Pioneer Woman at Heart

Thanks to the "budget" baking mix, and Candy's recipes at Lazy J Bar C Farm , we made a batch of Zucchini muffins .  I tossed in some chocolate chips and the family chowed these down.  I'm already thawing more frozen zucchini for another batch. While I was at it, I also pulled some frozen pumpkin puree for some more baking.  I was out with hubby the other day and read this saying on a small sign: Good Moms have sticky floors, dirty ovens and happy kids! Love that saying!

  Our last hay provider has told us that "it's just not worth the hassle" when we asked why he was not going to grow it next year. Each year we locate hay, we run into this.  We will most likely have to grow it ourselves in the near future. For now, we need to save money and repair one barn roof, and buy up what he has left, and store it up in a loft.  Prices have gone up to $3.00/bale, and straw up to $2.50/bale. While walking on the treadmill, I actually read a magazine.  I thought I had purchased "Backwoods Home" but brought home "Back Home" magazine. There was a lot of information packed into that magazine.  I learned that witch hazel can be used to help dry up poison ivy, I learned tips on raising a milk cow and drinking raw milk, I learned tips on raising beef, and so much more.

We've been having wonderful weather that is perfect for drying clothes outside.  What a strange winter this is.  We even grilled out last night.

from the Homesteading Journal. . . We stocked up another truck load of hay for the goats. Speaking of goats, my 15 year-old said she could feel Peanut's baby kick.  She is due to kid in about May.  (sorry for the bad photo - bad lighting) I am trying my first batch of "budget" baking mix and we made Monster cookies.  They were pretty good too. I've found another way to add kale to our meals - mix it in with garlic mashed potatoes. Note to self - plant more Kale in the garden this year. I've also been looking for ways to utilize our stocked up blueberries and ricotta cheese.  Both are future goals for us - produce enough home grown, chemical free blueberries to stock up, and make homemade ricotta cheese from our own raw milk.  I've been adding both ingredients to pancakes and topping with a homemade honey syrup.  Every time I bought a bottle of pancake syrup (when real Maple syrup was too expensive), I would cringe.  To my surprise, the hom...

Take time to watch the sunrise each morning.

The last couple of days we have had a thin layer of snow each morning.  The problem is that it's over a layer of rain that froze, melted and froze again.  The school closed yesterday and today they have a 2 hour delay.   I mixed up my first batch of "baking mix" that will be stored in those two containers you see in the photo.  Last year my Uncle gifted us with some dishes and those containers have been very useful.  The mix will be used to do baking with, and to see if it's useful for us (in saving money).  I am a whole wheat flour kind of person, so this is a real test for us.  If you haven't seen Candy's blog, this recipe can be found here:  Lazy J Bar C Farm . I'm starting to work on my "family history" projects (in teeny tiny steps), and remembered that Mom gave me her mirror and hand brush set last year.  This set was given to her in 1956 for my Grand parents.  It is completely unused and in perfect condition.  The ...

Jasper and Tiger were playing and fell asleep right afterwards.  Jasper is sleeping with his head directly on top of Tiger's head.  Both are sound asleep.  Awwww!   My 15 year-old and her Billy goat.  It takes a lot of love to love a Billy goat..... Good barn kitty!  This doesn't show the love that this cat has, but she is a wonderful mouser.  We have 3 barn cats and they are so loving to us.  They can kill a mouse one minute and curl up underneath our chins the next.  Aurora (pictured above) can purr very, very loud.  She's truly one of a kind. If you've been following my blog, you know I've finished the egg beater rack , the strainer plant pot , the garden mushrooms , and the drapery ring ornaments . You also know I still working away on the sherbet colored afghan, and a knitted block blanket.......well, guess what?  I've added more "projects" to my list.  I have a wonderful idea for using ...