Cold weather moves in (again)...

The weather Gods have once again turned us to colder temperatures, making it questionable on how much asparagus we will get.  I picked what I could yesterday.

Lilacs starting to bloom.

The daffodils, and hyacinths are in full bloom, but again the weather may change that.  

The herb garden started springing to life, and the green onion is fully ready to harvest from, but cold weather could affect that too.

Extreme Clean Continues

 I finally got the dishes (all but 2) out of the boxes and back into the kitchen.  New shelf paper is down, and filled 8 boxes for donation. 

I don't have to cook for an army anymore.  I had 4 pizza pans.  Insane!  I'm passing on what the kids want for their apartments, but the rest will be donated.

I washed up rugs from the half-bath, and packed up another box of teacup/saucer sets.  I'm still waiting to hear from store who may take them.

I forgot to take a photo of my breakfast yesterday.  I cooked up some onion, asparagus, bell pepper, zucchini, and bacon, and added oregano, garlic and eggs.  I wanted mushrooms in it, but didn't have any.  I wanted to sprinkle green onion on top, but it was pouring outside.

My goal tomorrow is to go upstairs (gulp!) and start cleaning a space for the treadmill.  I'm dreading going up there, but it has to be done, so I can start ripping out the carpet while my husband is at work.  We won't know what we are dealing with until the subfloor is cut out in one area.

Happy Homemaker Monday

 

We had beautiful weather over the weekend.  It was in the lower 80's, but Sunday the wind was pretty nasty.  We took off on the motorcycle to a friend's house, but retreated home after our experience with the wind.  Back at the homestead we got some work done.

I ordered a single rolling pin holder for hanging on the wall, and the Etsy dealer specifically said it was for only Pioneer Woman's rolling pin.  

Well, my husband spent some time sanding it down so it would fit.  I was in no mood to return it, so that has been done and up, to make more space in a cupboard.  I love it on the wall anyway.

I spent time putting shelf paper in the cupboards and re-organized my drawers, so all of my utensils are in drawers and no in a utensil spinner on the counter top.  I am super happy, because I always felt like it was looking sort of chaotic with it on the counter top.

I'm no longer feeling like a "hot mess" and now sort of like a semi-hot mess.  The kitchen is slowly coming together, and the purge continues.  It feels weird, but good to downsize some baking dishes.  The boxes are filling up for the donation station.  I still need to purge tablecloths, but have a few washed, folded and in a box as well.

Our asparagus is starting to come in.  I'm thrilled, but it also puts me in panic mode about all the work we still need to do indoors.

I'm joining Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom.

The weather . . .

Rain all day today.  I was hoping to use my clothesline today, but that's not happening.

As I look out the window . . .

It's dreary, cloudy and rainy.  The last hired help we fired, left our front porch a mess. It's on the clean up to-do list.

Right now I am . . .

Making a list, getting ready to pull food from the freezer to make the breakfast, and making a pot of coffee.

Thinking and pondering . . .

The half-bath project is on hold.  I thought about it, and told my husband, that it would be better to start that project after the living room floor was done.  I figure if we have to hire someone, they will use that bathroom, and I do not want it messed up after all that work.

How I am feeling . . .

Tired, but ready to get some order in my kitchen.  

On the breakfast plate . . . 

I'll be back with a photo possibly.

On my reading pile . . .

I'm almost finished with this book.  I've had limited time to read.

On my TV . . .

We are doing an eenie-minee-mo sort of pick.

On the menu . . .

-asparagus/bacon breakfast casserole

-Moroccan Stew

-Chicken crock pot dish

-Leftovers

Looking around the house . . . 

I still have two more kitchen chairs in my living room.  Those will be wiped down and moved back to the kitchen.  Daughter K left boxes of "trash" in the living room.  Those will be removed Tuesday after trash pick-up.

To do list . . .

-bake a breakfast casserole

-laundry

-bedding

-clean master bath

-put dishes back into the kitchen cupboards we took out

-paint areas of kitchen where my hired help didn't paint, and hopefully move my computer and printer back where it was.

-check asparagus

-water plants

-find a new home for a stamp collection (possibly someone in Boy Scouts)

-box up more teacup/saucer sets for donation

-order a decal for my bread box

-start clearing a space upstairs for the treadmill. I feel like we need to order a dumpster, and start tossing stuff out the upper window, she left that much of a mess up there.

From the camera . . .

The ornamental apple trees are in bloom, and the wild violets and dandelions are up now.

Devotional . . .

I can't find my book since I boxed my office area up.  I do not have any special prayers requests at this time.

On a roll....

I started to clean yet another cupboard out, and realized I needed more shelf liner.  I went to the "big city" to get more at Wal-mart, and I'm glad I did.  There was only two rolls left of the color I already bought.

I also thought I better pick up a smaller paint brush to finish the kitchen, and there was only one of those left too.  Crazy!  

While walking down the kitchen bake/cookware aisles (can't remember if I was just window shopping or looking for something ha ha!), my eye caught something.  I'll get a photo for you soon.  It's my new obsession, and an item that I can display in some of my cubbies (and useable).

Back home I got more drawers and a cupboard newly lined with shelf paper, expired medicinal items tossed (left by Daughter K), and yet again filled another box for donation.  Now that we don't have the round, smaller kitchen table, I have no use for the tablecloths for that table.

I'll have the kids look at them first, but plan to donate the smaller or round tablecloths.  I have many more shelves to line, and then it's time to purge baking items.  I have two pans for mini-muffins that I know I will pass on or donate.  I used to bake candy filled cookies in those pans, and haven't used them in years.

It sure feels good to get things back in order.  Not to mention back to cooking again.  I'm going to get my husband on board to start looking at front room flooring.  However, I think we'll need to start pulling carpet up to see what type of flooring we'll have to be buying.  We may have to go with the glue down type again, or go with carpet.

I called our green house yesterday, because some of my vegetable plants didn't survive my trip away, despite Daughter K watering them.  They won't even be opening for another week, which is odd.  They are typically open in March.

I have a long weekend to-do list.  May your weekend be blessed with goodness.

How to get rid of tiny ants!

 Okay....for the first time ever, we had an ant issue by the dishwasher and sink.  I've never seen this happen, so I did some research. 

First, I sprayed down the areas with vinegar/water solution. It killed the ones on the counter, but more would show up.  I noticed they were coming in by the dishwasher area, so I did more research.

I made a solution of:

1/2 sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp. Borax
1 cup warm water

I then soaked cotton balls in the solution and put them all over the counter tops near the sink/dishwasher.  I left them there for 24 hours.  

The next morning, I did not see one live ant.  The sugar draws them to eat the solution, and the borax kills them.  Problem solved, but you have to be patient and let those cotton balls sit for at least 24 hours.

Toss those cotton balls and sanitize you counter tops.  Of course if you have little kids or pets, be sure than cannot access those cotton balls while they are sitting on the counter.

Rainy Day Baking and Cleaning ~ Homegrown Asparagus

 I told my husband that I am, despite the work, having fun getting the house the way we want it (and stay that way for once).

I was sort of just going around getting side tracked, but things are going forward.  As I opened a cupboard, I just decided to empty them both and re-organize.  It's been sort of like a "sigh" moment along the way.

Our friend who repairs cars, came over and did an oil change on the truck for us.  We are thankful for that.  You never now how long you have to wait in town for one anymore.  We buy the supplies and he charges way less than in the "big city."

The chickens are laying great right now, so I baked us an angel food cake.  I haven't baked one of these in many years.  We just eat it plain for a snack, and sometimes add a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

It's raining again today, but warmer than yesterday.  I checked on the asparagus and I have a few shoots up about halfway. It won't be long now, after this rain, to harvest some.

Doing odd jobs while in stuck mode

 

While we wait on a day when the bathroom can be gutted and drywall repaired (cheap shower they installed leaked and ruined the drywall), I'm doing odd cleaning/purging jobs around the house.  My upper cupboards have these cubbies.  Only 3 baskets remain.  I have 30 cubbies in the just the upper cabinets.  I do not like them.  They are a waste of space.  With all the other repairs needed this year, we cannot replace all of the cabinets, so I came up with an idea.

I'm cleaning them out, dusting them and putting these cuties in every other one on one side of the kitchen.  They however, are wrapped up and put away for now.  I don't want to display them until the bathroom and living room repairs are done. They are the mini hen in a nest glass dishes.

The waiting part is the most difficult now.  I have the pie safe, armoire and hutch up for sale, and need to leave the house to start ripping out living room carpet.  

In the meantime, I have much I can do in the way of purging, re-organizing and cleaning.  I have yet to get paint swatches for the living room, but I am also playing the waiting game on the guy we hired to come out and do an oil change on the truck.

Daughter K left the upstairs a complete mess, so I also have that to deal with while I wait for the big projects. It's been pretty cold here, but we are warming up this weekend.  I should wander out and check on the asparagus in the garden.