A Homesteading Woman is not for Wimps. Also—I’m a Wimp. 🏡 Homestead Blog Hop 454

My day as an off grid, homesteading woman.

I am a homesteading woman.  An off grid homesteading woman.  

Today I am home alone.

Turns out I work best when alone, but I can also get distracted best when alone. Today was a work day.

Migraine or no, I did a little workout on the trampoline. Hiked the hill, checked the greenhouse, and got moving.

Fitness Update

So far, I’m pretty really enjoying doing trampoline workouts. I’ve been at it probably two weeks now, and it’s becoming more of a habit. I talked a little bit about those fitness goals in these recent posts. Using a Trampoline for Health and Midlife Mama, those Pesky Hormones, and Fitness Goals. I already feel more motivated, maybe slightly less poochy, and less depressed. So, I’m keeping that up and loving it!

Being a Homesteading Woman

Even though jumping is fun, it did kick my rear, and left me with my tongue hanging out.

After that I moved to filling up the holding tanks, which is not hard, but involves hiking up the steep hill to check the water levels, letting the Solar well pump do it’s thing, and not forgetting to turn it off (which I usually do).

Water plants, pick produce, sweat some more.

Next it was time to wash the dishes.

As I came to the camper, I saw the front steps and remembered how they’d been bugging me. With no one else to call, I drafted myself for the job.

The step support has rotted out. I did a jury rig job awhile back, shoving a long board under the wood to level it out. It worked, but wasn’t great. For some reason, I decided today was a good time to change that.

I spent a half hour leveling the pavers in front of the steps. I shoveled dirt and rock, getting them just so. Then, I needed to somehow raise the step so I could fit some supports under there. I tried a pry bar, then remembered, “that’s what jacks are for!”

I knew where the giant jack was because I’d been straightening the shop. What I did not know was how heavy that thing was! It rolls just fine over the concrete in the garage. Over gravel is a way different story. I’m not exaggerating to say it took me ten minutes to drive that thing from the house to the camper, huffing and puffing all the way.

Turns out that first workout was fluff—this was the real deal! 💪 I am so not made for this!

The saga continues—the Day in the Life of a Homesteading Woman

As my life goes, once I positioned said jack under the step, I could not find the lever thing. No problem! I’ll use a pipe. Problem: the pipe fits the hole, but doesn’t turn the thing inside to lift/lower.

Don’t laugh, but I made about twenty trips back and forth to try to find something/anything to fit over that thingamajig inside the hole of the jack to turn it. I propped the pipe with a log, hoping it would not slip off and slap me in the face. I kept an eye on that thing.

Got the step lifted, made use of our wood scrap pile, our extensive rock collection on them thar hills, and managed to prop up that shaky step. I still needed to get the original board out, only the woodpile *somehow* got stacked on top of the end of that board. What in the world?

OK

I could use a saw, I could do the Paul Bunyan axe job, or try to find a power tool. I opted for the power tool (I haven’t hung around all these guys for nothing).

First attempt was the first tool I spotted: the angle grinder. Well…I only learned how to angle grind yesterday. Apparently, the angle grinder didn’t *like* sawing a board, because it went on strike.

We do have options. We have lots of power tools. Not that I’ve used many of those either, but how hard can it be?

The tool I needed was the Sawzall. However, although I searched high and low, no Sawzall appeared to my wondering eye. I glanced at the regular saw (the back and forth kind). I kind of didn’t want to do that one.

It’s Paul after all

The axe it is! Chop chop! I was doing great with my chopping skills—I could even see a dent in the wood where I was making progress!

I didn’t see that coming.

Yeah—standing directly downwind from the wood pile, I did not notice how my vigorous chopping was vibrating that whole stack…until it tumbled down—headed my way! I think that trampoline jumping has sharpened my leaping skills, because I hopped to the side before getting buried alive! Whew—that was close!

Only now I had the another project! 😭 How was I going to restack that wood without dismantling the whole pile? And when would the Jenga tower tumble?

Goodness! This was not going as planned!

Remember—I was HOME ALONE

Nobody to holler at. Bummer. This really would have been a good job for one of my strapping young men. But, no. It was just Me, Myself and I to choose from.

Half a hike up the hill got me a metal T post. By this time, that sun was blazing, my migraine kept reminding me that it really hates the sun, so I listened. I knew that T Post Pounder was lying in the weed patch right next to my sunflower patch—way up on the top terrace where my head said I would not be climbing right now. I set that project aside and resolved to do everything gently so as not to upset the wooden pile of doom.

Hauling rocks and shoring up the step, leveling out the area and the shoe scraper was a good use of tools, muscle power, and ingenuity. I’m not bragging—it did take some thinking.

Later on, when the sun was less intense and a soft, pleasant breeze blew on me, Chuck and I hiked to the top, unearthed the post pounder, and brought it down. I used that thing, and pounded away! It’s super heavy, but I prevailed. Problem was—the harder I pounded, the crookeder that post veered. I ended up with a wonky post, which did not accomplish my goal. At that point I called Uncle and am hoping some strong man can do a little something with that crazy crooked post.

Shew! This homesteading woman thing is sweaty and hard! Several times today I was sweating like an onion (at least once smelling like an onion!, and wondered when it is that I’ve worked this hard?

Turns out cooking is no fun when it’s just you!

Grilled cheese (vegan) and tomato sandwich and smoothie for the win!

The Vegan Frosty—Plant Based “Better Than Frosty”Beats a Wendy’s frosty for health benefits, and maybe even tastes better! I needed a break from all that manual labor, so I took that opportunity to type up that recipe, whiz it up, and eat it. Don’t tell anyone, but I have enough for tomorrow.

I didn’t tackle any more projects outside. I also didn’t do my evening jumping workout. Believe me, I more than made up for it.

Did some blogging, finally washed those dishes, and drank some lemon verbena tea.

And that’s a wrap!  

My homesteading day, in all its glory! I won’t say it’s a typical day, nor was it a terrible day. My migraine got kicked to the curb—I did a pain killer and an emergency drink of Calm Magnesium powder and Liquid IV Energy powder mixed in a quart of water. Sometimes that will arrest the migraine if it’s in the right stage. Other times it won’t touch it. I don’t feel any pain right now, so I’m super grateful. (I will say that migraine days are the only time I ingest caffeine).

I’m also grateful that I could actually do all of the things I accomplished today. I will sleep well. The Bible says that the sleep of a laboring man is sweet. I’m sure that includes a homesteading woman.

Now…the Homestead Blog Hop!

Thanks for coming!

Laurie

Welcome to the Homestead Blog Hop!

Homestead Blog Hop will take place every Wednesday and is for all things homesteading: real food recipes, farm animals, crafts, DIY, how-to’s, gardening, anything from-scratch, natural home/health, self-sufficiency, self-reliance, natural remedies, essential oils, & more! Basically anything related to homesteading.

Meet Your Hosts!

Follow Their Blogs

Natasha – Houseful of Nicholes (Facebook | Pinterest | Twitter | Instagram)

Laurie – Ridge Haven Homestead (Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram)

Liz – The Cape Coop (Facebook | Pinterest | Twitter | Instagram)

Kelly – Simple Life Mom (Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram)

 

FEATURED POSTS from the Last Homestead Blog Hop

Each week we take turns choosing three posts to feature. Each post will be shared on all social media platforms by all of the hosts! Here are the features from Last Week’s Hop

1. Tomato Cucumber Salad with Feta from Nancy C

2. How to Make Elderflower Tea from Road to Reliance

3. Green Goddess Burger from A Homemade on a Weeknight

Congrats! Feel free to grab the featured on button for your post.

Just right click and ‘save image as…‘

Guidelines for this Get-Together:

1. Click on the “Add your Link” Button below and add a great image of your project or recipe. Make sure you link to the page of your family friendly post – not the main page of your blog.
2. Link up to three posts each week.
3. Try to visit at least a few other blogs at the party. Be sure to leave a comment to let them know you stopped by.
4. Link your post back to the Homestead Blog Hop. If the hop isn’t linked to your post then you cannot be featured. All featured posts will be shared on all hosts’ social media channels.
5. Please link up posts that you haven’t linked to the hop before. You are welcome to link old posts from your blog.
6. By joining the party, you are giving the hosts permission to use one photo from your post with a link back to your site if it is selected as one of next week’s Features.
7. This is a family-friendly link up meant to inspire and motivate the homesteader in all of us.

 

Let the Party Begin!

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Follow all your hosts on Pinterest and send me a message that you’d like to be added to our Homestead Blog Hop group board. The only rule is to only add posts that you’ve also added here.