"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.

Wednesday, June 12, 2019

Plan G

I baked Einkorn flour peanut butter cookies.  Hubby's favorite.  I also made tacos for dinner.  One of his favorites too.

Homemade shampoo was made, made homemade foaming hand soap, made a breakfast scramble for the next few days, got the kitchen cleaned up, and more dish scrubbies crocheted.  Monday the weather turned cold and windy.  Super windy.

Plans A-F have passed, and we are now onto Plan G.  You know the rain has been bad when the news tells you the best day it is to mow your lawn.   I picked a crock pot dinner yesterday.  Here is why....

We had a non-windy dry day, Hubby had tilled a bit more, and 54 green pepper plants went in the ground.   I planted 3 - 35 foot rows of green beans, 5 squash mounds and filled dirt into two grow bags (13 to go).  I have more plans.  Just depends on weather (and when I can get a load of dirt), but we'll get something I hope this year.

I got out the hand saw and cut down some trees growing near the foundation.  I'm trying to take on Hubby's outdoor work as I can.  He's so darn tired from his full time job right now, that I literally have to remind him what vehicle he has to take.  On days daughter interns, he has to take the truck.  It's too hard for her to park it.

Quit about noon, came in and put one more load of laundry out on the clothesline, showered, ate lunch, made a gallon of homemade iced tea and plopped my bum in my porch rocker with a crochet hook.

Unfortunately, my coop didn't get cleaned due to the focus on planting.  I'm doing it by myself, so choices had to be made.  


Monday, June 10, 2019

Weekend Updates

(Today's rain)

We've had a few dry days, but planting hasn't happened.  Hubby is over worked and sick, and tilling wasn't going to get done.  I may have to hire someone for some work around the outside of the house as well.  It's frustrating, but I can't change his work schedule.  We have lost one jalapeno plant to the last storm, and maybe one tomato, but all others still look good.

Saturday I ran errands all over the "big city." Picked up chicken feed, stopped at the bank, visited Mom and took her some lasagna, stopped at the grocery store and finally found organic fresh broccoli, and picked up another 453# of mulch.  Had to load the darn bags myself, since they only had one guy helping and it was too hot to just sit and wait for him. 


....when I'm unsupervised. 

I also picked up some solar lights for what little garden I have planted.  I am trying to deter the deer, coyote and other critters now.

Jesse stopped eating his food again, so I cooked a farm fresh egg for him and he finally ate.  Poor ol' dog.

Sunday, Hubby's only day off, we awoke to more rain.  

It's now occurred to me that with the crops not planted and the massive amounts of deer we've seen (more than ever before), that I need to get a dog and walk it around the property lines.  Daughter took Jesse to the park for the day and with him gone, I was lost without a dog for the day.  Fence is back on the list.

It's already been one heck of a morning.  Tiger flew out the door when I went out to take Jesse out. Took me an hour to get him back in.  Darn cat!  Looks like I will be getting out a hand saw and doing some of Hubby's outdoor chores.  They have to get done, and we can't really hire help.  Wish me luck this week, and maybe next week too.



It's a balmy, humid (88%) 70°F at 5:23am.  Rain is in the forecast again.  Yes, you heard me right.  More rain.  90% of farmers have not planted their crops, and my green bell peppers are starting to look terrible (no planted).



I was inspired to read a book by this author after our visit to the Alcatraz Crime Museum in Pigeon Forge.  The book explains how the author got his experience in forensics.


He was a forensics specialist and used his knowledge to write fiction books.  It just inspired me to read one of his books.  I've already ordered his first fiction book to read.


I'm also reading through old "writer" magazines I had bagged and stashed  in my bedroom closet.  I'm determined to clean them all out of there and actually read them.  Otherwise I'll be tempted to stash them back in the closet, and we don't want that happening.




I borrowed this movie from the library.  I love books, so I enjoyed this movie, however the ending is a bit of a downer.  I do recommend it if you love books.  You'll be reading a book or buying a book after watching it.



 Remember these kits I put together?  I decided it needed one more item in it....


A pair of reading glasses. I may buy more smaller eye needles and add a few of those for crochet thread projects.


I hate it when this happens - yarn imperfection.  Good thing I wasn't that far into crocheting this square.


. . . making granny squares for a Christmas present (scarf), another knitted dishcloth, Christmas ornaments and painting mini clipboards (which is on halt due to humidity).  More on all of these later.



Hubby refused to see a doctor at Urgent care Sunday (hmpf).  I got up and started breakfast Sunday.  He later got up and did the eggs for these omelets we had.  Wild violet jelly on the English muffin.  So good!

Sorry the post was so long today.  Hope you enjoyed it!