"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.

Tuesday, February 2, 2021

Tuesday Tidbits


A trip to the other "Big City" was canceled due to the bad weather.  I just jotted a short list for the daughter who has to work there today.  Hopefully can pick up a few things.

We decided not to go after my youngest called and said she spun off the road after spinning in a circle.  I was thankful we have a family group text and someone was available to get her back on the road.

Thankfully, before she walked out the door I made her put on her snow boots.   In hind sight, I should have told her to pack an overnight bag and stay the night in town with my Mom or brother. The roads are just terrible.

The extreme clean resumes with my husband back to work.  What left the house so far (or is boxed ready to leave)?

-several refillable zoo cups.  I'm sure with covid, they will never be doing the refill offer they used to do.

-several glass dessert cups.  They came from Goodwill, and will be going back.  I don't use them anymore.

-notebooks and notebook paper, school binders (8 so far) that the kids don't need anymore


First time loading a video, so I hope it plays.  It shows how the cordless blinds work.  Sorry for the bad light.  It was snowing again.  I'll get better photos of them soon.  They do come with a wand to control the light when they are all the way down too.

Youngest, my husband and myself spent time shoveling out parts of the driveway.  I had no idea it was so bad until we went to fetch firewood.

My fancy technical instrument to move the firewood to the house was the sled.  Always works like a charm.

Back to the shoveling....it's about a foot or more deep in the areas behind the vehicles.  I have to go back out this morning and work more on it.  The wheel horse is not working (on the spring list so we are prepared for next winter, sigh).  Anyway, we have to get it shoveled, because it's going to freeze in the next few days.  

We did manage to shovel out the very heavy stuff at the end of the drive where the snowplow blows it in.  Had to shovel out the mailbox too.  Mail wasn't delivered because it wasn't shoveled out.  Our driveway is a huge U-shaped drive.  We quit putting up a snow fence.  It didn't matter where we put it, it was always in the wrong spot for the wind we got.

We had ham, asparagus and baked beans for dinner last night, so I have leftover ham to work with.  It may be a nice hot soup of some sort.  I'm going to need it after shoveling snow.

Ideas for revitalizing and energizing yourself (cont.)
16. Clear your mind
17. Develop the attitude of gratitude
18. Think positively
19. Learn to accept what you cannot change
20. Learn to love yourself


 

Monday, February 1, 2021

Happy Homemaker Monday

The hallway flooring project continues, and yes we had some hiccups to delay the final edging of the steps.  Heck we didn't get any trim done either.

My brain wasn't working when I bought the new blinds.  I scrubbed both hallway windows, and we installed one.  Only to find out I bought the wrong ones (too short).  We got a good laugh, loaded them into the truck and luckily they had two left of the right length. 

We love the new blinds.  They had 3 brackets and the blinds snapped right in.  No messing around with metal slide in brackets.  Oh, the best part?  They are cordless and I love, love, love that.  I'll have photos to share as we get closer finishing (which could take 2-3 more weekends at this rate).

Over the weekend, I managed to clean the very top shelf in a kitchen cupboard.  Guess what I found? 

Ha ha ha!  The girls seem to think we tried using them for bottle feeding the kids (baby goats).  They may be right.  I found three that are going to be donated.  I know we used pop bottles and special bottle nipples for the goats.  I haven't found them yet, but there are more cupboards to purge yet.





I'm also tickled pink I found storage baskets that fit the very top cupboard, and they have a low handle, so us tall people can easily reach, and pull down the basket (makes better use of the space and we don't have to stand on anything to get to that shelf).  I need about 3 more, but thrilled they were only $1 each.  Best inexpensive storage idea yet.





 I'm joining Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom. 

I'll link up when she posts.

 The weather outside is. . .

14°F, snowing and blowing and a brisk cold wind out of the northeast.  Nasty weather.  There is really bad drifting over the roads. Daughter K got home last night and said the roads in the county she works were all clear.  Once she hit our county the roads were terrible.  I saw one snow plow yesterday.  They are really bad at keeping our roads clear.  There are many delays, some closings and our county and others are under level 1 emergency.


How I am feeling this morning . . .

Cold.  The northeast wind makes this house so cold.


On my mind . . . 


I need to get more netting cut.  I have to push 10 yards over the kitchen table, cut 3 inch strips and roll into balls for scrubbies to be crocheted.  It can take me about a half of an hour just to cut enough for 2-3 scrubbies.  I like to devote one day for cutting netting and another for the crocheting.

On the breakfast plate . . .

Coffee so far.  It may be a round of blueberry pancakes.  I guess I decide that later.  Maybe some sausage too.


On my reading pile . . .

A 1933 copy of The Earth Turns, by  Gladys Hasty Carroll.  Fun fact.  The book was the 2nd best selling book in 1933.  I obtained it from a library book sale years ago and found it on one of the bookshelves.

On my TV . . .

Comedies on Netflix.  We just need some uplifting movies.


On the menu this week . . .

Ham, roasted brussel sprouts

Tuna and noodle, mashed potatoes, corn

Soup of some kind?  Not sure yet on the rest of the menu


From the camera . . . 


Pretty much sums up my weekend.  The dollar store had scrub brushes that worked perfect to clean up the windows.  


Looking around the house . . .

I have one last box of books ready to donate.  I laughed when I opened a cupboard in the garage the other day.  My husband saved all his college books.  I told him he's next to purge, ha ha!

Oh, and Daughter K still hasn't taken down her Christmas tree she put up in my living room (sigh).  She's working a lot, and strange hours, so it'll come down on her next day off hopefully. 


New recipe I tried or want to try . . .

Muffin recipe I have not had time to try yet.


To relax this week I will . . .

Read, crochet or journal.


Something I want to share . . .

Ideas for revitalizing and energizing yourself

11. Learn about stress

12. Be sensitive to all dimensions of life 

13. Take a course

14. Go to the public library

15. Think about great ideas

(sharing 5 a post, as there are 83)


On my prayer list . . .

Mom.  She wants to get the new vaccine, but has reservations about getting it.  She's had bad allergic reactions to medications in the past that landed her in the hospital.