Chit Chat

 

The pretty sunrises are dwindling as we move into the winter season.  It has been cold enough to cause frost on the vehicles and lots of scraping.  I enjoy the crisp air, as it wakes me up, and makes me feel energized.  The chickens?  Probably not, ha ha!  They (as well as us), are truly enjoying the sunshine.

There have been more and more coyote sightings, and in the country now.  We ourselves, have not seen or heard any.

I have survived the worst of the dental work, and for the first time in many, many years, I had to take Tylenol for pain.  It's the worst timing, as far as the holiday goes, but had to be done.  It also took me out of commission for about two to three days.  Imagine something in your eye and you can't get relief.  That is what is feels like with a sore jaw/mouth.  It's still sore today, but feeling better. Although, I have been advised to eat on one side of mouth for over a week.  

I finished my husband's matching winter scarf.  It has been crossed off the "unfinished" list now.  The remaining yarn, will be used for scrap lap afghans.  Secretly, I want to make myself one.  I don't have any more of the stripe yarn, but I do love the soft texture, and how it blends into a nice pattern for the scarf.  I just don't think they make a color to match my winter coat.

I am trying to catch up with housework, meal prep and baking.  The new chicken coop is on delay again, mostly due to me not feeling up to it, and more so the weather.  

Speaking of weather, they are forecasting zero snow for Christmas this year.  I'll admit, I think I would be in a more festive mood if we did have snow.

I have found a recipe for instant mocha coffee, but have not found a sugar-free peppermint syrup.  Our grocery store does not carry it.  I think, years ago, I ordered it online, but cannot remember.

This and That

 

Beautiful sunrises are dwindling here these days.  The winter weather is slowly moving in.  It is very cold here now, but maintaining.  Woke up to 25°F with a windchill of 18°F.

There has been a sighting of 6 coyote (in my home town).  Crazy.  I have not seen any coyote this year here.  I wonder why they are gravitating to the city?  Stray cats perhaps?

Do any of you have a good/tried and true recipe for homemade oven cleaner? 

I found this one, but wanted to ask before I tried it.

Homemade OVEN CLEANER

¼ cup of dish soap

½ cup of lemon juice

1 cup of vinegar

1 ¼ cup of water

.Mix, spray, let sit, and wipe.

I also need something to scrub the oven racks with. I read somewhere to sprinkle baking soda, then use this spray and let sit over night (for the racks, lay on large rags). Does anyone have tips/tricks for this? I'm so over due on this home cleaning job.

Day 2 of soaking this tomato sauce stained freezer container. I have tried baking soda paste and it's still not gone. I have no idea why, but I froze pizza sauce and some tomato sauce this year (vs. canning it). I have not had to deal with this before. Any tried and true method to clean the stain off the container?

 Back in 2020, I started making washcloths/dishcloths, using a new pattern.  It involved using two strands of cotton #10 thread.

I later packaged them up, to sell at the craft shows.  They never sold at all.   Three years have gone by now, so.....

(photo from 2020)

I recently opened one to actually try for myself.   

They are a nice thickness, but for a dishcloth, they do take a bit longer to dry out on a hook.   

Honestly, they could be used for a washcloth, dishcloth or even a cleaning rag.  I am sure I found the free pattern online, but cannot locate it on my blog.  Blogger is making it much more difficult to search for something anymore. 

Live and learn, as they say.  What doesn't sell, don't make anymore unless you are personally using it.  I have made a home for all of these, but most likely, will not make them again.

Although it is way too cold to get porch reading time, I have finally finished this book I borrowed from the library. It was not that exciting to read. I forced myself to finish it, and it was the first book to completely read since March of 2023. I saw the new sequel to the book and thought I should read the first one first. Well, I have no plans now to read the sequel. Back to the books I have at home.

Chit Chat

 

Beautiful sunrise we had here a few days ago.

Have you heard?  There is a mysterious dog illness nationwide right now.  We still plan to install a dog fence, but it's a scary time to adopt a dog. 

Have you been heard about all of the cantaloupe recalls lately?  There are many.

The weather continues to cause delays on the coop build.  The joy of homesteading.  It's raining here again today.  It rained all day yesterday.

Are you an evening tea drinker?  What is your go-to tea to wind down at the end of the day?  Is it something you grow perhaps? 

My husband asked why the Christmas tree didn't have ornaments yet.  I laughed.  I have told him over and over, that we never organized the garage, so he has his "things" blocking my access to the Christmas totes.  He has promised to clean that up soon. 

Do you give yourself rewards for good behavior?  Ha!  You know, like rewards for goals met?  Or breaking a bad habit, starting a new good habit, and rewards along the way?  Or for finishing a project you have dreaded to finish?

Do you pamper yourself to perk yourself up on days you are just dragging through it?

All Work and No Play? ~ Sittin' n Knittin'

 

I've been trying to enjoy the sunrise with my morning coffee, as these days are soon approaching colder weather.  It delays my start to my day, but worth it.

Lately, I feel like all I do is cook and clean.  Time goes too fast too. It seems like yesterday, that I was excited to bring in a bowl full of freshly picked green beans.

I tend the hens, collect the eggs.  Check the garden(s) and bring in whatever is ready.  I brought in another spaghetti squash.

Bulk spices were refilled.

Homemade taco seasoning made and refilled.

Someone in your household thinks there is a toilet paper fairy that magically restocks the toilet paper in the bathroom(s).

Bathrooms are cleaned weekly.

There are always dishes to wash, a dishwasher to load or unload, and then more dishes.  Cooking and baking from scratch, or preserving food will cause that.  I sometimes wash the larger dishes 3-4 times a day.

Maybe I just feel this way, due to the suffrage the house goes through during canning season?  There are always clean linens to fold and put away.

Sittin' n knittin' is much deserved time around here.  Handiwork is slowly coming back into action around here.

Chicken Castle is delayed temporarily.  The brakes on the truck need replaced.  

Beautiful Weather ~ Breakfast Prep ~ New Salad Recipe Tried

I love these crisp, cool mornings.  I plan to enjoy my morning coffee with the sunrise before starting my day.  The snow will be here before we know it.  We worked on "Chicken Castle" last night, and I slept fantastically.

I'm trying to get as much porch time in as I can, as the weather is absolutely beautiful these past few days.

Yesterday, I got the blueberry Einkorn pancakes made, but I will not be buying the breakfast roll sausage anymore.  I had some in the freezer.  Anyway, the ingredients include "sugar" in the sausage.  I cannot find any sugar free breakfast sausage anywhere here, so I bought more pork to make my own again.  Anyway, I prepped breakfast for my husband.

I slept so good last night, and was not totally awake this morning.  I packed my husband's lunch and coffee, and completely forgot the breakfast!  Urgh.  We are both getting a laugh out of that.

 

Our pear trees do not have pears this year, so I had to buy a pear for this salad, but the apple came from our trees.  It is a new salad, and looked interesting.  It contains 1/4 cup honey, but that is for the entire salad.

The taste test?  Absolutely delicious.  Potluck worthy.  I typically do not add the links to my posts, but here is the recipe if you are interested.

https://juliasalbum.com/broccoli-cashew-apple-and-pear-salad/

I used the Greek yogurt option, roasted raw cashews myself (to avoid bad oils), and used juice from a lemon (not bottled juice).  I do suggest the pear be on the firm side, vs. a soft ripe pear.  We really liked it.  If you are avoiding sugar, this does contain the pear and apple and 1/4 cup honey.   I would not make this every week, but we will be enjoying this during apple season.  So good!  We will just balance it with a low-carb dinner.  

We tried rutabaga roasted with carrots and non-gmo/low fat chicken sausage.  Delicious.  I didn't realize it, but carrots are a high-carb vegetable.  I have to remember that when I pair this dinner with a salad.  I may add another vegetable next time, but so good.

Has anyone frozen rutabaga?  If so, what is it good for, after it's been frozen.  Just soups/stews?  What is the texture?   I am wondering if I could use it in place of potatoes in a breakfast dish?  What's the best way to freeze it?  Diced or mashed?  Or both?

Happy Homemaker Monday

We sort of had shopping plans, and ended up at another Wal-mart first.  I finally found a lot of white ribbon, and a few other colors, but still need pink and peach.  Only $.47 a roll, but only 20 feet per roll.  Anyway, I was very happy to locate some.  Now this means the next crochet project ha ha - baby booties.

The weekend went by way too fast.  A lot work that we planned to do on the house did not happen.

Today I will be joining Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

I will link up when she posts.

The weather . . .

Thunderstorms today, and a possibility of snow this coming weekend.

As I look outside my window . . .

The sun is starting to come up.

Right now I am . . .

Brewing another pot of coffee.

Thinking and pondering . . .

We are considering removing the bedroom carpet next.  Not sure when, but next on the list, as I get back to painting.  I have a door to paint in the utility room (for a cubbie) as well.

On my bedside table . . .

Water, two framed photos, and a few lozenges.

On my TV Today . . .

We just finished watching 1923, so not sure what will be next.

Listening to . . .

80's while I do housework.

On the lunch plate . . .

I have no idea yet.

On the dinner plate . . .

Burgers

On the menu . . .

-burgers, veggie

-chicken fajitas

-leftovers

On my reading pile . . .

On the to-do list . . .

-make homemade turkey sage sausage
-make a breakfast

-sweep/mop
-laundry
-dishes
-run dishwasher

-water seedlings

-take yarn, craft supplies upstairs
-start cleaning up bedroom to prep for carpet removal (probably will take a few weeks or more, as the carpet is in the walk-in closet too.

Plans for this week . . .

No plans, other than to get back to home repairs/renovations

What I am creating . . .

I'm still working on a blanket for us.  Trying to finish a scarf.

My simple pleasure . . .

Journaling.

Looking around the house . . .

I need to take some yarn upstairs that I have collected from around the house.

From the camera . . .

Bible Verse, Devotional, Prayers . . .

Sunrises ~ Tidbits

 

We have had some beautiful sunrises this week.  It makes me want to be outside and enjoy the warmer weather.  The evenings have been cold though.  Yesterday we hit the lower 60's, but with a wind warning.  Today thunderstorms move in.

My wonderful husband had these delivered on Valentine's Day.  This is big!  We live in the boonies, so he paid greatly for these beautiful roses.

I tried a new recipe.  I forgot to take a photo of it, but took a picture of the cookbook.

It's in one of my fix-it and forget it cookbooks - Enchilada Shredded Chicken.  I served it over quinoa (with diced jalapenos, oregano and cumin - I didn't have cilantro).  A nice recipe for a Mexican Potluck Meal.  I honestly don't know how this would be good on a tortilla, unless you drain the liquid off at the end of cooking.  Anyway, we topped it with some shredded cheese and sour cream.  Delicious.

The part for the stove has arrived.  It most likely will be installed this weekend.  I'll update you on that when it's done.

Half of the hallway is cleared of flooring tools and what not, and swept and mopped.  The other half remains full of tools for my husband to deal with.  I started to clean woodwork, to prepare for primer.

It's been nice to see the egg basket filling up again.  We are so thankful for this.  We changed their feed, adding black sunflower seeds and more supplements.  I am working on adding more to their diet - more on that soon.

Happy Homemaker Monday

 

First, thank you for all of your well wishes.  I started to feel better, and to be honest, just wanted to sleep to recover.  My husband however, had a different idea.

Last minute, we took off for the long drive to FL.  Again. I guess he feels obligated when it is a good friend who wants to ride motorcycles in warm FL weather.  

The vacation started out rough.  I wasn't completely better, and the fact that one couple brought their babysitter, and two kids (one sick and not treated until they returned home, and also teething the entire trip), made the first part of the so-called vacation a total non-vacation.

My husband pushed me to go, saying they promised us a nice room with king bed (we never get a king bed), and said it was the nicest house ever rented.  When we got there (two days later than the others), they had given our room to one of their kids (who refused to give it to us upon arrival).  We ended up with a queen bed room, with no TV in it.  The bed I could handle, but no TV?  The only living room TV was taken over by the kids and one other person sleeping on the sofa (due to the babysitter and kids taking up bed space).  I literally, just wanted to leave and go back home.

The biggest deal for the trip, was riding our motorcycles across the Sunshine Skyway Bridge to St. Petersburg, FL.  I'm not a fan of heights, so this was an anxiety ride for me.  The rest loved it, but not so much me.  Google this bridge.  I went over the original bridge (before a ship hit it), many years ago on a family vacation (as a kid).

(photo one of our friends took on the ride)

I however, came home with laryngitis.  The FL weather was great, but the dry air in the rented VRBO home was not nice to my throat.  I'm sipping ginger root tea, downing sage tincture, and what not.

I honestly, did not want to go to FL.  I was looking forward to resting and hunkering in for winter, after a long garden year.  I think my husband is on board for this next January (staying home).  He said he had enough of south FL.  The roads were busy, lots of lights to stop at and we literally rode highway rides, vs country roads we do back here at home.  Too busy down there in FL.  As for me, coughing on motorcycle rides was not fun either.

I'm just glad to be back home, but like I said, dealing with throat issues.  I think my husband feels bad he pushed the vacation on me, and it never felt like a vacation.

After a long time away from blogging, I am joining Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom.

Will link when she posts.

The weather . . .

44/26°F, today, but will warm up to the 50's mid week.

As I look outside my window . . .

Right now I am . . .

Sipping coffee and posting this.

Thinking and pondering . . .

Getting out my planner, getting things back in order, figuring out meals this week, checking all tinctures I currently have, updating any home remedies, and getting some crochet time in (that I greatly miss).

On my bedside table . . .

Leftover remnants of cough and cold remedies.  Will clean that up today.

On my TV tonight . . .

Have no idea yet.

Listening to . . .

The morning news on TV.

On the menu this week . . .

Have no idea yet.  Will relax today and check freezer and pantry.

On my reading pile . . .

My husband bought me this book for Christmas.  I am about 3/4ths of the way in this book. First book to read in 2023, but I am still half way into a book from last year as well.

On my to-do list . . .

*see looking around the house

-unloading the truck, and doing laundry

-find the lost curtain tie back, lost it when we took all the living room curtains down to repair the entire floor.  I am still looking for one last tie back.

Plans for the week . . .

*see looking around the house

What I am sewing, crocheting, knitting or creating . . .

One thing I really missed while traveling, was crocheting.  I took a small project, but slept almost the entire drive.

My simple pleasure . . .

Honestly, after a long time with out it, sitting and crocheting.

Lesson learned last week . . .

Put my foot down, when I really feel staying home is best.  Never go on a group vacation if someone is bringing kids along (especially for a motorcycle group).  Stay home, if the "group" is all one family.  

Looking around the house . . .

It's "take back the kitchen" mode again.  Our handy man finished the living room floor while we were gone, and now we can finally start purging and putting everything back where it belongs.  We will finally get the kitchen table cleared off.

From the camera . . .

The pool we never used at the rented VRBO.  The kids that came along pretty much took it over.  Also, that is not a lake out behind the house, it is a canal between houses.

Prayer list . . .

No current requests, other than for myself to get over this throat issue and get our house back in order.

Sunrise ~ Sickness

 

We had a beautiful sunrise the other day, and I could not help myself, but to take some photos.  There is still snow on our porch.

I had plans to take our outside Christmas lights down today, but that is not happening.  I have come down with a sickness, and of course all of our covid tests at home have expired.

I'm doing all I can do from home - mullein tea, eucalyptus/oil rub, 4 thieves, humidifier, diffuser, etc etc.  I really want some homemade ginger ale, but I have zero energy to make it.  I feel like someone beat me up, and the cough is horrible.  So far, no fever.

Not sure if I picked it up while out shopping, or have been over doing things here at the house.  I'll be taking a blog break to heal up and get over this, whatever it is.  The weather isn't helping either.  The frigid temps that we just had are now changing to the 50's with rain.