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, April 19, 2024
Spring Flowers
Wednesday, March 20, 2024
Mid Week Medley ~ Question for Condiment Canning Aficionados
The rain is slowly bringing the outdoors back to life, and we see more green again. We have had snow flurries, which deterred me from harvesting any of those baby green onions coming up, but everything is brighter outside for spring.
The Daffodils were blooming like crazy, and I would love to cut some to bring inside, but the snow just keeps on coming. Not a lot, but enough to remind us that winter is still not over with.
The rain is also giving us gifts from the Earth. We have three wild growing mullein plants in the flower beds. I need to dig them up to move them, so we can utilize them this year. If I leave them in the flower beds, they will continue to replant in there, and the wild plants grow very tall. We dehydrate this medicinal weed for tea.
We took a drive to do some hiking. I have to admit, that outdoor hiking uses more muscles than what you may use on a treadmill. Good gravy we were happy sore, and have plans to get more hiking in this year.
Although it is too late to start more seeds for the garden this spring, we attempted to visit a new non-gmo seed store (new to visit for us, but in business for a while). We should have called to double check their business hours. What stated on their online website, for a closing hour, was incorrect. We arrived just after they had closed for the day. We do plan to go back. and take a look at what they have to offer folks.
What's been purged/donated?
The last four mugs I had, that I crocheted mug "hugs" and matching coasters for, were donated to another local senior center. I also donated two smaller items to the local library, for prizes within the children's area.
One local (non-chain) thrift store, has put a stop on taking any Christmas donations until September of this year. We still need to do a complete garage clean out this year, so we'll need to find more donation locations. The kids left their Christmas decorations behind, and many other items we need to get rid of (left behind because they don't want them) .
A box of books is awaiting it's donation destination. I'm still filling it up with books I am finishing reading, so I'm not in a big hurry on that.
Canning Question: Do you have a tried and true way to can caramelized onions (boil seal method), without using a crock pot? I just don't want to can after dinner time, and I do not want to run my crock pot all night. It is the only recipe I have used once (trusted recipe source), and it was successful, but now I want to can them again.
Or....have you frozen homemade caramelized onions? I have read they only last 2 months in the freezer, and what is the texture when they thaw?
Mid Week Medley ~ Question for Condiment Canning Aficionados © Mar 2024 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart
Tuesday, May 23, 2023
Tuesday Tidbits
Due to a "stop and drop" that we did on Sunday, so we could go do something fun for ourselves, work rolled into the week full blown. By stop and drop, I mean stop working, and drop the tools and go do something fun.
We are getting great weather for clothesline drying, so that is a bonus, but it's been one of those weeks. In order to take the laundry outside, I had to go get the leaf blower and blow all the helicopters (from the maple tree) off the back patio, so I didn't drag them back inside. It has been a start to the week like that - have to do something before I can do the actual job on the to-do list kind of week.
More spring blooms.
Questions~
If you own a cordless, rechargeable stick vacuum, with detachable handheld vacuum (with canister on top), which do you recommend? We are almost carpet free.
I have searched reviews for days now, and I like the black and decker, but the reviews are not good. I really don't want a Dyson. I would prefer not to shop on Amazon either.
I may just have to venture out and check Lowes, Menards, Home Depot and such, and I may have to just buy a good hand held vacuum separately. Any thoughts? I am looking for one to handle the whole house and one that can stand up on it's own (no screws in our walls to hold it up off the floor).
2. Does anyone have a good homemade sourdough sandwich bread recipe? The kind I can bake in a bread pan not a round dutch oven?