Pioneer Woman at Heart

  Has anyone tried this with your tomato plants?  I keep seeing it shared online.  You put a banana peel in a jar, add water, let it sit for 1-2 days then pour it at the base of you tomato plant for a better harvest, bigger plant etc.  There are so many different directions to make this as well.  Some say cut the peel up, only let it sit one hour.  Then there are dehydrated recipes to chop the peel up with egg shells.  Any tips on this would be appreciated.  I already crush and drop egg shells in the garden. It's going to be even hotter today, and my husband insisted I stay out of the garden today.  I'll water, even though it says it will rain, because if I don't it won't rain. I actually got some crochet time in yesterday, and created something new.  I'll be sure to share a picture soon.

I've been busy weeding the tomatoes.  All 112 of them.  I am using a hand hoe until my smaller tiller arrives.  I have to stay on top of it.  Yes, the flower beds and herb garden are still waiting on me.  I am working solo.  My husband had to work Sunday and today.  No outdoor get together for us this year.  No grilling, no anything but garden work. However, the heat sent me inside.  I finally finished this order for a shop.  I had all but one already made, so that was nice.  I do need more buttons for making more though.  A trip to the craft store is on the agenda, but not soon. The heat will be worse today.  I'll be out there early to beat the heat and keeping an eye on things.  Yesterday I found that something dug up my cherry tomato plant, but left it.  It's been replanted and watered.  Praying it comes back to life, as I do not want to spend more money on a new plant.  It already had cherry tomatoe...

I had just finished a mountain of dishes, when I remembered I needed to find an un-finished project that needs done ASAP.  I spent about a half hour  finding the project, but no pattern. Well, I need to organize my patterns on a day I have nothing important on the to-do list.  I could not, for the life of me, find the pattern anywhere.  Of course, the house is in chaotic order right now, but I am thankful it was still on the internet.  Whew! Today's morning project - bagging garlic to fend of raccoons and deer.  Be sure not to put this near some vegetables that do not like garlic.  I am also hanging in the fruit trees.  Someone told us they do this and it works.  We'll find out if it works or not.  I bought some cheap garlic from the store to do this project. I have spent some time searching for close, fun destinations for my husband and I.  He sometimes has a day off, some weeks not.  I am having fun finding about new things t...

  Although we didn't get a lot of rain during the day yesterday, we got a good amount last night. I took advantage of it, and did some baking.  I make Mom's favorite snack (just because), and I tried a new recipe (as well as a 2 crock pot dinner - hot pepper mustard sauce over meatballs in one and sweet potatoes/thyme/garlic in another). The new recipe?  Bacon, cheese, jalapeno bread.  I used the frozen jalapenos from last year's garden, estimating "2" jalapenos, and left the seeds in (that is the way I freeze them).  We both loved it!  I'm adding the recipe to my "taco" night family get together.  It took time to make it, and a lot of ingredients, but so good!  I added the optional green onion, because the herb garden is producing well, although needs weeded badly. Daughter K arrived for another pick up, but did not bring her trash bags down stairs.  I was busy in the kitchen, and didn't realize it until she already left.  Anyway, more ...

  The garden is finally in.  I just have to drop some zinnia and dill seeds this morning before it rains, and put my garden cart back where it belongs. I bought a pack of 25 wooden, 5 foot tomato stakes online and got it shipped free to the house.  Funny story about the tomatoes.   I was planting when Daughter K called.  She asked if she would be the one getting any extra slicer tomatoes.  I would always grow them for Mom.  Guess who hopped in the truck and went and bought her a plant in the middle of planting?  Yep. That was me, but I also got me an extra hot banana, as mine did not all sprout. You know it was a long day in the garden, when you don't see me post so early today.  I slept very well, ha ha! Our friend came over and cleaned all the metal out of the burn pile.  He loaded up his truck and that job is done as well. I painted one more cabinet door, and cleaned some of a junk drawer out.  Then I called it a night. We h...

Last week I tried a new all-in-one crock pot meal - spaghetti and meatballs (with homemade ingredients).  We did not like it.  The pasta cooked too long for our taste. My husband and I enjoyed another harvest of asparagus.  I don't know that we'll gut much more.  I'm so glad we tilled and are expanding this in the garden. My to-do list has increased like you would not believe.  I am being told that my husband may not get the holiday off work now.  Not sure the honey-do list will happen.  So frustrated with this schedule this year. I happened to check my fit bit and account associated with our insurance and his work.  They increased the points from 3000 to 4000, so I have to find out if the absolute required increased from 1000.  That would not be good, considering the amount of work I am doing on my own with the gardens.

I am so thankful I have my husband, and his full and complete support in life.  No matter what is stressing me, he is always there for me, even with this long, long hours at work. He continues to work (coffee pot is pre-set for 4:15am) 12 hour days, 6 days a week, with about an hour to work and back.  If someone asks for his help with something, it needs to be super important, because he is exhausted when he arrives home.  He only gets one day off, and yesterday we had a date. Many people also assume I have all the free time in the world, because I am not employed.  I'm frankly tried of explaining how busy I am lately as well.  Between the garden, the kitchen painting, herb garden, and flower beds, I am exhausted by 6pm.  Sunday was a well over due sanity saver day off with my husband. Well, most of the day off.  We worked on a list of things that had to be done up until about 11:30am, and I got 3 things out of the garage we don't use anymore as well. ...