Busy Weekend Beginning

 

The dirt up by the barn being so easy to mud as soon as it get wet, I decided to utilize it this year for growing some of my veggies. Hopefully, at the end of the season, the churned in leftover greenery will boost it somewhat and make it more soil like. Today, after planting planters full of bulbs (tulip, daffodil and wood hyacinth), we planted snow peas and put up frames for them to climb up. Tomorrow, we'll do the same with some runner beans.

I'd started the planters of bulbs yesterday, but once my body had had enough, it was time to quit and do another day. I have so much to do, but my life is ruled by my body and what it lets me do at any given time. The bending, stretching, and lifting yesterday wore me out (and I do it all from a seated position, I'd be falling all over the place if I were trying to stand to do it). 

Mark slipped yesterday, in the red mud, as we were watering everything in, which was what gave me the idea to use the area for ground planting this year. It's already bare, gets well wet when it rains, so it makes sense. 

Being promised a frosty morning, we put everything that had shoots on, inside the building. It's well insulated, so they should be ok. If there's no more frost risk tomorrow, then they'll all get put back outside when we are over there in the afternoon.

I'm hoping to have a couple of helpers, and if so, I'll have them sweeping the dirt up in the building, while I vacuum it up with the shopvac. Little by little, it is getting done. It's a large area and there was a lot of mud to begin with! The weather was definitely NOT conducive to a clean build, but it is what it is. I see the progress every time I'm in there.

Mark, meanwhile, "dropped" a piece of his tractor yesterday, and today figured that it was a welded part where the weld failed, so ... it will be getting re-welded sometime in the next couple of weeks. It hasn't stopped him though, he's been moving mulch from the piles down onto the dirt track, filling in ruts and making it less slippery when it rains.

All in all, our weekend has started well, and hopefully tomorrow will see more progress over on the property. 

Exhausted - What A Week! And A Bit.

 Finally, my brain is getting to rest after the stresses (good and bad) of the last few months. My body, not so much. We've been going over and cleaning it up, moving bits and pieces over and just getting on with "stuff" that's needing doing.

The build finished a week and a half ago. 

It rained.  The guys couldn't clean up the mud on the concrete because ... they were having to walk through the mud to get into the barn. I told them we'd do it, and we are still working on it.

It is a major job! Mark sweeps some (Kwacha did the other day) and I use the wet/dry vac to vacuum up the dust. I scoot around on a desk chair to do it, since I can't stand or walk. Where there's a will, as they say.

Once we get it all down to no real dust, we'll double mop and get it - finally - dirt/dust free.

I set up the front porch.  Hubby put together the archway planter and I'm waiting on climbing clematis plants (that are due to be delivered tomorrow) to make it more cosy. 

The lamps are solar, and looked so neat. I leave my walker behind the "gates" under the arch.

The wind the other night decided to blow one over and broke one of the panes, but it doesn't really show. Thursday, I'm taking bulbs over to put in the bases.

The trees in the orchard are beginning to leaf out, they look so pretty. 

Hubby had a fun time with the mower. NOT! It ran out of gas the other day and we left it overnight, down by the creek.

When he tried to restart it, after filling the tank, it decided it wasn't going anywhere.  He ended up towing it up to the barn, with the tractor. He still hasn't managed to get it to start but he'll figure it out, it's mechanical and that's his bent.

I managed to set up a corner (after we'd swept and mopped it) with my fold-up modelling table (but I haven't found my tools yet), my drawers of modelling "stuff", a camp bed and air mattress for me to lie down on when my BP goes up over there (big fail on that one, but hubby is going to make a frame for the mattress) and he put together a metal shelf for my garden and herbal medicine books. 

Although we haven't seen them, we've been putting dog and cat food down for the strays, and it keeps disappearing so we hope they still feel the property is a safe space after all the noise, hustle and bustle of the well dig , concreting and the barn erecting. I'd like to be able to catch the female and get her spayed before she gets pregnant again.

Just still lots to do but tomorrow we have massages with Roger at Studio Rejuvenate, so it's a day of rest from the property. Then, Thursday, it'll be back to working on it.

A Smashing Couple Of Days

Yesterday and today have been pretty awesome. I'm quite content with how they've been.

Yesterday started with my doctor visit for my 6 month check up, and all my labs were good, and I made a fool of myself trying to get "up" on the table. I DID manage to (with help), but getting down proved way more difficult, looking like some slapstick comedy skit as I twisted this way and that, foot hovering a few inches off the floor, even lying OVER the table to try to get back down. I felt bad for the nurse nad Dr Smith, I was in pain trying to do it but their faces were horrified. She asked me about why I was having so much trouble and I told her, my hips and knees just don't do stuff like that any more. So now she wants me to have a bone density test, so I have to schedule that (once I get everything sorted with the stuff going on at the property). I was more achy last night because of teh effort, but am doing ok today.

We were late going down to Belton, but "my men" had been getting on with it really well, and had started cladding the outside some more, and working on the porch (and yes, I'd figured out that what they ahd lain at the bottom actually needed to be at the top, so all is good on that score).

Mark had found a Bradford Pear down by the creek, and started to cut it down. He did some and got quite a pile of branches, but it's bigger than it looked, so today he went back with a long handled saw, but even that failed in making much progress so he's going to look for his chain saw and then attack it with that. They sterilized pear trees, and I lost some here when I planted when we first moved in, because I didn't know that. I'm not losing ones in my orchard over there.

We stopped by on my grandson, Dylan, on the way as he lives close by, and gave him the Easter eggs I'd got, from England, for him and Miss Lily. Today, we stopped by again as his birthday present was delivered today (a week after it was supposed to, but better late than never). He loved it, proving yet again that nanny gets it right. We also got to see our other great-granddaughter, Zayleigh, who was down for the weekend, from Tennessee, with her mum.

At the property today, I used my upright walker, and went inside the building. My builders had needed to go back to NC to pick up more supplies, and will be back tomorrow. The cement pad is a mess, because of all the rain, the guys have been having to trudge through mud a lot. I'll have to shop vac it after they do their final clean up. There's no way they'll get it all by sweeping up. 

I love the space inside. We'll have a lot to do with getting the inside how we want it, but that's fine, we'll take our time. 6 months ago I was not expecting to be doing this rush, rush, rush to get a building up. I'd said, "over the next couple of years" and then things just gathered speed and shot ahead of me. I'm ok with it, but the next few months are going to move MUCH SLOWER!

I love how it looks at dusk!

I took pictures, from where I sat, through different windows, and everything is perfect. All of the views are (or will be after tidying up/clearing) perfect. 

This is the view out of what will be the kitchen window, and it looks down over the creek/wetland (which we still have to clean up quite a bit). 

From the side window in what will be the kitchen, we have a view of the well (which will eventually have it's own pretty little house around it).

The view from the front door, where they are still working on the front porch. It looks down towards the orchard we have planted, the privacy trees and the main road.

As you can see from all of the pics, the surrounding area is still pretty muddy. It really is only just now starting to dry out after the 2 weekends of snow a few weeks back and rain every weekend since. 

I sat by the door at the creek end, and this is the inside, to the right from there.

And this is the view to the left. Yes, the mud is real!

Sitting inside, with the wind blowing outside, it didn't even sound like wind against metal, it was pretty gentle sounding which was quite surprising since, here, when the wind hits my metal awnings, they rattle quite a lot. 

The crew still have a lot to do to finish off everything, they still have the trim to do all around, the front porch and the garage door. I'm hoping it all gets done tomorrow but there's such a lot that I think it may possibly end up being Sunday. We shall see.

Hopefully Just A Minor Glitch

We were over on the property again today, and Mark planted 2 of my seedlings out ... unfortunately, the rain washed the print off of the label. I know these 2 are either watermelon, cucumber or honeydew but I guess I won't know which until they fruit! Which also means all my other labels will be blank as well, oh joy! 

I had an unwanted surprise with our build and am trying to sort it out. The front porch area ... they have a few girders creating like a mini wall, about a foot high, at the bottom, between the 2 front posts BUT that is not how my design was, so I'm waiting to hear back.

As you can see from my enlarged PDF prints of my plans, mine did NOT have anything blocking the front.

I spoke to Luis, the crew leader, and he said it had a low wall and a large window above, and I then messaged both the company (who haven't responded yet) and the lady who I ordered through (who said she's going to get a hold of them, as well).

It's just disheartening. I designed everything to be perfect, the way I wanted it, and I want to know why they changed it. Also, why they didn't tell me ahead of time rather than me finding out during the build. I'm hoping they will fix it, and I get my "perfect" porch.

Meantime, they have got a lot of the insulating done and a lot of the metal cladding. Silly me forgot to take a pic earlier so I'll have to do that tomorrow when I'm out there.

The Building Has Begun!

I was up at 5.30 and out the door by 6am, headed down to the property to meet the guys who were putting up the barn, but they were delayed by a wreck on I-85 on their way down from North Carolina, so they didn't get there until just after 9am.

They are a nice bunch of lads, and their trailer was loaded down with steel, insulation, rafters and who knows what else. They got to work as soon as they got there, and it's amazing really how much they've accomplished in a short time. Suffice to say, they know what they are doing, and they do it well.

One lad was whistling, and another singing to himself,

just getting on with what they had to do it and making themselves happy along the way. They got everything unloaded onto the concrete, and then the drilling started, as they started putting bits together.

I love how it's already looking now.

I came home, I was dead beat and wanting to nap, but the phone kept going off so that hasn't happened yet. I do keep watching on the trail cam, it's so neat watching it go up. It should be completed by Friday, but at the rate they are going, I think it may be before then!

Suffice to say, I'm loving seeing it go up, and look forward to moving some stuff over, once it's done and passed inspection.

Another "What A Day!'

What can I say? Yesterday began so well.  Third attempt to get my license renewed, and the lady that I had seen, the day before, called me over as she knew I'd just needed a DMV code from my optician and everything else was done.  So, having spent 2 hours waiting on the first 2 days, I was in and out in maybe 30 minutes yesterday, and that included having my picture took.

The asphalt millings for the dirt track were supposed to being delivered in the afternoon, so we went down to the property ... only to then get a text that the driver wasn't going to be there until after 4.30pm. I had to leave as I had a school run to do, so said I'd come back but that - after dropping Daniel off at home (usually about 4pm) it would take me 45-60 minutes, depending on traffic, to get back.

Driving off the school property just after 3.30pm, I got another text. The driver had finished early so would get there early, could I come earlier.  I explaiined I had just got out of the school line and still had to drop Daniel and his friend off, and wouldn't be able to get there any sooner than 5pm.  They gave my number to the driver so that he could contact me directly, and when he called I explained the same thing to him.  No worries, he said he'd meet us at the property around 5pm. I warned him not to drive wherwe I'd got stuck the other day, but said if he wanted to walk down by the creek, he was welcome to. He said that sounded great as he'd been driving all day. I gave him the easiest instructions to our property, he said he'd GPS it and I laughed, and said "good luck with that," as GPS has never given us an easy route and we've always just gone by a map.

We got there and no truck.  A few minutes later, I get a harried phone call, our driver is lost. GPS had taken him somewhere and he had no idea where he was. Thaknfully, he saw somebody local and they actually led him to ours. He apologised for getting lost and I laughed and told him, "I warned ya."

Unfortunately for us, he was supposed to drop the millings whilst moving, just gently, until his truck was empty.  He didn't know how to do that and we just ended up with it dumping in a pile while he was trying to figure out what he had to do. We then spent an hour starting to try to move it (Mark on the tractor) down the way we needed it, with me driving back and forth over it trying to pack it in. 

A lot of extra work that could have been avoided. What should have just been a drop supervision and go home to come back today to drive over it, turned into a bit of a fiasco. 

So we are back today, and  Mark is moving more of it, and I'm down attached to the power pole, on my computer.

Today was supposed to be hot and dry, but came up misty and then cloudy all day, with storms due later. We took recylces to the bins at Conestee, then went to Andy's for a sundae (I NEEDED IT!)

Then, lo! We had some sunshine, and the clouds seemed lighter, so Mark said we could just try coming down, and leave earlier than when the bad storms were expected. Since I just love being here, that's what we did, and for now the sunshine is holding. God is good1

What A Couple Of Days!

UGH! 2 different days at the DMV and STILL no license renewal, it's been so stressful.  Yesterday, we just ran out of time waiting for my number to get called. 2 hours of waiting and I had to leave to get back to Greenville to pick up Daniel from school. Today, almost 2 hours and then I couldn't see the first column in the eye test,  I could see the other numbers but the first column was just pure white light. I had to call my optician to get a code from them, but he was with a patient and his following patient was already there, and it takes time to do on the computer anyway, so his receptionist said it would be later afternoon before he could get to it. Again, I couldn't wait as I was supposed to pick up Daniel.

However, we are going to try again tomorrow morning early, and the lady said just to go straight to her and she will finish me off and get me over to the photo person, so that is the plan.

Then, my concrete man still ahd not tidied up and leveled the site around the concrete pad (which he's been "promising" different days over the last 2-3 weeks, and somehow never shown up for). Frustration this morning overcame niceness, and I messaged him and said if he didn't get it done and I had to pay the barn builders extra because of it not being ready for the build, then he'd be in breach of contract and he'd have to refund me whatever they charged me to cover the cost. I hate getting that way but, lo! This afternoon, he was over at the property and picked up teh framing and did a basic levelling around the pad. I didn't actually get to talk to him as I met two of my new neighbours, Steve and Judy, and we just got yapping like long lost friends. Mark was doing stuff with the tractor, but he said Chris just loaded up his stuff afterwards and drve off, without even looking at him. Hey, we still LIKE you as a person, just your work ethic is a bit off some of the time. I'm not mad at ya anymore now that you've done what we'd paid you for!

As of now, unless we get a definite for rain this weekend, the barn building will begin Monday and go through all next week. I so hope our rain chances lessen so that we can get this done because I am so ready to start moving stuff over there to make my visits more comfy rather than just sitting in the car all the while. I have a lounge bed that will allow me to lie down, and the camping potty until we have a loo plumbed in, plus I want to get my modelling stuff over there so's I can start working on my train layout again.

All in all, a busy day that ended much better than it began, so feeling much less stressed and very thankful.

Tomorrow - hopefully get my license renewed without issue and we have millings being delivered at the property to make the dirt track more stable (than muddy and slick).

Then, if all goes well next week, we can begin resting a bit more. It's been a hectic few months, so far.

Busy Weekend

Yesterday started out well but then, as we were getting ready to leave the property, we had a glitch. 

Mark had planted some poppy and wildflower seeds, for me, on a small island in the creek, and then set to digging up some of the cattails that have overgrown a good portion of the marsh. I was sat in my car, in my usual creek-watching spot, when I heard a clatter and suddenly couldn't see him any more, where he had been. I kept trying to see where he might be, and then called out, and he had actually ended up about forty feet farther down, going towards the front of the property. I drove across to be level with where he was at, but still on what is usually hard ground. He started coming out to pack everything up ready for us to come home, and I started driving back up to the main dirt road-y bit that's our driveway. THAT was when everything went wrong. 

I got almost level with the concrete pad for the barn, and my wheels started spinning. I wasn't going anywhere! I didn't want to churn it up more and get stuck even worse, so I turned off the engine and yelled at Mark that I was stuck. He went and got the tractor and we expected to resolve my situation in minutes ... nope, that didn't happen!

Mark went under my car to hook up a tie to tow me with ... and my underside was all plastic, nothing metal he could hook anything to. He pfaffed about, trying this and that (and getting more frustrated by the second) for about 30 minutes. I'd already given up and messaged my grandson, Dylan, who lives a couple of miles from the property. He came out, and then, they pushed me while I had my wheels turned another way, and was in reverse. When the car started to move, I reversed all the way back, around the other side of the barn slab, around the other side of the well, and up to where the sheds are. I was VERY THANKFUL to be out of the mud. Poor Serendipity is a good farm car but that was a surprise I hadn't needed. I expect mud closer to the swamp, so I avoid driving down there, I just had not expected it where it was!

So, today, our first venture was to the car wash, where we got her all spiffy clean. I even remembered to take my good paper towels and white vinegar to do the windows, because the rags there never clean properly and leave smears that are awful when sunlight or headlights hit them. I needed properly clean windows!

Then, after coming home, Mark set to work putting in Serendipity's automatic start, and I started planting seeds and bulbs. 

I've hit on a plan that works for me. I have pots with lids that the round Jiffy pots fit in (3" and 5" ones) so I'm planting in those and then, when ready to transplant, the Jiffy pot comes out and makes that part easy. The lid on the regular pot helps keep them moist and protected from draughts and such as they start out. And those are reusable!

I have so many seeds to start, ready to then transplant into a veggie garden, as we get that prepped over there. I'd like, eventually, to have plenty of fruits and veggies for us and family/friends.

Today I've planted rose seeds, watermelon, cucumber, and tulip bulbs. 

Jel gave me 2 nice bunches of bananas, so I sliced them and popped them in the freezer, and made banana peel tea with the peels for my plants.

So, I'm quite content and it's been a satisfying day.

 

We Have A Well

One more small step forward in the transformation of the property into what will eventually be home. It's going to be a work in progress for a couple of years, methinks, but every "must do" checked off on our list, is one step closer to the ultimate. 

Today's small step was the completion of the well. From the beginning of drilling on Sunday, to trickling water yesterday

to everything finished, today.

Unfortunately, our flow is basic, even after drilling an additional 100 feet, so we had to put in a bigger tank so that we'll have good water pressure for showering and such. It meant that the fake rock cover wouldn't fit over it, so we're going to prob put a little fake shed over it, like a little house. That'll have to wait awhile though until I get our money settled again. The concrete pad cost ran over, this ran over due to needing to dig deeper and the bigger tank, so some other things will have to be put on hold until I get us re-balanced.

We still have plenty of stuff to be getting on with, so we won't be coming to a stop, but - after the barn is erected - just that things that require paid labour will be moving a lot slower.

One of the things I'm excited about is to get back to my train modelling. I can keep the dogs out of one area and set up my table and supplies again, and get back to building and setting up the layout. I had to put things away because Brunel would jump up on the table, and he broke some of my creations and I had to put everything away. I am so looking forward to getting it all set up, and my "Flying Scotsman" chuffing around it. 

My end will be my English High Street

with the picture house

and Station,

and hubby's end will be the American derelict looking industrial area,

roundtable and engine sheds, and then the highway with the gas station,

motel and diner

I just love to look at these pics and imagine how I'm going to be placing them in a 10' x 16' space. I can't wait to see it all come together, after being put away for 3 years!

Tomorrow, I have the school run in the morning, and afternoon, so I won't be heading down to Belton but am thinking of doing some plantings ... I have decided to use some larger Jiffy pots (3" and 5" round pots) to start some seed in that can then just simply be put in the ground once the weather gets nice. I need to take more cuttings off the gardenia and honeysuckle.

The strawberry plants are really doing well. They are leafing out and starting to look like strawberry plants.

I guess today has been another good day.

 

A Smashing Surprise!

 We were over at the property again today, Mark was planting a plum tree and the weeping willow, that we took over from here. 

As we pulled up, I noticed the mama dog and another (her mate, I think) just sunning down near the concrete pad. Neither has a collar, so I am def thinking both stray. The other 2 dogs that we'd seen on the trail cam had collars, so I think they roam from one of the neighbours. We got kind of close but then she got skittish and started loping off and her mate followed her. I didn't even think to take a picture, and I'm kicking myself for that now. Neither was aggressive in any way though.

So, Mark got to planting; the plum went into the orchard on the 2nd row, and the weeping willow, down near the creek. Unfortunately, it looks like our unwelcome visitors, the hogs, have been rooting down there as well. Not good!

I was about ready to leave, and head home, when I see a truck coming up the dirt road. 

Lee, my well man, had called a little while earlier and asked if he could come out and check everything, to be ready for drilling tomorrow. Tomorrow! Whhoooo-eeeee! We'd earlier discussed me calling him this Thursday after watching the weather. So he had been out and talked to us, and now, here he was, alreday bringing his equipment.

Even better, one of his men was following in another truck, and they actually started drilling TODAY! They got it lined up where we needed it and then the noise began.

It was awesome to watch. Lee's been doing this for over 30 years, and I was laughing with him about that and how it was just an everyday thing to him and here it was, pretty exciting to me.

They got it started, and yes, it was just as noisy as they'd warned me.

It was neat seeing the dirt kicking up underneath. Then I got to thinking how somebody had thought up this process and I was like, wow. I'm thankful they did, and it'll be nice to have running water over there.

I'll be heading back over there tomorrow to watch them as the work progresses.

I Am A Proud Strawberry Mama

When the arrived a few days ago, they were just tangled roots and a couple of stalks and - despite lovingly planting them and watering in - I honestly thought they wouldn't survive. Well, look what a bit of loving can do! They are beginning to get leafy. I have them in the multi tower, and since our weather is so changeable right now, they are in the kitchen and under the light. I'm hoping all 25 will flourish but I'm def a proud strawberry mama right now.
 

The Little Things All Add Up

Today has been another day of accomplishments, of little things that are getting us slowly towards our ultimate goal.

Hubby dug up one of our fruit trees over here, a peach, and we took that, and the 2 chestnut trees, over to the new property and he planted them. The peach went into the orchard area, and the 2 chestnuts are down near the swampy bit of the creek

where the deer come to feed. We have tree protectors around them, attached to a fence pole, but apparently they are an amazing source of deer food, so should encourage plenty of visitors once they are grown. It'll be nice to watch them early mornings and at dusk, when we are living over there. Hopefully, they'll come to get to know me like the ones here did.

Unfortunately, overnight we had our 2 unwelcome guests come rooting down there, the hogs. 

A friend is going to sit out there and try to take care of the problem for us, and fill his freezer at the same time. I can't have them tearing everywhere up.

On our way home, as we got to the end of our road where the goats live, we saw someone outside and ended up speaking to the goats owner. Having had goats ourselves, I know how expensive it can be to keep them fed through Winter ... and here we have a grass/weed area that they could munch on for free, so I'd been trying to see them outside for about a month to let them know they could take them down there if they wanted to.

The lady (Amy) apparently used to live by us here and remembered going by ours when we had goats roaming the front yard with our chickens and dogs. She used to live in the subdivision just down the road. I still miss my goats.

Rammy was our first, we got him when he was 3 weeks old, in June 2003. She has a female with very similar markings. Rammy had such a quirky personality, but sadly long gone now. Then we added Cleo, Red and Sadie. Sadie used to run with the dogs when she was the last one left, with a chicken on her back! Our animals have always been just as crazy as us!.

We are now thinking of m-a-y-b-e getting a couple of goats again. I have to weigh up a lot of things before making that decision though. We have so much else to do with getting the new place how we want it, and do we really need the responsibility of goats again? Watering, feeding, mucking out stalls? A lot to think about, we are a lot older now and they can be a lot of work.

It's been a really nice day though, and I'm feeling content.

The Drearies Are Here

 Grey clouds, rain showers and fog, yes the drearies are upon us for the next few days. Hubby has taken our 2 sons to dump trash and recycles, and pick up breakfast from Crossroads again. The great-grand-puppy is in the bedroom with me having "nanny time". 

My plans for today, other than this afternoon's school run, are to divide and transplant one of my Pothos plants (too big for the pot and needs a lot more root space), pedal on my bike for a few, and pot the 2 chestnut trees (that are coming today) in large Jiffy pots so that we can plant them out when we go back over to the property on the next dry day. 

The strawberries that I planted the other day, that looked so sad and wilted, are perking up nicely with being bedded in the tower pots and given plenty of light in the kitchen. I don't want to put them outside until we are over the cold spell promised for next week. One is even trying to leaf ... aaah.

Another Productive Visit

 With rain expected to be rolling in again, today's trip was basically to take down the water barrel and get it set up near the orchard. Hubby loaded it up, from here, this morning, and then set it up down there. The wraps for the trunks had arrived in the mail yesterday, so he wrapped the fruit trees as well.

The arborist from ChipDrop came by and dropped off a load of mulch, he asked if we wanted a second load and I said, "def, yes please!"

We have plenty of uses for it (and future drops!).

We grabbed Arnold's for lunch, one of our "treats". Just plain food, good people. I like supporting a local business.

After we came home, hubby set to "fixing" the lawnmower. He replaced one wheel and changed the cutting blades. When he showed me the difference between the one he'd taken off and a new blade, it was like "yeah, that def needed changing". Half the old blade was eroded away.

Today has thus been quite productive, very satisfying.

Contentment

Overall, today's been a pretty good day. I did the school run, and hubby went to the coffee shop while I was gone. They were out of the cinnamon rolls that I love so much, so he got me a cranberry orange scone, and they are so good too. I do love Crossroads. 

He had a VA appointment for his eyes, and that went pretty much ok. They like to keep track on him because of his diabetes.

While he was gone, I pedalled for 25 minutes on my bike and read some of one of the books I'm reading.

When he got home from that, he changed the rakes on my car ... when he showed me the ones that came off it was a definite, "yep, they needed doing". He also did the cabin air filter, so I'm all good to go right now.

We decided to treat ourselves to Panda Express for lunch, I had the Honey Sesame Chicken and he opted for the Walnut Chicken. It was good, filled a spot.

Whilst waiting at the school, I got a phone call from the barn people, and we now have a tentaive build date of March 2nd thru the 6th. Once it's up, we can begin getting his workshop area set up in it and start organizing the rest of the building how we want it. Part will be kind of a nursery area for starting plants until he builds me a greenhouse. Everything is going to take time to do, and money, so things will def be slowing down after the barn is erected. 

On our way back from the afternoon school run, we stopped by the library and dropped off the books I'd read and needed to take back.

My 25 strawberry plants got delivered today, so I spent about an hour planting them in the tower planter that I got. They looked quite sad, so I hope they do flourish. We shall see. 

The blueberry that came with them was in it's own little pot, so I transplanted it into a bigger pot. I wanted to give it space to spread it's roots before planting it outside in a few weeks.

Tomorrow, when we go over to the property, we'll be wrapping the fruit trees to help keep them safer from wildlife who might want to munch on them. We're also planning on taking the water barrels and table over, and setting them up. It's supposed to rain again Friday, so they can start getting filled up and be ready for when we need to soak the trees.

We Had Rain!

Yesterday was a lazy day for us, a day of rest for my poor hubby who has been doing all manner of things over on the property over recent weeks. We had rain, an awesome excuse to just stay home and wind down, knowing all my new trees and plants were getting a wonderful soaking without us having to take water over in gallon jugs because we don't yet have water there yet. That should be getting remedied soon, but can't until we get an end to spasmodic rain as Lee's trucks weigh more than last week's concrete trucks did.

Hubby and I did some upkeep on my gardenia cuttings, I changed water in some, picked off dead leaves and re-rooting-powdered others. I don't think they've like the Winter much, even being inside. I also potted the honeysuckle vine that had finally rooted pretty well. Eventually I want to have honeysuckle, moonflower and morning glory vines along all the chain link perimeter fences over at the property. Smell sweet and look pretty.

Today, we went back over and hubby mowed some of 2 different areas. One is not our land, although the fencing makes it appear it is. Mark is trying to locate the marker studs that define that property as the new neighbour's fenceline is square around his home and back yard, and actually should be wider onto "our" driveway, and then 10-15 feet deeper past their pole barn and across to the perimeter, as can be seen by the yellow line on the aerial pic.

They bought the house in December, after we bought the land in November. The former owners of both should have taken care of this a few years ago before selling the land to the person we bought it from, but hopefully between Mark and Josiah (the young lad who owns the house now) we can get it figured out and fenced correctly.

On the pic above, the privacy tree row that we planted is level from the pole barn and going down towards the creek, and my mini orchard is being set up to the left of where it says the 8.97 acres. The barn's concrete slab is in the area where the words "home pad" are, with the covered porch area facing the road and privacy trees.

Progress is slow and steady, but we are "gettin' 'er done".

Tomorrow's project is for him to put new brakes on my car, and then putting a new wheel on the lawnmower. Wednesday we'll be back over there to water trees, take more plants over plus our rainwater barrels and table, so that we can set them up near the orchard ready to hook up the flat soaker hoses for watering in future.

We have to paint the new beehive also. We'll have 2 this year, and we get our bees April 11th. We missed the cutoff for the first shipment. We are well prepared though with everything for them.

Another Awesome Day!

Today has been another absolutely lovely. We've been over at the property, Mark and a lad who came to help us, Corey, started to block in the compost heap, and planted 2 cherry trees. My other fruit trees didn't arrive until after we had left the house, so Jel brought them over to us and Mark got them planted. The line-up thus far is a 4-in-1 apple, 2 3-in-1 pears, 2 cherry trees, and a 4-in-1 Western Fruit Cocktail tree. The 2-in-1 cherry and the 4-in-1 pluot tree didn't come in the shipment so I've messaged them and will follow up with a call on Monday. The 2 rows are about 20 feet apart and the trees are planted 10 feet apart, so our orchard will be fairly compact (they call it basically a "postage stamp orchard") which makes it easier to pick the fruit later on.

Mark plans to add more blocks around the beginning compost heap. We have to take more over. Thus far, we have grass cuttings, paper recycleables and a couple of bags of veggie peelinge et.al. that we've taken over from here. We are supposed to get a good rain overnight and tomorrow, and I'm hoping that will start the paper products breaking down. I am looking at a couple of options for some animal manure to add to it. I want to end up with a really rich mixture.

He also cleared a bit of area around the creek near the front of the property so that I have a more open view of it. It's really nice to be able to look at it more closely now that a lot of the overgrowth has been cut back (or Wintered away).

The pond rake for cutting and clearing the cat tails struggled, I guess we just have so many and they are so thick. It was neat watching them send like dust bunnies up in the air as they were pulled. It reminded me of blowing dandelion puffballs.

I also met our new neighbour, he hasn't moved in yet either. He and his fiance get married next month and will then be moving in afterwards. They bought the house in December, as we'd bought the land in November, so we are both new and just "visiting" our places at the mo. He has a cute little black dog who took an immediate liking to me but manages to get through numerous places in the fence to get over onto our property, so we discussed him and Mark doing some better fencing once he gets moved in. We also will need to introduce Brunel and Lightning so that if she does come over when they are there, thatw e don't end up with a dogfight, and they see her as a friend. I can then always take her back home.

Corey is a really nice young man, and he is planning on stopping over at different times to track the wild hogs and hopefully load his freezer by doing so, and sharing some of the meat with us. I told him he mustn't hurt my deer though, as I want to enjoy their visits once we are over there more often.

It's nice to have things falling into place. God is so good, and I don't deserve this but I am very thankful for my blessings.

 

Yes We Have A Concrete Pad! YAY!

 I say it a lot now, "I'm too old for this", and then I giggle to myself and think how blessed I am, and how happy and contented, despite all the stress of keeping it together. This beautiful piece of God's green earth, with the creek and marshland, a place where I can go to enjoy the peace. 

Well, not today. Today I was cranking the Hu, a Mongolian band. I LOVE their music ... although methinks the guys pouring the concrete were probably thinking what a crazy old bird I was. That's ok, I'll wear that badge with pride because I AM a crazy old bird. I've always danced to the beat of a different drum.

So, whilst cranking the music, I took lots of pictures.

The men had been out there since 6am this morning,

we arrived about 9.15am as I had the school run with Daniel this morning.

They'd got about 2/3 of it done by that time and were waiting on the concrete truck bringing more concrete.

Mark, meanwhile, was mulching the remaining saplings and then adding more mulch to the first ones that were planted.

They are now well started, and with rain due possibly tomorrow and more likely over the weekend, they'll be happily well watered in again.

In the mail today - my tiered planters for my (soon-to-be-here) strawberries. It'll be easier for me to care for them as I'll be able to reach them all sitting down.

In my seedling tray where I planted seeds 10 days ago, my parsley and thyme are sprouting. They will form the beginning of my herb garden. So far, nothing else, although I think the next few days of warmer weather and some sunshine may help. I hope so.

I'm excited about the pad being poured though. Progress!

We Passed Inspection

 Today, our barn footing passed inspection, which means ... the cement pad will be poured tomorrow. Our "cement guy" Chris says he'll be starting at 5.30am in the morning if we want to come and watch. We'll probably get there about 9am. I don't get back from the school run until about 8am, and then it'll be getting everything ready to go and driving down there. I def want to get pics of them doing it though, it's all part of this journey.

The Thuja saplings all seem to be taking their transplanting pretty well.  We took more mulch today, we want them well mulched and babied so they grow like these in this picture.

Big and strong, making a nice privacy wall of trees. It'll be a couple of years but they apparently grow a few feet every year, so I'll just be patient as they inch up there.

My fruit trees are also due in this week, so that'll be some more planting going on.  Lowe's loves us right now, we are buying so much stuff to do this all right. For posterity, saith she.

Two of the stray dogs are getting used to the sound of my voice thruogh the trail cam.  They do look up when they hear me, and occasionally head a few paces away, but then - when they realise there's no threat - they head back to eat and semi-ignore me. 

A couple of the deer have been the same, but the others scatter. Oh well. Hopefully, when I am over there more, they will get better used to me and I'll be able to enjoy them closer.

We've ordered our bees for April 11th pick up (I forgot we had to order ahead and the first shipment was completely sold out). We'll have 2 hives this year. We learned from our mistakes of last year so hope these will thrive.  I'm def giving them plenty of food sources!

God is so good, everything is coming together beautifully. I am very content.

Such A Glorious Day!

 Today has been an absolutely awesome day! Despite still being "bunged up", we went down to the property today and were there a few hours. 

My privacy trees arrived yesterday, so we headed down with them, potting soil, plant food for transplanting trees, gallon jugs of water (since our well is not dug yet) and 20 trees.  

Hubby began by using the tractor to scrape the grass off the area we were putting them in, and then running a plumb line down to make sure they'd be in a straight line. 

Then he unrolled the weed barrier over it. 

Trying to dig through it didn't work, so they used scissors to cut the holes where they were digging out to put the trees in. I'd read their instructions REALLY well, so each plant got watered in well before getting covered over with potting soil and then the regular soil they'd dug up. Bearing in mind that the field had been a horse pasture for many years and is frequented by deer, it's pretty well fertilized.

They all did such an awesome job. I was finally able to help, by cutting off the zipties on the tree wrappings and unpotting them ready for planting. My mobility issues put the kibosh on so much stuff that I used to love doing. It was good family time though, with 2 grands and a great-grand helping Mark.

The trees are only about 3 feet high but grow 4-6 feet a year so should be pretty thick in 2 years or so. We only managed to get 10 in today, so are going back tomorrow to plant the other 10. 

I was mainly the foreman, sitting in my car not doing much, but Angelica and Nicolette were with us helping (my choice of Christmas gift when asked had been labour donation) and Samantha rode around with me some of the time and heped the others the rest of it.  In the beginning, though, she had made friends with 2 girls who were there with our ocncrete man, Chris, and the 2 men helping him as they redid the footings for re-inspection Monday. As long as it passes this time, he will start the cement pad on Tuesday.

Samantha put out the food for the stray dogs and cats. Sadly, none were around for her to see. We've seen the black cat a few times when we've been over, but not to be able to pet it. The dogs haven't ever come around when we are there, other than the nursing mama that time a couple of months ago. No worries, once we are able to be over there more, maybe they will, and then they can be trapped, spayed/neutered, given their shots and hopefully we can find homes for them.

The fruit trees should be arriving this week also, and we are better prepared for when they get here.  I already had hubby dig out 2 "troughs" when we had the ditch witch so that we only have to drop them in and pop weed barrier and then soil around them, no heavy digging like today.

It's so nice to see everything beginning to come together. That place is so beautiful, and I just want to make it moreso, but also productive with edibles. I also want it to be a safe place for the deer. They are already getting used to stopping over for food. It'll be lovely, once we are there all the time, to be able to sit there and watch them. 

They look at the camera, a bit confused, when I start talking to them through it. Hopefully though, they'll be used to the sound of my voice by the time we are living over there.