"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, April 25, 2022

Happy Homemaker Monday

 

We had beautiful weather over the weekend.  It was in the lower 80's, but Sunday the wind was pretty nasty.  We took off on the motorcycle to a friend's house, but retreated home after our experience with the wind.  Back at the homestead we got some work done.

I ordered a single rolling pin holder for hanging on the wall, and the Etsy dealer specifically said it was for only Pioneer Woman's rolling pin.  



Well, my husband spent some time sanding it down so it would fit.  I was in no mood to return it, so that has been done and up, to make more space in a cupboard.  I love it on the wall anyway.

I spent time putting shelf paper in the cupboards and re-organized my drawers, so all of my utensils are in drawers and no in a utensil spinner on the counter top.  I am super happy, because I always felt like it was looking sort of chaotic with it on the counter top.

I'm no longer feeling like a "hot mess" and now sort of like a semi-hot mess.  The kitchen is slowly coming together, and the purge continues.  It feels weird, but good to downsize some baking dishes.  The boxes are filling up for the donation station.  I still need to purge tablecloths, but have a few washed, folded and in a box as well.

Our asparagus is starting to come in.  I'm thrilled, but it also puts me in panic mode about all the work we still need to do indoors.





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

The weather . . .
Rain all day today.  I was hoping to use my clothesline today, but that's not happening.


As I look out the window . . .
It's dreary, cloudy and rainy.  The last hired help we fired, left our front porch a mess. It's on the clean up to-do list.


Right now I am . . .
Making a list, getting ready to pull food from the freezer to make the breakfast, and making a pot of coffee.


Thinking and pondering . . .
The half-bath project is on hold.  I thought about it, and told my husband, that it would be better to start that project after the living room floor was done.  I figure if we have to hire someone, they will use that bathroom, and I do not want it messed up after all that work.


How I am feeling . . .
Tired, but ready to get some order in my kitchen.  


On the breakfast plate . . . 
I'll be back with a photo possibly.


On my reading pile . . .
I'm almost finished with this book.  I've had limited time to read.



On my TV . . .
We are doing an eenie-minee-mo sort of pick.

On the menu . . .
-asparagus/bacon breakfast casserole
-Moroccan Stew
-Chicken crock pot dish
-Leftovers


Looking around the house . . . 
I still have two more kitchen chairs in my living room.  Those will be wiped down and moved back to the kitchen.  Daughter K left boxes of "trash" in the living room.  Those will be removed Tuesday after trash pick-up.


To do list . . .
-bake a breakfast casserole
-laundry
-bedding
-clean master bath
-put dishes back into the kitchen cupboards we took out
-paint areas of kitchen where my hired help didn't paint, and hopefully move my computer and printer back where it was.
-check asparagus
-water plants
-find a new home for a stamp collection (possibly someone in Boy Scouts)
-box up more teacup/saucer sets for donation
-order a decal for my bread box
-start clearing a space upstairs for the treadmill. I feel like we need to order a dumpster, and start tossing stuff out the upper window, she left that much of a mess up there.



From the camera . . .

The ornamental apple trees are in bloom, and the wild violets and dandelions are up now.



Devotional . . .
I can't find my book since I boxed my office area up.  I do not have any special prayers requests at this time.




Saturday, April 23, 2022

On a roll....

I started to clean yet another cupboard out, and realized I needed more shelf liner.  I went to the "big city" to get more at Wal-mart, and I'm glad I did.  There was only two rolls left of the color I already bought.

I also thought I better pick up a smaller paint brush to finish the kitchen, and there was only one of those left too.  Crazy!  

While walking down the kitchen bake/cookware aisles (can't remember if I was just window shopping or looking for something ha ha!), my eye caught something.  I'll get a photo for you soon.  It's my new obsession, and an item that I can display in some of my cubbies (and useable).

Back home I got more drawers and a cupboard newly lined with shelf paper, expired medicinal items tossed (left by Daughter K), and yet again filled another box for donation.  Now that we don't have the round, smaller kitchen table, I have no use for the tablecloths for that table.

I'll have the kids look at them first, but plan to donate the smaller or round tablecloths.  I have many more shelves to line, and then it's time to purge baking items.  I have two pans for mini-muffins that I know I will pass on or donate.  I used to bake candy filled cookies in those pans, and haven't used them in years.

It sure feels good to get things back in order.  Not to mention back to cooking again.  I'm going to get my husband on board to start looking at front room flooring.  However, I think we'll need to start pulling carpet up to see what type of flooring we'll have to be buying.  We may have to go with the glue down type again, or go with carpet.

I called our green house yesterday, because some of my vegetable plants didn't survive my trip away, despite Daughter K watering them.  They won't even be opening for another week, which is odd.  They are typically open in March.

I have a long weekend to-do list.  May your weekend be blessed with goodness.