Pioneer Woman at Heart

  Daughter E moved out.  She will be back next week to clean up the remainder of what she left (but I'm insisting it all goes with her).  I've already started to clean the carpet on one side of her room, and in the same process, purging the garage. Our workout equipment may get moved to her old room.  I guess we'll see.  We got rid of a lot of stuff in the garage, put some things out for free by the road, and took a huge truck load of stuff to recycling.  Thankfully, recycling is still open. I'll be back out to water all the gardens this morning.  Once again, the rain did not arrive.  I may check out some road side produce stands today.  Our zucchini and yellow squash is doing terrible.  If they are bad (because they grow like weeds), you can tell how bad it is this year for us. I purged a large storage cupboard in my utility room, and sanitized it, washed up everything (dust), and have it all ready for the canning/freezing (if that happ...

  I found these while looking for a portable table for the camper. They are very cool!  They are compact when not in use (store in the camper easily), and turn into a stool.  We use them in the camper for nightstands next the camper bed, and they have a strap to carry on hiking and fishing. I dug out my camping journal, because I forgot to take it the last time we went camping.  I have it updated now.  I cannot wait to add more trips to this journal.  We first used to borrow a pop-up camper in our first family camping trips, and made our coffee over the campfire. I had 4 hot banana peppers, so those were put in the freezer.  They are coming on early this year, so hopefully I will have more for canning and jelly making. Good news!  Blogger is fixed, so I can view my reading list now.  I'll be back around to read blogs.

I did a check in the freezer, and I think we have enough corn for the winter.  I will not be buying my usual 3 bushels this year.  I also had enough blueberries, so I did not buy my typical 10# box this year either.  I'm finally gaining on stocking up for 2 years vs. 1, but home canned tomato soup needs eaten within a year. I'm concerned with the garden this year. The above photos is a roma tomato.  After planting the paste tomatoes I grew from seed, some died in the storms we got, so my husband went out and found one last flat of roma's.  Plants are small and yield is small (other than hot peppers).  I'm seriously considering not planting a garden at all next year.  Possibly adding compost and covering it with tarps and giving it a rest for a year.   ....and then I have these thoughts and find this in the garden.  Finally!  Watering has paid off. I also made some  easy layered tomato dip  with some garden goodness.  ...

I watered the flower beds and herb garden first thing in the morning. We are once again lacking rainfall. Scramble - hannah sweet potatoes, zucchini, bell peppers, jalapeno, sausage, eggs and kale. Extreme clean update:  a box of my oldest daughter's left behind items left the house, and more doodle paper for my niece and nephew.   Daughter K is helping babysit my niece and nephew this month, as well as her regular job.  Good for her to pocket some savings for her move out. I told both girls, that when they move they need to take everything.  Leave nothing behind.  If there are things they don't want, it's their job to take it to donation or toss out.   Daughter E started boxing up her bedroom to move this coming weekend.  My first plan was to move my totes of yarn to her room, but I think I'll clean the entire carpet first, then add shelving units for now. Sad news.  A local salon is closing their doors after 47 years (due to the buildi...

I'm back back to gardening, weeding, and indoor clean up.  We haven't had rain, so my week started with watering everything before indoor cleaning started. The weather has been a beautiful fall like weather.  Cool mornings and gorgeous evenings.  We went on a bike ride last night with two other bikers and I slept like a baby last night.   However, we may be heading into very hot weather again. More blooms to share. I finally had some ripe blackberries to pick. The egg basket filled up over last weekend, so I may be putting some aside to boil again. My husband fixed the problem with the camper hot water heater.  Big hooh-rah to that!  I tried to get us a campsite for another park this month.  They are booked solid (as most are this year). Our hometown fair is in full swing.  First time in two years.  I am so happy to see it happening.  Not sure if we will actually get to go, but happy it's going on this year. I'm still unable to view...

  First, our first camping trip this year in the pop-up camper was our last.  It was getting too much for us two (all that cranking up and down), and too much bed space for the two of us. Our nephew and his wife were selling their hard sided camper, and said they just don't go camping anymore.  They had not used it for a year.  We went and looked at it, but next time we buy a camper we'll make sure we double check some things.  We simply trusted their word ("everything works" but again they had not used it for a year).  Thankfully, we were able to simply transfer our camper plates.  Oh, and it only sleeps 2 (he he!) We sold the pop-up the same day it was for sale, and made back half of what we paid for the hard sided camper.  Oh boy.  What a difference in camping.  Just back it in, put up the jacks, pull out the awning and relax.  I do like the fact that it did not keep us inside, and we still did campfire meals.  We do have a ...

  It's been a whirlwind of a weekend, although we got our 2nd camping trip squeezed in.  I'll have the full report on that tomorrow ha ha.  Oh boy it's too much to fit into today's post.  It's not just about camping, but the entire weekend, returning home and stuff I just can't make up. However I have photos down below for you all. By the way, blogger is still not working correctly for me.  My reading list is zero.  It keeps telling me no posts to read at all, and it's frustrating.  I have found a way to search for your blogs one at a time, but it's easier for me if you comment. Then I can click on your blog (if you have one) and read updates.  Hopefully they will fix it soon. Today I am joining Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom.  I'll link up when she posts. The weather . . .  Absolutely gorgeous!!  What I call perfect camping weather.  In the 70's and so nice out.   How I am feeling this morning . . . Well, rest...