King-tastrophre #263 ~ Calendula and Shea Butter Lip Balm

King has pulled another "king-tastrophe." He is my least favorite dog and will remain on that list until I get over what he did.  Ugh.

I hurried out the door with Zuri on a leash, and Jesse.  No different than any other day.  I typically take King first, because he does his business rather quick.  Yesterday, I took Zuri first.

I went back to the door and guess what?  That #@*# dog, jumped on the knob and locked me out.  I had no phone, all of the vehicles gone for the day, no keys, entire house was locked up as tight as Fort Knox, and I had one screwdriver and a metal no-trespassing sign to work with.  I debated to get the ladder and climb to check the second story windows, but put the ladder back.  Too risky.  Something just told me don't do it.  I knew exactly which window I'd break if it came down to that though.

Weeds ~ Chickweed Tincture ~ Whiskey Butter ~ Asparagus ~ Garden Planting Starts

I have been weeding the rose bed, which may get all torn out and roses moved.  Every year one particular rose plant in one area dies.  I think they get more shade than sun, so I may have to re-think what I'll plant there for color.  Anyway, I had a good amount of chickweed, cleavers and dandelions in that bed too.

I got all of them into the dehydrator for other uses, including facial cleansers, and even got a bit of dandelion root dried.

Garden Beauty

Although I already posted this photo, here are just a few more....some of these were taken last week or so.

Hiccups Continue ~ Barn Roofing Installed (or not)

He he, ha ha, ho ho.....looney bin do not suck me in....

Monday, Hubby pulled a double-whammy on me.  Just after he got to work, he called and said he had barn roofing and was on the way home.  I had planned to take it easy (ha ha ha!)

To gear up for the work, I had infused a nettle/mullein/oat straw tea and added juice of a lemon. My throat needed all the help it could get.

He arrived. We hooked the lift to the borrowed truck, ripped out some of the chicken run fencing, and ever so gently backed the lift in by the animal barn.  We cut the roofing to fit (or so we thought we did), got it in the lift, and sent Hubby up.

Only the battery wasn't charged.  We forgot to charge it overnight, in all our excitement.

A Tree Felling Story

Hubby told me last Tuesday, the he reserved a lift for Easter weekend. I was shocked.

This is my best friend this morning - coffee.  We've been sleeping pretty good, and will be for a week or two yet.  Grab a cup of your favorite beverage.  This is a rather long post.

Gettin' outside ~ Garden provides

In between garden work, I am slowly bringing the front porch to life again.  

Meals have resumed on the porch most days.  This particular day was a tad chilly, but I got out there anyway.

Wild Weeds ~ Dandelion Syrup

The recent rain brought us some of these golden goodies. It's dandelion season.

Bird watching and other fasicnating fun. . .

My to-do list was so long on Monday (washed rugs, rags, bed quilt, bathrobe etc.), I woke late on Tuesday.  Literally.  I overslept by an hour the next morning.  Sigh.  I knew I was pushing too hard.  I took the day off on Tuesday, as it rained anyway, so I couldn't work outdoors. Or so I thought.

Happy Homemaker Monday

Just to keep things real, I'm joining Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom.  It's Happy Homemaker Monday!

The weather. . .
It's cloudy, but very nice.  Rain is on the way tonight.  It's too wet to weed even yet today.

Planting has started. . .

We picked up some supplies recently, and got to work (again). 

Extra blocks were needed for raising the rain barrels a tad higher.  I couldn't get my bucket under them, nor a hose on them easily, as low as they were.

Amazing Friday ~ Re-Purpose ~ Random Homestead Happenings

Hubby took the day off work on Friday, so we could get an important appointment completed.  It worked out well.  One of my cousins flew in from CA, and brought her partner.  Somehow, we got almost everyone together in one place and had lots of laughs and had a wonderful dinner. Photos were taken, and it was sad to depart.  Hubby and I even got a motorcycle ride in as well.

I decided to recycle a bathroom stand (no longer needed) by spray painting it.  It was a "dust collector" for bathtub salts etc.  Those are now stored in a wooden box on the tub ledge.  Less to dust.

Vanilla ~ Muffins ~ Pampering Myself

Homemade vanilla extract was refilled.  I go through it very quickly at this homestead.  However, as gardening season sets in, I won't have all this time to bake with (probably a good thing).

Enjoying another batch of homemade English muffins.  These don't have a lot of "nooks" and "crannies" but they are delicious.  The trick is to only knead the dough a few minutes to keep it soft.


And just so you know I am taking time for myself, and pampering myself.  I took that last glass of bubbly (from the pea dish night) and took it to the bathroom.... 

....and had a nice relaxing soak in the tub with essential oils.  I had some candles burning and rejuvenated my body and soul. Momentarily.

Today's it's back to that tile floor.  

Or not.

Random Tidbits ~ Fruit Trees ~ Car Shuffle ~ Peas, Bacon and Prosecco

Something new for the homestead - three rooster door pulls.  Love them!  They went on the master bath cabinet doors.

Something harvested at the homestead - stinging nettle.  I filled the dehydrator, but will need to cut more for "greens" for the freezer this spring.  

I took a walk out to the fruit trees.  I am happy to report that all trees have buds, and the peach tree has teeny tiny pink blossoms about to bloom.  I'm thrilled to see most of the fungus is gone on the plum tree, so my homemade neem spray is working.  My elderberry trees actually have leaves on them already.  The grape plants are budding, and I will have to buy one grape plant to replace the one that died last year.   

We are still playing the car shuffle.  Daughter's car is not fixed.  We now know the problem, but the other problem is the labor involved.  It's about an 8 hour job with her engine.  We got one quote of $800 or $900.00.  We then located another person who might do it, and they did not want to mess with it.  Finally, we found one other person, and hope we can finally put an end to this car shuffle.  I can't run to the store for stamps, chicken feed, etc. And some folks in this house have bad memory (not saying who, ha ha!). Although Vet-Tech-Daughter texted me and asked if she could pick anything up for me.  That was nice of her.

Update on the car shuttle.  I wrote this post last night, but Hubby worked over, so he never got home until after 8pm.  He rolled in with a flat tire, in the pouring down rain.  And, the guy called him back about Daughter's car  -  estimate $1,000.00 (more problems than we thought).  He's calling around for a new engine.  Daughter just paid off her car too.  Sigh.....the kids that have moved out have the other half of our garage filled.  Yeah, so changing a tire isn't going to happen in the rain.  And Daughter has exams and is driving my car.
 

Before roasting

After roasting

. . .using up a bit of last year's rosemary.  I love to cook with it.  It smells like a real Christmas tree and that makes me happy.

I made Giada's (recipe is online) Peas, bacon and Prosecco (Italian white wine).  I loved it.  Just one more way to cook my peas.

And who doesn't want to try a new wine with dinner?  

 

 Pork chops with homemade condensed mushroom soup. Mmmmm!

 

Visiting Blog Drafts ~ Homemade Facial Toner

I am going through old blog drafts that didn't make the cut for some reason or another.  I found this one from May of last year.  It's sort of funny too.  

Check out the magazine recipe to the left!  It's the nettle hair tonic I made recently (only without essential oils), only this recipe states to leave the tea in and not rinse it out.  Although it's been about two weeks, I'll be leaving it in my hair from now on.

The rest of this is a draft from last year:

Kitchen Madness ~ Tea Infusion Facial Cleanser

While yogurt was being made in the dehydrator, I put a few turkey breasts into the crock pot with some home canned hot pepper mustard sauce. 

 Monday's need to be simple, so sides were quinoa/dandelion greens and garden beets from the freezer.

This was also our first spring dinner on the porch.  I brought two rockers and a table out of storage.  He he. Well a woman has to have a place to rest after a long day of cleaning, and soon to be gardening, right?

Spider Webs be Gone!

The weather here has been rain.  Rain, and more rain.

I've had a slight blurp in my blogging lately.  There are many reasons for it.  One, Hubby called me one day, and whisked me off for a half-day vacation day.

Two, I took a day for a Mom/Daughter day out.  And it was

Parsley Pea Pesto

I made the mistake of turning on my TV in the middle of the day about a week ago.  I am addicted to watching "The Chew."  Sigh.  I cannot, cannot do this....I thought I would just take my tea break a wee bit early.  Pretty soon my breaks will be on the porch with nature and no electronics.


Anyway, I turned it on and immediately had to make the pea pesto and pasta dish they made.

I had one box of Einkorn whole wheat pasta I wanted to taste, so that was my choice of pasta for this dish.

Honestly, I didn't measure.  Once you get the hang of pesto, you may not either.  

What a brilliant idea.  So good too.  Parsley from the garden, garlic from the garden, peas from the garden (if I can ever get enough to freeze), etc.  

Delicious! 

My motto this year, in addition to our family motto on my blog.  

 

How To's and Cookbooks ~ Starting Seeds ~ Herb Garden

I made another trip to the library.  I really need to stop bringing home cookbooks, but I'm always looking for a new food to try, or something new to can, or something new that would make a  nice gift.  I have yet to even open this one, or the food in jars book either.

I'm not sure why I even brought this one home, other than we love to grill out.  However, do you see what it says under "Burgers?" 

Random Tidbits ~ Swiss Chard Pesto

Experiment #3:  I used 1 cup einkorn all purpose flour, and 2 cups einkorn whole grain wheat, my home canned applesauce (no other oil/butter), and my homemade yogurt.  The only difference I notice, is when my bananas are a bit too ripe.  Then the bread is super moist.  Overall, delicious and easy grab-n-go breakfast/snack for the family.  I think I'll add 1/2 cup more blueberries next time.

Happy Homemaker Monday

I'm joining Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom today - it's Happy Homemaker Monday.

On the breakfast plate. . .

Hair Tonic

I have made apple cider vinegar hair rinses in the past, but this is my first time making a "hair tonic" for hair repair and growth.

There are many recipes online, but I used nettle and peppermint essential oil to make mine.  

The timing of my brittle hair (bangs breaking off first,

Organic Miso ~ Chickpea Burgers

Miso is a new food to try this year.  I just happened to be watching the "Chew" one day (I think I was feeling poorly that day otherwise the TV would never be on).  Anyway, they had a guest on making chickpea burgers that used a miso in the sauce.  I was intrigued.

I set out to find miso in our stores.  With no luck, sent an email to my sister-in-law and brother.  I got some tips, and placed my order. 

It arrived, and I

More Checked Off

It's been a "get-r-done" week for me, which feels good.

The weather went from warm to cold.  Even so, I let my ladies out and gave their coops a clean sweep.  Egg production is still a bit low, but as they get more sunshine I hope to see an increase.

What's Cookin? ~ From Stash to Trash ~ Peach Bourbon Jam

I was fresh out of white and red potatoes, so this beauty donned the breakfast plate this week - cauliflower/pea and dandelion frittata.

Book ~ Herbal Teas

There have been so many people asking me for tips on teas for bronchitis, coughing, and pneumonia lately.  By accident, I found this book (published in 2016).

I just started reading through this book (like I have the time, ha ha!). I borrowed it from the library.  There are tea recipes for antispasmodic bronchitis, cough, and more.  It's worth a look for those who make teas, tinctures, syrups etc.  I learned plantain can be used as an expectorant.

Project Check List

 The list is getting shorter.

 

I completed the green baby blanket.  I ran out of yarn at the end, but used some leftover white and pink to edge it.  I did not want to buy another skein to finish the edging.  I'm not really sure if I like the pink on it, but it's there now.

Random Tidbits

What's on the breakfast plate lately?  I should have just dumped the cowboy candy right on the dandelion scramble.

Lots of vitamin C and other goodness, and loads of hot peppers to free up my nasal passages. Green peppers for more vitamin C, and dandelions for Vitamin A (immune system help), C, the B's, and a lot more. I also added garlic and hot peppers to the scramble.

  Instead of freezing rain on Friday, we got snow. 

And lots of it.