Pioneer Woman at Heart

One Flourishing, Frugal and Fun Family!

One family learning to live off the land, cut back on expenses, and to live a simpler and a more self-sufficient lifestyle.

Adopted Motto

"Eat it up,
Wear it out,
Make it do,
Or go without."
~A Pioneer Sampler, by Barbara Greenwood~

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Another "what is this" plant?


My husband bought this for $.50 and was told it blooms orange flowers that are edible and can be put in salads. I'm on another mission to find out what this plant is called.
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Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Wild Black Raspberry Pancakes and the Heat

Today is a hot and sweltering day.  I have not completed any writing other than here on this blog.  The kitchen temperature is reading 90°F and we are continuing to go without air conditioning.  It will cut our electric bill in half from last year.

For dinner we enjoyed homemade whole wheat pancakes made with hand picked wild black raspberries.  Very delicious!  It was something inspiring for, the two kids who went out to pick them, to enjoy eating them.  They saw their hard work was worth it.

What is this?


I'm posting a photo of a berries we found growing on our property. I am hoping my Farmgirl Sisters can help identify this plant. Edible? Poisonous? Ornamental?
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Monday, June 21, 2010

New Discoveries ~ Wild Black Raspberries!


We discovered several wild black raspberry bushes on our property. With 6 acres, there is still more to discover. We are delighted to find these this year. They are delicious.  I'm glad we can enjoy these - grown without harmful chemicals.
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Saturday, June 19, 2010

Summer Puzzle Mania

We could be calling these hot days in June, "dog days" already.  Even the dogs are laying around underneath ceiling fans, hardly moving a muscle.  We opted on not using our window air conditioners this year.  Our decision came from the high cost of electric here. We will be saving the most money in July, August, September and October.

We stay clear from the direct sun, during the hottest part of the day, as much as possible.  Today I noticed several puzzles set up around the house.  One daughter has a 750 piece puzzle going, one just finished a 100 piece puzzle, and another is working a 500 piece puzzle.  The last one had me cracking up.  It's a puzzle of jelly beans.  I'm guessing she will be working on that puzzle for a long time.  Then again, maybe not.

I'm glad I kept a few easier puzzles in my closet, because hot days like today are definitely for slower paced activities.  Perfect for puzzles.

Garden Bounty - Potatoes


This is our first year to grow potatoes. Extended family purchased starters and shared them with us. Next year we plan to grow red potatoes. I have plans to chop them up for frozen hashbrowns after we harvest them. Right now we are digging around the plants and pulling the smaller ones to boil up with green beans. They sure do taste better than potatoes from the store. When these are pulled from the ground, they are very hard, unlike the softer ones you find in the store. Same thing with turnips, beets and other root vegetables. It's so nice to pull something from the garden and made a dinner with it. And is chemical free, grown with rain water and good ol' sunshine.

I can't wait to see what we will eat next. It's been hard work taking care of the garden, but it has been a huge help with living frugal and healthy.
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Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Keeping Productive

During the craft sale, over the weekend, I made another pair of baby booties. I just need to add a tie or ribbon to complete them. I used leftover yarn and will probably use scrap ribbon. It was too humid to make much more. I think this I'm getting even better at making them and will have scrap yarn on hand for this. It's perfect to tote to doctor appointments, waiting time in the car, and for when I just get tired of doing other things. I'm sure a center would love to have them donated.
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