28 Weeks Until Christmas

 

Restocked.  Our grocery stores used to carry this, but with vanilla in it.  All area stores stopped selling it.  I have now prepared for the Christmas season, by re-stocking the organic/non-gmo corn syrup for any holiday treats.

If I don't make holiday treats, it will not be a wasted purchase.  I use it to make homemade Teriyaki sauce and also for a sweet treat (maybe once a year, and I typically share) of Whiskey Butterscotch Sauce (that is a true delicious sweet treat worth gifting, but will need refrigerated).

Tried a new recipe for baked and flavored pretzels.  I had about a half of a bag that was leftover from another occasion, and I decided to bake garlic-ranch pretzels.

First, the recipe stated to put it all in a ziploc bag and shake it.  I found that most of the seasoning stuck to the inside of the bag.  I will coat the pretzels in the bag with oil first next time, then sprinkling the season on the tray and mix right on the tray to retain the seasoning.

I used homemade garlic powder, and homemade ranch dry dressing mix for ours.  Very good too.  I only had the stick pretzels, but obviously, you could use any pretzel.  Most non-gmo pretzels we can find are in the "stick" form.

Recipe is very simple, and pretzels bake in 20 minutes.  It is a very quick recipe to add to your snack tray, or take to a gathering. Or simply to enjoy yourself.  Eating on a Dime (Recipe online).

Read this Christmas themed book, and crocheted a matching granny square for my book blanket.  The book also contains a recipe.

The recipe seems pretty bland or basic, but I may give it a try (to amuse myself), before handing the book off to another person.  Then again, I may not try it.  

I have not made any purchases for the advent gifts.  I, honestly, have not had the time to even think about them. 

I have finally found a store that still offers brown paper bags.  I have plans to use them to wrap the advent gifts with.  I have also ordered a roll of brown paper (pretty inexpensive), because I don't shop that often with a garden.  

I do need to get the wrapping of the gifts started, so I'm not wrapping them all at once.

28 Weeks Until Christmas  ©  June 2025 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

This and That

 

Thankful for the rain that arrived right after I finished planting the garden last week.  I have new garden goodies to try this year, and I have ordered a new item to start in pots (more on that later).

Our AC units are not installed yet.  We have not had anyone to help do that, and one person we reached out to, has not responded.

It's been nice to get back on track again.  It's been nice to "catch my breath" so to speak.

  The house needed a tidy up, I returned my library books, ran errands, and most of all cleaned up clutter.  The refrigerator got a good cleaning (needs a bit more cleaned).   The chicken coop mucked.

I updated the garden journal, made notes, and have made notes for next year as well.  We bought some of our garden plants this year, so I'm saving all the containers and trays.  I plan to use them for seed starting for next year (unless plans change by then).

Harvested:

-chickweed 

-fresh chive blossoms  

-green onions 

-garlic scapes  (have more to cut in a few days)

-wild growing wood sorrel 

Planted:

-onions

-shallots

-more rosemary

-borage

-more dill

-marjoram

-bunching onions

Apparently, we will be putting up some game cameras to see who, or what dog has been coming onto our property.  It's not a coyote and not a fox.  The deer are coming around more often too, so I will need to take measures to deter that as well.  There may be dogs, and maybe even a donkey added to the homestead yet.

Finished these crocheted water balloons in May.

They were gifted.

(another book blanket granny square)

Finished this book in May, and I was certain, I had read it before, but I don't have it listed in my book journal.  I am still sure I borrowed it from the library years ago.  The back of the book contains recipes and craft instructions.  

It was the most difficult (boring) book to finish, because we have already experienced raising chickens, and raising dairy goats.  We experienced hand milking LaMancha goats, making soap and cheeses etc.  We have never had sheep or a milk cow, but it was one of those books you read before you do all these things.  I had picked it up somewhere, and is a used library book, but it's read, and off the shelf (woot!).  It's being passed on, and out of the house.

. . . and another book finished (this month) and another granny square for the book blanket.  Very interesting book, the end was quite a surprise.

. . .finished this ebook from the library.  It was a random pick.  I liked it. It's hard to see the yarn colors, due to having to make a collage photo with the ebook photo and my granny square, but I think it matches very well.  There were recipes at the end of this book, and no, I will not be trying any of them.

. . . another baby blanket in the making. I have a person in line for this one too.

Food for thought. . .

Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.

Hebrews 13:2

This and That  ©  June 2025 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Mrs. Bird

 Mrs. Bird has been doing a lot of singing.  I almost (almost) got a picture of her.  Thankfully, she's singing and not squawking.  As long as she's already in the nest, she doesn't bother me at all.  Once I water the flower pot however, bam!  She really gives me a good talking to.

Check this out!  Could another bird be laying eggs in there too?  I took this photo on June 7th.

Mrs. Bird has inspired me to add a book to my bookshelf.  More on that later, but it's in the line up to read this year.

Meanwhile, the rain has been a blessing for the garden(s).

Mrs. Bird  ©  June 2025 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Smoke Haze in the Air

 

Although the cooler mornings have been nice, this is not  - wild fire smoke so thick it looks like fog. Cough, cough.  Why is it that this has happened only the last few years?  Growing up, we never (that I remember) had to deal with bad air quality.  It would have been a good day to open windows here.

Meanwhile I am trying to get caught up with everything that suffered in the last two weeks (it's not as bad as I thought), after planting the garden.  I'm struggling with blog content.  I may make it to the end of the year.  Maybe.  

Smoke Haze in the Air  ©  June 2025 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Prosperous Days and Lots of Patience

 The days here have been so long, that I cannot even remember what I did in the mornings by the time evening rolls in.  It's easy to forget how much work planting a large garden is.  I know it will be worth it, and it is starting out much better than last year (in more ways than one).

Exhausted with a capital E for sure.  Hard work in a good way. I'll be honest, I think we are more happy planting the garden this year.  

I finally got all of the garden in, and rain is in the forecast as I type (praying it does).  We are not planting pumpkins of any kind this year.  We still have a lot in the freezer.  We are sort of on the path of having some garden good last 2 years, so we can start to rotate what we do plant.  

Last year, I did not can any hot pepper relish, sweet pickle relish, can pickles, can jalapenos etc.  I planted 3 types of cucumbers this year.  Praying the harvest is bountiful.

We are talking about expanding it a bit to run the fence a bit more useful, so we plan to till an area  (it's between the asparagus and actual garden, and not really large) and cover it for the winter.  It would also make mowing/trimming less work. 

Speaking of covering the ground, we have seen this thick rubber mat that the Amish use on their gardens.  Does anyone know what it is?  Where do you buy it?  It looks heavy enough the winter winds would not whip it up like a tarp or plastic.

(picked on June 3rd - longest harvest we have ever had)

Now that the asparagus harvest is done for the season, we are looking forward to what's next to harvest.  The fall garlic is looking so much better this year.  After growing it in grow bags, and then raised beds, we have finally decided it's 100% better grown directly in the garden.  Now that it's just us two, we don't need to grow as much either.

Speaking of just us two, I froze way too many strawberries last season (long time habit of a big family), and have more in the freezer than I expected.  I typically use them for baked crumbles or crisps, or even add them to oatmeal breakfast bakes.  We have enough jam on hand too.  Any suggestions?  Muffins maybe?

I will make sure I cut back on what I freeze in the way of fresh fruit this year.

 No new recipes tried.  Heck, dinner has been a challenge in itself.  

Unless you count this dip recipe.  It's a new recipe I tried with a new canned bean, but it's basically like hummus.  It included red onion, so it's like a bean/tahini hummus with a "kick" to it.

No Christmas planning, but hope to get some progress on that.  Maybe.

Prosperous Days and Lots of Patience  ©  June 2025 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

This and That

 I've been using a sample size of horsetail salve, to see if it will help with the very dry cracked skin on my hands (joys of gardening).  I did a bit of reading (like a tiny bit), and it apparently is good to help brittle fingernails too.  I do not make the salve.  I, honestly, never heard of it, until we bought some earlier this year.  So far, it's helping restore my hands and heal the very dry cracks.  

Garden planting is still on-going.  The rain has now moved later into the week, so watering newly planted seeds and plants is happening.  I obtained a few packets of organic collard seeds, and have a new plan for them this year.  I read that if they are planted next to thyme, they thrive better (we'll soon find out).

Our garlic is starting to grow scapes, and the radish plants have not even sprouted due to late planting.  The two together, make the most delicious dip.  I don't need to cut the scapes just yet, but I read they will store in the refrigerator for a good long time, so there is hope for making the dip this season. 

I recently listened to a video, where the garden grower stated that once you cut those scapes off, your garlic is done for the season.  I read that you cut them off, so your bulb grows larger, but now I'm hearing that is not the case.  Any thoughts on that?

It's that time of year I call "dip" season.  Easy dinners that require no cooking, and are also light lunches or even simply a quick, nutritious snack.  The photo above is a dip that uses 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar in the dressing and it is delicious.  I split this batch in half, and added a fresh chopped jalapeno to one half of the dip this time.

Black bean and corn dip.

Our comfrey is now blooming.  I grow it in a plant pot, and it comes back every year.  If I had a "weed" garden somewhere, it would be grown there, as it spreads quickly (medicinal plant).

I am glad I make my own comfrey salve, as we have used that this year too.  Along with plantain salve and yarrow salve.

Something I learned, but have to check resources to make sure it's correct - borage blooms (another green I would like to start growing) look almost identical to comfrey blooms, and the plant looks very similar.  You can eat the blossoms of borage and they taste like blueberries.  Hm.  I have yet to plant any borage, but it's sounds interesting.  It is one plant I am not familiar with.

Something else I learned - the roots of cleavers can be used to make a red dye.  Very interesting (Learning Herbs).  I decided to go ahead and start a tincture with cleavers, but in a smaller jar.  We love ginger root for swollen lymph nodes, but I think the tincture would be nice to have on hand this coming winter. 

I started an apple cider vinegar tincture with chickweed.  My first tincture made with vinegar.  My research recommended filling the jar 1/4 to 1/3 of dried herb.  As you can see a little herb goes a long way (using dried herb) in this type of tincture.  It will sit for 4 weeks before I strain it.

I do need to make an inventory on tinctures. I like to get those all re-stocked when the plants are growing.  I'm considering making more tinctures.  Possibly more with vinegar this year, but tinctures with apple cider vinegar will only last 1 year.  However, you can use them to cook with too.  I'm considering maybe Thai basil.  Garlic would be a good one too.  

I have a packet of Sorrel seeds, and have yet to decide where to plant them.  I really need a "weed" garden somewhere.  I have never eaten sorrel, nor planted it, nor harvested it for any reason.  I did read a bit about it, and it is invasive and a perennial plant.  Has anyone eaten sorrel?  Worth the time to plant possibly in pots for a trial run?  Benefits?  Does it freeze well when blanched?  Best way to eat it?  I'll have to do more research on this plant.  Adding it to my "rainy day" activities.

Deer are on the move lately.  They are the reason gardens are fenced around here, but deer can jump high too.   

This and That  ©  June 2025 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Mrs. Bird

 

After a long, but productive day in the garden, I retreated to the front porch for some "rest" time and to enjoy a few minutes of reading a book.  I was being harassed by a very small bird.  I am not sure what it is, but maybe a wren.  It was squawking and carrying on at me like I was in her territory.  I kept looking at her and, of course, talking to her.  She flew off, and I had peace on the porch again.  

The next morning, I went to watering all of the hanging flower plants around the front porch.  Guess who has a nest (again) in one of our hanging pots?  Ha!  It's built interestingly safe from my watering too.  The top is covered and the entrance is low and on the side.  I used my phone to capture a photo of what's inside.  

Hopefully, Mrs. Bird will be copasetic and share the porch with me, without squawking on and on in the evenings.  The strangest part, it's the flower basket that is closest to the sidewalk and the front door, where traffic is in and out daily.  It's possible that Mrs. Bird and I will have a lot of conversations.

Funny story.  Mom and I used to talk all the time about wrens, and how beautiful their song was.  I would always get them to nest nearby, and Mom was jealous trying to attract them at her house in the city.  I stopped hanging houses up, but we do have a new one to install this year.  I'll have to keep an eye out and capture a photo and see for sure if it is a wren or a house finch.

The color of the egg (best I can see in the photo) suggests it's a Mrs. Bird wren.

Mrs. Bird  ©  June 2025 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart