Travel Tea Infuser Tumbler and Tidbits

 I purchased a travel tumbler with tea infuser.  I randomly chose one based on reviews.  It can become frustrating, when you cannot find one person who drinks herbal teas/medicinal herbal teas.  If we like it, I'll post an update on it. By the way, there are several options to buy one, with several sizes too.

Something new I learned from a book:

-I can brew my herbal tea, cool it, and freeze it in freezer safe vessels.  Pack them for a picnic or travel and it will keep food cold, then thaw for enjoying.  Another perfect idea to travel with your brewed herbal iced tea.

-I once watched an "expert" on a video (maybe youtube, not sure) say brewed teas were only good for 48 hours.  I'm reading in a book that brewed teas, cooled for iced tea, are good for up to 4 days.  Anyone know the actual truth to either of these findings?

I've been busy dehydrating dandelion flowers.  I, apparently, need to dehydrate more.  They shrink up to about nothing when they are completely dry.  First time to dehydrate dandelion flowers (for a future salve and whatever else I decide).

In the past, we have made dandelion flower bread, which is delicious by the way.  It's time consuming, so I have yet to make it this spring.  We do not make dandelion jelly anymore.  We tend to made reduced sugar jams now.  It does make a nice gift for others though.

I've also been working on starting tinctures for the season, using seasonal spring goodies.  

I'm hoping the spring rains will provide us with chickweed, cleavers, plantain, and mullein.

The rain has been continuing, and my boots sunk every step into the garden recently.  I have already had to cut the flower buds off my rhubarb, and boy is the garden saturated.

Comfrey is up nicely, as well as lemon balm, in my new "weed" garden.  No sign of anything else (possibly did not survive the move last year).

The clothesline has been being used in full force, but on days in between the rainfall.  Very thankful to have use of it, and it saves us on our electric bill (which is the highest in the area). Not to mention, that it smells good too.

Time has been getting away from me this month, but I hope to keep you all entertained.   My husband finally sorted a huge pile of his clothing, and the donation pile has increased.  I told my husband the other day, that I do not know how anyone who works full time, has time to do their housework.  I am constantly racing the clock to keep bathrooms cleaned, laundry washed (on the line, back down and folded and put away), homemade meals prepared (not to mention all the dishes), errands, shopping, appts, and the like, all in the mix of it.  I'm working on creating a "schedule" to give myself more grace with free time.  We (ha ha!) shall see if I am successful.

I can say, I'm the queen of sticky notes right now.  Staying on task is happening.  I have also purchased a new devotional that I love.  It's short and to the point, but if I remember, I'll take a photo of it to share. I might have a handiwork update too, but it's been less and less in my days, as the weather is taking us outdoors much more often.

Travel Tea Infuser Tumbler and Tidbits ©  April 2026 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

April Begins

 We ended March with a high 77°F with an evening of thunderstorms.  We started April with temperatures in the low 30's, with a lot more rain.

I've started my infused oil with horsetail.  I'm reading through my herbal books, watching Youtube videos and the like.  It's an herb/weed new to use.   I did not buy my horsetail online.  I purchased at an herbal health store.  However, the one store nearest us, does not carry it, and another apothecary does not grow it or carry it (40 minute drive). 

We are very limited to access to stores or apothecaries with medicinal herbs, tea herbs, and the like.  It's frustrating, but in some cases, forces me to simply grow some of them myself.  It is depressing to not have any like-minded folks in our lives.  Most people we talk to about it, just laugh and act like it's all a waste of time or a joke.

Speaking of Youtube, I'm watching several videos on spring wild violets right now (tinctures, teas, lemonades, and so forth).  I'm watching them in between moments of sit time or coffee time.  I did learn something about which type of alcohol to make a tincture with one specific wild plant.

By the way, I used my homemade goldenrod tincture 3 days in a row recently, due to bad sinus pressure.  It worked great to drain the sinuses and the pressure.  I also used my mullein tincture once).  My research, by reading books borrowed from the library, and books I own, state that goldenrod is great for treating sinus infections (or sinus issues).  

Ended March with harvesting more green onions in the herb garden.   It feels so good to get outside and do this again, especially after a very, very long winter.

  

Baking and cooking from scratch, as well as the dish washing, drying and putting away take a good chunk of my daily time.  I am still using up the blueberries we froze last summer (Einkorn flour pancakes - upper photo), and I mixed another batch of black bean and corn "salsa" for any meal or in between meals.  I like to have a healthy go-to light meal on hand each week.  Or for those moments of needed a quick snack to eat before a hike/walk or when needed..

Our daffodils are mostly up now, and the hyacinths are right behind.  Not the best photo, but it was raining out and dark.  It's so nice to see the flowers in bloom again.

Speaking of spring colors, I have one more lap afghan on the hooks in the colorway of purples and white.  I'll try and get a photo for you.  It will be the last blanket of the season, of this size.  It's been a very slow going crochet project, with spring weather here now (spending much more time out of the house).

Before the rain, we hiked a new-to-us trail, and we loved it. A little background info on these hikes/walks.  It's all part of my physical therapy, and also for my husband's.  We don't have the liberty to walk on the road where we live, so as a bonus, we get to travel for our walks, and locate new and more interesting places. 

One of our area libraries started a seed library.  It's not the first one to come across, but it is nice to see more libraries offering this to patrons.  I have not visited this one yet, so I do not know if they are organic/heirloom varieties of seeds.

April Begins  ©  April 2026 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Comfrey ~ Kitchen Down ~ Christmas Extract Update

 

The teaser 60-70°F days, we have been having, are bringing up sprouts of comfrey in my "weed" garden.  However, the rabbits (or something) is finding it tasty, so I best get to the hardware store and add more fencing to it.  We left a space, where we ran out of fencing last year, and completely forgot about it until this spring.  

Comfrey is great to have on hand for medicinal needs, and yes, it is invasive, but the rabbits may keep it from getting too big, ha ha!  

I make comfrey salve using this "weed" and I dehydrate it as well.  We've made numerous poultices with it over the years, and so glad I learned about it.

Kitchen Down!  

The current repairs are being done in the kitchen, so it is hindering any cooking or baking.  I will be glad when it is all done either way.  It's also helping push me to finish other projects in the mean time.

I'm still planning a "coffee with me" meet up at our homestead, but not until we don't have hired help going in and out, and things are looking spiffy again. 

I forgot to update you all on the use of the "Christmas" Extract I made last year.  I used it to bake us a strawberry crisp, as the cinnamon and clove compliment the dish.  We'll be continuing to experiment with it (peaches, plums, bananas, pineapple, pies/crumbles, muffins, and more).

Comfrey ~ Kitchen Down ~ Christmas Extract Update  ©  March 2026 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart