Monday Madness

 

I'm calling it Monday Madness, as we return to a week of a regular work load, and trying to catch up for what we did not get done around here.  The bathrooms need a good cleaning, trash taken out, dusting, sweeping, dishes etc.  It also means, I am back to the kitchen for some homemade cooking and baking this week.

I'm dehydrating plantain, as the weather was good for it, and we needed it.  I have tinctures to strain, and salve making to do this month.

My husband is feeling better faster than me, and in doing so, has prompted the start of several projects that are overdue.  I'm not sure which one will be done first, but we have acquired the new window (will require some drywall work as well), lumber is ready to start the chicken run build (and we have stand by help for both), he's on board with the office purge (so old carpet can be torn out and the new flooring put in), utility room purge/clean up will once again start due to the fact we will soon need to remove the 16 year old washer and dryer.  Lastly, for now anyway, we have acquired a new heater for the master bathroom, and the old electric baseboard heater will be removed. 

Ha, and I thought we'd be slowing down this month.  I  am thankful that my husband is feeling better, but the holidays are approaching, so we'll see what actually progresses.

In the meantime, library books keep rolling in, and I have yet to even look at any of them.  The weekend went by way too fast, but I finished the last crochet lap afghan.

Here are a few photos I took, of the evil flying predator, known as the hawk.  I went out to see if it was still hanging around, and yes it is (they are unfortunately "protected" in our state).  The more I get photos of it hanging around, the more my husband is motivated to get the run built (will have a roof, and completely enclosed run).   Yes, I do need a rooster, but for now, we'll be focused on the enclosed run.

I'm going to attempt to keep a to-do list going, in order to stay on task around here.  I've already added more to it.  I asked my husband where we put the porch chair covers, and we both laughed.  We both have no idea.  Another job added, ha ha!

We are throwing ourselves into the week without a meal plan.  The only plan is to use what's in the freezer, needing to be used up first.  It should be fun.

Monday Madness  © November 2024 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Feeling Better ~ Sort of ~ Hen Killed

First, thank you all for your good thoughts and prayers.  We are both feeling better, but boy the fatigue is dragging on and on. My day starts pretty good, by by afternoon I am feeling exhausted.

 

The weather here sort of helps me be able to curl up with a book or yarn too.  It's been dreary days the last few days.

Rest was/is on the top of the list, but one food item I totally forgot about (when sick) is applesauce.  Home canned applesauce, from our apples.  The raccoons got our apples this year, as it was a drought year.  Any other year, they leave them alone.  

When it's a very dry season, we seem to have more of a wild animal/rodent problem.  Thankfully, we can buy apples nearby, but still not the same.

I had it on the canning radar, but it totally slipped my mind with our overly busy October.  It's back on the list.  It truly is the best tasting, but if we are too late for our area's apple season, I can atleast stock up a few jars of organic apple sauce.  

I can also check with one new (small, within a tolerable drive) self sufficient farm for a bartar or sale (I found out the wife cans and pressure cans).

Applesauce is not only good for when you are feeling ill, but for baking/cooking and for simply enjoying.

I typically have more soup options on hand, so adding more to the freezer is on the agenda - chicken and rice soup and maybe one more.

Keeping bread in the freezer is on the agenda as well. I have stopped baking it, as my husband has no self control when it is baked.  I will be trying a few new einkorn recipes maybe, and even possibly sourdough yet.

I will be making a list of seeds we need for our medicinal herb garden as well.  

On the sad report of the post - a hawk killed my buff orpington sometime late yesterday (before sunset).  I have not seen, nor heard a hawk here either.

(it came back for more, and you can see how well it blends in with the trees)

It's the first time in all the years for a hawk to get one.  We had let them out into the run, and headed to go get some supplies (more on that later) and we may have even interrupted it when we got home.  Hard to tell, other than we'll be needing to build the new run (with a roof on it) as soon as possible.  Not to mention, that I will be needing the brooder box in the spring now too.  

I think my husband feels bad, because I kept explaining to him that they are not protected from predators in the current run.

I have no carpentry skills to work on it by myself, and I'm sure he'd say I cannot unless someone was here anyway.  I will be working alongside him, so I can learn more.  He does have a full time job, but we can't delay this any longer, and more projects are underway now.

Feeling Better ~ Sort of ~ Hen Killed  © November 2024 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart