What am I reading?

Another yet cold day here.  A bit warmer but still in the negatives.  -6°F, but we may now be in the clear and rise above zero this next week. I'm still crocheting a current blanket for ourselves (odd occurrence, as it's usually for donation).  I do need to check in my back ordered yarn.  It's the very last day of January today, and it was said to be shipped a week ago.  Then again, roads are not in good condition, and the temperatures are cold.  I think a new soup should be tried with more snow on the way (oh joy!).

I am getting caught up with crochet book blanket granny squares.  I'll try and remember take a photo of them.

 

Funny story to share.  One year I was so pumped for a new "thing" to do (a new venture with gusto), I decided to read all of Ernest Hemingway's books in one year.  I had them on my shelf of course (why wouldn't I? Ha ha ha!).

You can see the original post HERE and HERE if you need some winter time entertainment.  

The funny part?  After a few books, I ditched his books and said nope, not reading anymore.  He was either drinking, on the way to the bar, or with women, or both drinking and with women.  I soon disliked his writing, no matter how famous the author became.  I should have picked another author, but it is a funny story to share.  If you read his books, you know what I'm talking about.

Cheers to the blog poster who shared this book!  I love a good book that is not a romance, and just literally a good story overall.

Sigh.  I am embarrassed to admit, that I've had it for a while, but I am finally reading it and I love it so far!  Thank you to whomever it was, but I think it was Far Side of Fifty.

Winter time limits outdoor physical activity for us, but we do have some winter hikes on the agenda (weather permitted).  Do you try to get outside or get moving in the winter?  Do you do daily indoor exercise?  Daily stretching?  Do you weigh yourself weekly, or do you just have it checked at the doctor when you are there? The doctor cleared me for exercise, but I'm still waiting on more information from the doctor's suggestions (to see if they are better, different or more helpful).

Do you do anything intentional for your mental health over winter?  Herbal, uplifting teas, meeting with friends/family, or possibly journaling?  Make travel plans of some fashion?  Visit the library more often?

New word I learned for the month:  Parsimonious.  Overly stingy or frugal, unwilling to spend money/resources.

Ending the month with some thoughts to chew on so to speak.  I did absolutely nothing for a Christmas countdown for 2026.  I can say, that when I did this last year (countdown), it was a lot of fun trying new recipes for the holidays.

What am I reading?  ©  January 2026 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

This and That

 

Homemade eye make up remover.  Two ingredients.  I have already tried it a few times, but will use when needed, and return with results.  The recipe is free online with a source I have used for years for my facial toner, homemade hair detangler, and a few other recipes  - DIY Makeup Remover 

I don't always wear makeup, but on an occasion I do, and so far I am really liking the two ingredient recipe.

Our weather has gone from cold to frigid.  It's only been weather suitable for penguins and polar bears.  This morning? We are experiencing a -17°F windchill.

I'm on the hunt for a heater that sits underneath the water unit in the chicken coop.  We have a few we are looking at, but we have not needed such heating system options for years now.  We don't need it often, and in fact, have not needed one in years now.

Unfortunately, the frigid temperatures are said to continue for about another week and a half (or so).  

We have been getting our walking in, by browsing larger antique stores.  We not only get out of the house, but we are looking for more ways to get walking in.

Winter activities can mean finding things to do like large camper/RV shows.  It gave me exercise time, and we actually enjoying checking out all the options out there right now. 

It got us out of the house and the doctor said walking can be increased now.

I bought a newer "on-the-go" crochet project bag, due to the weather and needing one that was waterproof.  I didn't realize that above the zipper there was velcro.  My yarn was sticking every time, so I bought some sew-on type velcro (no adhesive), and attached a piece to cover the sticky portion.  I did not want to cut it off the bag, so this quick fix works for toting yarn projects around.

Update on the blanket to be gifted.  I ran out of Heather Grey (Red Heart) yarn.  A very common color sold by most Wal-mart stores.  However, I could not find it at any of the stores near us, nor two other stores.  I ended up paying extra and ordered online.  Sigh.  It's getting harder and harder to locate the most common brands of yarn in stores anymore (at least in our area).  A friend mentioned that Ollie stores in nearby areas, carry some yarn, so I will be looking there soon as well.

I got another set of baby booties crocheted for a gift.  Funny story about this set.  My husband suggested, while I had the blue yarn in hand, to make a set for his doctor who was expecting a baby boy soon.  The funny part, is the day of his appointment, the office was giving the doctor a baby shower that very same day.  Perfect timing.  Oh, and I made these with an "G" crochet hook and it looks to be the correct hook, size.

I received the pattern from my Mom's co-worker many, many years ago, but the hook size was never mentioned, and I since then have forgotten what I had used in the past.  I will be making much better notes in that regard.

A few years ago, someone posted about a "beet salad" but never posted a recipe.  We had the opportunity to try a version of a beet salad recently, and boy was it good.  I'll be working on making one for ourselves in the future.

Winter is a rest time in a sense, but we still like to tackle indoor jobs/repairs/updates as we are able to.  I've been doing a lot of list making and note taking lately.  I am running low on mullein and had no idea we were so low on mullein tincture as well.

I'm on the fence with doing the Christmas countdown posts this year.  I won't be preparing the advent gifts this year, and with the lack of holiday gathering invitations, there are zero plans to prepare gifts or new trial recipes.  Two kiddos received homemade seasoned salt, the recipe handwritten on a recipe card, and a bottle of the "Christmas Spice" extract I made a few months back.  We have yet to even try it, so I may be looking to bake or create something to give it a taste.  

I can say that there are several boxes of Christmas items on my kitchen floor, that will eventually be sent to a thrift store, or the trash can.

I don't want to write a super long post today, although I have lacked getting one written, but may possibly be back to share my current book.

This and That ©  January 2026 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Homestead and Handiwork Happenings

We started December with some chilly weather - low -4 (windchill) 6°F/High 27°F.  The coldest weather for early December since 1976.  According to weather authorities.  We've been as low as -8°F this month.  Now we are melting away into the 50's by tomorrow with a lot of rain.  Crazy, crazy winter weather for sure.

Surgery went well.  Thank you all for your prayers, good vibes, positive mojo and good thoughts.  I am in recovery mode, which oddly feels very strange for someone who is on the go most days.  

One kiddo visited to help out, and stayed the night, and I really appreciated the help. She did some driving for us, cooked and even cleaned.  Very thankful for her help.

Not to worry.  I am listening to my doctor/nurses.  I'm not able to exercise like I typically do daily, but my brain is getting a super dose of "brain" activities.

On top of a new puzzle, and a 132 new word search book (my first), crochet also continues.  I have one crochet item to share soon, but waiting on Amazon to deliver the final item to finish it.   I am also revisiting my long lost interest in writing.  There may be a submitted entry (small, but a start) in the near future.  I think my husband is more excited about this venture being revisited, but I am too.

I had purchased glass jars with wooden spoons, for easy access for my evening tea, and I'm so glad I did.  You have no idea how much you "lift" in a day, until you are told to not lift certain things.

The yarn order I sent out a few weeks ago, for another last minute hand crocheted gift, is on back order.  Seems fitting right now, ha ha!

As for some good news, one of our girls has learned to bake bread, and baked bread for the very first time (yeast rise bread).  One has learned to cook one of the family holiday dishes, and I am beyond proud of them.  Kids today, do not cook, nor are they interested in getting back to the basics in the kitchen, and we are so thrilled they are learning.

My rosemary and chive plants are still alive, but the rosemary looks iffy.  I am doing my best to win this battle to keep it alive all winter.  Lemon balm continues to sprout, but it does much better outdoors in the summer.  I had to replant a few seeds.

Homestead and Handiwork Happenings  ©  December 2025 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

January 2025 Comes to an End

January 2025 comes to an end, and I am thrilled to have met my own goals of staying off social media (less scrolling time), being more consistent with reading, exercise, time better well spent overall.  Although there is more wiggle room to become better at avoiding morning procrastination (winter cold weather can do that to a person).

Winter time gives us zero harvest from the outside world.   We lack a greenhouse.  However, I purchased a cilantro plant for indoor growing.  We are praying we have the funds to fence the other garden, and have been working on a garden plan.  I have toyed with the idea of not growing one, but that thought quickly dissipated.  Our health is important, and I'd miss all that garden goodness.

There is nothing better than to take a red sharpie, and cross off to-do's that have lingered on the list for almost a year.

Do you ever finish a job, and then go back and look at it over and over and smile?  Ha ha!  I finally got the under-sink mats cut and installed in our master bathroom.  It came up on my list over and over, and days would fly by, and it remained on the list. Hence, cutting down the to-do list in January.  The less I had on the list, the easier it was to get them done.   

The job took me about 45 minutes to an hour.  It required taking everything out of the cabinets, sorting and tossing any expired items, washing the cupboards, and finally cutting the "under sink" mats (which are waterproof) and installing them.  A bottle of shampoo or something soap related had spilled under a storage drawer unit, and we didn't even know until I took everything out.  That took the most time to clean up. 

I have to admit, it looks so much better, and I feel better to have crossed that (along with other jobs) off of the list for January.

There has been a lot of joy this month.  Oh, we had glitches, but we plowed thru them.   We have a lot to be thankful for.  I am much better at looking for/finding the joy in every day (even in mundane chores/to-do's), and January did not go buy without noticing.  In the past, days were just about getting thru them.

My hamstring injury is almost completely healed.  I am thrilled to say I am back to wearing my own insulated muck boots again.  Back story on that - when I went to take the right boot off, it would cause excruciating pain up my entire leg (hamstring).  No more sailing over an open dishwasher door. 

Thank you for the prayers in regards to my hamstring healing, and also for our January doctor appointments.  We both have follow appointments in early February now.  I had to stop taking the medication they gave me for my leg (anti-inflammatory medication), as it was causing bad side effects.  I resorted to an anti-inflammatory diet and stretching.  By the way Youtube videos, and stretching moves from a daughter worked better than the one stretch my family doctor gave me.

As for our follow-ups, it's routine, but I am praying for good blood work results, good results overall, and that we just keep doing the best we can with real food, exercise, a good night's sleep, and the like.

In light of my recent hamstring incident, I have decided to keep my floor stretch exercises included in my exercise routine.  The older we get the more flexibility we need I guess.  

Betsy at The Simple Life of a Queen, reminded me to slow down, and I am forever thankful for that.  I have more crossed off the to-do list this month than I did in the last two months, and it was from not being in a frenzy every single day (in a hurry to get it ALL done in a day).

Tomorrow starts a new month, a new plan, new goals, continued plans, and living life to the fullest.  There may be another puzzle involved too, ha ha! 

Here's to new adventures, new exciting discoveries, goals met, and more.  

"Whenever my busy thoughts were out of control, the soothing comfort of your presence calmed me down and overwhelmed me with delight."  Psalm 94:19 TPT (from 180 Devotions for Your Best Day, Encouragement and Inspiration for Woman).

January 2025 Comes to an End  © January 2025 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart