New Coop ~ Tidbits

 

Short post today.  We started building the new coop over the weekend.  However, he bought the wrong size wood, so it's bigger than it should be.  We got two wall frames up, and he changed his mind and will be cutting the walls down for a shorter coop.  This man.  I am happy we are starting to build it, but I thought he had this all planned out too. 

 I didn't get any other pictures, as it was very hot out and we were extremely tired.  We reached out for help, and once again, no help.   Just the shopping, loading and unloading wears us out.  Roofing is heavy too, and so far that job sounds like it will be just him and I, and I am not looking forward to that. I already have bruises, burst blood vessels, and he's sporting bandaids. Biofreeze has been our best friend.

 I'll try and get my camera out there for photos later this week, if we getting any progress done on it. Like I said, we will be going a bit backwards on it for now, before we can go forward.  Today, rain is in the forecast.

Ladders, carrying stuff up and down.....this is not going to be fun.  As of last night, I think we agreed the trusses will be built vs. bought.  They are expensive. 

I had one short break one day on the porch last week.  The butterflies love my tall phlox.  It's back to steaming hot again.  I was way too tired to check on my garden yesterday, and my tomatoes are probably getting ready for some canning.

I'm happy to say, the flower beds (other than the rose bed from h-e-double hockey sticks bed) are all completely weeded.  I managed to get most of the herb garden weeded too.

Gardening reduces stress and anxiety???

 Daughter E called us and we talked for an hour.  She loves her new job and of course the income, and we can really see a difference in her happiness and way less anxiety.  

We both got a chuckle when we were talking about being a stay at home Mom.  She said, "after seeing what Mom does every day, I don't want that job, I would rather work outside the home" ha ha ha!

Although some days are extremely busy, there are a few days where I get to take the day slower, but yes, homemade cooking takes a lot of time, produces more dirty dishes, more dishes to wash and whatnot.  I do prefer the real foods and prefer home grown, which is also work.  I get it, but some day she may change her thoughts on that.

Weeds!  Not sure this is a stress reducer or anxiety reducer, ha ha!  I'm tired when I'm all done.  I am thankful some of the gladiolus are coming up.  I only put a dent in one flower bed, but today's rain should make the rest of the job go easier this next week.  If it does really rain. 

I have a nice mullein plant that showed up in my flower bed. I need to move it or plant it in a pot.  So happy to see it though.

I can't believe it's Friday already . . .

The recent rain gave the garden a sip of glory, but not a full drink so to speak.  There is a good possibility for a good soak tomorrow.   The gardens are doing well, and my green onion is springing back to life.  I check it daily, as those squash bugs can lay eggs in a hot minute, and I have to keep the sensors on my motion sensors out there clean, and make sure they are charging.

I started weeding the herb garden and flower beds, but it will take several days.  We did not mulch the flower beds, as we had plans to expand one flower bed (for easier mowing).  It is on the back burner for now.  

  

I'm still working on the utility room, by washing up hats, scarves, gloves, sweaters, and coats, and drying them on the clothesline.  Anything I haven't worn for the last 14 years, is going in a donation box.  That all came out of one coat cubbie, including more sweaters that I put to dry inside on hangers.

One coat cubbie scrubbed clean.  These are the only coat closets we have in the house.  No linen closets etc.  Each one has two hooks in the back.  We installed rods to hold coats, jackets, rain coats, and sweaters.  These were installed by the last homeowner, and have no doors on the cubbies (other than the one we installed recently.  There are small cupboards above and below, and I am going through every single one, purging, cleaning and re-organizing.  It will take some time, now that the garden is producing.

I have found some "are our serious?"  items found way back in a corner, and some "what were you thinking" items, ha ha!  I have added two more plastic storage drawers to the garage project.  I cleaned another upper cupboard, and now have an official storage (out of sight) for our paper towels, napkins, and toilet paper.

(There are about 50 more of these to take off the walls upstairs, ha ha!  Kids!!)

On the upstairs updates, I bring down anything that the kids left every trip up there.  I am almost done cleaning out what was left in the other closet, but progress is being made.

I'm compiling a trip to town, with several lists, and two donation drop off locations.  I found a home for 3 binders that had craft instructions for any type of handmade craft.  I saved pages from magazines, printed stuff, and kept free patterns and instructions from the craft store  (elementary classroom parties, teaching crafts at MOPS etc).  I knew that if I took them to donate to the thrift store they would toss them out, so I inquired with the recovery place, and they were excited to take them.  They do a "creative" weekly, so I am happy I found a good home to donate them.

I'm still adding to my lists, and dreading the trip to town.  My hometown has road construction at every (literally) entrance into town, and adding many round-abouts (we all feel are ridiculous), and we all have to go many miles out of our way to get to and from places in that town.  It will be bad for the next 30 days.  The town is a hot mess, and we try to avoid it as much as possible.

I have placed a few online orders, but that is becoming a joke too.  I may share my experience with that in another post.  I can't believe it's Friday already.  

This and That

 

We have been getting rain, so I'm not doing any garden work currently.  I weeded out the larger weeds in the rose bed, but the rest will have to wait until the the rain stops.

I have been successful with my new to-do list (the 7 areas to tidy up).  I have now crossed 2 off of my list of 7.  My husband hasn't noticed.

Speaking of my husband, there is no sign of the long work hours ending.  He promised me a "date" night, which was taking the motorcycle out and dinner out.  Didn't happen.  They held him over at work.  We are all tired of it.  He has been forced over every night.  One night he was to be home by 8pm, and ended up home at 9pm.

I'm considering going back to work.  We never see each other, and there is no sign we will be getting our projects finished.

I still have a list for us when these hours stop, but I not able to vision any of it being accomplished.  I'm still upset half of the garden was not planted.  Nothing we can do about it.  I probably sound like a broken record.  It can be very depressing at times.  

July is almost here, and the coop materials have not even been bought yet.  We still need more supplies for the raised beds.  The solar fence is still in the box.  I never got my potatoes planted....

I'm getting burned out crocheting.  I have been using up some yarn, and making hats for winter.  I went on Etsy, and was shocked that some people are selling hats for $50-70!!!  What??  And here I was worried that $18 or so was too high.  As for that, my husband said he does NOT want me to do any craft show this winter.

I also saw knitted dishcloths being sold for $7.00!!  What??  I've also noticed that everyone is selling something, and no one is buying.  I read that the area garage sales were a flop as well.  They said "no one was into it" this year.  Well, no one has the money.

I'll be back when I have something more positive to post.  I have just been drained of all positive mojo so far this summer, and feeling like we haven't accomplished anything is mentally draining.

This isn't "throwing in the towel" on homesteading, but the thought is there.

Spearmint Iced Green Tea ~ Blooms

 

It was high time to make homemade spearmint iced tea.  I love this stuff!  My Mom hated it, but her Mom (Grandma), used to make it.  Love, love, love it on a hot day.  It's nice to have when I come in from the garden.  Now that my husband is doing all the mowing after work, he too enjoys this delicious tea.  I use organic green tea bags.

My popcorn is not doing that great this year.  I may have planted it too late.  I hope I did not waste garden space with a fail crop.  

Here is what's going on in some of the flower beds.

The two "red" ones are actually two different colors.  The last one is more of a burgundy.  

My lavender is in full bloom too.  I brought some in to enjoy.

Happy Homemaker Monday

 Once again my Sunday was my "Monday" so the list on the to-do's around here are short.  One day off for my husband is not enough.  He is so tired on his day off, he doesn't have the energy to tackle anything around here.  I get it, so I don't complain.

In lieu of possibly strong winds with rain yesterday, I was out early to till where needed, and tie up any tomato plants.  Just for kicks, and because I bought them, I planted Glady bulbs and a few others.  I had not planted them due to the drought we were having. I also dropped some tall zinnia seeds, white daisy seed, and a mixed pink daisy seed.  If they come up they come up, if not, we tried.

We still need to install our second mole chasing windmill.  The rain should help get that job done, as we need to bury a grounding rod for it.  The rain will soften the ground for us.

I did a quick inventory on my canned goods, and made notes on what needs canned in the way of condiments this garden season.

My full blown allergies turned quick on me, so most work was tidied up quick for some afternoon rest.  

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

I will link up when she posts today.

The weather . . .

Rain!  We got rain yesterday later in the evening!  We cooled down the high 60's today, but will be in the 70's with several days of possible rain.

As I look outside my window . . .

Everything is wet out there.  The birds are singing.  It's slightly windy, and very cloudy.

Right now I am . . .

Brewing a pot of coffee, getting ready to eat breakfast (maybe), then maybe do dishes.

Thinking and pondering . . .

I need a cleaning supply caddy.  I hand carry supplies from bathroom to bathroom, and room to room.  I looked at reviews online, but will go check in stores when I am out and about.  I need one to carry wipes, gloves, brushes, box of borax, spray bottle of homemade cleaner and whatnot.

Listening to . . .

80's rock, or nothing today

How I am feeling . . .

Sinus pressure is the worst.  I will be doing more rest and self care this week than any extra work for sure.  I slept in today, and felt I needed it too.

On the breakfast plate . . .

Egg/bacon/cheese sandwiches if I get hungry, coffee, herbal teas later.

On the lunch plate . . .

Maybe soup.

On the dinner plate . . .

Have no idea.  Depends on my energy level.

On my reading pile . . .

On my TV this week . . .

Mick on Netflix

On the menu . . .

-Leftover chicken fajitas
-have no idea yet

Looking around the house . . .

I've moved my paper shredder to my living room.  I can sit on the floor and shred up what needs to be taken care of (that was boxed and moved for floor repairs).  

To-do list . . .

-water porch pots

-clean roosts, muck coop, later this week

-till when I can this week, weed squash

-I'm calling this my "possibility" list due to lack of energy

From the camera . . .

Devotional, verse, thoughts . . .

Could you all pray I get over this, whatever it is? Please send good mojo, prayers and good thoughts.  I plan to do some essential oil inhalations today, and hope it will clear my sinuses a bit.  I have mullein and ginger tea, lemons, and 4 thieves, but out of organic oil of oregano gel caps (those  have been ordered).

This and That ~ Score at the Store

The heat continues.  We had a high of 92°F, so I was out pretty early to water the gardens.  My sprinkler decided to work when it wanted, so it has to be replaced now.  It will not rotate all the time, and handling the hose to water everything is a 2 hour job.

I let the chickens out pretty early now as well, put frozen water bottles in their watering units and then later re-do it again when the heat hits the worst.  Let's just say, there is no porch time going on right now.  We could use a nice breeze.

We had some excitement in our parts.  Two inmates escaped the jail in my hometown.  I was on alert, and yesterday they caught them in a town I go to often.  Anyway......

I'm finally all caught up with dental appointments.  It took them a month to get my permanent crown done.  Glad that is all over with.  I went in for a cleaning, and they found I had chipped a tooth, which ended with 4 total visits.  I went ahead and booked my next cleaning, as they are booking almost a year out.  I'm not kidding either.  

I went into town to get new hand weights, and a few other things, and came home with these beauties.  I bought three for the flower beds (perennials). I may go back for at least one more.  I have always wanted to add "blue" to the flower beds.

I also scored some good deals I was not looking for.   First, 2# organic ground turkey for $3.49.  I cooked them up, and froze them for this next week.  I also got 3# organic baby bella mushrooms - all dehydrated.  I paid $1.34/a pound for the mushrooms.  

I finally got my eggs boiled.  I have a dinner dish to use them with, and I wanted them on hand for snacking.  Now I need to start stashing more fresh eggs in the carton for the next time, but they are not all laying in this heat.  One is slacking out there.

It looks like we will have to replace our main AC.  We are hoping it will last this summer, but the buttons on the front will not work anymore.  Thankfully, I found the remote that went to it, so I can at least change the settings from that.

I found a recipe book with Mom's notes on it.  There are a few strange ones that I will try soon.  By strange, I mean different.

Blooms and more planting . . .

 

Although no annuals have been planted yet, the flower beds are springing up some more perennial blooms.

I planted spearmint and peppermint.  Last year's pots did not come back, and I have yet to make a "weed" bed somewhere here.

I have not started to plant vegetables yet.  We are to get a low of 38/39 degrees mid-week.  I'll wait until that cold night passes.

Getting Outdoors ~ Doily Finished

 

The chicks are about 7 weeks old now, so they got a day of introduction to the hens.   They say your chicks should be as large as the smallest hen, before putting them in the coop together.  I had to laugh, as the hens were scared of the chicks and they were on the other side of the run fence ha ha!

My potted comfrey is springing back to life.

Updates with the garden(s):

-planted about 100 cloves of garlic for spring planting (it was very difficult to locate organic garlic for spring planting too).  As some of you read, voles ate our entire 80 fall planted cloves, so we moved the grow bags this year.

-started weeding the herb garden, and I will be digging up all the lemon balm and moving it to the water trough (hopefully I don't kill it, as I use it often, and I need to dig out some chives that moved their way to the green onions

-started weeding the larger rose bed (this one is terrible)

-asparagus is getting harvested

Asparagus is up that we grew from seed last year.  I gave up on it, but it did not.  It's on the weed-it list after the next rain.

-rhubarb is ready to harvest as well

Herb Garden Progress.  I filled the wheel barrow 4 times with weeds, it was that bad.  I got some of the flower bed weeded as well.  They are FULL of purple dead nettle, chickweed, and thistle.  My bum muscles are sore and my arms are scratched up.  I need a day of rest, and a slather of chickweed salve.  

My arms were covered with itchy spots. Not as bad as stinging nettle, but between that and a mosquito bite.  I had no idea that tall thistle, that is dead, can still have thorns on it.

Here is a before and in progress of part of the flower bed.  We plan to expand it (why oh why??), to make mowing easier.  We weighed a tarp down with landscaping stones to kill the grass.

 I think our plan is to put in a ground cover there, such as ground phlox.  We put it off last year.  It may be next year.  You can see the trimming has not been done.

Our hired help used to be hired to mow/trim once in a while, when we are pinched for time.  Not anymore.  We are doing it, as he has raised his prices.  He's not doing more either.  Actually he'd be doing it all in less time, so yeah, we are doing it now, and it's just taking it one day at a time.

I spent my birthday doing more weeding, replanting, and putting some starts in pots for donating to a plant fundraiser.

I also got a haircut and treatment to pamper myself at the end of the day, and dinner out.  Honestly, I would have been okay with grilled dinner on the porch, but we were in town, and our empty propane tank was at home.

One done.  Finished and blocked.  My new porch project.  Only one more to make for the living room lamps.  I ended up with a larger doily than the pattern said.  I took this on a road trip, so my stitches may not be as tight as they should be, but it still turned out nicely.  I found this pattern for free online.  

Square Pineapple Doily

Today is going to be a hot day.  No weeding today, as the ground is so dry right now.  The rain will be returning, and lots of it.  It's a brisk 49°F this morning but a high of 82°F. 

Einkorn Waffles ~ Purge/Extreme Clean Update ~ Spring Flowers

 

There is so much going on here right now.  Crazy busy with purging and re-organizing a lot of "stuff" in our closet.  I decided to take a slower morning, and tried Jovial's Einkorn (recipe is on their website) waffle recipe that uses yogurt in the recipe.  I had to use more dishes than I would like in the morning, but they were good.  They turned out nice and fluffy, but need cooked about 1 minute longer than traditional recipes (or they will be doughy in the center).  Delicious!

We are going through every single tote that was in the closet.  Together we emptied 5 totes (so far).  I am washing them out and putting them aside for now (I may be able to use some for yarn).  We will not get rid of them for sure.  They are too expensive to buy right now (like about everything else).

We are once again having wonderful weather, and the spring flowers are blooming on the homestead.

Update on the chickens and barley grass.  They don't seem interested in it.  They like the lentil sprouts the best, but all chickens are different.

Refreshing the Flower Beds

 

It was high time to refresh the flower beds, however I am not done.  We are talking about possibly adding more mums, as some of ours have died over the years.  I just depends on if I can get them all looking spiffy.  The mowing is being done today, so I can't exactly do any weeding, but they do look much better.

We had a beautiful 70 degree day yesterday, but boy did that weather wake up the stink bugs, bees and wasps.

I was so excited to find a craft show in November, only to decide it won't happen.  Instead of the usual $20 a table and $10 for a second one, they want a whopping $30 per table this year.  As of now, it won't happen this year. Paying $60 to participate is outrageous.  I don't have high priced items, and even if I did, they would not sell.  

Gas prices are soaring as well.  Everyone is selling and no one is buying, so there is that too.

I hate mowing days.  It puts me out of outdoor work, putting anything on the clothesline, so hopefully we are nearing the end of mowing season.