"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.

Thursday, August 19, 2021

Pie Pumpkin ~ A Funny ~ Tidbits

 


We have one pie pumpkin on all 4 plants.  Sheesh.  Bad garden year for everything this year, but tomatoes and hot peppers.

Something funny to share.  When we went on our motorcycle ride we pulled into the front of our nearest Kroger. My husband hopped off and left the radio blaring and ran in for a few items.  I was standing there trying to figure out how to turn down the tunes, and an elderly lady walked out with a cart just sort of looking at me.

I'm thinking, she is mad it's so loud. I didn't want to touch any buttons and later my husband walked out and realized he left it so loud.  He turned it down and the elderly lady in her vehicle now, drove up to us.  She said we reminded her of her husband and their times riding around on their bike.  She literally said, "we need more of that" pointing to the bike with the radio on, ha ha ha!  

I love watching America's Test Kitchen in my crochet down time, but lately many of the recipes require using a microwave to speed things up.  I don't want to use a microwave.  I know they want to share recipes that are quick, but hmm.



More jalapenos made their way to the freezer.  My cherry bomb finally has peppers on the plants, but I need them all in sync to make hot pepper jelly.  I guess time will tell.  I also froze 2# of carrots.


More tomatoes are rolling in, but I've only harvested about 14# so far.  I hope to be canning something soon with them.  The Amish paste in the photo is from the plants I grew from seed this year.

The ladies have been very happy this week with all the squash freezing going on.




Wednesday, August 18, 2021

More Squash ~ Crazy World and No Cashiers at Wal-mart and other Tidbits

My husband brought home more yellow squash and zucchini.  So happy to get it, so  I'm blanching and freezing almost daily.  The hot peppers are rolling in daily too.

I've been pretty good at keeping my cell phone charged and on me.  Mom's blood pressure dipped and when she couldn't get ahold of any of us kids, she went into panic mode.  I'm making sure she has all are cell numbers in case she has to call from her house phone.  Last time I called, she was feeling a bit better. (I drafted this post before the event at the end of this post happened)

I had to order new shelves online.  The stores are pretty limited (again).  Daughter K could not even get them at her store.  I have more totes of yarn waiting to be moved upstairs.

Not sure what's going on in your neck of the woods, but here it's back to restaurants going curbside.  Meanwhile this coming weekend the National Tractor Pulls is happening with thousands of people gathering from all over.  I'm not sure if the Canadians will be there, but it's crazy.  I have a bad feeling the gathering will be a super spreader and that is not good.  There are fairs still going on in our area as well, and a big street event in the "Big City" next month.  

Daughter E went to the local Wal-mart and bought a lot of stuff for her apartment.  She said every single cashier manned check out was closed.  Everyone had to use the self-check out.  She was not happy, because her cart was very full.  Crazy times we are in.

We have a few more camping trips booked, but we are monitoring the parks to see if they close.

I've decided to make a 3rd batch of Four Thieves.  Just in case, as my husband reminded me.  At least I have two and not three people here working full time.

We had plans to take a longer motorcycle ride for dinner, and at the last minute changed plans for a much shorter one.  Thank goodness we did.

Mom called (and had we taken the longer ride, I would not have answered my cell phone) and we had to run up and take her to the ER.  They admitted her.  Three doctors (Heart, Kidney and Endocrinologist, for thyroid) will be called in this morning to access what she needs. 

We were there for almost 4 hours and got home very late. We are running on 5 hours of sleep (or less).  Please keep her in your prayers, send good mojo and good thoughts.  Please keep my husband and I in your prayers as we are running on no sleep and he had to work today.  We are running on zero energy and sleep and feel like zombies today.

We both literally left the house to get her wearing slippers.  We went out the door that quick.  When we got home around 11:30pm, I saw that my chickens were still out in the run.  Gonna be a long day.