"Eat it up,
Wear it out,
Make it do,
Or go without."
~A Pioneer Sampler, by Barbara Greenwood~

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.

Monday, August 25, 2014

Homesteading Tidbits ~ Canning Potatoes


Although I  took Saturday off, yesterday I was busy with preserving (again).  The tomatoes are once again back in the kitchen.  As soon as I free up table space, I fill it back up.

Yesterday, Hubby and two girls went out to pick tomatoes, while I worked on another batch of canned tomato sauce.



Once I had that reducing, I went outside, but did not have intentions of sweating through my clothes again.   I did.  I ended up helping Hubby dig up one entire row (long rows this year) of potatoes.  I think we ended up with maybe 30 pounds.  Less than expected (should have gotten 3 x that amount), but still a good amount.

Saturday, August 23, 2014

Sadness

My heart breaks today.  My Aunt passed away early this morning.



 This was a shock, and completely unexpected. 



She was an awesome Aunt, and I often told her she was my favorite.  She always made me laugh.  She was so fun to be around, and so positive.  I will miss writing letters to her. I will miss getting letters from her.  I will miss our chatter about books, and I will miss sending her books.  I will miss sending her home canned jelly and jam, and I will miss her text messages I got when she received anything from me.  I will miss her love,  her love for life, her advice, her family stories,  her laugh, her voice, her generosity, her everything.

If you are a praying sort of person, please keep my mother in your thoughts and prayers.  She is missing her sister pretty badly today.  It will be a very difficult day for us all.  Mom especially.