It's Rolling In ~ Last Night

New Projects.

New project.  Already started on it too.

...and finished one.  I will be making more in the near future.  Just have to get more supplies.  Boho beaded bracelets.

A few of my "unsupervised" online shopping is starting to arrive.  Top photo wasn't the actual color online, but I'll work with it.  Who knows when I'll get to these either.  I'm back to weeding and it's a constant, daily thing right now.

Today, I'm expecting another shipment, and feeling all giddy.  Somehow it's more fun than shopping in the stores.  I better not get used to that, ha ha!

I cheated making dinner the other night, but it was so good.  I bought organic jarred Alfredo sauce and made an easy crock pot chicken Alfredo.  Next time, I'll try it with homemade Alfredo in the crock pot.  If you want the recipe, it's online with Eating on a Dime (Easy Crock pot Chicken Alfredo Casserole).  The noodles are tossed in dry and they were not mushy when I served it either.  I used all organic ingredients of course, but like I said, I cheated.  What can I say, I am downright tired and worn out.

So tired, that when Hubby handed me his coffee cup, and asked me to refill it, I literally put it in the sink and left it there.  Minutes later he asked about his coffee.  Gulp.  Yep.  We are so ready for this night shift 12 hour shift to be over with.

Last night was Hubby's last night for the night shift.  He's home and off work for a few days, so if you don't see a post too soon, you know we are enjoying our time together.  Possible motorcycle rides and the list is endless.

Yesterday, I was up and at-um with the bold intention to weed a flower bed and toss down another bag of mulch.  It literally lasted a second.  The minute I stepped to the edge to kneel down, a big snake slithered into it right where I wanted to weed.  Nope.  Nope and nope.  I'll wait for the mower to send them elsewhere before I return.  Weeds prevail.

He may be mowing today when he wakes up though.  Sadly, our biker friend we hired to mow, hasn't been back for over a week.  He was also hired to do some work on one daughter's car, and cut down trees. No sign of him, and the grass is growing tall.  Car still broke down, and trees growing too quickly.

On a good note, we'll be celebrating one way or another this weekend.

Rare Sight ~ Sunrise

Saw this guy a few times the other day.  A very rare sight.

Trying to take photos is almost impossible.  Traffic will be heavy on our country highway until October.  Ugh.

Saw these guys out yesterday morning.  Three bucks enjoying their breakfast.

Well, I went out and watered everything.  It's gonna be in the 90's today, and I just shook my head the entire time.  Weeds so high and thick I can't see where the plants are or the flowers.  Only where I managed to weed tomatoes.  Oh, tomatoes are on, and so are jalapenos, and I picked a handful of red raspberries.

Daughter is not interning today.  We'll see if I can snag some help weeding and get the flower beds caught up.  Hm.  She'll probably ditch me and go swimming, but I don't blame her today.

I'll be a bit slower at getting around to everyone's blogs, but will be on indoor cooling down breaks, in between weeding.  I was up at 4:44am this morning. Oh yay......

Tuesday Tidbits

Yesterday's sunrise.

Not really liking porch time right now.  Another highway is closed for construction, so the detour goes by our place.  Too many semi-trailers for sure.

Got the car into the shop at 11:30am yesterday, and had it done by 1:30pm.  There was literally no weeding time after all that running around.  Just glad it's done.

Short post today.  We are dragging our feet with the night shift business.

Happy Homemaker Monday

Anyone else up at 4:57am?  Just to wash the bedding, dry it and remake the bed before your night shift working husband gets off work, and because you can't remember where the second set of sheets are and you are too tired to look for them?  Now that's one long run-on question.

Once again, a wren (at first I thought he was a chickadee) is building a nest in the same flower pot as last year.  They don't even care that I'm on the porch either.  They have their babies and they are gone instantly after the kids can fly.  He landed right on the chair next to me yesterday morning.

Sunday was the looooongest, most boring, dreary day for me.  Although it was much cooler, it was too wet to weed just yet.  Maybe I'll get some done later today.  Depends on the amount of time it'll take to get new tires on the car. Another day interrupted, but it needs done ASAP.

Today I'm joining Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom. Enjoy!   I gotta get things done around here and it's a busy day today.

If you are wanting the Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing recipe, go to this post to get the link.  


On the breakfast plate . . . 

..along with some much needed black organic coffee.


The weather outside is . . . 
Cooler - woke up to a 64°F, with a high of 81° and no chance of rain.


Right now I am . . .
Writing this post as the dryer (gulp! have no time to dry them outside until I find the second set of sheets) hums away, and getting ready to make a second pot of coffee.


On my bedside table . . .
A total mess - ruler, cup, notepad, pen, reading glasses, homemade lip balm.  Need to tidy it up after Hubby is off nights.


On my reading pile . . .

Movies I watched . . .
Sahara, Law Abiding Citizen


On my TV . . .
Mostly Hulu or Amazon movies


On the menu . . .
-Grilled burgers, corn on the cob, leftover bruschetta salad and melting potatoes (maybe)
-Apple/chicken/Pecan/Cranberry salads with homemade pomegranate vinaigrette
-Grilled chicken pesto/tomato kabobs or possibly Drunken Chicken with garlic mashed potatoes or crock pot chicken alfredo
-leftovers hopefully


On the to-do list . . .
Everything ha ha ha!  Can't do much until Hubby is off of night shift.
-wash bedding
-take car in for new tires
-sweep and mop kitchen
-tidy up kitchen
-tidy up front room
-dust


What I am creating . . .

A set of pot holders in this color.

Looking forward to . . .
Hubby off of night shift, no long 12 hour shifts for him, and an overdue and much needed trip to the island.  I have to remember not to bring up subjects like building a new chicken coop during this work schedule.  Hubby is a bit on the grumpy side, as well as me.  No need to poke the bear right now.  Conversations are kept to a light topic for now.  


Looking around the house . . .
Another total mess.  Brand new sweeper and haven't used it since I'm too tired to do it when Hubby gets up (and too tired to use it before he gets home).  I have to open the new shampooer and put it together too.  Papers need filed, office area is in disarray, and so on.  Not to mention recycling needs dropped off (we are too far out in the country for any sort of "pick up").


From the camera . . .

One of my simple pleasures . . .

An afternoon cold coffee with a splash of Bailey's and Kahlua (homemade is the best) in it.  I little adult afternoon pick me up.  Don't worry folks, this is a very rare occasion.  It just may have happened on Sunday.  I may very well happen again today. 

Prayers . . .
Our weather, farmers, Hubby and his long hours, my sanity

Insanity?

Heat and humidity are still with us.  Sigh.  Gonna get more rain, even though we got more last night.  Almost makes me want to laugh, it's to that point of insanity.

We got more rain yesterday.  As well as through the night.

I have had a few more unsupervised days here lately.  I don't want to run the sweeper, in fear of waking up Hubby, so cleaning is not really getting done either.  Master bath seriously needs a cleaning, but it's off the bedroom he's sleeping in.  Garage needs recycling cleaned up, but it's too close to the bedroom too.  Which leaves me to unsupervised online shopping.

Ordered a new vacuum, carpet shampooer (badly needed), leather making kits to get started on a new venture (1/2 price), placed a small yarn order, printed out a new pattern (another new venture), ordered beeds, and a few more items for leather crafting.  Good golly get me off the computer.  What's next?  Possible unsupervised  (rescue) puppy shopping?

Dinner?  Grilled chicken/bacon ranch kabobs with homemade ranch mix, grilled butter/herbed homegrown french breakfast heirloom radishes and a bruschetta salad (unfortunately not my homegrown tomatoes just yet).

Heat Index Returns ~ Keeping Chickens Cool

Friday the heat index was predicted to be up to 100°.  It reached 98°F in our area. Weeding is still at a halt for me.  Just not worth the risk to be out there.  The humidity is sooo thick and my camera lens steamed up.

Chickens were iced again.  Did you know that although they eat the ice to cool off, they also pick some up and put it under their feathers?  Mine do anyway.  Just an FYI for those undergoing the same heat as we are, and raise chickens.  When we had goats, we froze water in small bottles and added them to their water buckets.

Nothing really "homesteady" to share today.  Youngest Daughter ditched me for another sister and is spending a few nights with her, so I'm unsupervised for a few days.

Bought myself this. . .

I sure hope I take the time to read it now, lol!

I have yet to deliver roosters to those taking them, but they are crowing now.

Thanks to being stuck inside with the AC this week, I have new projects on the handiwork to-do list.  They will be fun too.  I'll update as I finish them.

Dinner was once again salad and fresh cold fruit.  Too hot to cook a darn thing, and with the heat this bad, we all have non-zippity do-dah appetities.

Hot, Humid, more Thunderstorms ~ Homemade Pomegranate Vinaigrette

When water starts to flood this field it's not a good sign.  I took this photo yesterday morning.  We got a lot of rain the previous night.

We are getting burned out of this night shift business.  I should go to "nights" when he does so we are on the same schedule.  Ugh.  He's on this shift until middle of next week with no days/nights off.

What did I do on the 4th?  No celebrating for us. Too hot to grill out as well.  Hubby had to sleep then work night shift, the girls went to the movies, and it was just me and the dog and the AC.

I baked some chocolate bourbon spiked banana bread for the us.  Recipe is online, I just adapted organic ingredients (leites culinaria).

Cooked up a breakfast scramble with bacon and dandelion greens.  Tossed in some jalapenos too.

I made us a salad for dinner on a very hot and humid day.

Organic greens, cooked and shredded chicken, dried cranberries, blue cheese crumbles, glazed pecans, apple slices and homemade pomegranate vinaigrette.  Delicious!  Best vinaigrette I've ever made too!  Recipe is a keeper!

Although I fed this little bugger steak at breakfast, he was sure wanting some of the chicken I was cutting up for the salad.

Homemade Pomegranate Vinaigrette
1 1/2 cups organic pomegranate juice - heat to medium heat and reduce until you have 1/4 cup.  Cool completely.

Whisk in:
(all organic ingredients)
1/3 olive oil
5 tsp. honey
1 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/8 tsp. salt

Yield:  2/3 cup approximately