Homesteader Homemaker Happenings

(old photo, but this one is back in it's home for the garden season)

First, welcome to my new followers.  I hope you are enjoying my blog, where posts are reality (the good and the bad), and photos are never staged.

Good Golly!  We are so low on our stock of greens.  I may have to buy some until my seeds are planted.  Don't want to, but we need our greens.

Thursday night my "till man" was too tired to till.  Shoot.  Couldn't plant the potatoes and popcorn.  Dang it.  He was too tired to weed whack my raised beds.  Couldn't plant my greens.  Dang it.

However, I tended to the herb garden and worked outside for 3 early hours, starting at 7am.  Daughter had a friend over, and all the kids slept in while I worked.  Even Jesse was caught snoring.

I thinned my over grown lemon balm.  Got my rosemary, basil, parsley and cilantro planted.  I'm not replanting lavender.  It is so tricky to start from seed and the stuff in stores is not the real deal.

My chives are already going to seed.  Oh my.  So are a few of my green onions, which had hoped for.  My chives are looking much better this year, so I may make chive oil for cooking.

I planted the very last 4 flowers in the flower bed.  Got out my solar garden light, flipped one rain barrel, and remembered to fill it with enough water to avoid the wind knocking it down. 

I showered and had hoped to put bedding on the line, but it seriously looked like rain.  I did, and it dried thankfully (even though we got sprinkles).

I filled the dehydrator with lemon balm, and my kitchen smelled so good.  I'd have also made a tincture but I didn't have any vodka on hand.  I'll just wait for the over flow of lemon balm later this summer and make it then I guess.

I decided to go to town for two garden hoses I very much needed.  The boys cut my hose in half when they plowed over winter (never got to putting it away for winter - my bad).  One hose was just a hot mess - end broken off.  Hubby "MacGyvered" it, and it just kept causing me trouble.

Homemade Tick Repellent ~ More Rain ~ Garden Progress

I'm betting my hens are getting coop fever, with all this rain and wind.  Most likely stir crazy at this point.  We haven't had much of a day for them to free range lately.

Started my day making homemade condensed mushroom soup.  There is nothing better than homemade.  I made another for the freezer.  The first "can" went on top of pork chops in the crock pot.

Thursday morning we had a major storm roll through.  More rain is not a good thing at this point.  It's just downright bad.  I prayed my planted tomatoes made it through and went out after the storm let up to check.  

The wind was so bad, it took out power in several counties, and took down many trees, limbs, utility poles and more.  One daughter of mine is lucky it moved through our area quickly.  She had a bonfire out back with friends, and left all her stuff, plus all my furniture including seat cushions.  Nothing blew away, but my weed garden bucket, which I retrieved.  

I haven't had a break in the day to flip my rain barrels.  Probably a good thing, as they'd be over flowing anyway.

We will not be planting any peas this spring.  Not one type.  I will try to fall plant them weather permitting.  

I got 3 pots of zinnias started, and my spearmint replanted.  I planted mullein and comfrey in two different pots as well, and replanted the peppermint.  I'm not counting on time to get my raised be built in time to plant my "weed" garden, so it's back up plants for us.  I also planted the arnica, feverfew and yarrow.

Woohoo!  I got 68 tomato plants planted so far, but Saturday they are calling for bad storms again. Praying they all make it.  They are saying hail and tornadoes.  I hope they are wrong.  Now I need my overworked "till man" to till more so I can get the rest in.  He's working 6 - 10 hour days again, and may even have to work Monday.

It's Ohio Bike week right now, and the only day off, they are calling for rain.  We may not make it this year on the Harley.

I'm tempted to purchase catnip seeds, as my potted plant is not that big this year.  I will first check the barns for it, before spending the money.

Got a text while out in the garden.  She wanted to buy this pair of baby booties.  Shipped them the same day, to take a break from the garden.

Tick-Repelling Oil

(for adults, dogs, and children older than 5 - otherwise they recommend using a gentle rose geranium hydrosol)

2 oz. jojoba oil
20 drops geranium essential oil
10 drops lavender essential oil

Combine all ingredients, place in small bottle and label. To use: Before going outdoors, apply this oil to any exposed skin. For dogs, place a few drops on your hands and then gently smooth the oil over the coat. If you prefer spray, substitute 2 oz. of distilled water for the jojoba oil, and place all ingredients in a small spray bottle. Spritz over your hair, clothing and skin. Repeat as necessary. 

I have also read just using 1 part tea tree oil and 2 parts water for a spray, but haven't tried it yet.  I prefer the oil (recipe above), but the spray works better for your hair and clothing, so you may like to make both versions.  I tend to rub the oil up under the hair line and wear a hat some times.  We don't have a huge tick problem, but the wind can bring some in.

Homemade Tick Repellent ~ More Rain ~ Garden Progress  © May 2019 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart