Pioneer Woman at Heart

One Flourishing, Frugal and Fun Family!

One family learning to live off the land, cut back on expenses, and to live a simpler and a more self-sufficient lifestyle.

Adopted Motto

"Eat it up,
Wear it out,
Make it do,
Or go without."
~A Pioneer Sampler, by Barbara Greenwood~

Tuesday, February 9, 2021

Need a Good Laugh?

 

Sorry for all the laughing in the video, but it was so hilarious!  King got winter boots for the first time.  Hoping it puts a smile on your face, or makes you laugh.

Monday, February 8, 2021

Happy Homemaker Monday

I'm up again before my husband gets home, but the worst part is that today he works a double.  Meaning he won't be home this morning, it'll be after he works another shift (1st).  It'll be a long day for sure.

Woke up to 9°F and frozen water pipes in the kitchen area.  Thankfully, I was prepared and filled large jugs.  The rest of the house has water.

Oh, and he is sick now too.  He works outside in this frigid weather, and working midnight runs you down.  He's getting medicinal teas, essential oils, Four Thieves and dandelions in his egg scramble.

Forgot to post 5 of these yesterday.

Ideas for revitalizing and energizing yourself (cont.):

36. Dress the way that feels right.

37. Practice good posture.

38. Utilize medical checkups.

39. Seek out good friends

40. Share yourself with significant

I'll admit purging my crafting supplies has been hard.  I'm finding fun items that make me sit down to figure out if I can or want to make gifts with them (or for sale at craft shows).  I've already opened one box for our daughter (with the grandkids) and taken out one bag.  Yikes.

I have however, completely cleaned out a 4 drawer cabinet.  It's going to Youngest for her apartment.

We've gotten just a wee bit more snow here, and the colder temps continue.  It's snowing this morning.  

Today's post is a little long.  Sorry for that.  




Today I am joining Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom.

I'll link up when she posts.  I need to get going, as the hours of the day go by way too fast anymore.


The weather outside is . . .

20°F/15°F, snowing


How I am feeling this morning . . .

Cold!  I am really not liking these temperatures lately.  We were lucky last winter I guess.


On my mind . . .

Trying to find a good day to get to the city for items I need.  Also trying to figure out which city, as one has a Hobby Lobby and the other direction does not.  Tough decisions.

Also on my mind, I miss family gatherings, going dancing (a lot), going to the library just for fun and browsing, and having the freedom to go out in public without a mask.  There were so many babies born in our family in 2020 that we didn't get to see or hold once yet.

I have many items I need to re-stock for a possible craft show this coming next fall.  I need to fill one order for scrubbies first, but have so much to re-stock.  

I'm already a worry-wart over Youngest moving out.  She hasn't learned to cook much, and I am already worried about her eating healthy.  I have a few months to work on that with her.

"If you see someone without a smile, give them one of yours!" -Dolly Parton

The sad part of this quote is that the younger generation won't know what a smile looks like and we can't see each other's smiles with the masks.  


On the breakfast plate . . .

Egg, dandelion greens, sausage and bean burrito, organic coffee


On my reading pile . . .

As the Earth Turns, 1933 copy


On my TV . . .

Dead to Me when my husband is at work.  Otherwise what ever we find interesting.


On the menu this week . . .

-Soup beans, fried cabbage

-Baked chicken parmesan, veggie

-Stuffed Bell Peppers

-Either cod or salmon, two veggies sides

-leftovers


From the camera . . .


A recent sunrise we enjoyed.

Am I the only one who has a husband that comes home from work and does a donut in the front yard?  Ha ha ha!  Letting off some steam perhaps?



Looking around the house . . .

Oh boy, it's in worse condition than last week. I really need to take stuff to donate and free up tables.  The more I purge the worse it looks.  Although I know the final results will be amazing.


New recipe I tried last week, or one that we really enjoyed . . .

I haven't had time to be honest.  I've stuck with favorite recipes and continue to purge the house.


To relax this week I will. . .

Work on the clothespin crafts (so I can finish up and put remaining supplies back in the donate box), possibly cut netting and crochet scrubbies.  Maybe even read.  


Something I want to share . . .

"Little Acts of Kindness" (5 of 35)

1. Say "Good Morning" to a person standing next to you in the elevator.

2. Pay the toll for the driver behind you.

3. Take a minute to direct someone who is lost, even though you're rushing.

4. Write a letter to a child who could use some extra attention .  Kids love getting mail.

5. Offer to pick up groceries for an elderly neighbor, especially in extreme weather.


Devotional, Inspirational, prayer list or Bible verse . . .

Mom, she was given the green light for the vaccine, but can't find a place to get it.  My husband...he's sick.  Youngest as she ventures into her own apartment in a few months (and me, because I will miss her and Tiger her cat). For our kitchen water pipes to thaw.

Sunday, February 7, 2021

Can't make this stuff up!

Saturday my husband and I went into the big city to get specific items.  Well, we left and completely forgot to take 4 boxes ready to go the thrift store.  We forgot the propane tank to switch for a full one.  I myself forgot to buy ink for the printer and shipping tape.  Those two items were needed, but it'll have to happen another day, and here is why.

 

I have to return this.  It's supposed to be a very pretty lace valance.  I am not making this stuff up.  It's literally a rag. Package said "curtain" and this is what I got.  I got it on Amazon.  I'm putting up a review for the product and will not be buying from Amazon again.  I'll wait and buy one in Amish country or another smaller store.  The one in the photo was made in China.  Go ahead chuckle.  We all did.

My husband is working midnights and day and a weird weekend schedule.  It's another weekend of not working on the hallway project.

I'm deep into purging more crafting do-dads, and working on  my second new project:

Woke up to a brisk 7°F, with a "feels like" -6°.  I'm glad it's not a -25°F like they predicted. I'm up before my husband is home from work.  Feels weird.  Fire is stoked and coffee is brewing.  I'm sure I'll be in the utility room today purging more crafting supplies.  He'll be sleeping all day.



Saturday, February 6, 2021

Weather and other Tidbits

I did not get to town yesterday.  Youngest had to take my truck to work.  Her car doors were frozen shut.  Sigh.  Speaking of Youngest, she and a friend are looking for an apartment.  I don't blame her.  Her drive to work is difficult during inclement weather (from our homestead).  She is planning to take her cat.  I'm gonna miss them both.  I guess if it does happen, I'll be adopting a house cat soon.

I'll admit, knowing I wasn't leaving the house yesterday caused me to catch the lazy bug.  Boy oh boy.  Lazy.

Thankfully the "freeze" that was predicted won't be as bad, but next weekend looks like it may be.  

I had intended to start the day yesterday purging more crafting do-dads.  Oh my.  I filled one box half way and started two more craft projects. Ha ha ha!  I'll have some nice Christmas tuck in gifts and other gifts ready early for this next holiday time.



Thanks to a post over at Mamas Mercantile, I found a way to use up some scrap wall paper, and re-purpose some buttons. Thanks for the inspiration, and helping me use up and create!

You can see the project over on my S.C.R.A.P. Blogspot.


Ideas for revitalizing and energizing yourself (cont.):

31. Get proper rest

32. Get regular vigorous exercise

33. Eat a nutritionally balanced diet

34. Lose weight

35. Control all your input


Friday, February 5, 2021

Homesteader Chit Chat

 

The weather has been questionable.  I don't watch any news, so I rely on weather reports by searching it online or on my phone.  Woke up to "feels like" 2°F and very windy.  We got more snow last night too.  Just fed our barn cat and I think there may be a stray out there this morning.  The wind is wicked.

Apparently you can get sick-sick.  My girls are the only two getting upper respiratory/bronchial illnesses.  Illnesses that the doctors don't prescribe medications, and send them home, kind of illnesses.  

The girls wear a mask daily, all day long and one does heavy lifting.  I feel awful for them.  Both have had to visit the Urgent care, had to test for covid (always negative, and never test them for flu either), and have been sent home with over the counter suggestions.  Even though daughter K was diagnosed with a sinus infection, she was sent home with over the counter medications.  I have never heard of that - always a prescription of some sort.  Thank goodness for natural remedies that do help quicken recovery and relieve symptoms.  Which reminds me, I need to restock ginger root.


The purge continues here, and thankful I'm doing it.  However, the craft supplies are getting me into trouble.  More on that later.  My first attempt to purge, was anything wooden for crafts. Ha ha, oh boy. 

I filled a box of writing paper, graph paper, and markers to give to my younger brother.  My niece and nephew go thru a lot of paper.  Thankful it could be used.  They are getting oodles of doodle paper.

I have a tote of goat supplies and I'm hesitant to purge those.  I just don't know if we'll raise dairy goats again or not, and I hate to re-purchase.  I'm hanging on to them for now.

My dish scrubbies and soap saver bags were delivered to the gift shop.  I am thrilled they are selling them, as we didn't have one craft show last year.  I received an additional order for 6, but I have to get to the store to see if they sell netting in the color she wants.  It's an odd color request.

King got his first winter booties.  I took a video, but can't get it to load here.  I will try again later.  It was hilarious.  We could all use a good laugh.

My favorite firewood fetcher machine.  Works great until I hit a patch of clean concrete or grass.  It's more trips to restock the porch, but so much less heavy work.  Good exercise I guess.

Today, is the first day I have not been prepared for a dinner, but I'm sure I can come up with something this morning.  I love crock pot dinners.  I can relax with crochet or crafting or reading and not be at the stove in the evenings.  I guess I'll see when I check the freezer and pantry.

Ideas for revitalizing and energizing yourself (cont.):

26. Practice self-expression

27. Work off your anger

28. Face your fears

29. Experiment with acting your way to a new feeling

30. Learn to relax

Thursday, February 4, 2021

This and That

Woke up to 15°F, with a high of 36 today.  Wow.  Warmer than yesterday, but snow will move back in later after dinner time.

Snickerdoodles were baked.  We haven't had something sweet in a long time. We didn't get to eat them however.  This ding bat, probably stressed with too much multi-tasking, forgot to add the baking soda.  I washed the dishes and left the kitchen.  Sigh.

Yesterday was a day where I made lots of mistakes, forgot stuff or things went haywire.  I didn't get much handiwork, because in the evening our utility room sink had a leak and flooded it.  We spent the night cleaning it up, and fixing the sink drain.


Daughter K found me two more baskets that I needed.  I'm still on the hunt for one more.

The valances I ordered online for the hallway were canceled.  I received an email that they are no longer in stock and I'd be refunded.  Sigh....the hunt continues.  Window film was ordered though (it's requires no adhesive and is removable).



The bread I made is called Skillet Bread, and the recipe is online at i heart eating.com.  I got so many compliments, I thought I would share the recipe source.  I bake mine for exactly 20 minutes. 

Wednesday, February 3, 2021

Boring Post but a Post No less

The predicted "freeze" is coming soon.  I, although my husband said not to until he was home, went out to shovel some of the deep snow in the drive.  Thankfully, the nephews showed up and plowed the entire drive.

Hubby made fun of my BPA free, food grade water jugs.  They hold 7 gallons each.  They will be filled and ready if our pipes freeze.  Our wind chill is said to feel like -25°F so I will write a list and make sure all the laundry is done, water is available for animals/us, all the dishes done, etc.  I am already with oil lamps, oil, and extra wicking.  Wood is split and on the porch, but we'll split more before this coming Friday.



I threw together a crock pot soup with items that needed used up and some leftover ham.  It was nice to have a hot soup after shoveling.  I made skillet bread to go with it.





Ideas for revitalizing and energizing yourself (cont.):
21. Don't be afraid of failure
22. Practice living in the present
23. Get friendly with leisure
24. Reward yourself
25. Admit to yourself how you feel