Pioneer Woman at Heart

  I am finally in a slowdown (or sort of), and decided to start today with joining Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom.  I will attempt to link up when she posts.  Update:  The link worked!  Thanks for the comment to let me know! The sugar pie pumpkins have all been processed.  I am thankful for that, but wish I had gone to the produce stand and purchased a few more spaghetti squash.  I missed my window on apple seconds, but will be more mindful next year. The weather in my neck of the woods . . . We had a rainy, fall weekend, which is delaying any outdoor work.  I have started filling another box of items to donate (we just don't need or use anymore).  Our highs will be in the 50's all week. Things that make me happy . . . -waking up to a clean kitchen -finding new patterns to use my yarn stash for -no bills in the mail (ha ha!) -hot coffee and porch time -completing a home repair job (some can linger and linger) Book I'm reading . . . (p...

  I enjoyed yet another spectacular sunrise, and this particular day the temperture got up to 80°F.  I don't remember November ever getting that warm before. I'm am enjoying the "down" time here lately too.  I spent more time searching the local library catalog, and have ordered a few books via their interloan borrowing system. I even have had some "me" time, and finished another lap afghan.  It is the right width at the bottom.  It looks weird due to the angle I was holding the camera.  Anyway, another one done. I cook from scratch, so most days here involve some sort of  kitchen duty, so I relish leftover days.  I tried a new recipe for pumpkin oat pancakes.  The chickens are still on hiatus, so I switch to oatmeal bakes, steel cut oats, pancakes, waffles, or anything using less eggs.  Bacon is very expensive now, so we have been swapping it with Canadian bacon. (one of the recipes - Tahini Date cookies, recipe from Thrive Market) I ha...

It wasn't really planned, but the first day of November was dedicated to resetting my home and health, and recharging for the fall/winter chores. The travel coffee maker (single, but cheap brand) was cleaned up and put away.  The cooler we traveled often with, was also put away.  Counters completely cleaned off and sanitized (I like my homemade 4 Thieves cleaner), extra purchased dry goods were canned and vacuumed sealed, travel totes with paper plates etc. were put back in storage, and the suitcase put back in storage. I have two absorbant coffee pot/grinder mats.  While one is being washed the other is put out.  It really helps keep the coffee pot area tidy.  We like coffee. I double checked canning supplies, expiration dates on pectin, and so forth.  Checked the winter tea supply, and even dehydrated more sage. I had a half bag of sugar sitting on the counter for a few weeks, and finally put it canning jars, and vacuum sealed them.  I did not can a ...

Grab a cup of java.  I apologize, this post ended up too long.   October was a busy month for us.  We had so many plans, our plans had plans.  Whew!   Three weddings - one in another state up on a hill (they drove us up with a tractor and wagon) over looking a river, the other on a hill at a castle, and the third we didn't make it to. There were car shows, trunk or treats for the littles, a long distance trip to re-stock baking/cooking supplies (it's hard to find organic non-gmo in our area), garden work,  yard work and more.   One thing that did not happen, was our last camping trip, and it's probably a good thing considering.  The state put a burn ban on the campground, and the nights were down to the 40's.  The whole point to go camping (for us anyway) is to go off grid, enjoy nature, campfire cook, and enjoy an evening campire.  No being allowed to have a campfire, was the ticker that crossed the last camping trip off the c...

  I have been making this homemade toner all year, and it is ridiculously easy to make.  It's great to use after a hot day of work outside, but overall I love it.   You simply add 2-3 dried flowers to your witch hazel (double distilled, organic), and let it sit overnight, then add the last ingredient.  I store mine in amber bottles, but it is very pretty in clear glass jar. The recipe is online, and it uses 3 ingredients - Butterfly Pea Flower and Witch hazel toner.  Thank goodness it is that easy to make, because the days here are ridiculously commited to one thing or another.  We had a few hours of one day to get supplies for the new coop.  I kid you not about this.... At Menards you walk to the way back to place your order for lumber, then take the paper all the way back up front and pay.  you then drive thru a gate and get your order yourself, and drive out as they check your order. We literally got to the register, and my husband could n...

A quick apology to those who commented on my blog (as far as back as 2010!).  I just read Leigh's post about blogger randomly putting good comments in "SPAM" in comments automatically.  I have checked all of the comments, and was shocked that even my own comments were in the spam folder.  Be sure to check yours.  Read about it on 5 Acres and a Dream Blogspot.   Comments in Spam  © October 2024 by  Kristina  at  Pioneer  Woman at Heart

  Hot mess express checking in for a quick minute.  October has been, and still is a crammed month of commitments, projects and whatnot.  More so on the commitments (preventing other work to be done). I feel like the days are so out of control, but I dug out my new jars and recipes.  I realized I had not dehydrated comfrey or plantain, and needed it for one recipe.  Of course, we just mowed too. The kitchen is full of baskets of herbs and medicinal weeds, which are all waiting their moment in the dehydrator. Our weather changed rapidly, so I am working quickly.   Sticky notes to the rescue!  Without them, I would be a double hot mess express.  I finally made a phone call for a quote, that should have been done a year ago.  I was to complete that job today, but someone took the wrong vehicle to work this morning. Purging continues, but not as productive as it should be.  Garage clean out remains on the to-do list (did I mention too m...