"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.

Sunday, January 14, 2024

Baby it's Cold Outside!

 Winter arrived all at once, with rain, snow, high wind (high wind warnings), flood warnings, and now freezing temperatures.  We woke up to 3°F with a wind chill of -18°F.  

All is well, other than both of us have been best friends with biofreeze.  I took a fall in a parking lot.  It was the only patch of ice that wasn't salted.  Go figure.  I was stepping out of the truck and wooosh, down I went.  I caught myself with my forearm (on the foot area of the truck) and wailed myself back up, but with a sore bum, neck and arm.  Not to mention bruises.  Go figure, we are out of comfrey poultices in the freezer too.

Has anyone made a poultice with dehydrated comfrey?  I'm wondering if it would work too.  

Either way, I'm digging out my spikes to put on my muck boots today.  We'll be dealing with sub-zero temperatures for a while.  At least the beautiful sun is shining for us today.  For now anyway.

I also spent a few days under the weather, which slowed me down, but I'm slowly regaining energy.  Nothing like this weather to throw your inner health off. It put me behind in painting again, but I should be back to that task next week.

I finished my winter scarf in time for this weather, but will be starting on a new hat, as I gave my last one to one of the our daughters. It's now like I'm out of yarn ha ha!  I'll try and get a photo of the scarf to share with you all.

Thank goodness for my blog, as I have lost my pattern for the hat pattern I wanted to make.  I found the pattern online again, but cannot remember what hook size I used.  I sure hope I guess correctly.  I am sure I did not use a "J" hook as the online pattern states.  


I was asked about the measurements of a lap afghan, and the charts on the internet are all different.  Most say 36 in. x 48 inches.  I have to dig out my measuring tape to double check the one I finished, but my notes measure by how many colors to use.  I'll be back to up date on that.

 



Tuesday, January 9, 2024

. . .from the handiwork journal ~ Chit Chat

 Winter time is the best time to catch up on handiwork, but I am also very busy trying to catch up on abandoned home projects that need finished.



Finished!  One more scrap yarn lap afghan done.  Although it looks too short in the photo.  I need to re-measure and make sure it's large enough.  It's checked on my unfinished project list now.

I'm still tackling the rest of my list, but it's getting done.  I have, however, started a new blanket, but this was a plan from spring of last year, to use up other yarn I have.  Winter is the best time to crochet blankets (small or large).

I have had to frog two blankets, and I think it's due to me trying to finish them faster than usual.  Ugh.  I have more on the handiwork list to finish.

Bad weather is moving in fast.  It has been pouring down rain and the forecast is saying snow next.  It's not good. I am hoping it misses us, or for the most part misses us.  The beginning of next week is looking like there is the possibility of below zero temps.  I'm tellin' ya' the weather is all over the board right now.

We were not able to pick up straw due to repairs on the truck.  First, we replaced the front rotors.  Next, we thought we only needed two new tires, but we ended up with 4 new ones (which took 2 hours to get done).  Now, it's the back brakes.  If it's not one thing, it's another.


. . .from the handiwork journal ~ Chit Chat © Jan 2024 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart