Pioneer Woman at Heart

The one reason we don't raise rabbits for meat is Milo.  He's our indoor pet bunny and he's as pampered as the rest of the gang. In the photo, Milo is having bunny yoga on one of my daughter's legs.  He's so relaxed in this position, he simply takes a nap.  He so funny.  As for me.....ugh.... I have been keeping our meals very healthy, I have increased my liquids, swept up the allergy causing dust and dander, and went to bed early. I woke up feeling worse than yesterday.   It has been raining here, during the day, and at night it's not too cool.  The moisture is so bad inside, that my bathroom rugs are still wet after 3 days.   I woke up very tired (even though I got more sleep), congested, watery eyes, a continued cough, and a runny nose.  Over the counter allergy medication just doesn't cut it.  I even mixed my raw honey/organic apple cider vinegar mix yesterday.     I love the country, but the count...

I had to turn my to-do list into two lists - one for today and one for tomorrow. My today list, just became today and tomorrow lists: Friday: Today's list: -can tomato sauce - Reducing on the stove   -wash and dry dishes and put them away - Done -pick, blanch and freeze Swiss chard - Done -cut fresh basil to dry - Done -cut fresh oregano to dry - Done -freeze green peppers-  Done -make fridge salsa - Done -wash, dry and put away more dishes - Done -pick tomatoes - Done -put laundry on the line - Done -write -write farmgirl penpal -create template for sales receipts - Done -some where in there, make dinner Saturday: -ship craft store order (my first order - YAY!) -library returns and pickups -can pear jam  -can zucchini relish - if there is time Without a list today, I would have forgotten to put the last load of towels on the clothesline.  Phew!  Normally, I don't use a list.  I just go with the garden flow - what's ripe gets proce...

Bartering is still being done today.  In fact, our families have been bartering services good and other items, without even realizing it.  I made my first crocheted throw to barter with another farmgirl.  I'm amazed at the talents of this woman.  I sew, but don't really enjoy it, and have not mastered the art of it.  I am thrilled to be able to barter with her for our homemade aprons, which I'll post pictures of later.  Here is the first item I made for her. We all have talents.  I think most of us are afraid to commit to it, take time for it, or lack confidence in our work.  I challenge you all to barter one homemade or handmade item this month.

  These are the first of our seed orders to arrive.  One contains heirloom redbud seeds, and the other a runner bean that will have beautiful blossoms.  I can't wait to receive the remainder of this years heirloom vegetable seeds.

I am reading the diaries from pioneer women who crossed the U.S. in the 1800's and it's been interesting and amazing.  Many women took extra needles and thread with them and traded with Indians for food.  Embroidery work, on hankies and other items were also given as gifts.  In my quest to embroider, learn more, and improve my skills, I have completed several projects.  Here are photos of my progress so far: Here is my first embroidery sampler (posted before)

I found this book at the library.  It's amazing.  Full of recipes for many different types of wild game, including dove, duck, moose, elk, frog legs, cougar, coot, buffalo, quail and even raccoon.  Alligator is not left out of this book either.  It's been interesting reading the recipes for bear, grouse, porcupine, pigeon, pheasant, lynx, javelina, ground hog, goat, and so much more.  It's amazing how people survived by trapping these types of wild game for food. I just received my guide to goats, from the library.  I'll be starting to research the caring for dairy goats.

I asked my kids to write me a letter with their happiest moments, so I thought I might share a few of my own. 1. Camping with hubby and cooking all of our food over the campfire. 2.  Canning for the first time. 3.  Cooking meals entirely from the garden. 4.Writing my first novel during NaNoWriMo in November. 5.  Cutting my first cord of wood by hand (and all of my farmgirl accomplishments). 6.  My outdoor reading room. 7.  All of the beautiful butterflies I took pictures of. 8.  Watching the sun rise. 9.   Hiking. 10.  My flower gardens. Of course this is not a complete list, but it's a small start of sharing my happiest memories.  What are yours?

Here is another finished crocheted Christmas gift.  This is a men's hat and scarf.  I used up leftover yarn from a blanket, yarn from a friend and leftover yarn from crocheting wrist warmers last winter.  Here's the pattern I used:

Dinner tonight involved preparing a batch of homemade mayonnaise.  It was easy to make with our farm fresh eggs, oil and a bit of lemon.   We are making "Potunas" which is a recipe I found on-line.  This is an easy recipe if you have potatoes in you cellar from you summer garden, and you have chopped and frozen green onions from your herb garden.  We can't wait to taste the final "Potunas." (I am baking my potatoes with olive oil and sea salt) Don't forget you can freeze your leftover egg whites!  Mine went right into the freezer for omelets in the future.  Waste nothing.

I am starting with a 1/2 bushel Fuji apples.  My wonderful mother brought me these from the orchard.  I have never canned apple pie filling, so I hope the lady at the orchard picked out a nice apple for canning (as she said they would be). We peeled and sliced and filled the 7 quart canning jars.  My 18 year old son, who was home, and didn't have to leave for work real soon, helped me. I took the extra sliced apples, and leftover syrup, and made 2 pies for dinner.  Yes, those are frozen pie crusts.  You caught me. I have cheated a bit today.  They were in the freezer, and the needed to be baked anyway.  I added a crumb topping with flour, brown sugar, butter, and oats.  They are still baking. And I have these many apples left.  I may can 7 more quarts if I have enough jars.  Probably tomorrow, not today. Here the the jars after the boiling bath. And the final jars cooling!  Phew!  I did it!  Now we just have to...

I managed to make my very first batch of Pumpkin-Apple Butter, and we all love it.  I had been buying Apple butter from the orchard, but have now taken the time to make it myself.  I like the pumpkin in it too.  Who knows, maybe my family will be getting a small jar for Christmas too. I made 4 1/2 pints to give this recipe a try.  I will definitely be making this recipe again. The recipe is a crock pot recipe, and is in the book Creating the Happiest of Holidays , book 2, by Leisure Arts.

I can't believe the weather this November.  This weekend is perfect for camping.  Now if I can just convince my husband we don't need to split wood, and to go camping spontaneously, life would be even better.   Maybe I can convince him of camping just one night.  Either way,  I would love to enjoy some campfire cooking and time alone.  A hike in the woods would be wonderful too!

Our homemade egg noodles are

Due to a surplus of our chicken eggs, I am using whites to make homemade angel food cake and the yokes to make homemade noodles.   This will be the first time making either of these. Here is the final results of the cake!  Unfortunately my children refuse to allow me to share my family age old recipe, but Citrus Angel Cake is similar.  This is my start at avoiding cake mixes in a box and making them from scratch in a self-sufficient, healthier way.  One more benefit of raising chickens for eggs. With the weather being a bit nicer, other than today's rainfall, we are able to let the chickens free range from early morning to night.  However, they sometimes will lay eggs outside in the grass so we keep their roost open too. We are pretty sure we will raise meat chickens and turkeys next season.

I measured my stack of cut wood today.  I'm not quite halfway to one cord of wood.  My wood pile measures 7 1/2 x 3 1/2 x 1 1/2 feet.  I'm done for today.  Phew!

Despite working hard with splitting wood today, I made the family Spicy Sorghum Molasses Cookies.  They are in the Bear Wallow cookies for using honey, sorghum etc.  If you are lucky to still find real sorghum, these cookies are delicious. Bear Wallow Books  Information about Sorghum Syrup

I have already split wood before today (by hand), but am making a goal to split one cord by myself.  For every woman out there who has ever split a cord of wood by hand, I give you a great big hug.  My fingers, thumbs, and wrists are so sore after today.  We had many stump pieces about 3 feet wide by about 1 1/2 feet tall, that needed split.  I definitely won't be splitting a full cord today .

Even though today holds much more activity than I'd like, I am still baking an after school snack for the kids.  It is also a lunch packing for some, including my husband.  I'm baking Morning Glory Muffins I , using carrots from the garden, whole wheat flour from a local stone mill (preservative free), organic apple, apple butter from a local orchard (until I learn to make it myself), and of course our farm fresh eggs!  I can't wait to taste them.  They are packed with nutrition, so I hope the family likes them too.  These might be something to take along on camping trips and trail hikes.  I'm also using the last of our garden carrots to may a "skinny" scalloped potato recipe from the Clean Eating Magazine.  I'd be using garden potatoes for this, but we have depleted our supply for this year.  We are definitely adding more to the garden next year. I'm back with an update on the muffin recipe.  I could just go to allrecipes and rate it al...

Today, I shredded and froze 12 cups of zucchini, and left 2 cups on the side for 2 loaves of zucchini bread.  I also froze 1 qt. of tomatoes.  After that I took the green beans I picked and boiled them with potatoes and added crumbled bacon.  I also took our last Kohlrabi, and made a terrific Frittata.  I even added swiss chard to it.

Here is the beginning stage of my embroidery sampler. I used a fine cross-stitch material I had on had as scrap material. The spaces make practice stitching easier. It's been years since I did any embroidery.