Beginning Prep

     After a crazy bout of very cold temperatures and snow we have a day or so of warmer weather to enjoy. I have had cabin fever for too long now and just had to take advantage of the day. I went for a walk on the back part of the property to see how many trees and branches had fallen during the past weeks. We planted a few bamboo plants out on the far side and one has survived how cool is that. My neighbors dogs have dug under the fence close by or it might not have even been noticed. We can collect many fallen branches to add to the pile of firewood. Walked down to the old barn where all my glass doors are being stored. The weather has taken a toll on the already dilapidated structure. There have been a few trees come down on it in the past. We are going to start moving things out soon and tear it completely down. It wasn’t that long ago we put up a new roof on it and the 20foot 2x4s are still in great shape to reuse. 

     I know I said I was not going to open up my house plans again till we started working on it again but see that it is getting warmer we may be able to get in a few windows out in the front of the house. I also had to make a few changes due to the lowness of the one end of the house where the girl’s room and dad’s office will be. I originally thought we would be able to add a bath in the girl's room but dad said not a chance. Now the dining room has moved to the other side of the kitchen and the bath will be beside the living room in the front of the house. This also left me with enough room for a laundry area without taking up space in my master bath. I have also figured out the space for or closet we are tearing out.

     We will have 6 glass doors left over and I have decide to close in my back deck to make a sun room for all my plants. This will be great for the winter months when all the plants come in so I won’t have them in every room in the house. I am so looking forward to getting started again on this old house project. 

Many of my plants among the lumber in my living room.

Little bamboo

Daffies

     My chickens in one pen have built two large nest with about 20 eggs a piece in them I just hope they have kept them warm enough to hatch out some babies. My chickens in the other which are only a trio have laid eggs also. The pigs are all doing well despite all the rain and snow we have had. We have put a lot of hay in the pens just to keep the mud from taking over too much. Getting ready to plan the garden area this year too. It is that time already. I am going to garden this year for sure. We back flushed the pool today and add clean water to it to maintain it over the winter months. I don’t have to worry about old black water this spring with our new cover.  My daffodils are coming up too.So much to do and spring is just around the corner..

Mending Fences

Despite the fact it has been raining here almost every day for the last week I have managed to get a lot done. I have been working on refinishing a big coffee table that my daughter gave me for the new addition of the house. In between rains I have been sanding and waxing it little by little.

Also we have got the new pool up and running. The girls have been little fish all day long, even in the rain. This year we converted over to a salt water pool. Already it has paid off.

My daughter’s boyfriend is giving up farming for the time being and I bought two goats from him; a male and female and she may be pregnant. Not sure what kind they are yet and don’t really care at this time as I need someone to mow down the pasture some to share with the pigs. I spent the morning mending fences and fixing pens. The goats will be delivered sometime today or tomorrow. I will be ready for them.

I have been doing a lot of research on homesteading. I want to get serious about what we have going on here with our pigs and chickens. The goat will provide milk for us sometime in the near future too. I can use it in my soap too. I want to make some money off the animals we have now. I do need a few more chickens, but that will come soon enough too.

Blueberry bushes are ready for picking. They are the nicest ones we have had in a while with all this rain we have been getting. So picking and preserving is on the list of things to do. Not to mention mowing the yard again, if the rain stops enough for the yard to dry up a bit for me to do it.

The house plans are still in order and we have to pick up poles soon. The Sumac trees are tall in the back of the house again.It's due to the crazy weather too,and that means work all over again removing them before the poles go in. Ugh how I hate how those trees keep popping up everywhere.  We have called about roof supplies and we may have got some help with the build that would be a blessing for sure if we do. Anyway I have been a busy little farmer. Time keeps on ticking and one day my house will be done and I will be happy. Until then I will keep plugging away at it.
Just finished my table!