From My Home to Yours: 3/2/25

 From My Home to Yours

3/2/25

~ You know it's spring when the chickens start laying again! ~

Just like that, we went from getting 3 - 4 eggs per week to 6 - 8 per day!  The longer days resulting in more sunlight signal chickens to end their molting and get back to work.  Yes, we could add artificial light to our coop to keep the chickens laying year-round, but we prefer to just let them follow their natural rhythm of molting through the winter months.  This winter we had to buy eggs a couple of times during their time of molting.  I have a plan not to let that happen again, I'll be freezing more than I think we will use for this next winter!  One more thing before we move away from the topic of chickens, we were at our local farm store over the weekend and there were two different families there to buy baby chicks ... at $20 each!!!  We will definitely be encouraging our hens to 'set' all they want to this spring!

This week our temps have been in the 70's all the way up to 80 degrees so we took advantage of it and did some gardening.  Hubby borrowed a neighbor's tractor and 'disked' up our row garden.  I was concerned that this would be too much for him, but he assured me he was fine.  He did however, head back inside for a time of rest after returning the tractor back to the neighbor.  His first week of cardio physical therapy is behind him and we are both encouraged in how well he is working his way through each session.  He is exhausted afterwards but recovers quickly with some rest.  I can't tell you how blessed I feel and how thankful I am that he is still by my side.  

I have to share this, for all you 'young loves' out there that think as you age your marriage loses its zill and zest.  It doesn't have to ... every time my hubby made a run by where I was standing while he 'disked' the garden, I could hear him singing a slightly different version of 'the Big Green Tractor' country song by Jason Alden.  Instead of singing 'And I can take you for a ride on my big green tractor, we can go slow or make it go faster ...' as the lyrics actually say, hubby would sing, 'and I can take you for a ride on my little red tractor, we can go slow, or we can go faster ...'  Our eyes would meet, and I would smile sending him the message that he still makes me happy and is still the one for me, even after 44 plus years of marriage.  Marriage doesn't have to grow stale; it can grow deeper with the years and experiences you share.

I teach a young wives Bible class on Sunday mornings at the church where we attend, and marriage is one of the many things we discuss.  I want them to know that making our marriages a priority is a priority in God's eyes.  So goes the home, so goes society and if we're married our homes start with our marriages.  (Please understand that I'm well aware that it takes both the husband and wife working to make their marriage a priority.  I'm also very aware, that sadly that is too many times not the case.)

"the older women likewise ... that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, ..." Titus 2: 3-4 NKJV

While hubby rested and then got called into town for a work-related event, I planted these Texas Sweet onions ...

and these Red Pontiac potatoes in the freshly 'disked' garden.

On my seed planting schedule this week was tomatoes and peppers.  I planted two different varieties of tomatoes, but didn't get around to the peppers.  I also planted marigolds ... both the tomatoes and marigolds were planted using the plastic jug method.

Peering down into one of the 'milk jugs' I planted with calendula earlier; I was delighted to see the seeds sprouting and coming up!  I also noticed that other things I planted in other jugs are starting to break through the soil as well.  This method really works!

I told you last week that I would share an updated picture of the cabbage seeds I planted in one of my salad barrels.  If all these survive, I'll have plenty cabbage plants to share with friends and neighbors!

In the kitchen, I took a large package of ground beef from the freezer, let it thaw and then made a meatloaf, meatballs and browned the rest with onions.  Batch cooking saves me time and especially in weeks like this one where there was a lot going on, such as ...  (I did not take the following picture: a friend sent it to me.  I think it was taken by one of the responders that was helping fight the fires or maybe reporting on it.  I'm not sure,)

... this massive fire that got less than 2 miles from my house!  We had a couple of very anxious days and were glad when it was contained and then put out.  In fact, we had several wildfires all around us this week, to say that it was a time of being on 'high alert' is an understatement.  I've had experience with several different preparedness scenarios, but never one that involved multiple massive fires so close to home.  It has me looking more closely at a preparedness plan for having to evacuate at a moment's notice and or surviving the smoke, odors, etc that come with huge fires.  For those who deal with wildfires on a regular basis, I'd love it if you would share some tips on being prepared for and surviving them.

With hubby's physical therapy, garden planting and the fires, we had a very full week.  By last evening my whole body was letting me know that it was time for some rest.  With hubby limited yet in what he can do, I have to listen to my body and not overdo it.  It wouldn't do for us both to be 'down' at the same time!

I hope you've found something in my ramblings that will help and or encourage you in the coming week.

mrs. patsi @ A Working Pantry

She looketh well to the ways of her household … Proverbs 31:27 

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Grandma's Got a Sewing Machine 

From This Heart of Mine