We got a trailer this past weekend and mostly emptied the garage at the apt. There are a few things left but they will all fit in the trunk of the CV (just not all at once). If I can get the whole thing emptied and cleaned out before the end of February, we won't have to pay the rent on it in March... saving us another $50. The boo part was discovering the amount of damage done to out stuff by the raccoon that apparently decided to make itself at home in there.
On Tuesday, I took another trunk load down and put it away, along with everything I had no time to put away on Sunday. In the process, I found the stud-finder! Yay! Then I discovered the stud-finder doesn't work on the wood paneling. Boo! So I decided I'd just install the closet organizers in El Jefe's closet in the master bedroom, and my closet in the mudroom, where there is wallboard and not paneling. Yay! I'll figure out what to do about the kids' closets later. We've had to postpone moving again to the 18th, so I have time to come up with a solution, I think...
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Another beautiful day...
The kids spent the afternoon tearing prickly vines off the corral. That wasn't my idea. They inadvertently tore off a few pieces of wood, too, so I think I now need 18 1'x6' instead of 15. At least they were trying to help... The weather was gorgeous. Clear blue skies and temp in the upper-forties. The kids ran around without coats. Warmer blood than I have, apparently.
I got three of the curtain rods up, and the curtains on them, so the living room is done (until I figure out what color I'm going to paint it) and the Princess' room just needs the closet organizer installed. I was going to do that today until I discovered I needed a stud finder, which I don't have, although I have found my tool box (hooray) and the extension cord I needed for the drill (yea) in the process of trying to do this.
Now I'm going to throw together a chicken casserole we'll have for lunch tomorrow, and get ready to go out to dinner with a friend.
And same as yesterday and the day before - the pics will go up when El Jefe has a moment to show me how to do it...
I got three of the curtain rods up, and the curtains on them, so the living room is done (until I figure out what color I'm going to paint it) and the Princess' room just needs the closet organizer installed. I was going to do that today until I discovered I needed a stud finder, which I don't have, although I have found my tool box (hooray) and the extension cord I needed for the drill (yea) in the process of trying to do this.
Now I'm going to throw together a chicken casserole we'll have for lunch tomorrow, and get ready to go out to dinner with a friend.
And same as yesterday and the day before - the pics will go up when El Jefe has a moment to show me how to do it...
Friday, February 3, 2012
Stupid garage door opener...
I misplaced the stupid garage door opener for the apt garage again, so I couldn't get the stuff I needed in order to do what I had planned at the house. In a fit of frustration (and because we are forever losing them), I stopped at Lowe's on the way to the house and bought another set of pruners. The weather was still in the 40s, if rather gray and cloudy, so I thought I'd just go work on the figs. The first one went fairly quickly - cleaned up the leaves, took out the dead wood, took off all the tall suckers and called it good. The next two went much more slowly. They were larger, denser, taller, and had more dead wood. There was so much, in fact, that I think I may just cut them back to the ground and let them start over. It'll put a crimp in getting figs this year, but it needs to be done. In the process of doing the fourth and last fig, I discovered that it was really two figs very close together. All we managed to get done on that one was to clean up the leaves. And yes, I did say "we," because I had help. The Princess and the Pirate showed up while I was finishing up the first fig, and they helped remove the leaves, and hauled off the branches for over an hour after that. Pics to follow when I figure out how to get them out of the camera and into the computer. This is rather difficult because El Jefe cannot find the cable...
Lovely Day Cleaning the Hoop House
Yesterday I finally accomplished something. I got all the beds down the sides of the hoop house cleaned up, pulling up at least 15 sled loads of weeds, and piling them up outside in a mound as tall as I am. The weather was perfect for this job, and I love the H-house. I am contemplating moving into it... ah, no, but if you can't find me in the real house, the H-house is the best place to look next. It smells wonderful in there. I am wondering if that is the scent of figs or something... The temperature outside was pushing 50, so it was ten degrees warmer in the H-house and I took off my jacket because it felt like May. The ground inside was not frozen. It was damp from the walls to about two feet inward, which made pulling weeds easier, and I was very pleasantly surprised at how loose and light the dirt was. I grew up on clay and always expect that. I'd like 15 yards of compost to top off the beds, but I think it'll be okay even if I don't get it all this year, because the dirt was so good. Before and after pics will follow as soon as I figure out how to get them from the camera to the computer...
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Moving is a slow process...
I haven't been posting because moving is going soooo slowly. The van died (not unexpected with 189,000 miles on it, just bad timing). We replaced it with a much smaller Ford Focus that would get far better gas mileage on Ele Jefe's commute, but that has put a serious crimp in my ability to move things to the farm, seeing as how I can only carry one CV trunk load per trip now. So we're aiming for the end of February now. El Jefe rented a trailer this past Saturday while I was Appleseeding, but he only got one load moved down because the weather refused to cooperate. Then yesterday it turned nice and all the snow and ice melted. I ordered the seeds and plants. If this weird weather holds, I will spend tomorrow cleaning out the hoop house and repairing the cover. Also cutting back the figs before they poke through the roof. I'd rather do that while I can work in flannels and jeans comfortably. As soon as the weather gets bad again, I'll go back to working inside - hanging the curtain rods and closet organizers, now that i finally have a working drill... assuming I can find my toolbox with the drill bits.
More positively, we are back to the ONE NEW ANIMAL PER YEAR RULE (thank goodness). This year it will be chickens. I'm disappointed about the bees, but money is tight right now, and will be until May. I will still set up some swarm boxes just in case we get lucky. And I'll start saving the cash to order at least three hives next year. I just fail to see any efficiency in working fewer than that. And six would be better. Anyway, we had a bit of a discussion on all the stuff we MUST get done this spring before we can even deal with pig stuff, and I think I finally got across the idea that I was feeling set up to fail by having too much on my plate this first year here. So, we will get chickens this year and pigs and bees next year. I hope.
More positively, we are back to the ONE NEW ANIMAL PER YEAR RULE (thank goodness). This year it will be chickens. I'm disappointed about the bees, but money is tight right now, and will be until May. I will still set up some swarm boxes just in case we get lucky. And I'll start saving the cash to order at least three hives next year. I just fail to see any efficiency in working fewer than that. And six would be better. Anyway, we had a bit of a discussion on all the stuff we MUST get done this spring before we can even deal with pig stuff, and I think I finally got across the idea that I was feeling set up to fail by having too much on my plate this first year here. So, we will get chickens this year and pigs and bees next year. I hope.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Friday, January 13, 2012
Goals 2012
I'm not a great fan of New Year's Resolutions, but the timing is right for me to be thinking of goals for the Cookstove House. (El Jefe is still referring to it as Plywood Place). Goals are supposed to be SMART, according to TEOTWAKI BLOG here teotwawkiblog.blogspot.com. SMART means Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time-Based. The one that will give me trouble is Time-Based... I can write down everything that needs to be done, or that I want done, but it is pretty much a twenty year plan due to the limited number of waking hours in a day and dollars in my pocket.
In order not to be overwhelmed by that, I am going just deal with what absolutely, positively, must be done this year, rather than what I'd like to see done.
Cookstove House must have curtains in the bedrooms, and rods to hang them from. Otherwise, we won't sleep well. I have curtains and rods for the living room; I just need to install those. The lack of attic and garage, and the limited basement, means the closets need closet organizers to use all the space most efficiently, or we will be tripping over all our stuff and be unable to locate anything. This needs to be done prior to 2/10. The only major unfinished cleaning projects are the shower, the tub, and that nasty lazy susan in the kitchen. Should be done this week. Then we can move in. Sanding and painting are not going to happen prior to moving. I'm not breathing those fumes in a closed house. That will wait til Spring - at which point it may not get done because I will be busy with the garden. So maybe July.
We need to get the visqueen laid in the crawl spaces while it is still cold enough for the insects to be dormant. I'm not crawling under there when the spiders are active. It's bad enough crawling under there when claustrophobic. I need to haul up the loose stones in the "Michigan basement" just to make it easier to move around in (that's a "in my copious free time" sort of job that I may hire the kids to do, except for the rocks that outweigh them). Also we need to remove the dirt that was piled against the house, install the plastic shields around the crawl spaces and fix any drainage issues. And lift and replace the termite bait stations in the process, an annoyance. And put in some foundation plantings - probably thorny rugosa roses as a small deterrent to anyone trying to break in through the many windows. And because I want the rose hips for jelly in the fall. And the mailbox needs a clematis, because my mailboxes ALWAYS have a clematis, and once in awhile a goal should be something that makes me happy for no reason.
Next is the driveway, or lack thereof, and the (non-existent) walkway from it to the door and around the house. These are related to the drainage issues, so I don't know if this year will be the quick, cheap, temporary fix followed by a visit from the Bobcat when we have the money, or if we will manage to find the funds for this in the fall (I really hope so).
Related to the garden work - The hoop house needs to be cleaned up, the figs pruned, lots of compost added to the beds on the sides. I want 8 - 4'x4' raised beds in the current garden. Yes, I'm a square foot gardener. Otherwise the weeds take over. Next year I'll expand it enough to have veggies to can from it. This year I'll be buying my veggies for canning from the local farmer's market, again.
We do NOT want to make the mistake we made at our last home, where we put off putting in the grapes and fruit trees because we kept thinking we'd sell the house...blah,blah,blah... we have no intention of selling this place. So, the issue is seeing what is already ON the land, and figuring out the best places to put what we don't have. Anyway, I want a Honey Crisp apple and a Granny Smith, a Damson plum and one other kind (I don't have another preference), a sweet cherry, and a sour cherry, and a good hardy apricot. Also, seedless grapes (because I am lazy and prefer to make jam over jelly), although I could probably just deal with the wild Concord-types on the property if I had to. I should try it as an experiment in any case.
Then there are the animals.
I have to order the bees this week. One three pound pkg. I'd like a dozen hives ultimately, but I'd prefer to work up to it by splits, captured swarms, and only buying one package per year if necessary. That's highly optimistic on my part, but I'm going to try it that way first.
Next is either building a chicken tractor, a coop, or repairing that old shed, or using space in the barn. I do not know what the best option will be, so I have to do some research first. Anyway, we're getting chickens.
Last is the unexpected pig, that will require a pen, and for me to repair some fencing. I don't know the timeline on that because it is by El Jefe's arrangement. I'd be real good with April.
Somewhere in there I have to homeschool the kids, and deal with refining next year's curriculum, too. And make dinner. Thank goodness for Crockpots.
In order not to be overwhelmed by that, I am going just deal with what absolutely, positively, must be done this year, rather than what I'd like to see done.
Cookstove House must have curtains in the bedrooms, and rods to hang them from. Otherwise, we won't sleep well. I have curtains and rods for the living room; I just need to install those. The lack of attic and garage, and the limited basement, means the closets need closet organizers to use all the space most efficiently, or we will be tripping over all our stuff and be unable to locate anything. This needs to be done prior to 2/10. The only major unfinished cleaning projects are the shower, the tub, and that nasty lazy susan in the kitchen. Should be done this week. Then we can move in. Sanding and painting are not going to happen prior to moving. I'm not breathing those fumes in a closed house. That will wait til Spring - at which point it may not get done because I will be busy with the garden. So maybe July.
We need to get the visqueen laid in the crawl spaces while it is still cold enough for the insects to be dormant. I'm not crawling under there when the spiders are active. It's bad enough crawling under there when claustrophobic. I need to haul up the loose stones in the "Michigan basement" just to make it easier to move around in (that's a "in my copious free time" sort of job that I may hire the kids to do, except for the rocks that outweigh them). Also we need to remove the dirt that was piled against the house, install the plastic shields around the crawl spaces and fix any drainage issues. And lift and replace the termite bait stations in the process, an annoyance. And put in some foundation plantings - probably thorny rugosa roses as a small deterrent to anyone trying to break in through the many windows. And because I want the rose hips for jelly in the fall. And the mailbox needs a clematis, because my mailboxes ALWAYS have a clematis, and once in awhile a goal should be something that makes me happy for no reason.
Next is the driveway, or lack thereof, and the (non-existent) walkway from it to the door and around the house. These are related to the drainage issues, so I don't know if this year will be the quick, cheap, temporary fix followed by a visit from the Bobcat when we have the money, or if we will manage to find the funds for this in the fall (I really hope so).
Related to the garden work - The hoop house needs to be cleaned up, the figs pruned, lots of compost added to the beds on the sides. I want 8 - 4'x4' raised beds in the current garden. Yes, I'm a square foot gardener. Otherwise the weeds take over. Next year I'll expand it enough to have veggies to can from it. This year I'll be buying my veggies for canning from the local farmer's market, again.
We do NOT want to make the mistake we made at our last home, where we put off putting in the grapes and fruit trees because we kept thinking we'd sell the house...blah,blah,blah... we have no intention of selling this place. So, the issue is seeing what is already ON the land, and figuring out the best places to put what we don't have. Anyway, I want a Honey Crisp apple and a Granny Smith, a Damson plum and one other kind (I don't have another preference), a sweet cherry, and a sour cherry, and a good hardy apricot. Also, seedless grapes (because I am lazy and prefer to make jam over jelly), although I could probably just deal with the wild Concord-types on the property if I had to. I should try it as an experiment in any case.
Then there are the animals.
I have to order the bees this week. One three pound pkg. I'd like a dozen hives ultimately, but I'd prefer to work up to it by splits, captured swarms, and only buying one package per year if necessary. That's highly optimistic on my part, but I'm going to try it that way first.
Next is either building a chicken tractor, a coop, or repairing that old shed, or using space in the barn. I do not know what the best option will be, so I have to do some research first. Anyway, we're getting chickens.
Last is the unexpected pig, that will require a pen, and for me to repair some fencing. I don't know the timeline on that because it is by El Jefe's arrangement. I'd be real good with April.
Somewhere in there I have to homeschool the kids, and deal with refining next year's curriculum, too. And make dinner. Thank goodness for Crockpots.
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