A few of my favorite things . . .

 I've always wanted to make this post, so today it's what you will be reading about.  What are some of your favorite kitchen utensils, or other items?

(not advertising, just sharing) - small OXO spatula.  My absolute favorite for cooking eggs especially.  One curved corner, great for going around pan for sauces etc.  I love it so much, I bought the kids one for Christmas.  It's great for cookies too.

Not sure what the brand name is for these rubber gloves, but I found them at our Menard's in XL, and they hold up much longer than the yellow ones at grocery store.  They are a bit larger for the size, but hold up longer.

I love my neck light for crocheting/knitting.  You can see it's been taped due to a dog getting ahold of it.  I really need two of these.  I can use one, while the other charges.  The lights are bright and have 3 settings.  It's a Minger, but out of stock on Amazon.  My next light will be different, unless they re-stock it.  I love mine!  Especially during winter, when it's so dreary outside.  Like today.  It's snowing.

My favorite, affordable, kitchen thermometer.  There are nicer ones that cost more, but this one works great for now.  If it eventually dies, I will upgrade to the next best one.

My absolute favorite writing pen - Pentel Client.  Staples in town stopped selling them, but I can still order them online.  However, the last two I purchased do not write as smooth as they used to.  Time to find a new favorite pen?

Tea infuser (left in photo).  It's from ingenuiTea by adagio teas.  My Uncle got me hooked on this infuser, when he sent me one with teas included.  It is so easy to make any herbal tea that is not in a store teabag.  Here I made hot ginger tea using freshly grated ginger, and put honey in my cup.  You sit the infuser over the cup and the liquid drains into your cup, keeping the herbs etc. in the cup.  Easy to clean too.

The weather is not so great today.  Snow and more snow later this week - poor man's fertilizer they call it.  I had plans to at least clean the coop roosts.  We'll see if that happens.

 

Kitchen Progress ~ Garden Planning ~ New Breakfast Recipe Tried

Our rain turned to drizzling snow.

The kitchen table is almost cleaned up.   I went with a neutral tablecloth.  I was tempted to get out a Valentine's Day one, but this will work until Christmas.  I just have so much on this year's to-do list, changing tablecloths is off the list.

I still need to dust chairs, sweep and mop under the table, but now 3 people can sit there, ha ha!

I have stuff on a few chairs to deal with, and of course the entire floor yet.  Paint will be moved to the next painting project (hallway, bedroom, and master bath).  Upstairs is going to wait until next year, but we will be removing all the carpet very soon.

Sort of a boring post today, but I have been crocheting and watching the cooking channel, in balance with purging and tidying up the house.  The other day, I tried changing the channel, as it was making me hungry (and wanting to write down yet another recipe), but the remote died on me.  I had to get up and do something while the remote charged, ha ha!

I actually have another garden journal, but found the simple notebook works fine for me.  Anyway, the other is a journal with graph paper to draw out where and what I plan to grow each year.  I go out and map it out then draw it down on paper.  It's sort of fun to plan it this way too.  My stand is already in place, with grow lights - gettin' excited for another garden year.

I changed things up for breakfast, and the ladies (chickens) got a treat out of it too.

I have, however, found a new baked breakfast recipe to try.  I'm always looking for something different, and something that uses less eggs right now.  The ladies are not back to normal laying yet, so.....

Kitchen Table and the Over Flow of Recipes

 

Before (after the initial before ha ha)

At the end of the day.  The kids even spilled an oil lamp on this table.

I am sure if you have followed my blog over the years, you will see me post about my long and forgotten and most collected/printed recipes to try.  Ha ha!  Two made it to the Christmas binder and two to the trash.  Not sure if I want to go thru the entire pile just yet.

The table was worse than the above photo.  I had drawers from the breakfast bar, lots of tools, and other stuff.  It's winding down to outlet covers (will get replaced), crocheted item price tags, jar of buttons, dental papers, plant pots that had plants that died and what not.

The table is 24 years old.  It needs refinished.  It has permanent paint marks from the kids, and a few holes from hammering boy scout derby cars on it.  I will clean it up and most likely put a tablecloth on it for now.

My new file folder for the computer/bill paying station.  I have my stamps, note pads, sticky notes, planner and important files organized once again.  Instead of printing anymore new recipes, I jot the website and recipe in that yellow notebook.  If I try it, I will try it first without printing it.

For now, I am starting (again) indoor herb plants in the living room.  I need basil seeds though (three pots under window).

Hot mess!  More to clean up, and put paint cans and paint supplies where they belong, sort another box and other stuff that was moved.  I think there is shelving padding on that chair I still need to install in some more cupboards, and there are two cake pans a person never came to pick up, so those need to be dealt with.  Next week's project.

I finally unboxed my chicken cookie jar I bought back in Feb/March of 2022.  I got a great deal too - $8!  It's in the kitchen cabinet now.

Storms knocked our power out last night, so I was thankful my portable phone charger was charged.  We have candles, oil lamps and battery operated lights too.

Today, the weather goes back to a winter weather.  I'm still dealing with laryngitis, and swollen lymph nodes.  The fresh ginger root has definitely helped, but I'm not back to normal yet.  I also have a humidifier running in our bedroom now. Thank you for your prayers, good mojo, and good thoughts.  

Random - ness

 

Progress is slow, but continues - cleaned out two boxes of stuff from the computer area (we are talking stuff boxed up since last February/March).   Yes, there are very old floppy discs in that box, ha ha!  

Broke down 4 boxes to get rid of, and in the process, found my devotional, and some forever stamps.   I found a file folder filled with new recipes to try, body butter recipes, salves to try etc.  I'm half tempted to just toss it all out, considering it's all been in a file for many years now.  No surprise there.

Don't laugh, but in the process of that, and opening mail, I lost two lists I had going.  I am sure they went into the trash with the envelopes from the mail, and that bag was already taken outside.  The lists were started again, and carefully placed, so I don't do that again.

Garden seeds have been ordered.  I just have to check the herb garden seeds.  I am pretty sure I need basil, cilantro, and parsley, but will check again this week.

Laundry was started, but I'm limited to two drying racks inside, and I filled my unit in the laundry room that holds shirts on hangers. Just trying to save on my electric bill.

Outside Christmas lights are down and back in storage.  The rain returned, so that is off the list now.

I updated the home journal, and taped the paint swatch inside on the living room page.  I still need to get photos printed to add to the journal for the floor repairs we did.  I am also missing my paint chip for the doors and other trim.  I'm sure I will find it when I do more cleaning.

I think I over did work yesterday, so today it's hunkering in, crochet, thunderstorm day.  I did not sleep well with this sore throat.  I have already been on a round of antibiotics.

My husband's first day back to work was yesterday.  He talked to co-workers, and there is a virus going around with laryngitis.  Lovely.  Also, the trip to FL was a blessing for my husband.  He found out the guy he was to work with, had he not gone on the trip, had covid while we were gone.  

Anyway, I could not sleep with this scratchy throat, so it's ginger root tea today, possibly with honey and lemon.  My husband caught something too now, so he is not sleeping well either.  

I'm thankful for leftovers for tonight.  We have had to purchase eggs this week.  My ladies are not laying again yet, and that is frustrating, but they do deserve a winter break.

Chit Chat

 My jars finally arrived.  These are different, but perfect for my homemade salves.  I had plans to make one this week, but wow, my house is in a work of progress right now.

One complete box of donations left the kitchen floor.  It's one less box and one more step towards an organized house.

I'm feeling slightly better, but I picked up some lemons to add to my ginger root tea.  I'd like nothing other, than to sit and crochet today.

My chicken sitter stopped by and we paid him.  He is also our handy man, so we may be paying him to remove all the upstairs carpet soon.  There is no question that the carpet has to go.  We have no plans for the upstairs, other than we may need to paint the floor with kilz (for now, due to the animals ruining the carpet up there).  Daughter K had 2 dogs, a cat and a rabbit up there.

It looks like rain is moving in, so that changes the outdoor to-do list.  As far as the indoor to-do list, it is long right now.  It is sort of overwhelming, but getting checked off none the less.

Taking back the house continues and other ramblings....

 

Woke up to fog.  The weather today is high of 51°F.  No rain until tomorrow, so the chicken coop just might get cleaned today.  As you can see in the upper part of the photo, the Christmas lights are still up (but off).  I may just get those down and put away as the weather is nicer.

The living room floor has been cleared of boxes, styrofoam, window screens, and whatnot.  The breakfast bar has finally been moved from kitchen to living room, and the new plant stands have been put together for Mom's plants.  It's early, so hence the dark photo, but will try and get a day time photo for you.

The stands hold all but Mom's cactus.  It is blooming again.  I need to figure out a place for that.  I also need to re-pot it.  The cactus is still in the container that it came in (how it was at Mom's house).  I will need to contact a friend to make sure I get the correct soil, and I will need a new pot for it.

We have no end tables or lamps just yet.  The kids broke the last lamps we had (most likely the help of their dogs).  It's on the to-do list.  

I still have to clear up my yarn stash in my bedroom, now that the living room is done (and I can access the upstairs).  I need to find the last tie back for the curtains.  I didn't feel like doing it yesterday, so it's back on the weekly to-do list.

I also pulled the new wall decor from the closet to the living room.  We have not decided on where to hang the decor.  We may put up a shelf to match the white wash theme, but we have not found a board for our white wash barnwood shelf brackets just yet.

I have pulled several boxes of "office" stuff that was shoved into the office from the computer area (kitchen) when the kitchen floor was done first.  Lets just say, I have a lot of boxes to go thru and purge, re-organize and put back where it needs to be (or find it a new home).

I still need a file folder for the computer desk area in the kitchen.  I better write that down before I forget.  The last one I tried to order from Amazon, had to be returned due to damage.

Our paper shredder died on us, so I have asked my husband to get us a burn barrel.  We'll see if he remembers. 

Most importantly, today I will be getting out my garden planner and getting a plan in place.  Possibly some new chicken coop plans as well.

Happy Homemaker Monday

 

First, thank you for all of your well wishes.  I started to feel better, and to be honest, just wanted to sleep to recover.  My husband however, had a different idea.

Last minute, we took off for the long drive to FL.  Again. I guess he feels obligated when it is a good friend who wants to ride motorcycles in warm FL weather.  

The vacation started out rough.  I wasn't completely better, and the fact that one couple brought their babysitter, and two kids (one sick and not treated until they returned home, and also teething the entire trip), made the first part of the so-called vacation a total non-vacation.

My husband pushed me to go, saying they promised us a nice room with king bed (we never get a king bed), and said it was the nicest house ever rented.  When we got there (two days later than the others), they had given our room to one of their kids (who refused to give it to us upon arrival).  We ended up with a queen bed room, with no TV in it.  The bed I could handle, but no TV?  The only living room TV was taken over by the kids and one other person sleeping on the sofa (due to the babysitter and kids taking up bed space).  I literally, just wanted to leave and go back home.

The biggest deal for the trip, was riding our motorcycles across the Sunshine Skyway Bridge to St. Petersburg, FL.  I'm not a fan of heights, so this was an anxiety ride for me.  The rest loved it, but not so much me.  Google this bridge.  I went over the original bridge (before a ship hit it), many years ago on a family vacation (as a kid).

(photo one of our friends took on the ride)

I however, came home with laryngitis.  The FL weather was great, but the dry air in the rented VRBO home was not nice to my throat.  I'm sipping ginger root tea, downing sage tincture, and what not.

I honestly, did not want to go to FL.  I was looking forward to resting and hunkering in for winter, after a long garden year.  I think my husband is on board for this next January (staying home).  He said he had enough of south FL.  The roads were busy, lots of lights to stop at and we literally rode highway rides, vs country roads we do back here at home.  Too busy down there in FL.  As for me, coughing on motorcycle rides was not fun either.

I'm just glad to be back home, but like I said, dealing with throat issues.  I think my husband feels bad he pushed the vacation on me, and it never felt like a vacation.

After a long time away from blogging, I am joining Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom.

Will link when she posts.

The weather . . .

44/26°F, today, but will warm up to the 50's mid week.

As I look outside my window . . .

Right now I am . . .

Sipping coffee and posting this.

Thinking and pondering . . .

Getting out my planner, getting things back in order, figuring out meals this week, checking all tinctures I currently have, updating any home remedies, and getting some crochet time in (that I greatly miss).

On my bedside table . . .

Leftover remnants of cough and cold remedies.  Will clean that up today.

On my TV tonight . . .

Have no idea yet.

Listening to . . .

The morning news on TV.

On the menu this week . . .

Have no idea yet.  Will relax today and check freezer and pantry.

On my reading pile . . .

My husband bought me this book for Christmas.  I am about 3/4ths of the way in this book. First book to read in 2023, but I am still half way into a book from last year as well.

On my to-do list . . .

*see looking around the house

-unloading the truck, and doing laundry

-find the lost curtain tie back, lost it when we took all the living room curtains down to repair the entire floor.  I am still looking for one last tie back.

Plans for the week . . .

*see looking around the house

What I am sewing, crocheting, knitting or creating . . .

One thing I really missed while traveling, was crocheting.  I took a small project, but slept almost the entire drive.

My simple pleasure . . .

Honestly, after a long time with out it, sitting and crocheting.

Lesson learned last week . . .

Put my foot down, when I really feel staying home is best.  Never go on a group vacation if someone is bringing kids along (especially for a motorcycle group).  Stay home, if the "group" is all one family.  

Looking around the house . . .

It's "take back the kitchen" mode again.  Our handy man finished the living room floor while we were gone, and now we can finally start purging and putting everything back where it belongs.  We will finally get the kitchen table cleared off.

From the camera . . .

The pool we never used at the rented VRBO.  The kids that came along pretty much took it over.  Also, that is not a lake out behind the house, it is a canal between houses.

Prayer list . . .

No current requests, other than for myself to get over this throat issue and get our house back in order.