Getting Closer!

Scott and Ronan putting in the water

Every day we take another step forward. 

The Electricity and Water are almost done. Once we get that in then the guys are going to come back and install all the sheetrock. It's very exciting.

But it's also very time consuming.:o)

I had no idea that construction could eat so much of your time....I mean, it's not like I'M doing any of it. But it has. Heading back and forth to get supplies, figuring out where I need things to go. Sheesh, I think I dream about the building...lol.

We did get back on our schooling track today. So I'm hopeful that things are coming to our new normal.

Soon, soon......I hope soon, we'll be in business.:o)

 

Raised Bed Gardening

Our Free Wood Chip Source

I have often heard that you could find lots of places that would give away free wood chips. I never seemed to be able to locate any.:o) Then I stumbled across this gentleman.

He is WONDERFUL!! 

He loaned us his truck to bring the full load of chips home and we get to do this every weekend until we don't need any more! 

Thank you George!

The "Raised Beds".

This is the same spot that I put my garden last year. My reasoning was that it would be easier to fence off, since it had buildings on two sides. And the garden went pretty good. What I didn't know when I placed my garden here is that Scott had been spraying sterilizer on this spot for about 8 years. I found out when he mentioned that he was amazed that ANYTHING had grown there.

Sheesh Honey. :o)

Love ya.

So I decided that this year I would work on amending this soil and using it as a test spot for all of the soil building information I've read over the years. 

We had the area plowed and then we set to work with our shovels. We dug "paths" through the beds and I'm still hoping to line the beds with wood that I'm scavenging from pallets.  I've seen this frameless bed technique used quite a bit though, so I'm not too worried about that part. 

We incorporated a truck bed full of compost from our local nursery. I think that it could have used a few more loads, but this is what we're running with this year. 

Then we're layering wood chips over the whole thing to help keep in moisture and for weed control. 

Last year I used straw. It worked great in the areas that the straw was thick enough. But we have really high winds here in Texas, and if the straw was dry it would blow away. With the supply of free wood chips I know that I can get the layers thick enough, and I'm pretty sure they will stay put. 

I LOVE THE NO WEEDS GARDENING METHOD!!!

This will be the last year that we till up this patch. After this we'll just add compost and see if we can get this soil to come alive.

I'm going to be spraying a molasses mixture on the area and drenching the soil with it once I plant. I'm very excited about molasses! I had no idea that it could be so beneficial.:o)

Tyler did a good job unloading the chips.

He created Mt. Tyler.:o)

It was hard work yesterday. The wind was blowing hard and getting dirt everywhere. I'm sure glad that I had Scott and Tyler there! Those beds wouldn't have happened without Scott, and those wood chips wouldn't have gotten unloaded if it weren't for Tyler.

Thank You Boys!!

 Conner "helped" too.

The last of the winter photos

Scott and Kiska

Scott and I enjoy walking down to the pond every evening to check the water level and have a little time together before we have to get the hooligans fed and put to bed. 

Kiska hijacked our walk the other evening. As I was looking through these picture I realized that they were probably the last of the "barren landscape" photos until next winter. 

Isn't it funny how that happens. Brown and dead one day and bursting with color and life the next?

Gotta love Spring.:o)

This is the other Hooligan who hijacks the walk.

Conner is such a good puppy. He sticks pretty close to me and almost always comes when I call. When we get to the pond he just stands beside me and won't chase the frogs until I sit down and tell him to "go play".

Then he likes to get me muddy.

He runs like a crazy demon dawg back and forth and cuts as close to me as he can to see how much mud he can fling from his paws into my hair. Then he climbs into my lap.

I'm trying to teach him to come and sit by me.

 He thinks I'm trying to teach him to eat my hand.

He likes to gnaw on anything he can. He's at that crazy teething stage. He doesn't hurt, but he still has to learn. 

Shoving him away only works for a second.

Then he either tries to eat my hair or takes off on another of his crazy runs. He's a weird puppy.

He always runs and hides in the tall grass behind me.

 He's just crazy enough to fit in here beautifully.:o)

Thank you Baby for my sweet, weirdo dawgie!

Chickens!

Easter Egg Hunts Everyday!!

Our hens don't use the nesting boxes exclusively.:o) We've found that they like the comfy tall grass. This makes it lots of fun! (Well, until they stink it's lots of fun...lol.)

Adults searching for eggs at the traditional Easter egg hunts are usually frowned upon. Which is sad, because I enjoy it. Now I get to watch the chickens AND I get to hunt eggs!

It's a Win=Win.

Until I miss some.

This is why I'm  picking up some false eggs today to see if I can convince them that the nesting boxes are THE place to lay.

The Chicken Coop

Scott bought me this cute little coop. I love it! Not only is it absolutely adorable, but it's about the size of a dog house. These would work beautifully in a back yard homestead. Right now we have 5 hens and a rooster living in ours and they seem to love it.

I know that there are a lot of folks who are fighting to be able to keep chickens in town. It's one of the things that I've always hated about living inside the city limits. I understand that some people don't like the scratching, I suppose that I can understand if it winds up being stinky, but the thing I can't understand at all is when people complain about the noise. 

Really?! 

But I suppose I don't get a vote since I love the sounds of hens talking and roosters crowing.:o)

The girls early this morning.

I've ordered a batch of chicks that should show up in a couple of weeks. They will be surprise chickens because I chose to go with a rainbow layers variety. I hope a get a few greens and blues.:o) 

But I'll really just be happy to have eggs. 

The color of the outside doesn't affect what's inside.

"Ya know, like with people?" .........Tyler

Tyler pulling up to load branches.

He's a good boy.:o)

 

 

Hay Delivery

Tyler and Ronan waiting to unload the hay.

Kissy does the Driving.

Tyler has way too much fun tossing bales off.

Ronan has to work pretty hard to get his to tumble...

Once they do finally fall, the satisfaction is obvious.

I'm grateful for Hooligan boys who will stack my hay.:o)

Then they load up with Daddy to visit the Frogs.

Because the dinner plate sized Papa Frog is not to be missed.

How Love=Dirtbike

The DirtBike

I've been against dirtbikes my whole life. Growing up in rural Oklahoma I've seen a lot of kids with them. It always struck me as insanely unsafe. Not to mention loud and annoying. 

I'm the one who likes to hear the birds singing, the crickets chirping, the leaves rustling in the wind. Dirtbikes seemed so opposite of everything I love about country living. There's also the fact that they can be very very destructive to the landscape. 

I grew up with horses. I like horses. They suit me and my idea of country life much more than dirtbikes do. 

Then I moved to the farm. And I learned that it's a whole lot easier to jump on a 4-wheeler to fetch things or chase sheepies in than it is to catch, brush, and saddle up a horse. 

So 4-wheelers became a part of my life.

  

I suppose you could call the "needed for the farm" 4-wheeler a gateway drug. Because all of a sudden they weren't horrid contraptions.  They were handy. And fun. They were easier on the land than driving the truck out to get things.

 One of my big worries about machine powered get arounds instead of hay powered ones was what it would do to the kids. I was afraid that it would turn them into wired up adrenaline junkies. I worried that the stimulation would be like going into town or watching a movie or eating a big bag of candy. Things that happen sometimes that I don't like. 

But it didn't wind up like that. They are super responsible, and I've watched them develop a confidence in their capabilities as stewards.

Ronan learning how to ride.

 And this brings me to Scott. He raced dirtbikes for Honda. He teaches people how to ride motorcycles. He has a motorcross track on the property. He loves Jeeps. He can fix ANYTHING. 

Except Plants. His cucumber didn't make it.

 Even though he watered it with Tea every day and gave it lots of love.

He's awesome. He truly loves opportunities to light a fire in your soul for the things he enjoys doing.

And because he's so patient and passionate about them.....he does.

He taught me that, although there are lots of stupid people in the world, no one cares more for the environment than the outdoorsman. That Jeepers are completely commited to treading lightly on the beautiful trails where they off-road. And dirtbikes are not evil things when used carefully and on designated trails.

Oh, and jumps are fun.:o)

Kissy's a little jealous that she's not big enough.

Last Christmas when the weather did this to Oklahoma

Scott and this Jeep were there.

  (Only the top was on, making it a Mobile Tent.)

There were so many travelers on the road....or..ummm..off the road, that it was a very scary time. Several died from exposure because there just weren't enough rescue vehicles to deal with the hundred's of people who were stuck. 

He worked constantly during those ice storms. Pulling people out of ditches. Giving rides home. Moving vehicles so work and rescue crews could come through. 

One girl had no cell phone and had run out of gas 40 minutes before he found her.  
She was pretty lucky.

He kept snacks in the Jeep for when there were kiddos in the vehicles he found. 
They were pretty happy.

I can't say I  approve of his Co-pilot

because he always gives the thumbs up when Scott asks if he can make it.

He thinks I'm amazing. Supportive of everything I do or want to do. And is Committed to helping these kiddos grow up right. He is Helpful without being asked. Protective and Thoughtful. Honest and Strong. Sweet and Funny. Kind and Patient.

I have never experienced the level of Love and Acceptance that this man gives me. It feels Safe and Wonderful. 

And that doesn't even scratch the surface.

So if having that means I had to challenge my beliefs about noisy dirtbikes......

Then I am all about growth. 

Besides, did I mention Jumps are fun?