Sun Fun ~ Garden Plants ~ Garage Clean Out ~ Ride

My daffodils are blooming like crazy!

Yesterday I noticed the hyacinths are starting to bloom too.


To update on yesterday, we never saw the person we heard, but it was dark out when we did.  However, when I took one dog out (with my husband) we could smell a campfire in the woods behind the house.  We are going to mow down a path out along the woods to walk all the dogs now.

The sun was out all day Monday.  So thankful for that. I had to stay home for a Fed Ex delivery, so my wonderful husband went to the greenhouse and picked up flats of tomato plants etc.

We chose to go and get them early this year, as we both have a feeling so many more people will now be planting a vegetable/fruit garden.  I called the greenhouse ahead of time, and she said people were already coming in and buying plants.  Her supplier has warned her she may sell out quickly as May approaches.

I'm not sure I'll be getting a rosemary plant or not.  They do not survive here in winter and I cannot for the life of me keep it alive all winter indoors.  I have a plan, but we'll see.

I enjoyed a cup of nettle, mullein and plantain early yesterday.  MRH is closed again, so I will be checking my stinging nettle patch soon.

The garage cleaning is finally underway.  Hubby is ready full force to get things cleaned up and I'm taking advantage of him being home.

Oh, and I got my ride yesterday and I slept like a baby last night.  My first ride on our new bike.  I miss the old one, but love the new one.

Cold, Cloudy and Dreary but...

The bedroom is 95% done with spring cleaning.  Woohoo to that.  I took advantage of a cold, darker day and got Hubby on board to clean up his stuff.  I'm hoping to get him to purge t-shirts next day we can't work outside.

In celebration of our efforts I lit some candles and relaxed.  A much better day for both of us.  

We were both up early this morning.  Nothing like hearing (at 5am), what sounded like a loud pick-up truck pull in near the property and shut off the engine, to get you out of bed.  It's still dark here, so we are trying to be quiet to not wake the dogs just yet.  

Armed and ready, and they haven't started up their engine to leave either.  It'll be light soon and we will be able to see if they are along the south tree line (property line near the field).  We also discovered our south flood lights are not working, so upon daylight those will be replaced (I bought back up bulbs thank goodness).

Now that the traffic is very low, we can literally hear so much better now too.  I think after that mess with the nuisance neighbor for 3 years, we are easily on alert much more than before.

Oh, and after we went to bed last night we both hear what also sounded like trucks (2 that our daughter saw through the front window, because I ran out and looked myself also), slow in front of the house and it sounded like they were going to stop.

Keep your doors locked and your phones charged, and stay armed.  Even if you have to put baseball bats at every entrance.  So far, we do not hear them again, but like I said when daylight arrives, we'll get a better look.  We are in the boonies, and on a country highway, making an easier target.  Stay safe my friends.

Nothing....

I got nothin' today.  Everything on the radio or TV is virus this and virus that.   Yesterday, although good weather day for a motorcycle ride, I had a scheduled grocery pick up. 

I'm sort of mad/sad/depressed.  Hubby set up a ride for take out and I couldn't go.  I was told I'd get a ride after they all returned and go get take out.  Didn't happen.

They must have had 10 bikes too.  They were to return early, but nope.  They all had to get something to eat, so I made dinner for me and the girls and pouted on the porch.  I was pretty livid as I need my sanity saved for months now.  Oh, and Hubby lost my leather gloves yesterday, so no ride today.  Today it'll be only in the lower 50's and rain.  Just great.

Here's last night's dinner - Chicken Spaghetti (before it was baked).  I was too upset to add a side veggie.  Just mentally drained right now.

This and That

One thing I cannot get is a can of Lysol.  I'm getting worried.  I do have ingredients to make homemade "Lysol" wipes, and I have anti-ill oil spray (but limited).  I do have a diffuser and various essential oils to use to "disinfect" the air (thyme, scotch pine, lavender, etc).  I also have bleach, but if this continues for a long time, more people won't be able to disinfect and I have two that live here and work.  You cannot even buy it from the company direct.  

Our daughter who moved in works where disinfectants are sold etc.  She told me the last delivery was cut in half and no disinfectants on the truck at all.

Local areas are now starting to ban fishing.  For some, this is a food source necessary due to no income.

I ordered our masks, although there is a lot of talk about them (good and bad).  We, in our state are asked to have one when we go to the grocery, or other essential needs trip.  I had to order a black or white one for one daughter as it can't have a print (with all going on, I think that is dumb, because they are hard to come by).

Sheet pan dinner with organic chicken sausage.  We are mostly eating meat and vegetables and greens.  A vast majority of people shopping are going for frozen meals, so it's been nice to be able to get ingredients we need. Pasta and breads are a treat once in a while.

More of what we cannot find:

Any form of flour - still trying smaller stores
Toilet paper - daughter is watching for some at her work
Any form of pasta - planning on making homemade noodles
organic canned soups - condensed.  I am making them from scratch


Virus updates:

1.  Our state order to stay in has extended until May 1st.  The state park at the island is closed until May 15th.

2.  Stores are ordered to limit the number of people inside and that starts April 6th at midnight, but our nearest Wal-mart already changed that and barricades are up.  They made pharmacy doors emergency exit only, and grocery entrance in and out only.

3.  One person (parent of a family friend) is on a ventilator and is a confirmed case of the virus.  Also, the man's wife is also on a ventilator and we have not yet heard if she is a confirmed case or not.

4. Mom was out of food.  My brother is so busy at work he literally has to take a day off to get groceries and that won't be until April 8th.  I had our daughter drop off a crate of food that we have instructed her to keep in her garage for 72 hours other than perishables.  She is so thankful for this.  It broke my heart to listen to her tell me that her neighbor across the street literally went shopping 3 times in one day, and as she sat on her porch watching, her neighbor unloaded a trunk full each time (never checking in my Mom).  Another friend told me he went into the store at the prompt time the elderly hour ended.  He watched all the elderly walk out with each buying 3 packages of toilet paper.  He went straight to the TP.  Not one package let.  They need to limit it to one package or no one is going to get any.

April Reading Challenge ~ The Good/The Bad and Tidbuts

(I had this ready to post yesterday, so I added some wording to make it more understandable).  Enjoy!

I picked "Odd Mom Out," written by Jane Porter.  I picked this up free, and have never read her work, so this should be interesting.

Wednesday we woke up to frost and a chilly 38°F out.  Today it's.....


The Good.

My husband and 20 year-old made us laugh so hard I thought I was going to pee my pants (Monday night).  I needed that.  They were trying to move a queen sized box springs up the stairs.  Yeah, I knew it wouldn't fit.  It's an older house, smaller steps, shorter ceiling and the stairs turn half way up.  

Me (talking to youngest who is laughing at them): Next thing you know they'll throw it on the roof and try pushing it through the window up there.

Hubby (from the upstairs bedroom):  Get me the measuring tape!

Me:  Are you serious?  This is gonna be fun to watch.  Let's get lawn chairs and watch from the front yard.
We laughed and laughed.  No.  It was not going to fit.  Lesson learned here?  If kids want bigger begs, always buy split box springs.  You never know what type of housing they'll struggle with when they move in or out.  Some townhouses have the bedrooms upstairs too.

The Bad.

I dropped the cover to my larger dehydrator.  The part store is closed due to the virus. 

Good news.
My MRH order has shipped finally.  It's been weeks since I place the order.

I temporarily fixed my large dehydrator cover.  It should hold until the part store re-opens. Thank goodness.

Yesterday (Tuesday) was infusion day.  I needed to fill jars and start new batches of Four Thieves vinegar.  I used instructions for heating it from MRH blog, and the recipe from Rosemary Gladstar (using the stove top for the first time to do this).  I typically make it in summer in a warm window and it lasts up to a year.

Sad news!

I have a ton of photos, but the more I look through them the more I cry.  I spent most of the day on the phone with my daughter who owns Jesse.  He took a turn for the worse, and went to Heaven yesterday.  Cancer.

I had a post ready for today, so you will get that tomorrow.  I need a day to just accept this all.  My heart is breaking, but he's in Heaven with the Gus and Sadie, and barn cats Joey, Timmy and Sapphire.

Rest in peace Jesse.  Due to the virus and the stay at home order, I could not get one last visit with him either.  Thankfully, she was allowed to go in and with one person (her older sister).  She later told me she had plans to visit after this virus was over with.  I just wish I could have seen him one more time.

Busy Kitchen Day ~ Dogs

Quarantine day 17.

Daily disinfecting of switches, knobs, toilet handles/buttons, wiped once a day.

Photos of my day yesterday.  Well, some of them.

Fed well.

Boiled eggs from last pick up.  Didn't have enough of my own, and was craving egg salad and just boiled eggs for snacking.

(computer screen) Worked on gaining more points to keep our health insurance cost down while the eggs boiled.

Picked out a favorite recipe for our next meal.  Four Beans and Sausage.

Breakfast frittata with onion, zucchini, spinach and fire powder.

Check out the difference from our farm fresh eggs and the ones from the store.  I am hoping for more eggs from them today.

I baked King Flour's recipe for flourless peanut butter chocolate chip cookies.  They are packed with peanut butter flavor, but I still like Einkorn flour peanut butter cookies better.  The family was happy anyway.

I didn't get photos of the dogs, as I knew I'd wake them up, and that wasn't happening.  Yesterday was a much calmer day as far as it goes with the dogs.  They were just under a lot of stress yesterday.  We may just get the dog fence knocked off the to-do list soon.

My chicks are getting wings feathers.