Cold and Snow

Our weather went quickly from reading on the porch at 60°F to curling up under a blanket, and in the 30's.  This morning it's actually 19°F.  We also have snow on the ground.  Not much, but more is coming.

Mornings are now back to dark and dreary.  Typical winter weather.

Deep Clean Progress . . . 

I seem to never run out of something on this list.  We have white painted kitchen cabinets and cupboards (and drawers), so I have been wiping them all down.  I'll finish them up today, and start on wiping down the tops of our floor wall heaters that have collected dust. 

Beautiful Monday ~ Tidbits

First, I need to apologize for the super long post yesterday.  Sorry about that.  I guess I was just on a roll with writing.

Although a bit cloudy, we had a warmer and mostly sunny day.  I still ran the wood stove.  Otherwise there would be a chill in the air.

Chores were done early, so I could have a Mom Power Hour by myself.  I finished my book, while sipping a homemade organic peppermint mocha.  

The afternoon coffee is probably why I was up at 3am to 5am, fell back asleep for 20 minutes and back up.  I'm may need a nap today.


Deep clean progress . . .
Washed hot pads.  Organized a tiny bit in one bathroom (I love those 3M hooks!).  You can see I didn't get far on this yesterday, ha ha!

Happy Homemaker Monday

(area where the new coop will go, so we are "getting two birds with one stone - wood cut and clearing it off as we go, but we have a lot of work to clean it all up).

Saturday morning started off with car and truck repairs.  We'll, an attempt anyway.  We needed a new alternator for the truck and the car was leaking antifreeze.  We just can't catch a break.  As for the car, it's the intake, which will require an entire weekend to repair.

We were completely out of wood, so that also needed done.  We had one day to do it all too.  Or so we thought.  Saturday night (late), Hubby got the call that Sunday overtime was canceled.  

We got up early and him-hawed over our to-do list.  We decided to take a look-see at the larger pellet stove and assess what repairs would get it running vs. trying to remove it and install the smaller one (requiring many hands to move the very heavy large one).  

We worked on the larger pellet stove, need one part, and have plans to fire it up in a few days.  We decided to repair the big stove, since it burns corn as well as pellets.

The humane society is closed for renovations, so I have no one to trap the two stray cats.  They are driving Romeo nuts.

On a good note, with a combination of medicinal teas, tinctures, rest and four thieves vinegar, I am feeling a bit better.

I shopped from the garage again.  One of the kids left a small, flat bottom lined basket.  It went to the kitchen to hold bottles of club soda (that don't stand alone on the wire shelving).  We keep a few bottles year round for homemade ginger-ale.

If you were looking to buy a heart bookmark from my other blog, the light blue one is sold now.

I am taking advantage of a semi-sunny day, but warmer than yesterday.  I had laundry out on the line at the crack of dawn.

Today I'm joining Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom, although this Monday, my post lacks photos.  

It's not very often I pull a hand towel with the right day of the week on it.  I do need to make new ones this summer.


The weather outside is . . .
We may get up to 55°F today, but cloudy.  Yesterday we had a wonderful day of sun!  Snow is to return tonight.


How I am feeling this morning . . .
A bit on the mend, but up and at 'em this morning.


On my mind . . .
The garden and vacations.


On the breakfast plate . . .

Another round of coconut waffles and homemade blueberry syrup.  Coffee too.


On the reading pile . . .

Kiss the Girls, James Patterson.  Definitely not passing this book on to my daughter.  The book definitely has more details than the movie, and it'll be recycled when I'm done.  I have printed out the series in order for Joanne Fluke and one other author.  I'll tote it along to any book sales and thrift store visits now.  I'm already 1/2 way through this 400-some page book.

On the TV . . .
Movies on Netflix, Movies from the library



On the menu this week . . .
-Chicken teriyaki, wild rice
-Spaghetti Squash Casserole
-Crock pot pork chops, sweet potatoes
-Leftovers

On the to-do list . . .
-Laundry
-sweep/mop kitchen
-dishes
-dinner prep
-breakfast for the next few days
-master bath
-work in garage for a bit
-Making lotions and lip balm (still on the list)

What I am creating . . .
Slowly finishing an overcast colored XL hot pad, and starting a different bookmark.  

From the camera . . .
I almost had a picture of a red headed wood pecker, but he was too fast for me.

We had some beautiful colors in this morning's sunrise.  


Looking around the house . . .
It all needs a good dusting.  Again.

Chore I am not looking forward to this week . . .
No chore really.


To relax this week I will . . .
Read, write, crochet.

Prayers . . .
Mom, personal requests, our own family.

Clarification on the Garlic

I think I have everyone confused about spring garlic.  Here's what happened last year.

We had a terrible year.  Very wet in spring and we could not keep up with weeding, and had no place to plant the garlic in Sept.  I can't even remember if Sept. was good weather or not anymore, but for some reason, we couldn't plant until October.  I think it was shipped late (we had zero, so I had to order).

I planted them in the grow pots, and they did not have enough time to grow tops at all.  The weather turned cold too fast for them to start.  

So, with all that said, I have zero to plant, most companies ship too late in fall to start over, and if mine doesn't produce in the grow pots, I wanted to spring plant (then fall plant with some of them).

I hope that explains it better.  My first year I spring planted and for 10 years I was able to fall plant some of them.  Like I said our weather in Oct. is never guaranteed for a good start on fall anything here.  

Thanks for all the tips on where to get it.  One year I didn't get a good yield, bought organic at a farmer's market (for making ground garlic) and it cost me $1.00/head of garlic.  Total cost to make half the amount of garlic was $10.00.  

I do not like buying organic in the store.  They are so old, the flavor is half of what home grown produces, not to mention the medicinal values of it homegrown.

With all your tips and recommendations, I am surely to have a crop of garlic if the spring weather Gods are nice to us this year.

February Reading Challenge Book Pick ~James Patterson ~ Homemade Meatballs ~ Garlic ?

It continued.

Blog post in January with the most views - This and That ~ Finishes

Kiss the Girls, by James Patterson.  The book is off my own bookshelf (discarded library book, and not in that great of shape), and when it's done, will be passed on to another person.  Most likely my daughter first.  Or recycled if it falls apart while reading it, ha ha!

Considering the weekend, with a possible chance to cut wood, I took Friday off.  Sort of.  They are predicting a "lot" of sunshine on Sunday, but Hubby has to work.

I did the dishes, and made a batch of meatballs (made with ground organic oats vs. bread crumbs).   Three trays went into the freezer. 

Recently, I was able to buy an organic spaghetti squash and made "spaghetti" and meatballs, with home canned tomato sauce for dinner.  Although our daughter wanted pasta, I still used the squash this time around.

I also finished my January book, on January 31st, for the reading challenge.  There are so many good recipes in this book too (I wish I could find more of her books at the library books sales).  Too many that have sweets, but I may save a few of the recipes to try this summer - Blackberry cookies or Blackberry pie perhaps.  By the way, this was the first book I have completely finished since 2017.  Yikes!

I have zero homegrown garlic to plant this spring.  I have searched the internet and have only found one resource that will ship for spring planting, and it's by one bulb per order.  Does anyone know of any online resource (or catalog resource) for spring garlic bulbs?  Organic of course.  Thanks in advance.  All other sources I use ship in October and that is too late to plant for fall anyway for us.  

Overcast Continues ~ Scratchy Throat ~ Romeo

Yesterday Morning.  We got zero sunshine, even though they said we might see some.

I had to make a trip to the "Big City" to fetch not only the overcast hot pads, but a set of soft violet too.  She didn't want either set, so they are up over on my farm shop blog.

With that said, a trip to town cuts all my work/play time out of the day.  I literally had time to feed the chickens before dinner, and get the mail.  There is no stove to stoke.  Hubby worked until midnight last night - no wood cut.

Last night I wasn't feeling all that great either.  I woke up to a scratchy throat.  I sipped some hot ginger tea with honey and downed some sage tincture for my throat.  I was feeling off too, so I didn't even wash the dinner dishes.

Well, I can say we are glad we haven't built the dog fencing yet.  We now know his capabilities as far as sailing over a gate.  We've moved the stairway gate up halfway to the top (the steps turn halfway up).  Now he cannot sail over that one and get upstairs and get into anything.  We'll need a tall dog fence for this guy.  He has some powerful legs.

Breakfast Plate ~ Overcast ~ Cleaning ~ Parsley Planted ~ Muffins and a Frittata

On the breakfast plate this morning - coconut waffles with homemade blueberry syrup, and organic sausage patties.

We've been hankering waffles lately, so in trying to stick to low carb, I looked up a few recipes using coconut flour and/or almond flour.  Minus the mini-chocolate chips.  Minus any sugar or sweetener.

The only thing missing?  A side of scrambled eggs.

It's been so dark here lately.  Lights on, candles are burning, and I keep cleaning to keep moving.  I can't remember a time that the darkness latest this long here.

Speaking of Overcast, I will be sharing a set of pot holders soon.  Crocheted in "overcast" color.  

Here is photo of the yarn color. The person who asked me to make them, doesn't want them now.  I just have to go back to pick them up, and have them up for sale soon.  It also cost me more to buy this particular color too.  I am just frustrated that I could have been working on something else with pay vs. no pay.  Anyway, I will retrieve them soon.

I spent another hour in the utility room - seeds are organized, same with canning jars, and tossed some things.

I shopped from the garage.  Found an under-the-shelf storage basket and now have a place for our work gloves.  It was a bit mangled, but I bent it back into shape and that's organized now.  The basket at the door was full of hats and headbands for working outside.  That room is about 80% done now.

One tote has left the garage as well, and off the homestead.  More will be leaving soon.  I few items also left the closet.

I found some parsley seeds, and although not the best time to plant indoor, I did.  We'll see what happens.

I'm doing well at balancing the day with a bit of this and that now.  I even baked us strawberry muffins.

And a frittata, because the waffles didn't last long.