Teabag Tidbits

We made it to 8°F with an early wind chill of -6°F this morning.  The snow is falling as well.  Hot water is flowing again, but somewhere my husband heard we will hit a -15°F tonight, and through Wednesday afternoon.  They have issued a wind chill warning.

My husband was the next one to take a fall.  He beat me to the chicken coop, and as I was reaching for the door, I see him down on the ground, chicken feed scoop flown, and watering unit busted in pieces.  

I brought up the fact it was high time to get those spikes on our muck boots, and we never did go looking for them.  It's first on the to-do list today.

We've put in place all of the "just in case" happens.  We are always pretty much prepared, but we did refill propane grill tanks (in case we needed extra heat, but our propane heat stays on if the power goes out), and we picked up a small propane tank for the small grill (as an alternate source to cook).  

 Let's talk "tea" today.  I have blackberry leaf tea, but do any of you tea drinkers have a favorite "brain boost" tea or tea mixture?

I also like this tea for evenings, to help with a good night's sleep, but do any of you like a different tea for that?  

Do you find better health results by buying medicinal teas bulk and using a tea infuser/teaball or homemade teabags?  

My holy basil finally showed up, so I mixed the tea for seasonal stress (Backyard Patch Blog) I shared and made my own brew bags.

Also, I accidently bought brew bags for a full tea pot to brew.  Oops.  I may be using those for summer iced teas.

Teabag Tidbits © Jan 2024 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

This and That

 

Detoxing after the holidays, as well as mentally. 

Not what I expected to show up, but shoveling for the first time of the winter season was therapeutic.  Not just the physical activity, but getting outside for a while.

It's "shot gun" week here in our state for deer season.  So far, it's been pretty quiet.  It has also been very cold too.

The dreaded moment - hand pricing all of the jewelry I made.  It's done.  Those are just the crocheted bracelets, and the beaded crocheted bracelets.  I organized the keychains, and priced them too, along with earrings and necklaces.  Pricing stuff continues....

A funny for you all.  I just found out that that piece on the top is magnetic for a reason.  It's so you can remove it to clean the lid.  I have wanted to find out why the lid was magnetic for a long time.  Every time I washed it, things stuck to the lid.  My husband got this Yeti from work, and gave it to me a while ago.  Oh boy, so did you know about this?

Sick

 Everyone at my husband's work is sick.  My husband doesn't have a fever, so he goes to work not feeling well.  That is the problem with sickness.  Now it has spread to me despite keeping things clean, and hand washing around here.

I didn't even have the energy to let the chickens out.  Literally.  I slept in late.  I did not work out of course.  

I sipped a hot cup of yarrow tea.  Funny how I had just put some in the dehydrator too.  

I'll be back when I'm feeling better.  I hope to have the energy to make some homemade ginger-ale today.

Using Apples and Kitchen-ness ~ Soup for the Sick ~ Hot Peppers

I tried a new apple oatmeal breakfast dish to change up breakfast.  It's called Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal, and if you have canned applesauce from last year you need to eat up, this recipe is for you.   I used one apple from our trees as well. The recipe is online with "The Real Food Dietitians" and honestly, I have no idea how I found it.  It has 1/4 cup maple syrup/honey in it, but in moderation, it did not bother my husband's sugar levels.

I made these banana muffins a second time.  I noticed the recipe does not call for salt, but calls for baking powder.  I added 1/4 tsp. salt this time.  They contain organic quick steel cut oats and Einkorn flour, and no sugar/sweeteners.

 

Homemade Granola.  I think I used every measuring cup and spoon I own ha ha!

I used one of our apples to make a mayo free slaw salad.  It was pretty good too.  Simply juice from a lemon, some olive oil and salt.  I added chives from the herb garden.   It was 1/4th of a cabbage, one carrot, one apple, and some chives from the herb garden.

I was prepared to whip up a mayo free dressing, if needed, but we like it this way.  Just something different to try, and healthy.

Meals were adjusted again, off the meal plan.  I had some barley that needed used up, so I ended up making a vegetable barley soup.  My husband was still not feeling well.  I roasted a rutabaga and added it to the soup.

I went out to pick jalapenos for our next meal this week, and it was slim pickin's.  Not much.  I was hoping for a round of "fire powder to end the season, but there is not much out there.  

We are to have a few cooler days, but we warm back up to the 80's soon, so I'm am hopeful, but I guess we'll see.  I did not check the bell peppers, but will today unless it's raining.

Thank you all for your kind thoughts and words regarding my husband being sick.  He came home with a runny nose.  I brewed up a few cups of hot yarrow tea, and he was feeling much better this morning.