to leaving on our getaway.  So far things are good since we contacted the school, but I still want her to learn to fight.  I refuse to tell my kid to sit there and not fight back (if needed).  Things have really changed in school these days, and they do have outside cameras, but it's still a problem in schools. One girl was suspended and one in-school suspension, but that girl is back in class.  We'll see how the week goes.

The frustration is real

Does anyone have a natural ant killer I can use in my herb garden.  I was walking by it and saw a puffed up area in my oregano.  I stepped on it, and poof a bunch of ants came out.  Urgh.  Cornmeal doesn't kill them, and I can't use artificial sweetener nor borax.  I'd contaminate my herbs.  I am however, dumping boiling water on the hill.  I will have to do it a few more times, and if it works, replant some of the oregano.

This my friends, is my rose bed.  Does anyone have a natural homemade weed killer?  I don't care if it kills off the roses either, I want different ones anyway.  It's the most frustrating bed we have, and nothing has worked from weed fabric to 6 inches of mulch on top.  

Well, since I wrote up this draft for the post, I found another way to handle this weed garden from hell - roofing shingles and rocks.  We know someone re-roofing, so we hope to get some of the old singles soon. Until then, guests will just have to enjoy the weed fest going on. 

We are due to have 4 days of rain starting today (again).  Sunday we had planned to piddle around, but guess what?  We took off south to pick up a new radiator for our 19 year-old's car.  While we were there, my step-daughter called.  She gave birth to our 3rd grand child - a boy.  We drove north and made a visit to the hospital.  What a busy weekend.

I don't have clean house slippers to work around the house today.  Sigh.  Thanks to Jesse.  He's been so good off the leash, and in plain day light I just go out with him.  However, he smelled a dead rabbit in the road and went straight for it.  He's back on the leash after I ran through the sopping grass, saturating my slippers and socks.  My slippers are drying after a good washing.  As for that dead rabbit?  Hubby went out and shoveled it off into the field north of us.  We later watched a vulture having it's meal.

Flowers, weeds, and wild flowers....oh my! And a goodie from the veggie garden

First, I apologize.  This post is a long one.  Grab a java or tea.  Or a meal, ha ha!

Wednesday my day was a bit wonky.  Hubby sent me all around the "big city" to fetch more tomato plants and flowers.  Even the back streets are getting close to the construction zones.  Ugh.  I have to use more gas to take the long route too, taking all the back roads.  Better than getting caught up in the construction zones though.

Early morning, the sky looked like the sun might shine, but minutes later it turned to this:

Thunder rolled in, but no rain thankfully.  Some areas got short rain showers though.

I had to zip back home to pick up sticks.  Hubby hired our biker friend to mow the almost 6 acre homestead (not all is mowed).  Anyway, the back of the house, where the trees are mostly, and winter wind ripped branches down was a mess.

The guy was already mowing when I arrived.  I hurried and changed into work clothes and loaded up the cart not once but twice, and dragged a huge limb to the brush pile. Most pieces were about 5-6 feet long.  Take about a workout.

Then I dug up all the naughty ornamental apple trees that were trying to take over my flower beds.  I would never plant one of these, but it was here when we moved here. Pretty in the spring and pretty in the fall, but it's mostly "bird food" and draws in spring and fall birds by the hoards.

Then I did some cleaning up of the front flower bed, breaking off the dead mum stalks, etc.  

Anyway, I planted 6 new pink hyacinths, and 6 red tulips.  All I could find this late in the month.

All were on clearance, so if the moles return the loss won't be that great if my tulips disappear, but I think we are in the clear.  

More flower photos:

...and the weeding will continue throughout the week, as I harvest weeds along the way.

Just a sampling of the chickweed the spring rain has brought me.  I'll be drying the first harvest first for a medicinal oil that might be used to make a salve.  

Despite the first mow, I have wild violets popping up. I'll be keeping an eye on them over the next few days to see if I can harvest enough.

I sometimes feel like a kid in a candy store when I find something in my garden. And so early in April!  I'll be clearing the asparagus patch tomorrow before I do anything.  Oh my, such a delight!  I better remember to take the wheelbarrow.  Hubby hates it when I leave a pile of stuff out there to pick up later.  I've been much better about it this year.

Then is was back inside to wash dishes and tidy up.  

We are still not back to 100% of our energy.  By late after noon I was draining my quart of nettle tea infusion for a nutritious cold brew.  It was beam me up Scotty or go take a nap, ha ha!

The family was lucky enough to get beans soaked and into the crock pot for some "unrefried refried beans" for breakfast burritos, a new recipe to try, etc.  I am not back on board with cooking full dinners.  I must...must...get to the grocery store.

Tuesday Tidbits

Although vacations are nice, home is nice too.  My own bed, my homemade food, my teas, weeds and what not.

Poor Jesse must have missed my company.  He's been following me around like a kid wanting his Mom.  His Mom didn't take long to take advantage of us being back home.  She left all day Sunday and didn't come home.  Jesse has been by my side constantly.

Speaking of Easter Sunday, our oldest wanted a meal on Sunday, so we drove to the store Sunday morning, but by 2pm we had canceled it.  One left, one was working, and one didn't respond, so we were literally in pajamas on the porch at 2pm, playing cards and drinking adult beverages.  Our biker friend who came and took care of Jesse while our daughter was at work, came to drop of the house key.  He stayed and chatted on the porch for more than 5 hours.

My fitbit is making a liar out of me.  The day we walked out of Dollywood I had over 15,000 steps.  Most likely had over 20,000 by bed time.  I synced it when we got home.  It said on that day I walked 9,000 steps.  Hm.  Liar, liar, liar.....

Monday was rough.  I plowed through it, as did Youngest and Hubby.  My clothesline worked over time, and I had dirty dishes to wash that our 21 year-old never washed while we were gone.  She did however, vacuum the front room and clean a bathroom.

It rained a lot while we were gone.  We came home to wet, tall grass.  The to-do list is back in action, although slow, ha ha!  Trash had to go out, kitchen cleaned up, and I had a stack of rotten bananas since our daughter didn't eat them while we were gone.  Mail was stopped so that was picked up, but I didn't do grocery shopping just yet.  We grilled out, and took it easy last night.  I'll be writing up a menu for the week today.

Banana bread was baked.

Banana cookies were baked.

Look at that grass!  Oh my.  We'll be mowing very soon.

My daffodils are in full bloom.  What a pretty sight to see. 

There is a rescue dog that we've been eyeing.  It's possible we may take Jesse with us to do a meet and greet.  Just not sure yet.  We may wait and see if Jesse goes with his Mom when she moves out.  Just contemplating....

Good Weather Day!

My husband found the truck he wanted.  It was 3 hours away from home.


Luckily, my step-daughter drove him there for me.  Youngest was home sick.  She had donated blood at school and came home very tired and feeling sickly.  I knew she wasn't going to school when she got up and asked for "tea" yesterday morning.  

First tea I made was a ginger/thyme tea.  Her throat hurt, she had a nasty cough now and then, and she was dealing with fatigue from giving blood.  Second, I made a nettle tea infusion, cooled it and gave it to her over ice (good for blood circulation and fatigue).  As the day went on though, she lost her voice a bit, so it was some sage tincture followed by more medicinal teas.  Poor thing.

Meanwhile, while he went to check out the truck, the weather was good enough to work outside.  I spent 2 hours on another flower bed - only 7 more to go.  The garlic bed has to wait.  Some are not up enough to fix what the wind damage did to my plastic.  We are to get loads of rain for the next 3 days here.  I got myself a good dose of vitamin D and boy it felt great.

I also made the call to check on that propane.  More money to spend, but decision is needed.  We'll now decide what we'll do.   We are told that if you have a buried tank, they have to now do a soil test that costs $250.00.  Not sure if that is per year, but they already started doing it for some, so it would be best to have it dug up and removed.  Updates on that later.

I embroidered a kitchen hand towel for us.  I've been so busy crafting for others lately, it was nice to take time for myself.  We need new towels in the kitchen, so I'll be making more.

Heat Wave Returns ~ Random Tidbits

The heat wave has returned.  It'll be a hot one this weekend.

My broody hen is still in her roost.  She cackles at me every time I go out there.  Like she's telling me not to take her egg. She may be sitting on more than one.  I'll have to gently check.

Getting Outside and Random Tidbits

Last Saturday, I planned a birthday bash for my husband.  I found out the band he hired for my birthday was playing at a local bar.  I got word out to family and friends, and wa-la, party at the bar and grill.  We brought the girls along, ordered food, played pool, and danced until 12:30am.  It was so much fun (Hubby too a long nap prior to the outing).  Not everyone showed up, but enough did.  He was so happy and even danced with me most of the night.   We were whipped on Sunday, but visited a new church, then took a motorcycle ride.

Monday was a "get back to it" day, since I lost out all of Sunday.  Hubby took Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday as vacation days, so we could take advantage of the weather and take a motorcycle ride as a reward for actually getting something done around here.

Shell and snow peas have been planted!  I forgot to buy sugar snap peas.

Spring Blooms ~ Done!

Dandelions are up.  Sorry the photos are the best.  I was outside with my phone the other day.

Daffodils and hyacinths are blooming and I have more white daffodils that are just now blooming.  I only have a few tulips and they are just now starting to bloom.  I have an idea to put tulips back in my front flower bed, but it may be fall now before I can plant the bulbs.  It's a bit late this year to do it.  Moles ate my bulbs in the previous years. I'll just start with a dozen and see if they grow, but keep the moles out.

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....

No Rain ~ The Jungle ~ Our Lamancha Goats passing hands again

We were to get rain all day the other day, and got  a 1 second sprinkle.  The garden really needs it too.

In the meantime, I wrapped up my leg really good (I didn't want dirt in it) and went out to weed the jungle of my herb garden.  I needed to get in it to start dehydrating for winter.

One hour later, my left eye started to itch and burn.  Sure enough when I came inside, it was red and swollen.  Allergies.  I am almost out of nettle, so I whipped up a cup of nettle, ginger and peppermint tea.

Random Tidbits

I finally finished this book.  I have started another one.  Surprisingly.  Photos to come soon when I remember to take them.

We have a bee infestation.  Not honey bees.  Carpenter bees.  I had to order a few more bee traps.  The two we have in one barn is catching them, so I'll just mount them in the other barns next.  Photos to come soon on those too.  No chemicals involved.

Mother's Day ~ Flower Beds ~ Arnica

Happy Mother's Day to all of you!  This wine glass was a gift from my oldest daughter.  As you can see the "birthday celebration" continues.  That was taken at 3pm yesterday, where I planted myself in my porch rocker, and read my "on and off again" book while waiting for Hubby to arrive home (after working a double shift).

Today I'll most likely spend it weeding out the rest of my flower beds.  I spent all morning and early afternoon in them yesterday.  I am prepping them for spring time annual planting, and will hopefully be planting my zinnia seeds and gladiolas.

Happy Homemaker Monday

Joining up with Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom - Happy Homemaker Monday!  Even though I don't feel so happy today.  Or should I say positively energetic?  Maybe after I post, I'll start to feel better.  I haven't had time to do any baking lately, and have absolutely no idea what dinner will be yet.  I may be PB & J on the porch.  That is the reality of homesteading.  And raising kids. 

What's on the breakfast plate. . .

Leftover pumpkin pancakes with dandelion syrup.  I didn't make these with einkorn flour.  One of the girls made them for us.  Next time I will.

Garden Beauty

Although I already posted this photo, here are just a few more....some of these were taken last week or so.

Weekend Fun ~ Fall Foilage ~ Flowers

I took this photo as a light rain was ending.  You can see some of the trees are already turning to beautiful reds, oranges, and yellows.  Hubby and I saw the most beautiful fall colors last night.  We took off on a ride along a river, and the colors were fantastic.   I was on the back of the Harley, hence no photos (very curvy road).

Our weekend started out with a funeral visitation about 40 minutes from home.  Hubby was needing some much needed road therapy and insisted we ride the Harley.  I was hesitant, due to the fact would could not wear nice "dress" clothing, but we went.  It was at night, so he spontaneously booked a room in a historical hotel.  I did not have my camera, so the photos are a bit unfocused (taken with my phone).

Random Tidbits ~ Lavender Antiseptic and Calming Spritzer

 Like many of you, I am like a mad woman in the garden this week.  Rain was of little chance, so I worked my bum off to get seeds in.  We have a slight chance of rain on Sunday, so I am pacing it all out, not to wear myself out (which I already did and had to take a breather).  

Thank goodness I made a recent double batch of homemade ginger-ale. It came in handy for some much needed recuperation.  Plus, more kiddos (and myself) caught the bug Hubby had.

I've also delegated some garden planting to a few girls of ours.  I haven't been happy with the results of their housekeeping help, so outside they go (unless one is still stick).  We'll get daily planting done before it gets sweltering hot around 10:30am-11am.

Rhubarb ~ Flowers - Tidbits

It's the second year for this rhubarb.  I had so much trouble getting it to take on here, first in the garden, then in a raised bed.  I'm so happy to see it flourishing.  Next year we get to finally eat it.

What's Growing in the Garden(s)?

Update on Chicks ~ We have blooms! ~ The Surprise (new additions)

My little ladies are not that little any longer.  They are growing quickly.

I'm starting to teach them the call to come for a treat.  I need to get some meal worms next. 

Signs of Spring ~ Herb Bread

The daffodils and hyacinths are up and about to bloom.  No signs of tulips, except at my little garden alongside a log.  I hope to start bringing in fresh flowers soon. Once again the weather people were wrong.  The high 70's that were forecasted for early this week?  Not happening.  If we are lucky, we'll get up to maybe 60°F today, then drop to the 40's and 50's for a few weeks (or so they say).