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~
Wednesday, July 6, 2022
Kitchen-ness and weather updates
Tuesday, September 29, 2020
Rain
We got rain as predicted and I was happy. I hopefully will have an easier time doing some digging in the garden. I doubt I'll have much, but it must be done.
Yesterday's dinner was beef stew. I whipped up some homemade biscuits too.
I still don't have a vehicle, and everyone working here is working long hours. I had no milk. I had to make these using powdered milk. They were still good.
As for a vehicle, my car is supposed to get towed this week or next to get the new engine. Cross you fingers. It's been so long since I had the freedom to go out when I want or need to. Living in the country I have no options but to rely on others as well.
I am back to my to-do list, but first I'll see if we got any good sized beets out there. Then I'll make up a list of what I need and send it out to everyone with a vehicle in this house. Just maybe, just maybe someone can bring it home for me.
I hope all is well with everyone. With the garden slowing down, and my days not so long, it feels strange so I'm trying to allow myself to have handiwork time without guilt.
Thursday, May 21, 2020
Everything but the "to-do" list
I finally felt like crafting after I cleaned up some rooms around the house. Got the last two of these painted with white paint. More work needs done to finish them.
I think I did everything that was not on my to-do list this week, so I need to get back on track ha ha!
Tuesday, April 14, 2020
Biscuits ~ Sewing ~ Planting
I started the day with some hand sewing - fixed a pair of jogger pants. Finally planted my heirloom organic lettuce seeds, and baked some biscuits for dinner. These kids will never want to move out with all this home cooking (the older one who moved back in truly misses the healthy meals. Especially breakfast, as it's never out of a box (or very rare).
Youngest learned how to make sausage gravy and was so proud of herself. She now wants to learn how to make the biscuits. I sure hope she really does.
I did my daily call to Mom. She was feeling better than the day prior. With our future so uncertain, I must call her daily for support. I need the one on one time as well.
It's a chilly 29°F here this morning. Huge change from our 60-70 degree days lately. Not sure of what's on the list for today yet.
I'm pretty sure there will be zero craft shows this year, so I plan on putting items up for sale via the mail. Packages can be sprayed or left 72 hours before opening. I'll admit, my motivation for crochet and knit work is at an all time low though. I have not started to knit the socks yet, as we've been working on jobs that haven't been done for years (which is a good thing).
Unfortunately, one bakery (local in the Big City) is closing it's doors and it may be for good. So sad to see local businesses go through this.
I may need to try some new recipes to keep myself upbeat during this shut-in order. Just depends on what the grocery store has right now.
Tuesday, March 31, 2020
Snap!
Due to complicated events, and work schedule not all of our daughter's belongings have been moved. What a mess. Sigh.
We need to find her an apt. like yesterday, for my peace of mind. It'll be tough considering the pandemic, and the number of animals she has.
Keep us in your prayers. I'm so stressed with anxiety right now. I found my 18 year-old in my closet doing homework, but when I walked in, she was sobbing. Her peaceful space upstairs has been disrupted for now, and he's having trouble accepting it temporarily. We all are, but to have our 20 year-old here is the only thing we can do to help her. We are all trying our best to think positively about it all. First, finding her a car....not sure how that's gonna happen.
On a good note....
Dinner last night. Biscuits and sausage gravy, eggs, fried potatoes and "fried" apples (using a crock pot). It was so good. Note: the photo of my original post/recipe looks like I was a bad baker. The post here shows what a better baker I've become making them.
Now, I need to find homemade masks today. With the help of social media/daughter, we'll find 4 for us. Two work. One has a mask, one doesn't. We have to shop inside stores for toiletries and disinfectant. People are still hoarding, so it may require more than one store. Last I heard, 39 dead in our state, but not one media is sharing how many are surviving.
Our state Governor stated yesterday that they are working on modifications to the order to stay home. I'm guessing more closings. There are churches still holding services when they shouldn't be. I hate watching the TV at 2pm anymore. They are warning elderly to not leave their homes for anything over the next two weeks. My Mom and Dad have been locked in for more than 5 weeks now. My younger brother now is the only one left to seek their needs.
Thursday, February 13, 2020
Cardinals ~ Weather ~ Peace Treaty ~ Cookies!
Snow moved in, and we were told it could bring 4-6 inches 7 in other areas. We woke up to maybe 2 inches and it is 32°F not the 8 degrees they said it would be. It's still snowing though. School has a 2 hour delay.
On the breakfast plate . . .
A garbage frittata with some sliced zucchini, topped with garden chives. I added a pinch of fire powder to boost our metabolism too.
Tuesday, June 18, 2019
Homemade Biscuit Recipe and other Random Chit Chat
I got another small batch of strawberry jam canned. I am tall, so I can a batch daily until the strawberries are gone. That's a lot of standing to do.
First I have to wash them all, and hull them.
Then I have to cut them up and crush them. Then can the jam. It's a process for sure. Our favorite produce stand has them now, but want $5/qt. I paid $30 for a flat at the other source, and that comes down to $3.75/qt. I did not have one bad strawberry in the last 4 qts I canned either. When I buy the other kind, I get about 3-5 bad strawberries in each qt. I may stick with this new source this year.
Sunday, March 3, 2019
Weekend Updates
I tasted my steak - over cooked and not the same steaks as they previously served us (over the years). It tasted like liver. We all didn't like it. The steak is now much thinner than any steak we've eaten there. Oh, and the butter isn't real anymore either. They used to serve it topped with herbed garlic butter - real butter. I noticed the "butter" not even melting on my steak. I did not eat much of it, and we all decided to spread the word of mouth about it, and not return. Sort of sad too, as this place is biker friendly with biker parking. I told Hubby my kitchen is my favorite restaurant and when organic steaks go on sale, I'll be fetching up a supply to grill here this summer. And making my whiskey butter to go on top.
Saturday, Hubby joined a nephew to cut wood. They had a dead tree that went down on a property that our nephew knew. They hauled the splitter there to share the wood, as our nephew just moved into his new house and has 2 fireplaces.
Following that, I reluctantly joined a birthday party. I was in no mood to entertain for some reason. Either way we went, taking a tray of fruit, as I did not want to cook anything either. We were both tired. The weather was cold and I just wanted to snuggle up inside and take a day off. Hubby was feeling the same way.
First thing Saturday morning, Hubby asked "did you check on your chicks?" Ha ha! The concerned person he is....of course I did. They are so darn cute. Sleeping on top of each other.
What's on the breakfast plate Sunday morning? Sausage gravy, biscuits, fried potatoes and scrambled eggs. Snow is due to return today.
Tuesday, January 16, 2018
The Good ~ The Bad
The Bad: I didn't can applesauce this past fall. Organic apples are too expensive yet, and our trees have not produced.
Tuesday, September 5, 2017
Homemade Sausage ~ Biscuits and Gravy Oh My!
Clean up before the end of the day. But oh, so much more to weed (like about 60-70 feet of flower/herb beds).
Thursday, May 25, 2017
Wacky Weather
At 11am the rain had not arrived.
At noon, no rain. At 1:30pm? No rain. I chopped up a head of cauliflower to prep for dinner early. Put that in the fridge and checked the weather again.