Heating the House ~ $25.00 Truck Load of Wood ~ Wig Party

Where can you find someone willing to sell you a truck load of wood for $25.00? It's rare indeed.  Thankfully, my son can lift these heavy pieces and put them on the wood splitter for me to split.  He unloaded the truck too.  Most of the wood was in stump pieces about 3 feet wide, the kind that no person really wants to mess with.  We, on the other hand, were very thankful to God for this wood.  Regardless of size.  We spent the afternoon splitting about half of it, until we needed to go inside and thaw out our finger tips.


Now, if we could just find wood pellets.  Clerks were giving my husband a weird look when he asked if they had any.  So far, we are not finding them.   One store even told us they are not ordering any more this season.  


This morning, we are off on a venture, to locate a store that has some.  Thankfully, we can call ahead, but even that isn't always accurate.  One time we called, they said yes we have them.  I arrived to find zero.  The person on the phone had checked my question by looking them up on the store computer, and not looking on the shelf.  They had a truck load, but it was outside, and not unloaded.  I made a point that time, to let them know I drove 25 minutes each way, based on their employee's answer.  I was sick that day too, and had just been to the doctor.  I wasn't a pleasant customer that day.


Last night my 10 year-old wanted the night to be a "Wig party."  We dug through our costume box and put on wigs.  Even "Tig" wore a wig:

And Jesse:

Ha ha ha ha!  Well...they wore them long enough to snap a few pictures anyway. 

Braided Rag Rug, Heart Wall Paper Note Cards and More Projects

We weren't really snowed in yesterday, but we did get snow.  It was perfect for sitting down in front of the wood burning stove, and to start braiding a rag rug.  

Cake Decorating ~ Birthday Cupcakes ~ Snow

My girls inherited cake decorating supplies from my mother, and they are definitely putting them to use.  My 15 year-old daughter surprised her older sister (on her 18th birthday) with a "birthday" cupcake at school yesterday.


I can't believe how well her flowers came out.  She used the tip that is used to make roses, and did an excellent job.


While working out with hubby this morning, we saw on the news that we are to get 1-2 inches of snow starting today.  I'm tickled we are finally getting snow.  The goats and the chickens may not like it, but I know a few of the dogs will be acting like kids later today.  When it snows (our black lab especially) pretends to have the need to go do her business, but really she just wants to go play in the snow.   Just like a kid.


Last night I was caught red-handed.  I was flipping through pattern books and attempting to crochet yet another "new" project, when I was caught.  My 10 year-old said to me, "Uh, Mom? Why aren't you crocheting my mittens yet?"


Guess what I'm doing today?  Yep....crocheting mittens.

Recycled Dish Scrubbie ~ More Freezer Baking

Thanks to Mooberry Farm Homesteading Journal, I have found another way to utilize my plastic net bags from my lemons, and other fruits and vegetables (vs. cutting the bags and crocheting the bags together). For directions

Fancy Farmgirl Soap Dish ~ More Freezer Cooking

I visited a small thrift store yesterday and found a cute dish to use for our soap dish on the bathtub.  We haven't had one for the soap, and this dish was only $2.00.  Although I think thrift store prices are getting to high to be called "thrift" stores, I bought it anyway. 

I also came home with 2 hat boxes.  Both are all dark blue and stained.  I plan to cover them with my scrap wallpaper or paint them.  I guess I just added another project to my ever growing project list (ha ha ha!).  I (yes I picked up more) also brought home a clipboard I plan to paint and possibly decoupage.

Yesterday I baked the family a Quick and Healthy Pasta Carbonara.  I tweeked the recipe, and cooked up fresh bell peppers, onions, garlic and mushrooms.  Instead of frozen mixed vegetables, I used frozen broccoli that came from the garden.  As for the pasta, I used a combination of organic spinach fettuccine and whole wheat linguine.  There isn't much leftover either.  They chowed it down.


The weather here is getting colder, and we are running out of wood.  It looks like my son and I will be firing up the chain saw.  I also need more wood pellets for the corn burner.  Even the price on wood pellets have gone up from $3.50/bag to $4.98/bag and at other stores $5.00/bag.


Our electric bill went up about $30.00 from last month, so I need to do a re-check and see where it's coming from.  I'll be looking over the bill and checking to see if they raised their rates too.

Funny Goats ~ Beautiful Sunshine ~ Progressing Projects

This is Peanut.  She's munching away on Collard Greens.  For more updates on our goats, and more photos, visit my 15 year-old daughter's blog at:  Life as a Teen Farmgirl.  She is the "goat keeper" here and has reminded me that Peanut is due to have her babies (hopefully two this time) at the end of March.

The sunshine today is in full force. It sure is helping me set my mood for a full day of house cleaning.  Thank you God for this beautiful sunshine!

It's another great day for drying my laundry outdoors again.

I am currently working on a few dishcloths and washcloths that have been sitting in tote bags, and about half-way finished.  I found a few more lingering in my closet.

I'm not sure what projects I'll finish next.  Perhaps my tatted hankie.

I have to share one last thought today.  Yesterday, we baked another batch of Candy's Zucchini Muffins (adding chocolate chips) and took them to my 12 year-old's first recital.  She insisted on baking something else, but I had zucchini thawed already, and it needed to be eaten.  We took all 18 muffins to the recital and did not bring any home.  They were a huge success and everyone commented on how good they were.

Enjoy your Monday.  For me it's a "clean" start to my week.

It Only Took Me a Year ~ More Freezer Cooking

I finally finished my sherbet ripple afghan.  It only took me a year to finish it.  Why?  Well, I have a large family and there are always interruptions and requests and needs and chores. And then there is me.  I tend to put a project to the side, and actually start another one.  Yikes!  I finished other projects, but they are gifts for Christmas and I can't spoil the surprise.


Today the fog is thick.  Once again the weather is strange . That's why the photo is not filled with sunshine.

This was Saturday.  We finally got more snow, but by the afternoon, we once again had a muddy mess.

This is Sunday morning - foggy and warm.

I found another way to get my family to eat collards.  I pulled a bag of garden tomatoes from my freezer and made this stew.  I found the recipes on-line:  Black Eyed Pea Stew with Collard Greens and Potatoes.

I like this recipe, not only for it's healthy ingredients, but that I can make this completely myself.  The broth can be homemade, the black eyed peas can be grown, the collard greens, tomatoes and potatoes can all be grown.  Despite this recipe not having a lot of herbs and spices, it tasted pretty good.

I also baked the family another new recipe: Halibut & Black Bean Burrito Casserole.  I could not find Halibut in our stores, so I used Mahi Mahi.  These were very good too.  I did cook my own organic brown rice for this, and baked up a pot of black beans (vs. canned beans).  I did not make my own tortillas, but that is a future goal for me.  These were gone before I could take a photograph of them.