"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, January 15, 2024

Still Cold

 Today the weather is 0°F, with a wind chill of -15°F. 

The forecast was for cold weather for the weekend and maybe Monday.  Now the sub-zero weather is predicted the entire week.

We have cold water, but the hot water pipes froze.  Many people in our area are dealing with all frozen pipes.  We installed heat tape over a year ago too.  The horrible high winds, combined with the bitter wind chill are just too much this winter.


Here is the crocheted scarf I finished.  It literally used an entire skein of yarn.  I'm happy with the coloration too.  Just in time for this freezing weather we are having.

Stay warm!

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.