We have a lot of purple blooms this spring, and a few pink, but there is one tiny yellow one too. Last June I planted some half price rannuculus bulbs. I planted out of season, and hoped for a few blooms.
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~
Friday, May 10, 2024
Early May Blooms
We have a lot of purple blooms this spring, and a few pink, but there is one tiny yellow one too. Last June I planted some half price rannuculus bulbs. I planted out of season, and hoped for a few blooms.
Thursday, May 2, 2024
Welcome May! What's Growing?
We a getting more asparagus thankfully, but I need to (again) plant more this year. We are also getting rhubarb from the garden. Yum!
The lilac bush is blooming, and it smells wonderful when I am outside. You can even smell it clear on the front porch. I"m so glad the pine tree did not ruin the bush. It did some damage, but I think it's recovering. It just doesn't have as many blooms, but boy it smells divine.
Herbs in the herb garden. Just ignore the weeds for now. I hope to be back to that job sooner than later.
Friday, April 19, 2024
Spring Flowers
Monday, August 14, 2023
New Coop ~ Tidbits
Saturday, July 15, 2023
Gardening reduces stress and anxiety???
Daughter E called us and we talked for an hour. She loves her new job and of course the income, and we can really see a difference in her happiness and way less anxiety.
We both got a chuckle when we were talking about being a stay at home Mom. She said, "after seeing what Mom does every day, I don't want that job, I would rather work outside the home" ha ha ha!
Although some days are extremely busy, there are a few days where I get to take the day slower, but yes, homemade cooking takes a lot of time, produces more dirty dishes, more dishes to wash and whatnot. I do prefer the real foods and prefer home grown, which is also work. I get it, but some day she may change her thoughts on that.
Weeds! Not sure this is a stress reducer or anxiety reducer, ha ha! I'm tired when I'm all done. I am thankful some of the gladiolus are coming up. I only put a dent in one flower bed, but today's rain should make the rest of the job go easier this next week. If it does really rain.
I have a nice mullein plant that showed up in my flower bed. I need to move it or plant it in a pot. So happy to see it though.
Friday, July 14, 2023
I can't believe it's Friday already . . .
One coat cubbie scrubbed clean. These are the only coat closets we have in the house. No linen closets etc. Each one has two hooks in the back. We installed rods to hold coats, jackets, rain coats, and sweaters. These were installed by the last homeowner, and have no doors on the cubbies (other than the one we installed recently. There are small cupboards above and below, and I am going through every single one, purging, cleaning and re-organizing. It will take some time, now that the garden is producing.
Saturday, June 24, 2023
This and That
We have been getting rain, so I'm not doing any garden work currently. I weeded out the larger weeds in the rose bed, but the rest will have to wait until the the rain stops.
I have been successful with my new to-do list (the 7 areas to tidy up). I have now crossed 2 off of my list of 7. My husband hasn't noticed.
Speaking of my husband, there is no sign of the long work hours ending. He promised me a "date" night, which was taking the motorcycle out and dinner out. Didn't happen. They held him over at work. We are all tired of it. He has been forced over every night. One night he was to be home by 8pm, and ended up home at 9pm.
I'm considering going back to work. We never see each other, and there is no sign we will be getting our projects finished.
I still have a list for us when these hours stop, but I not able to vision any of it being accomplished. I'm still upset half of the garden was not planted. Nothing we can do about it. I probably sound like a broken record. It can be very depressing at times.
July is almost here, and the coop materials have not even been bought yet. We still need more supplies for the raised beds. The solar fence is still in the box. I never got my potatoes planted....
I'm getting burned out crocheting. I have been using up some yarn, and making hats for winter. I went on Etsy, and was shocked that some people are selling hats for $50-70!!! What?? And here I was worried that $18 or so was too high. As for that, my husband said he does NOT want me to do any craft show this winter.
I also saw knitted dishcloths being sold for $7.00!! What?? I've also noticed that everyone is selling something, and no one is buying. I read that the area garage sales were a flop as well. They said "no one was into it" this year. Well, no one has the money.
I'll be back when I have something more positive to post. I have just been drained of all positive mojo so far this summer, and feeling like we haven't accomplished anything is mentally draining.
This isn't "throwing in the towel" on homesteading, but the thought is there.
Tuesday, June 20, 2023
Spearmint Iced Green Tea ~ Blooms
It was high time to make homemade spearmint iced tea. I love this stuff! My Mom hated it, but her Mom (Grandma), used to make it. Love, love, love it on a hot day. It's nice to have when I come in from the garden. Now that my husband is doing all the mowing after work, he too enjoys this delicious tea. I use organic green tea bags.
My popcorn is not doing that great this year. I may have planted it too late. I hope I did not waste garden space with a fail crop.
Here is what's going on in some of the flower beds.
The two "red" ones are actually two different colors. The last one is more of a burgundy.