"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.

Wednesday, December 4, 2024

It's Cold ~ Scarf Finished ~ Desk Project (which leads to Other Projects)

 



Remember the scarf I started to crochet for my husband?

Not the greatest picture but I was taking in a hot minute before my husband took off for work (early this morning).  I finished his scarf last night, and had enough yarn to add the end fringe.  I even have a small ball for a scrap blanket.  Anyway, it's a brisk 13°F windchill here this morning, and tomorrow will be even colder.  He is very happy to have the scarf on his drive to work today.  

The yarn was "newpaper print" by Red Heart.  It matches his hat that I made him back at the end of October.


On another note, I have my work cut out for me the next few days.  I'm cleaning out my old desk, and will be removing it from the last room with carpet in it.  Dogs and cats both have ruined the carpet (and the desk), so once the carpet is pulled, I will need to check the subfloor, treat it most likely and paint the room eventually.  

I have not used the desk since we completely replaced half of the kitchen floor/joists 2 years ago) However, the first concern is a storage area in the same room that is underneath the stairway.  We have discovered that it has huge gaps in the drywall corners, and it needs completely enclosed/replaced (after the carpet is removed). As the temperature dips, field mice look for warmer spaces (hence the drywall project in the storage area).

In order to crawl into the under-stairway storage area, the desk needs to be removed first (it's a small room).

In the meantime, mouse traps are set in the storage area, and project 6995847 (ha ha!) begins.

I'm going to need more coffee today. 

Progress report:

Christmas totes reduced by 3 totes (another donation box started)

Yarn totes reduced by 2 totes

It's Cold ~ Scarf Finished ~ Desk Project (which leads to Other Projects) © December 2024 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Tuesday, December 3, 2024

Four Beans and Sausage and Tidbits



Four Beans and Sausage to the rescue yesterday.  You still need to dice an onion (and I use bell pepper frozen from the summer garden, and home canned ketchup), but it's a one crock pot dish meal.  It was perfect for my Monday Madness in getting back into the groove of homesteading/adulting life again. 



While the crock pot did it's work for dinner, I took some time to make a sausage and potato breakfast casserole (real potatoes), bell pepper from the freezer, and added onion, garlic, jalapenos and dandelion greens (jalapenos from the freezer as well as the dandelion greens).  I only used 6 eggs and 1/3 cup milk for this 9 x 13 breakfast.  It is a bit spicy with the jalapenos, but we like it.

Thankful for leftovers today, so I can continue to catch up with bill paying, laundry, and my weekly to-do list.




I'm hearing that black kitchen utensils can leach poison into our foods when heated (or hot?).  Any truth to this?  If so, what are you replacing all of your mixing spoons and spatulas with?  I do have wooden utensils, but I still need spatulas and mixing spoons, soup ladles etc.


Library Loot Update . . .

I went on a library book binge, in hopes to find the recipe for the chicken noodle soup/chicken and rice soup starter in a jar. 


Gifts in Jars by Natalie Wise

The library books are rolling in, and the book above contains recipes for Chicken Noodle Soup in a Jar, and two other soup recipes.  If you are looking for homemade Christmas gift ideas, there are a few good ideas. 



                                  Layered Soup Mixes in Jars, by Jackie Gannaway

Some recipes in this book, that I thought would make great gifts (or for yourself) were:

-Rainbow Bean Soup Mix in a Quart Jar

-Cajun Cornbread Seasoning Mix - baby food jar or small  canning jar (I'm going to try this one myself soon)

-Navy Bean and Ham Soup Mix in a Pint Jar

-Chicken Noodle Soup Mix in a Pint Jar


Four Beans and Sausage and Tidbits  © December 2024 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart