# June 2014 Prep Journal and To-Do List



## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

Summer's coming this month - time to prep for winter! What's on your to-do list for June? Share it with us, and post your progress along the way this month. Many tiny prep steps add up, and breaking down a preparation goal into baby steps helps get 'er done!


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

I'll start us out with my to-do list. It's a long one (so what's new, I know, lol  ), as I have to pay big bills and take care of some major projects this month. Thank goodness the days are long in June!

1. Fix water pipe or finally install the new water softener system (eliminating the old plumbing and the stuck pipe) and new pump house.
2. Fix all plumbing problems in house before turning well water back on.
3.. Continue filling water storage barrels and totes, maybe the swimming pool, too.
4. Finish weeding, fertilizing and planting raised beds and beds around house.
5. Bird net strawberries and cherry tree.
6. Find out if I can buy scrap copper from salvage yard (for algae suppression in tanks and barrels). Also cover filled containers or paint black.
7. Level barn aisle and put down pallet floor. Fill in pallet gaps with additional boards.
8. Wild bird-proof my chicken feeders. They are eating more than the chickens!
9. Replace thermostat wafers on incubators, get at least 2 of them working and regulated properly, and have spare thermostats for future use. Don't need to set a hatch unless all 3 broody hens fail to hatch and raise chicks.
10. Cull "boarder hens" - sell or butcher.
11. Finish flooring trim and repaint guest bedroom, find frame and headboard for the bed, make curtains and fix closet doors, turn into a pretty room!
12. Finish painting and replacing floor molding in kitchen, clean sand and paint kitchen cabinets.
13. Replace my front and back steps and back patio.
14. Order hose for my wringer washer, along with any other needed parts.
15. Complete essential repairs on SUV and trucks (waiting on my ds for this).
16. Make the decorations needed for my garden department and continue gardening project in front of building at fairgrounds (fair is 3rd weekend in July).
17. Commit to garage saling each weekend this month, looking for needs, NOT wants.
18. Pay vehicle and homeowner's insurance for the year, as well as the property taxes I forgot to pay by April 30. 
19. Sort the paperwork pile and get everything in it dealt with (filed, paid, burnt).
20. Have old fridge in barn picked up for recycling rebate.

Good grief, that is an even longer list than I thought. :stars: Worst part is, I'm probably STILL forgetting something!!! Guess I'd better get busy.


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## Ann-NWIowa (Sep 28, 2002)

My list is fairly short. 

1. Keep up with the garden. 
2. Finish spring cleaning. 
3. Finish sewing projects already in the works. 
4. Write letters/send cards to friends/relatives especially those who are ill or have suffered loss. 
5. Get back to exercise interruped by vacation and cold crud.
6. Pay closer attention to budget especially groceries and miscellaneous.
7. Spend more time in prayer.


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## Vosey (Dec 8, 2012)

I remembered my one overriding goal for June:

Get the camper cleaned out (and that means clean, get rid of all the winter mildew) and ready for fire evacuation. When we lived in town we went camping every weekend, now that we have big gardens and chickens and live with mountains and forest around us not so much! I emptied the food cupboard last week, rusted cans and way expired stuff. Cloth napkins and towels have been moldering in there too long. Sleeping bags and pillows too. Ugh. 

Check our grab and go bag for evacuating and update what we want to take with us if we have time to plan. 

Fire season started yesterday, very early! We did get a lot of the madrones that were hanging over the house cut down this spring, but there's no way to have truly defensible space around our house.


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

*Ann*, your list may be short, but it will keep you busy all month! Hope you're totally over the "cold crud" and feeling 100% again.
*Vosey*, good to have the camper clean in case you do have to evacuate. I know you're in an area prone to wildfire, and winter was so dreadfully dry this year.

I worked on my barn aisle all day today. Eight hours of moving stuff out, leveling the dirt, putting down BIG pallets (major repairs on some of them), filling in some of the spaces between the slats, and cutting firewood on the table saw. I filled many dog food bags and feed sacks with kindling for winter. I have about 1/3 of the floor down so far. Still need to fill between the slats on 2 pallets, and I need to haul the rest of the oversize pallets to the barn and get them mended and installed. That's on tomorrow's agenda, I hope.

While I was working out there, I was listening to tiny cheeps...the first chicks are hatching! Mamas haven't come off the nest with them yet, so I don't know how many they have yet. These are the 2 hens that brooded together. I'm looking forward to seeing how they handle the motherhood duties. Will they share or fight over who gets custody of the chick children? 

I'm exhausted tonight, and very aware of my muscles and joints at the moment. I took some ibuprofen and a muscle relaxant, and had some canned soup for dinner...not even home canned, either. :ashamed: I showered all the dirt off me - you should have seen the brown water running off my legs! Now I'm tucked up in bed with my laptop, have PBS on the TV - watching Secrets of the Manor House on DVR. Very interesting so far.


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## Ann-NWIowa (Sep 28, 2002)

Our power went off suddenly and was out for 2Â½ to 3 hours. Generator did its thing and kicked on immediately so we weren't without power. I was worried it screwed up the computer but it seems to be okay. Well as okay as a computer running XP is likely to get!

We did get some nice showers with more rain possible overnight. The garden needed it desperately so I'm very thankful. Ds was supposed to come down today and pound the posts for my tomato towers but didn't show up. Guess he forgot. Dd's partner brought his 13 yo son out to mow the yard. It was the first time he'd mowed and he did a decent job. Dd's partner is really a good dad.


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## terri9630 (Mar 12, 2012)

Got the new chicken coop almost finished, just have to put a gate on the rebuilt pig pen. Sprayed the garden with BT, hope it kills whatever is eating my plants as diazanon didn't work. I don't want to have to re plant AGAIN.... Need to replace clothesline and catch up on laundry and take the car to the shop. Check engine light is flashing..


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

You know me......I don't make a list!

Worked until noon yesterday. Dh & I went out to lunch and ran thru another Antique Mall( since we were close). He bought a cute accent table.
Came back home, changed the sheets on the bed....then decided I'd rest the remainder of the day. I was feeling tired and edgy. I slept pretty good.

Looks like we will work late tonight, also.:bored: It is going to be a Loooong week.

Warm here...75F this morning.....95F expected..sticky.......June in Texas.......:boring:

*MGM* - Cyber Ben-gay sent your way!


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## Mutti (Sep 7, 2002)

A list would be too scary for us. So much to do around this place. This time of the year the garden is priority. Then keeping up with the mowing. Not just for looks but long grass hides snakes and other critters. And chiggers. I hates chiggers! Helping the kids with their building projects as they are clueless. Not my boys but the step granddaughter and her fiancÃ©. Did get that 150' trench done in blazing heat so gotta give them credit for sticking to it. Time rich and money poor. son's BIL came and got it all wired so just waiting on the co-op now. 

Before long it will be canning season. Want to do more peaches this year. Freezer needs a big cleanout and need to keep up with the bees. Was quite surprised to see them busting with bees in just 3 weeks from installing them and needing another brood chamber. So definitely need to get some supers ready.

Two birthdays this month. One son mentioning a hankering for my Grandma's potato salad with boiled dressing. Will dig out some of those $8.99/lb T-bones(in our local grocery store flyer this week) from the freezer....who can afford that with a big bone in there to boot.

Got the 42 blocks done for my latest quilt top. Anxious to finish. The other two ready to quilt. Had to take time out to fix elastic on bee suit legs....searched high and low to find a single safety pin in this house for pulling the elastic thru. Talk about aggravation Thought I was well stocked on such things. I really don't like mending. Does anyone? Need to figure out how to re-knit new heels in my favorite socks. A reason to spend too much time on Pintrest.....

Sweet corn seed soaking to plant later today. Hope we get the predicted storms. Very very humid and overcast. Garden loving this weather.

Finally convinced Pa to put new inards in the toilet and guess what...it flushes everytime now. The kids have a sawdust toilet at their new digs but are constructing outhouse. Built a garden showerhouse here since no well on their hill. Son/wife built stone floor in it and drain. Quite the project.

Town list a mile long so better get going. We only go once a week so there is always a running list.


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

If I make a list for the month I'll go batty....I need smaller steps, lol. 

Got up and moving this morning. Did some weeding and moved some plants. I've been trying to get rid of woolly lamb ear for decades. Finally gave up and move the "last" little piece to the medicinal herb bed. I can't tell you how many times I've dug up and moved the "last" piece over the years, lol. We'll see what comes up next year 

Oil changed in DH's truck.....it was 3 mos and 3,000 mile overdue. I convinced him to take mine to work today so I could get it done. Gave me 20 min to sit in the quiet and read one of my new Backwoods Home anthologies 

I started a no-kneed bread last night, need to turn that in baguettes this afternoon.

Today is the "list day". I want to sit with DS and figure out when more he needs to get before leaving this weekend. I want to sit with DD and see what she wants to do this summer. I am NOT letting that kid spend the summer sitting in front of the TV......which is her plan I'm guessing. I already suggested we go walking together every morning, she liked that idea  She's hitting that "tween's chubby" stage all girls hit. So walking will be good for her.....and for my "post baby chubby" stage, lol. I've been in this stage WAY TOO LONG!

Airs getting thick and the sky is getting dark.....maybe that rain will come after all.


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## Ann-NWIowa (Sep 28, 2002)

We got just over an 1" of rain yesterday. More is forecast along with storms (possibly severe) tonight thru Wednesday. The garden certainly looks happier with that 1". 

I got a load of towels on the line, ground up ham/eggs for ham salad for this week's lunches, made noodles for ham/noodle casserole for supper (plus leftovers), did dishes and am ready for a nap. I'm still not feeling 100% and very sore from coughing so much and just finished a sneezing fit -- at least I hope its finished!


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## mpillow (Jan 24, 2003)

my hands hurt, I'm sunburned, bug bitten, scratched up legs....its 80 degrees!

from last month:

Get a calf *(#2 came sat)*
I need to get garden fences down so tiller can run thru. *(done, fences going back up today)*
More tree pruning*(done as much as possible, blossoms have now dropped)*
Seeds into greenhouse soil*(going into garden tomorrow)*
2 new raised beds put in (built, but not placed and filled) *not even attempted!*
hope for some blueberry bushes for Mother's Day *(nada)*
Butcher some buns *(not done)*
Set a hen *(none being broody yet)*
Introduce Mar 12 pullets into coop.*(done)*
Tighten fences *(done after the bull got loose)*

Barn clean out.....summer long project
cut fire wood.....summer long project
Clean/organize house....summer long project

yesterday the woodshed got thompson waterseal inside and out, mowers came home and we mowed and fed to critters and put some in the barn, this morning I pounded in 26 t-posts for garden fencing, pulled fencing out to go back up and water to the barn is finally back on!

DH was a HUGE help yesterday! Today he works 7-330...930pm-6 and back in at 7am...he's gonna be tired and grumpy methinks!

planting all day tomorrow!


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## TXWildcat (Mar 26, 2014)

adding a few mre/mountain house meals, build a solar cooker, do stuff in the air conditioning cuz its already 90+ degrees and 70% humidity. also hurricane season started yesterday. gotta take inventory and get things together for that. make plywood covers for the windows. swat skeeters, etc.


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## Cindy in NY (May 10, 2002)

TXWildcat said:


> 90+ degrees and 70% humidity


This is one of the big reasons we left Atlanta 15 years ago!!  Still swatting mosquitoes up here though!

Got a real rain barrel at a yard sale on Saturday! No where to use it at this house so we put it in the garage attic till our next move. Asking price was $15 - got it for $10!!


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## VICKI1 (Jul 23, 2004)

Hi All,
Everyday I read what you all have/are accomplishing and I so want to be organized like you all. So I am putting out my list and hope that I can keep on track
1)Seperate Pullets for the chickens I will be butchering.
2)Work on getting lawn back in shape.
3)Keep ahead of the weeds in the gaden beds.
4)Be more dedicated to my Sunday School Class and don't wait until last minute to prepare.
5)Start my compost pile.
6)Add one more raised garden bed to my garden.
7)Plant more grass around my fruit trees so I can mow instead of weed.
Wish me luck!


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## Ann-NWIowa (Sep 28, 2002)

My nephew's wife just called to tell us their 17 year old son drown this afternoon. Please pray for their family and pray his body is recovered quickly. A cousin tried to save him but could not make it back to shore with him so I'm sure he's devastated. He was a wonderful young man and I can't stop crying.


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## 355946 (Mar 23, 2013)

So sorry for your sudden loss and the anguish. Tragic for everyone and you are probably right about the poor boy who tried to rescue him. Prayer for healing.


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

*Ann* - Prayers. I am so sorry for you and your nephews family.

Worked, went to the feed store to buy Dunks for the rain barrels, Fly sticks and feed.
Have to go in early for the next for-seeable future. 

77F now headed to 97F MUGGY!! Parts out west of us, has already reached 100F +.{{{{{shudder}}}} 

Garden is happy so far!

Paying another big sum on my ccrd today.

Have a good one.


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## Cindy in NY (May 10, 2002)

So sorry for your family's loss Ann!


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

Lifting prayers for you and your family Ann.


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## crobin (Mar 17, 2014)

So sorry for your loss, Ann. Prayers and hugs.


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

Day 1 of our new pattern! Kids and I walked this morning. We made it to my minimum location and back in 30 min of brisk walking. We will keep that up this week, then add a bit more in next week. My goal is in 4-5 weeks to be walking for about an hour each day. If I do that and keep the carbs at bay...I should drop some weight 

Rained in the middle of the night (opps,I had windows open.....few tables got an impromptu cleaning). Our popcorn is now popping up and I can see some holes, so I'll go re-plant today while the soil is good and wet. Should rain again tomorrow....so timing should be great.

DH called when he got to work with Thank YOU's. The kids (he thought I did it) cleaned out his truck yesterday. Tons of trash removed, vacuumed, etc. My girls is now out doing my truck!! I think it will be a good day to hand them each a dollar and have them walk themselves up to McD's for a treat  I always feel less guilty about letting then eat that "junk" when they have to walk the 1/2 mile there and then back. And they usually get an ice cream.....which isn't all that bad.

No other real plans for today. I'm sure I'll find something to do, I could always break down and clean a room....they are all bursting at the seems with "stuff".


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## lindamarie (Jul 9, 2013)

Ann....so sorry, much prayers.

its raining today so actually have some free time, not. We have been busy, replaced the old tin roof over the bathroom with new roof, been putting in fence poles and fencing for bigger garden, still planting and fighting with the lawnmower and weed wacker. I prefer manual operated. Also been sorting and purging like crazy. Between the old barn, 2 wood sheds and a small covered outside laundry/summer kitchen you accumulate a bunch of stuff in the 15 years we've been here. Feels good to get organized!!!!

dh is searching eBay for a grain grinder for me. Hopefully he'll get one.

have a great day, going for more coffee and to work on my June to do list


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## NBC3Mom (May 14, 2005)

Ann, so sorry for your loss. Prayers for you and your family. 
We transplanted some cabbage and planted pumpkins and cucumbers. DH found 5# bags of seed potatoes and 100 count bags of onions for 25 cents each at Walmart! He bought them all. We had over 2&#8221; of rain yesterday so they won&#8217;t get planted today. I am not going to be a big help to him this week. I fell off my bike on Saturday and either bruised, cracked, or broke some ribs, depends on how long they take to heal. 
This will be a good time for me to do some organizing and purging. I went through 2 drawers in the kitchen and my closet so far. Plan to bring old magazines & books to work &#8211; the volunteers give them to patients and their visiting families. I got an email from Goodwill that I have $5 off a $25 purchase for my birthday month. I can take my donations in then shop! I always buy books. We have to pay $85 a year to go to one of the libraries in the county. They are supported by town taxes and when you live out in the country you can&#8217;t get a free library card. It upsets me that there are hundreds of people in town who never set foot in the library and I can&#8217;t go unless I pay. But I get to live out in the boonies, so that makes up for it. 
DH picked 5 gallons of strawberries yesterday. Going to freeze them until I get enough to make jam. We sat on the back porch last night eating strawberry sundaes and enjoying the rain.


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## PeachyLeigh (Sep 24, 2011)

T's & P's Ann 

Feeling overwhelmed with everything. 
Largest run of chicks hatching. DH is betting 37, I say 34 if we're lucky.
House is a mess.
Weeds are fighting back and winning I fear.
We are mowing the yard a little every evening with the scythes for practice.
We went to Wal-Mart and scored half-price fruit trees that still look great. We are going to plant them on the other property. I got prior approval. We will have to fence etc. b/c hunters have used the property for several years. When we went to check it out better the other afternoon I swear we ran off at least 30 deer. 
DH picked out 17 trees plus we have 3 grape vines too. (He stopped when I reminded him he has to dig 20 holes.)
Ok my house needs me.


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## Ann-NWIowa (Sep 28, 2002)

Thanks everyone for your kind thoughts. His body was recovered this a.m. I'm so thankful it was quick. It is really a miracle that both young men did not drown. Now they have a lot of decisions to make -- they live in Iowa, but drowning happened in Michigan.

I hadn't shopped for a couple of weeks so we went to town this morning. As LM says keeping busy and on the go helps. We had coupons for Hardy's so got lunch there. Another distraction. Supper will be the ham salad we "didn't" have for lunch! 

I have a doctor's appointment for tomorrow a.m. for the creeping crud cough I have. I was better but after crying all night I'm not feeling so great again. Decided I'd better get in to the doctor in case I have to go to mom's. My sister went down this morning and told her. A couple bouts of hysteria, major denial and then as okay as she's likely to be over this. Mom left a message on our machine that she was okay, but she could hardly talk so I doubt she's too okay.

The weeds are making major gains on my garden. I haven't felt like going out and its really been too wet. We're under severe weather advisory and flash flood advisory for this evening. My neighbor does not have a basement so I again told her to come over if things get bad. She has never done so, but she's alone now so maybe she'll feel differently about it. I've got things (medicine, medical equipment, budget book, checks, etc.) ready to haul to the basement should it become necessary.


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

*{{{{{HUGS, Ann}}}}}*

I personally understand, and know all to well, what a sudden loss of a child feels like. It is crushing.....just plain crushing.

Work started early, but we got off on time today.
Paid on my ccrd. Paid the other bills. Ordered a bit from Honeyville and ordered some canning jars.

*Peachyleigh* - I am going to have to get myself to Walmart and see if we have half price fruit trees. Thanks for the heads up.

Not much else to report today.

Have a nice evening.:thumb:


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## Oma2three (May 5, 2012)

Ann, so sorry for that terrible loss in your family.


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## Vosey (Dec 8, 2012)

That's so sad Ann, so sorry.

Thought I'd report that DH and I did empty out a few boxes from the garage on Sunday. Almost entirely into the trash! Old pens, highlighters, chipped candle holders, squishy ball things (grip strengtheners?). I was working when DH packed and moved us, he didn't dare throw anything out! Every weekend we'll do a few more boxes.

Garden is looking great except my Amish paste tomatoes, poor things have just been done in with flea beetles. The other tomatoes are recovering.


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

Good morning.

Early into work again today.

Chore for today....... go pick up my $100 worth of coffee. and try to swing by Walmart for fruit trees( if they are marked down).

Well, off to the shower.......Have a great day!


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## Cindy in NY (May 10, 2002)

Here are some pics of our little garden. We have to cover everything with bird netting when we first plant to keep the squirrels out!


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## Cindy in NY (May 10, 2002)

I uncovered the tomatoes and potatoes this morning. The hot weather and heavy rain we had yesterday caused the beans and zukes to finally come up. Still waiting on the cukes! I've had to replant cabbage and several greens. I'm trying out my oldest seeds first.


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

Achoo....found the bottom of my closet today. I have one FULL trash bag of clothes and shoes to donate. Pulled out the tubs under the bed and put away long johns, new wool socks I pick up on clearance, and pull out some new white socks (still need to go through the drawer and remove the oldest white-dingy gray ones. The dust bunnies are in full force up there! I'm not bothering with the ones under the bed today. I'll be pulling the bed out next month to paint, I'll vacuum then.....since the bed has to be dropped down off the blocks to move it (and it's a pain to get up and down). My summer of DEEP cleaning has begun....

Ran to the gun store to pick up my shotgun after my morning walk. DH dropped it off out there to get the gunsmith to look at it. DH and some buddies took it apart to clean is a few weeks back (used gun.....pump action was coated with "sticky". Likely years of WD40 build up from before we got it). Anyways, when putting it back together one of the screws wouldn't go in. He wanted to see if the gunsmith could find a new screw (OLD gun.....not sure the company that currently carried the name is even related to the one that build this gun). He found one to order, but shipping cost more then screw.....then I'd have to drive the 20 miles each way to pick up a $2 screw :hair. So he just gave us the part number and who to call.......but I still had to go get the gun! I was NOT happy with DH when I got home last Saturday and found out he had taken MY gun and dropped it off "out there"........he passed at least 2 other gunsmiths on the way - and they are just as good!

Since I had to drive through all those towns.....I went produce shopping. Came home with a few deals- cauliflower for $1, nectarines for $1/#, etc. Now to go blanch all the cauliflower and toss it in the freezer. Think I'll make a cup of coffee while I'm out there.....to get the dust bunnies out of my throat


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## Homesteader (Jul 13, 2002)

[FONT=&quot]Ann, Iâm so sorry honeyâ¦..[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Jen, are you all clear now with the whole pre-cancer treatment, I never heard the final, whatâs the right word?? Result?[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]NBC3Mom: âThis will be a good time for me to do some organizing and purging.â Uhm â:nono: This is a good time for you to relax and heal![/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Gosh I love you people, let me count the ways:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]âRan to the gun store to pick up my shotgun afer my morning walk.â[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]âMy neighbor does not have a basement so I again told her to come over if things get bad.â[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]âLargest run of chicks hatching. We are mowing the yard a little every evening with the scythes for practice.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]âDH picked out 17 trees plus we have 3 grape vines too.â[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]âDH picked 5 gallons of strawberries yesterday. Going to freeze them until I get enough to make jam.â[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]âWe have been busy, replaced the old tin roof over the bathroom with new roof, been putting in fence poles and fencing for bigger garden, still planting and fighting with the lawnmower and weed wacker.â[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]âKids and I walked this morning. We made it to my minimum location and back in 30 min of brisk walking. We will keep that up this week, then add a bit more in next week. My goal is in 4-5 weeks to be walking for about an hour each day.â[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Was gonnaâ quote TDD and MGM, but then, Iâd have to quote everything, what an inspiration you are! So, Iâll just say, wow![/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]âbuild a solar cookerâ[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]âplanting all day tomorrow!â[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]âWant to do more peaches this year. Freezer needs a big cleanout and need to keep up with the bees.â[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]âGot the new chicken coop almost finished, just have to put a gate on the rebuilt pig pen.â[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]â1)Seperate Pullets for the chickens I will be butchering.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]2)Work on getting lawn back in shape.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]3)Keep ahead of the weeds in the gaden beds.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]4)Be more dedicated to my Sunday School Class and don't wait until last minute to prepare.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]5)Start my compost pile.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]6)Add one more raised garden bed to my garden.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]7)Plant more grass around my fruit trees so I can mow instead of weed.â[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]âCheck our grab and go bag for evacuating and update what we want to take with us if we have time to plan.â[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]I am so very thankful to have this forum, sometimes I feel so alone as I don't really have any friends that homestead. Well, I have very few friends anyway but still........
[/FONT]


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

Homesteader said:


> [FONT=&quot]Jen, are you all clear now with the whole pre-cancer treatment, I never heard the final, whatâs the right word?? Result?[/FONT]


I am done with all treatments. I have my 6 month follow up mammo in July. I assume I am currently cancer free (it was all cut out back in Jan, the treatments were to make it less likely to come back).


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## Ann-NWIowa (Sep 28, 2002)

Another 1" rain last night and we missed all the hail, wind, etc. I walked around the yard picking up sticks and there weren't many. Its too muddy (yea!) to weed so I just looked at the garden and didn't go inside the fence. I have some lettuce that needs cut so I'll try to get that done later.

I went to the doctor this a.m. and am now on amoxicillin. Woke up with a serious sinus headache and a bit dizzy so I'm not planning on doing much today. I bought a couple of cantaloupe yesterday that I want to cut and chunk. I've found it keeps good that way and is easy to get it used up if its ready to eat. 

Since I feel like crap, dh has decided to put up the shelves in the garage that I asked for awhile back and, of course, he wants my help. Guess I can stand long enough for that. I dusted before I went to the doctor and need to run the vacuum -- someday soon!


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

*Homesteader* - Thank you very much!:cowboy:

We are always here... come on back and join us anytime!!

Again, started work early, only had to stay 30 min over. :rock:

Came home and grabbed Dh, we went to Walmart....no fruit tree specials....yet. 

I broke my rule about making unnecessary purchases and made a bulk ammo order.... found 380's & 9's, at Bulk ammo .com.
Hey.... I made the rule...I can break it if I want!:drum:

*Cindy* - Very nice pics!!

*Jen - Goshdangit!* I know you are feeling better... DON"T OVER DO, Missy! You hear me young lady???


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## Oma2three (May 5, 2012)

Ann, your remark about your husband wanting to put up shelves and needing your help ,the day you are sick ,made me laugh. Aren't husbands funny!?


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## PeachyLeigh (Sep 24, 2011)

The "New" property and scything the "orchard"


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

*PeachyL* - Beautiful property. :rock: How many trees are you going to put in your orchard? It looks like it will hold a fair sized bunch of trees.

I can't wait to get pictures of our new place. You are inspiring me!!!

Another hot, muggy day here in Texas. 

Going in to work early again.........the continuing saga.

Have a busy Blessed day!


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## Cindy in NY (May 10, 2002)

Ann - I asked DH the other day if he wanted me to cut his cantaloupe off the rind for him and he said yes, because he "didn't know how to do it"!!

Peachy - beautiful pics!! How are the bugs where you are?

I've been trying to get under the raspberries weeded. The violets are pretty but the raspberries are better eatin!!


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

Well, hubby sent us on a wild goose chase last night. He needs his old passport and we were sure we knew where it was. Looked....nope!!?? Looked in the next few "logical" locations.....nope :facepalm:. Kids were at church for Marvel Movie Marathon Night 1.....so it was "just us" home. Well all that alone time got to us and one thing led to another and the next thing we knew DH's closet was pulled apart, sorted, spare shoes tossed, out grown/ too worn out/tired of this XYZ bagged up and tag for Goodwill. OK...fess up....where did YOU think I was going with that ound: 

Unfortunately, I now have 3-4 loads of laundry to do to wash all the "clean clothes" we pulled out of his closet that had been sitting on the floor amongst the dust bunnies for AGES. BUT, I do now have 2-30gallon trash bags overstuffed with stuff to go to Goodwill this morning  OH, and my beloved slipper that went missing yesterday while I cleaned out my closet was found......which was one of the reasons for the big "pull apart" of our room last night. It was on my dresser in plane sight:sob:

And now, we still haven't found his old passport. It's here somewhere, just need to find it ASAP for an old visa number.


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## NBC3Mom (May 14, 2005)

Thanks for the kind thoughts, Homesteader. Ribs are feeling better, and I didn't take any Advil today to make sure they really are healing. Another 1.5" of rain yesterday and 7 gallons of strawberries picked. I put them in the freezer last night. My fingers are stained and look a mess. My friend asked me if I wanted to get a manicure on Saturday and I just laughed. I don't ever polish my nails during gardening season, and have had exactly 2 manicures in my life-- both when I was on vacation.


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## Mutti (Sep 7, 2002)

One of the perks of retirement...don't have to spend Friday afternoon trying to get my hands/nails decent to go do my weekend nursing shifts!!! Not a mani/pedi kind of person anyhow...

We got blasted with storms last night; over 2" of rain. Son and I scurried out and planted the 1/2# sweet corn I had sprouting. Then covered the whole patch with straw as we have very smart crows here. 

Went to feed store this week for Pa and glad I did...two big tubs with huge sweet potato plants for sale. Know he wouldn't have thought to buy some. Mudded in and already look happy. No wilting at all and planted at 85 degrees. Feed store owner says the guy that grows them lives in nearby town so marked in my garden book when I got them to watch for them next year.

Kids finally got their electric pole and glorious power. They have been totally non-complaining for 3 weeks and it has been miserable hot humid weather...made 95 yesterday. 

Strangest thing I've seen in awhile. Pat our mailman of 17 years pulled up, got out of his truck and started digging up our mailbox! Pa went out to see what was going on...we had just gotten a brand new box ourselves. Pat said it was his mission to help people on his route have compliant boxes instead of having the postmaster make him tell patrons he couldn't deliver to them. A lot of elderly people out here on the rural routes and he puts brand new boxes up for them. Well, we would have fixed if asked but what a nice thing he is doing for folks. Pa fetched him a qt. of honey and got out his chainsaw so he could cut off post instead of trying to go deeper in the rocks. 

There goes that dang weather radio again. Severe thunderstorms again. Already under a tornado watch that's been going since suppertime yesterday. Not supposed to clear until after the weekend. Bad news for son who had plans to pour concrete tomorrow for patio....he bought a hot tub for his wife who only has 27 days more on her deployment in Guatemala. Wanted to have it all set up nice to surprise her. He's even been diligently picking strawberries and freezing for her. Cute. Pa has been long since fired from picking. He is good at picking flowers for me though and wonderful at slipping syrup in the new bee hives as he is faster than me and doesn't need to put on the whole hot suit. Each to their own talents.

Sky getting black....here we go again. Stay safe everyone. Looks like these storms are going to march across the country.


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## mpillow (Jan 24, 2003)

Rain rain go away....I have to much work to do today!

Actually a break is nice!....I ended up pulling out 3 t-posts and adding in 5 more to make the garden fences sturdier....I've got some sore arms I want to tell you...we use the 30# fence pounder and normally my husband does that portion! So *Tues *afternoon we planted the smaller garden....250 sweet corn seeds, 4 zuke, 6 broc, 24tomato plants, carrots....we raked up the neighbors lawn for the animals....as much as we could before it rained and had to be quiet when DH got home he was asleep an hour after getting home! 

Wed. was rain so I did morning chores and took a nap...sunburned and sore! spent the afternoon doing the bookshelf /sunroom/organizing/cleaning.

Today...I *HAD* to have some hay....but I knew that cutting happened last weekend so it was "available". I'm so happy I stretched the hay I had for so long. My husband said it was just not possible.....*You would think he would know how strong willed/ determined I am by now* Also had to get some new bean seed...mine is 6 years old and not germinating...hoping to plant this weekend in the large garden...got those bean seeds soaking on the kitchen table! Another 48 tomato plants to go in and potato sets, winter squash...I'll fill in the gaps when the greenhouse has clearance sale.

DD graduates HS Friday....Watch out world! (SERIOUSLY, she's a pistol.)


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## Ann-NWIowa (Sep 28, 2002)

Cloudy and overcast today although no rain forecast. I have two loads of clothes on the line. While I was hanging laundry neighbors on either side of me were out hanging laundry. I can't imagine living where clotheslines are not allowed. 

Did some cleaning this a.m. but still haven't gotten to the vacuuming. At least the bathrooms are done and the kitchen is sort of scrubbed. Its only "sort of" unless I get down on my hands and knees which isn't going to happen anytime soon.

Took another full box to donate when we went to town on Tuesday and brought the box back ready to refill. Also took a bag of dh's jackets and shirts to dd to see if her partner can wear them. All were pullover the head and dh can't do that without hurting himself so they are gone. I need to remember to send some of dd stuff home with her partner when he comes to mow this weekend. Eventually, I'll get all her stuff out of my house!

Did some sorting in the garage and filled the new shelves that dh put up. Now I need to get dh to sort and organize the old shelves. We need to sell, give away or junk a Snapper riding mower and get it out of the garage. Its probably worth $200 if we could find the right buyer, but failing that, I want it GONE. Then I want to get some hooks to hang the ladders so they are out of the way but accessable. I hate having to move 25 things to get to the one I want to use.


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

No rain here.:bored: But we do have clouds today. Toasty and humid.
Dh remarked last night, how parched everything is looking. He has been cutting hay this week.

Early into work again today. Not sure if I have to work this weekend.
I still need to go buy my $100's worth of coffee.

My garden protÃ©gÃ© is coming back this weekend......weeding and mulching. I have a BIG stack of cardboard I have been collecting, ready for him.
I am glad to have him this year, otherwise, my garden would be a disaster, with my schedule.

*mpillow*- ooooooooh.........I know exactly what you mean about the fence pounders......OMgoodness. I can't move my arms for days when I use one. Passing you the Cyber Ben Gay.

Better run.....You all keep up the good work!!


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## BadFordRanger (Apr 26, 2014)

#1: Cut the grass 

#2: Get newer Ford ranger truck on the road!

#3: Already ordered a second 1,000' roll of pipe to be here in the morning, so I need to finish running pipe down the creek bed to the bottom of the water fall to get enough cyphering effect to draw 53* spring water through the water to air heat exchanger to cool the house! 
(Hopefully there will be enough water flow to turn a small in-line pump that will intern run the blower fan so the Air conditioning will run absolutely free of electricity! If not the 3.5 amps will be a small price to pay for Air conditioning!

#4: Cut the dang grass again! 

#5: Finish building the outside wood fired boiler to heat the house with wood, which is abundant within a thousand yards of the house! 

#6: Build a water to water heat exchanger to heat our domestic hot water with from the boiler!

#7: Buy a 48" cut riding lawn mower and cut the grass again, maybe an hour or so this time, LOL!!

# 8: Build a water to air heat exchanger to replace the 4,500 watt electric heating element in the clothes dryer!

#9: Fence in about five acres for goats! 

# 10: Build a small barn/shelter for goats and stock up on feed and hay! 

# 11: Buy a buck and hopefully an already mated doe and relearn caring for them, better than the first try!! 

Actually, if I can get that much done this summer I'll impress my own self, but I don't see it happening! 
If I can make it through #8: I'll be happy and set for the winter! 
For now, I already have a car radiator (What can I say, I am a *******, LOL) setting in the living room with a regular, well actually it is larger than most boxed window fan , but it is shrouded to the radiator that is cooling the first floor pretty well, from the spring water already, but that is using the electric fan and an electric pump!
I hate paying for electricity when mother nature will give it to you for the taking! 
But after the $588.40 utility bill this passed January, it has finally dropped to $107, 67 for the May bill and I haven't turned the Air Conditioner on yet this summer! 
The sticker on the hot water heater says average cost for energy is $571 per year! That is about $47.50 a month and I figure the cost of the heat exchanger will cost about three months of that cost and after that, it's free, except the labor and as for the chainsaw, and the garden tractor to pull it a short ways! 
We'll see how it all works out, but we already know that the spring water will cool the house! I'll just be glad to finally get the rest of the pipe so I can finish the system as I wanted to do it to start with and get the ******* pipe out of the floor! :ashamed:

Godspeed to all

Ranger


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

No plans for today, yet. But I'm running out the door.....National doughnut day! Going to get a dozen (big sale) for tomorrow for breakfast. Taking the kids to the library later, too.....free doughnut for everyone that checks out 3 items - while supplies last, lol. Doughnuts are a huge treat for us, so we are milking it for all it's worth....and we can walk to both locations


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## Cindy in NY (May 10, 2002)

Ranger - you had me worried! I thought that was your June list!!


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## crobin (Mar 17, 2014)

Picked and snapped 9 lbs of green beans yesterday. The grasshoppers are horrible this year. Need to finish the larger, improved brooder for meat chicks and turkeys. Trying to slowly put things in place so we can sell milk from our location. After next year we will have 4 dairy cows, we love milk but that is more than we can handle. Starting fall veggies in the greenhouse to plant in august. Need to order more jars and lids. Have a good day.


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## Ann-NWIowa (Sep 28, 2002)

The death of my great-nephew this week reminds me that prepping should include pre-planning for death and disability. If you can afford it, life insurance and disability insurance would be good. 

Everyone should have a Last Will and Testament, General Power of Attorney, and a Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care Decisions and a Living Will. The legal documents usually will cost less than $200 if its a simple Will. If you have underage children, the Will is used to name guardians for your children. Failure to have these legal documents in place means your State will be making decisions including who gets custody your kids. Having worked in the legal field for 30 years, I've seen first hand the mess left for survivors to deal with when these legal documents were not in place. 

If you are settled in an area where you intend to remain, purchasing cemetery lots is a good idea. For someone older (like me), its irresponsible to leave everything unplanned so that your children have to handle everything. Dh and I are just now making decisions on how we want our funeral/burial handled. So far we've just talked about it, but we really do plan to talk to our local funeral director soon about pre-planning. We have life insurance, but funeral costs are now higher than our insurance which was considered more than adequate in the 1960's when we took out our policies. So that's another issue, you should review coverage from time to time.


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

Have a nice long list of "to-do's" on the board for today, but I seem to have hit a brick wall in the energy department. I did get some things done, though. 

DD and I took our walk
She did her daily reading for summer while I caught up on my Bible reading (I was 3 days behind :ashamed: )
weeded around the house (took all 3 of us about an hour!)
walked to the library
did laundry
walked to the church up the street that is having a sale picked up a few things and ate at their lunch counter. DD is excited, I picked up a BeDazzler for her for $2. Looks new.....she'll get it for Christmas. DH and I have been "threatening" one another to buy her one for years......she's that kind of kid, lol. Not sure where she gets it from.....neither DH or I are into "embellished, shiny, etc"......she is defiantly my Mom all over again! But then I am totally my mom's mom all over again, lol.
cut the front yard (DS is doing the back now)
Watched The Wizard of Oz with the kids. We just finished the book yesterday and they have never seen the movie. After having heard the book, I don't think they were all that impressed with the movie. BUT is was a piece of social histoy that they needed to be familiar with. Next I'll read A Yankee in King Arthur's Court to DD....another classic every kid should get to enjoy 

Oh, also took an online survey for the grocery store. I'm int he running for a $2000 gift card! Odds of wining are nill to none.....but a prepper can dream 

Still to do:
ironing (not happening)
kids have "themes" to pick up in their room - DD need to deal with all "paper", DS all books. If I tell them to clean their rooms, nothing happens. If I say pick up all fabric, or hard things, or paper then your done for the day....they can make head room. 
Pay bills
make signs for the books I'm selling at a used curriculum sale next week


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## Ann-NWIowa (Sep 28, 2002)

Got three really dirty messy shelves cleaned off in the garage. Pretty well filled a large trash can, hauled a box of stuff to the basement, swept a huge amount of dirt off the shelves and floor in front of the shelves and am happy that one corner is done. Dh wanted to haul more stuff to the basement, but I said NO. I'm trying to get stuff out of there not add to it! If we could get rid of the Snapper mower it would give us the space we need to better organize the garage. Also, need to find a way to hang three ladders. Baby steps, but at least steps.

I decided the shelves I filled yesterday need to be rearranged to put toxic items on the top shelf. We haven't had kids around for awhile, but dd's partner had 3 kids and they are out fairly often. Wouldn't want a kid to get into that stuff.

I worked in the garden for awhile, but I'm still not feeling up to par so that didn't last long. Hopefully tomorrow a.m. I can get more weeding done before it rains again. It was about perfect for hoeing today. I also planted 3 more sweet potatoes which filled out the row.

If anyone in interested, the obit for my great-nephew is at http://www.hamiltonsfuneralhome.com/services/services_detail.aspx?rid=16396


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## jessimeredith (Sep 12, 2004)

Alive.....I'm still alive!

But barely moving. Ugh. Moment of sheer stupidity left me with no shoes to wear for loading/unloading the Uhaul except my Skecher Shape-Ups that I usually just wear around the house. I so hurt me...bad. Now, almost a week later my knee is feeling better but my feet still hurt and "burn" if I'm on them too long. Unpacking is taking way longer than expected as the house wasn't...um...clean when we got here. It wasn't filthy and unlivable, but it wasn't clean either. The kitchen is the absolute worst, with cabinets just horribly filthy. I'm slowly making progress and just about have it licked.

Funny enough, wasn't a soul around to help us load/unload but they sure showed up the next day to tour the house. I was hurting too bad to be a gracious hostess and DH was just as unhappy.

Tomorrow we're off to my sister's for free food...it's her husband's family reunion (they always host) and we're totally mooching. Yes, yes...I'm taking a side and drinks to contribute, lol.

(Ann~ belated hugs and prayers coming your way...I'm so sorry for your loss.)


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## Vosey (Dec 8, 2012)

jessi - ugh, you'll get there though. Soak your feet in epsom salts, old school but works. 

Ranger - what's a water to air heat exchanger?


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

*JM *- Passing you the Cyber Ben Gay!!!!
*Ranger - *Impressive list!! I don't make them myself......I just tackle what I can!! I thought it was your June list, also!!:shocked:

Not working this weekend:spinsmiley:. Although, yesterday kicked my backside!....It was 6 dys in a row and I just wanted to go home.

Dh & I may get out and about some.
My young gardener showed up early and is out at it. He graduated last night. (GOOD JOB)
Super windy this morning....he is going to have a time putting down cardboard and mulch. I went out and showed him how to wet it first...It does not blow around so much.

It is a HOT 81F already and humidity you can wear.

I am going to pack him up some drinks, sandwiches and treats, in an ice chest,before we leave. His dad is here full time on the farm, and some other farm hands are here haying, etc.......So, we will not be left to his own devices!! LOL!!


Have a marvelous day!!


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## Vosey (Dec 8, 2012)

Gorgeous weather this weekend! Just scrapped most of my indoor plans  That may be a recurring theme for awhile. Have yogurt on the stove and I'm going to dehydrate another pile of kale with the yogurt in the dehydrator. 

Went to our store's big meat sale yesterday, picked up pork shoulder's for 1.99 lb and Tri Tip for 3.99 lb. Good prices for around here. Ran into my neighbors there, they were floored by how expensive the meat was, but they hadn't been shopping in months. Had one of the shoulder's sliced into steaks for the grill. I was going to can some of the tri tip, but think I'll freeze it all. 

DH got more of the boxes in the garage cleaned out this week. Says "all that's left is X-mas stuff and dishes", to which I replied there should be some clothes in there somewhere. "Oh, I threw out a bunch of clothes, some old pants of yours were in there". What??? Oh well, I guess if I haven't missed them in 2 years I shouldn't get upset. But, somewhere in there is a green linen skirt I really, really want!

So my work is looking precarious. It's just a gut instinct, but both myself and my manager think we might be getting shut down. I work for a non-profit and we have a new director who is trying to make us financially stable (not a bad thing), but I'm in a location that will never be financial self-sustaining. We are way out in the boonies and administration thinks we're a bunch of rabble-rousers who just do what we want and then get in trouble. In actuality we have such a small staff we can't do anything the way they want us to because we don't have the staff coverage! argh.

Sooooo, time to be very, very frugal and plan for the future. I'd love to just find part time work. But of course, we have a bunch of expenses looming! Murphy's law.


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## Ann-NWIowa (Sep 28, 2002)

TDD & Vosey - hope your job situations improve soon. The stress of going to work day in and day out with $#@^!& hanging over your head is not good.

I figure I can excuse myself from the treadmill today as I spent 3 hours hoeing over the garden. Weather is perfect for working outside -- in 70's and cloudy. Dh fixed the lawn mower, hoed one row and did some weed whacking and wore himself out. Doesn't take much to wipe him out these days which he hates. He was always a hard worker and not being able to work really upsets him. 

The garden is looking good. Everything is up except for one row of lima beans which I'm going to replant with green beans. Also, one row of carrots isn't up yet. I'll give it another week then hoe out and replant the row. I really need to get the tomato cages in but I can't pound the T-posts and dh shouldn't and ds hasn't shown up yet. I don't think he has gas money.


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

Looked outside....hmmmm looks like it might rain.......checked weather channel.......hmmmmm might rain....(Trying not to jinx it.)​ Twisted my ankle yesterday...stepped down off a curb, into a storm drain neck.​ Throbbed and pained all night. Moving slow today. I'll baby it so I won't be getting much done in the prep area.​ Dh and I ran around all day. Bought a chandelier for our new place and a piece of Art he had been admiring for more than a year.​ I saw a CC(concealed carry) purse I really liked......did not buy it.......hinted it would make a nice gift for my birthday. He just kept walkin.​ Hark......here comes the rain......I hear it.:banana:​ I also went to the cake supply store......that's always fun......but expensive.​ *crobin *- The plague of grasshoppers are here also...and they say harsh winters kill bugs.....HA! Balderdash!​ *Vosey* - I so feel what you are going thru with your job. Sorry Dear.​ ​ Have a wonderful and productive day!​


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## crobin (Mar 17, 2014)

TDD they talk about the zombie apocalypse, i think they are wrong, it is grasshoppers, lol.


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

Yeah! Grasshoppers, stink bugs and mosquitos!


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## Vosey (Dec 8, 2012)

Got an unexpected chore done yesterday - DH cleaned out some big deep shelves for my canning jars yesterday! I've been bugging him for a long tim about putting back some shelves he took down in the garage. So with our garage cleaning he freed up some shelf space. But now that they are all in one place, up off the floor I don't have as many as I thought  I also organized all the glass jars we've saved, no need to save so many! Especially when they have no lids. 

Got yogurt made and kale dehydrated, but today is not going to be super productive. Wildfire in Bend is blowing smoke our way and it's sent me into full blown allergy/asthma mode. I don't usually react so severely, not sure why this time. Took the dogs for a walk up the river this morning and was wheezing away. Really hope we're not breathing smoke all summer again.


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## Ann-NWIowa (Sep 28, 2002)

Got the lawn mowed by dd's partner's son. We're paying him $20 each time he mows and he uses our mower and gas. Much better than the $45 for the man who does mowing for income. We had him bag the grass from the front yard and I spread it around the tomatoes. We don't bag the back yard as its weedy which I don't want in the garden.

Ds came and pounded the posts for the tomato cages so I'm in good shape with the tomatoes. Dh and I made to additional cages so all tomatoes are caged. We have a big blight problem so need to keep them off the ground and mulched. Potatoes have started blooming and one tomato has blooms. Everything is late this year. It was only in the 50's over night.

Goal for this week is to mulch the potates with leaves. Don't know how that will work with rain forecast for most of the week plus two days to Des Moines for visitation and funeral.

I sewed on my unfinished projects for a bit this a.m. Need to figure out how I want to finish the aprons and get them done. I'm not using a pattern so am trying to figure out as I go.


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## Vosey (Dec 8, 2012)

Ann - our plum tomatoes are a wreck this year. Won't be 50's at night until July, but it's hot during the day. They got decimated by flea beetles, only saved by spraying which I hate to do. Might have been better off pulling them up and buying starts. It's looking like it'll be the year of the potato, and maybe the bean, every year it's something different. 

My Allegra kicked in abou 2-3 hours after taking it and I'm now fine, a little late to get anything done. Reminds me that my goal this month is to have our camper ready to evacuate. It's planned in my mind, just not done yet. 

Not sure what to do about the chickens in an evacuation. We have no way to transport them. I'm thinking we just leave them out with water and food and hope the predators don't get them if fire doesn't rage through. One of their waters is automatic on a gravity fed system.


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

*Vosey- *Best wishes and stay safe. We have had to face wildfire here in recent years. Horrifying.

We got a small amount of rain. The radar shows a line of storms headed our way in" less than an hour." Just as I am leaving for work. (sigh)

My ankle is s bit better, but still tender. I have limped enough that it is transferring to my trick knee......now it hurts. Geeeez.

No prepping at all this weekend.......nothing. 

Well, I am off.......Have a Blessed day!

oooooh........I hear thunder!


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## Cindy in NY (May 10, 2002)

We are as they say making hay while the sun shines! Most of the day is spent outside taking care of yard, garden and house projects. That means the indoor stuff like dusting and vacuuming have fallen by the wayside! 

We had the metal roof on the plant porch taken off because it was leaking. The roofers cut the panels down to the size we needed. I've scrubbed them and gotten half painted green so far. We're going to reuse them as roofing for our wood racks out back. We have to take the racks off the platform they're on and see if it can be reused. Then we can schedule another wood delivery.

Had to replant beans, cukes, yellow squash & broccoli. Replanted cabbage and some lettuce for the third time. Trying to use up old seed and finding a lot that won't germinate. Still can't uncover most of the garden because of the squirrels. Shot one with the hose the other day and it didn't phase him! Wish I could really shoot him!! 

Vosey - I have been taking my allergy medicine when I go to bed. That way it is in my system when I get up in the morning. Works much better for me. If your glass jars will fit a canning lid, you're set. You only need to rings for the actual canning, not for storage.


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

Dropped DS off at camp yesterday morning. Came home and "crashed".....why am I so tired?? Anyways, in the afternoon DD and I went to DS's room with the intention of pulling out some stuff for Goodwill (DS knew if he didn't clean it I would while he was gone). Well, we got on a roll and totally strip cleaned his room in 3 hours!! I filled 3 bags with stuff for Goodwill and 2 bags of true trash. HUGE change!! Int he past when I have cleaned his room I have only pulled out the trash, never skinny'ed down his stuff. He was told if he didn't do it I would.....and I did!

DD's room is next. She is taking advantage of her brother's clean room and is moving stuff into his room so she can clean her's (tubs of winter clothes, food storage, tubs of craft materials - all from under her bed, and her bed!) His room is huge....biggest in the house, so it will give us room to move things around in her's. I hope it have another full car load going to Goodwill again tomorrow!

Ran and got some annuals this morning for the front yard. It looks rather bear now that we pulled all the weeds and forget-me-nots. Will get those in later.....once I finish my cup of coffee


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## Cindy in NY (May 10, 2002)

Forgot to tell everyone - DH went through his massive amount of shirts!! He tried things on and I got to judge - keep or toss. He only lost about 4 long sleeved shirts but he easily got rid of a dozen short sleeve shirts and a dozen T shirts!! I have a few that I should be able to sell on ebay!! :banana:


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

Hi, all...wow, take a week's break from the internet and y'all are already on post 68.

*Ann*, belated condolences to you and your family. It's always such a shock to lose a young one - upsets the normal "cycle of life". We are not supposed to outlive them.  (((Hugs)))
*Homesteader*, thank you for the kind words - you make me blush!  
*Jen*, take it easy, gf! You are doing so much, and then ya wonder why you're tired? :stars:  Seriously, I'm in awe when I hear how much you've managed to clear out of all the bedrooms. :goodjob: Have you found the missing passport yet?
*Jess*, welcome back and adding to the cyber BenGay for you, TDD and NBC3! Hope you're feeling less pain and are getting your house into shape. I always feel better in a new place after it's been scrubbed within an inch. Of course, I hate to move, so I don't have to go through that very often, lol.
*TDD*, that knee is still giving you problems? Did you ever have an MRI or other diagnostics to figure out exactly what the problem is and if there is a fix? I know you were reluctant in the past, but with your job being precarious, it might be a good time to use your insurance while you have it. After all, you don't want to go into the zombie apocalypse with a bum knee....have to be able to outrun the zombies!!!!! :hysterical:
*LM*, how's everything going? Haven't seen your posts for nearly as long as I've been off-line.  Hope that means you're busy in the garden or still cleaning out sheds! I hear ya on the amount of sheer STUFF one can accumulate in a few years. I'm in the midst of cleaning and clearing piles that have been gathered in for about 13 years here!

I've been working each day on clearing weeds, transplanting and planting, and putting down the floor in the barn. Since I'm having to shave down boards to custom fit and repairing pallet frames, it's taking me a while, but I'm making good progress. It's lovely to me able to walk on a floor instead of in the dirt!

Along with trying to do a bit on the month's list each day, I've been sewing curtains in the house, continuing to clear out each room, and doing deep cleaning throughout. I absolutely love the way the kitchen nook curtains look, and have been piecing the leftovers from those sheets to make a matching set for the sink window. That involves sitting and ripping out the existing hems, which I HATE doing, so it's a work in progress...one curtain is finished, seamed together, and re-hemmed, but I have to make myself rip out the hem on the other 2 pieces...on the list for today, along with finishing the hand stitching on a pair of scrub pants I turned into shorts (just need to hem them). 

Yesterday, I turned another twin sheet into curtains and valance for the dining room, as well as having to soak the sheet in boiling water and generic oxyclean to remove stains. Also had to hit it with a few drops of iron remover, and then do a general wash, which lead to washing the rest of the laundry and my sheets while I was at it. The end result, besides having most all the laundry done, was a sheet that went from being used in the garden as frost protection, to a set of curtains I'm rather pleased to see hanging! I do think I'll move them to the "guest room after I finish making pretty, summer-y white curtains for the great room (dining room/living room) to match the kitchen and nook. They will pretty up that room nicely and let me finally check that room off my list. 

Along with the laundry and sewing, I had to defrost my littlest freezer yesterday. I don't know what happened or when, but the door popped open and there was a ton of ice coating all the food and the shelves. I chucked it up with a hammer and it filled 2 5 gallon buckets. After it melted, I found over 5 gallons of water, total, today. My flower beds had a good drink! After taking inventory of what I was storing in that freezer, I chucked some stuff to the chickens, some to the horse, some to the dog, and was able to move everything else to the new freezer. There is still a box of food in the upright freezer, but at least I can turn off one freezer.

Oh, that reminds me - I was planning to turn in my old fridge for a $30 rebate, but I had a brainstorm and realized that I should keep it and use it as dry, mouseproof, dustproof storage in the barn. Duh! So, I finished totally scrubbing it inside and out, let it dry, and I plan to start moving things like spray paint and small hand tools into it today. I think a dish of clean cat litter in each compartment should keep it from smelling too musty or nasty. Thoughts?

My 2 hens are sharing mommy duties beautifully, and I still have a broody hen on the nest, so I am hopeful that I will have a good variety of pullets to choose from for replacements. The 2 hens hatched out somewhere over a dozen chicks between them, but they are so protective that I haven't been able to get an accurate head count yet. They are like raptor chickens! Today I kicked all the other chickens outside and left the 3 hens and the chicks closed in, but I'm hoping to get the hens with chicks moved to the old goat pen soon. They'll be away from Muttley, in case he gets overexcited by the chicks again, and will be able to teach the babies to scratch and hunt bugs properly. I'll have to look at last month's thread and see when the 3rd hen hit the nest and see when she should be hatching her brood. It should be soon, but I didn't write it on the calendar.

Well, lunch break is finished. Gotta go cut boards, work on moving hostile hens, hemming shorts, and ripping seams for curtains. Have a good one, all!


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

Okay, checked and my hen started brooding on the 19th, I added eggs as late as the 22nd, and is 3 weeks today from the 19th, so I should start hearing peeps soon!  I hope so, as she is very interested in the chicks that are here, much to the consternation of the mothers. 

Update: I got the boards cut and planed to fill up the spaces between pallet slats - I'm nearly 2/3 with the barn aisle floor. Have to finish rebuilding the next pallet tomorrow - ran out of oomph tonight! I've been able to use a lot of my salvaged materials for pallet repairs and floor slats. I even managed to make a new step for my back door from a pallet. Wasn't able to coax the hens out of the stall with their chicks, maybe tomorrow? Finished the last of the laundry, mostly towels I used to sop up melting ice from the freezer yesterday. Got the hems out of the sheets for the curtains and sewed them up again. Finished the seams and hemmed them, now I just need to figure out the length I want, and get the casings in and they will be done. Weeded more of the flower beds...I'm not keeping up with them, but at least I'm trying to keep the grass growing in the beds from going to seed. I supposed that's progress? :shrug: I'm tired and a bit sore tonight, so I know I did a good day's work!


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## crobin (Mar 17, 2014)

So excited!!! My peanuts are blooming. I have never grown them before, but had to try. I dearly love boiled peanuts, just a Southern girl. Hope everyone had a good day.


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## Ann-NWIowa (Sep 28, 2002)

Got about half of the potato patch mulched. We did not get the predicted rain and now its out of the forecast for tomorrow so maybe I'll get the mulching finished. Even with the rain we've had in the past weeks, we are dry. We continue to be on the drought map.

I still haven't ran the vacuum which is fast approaching desperate need. Maybe tomorrow.

Found a half dozen pints of old carrots in the cupboard. Fixed some for supper and they were yucky so the rest will go to the compost tomorrow.


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## Jo (May 11, 2002)

MGM I used charcoal when we moved our freezer. It work. No mold.
We used to use an old freezer to store our animal feed in the barn. 
Glad you thought to keep it.


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

*MGM*- - Yeah - it bothers me quite a lot these days. 2 Different Ortho Dr's said....."You have a bit of wear and tear..... but......here, lets tap the fluid and give you a couple of shots." I have had several MRI's of it. At least, it hasn't landed me back in the hospital ( fingers crossed). Also, my job is contract......no insurance there.

And, holy carp Missy! I want some of what you are taking......I could never get the stuff done you do!!! WOWZERS!!!

We use an old freezer for ammo storage.....vac pack and stack!!:gaptooth:

Well, gotta go face the music......have a blessed day!
We got a nice and welcome rain yesterday.


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## mpillow (Jan 24, 2003)

Let me unwind for a moment!!!

DD graduation went well, she got another scholarship and so she will only need like 5000 plus the subsidized loans...out of $28k a year. 

Planting and mowing and stacking wood....and sweating 82 tomato plants in...4 or 5 short rows of red and white taters, cukes, summer squash, green and yellow beans...still some empty spaces to fill in but biggest part done. The bull was loose again Sun morning with the help of our buck...got him back in and been mowing with the push mower/bagger since(he is growing nicely but very demanding!)....it was 89 and humid yesterday...not fun. Today its not even 70...crazy!

Just chugging along.


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## Mutti (Sep 7, 2002)

Weatherman says we're stuck in this rain pattern until the jet stream moves south...it's parked on the Mo/Akansas line. The garden is a lush jungle but so are the weeks....can barely keep them wacked down much less pulled. 

Wow..planted barely sprouted sweet corn Thursday and up 4" tall yesterday!!!! But I must stay in the real world and remember our droughty Augusts. This is Quickie corn from Pinetree and really super tasting. Planted and mulched heavily with straw against the crows. Darn crows tease our Pyrenees but swooping down and stealing her dog food!

Went to Mennonite store yesterday and got 2-50# bags rice, popcorn, chocolate chips, potato dices, organic oatmeal in bulk. Then stocked up on Benadryl, Zantac, Zyrtec, ibuprofen,bandaids,H2O2. Last week not a bottle of Benadryl to be found in our town. This has been a vicious allergy season. We took major inventory of our storeroom and are trying to fill some of the holes.

Youngest son's birthday today. Off to make hamburger buns and we'll grill tonight at his request. Doesn't like cake so will make cheesecake and top with just picked strawberries.

Today is the day...Diana Gabaldon's newest book out and my copy is on the UPS truck. Written in my Heart's Blood...let it rain after all


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

No energy today, so I'm not starting anything new  Stripped DS's bed and washed everything in hot water with extra soap, lol. He's turned into a greasy teen!! Picked up a new mattress cover for him, too. The one he's been using is about 10 yrs old and I just can't get it to look clean anymore. So he's been upgraded.

Dropped 3 bags off at Goodwill from DD's room. Only one bag of trash from her......but her trash is smaller. DS had empty boxes, shoes(destroyed) and paper....she had torn bits of paper!? You have no idea how much torn paper it takes to fill a trash bag.....but I do!

Heading over to a local property owned by the county park system. Originally it was an insane asylum then a TB hospital. Currently it's condemned (they just won a grant to start repairing it), but they have tours of the property with stories and such. Hope they cover some of the local plants and stuff around there. DD and I are going to go and meet up with some friends and enjoy. It's something to do, local, and free. I've been wanting to do it for a few years now.


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## Ann-NWIowa (Sep 28, 2002)

Still no rain so I got the rest of the potato patch mulched. Did a load of laundry and hung it out. I have a load of towels in the washer and will put them in the dryer. We like soft towels! 

We went and ordered flowers for the funeral. Visitation is Thurs. & services on Fri. so two trips to Des Moines this week. Ds will drive our car and we'll pick up grandson on the way which saves gas for them. Ds is dealing with major medical bills and grandson just moved so they're both stony broke.


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

*TDD*, bummer on the no insurance.  I'd really like to see you get that knee fixed. As far as what I'm taking? I'm taking a break from TV until after my work is done each day, lol. I get sucked in so easily that it's embarrassing! I've been getting up in the morning, taking my meds and reading for a bit until they kick in, and then it's housework and outside. I MIGHT even get some of that June list FINISHED this month. 
*Mutti*, I absolutely LOVE Diana Gabaldon! Is this the next in the Outlander sage? I'm not as fond of the Lord John Gray stories, but I have re-read the Jamie and Claire stories repeatedly. With my bff being off work at the library system, I haven't kept up on when the new releases come out. I think it's time to place an Amazon order!
*Jo*, yes, charcoal - that would work, and give me a dry place to store some of my charcoal briquets at the same time. Thanks for jogging my memory!
*Mpillow*, congrats on the scholarship for your dd. That's awesome. I'm jealous of all the planting you've been getting done. I've been concentrating on other areas and my planting is a bit behind.
*Ann*, I'm spoiled by soft towels, too.  I'll be keeping you in my thoughts this week.
*Jen*, oh, no, not the greasy teen stage - no matter how many showers they take, their room still takes on that "testosterone poisoning" smell!  You're smart to give yourself some rest and enjoy a day off at the park. It sounds really interesting - I love history so that tour would be right up my alley, too.
*robin*, I wish I could grow peanuts...not hot enough, long enough to grow them here.

I think I'm going to go visit my favorite sister and bil tomorrow, unless they're already booked. They are at an RV park about 45 minutes from here, and I haven't seen them since Christmas. I miss them! I've clipped flowers and put together a bouquet to take to them. 

One of the things I'm doing this summer is taking advantage of my flower gardens. I have flowers in every room and refresh the bouquets as needed. It's so nice to have my house in order and fresh flowers on display. Makes me feel pampered, lol.

I tore apart the back porch steps today and leveled the ground, then placed a temporary step made of a small, deep pallet. First thing I did after that was walk out the back door, forgetting I needed to step down instead of straight out the door. Nearly landed on my nose, lol! I need to rebuild a larger pallet and make a landing and 2 steps down. Great side benefit to the project? I found one of my missing forks, a small clear Pyrex bowl, the extra dog bowl, a couple hand tools and a bag of hose clamps and other hardware under the old steps. 

I figured out how to move the hens and chicks today...set up a dog house in the stall, baited it with chicken feed and waited. Once the hens and most of the chicks were inside, I covered the doorway and tipped it up, then dragged it to the old goat pen and closed them in before releasing them. I still had to catch 5 more chicks, which wasn't easy because the 3rd broody hen abandoned her eggs and tried to steal the chicks. I did repeated chick head counts, and I think there are 15 chicks. They lost 2, and one egg was a dud.

I put the eggs from my 3rd hen in my dehydrator (makeshift incubator), added plenty of bowls of water below to raise humidity, and I'm hoping some of them still hatch. They were pretty cold when I found them, so I'm not too hopeful, but ya have to try, right? I gave the broody hen some fresh eggs and she was on them tonight...maybe without the attraction of peepers, she'll hatch some eggs yet.

I tried to work on my barn floor today, but ran into equipment problems...first the circ saw blade came loose, and then the framing nailer jammed. I don't know what the problem is there...usually it's a stuck nail, but I don't think that's it this time. I needed a new blade on the saw anyway, so I wasn't all that concerned - it's just a pain in the tuchus to get the blade to hold still while I tighten the nut.

I really need to make a town trip - I haven't been grocery shopping for over a month, and I have a long list for the hardware and feed stores. It seems like every day I plan to go to town and then get busy on projects at home. Once I'm into a project, I don't want to quit. I really am turning into a hermit!


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## terri9630 (Mar 12, 2012)

crobin said:


> Picked and snapped 9 lbs of green beans yesterday. The grasshoppers are horrible this year. Need to finish the larger, improved brooder for meat chicks and turkeys. Trying to slowly put things in place so we can sell milk from our location. After next year we will have 4 dairy cows, we love milk but that is more than we can handle. Starting fall veggies in the greenhouse to plant in august. Need to order more jars and lids. Have a good day.



I just re planted my beans for the 4th time. Something keeps eating them but I don't know what.:hair
Hubby just called and said the pay cut they have been hearing about for a few months will start in 2 weeks. About 15%....


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

*terri* - So sorry about you hubby's pay.
It is probably grasshoppers eating those beans....they are just crazy horrible here.

*MGM *- See..... what a monster post!!

Not much to report here.....just the continuing saga at work.

Have an AWESOME day!!


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## mpillow (Jan 24, 2003)

AHHH but I've had the 2 girls (13 and 18) to help me with part2 of the planting....I hoe the row, one plants and one packs....goes along quickly that way!

DD18 has her followup appt for her breast cyst...its still there:grit:Hopefully its nothing!


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## Mutti (Sep 7, 2002)

MGM--yup. newest Jamie and Claire. 882 lovely pages arrived yesterday. Being mean to myself and finishing up my re-read of the last one since it's been so long..copyright date of 2005. Could that be right?

It is NOT raining...how can that be? Don't know how to act. Already put in two hrs. in the garden catching up on the weeds. Hopeful that the sky will be clear so I can hang out my sheets.

Had fun evening yesterday. Son over for his birthday barbecue and we all had a hot echure tourney. Made homemade mustard for the lst time. What was I waiting for? Delicious. Knew there was a reason I never got rid of that electric coffee grinder.

Today we are going to tie up the tomatoes...it's a jungle out there. Never seen my onions so tall and picked the first baby beets,yum. Beans blossoming and no groundhog visits. First patch got touched by frost but it came back. New variety I wanted to try. Pa says he'll put up the hog panel so I can plant the Fortex beans. Ground so moist anything we plant springs out the ground. 

Introduced the 9 young pullets to the girls. Not too much squabbling. Looks like we will be goat sitting for awhile as son has three young ones coming and hasn't had time to fix goat pen. We have corral with 5" no climb horse fencing and will be a safe place for them.


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## Ann-NWIowa (Sep 28, 2002)

mgm - had to laugh at your back step project. We have 1/2 a pallet as a temporary step out of the house into the garage. Temporary as since the house was built in 1979!! Hey, it works. Dh has made some improvements to it over the years, but its still the basic 1/2 pallet. Everytime we pull it out to clean, we find some missing item!

Washed sheets and pillow cases off guest bed and have them on the line. Hoed over the strawberry bed which consists of 3 surviving strawberry plants and a bunch of poppies. I love the poppies as they bloom around the 4th of July. I use the seed for baking. I also planted two half rows of green beans where the lima beans didn't come up and half the carrots didn't come up. The lima bean seed was very old and I have a terrible time getting carrots growing. The half row that did come up is dying off because of lack of moisture. 

Dh has a lift chair and we've had problems with it several times. Now its not working again. He NEEDS that chair and spends most of his waking (and sleeping but he doesn't count it as sleeping when he's in the chair) hours in it. I'm ready to buy a regular recliner for him to use when the lift chair isn't working. We've not been too happy with the retailer we purchased the chair from as the "knowledge" to keep it working has turned out to be totally without substance. Good news dh fixed it himself -- again.

Brought my budget ledgers up to date and wrote checks for bills. Got a 50th anniversary card ready to mail -- its late as I forgot it due to grieving. I'm sure they will understand. Need to write a couple of letters but that's not happening today.

Finally, today is run the vacuum day. I'm about 1/3 done so its back to work.


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## Cindy in NY (May 10, 2002)

Went out yesterday and found a surprise in the compost - potatoes!!


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## PeachyLeigh (Sep 24, 2011)

A few days away and I have to play catch up with y'all. Shew, I am tired from reading. I did have a loooong post written but my kindle ate it and I got fed up with it. 
The new place is rather grasshopper-y. It has been raining like crazy and my garden is a boggy jungle.  I love rain but I wish it could be spread out a smidge better. And of course we haven't gotten rain barrels still!! It is on the short list. We celebrate our first date. It comes up in July and I am asking for the gift of water storage. 
DH's birthday is Sunday so it is a double whammy of b-day and fathers day and me having to work a 12hr shift. Couldn't ask off b/c we are short staffed and I had to fight for the week at the end of the month.:grumble:
The end of the month we are "vacation" camping on the new place. And working and exploring. So I have been planning for that, I figure the "stuff" is a good prepping investment and all of it is reusable.
We are almost done w/ our chicken fence, so my Mom can stop complaining.


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

Slow here on the farm.
Trying to push the realtor and get closing scheduled a.s.a.p. It's a $$$ deal....... shouldn't be any hiccups. We have been waiting patiently....What's the holdup?

Dh talked to the Metal Bldg. folks...... He secured a bid on my Commercial Kitchen. There are some remolding plans for the farm house and we don't want to be under construction in the winter months. We leased the house to the current owner until July 31........Then she has to go elsewhere. Who puts a farm up for sale and does not have a plan to move???? (DUH!!)

We have have some strong storms this evening......

Well, I am running late today.....have a blessed one!!


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

Hey - Where is everyone???

I've already made it home from work and had dinner.

We ARE going to close on the new farm tomorrow!!! WOOT!!!

Nice shower for most of the morning.... always welcome and needed far too badly.

So, anywhoo..... I'll be poppin in and out for the next few days.

Cyber hugs!!


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## Vosey (Dec 8, 2012)

Awesome about the farm closing TDD!

Boring work week for me, spent most of every long commute dreaming about not working, always happens this time of year. But not feasible yet. 

Was given a dozen duck eggs at work today, I'm always up for good free food! Even though we have 2 dozen of our eggs in the fridge. Ate scrambled duck eggs and kale for dinner and the dogs each got one in their dinner. Think I'll pickle some this weekend. 

Tomorrow I'll make my weekend goals.


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

Thanks *Vosey*. I am not excited about packing this place, and I won't move right away. But , I am excited to own such a pretty place in a very nice area. Lot's of plans to put into effect right away.......We will be KraZy BuSY!

Well, gotta go.... we are on the road.... heading to our new home in Beautiful East Texas.


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## Ann-NWIowa (Sep 28, 2002)

Got thru visitation yesterday and will shortly be headed out again for the funeral. I swear my mom has aged 10 years over this and at 92 that's not good. My cousins and friends who live where she does have rallied around checking on her several times a day. My dd is taking mom home and staying a couple nights so she won't be alone this weekend. Everyone is coping as well as can be expected for such a tragedy.

We still have not had any rain and none in the immediate forecast beyond possibility of light showers. We have several times literally had a "light" shower where you could almost count the drops that lasted maybe 2 minutes. I wish we'd get an all day light shower that added up to 1 to 2 inches.


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

Prayers of strength, Ann!

This morning DD and I divided and conquered! I strip cleaned the upstairs bathroom (I won't confess how over due that was!) Meanwhile she cleaned up the laundry room. 

She got a thank you note from the children's director at church for helping out with VBS this week, which had a $5 gift card to Subway in it! So she's getting Subway for lunch. I have a coupon for a free chicken sandwich from BK.....so I'll get one of those  Since we accomplished a bunch this morning....I think it will be a "play" afternoon.

That only leaves a few more rooms to deep clean, all in the "daily living" space. Since those get a regular tidying, I'm hoping they won't be too bad to deal with. Well, then again the kitchen's in that.....all the cupboards need emptied and scrubbed and the outsides of them need some major attention....so I better plan to give myself 2 days for that room. But they rest should be easy.....famous last word, lol.

Have portabella mushrooms to stuff for supper, then DD is going to a sleep over!! DH has been "dealing" with the visiting Chinese all week, so I haven't seen him much. Will be nice to have him all to myself tonight, at least for a few hours. Since he's planning to leave work early to go back to the Dr's, he's still sick, my guess is he will be crashing early tonight....hopefully with some meds running through his blood stream - so he can breath! Tomorrow is the Used Curriculum sale....hope to "dump" a bunch of my stuff. I will not be keeping all of what doesn't sell....I'll "bless" Goodwill with a bunch. I'm hoping the higher end popular curriculum sells though! In years past people have been looking for it and no one was selling.... I really don't want to have to figure out how to sell online, so I NEED it to sell tomorrow!


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## jessimeredith (Sep 12, 2004)

*TDD*~ Yay! Enjoy! (and I feel the pain on the packing/moving, lol)
*Ann*~ Sending even more cyber hugs.

Everyone else~ Wow...you all are so busy! I'm jealous of any and all edibles growing, btw.

Still working on getting unpacked...all is done with exception to the kitchen (naturally). The bum ankle/knee/hip kept me from doing too much climbing to put things away for days. Then just when I got better, DH decided that it was time to shave (read: time for ME to shave) the Cocker for the summer. No problem, until we get to the feet then it's like wrestling a bull into place. Who knew 30lbs could be so determined? I pulled a muscle in my lower back. OUCH! I'd totally take labor over this.

The upside is that I now have a better understanding and will have more sympathy for my poor broken DH when his back goes on the fritz. Oh and that he felt pity for my and my defeatist attitude (every single time I started making headway on the kitchen it would get derailed by the whole having to cook a meal thing) and he's just finished up cleaning the dishes and counters for me. Mercy I love that man.

And now I'm off to try to hunt down some ibuprofen or something of the likes. If I can get out of the chair!


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

*TDD*, I'm here, I'm here! LOL on the monster post...do I ever do any other kind? By the time I finish "talking" to all of you about your posts and add my own stuff, I'm almost ashamed to hit "post". :ashamed: Congrats on the closing and enjoy your time there today.
*Ann*, thinking of you today especially, as well as your whole family. Oh, and I totally get the pallet step into the garage thing - these steps I'm replacing are from 1996(?), when the house was placed, and were supposed to be temporary steps then. I bought it in 2001(?), and all I've done is replace a rotting board here and there. I'd love to build a nice deck off the front door, but I have a feeling the pallet steps will be sticking around the back door for a while. 
*Mutti*, 882 pages of wonderful fantasy...Calgon take me away! I'm trying to be patient until it's in paperback, probably Christmas? In the meantime, I'm going to start re-reading the series again. I read fast, but with the length of her books, it may keep me "fed" until I get the newest in PB. 
*mpillow*, okay, now I see how you're getting so much planted. It's just me here, and I tend to wander away on a whim to do something else....the joys of ADD.  When is your dd's appointment?
*Peachy*, have a wonderful camping/working on your new place time. And I know what you mean about having to catch up when you miss a day or 3 here, lol!
*Cindy*, do you have any idea what kind of potatoes you have growing? I love finding volunteers - it's like getting a bonus gift. 
*Terri*, so sorry about you're dh's pay cut. Time to tighten the belt even further. 
*Vosey*, Duck eggs, yum! I used to have Runner ducks and Khaki Campbells - loved to bake with their eggs.
*Jen*, you rock, woman! Your home is going to shine with all the work you (and your dd) are gettin' through. :good job: Hope the sale goes well tomorrow and that your hubs is feeling better soon...there's been something going around lately, and it sounds like he's got it.
*Jess*, ouch on your back...BTDT, burned the T-shirt.  Hope your ibuprofen has kicked in! Your dh sounds like a keeper. :angel:

Okay, I'm going to break this into 2 posts...one to answer your posts, and the next to actually cover the last few days here, lol. Taking pity on y'all.


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

After all the effort I went though to move the hens and chicks to the goat pen, they were back in the stall with the other chickens the next morning.  The 3rd hen had totally abandoned the nest and was actively trying to steal chicks from their mothers! I could hear a bit of peeping from the dehydrator "incubator".

I finally made a town trip on Wednesday - dropped off recycling, then hit the feed store for bales of shavings and straw, plus layer pellets and sweet feed, and a couple replacement tops for the gallon size chicken waterers. I only use them for raising chicks, but I really need them for that and mine are toast. Was pleasantly surprised to find them at a really good price. Unpleasantly surprised to find that no one seems to sell wafer thermostats anymore.

Then it was off to town to make some returns at Wilco and buy tomato plants there. 1.59 for a 4" pot, sturdy tomatoes with plenty of stem to bury for a better root system. They had both hybrid and heirloom so I added 11 more plants to my tomato collection. 

Went to WM to make copies of the photos my aunt loaned me, but it was dark at the photo center and they had signs that they couldn't make copies the size I wanted at this time. Didn't even get to see my dd while I was in the store.  Anyway, I stopped at Goodwill to check for curtain rods and actually found one, gassed up the truck and went to Lowe's. I got bricks to extend my patio and walkway by the back door, the staple hammer I needed for my roofing felt (determined to get a proper roof on that barn shed this year), the rest of the curtain rods I needed. I had a $10 off of $50 card, plus a few store credit and gift cards to use up, and got out of the store for 2.01 in cash - not something that happens to me in that store very often!

Had to exchange some of the valances I bought at Dollar Tree (defective) and was SHOCKED to see my bff's ex-h working one of the registers there. He's the one who molested their dd for years before she told her mom, and I haven't seen him since I spoke at his sentencing. Evidently, he's been working there for 2 years. No one he worked with knew about his sex offender status...until I out-ed him to the cashier who checked me out, that is! I don't hate many people, but I really can't stand him...don't think he should ever have been allowed out of prison. Grr.

Finished up with grocery shopping - ya know, I haven't been grocery shopping in over a month, and I still walked out of the store with only 2 sacks of groceries.  I did forget to buy bleach, but I got everything else on my list. It was just a short list, lol.

Drove home and unloaded everything, then grabbed a bouquet of flowers and package of chicken breasts and headed out for a visit with my sister and bil. We had a really wonderful evening, caught up on all the news, enjoyed a good meal together (my sis make's the BEST potato salad, and we had angel food cake, strawberries and whipped cream for dessert - local berries and SO sweet), and played Five Crowns and Skip-Bo until about 10pm, when I turned into a pumpkin and headed for home. It's so much fun to have someone to play card games with - one of the few disadvantages to living alone is having to stick to Solitaire.

Yesterday, it was cloudy in the morning and really felt like rain coming. I cut fresh flowers and made some new bouquets, worked on the barn floor some more, and finished emptying all of the remaining rain receptacles. Got everything put in place and ready, just in time for the rain to start. It rained steadily the rest of the day and into today. It's finally stopped, but I'm happy to say my 5 gallon buckets are full and the 33 gallon barrels are over half full, with more water in all of the 55 gallon barrels. This should last me a while. That rain came just in time - I was starting to have to hand water the gardens and chase out dust bathing chickens from my flowerbeds. Time to get the paper and shavings down, I think. Oh, and make them a safe place somewhere else to indulge in their ablutions.

Today, I started out working inside, scrubbing kitchen walls and cabinets. Once it stopped raining, I got outside and checked on the animals. I found that the chick thief hen had managed to capture one chick from the others and was guarding it with her life! I added a couple more chicks that had hatched in the house so she has a little family now. 3 more chicks hatched today (with some help after the first of the 3 died in the process of hatching), so she'll get more children soon. There are 4 more eggs pipped, so I have some hope that she'll have a nice little family. 

Not sure what happened to the one chick, maybe still not enough humidity despite multiple pans of water in the dehydrator. Still that's a pretty good additional use for an Excalibur dehydrator...emergency chick incubator!

Well, the house is clean and the sun is coming out, so I guess I'd better get busy. Hope y'all are having a wonderful day this Friday the 13th!


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## Vosey (Dec 8, 2012)

MGM - all your errands are exhausting me! Both DH and I get so exhausted doing more than 2 to 3 errands at a time (and that includes getting gas), really hard when you live a long ways out! And we're both in our 40's, sounds like we're 80! 

Very cold today, 61 and it actually rained. Usually we get no rain May through September. Did my Friday swing through the small town near us and bought expensive cans of pineapple juice as we need cans to cover the celery stalks. Crazy I know but we actually love pineapple juice  Went by the hardware store as always and couldn't resist some San Marzano tomatoes, but where are we going to put them? We have a few paste tomatoes not doing well, suggested to DH we pull them up, but no. hmmm. 

I took Monday off so we have a long weekend. The original plan was to go camping, but honestly, that's a lot of work and then I don't get anything else done. So we decided to go on a hike and picnic on Monday. Up to a peak on the Rogue-Umpqua Divide, beautiful views of National Forest and Cascades forever. It was going to be a canoe and picnic but still a little cold for swimming.


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

Good morning!:spinsmiley:

Well, it is TRULY ours...... We walked the property for hours making our plans.......We both were toast, by the time we got back here.

Gina.....The Aged Donkey, is sweet and the tiny red mini horse is just tooo cute. BTW, she never named him, so ya'll will have to help me come up with a name fitting the handsome little fella! I may have also been left a small doggie.....there is a couple of kitties running around catching snakes and what ever else it can get a hold of.

The name of the farm is Clear Springs Farm, I think we may keep that name. It is very fitting.

We also saw a young Doe drinking from OUR spring.

I tried to get some headway on my commercial kitchen and the permits and license that must happen.......I got no where. I was transferred around to high heaven. I finally threw in the towel.

Well, I am trying to shake a sinus head ache.....I better get my tookis up and make some decisions.

OMGoodness.... I forgot to tell you. She took me down behind some trees and showed me our own private shooting range!!! WOOPIE!!!!

(CYBER HUGS)


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## Vosey (Dec 8, 2012)

I'm so glad you have your farm TDD! You are going to be a much better steward of these animals than the old owners. If they left digs and cats without telling you makes me wonder if they wouldn't have just left the donkey and min-horse even if you hadn't asked. That kind of thing is mind boggling to me. 

Today is laundry, make yogurt, really need to make laundry detergent and stop cheating by using my store-bought back up, such a waste of money. 

Planting more carrots as 1/2 the original planting didn't come up. Weird, I have been growing carrots forever, so easy to grow and I think I just didn't pay attention when planting and buried them too deep. Time to plant rutabagas as well. 

I did buy some supplies for the camper at the store yesterday. I keep some store-bought canned goods in instead of my own home-canned due to how hot it gets over the summer. Today I need to clean the kitchen stuff and wash things. Fire level is supposed to go to high on Monday.


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## Ann-NWIowa (Sep 28, 2002)

Its raining -YEAH!!! Hope we get a good soaking. I was out with my hoe earlier chopping weeds so hopefully they won't be stealing any of the moisture. Purslane is terrible about re-rooting and I have enough purslane to feed the nation.

We need to do a shopping trip the first of the week. Number one on my list is to find a good pair of leather gloves. I have three pairs all with the fingers out on the right hand. The new pair of gloves I bought recently are not comfortable -- seams are in the wrong places. If I find a comfortable pair with a good fit, I'm going to buy 2 pairs. I meant to ask my sister if she had some we could trade -- she's left handed and I'm right and we wear the same size! We're also out of fresh fruit so I need to lay in a new supply. 

The services yesterday were well done and everyone got thru more or less okay. I think there were over 200 people there and even more came to visitation. There was a catered lunch by HyVee after the services provided by nephew's wife's former employer. She just recently changed jobs. Now begins the hard work of grieving and rebuilding their lives. 

Rain has stopped already, but more is in the forecast. Unfortunately, severe weather is also in the forecast thru tomorrow. We've got our stuff ready to go to the basement so we're ready if it turns nasty. Well, as ready as you can be...


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## Cindy in NY (May 10, 2002)

Ann - I have found the goat skin gloves that Home Depot sells are pretty good. They last at least a season!


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## Ann-NWIowa (Sep 28, 2002)

We don't have a Home Depot but I've found goat and deer skin gloves at Menards. I haven't checked the farm supply stores although they likely carry them too -- at a higher price.


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

Happy Father's Day!

My sale went well, I got rid of most of the stuff!! I priced it really low to help that along, so I didn't end up with tons of cash, but enough  

DH got the call from the butcher while I was gone.....so he went and picked up our side of beef. My DH (and my kids) are just NOT gifted in the packing department, lol. I came home to "2 full freezers and 3 full coolers" and the what are you going to do now look from my family. I think DH was truly expecting I was going to (after standing at the sale for 10 hrs) to start canning meat. 

So I calmly went downstairs and emptied all 3 coolers into the "full" freezers, lol. The look on DH's face when I said I got it all in the freezers was so worth it! Followed by a bit of this...:bow:. Took me about 5 minutes.

Today DH and DD are heading to FIL's to cut trees. Rained last weekend so we couldn't do it then, and they need downed, chopped and brought back here. I'm going the other way and taking DS back to camp. Then I'll come home and empty the freezer, lol. I have NO idea what we have or where! I love that DH saved me the hour and a half and went and got the meat for me. I love that he did his best putting it "away".....but ....um.....it's an unorganized mess!! I have no idea were a particular cut is.


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

Nothing to report.......except packing. Even tho we are keeping this farm also, it feels bittersweet.

Have a great day!


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## lindamarie (Jul 9, 2013)

hi everyone!!! Need to play catchup. The stress of the last months had finally caught up and I had to step back from everything either that or end up in the hospital. And to top it all off, our daughter was leaving our home and had a bear encounter, mama and a cub. She made it to her car okay wasn't that far from it. Still fighting with DNR. There's 2 sows up here with cubs and about 8 males. They put a bear trap about 8 miles from us because some idiot was feeding the bears and then got mad when said bear did some damage. We've got them in our yard, not feeding them and can't get a trap!!!????

hope all are well, have a great day.


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## Vosey (Dec 8, 2012)

Good to hear from you LM - wish I could wave a magic wand and take away your stress and maybe the bears as well! 

Planted the rest of the carrots and rutabaga's yesterday as was on my list. But do I feel stupid! I was convinced a whole section of Yaya carrots hadn't germinated, I had checked the seeds and my garden book several times to make sure I'd actually planted that section. Yesterday I realize the section full of beautiful greens are the Yaya's! I didn't quite draw to scale in my garden book. And here I was going on about how if they didn't germinate this time I was going to get my money back from Territorial Seed and on and on. 

Today's goal is to finish the camper. I have a bad habit of starting projects like that and not finishing them. It's very cool this weekend and I need to remind myself that cleaning the camper when it's 80's and 90's is miserable!

First we need to walk/run the dogs up the river, as hounds they get really stir crazy if we don't take them out in the woods "hunting" a couple times a week.


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## Mutti (Sep 7, 2002)

Raining again...really should have just planted rice. Got caught up on the weeding on our one sunny day this week. Have 1/2# green beans sprouting on counter so will probably end up planting in the rain. Crows didn't find the corn so up a good 6".

Wierdest thing happened yesterday....our sliding patio door just started cracking all over...didn't break but totally frosted looking now. Anyone ever heard of this happening? No area which would indicate something hit it.

Fed the bees and decided we best get some supers ready. Busting with bees.

DIL staying here this weekend while son up working...she mowed everything...and I do mean everything. My pet peeve was never having the whole place looking good at the same time. Looks great. I collected the grass clippings and mulched more of the onions. Works better than straw on them. All our various tomato varieties are blooming/have tomatoes on them. Loving all this rain , I guess. Daily bindweed patrol keeping that in semi-control.

Did big deep freeze search and found all kinds of interesting things! More frozen strawberries was a surprise. Chicken that really needed using up. More butter buried in the depths. Shredded zucchini so thawed some and made some bread. Was hoping for a sirloin tip roast to make bulgogi for son's birthday but no go so will make do with a couple of steaks. Plus he wants egg rolls. Can do. 

Placed order at EE which used up my prepping budget for this month. Didn't find any yeast in freezer; thought I had another lb. Wanted more popcorn but not another pail--that was a lot of popcorn! Still using it after 3 yrs. but almost gone. So bought #10 cans. Their popcorn is sooo good. 

Son finished the outdoor shower and it is a big hit. Using a propane camping water heater...no running out of hot water until you turn it off. And best of all...Arthur, my corgi got a super good bath. Always a problem with getting him rinsed thoroughly with that double coat before the hot water runs out. Even looks thinner clean! The real challenge would be the Pyrenees....there is one majorly stenchy dog....


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## Ann-NWIowa (Sep 28, 2002)

Ann-NWIowa said:


> My list is fairly short.
> 
> 1. Keep up with the garden.
> 2. Finish spring cleaning.
> ...


I decided to review my goals for the month. #1 has been/is being done, worked a bit on #3, started back with #5 today. Due to circumstances #7 has received major attention. Due to the same circumstances #6, not the food part, but the miscellaneous is over budget. #2 and #4 likely will still be on the list for next month!

We did not get any additional rain last night. Today is very windy and we are still under storm watch. I hope we get more rain without the stormy part.

I noticed our cherry tree is loaded with fruit. We have not had any cherries the last two years so I'm looking foward to a cherry pie or two. We'll need to get it netted soon or the robins will ruin the whole crop. The privit hedge was encroaching on the tree so we did some major hacking on the hedge yesterday. The whole hedge needs trimmed as I don't think it got done last year.


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## mpillow (Jan 24, 2003)

Did too much firewood....pass the ben gay.


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

*mpillow *- Cyber Ben-Gay sent your way!!


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

Woke up with a heck of a crick in my neck......Now, I need the Ben Gay..... again.....owwwwwwww!

Early to work......promises to be a wooleybooger of a day......no telling when I will get off.

Have a good day!


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## crobin (Mar 17, 2014)

The potatoes are dug, two wheelbarrow loads, 9 lbs of collards, 15 lbs of green beans and assorted squash. Guess I will be canning for a while. Will replant the potatoes in August, dig in December and replant again in January. My goals for June are easy, plant, pick, preserve. Could I borrow the ben-gay please? Hope everyone has a good day.


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## mpillow (Jan 24, 2003)

Calgon take me away!

Scrape hoed small garden, mowed 2 baggers of grass for the bull, split a truckload of firewood, saved my son's butt (left his phone in a cab), 2 loads of laundry...still need to do the dishes!

DD18 has her ultrasound tomorrow on her lump.


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

Thunder storms! Yeah, I don't have to water tonight  I'm supposed to be going out with DH and his colleagues from China to shoot. Guess that's not going to happen. They say that's the highlight of their trip, getting to go to the shooting range! Sometimes I forget that it's not a freedom everywhere.

Holy Moly! Intersection 3 houses up flooded....NEVER seen that before (it's NOT a low spot)! It was up to the top of car's wheel wells.....and 1/2 the "idiots" went through! All of us neighbors were outside snapping pictures, lol. There are tons of alleys and side streets here....so it was easy to divert. I'm guessing town is cut in half right now. We have a creek that runs through and both main roads are on the lowland there. They said we got 2-3" in 30 min. Basement didn't flood.......but the outside doors leaked (but that's normal).


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

*Mutti*, checked the dates on my Diana Gabaldon books, and I wonder if you missed one? A Breath of Snow and Ashes was 2005, An Echo in the Bone was 2009. I'm re-reading Drums of Autumn now. What is bulgogi?
*TDD*, congrats on your new place being official. 
*LM*, I can't believe how many bears you have! 
*Vosey*, I'm far from town, too, and really hate making that trip, so when I go, I make it worth the trip, and I'm usually half-dead when I get home!
*Ann*, do you have Costco in IA? The 3 packs of leather gloves for $20 there are really high quality and a really good price.
*Jen*, glad to hear your sale went well. 

I'm next up for the BenGay, guys! I wrenched my back and hips today trying to get my stupid horse out of the rain and hail. I thought she looked so miserable out there that I brought her into the barn, but she freaked and ended up skinning her fetlock, knocking over all the 5 gallon buckets of layer feed, and generally making a mess of things, while I tried to hang onto her, slipped and fell. I let her go, and she ran outside to stand in the rain and graze. :shrug: Try to do a favor.....

It poured off and on all day today - I took the opportunity to empty all the 5 gallon buckets of rain water so they were ready for the next downpour. Have a lot more water in the 55 gallon barrels, and many 5 gallon buckets of water in storage. Good exercise, too. 

Noticed how dusty the shower curtain and the living room sheers looked today, so I hand washed all of them and hung them out to dry. Put up the new valances while I was at it. Scrubbed more walls and now I'm sorting paperwork. I'm tired!


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## Ann-NWIowa (Sep 28, 2002)

We're having stormy weather. Tornado watch until midnight -- maybe longer. Severe thunderstorm watch until 4 a.m., flash flood watch until 7 a.m. Right now its raining and warning is for high winds 25 to 35 mph with gusts to 50 mph. There were tornado warnings north of us and tornadoes west of us in Nebraska. Of course, our @$%# weather radio doesn't work, radio does work due to lightning/static and dish goes out with the second rain drop so I'm on the computer checking over and over again. I'm not too worried about flooding -- we once had 16 inches in 3 days without flooding, but guess you never know. Tornadoes or the threat of tornadoes does worry me!


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

*crobin *- Ben gay handed off to you!


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

I was up WAY to late last night reading. That's why I only get books for me to read from the library in the summer....but I finished it! Now on to book 2......too warm in the house to do anything, so I'll read  Of course the cat didn't care that I was up till 2:30 am....he was SCREAMING in my room by 6:45 to get me up to let him out. DH had already let him out, and in, and out, and in this morning....but when he left for work he closed the door. So the "poor cat" couldn't continue his tramping in and out, lol. Maybe Oggie has a point! I can snooze later, it's the right kind of day for that anyways (and I should have book 2 done by then). Maybe I'll go in and make a bunch of noise in my room this afternoon....waking the cat 

DD and I are going to put in the bedroom a/c units today. But I think I'll wait till she's up. She slept on her floor last night in front of the fan, I don't think she'd appreciate me waking her up by stepping over her with and a/c unit, lol.

More storms possible late afternoon. Maybe I should go out and weed this morning while it's cooler......but....then there is that book.....


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## jessimeredith (Sep 12, 2004)

Shew...you lot are keeping busy! LM, glad to see you back!!

Unpacking is done, with the exception of a couple of boxes of kitchen-y stuff that might be getting handed down to the nephew and his girlfriend to help them setup house. Oh and the books...all the books (way too many of them) are still in boxes. But that is only because we're painting the bookcases (too many years and moves on them, lol) and I wasn't about to unpack the books onto the shelves then repack them to paint.

Got a mini garden put in...late but better than never. The upside is if it does well, we'll be getting goodies in after everyone elses gardens have quit.

Now I'm off to add another coat to the bookcases and do some dishes....have a good one all!


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## Ann-NWIowa (Sep 28, 2002)

We got measurable rain -- over 6" last night. Plenty of wind too, but no hail. Just 25 miles northeast of us there was 4" hail in one area and tornadoes skipping around. It is amazing that after 6" of rain there is no water standing in the yard or garden even in the low spots. We so needed this rain. Everything looks so green and clean.

We do not have a Cosco or Sams near us. I think they have both in the Des Moines area, but we don't drive in the city any more. Dh is scary driving in town let alone the city and its been too many years and there's so much more traffic for me to be comfortable with city driving. I actually learned to drive in Des Moines but that was a LONG time ago!!

I think today is going to be another quiet day here. Dh volunteers at the nursing home on Tuesday afternoons and I'm going to get a haircut. I may putz around with some cleaning or sewing or maybe do nothing. I did exercise this a.m. and it feels good to get back into my routine.


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## Mutti (Sep 7, 2002)

MGM..reading Echo in the Bone now (finished Breath of Snow and Ashes in paperback...hate reading paperbacks) while the new book taunts me from my bedside table. Somehow I was so excited I ordered two copies so DIL reading the new book but promised not to even hint about it to me! One copy will be donated to the library.

My kitchen valences were so dingy and yellowed that I thought they'd need replacing....and knew I'd never find ones I like as much as these so thought I'd try the vinegar/Dawn soak....if it takes stains out of carpet it should work on curtains. Well, they looked brand new. 

Jessimeredith...the reason I'll never move again is I have too many books! I try to weed them frequently and donate to our small local library but a lot are books that aren't even in print anymore; especially farming/gardening books. There are bookshelves in every room of the house except the bathroom and always seems to be reading material in there, too!! I don't understand homes without books.

I was leary of letting my son/wife live here while building their house but with their help we are whipping this place into shape. Planted 6-50" rows beans today with DIL's help, more squash. Guess we were right over one of the old burned down bldgs. as picked up half a coffee can full of nails.....they go well with the two pails of rocks...just the big ones!!! At least the previous owner left the chicken house and barn.

Picked first beets,yum. Dug a few early potatoes, too. First green beans blooming heavily so won't be long. My new fence has foiled that ground hog...sad sight to come out and find all your bean spouts nipped off neatly! All the Early Girl tomatoes loaded with tomatoes that are yellow now so should have tomatoes soon, too.


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

Dh made his first truck and trailer load to the new farm...... he is worn to a thread.... the heat and humidity was fierce today.

Hectic at work.....as usual.... can't wait for the day, I can tell them....."KISS MY GRITS"......But.........I NEED the income for a while longer... so, I'll just say it with my inside voice......till then!!...........It helps.........just a little.:umno:
Still no pictures....trying to locate water lines, buried electric, buy insurance, etc. DH bought a huge big tractor....I am almost embarrassed to say... It is turbo charged, with air and heat. Pretty swanky, I'd say. It's HUGE. The older we get, the more we find luxury wrapped around us, is the ticket!!

Have to meet the Certified/Licensed onsite waste water designer on Sunday.....so they can draw out the Septic for the new Kitchen and get me a permit and blessing. Deem the well sufficient, etc.


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

*SQUISH*

Rained this morning....or should I say deluge (2-3" in a short time)! Town is cut in half (creek runs through downtown....both state routes are closed), can't really get anywhere without getting creative on the route.....must go south many miles to get north, kind of thing. But then I don't have to go anywhere  More rain is likely, so not sure how DH will get home. I think the creek went up after he left town, from what I'm catching on Facebook. He's a smart guy, he'll figure something out - I did e-mail him an FYI. We are high and dry, no water in our basement.....which means the storms sewers kept up again  Not the case in other parts of town and the county.

DD has grabbed one of my tubs of fabric out of the basement. She has presented me with a pattern for her 18" doll and is sorting though her buttons.....I think we just might be sewing today, lol.


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## mpillow (Jan 24, 2003)

Splitting wood, mowing and hoeing everyday this week so far....TIRED! Soreness is better so passing the Ben Gay....things are getting done and I'm getting stronger and leaner all at the same time! We had about 10 cord tree length and down to 8 cord now to cut up....1.5 cord of the 4.5 cord we use a year already in the woodshed split and stacked!

DD ultrasound did show a cyst but we have to wait for the hospital DR to send his report to PCP to know what is next...I would think that it would be measured and checked periodically.....the tech did not seem overly concerned.

We had some good thunder showers this early am....an inch in about an hour. Rain makes grass, grass feeds the bull, and makes more weeds to pull....


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## Ann-NWIowa (Sep 28, 2002)

We were under storm watch all night but everything went north of us. Around 2:45 a.m. there was a huge lightning show but far enough away that the thunder could hardly be heard. Storm warnings are supposed to be up again tonight. 

Last week we commented the Des Moines River looked like you could walk across and not get your ankles wet. Not today - WOW. One foot over flood stage and crest not expected for a couple days. At Saylorville Lake they are already closing beaches and boat ramps in expectation of deluge coming downstream. Again we commented Thursday on the way to visitation that the lake was so low it appeared to be just the river at Highway 17 bridge. Widespread heavy rains in the northern river basin all headed south. Without the dam Des Moines would flood.

Dh had a doctor's appointment then we went to Walmart, Aldis, Fareway and then home by 2:30 p.m. I bought 4 bags of various beans and 2 boxes of pasta for my pantry. Dh got his fast food fix at Burger King. With a coupon we both ate for $4.27. I took our biggest cooler and filled it completely full of bottles of ice, blue ice, etc. so I could buy frozen foods and get them home semi-frozen. I forgot my shopping bags (in the other car) so ended up with a bunch of plastic I didn't need. Hate it when that happens! At Aldis I picked up boxes throughout the store to pack food in. 

I bought no meat at all and still spent about $80. I had some good coupons -- best buy was two 3 bar packages of Ivory soap for @ 97Â¢ minus 40Â¢ coupon on each. However, in looking at my receipt I see she missed scanning a couple coupons.


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

*Ann*, so glad you are getting much needed rain, and especially that the tornadoes have missed you. Losing one house to a twister is enough for one lifetime!
*Mutti*, I'm another that has books in every room - my den is lined with bookshelves floor to ceiling on every wall, I have a huge bookcase in the dining room, and of course, several bookshelves in my bedroom, where I do most of my reading. I prefer to read hardbacks, as the print is easier on my eyes, but cost and storage space make paperbacks more practical. I just have to wear readers and have really good lighting. Finished Drums of Autumn and am partway through The Fiery Cross...not my favorite in the series, but I need to refresh my memory!
*Jen*, good thing you keep the pantry stocked - it's so nice NOT to have to go out in the floodwaters, isn't it? 
*mpillow*, so glad to hear it's a cyst - good news! Oh, how I wish I could get to where I didn't need the cyber BenGay...seems no matter how long I try, my hips are still just killing me the end of the day. *crobin*, pass it my way when you're done with it, lol!
*TDD*, exciting, exciting, EXCITING - finally getting your commercial kitchen! Hope everything checks out and you get all the permits. Kiss my grits, lol,that brings back a few memories. 
*Jess*, glad to hear you're just about unpacked and that you got a garden in - yay!!! How many coats is it going to take on those bookcases? Mine are a jumble of found, hand-me-down, and garage sale bookshelves, and I've often thought a nice unifying paint color would be nice, but I just hate the thought of having to move all those books off and on the shelves so I can paint. I did paint some of them last winter, and they look SO nice. Maybe I'll get to the rest of them next winter? 

Yesterday was laundry day - including soaking all the pillows in boiling Dawn and Oxiclean (generic Oxiclean) in a big tote in the bathtub. No more drool marks or hair oil stains, lol! I rejuvenated some of the feather pillows with new "ticking", or by cutting down some of the queen size pillows that were a little too flat, and making standard pillows from them. I was pleasantly surprised with how well the polyfill pillows held up. No damage or lumpiness at all. Also used the same treatment for the guest room curtains - oh, but they were dusty! Turned the wash water brown. Funny how you don't notice how dingy things are getting until you start washing and see how bright the fabrics are after. :ashamed:

Went through all my sheets in the "rag bag" - the ones I've saved for TEOTWAWKI bandages, and will have more sheets to boil up today. I think I found enough fabric to make more white curtains, and can turn some of the ripped sheets into pillow cases. The rest? Ripped into bandage sizes, ironed, and stored away in ziplock bags, actually ready for use. 

This morning was spent in the garden. Finally managed to tear apart the fence from the old pigpen so I could get to my compost pile, pulled all the massive weeds that crowned said pile, and shoveled a couple barrow loads to mix in with the raised bed soil. Weeded the first bed and mixed in compost, then trenched down the middle and sprinkled epsom salts in the bottom, and planted tomatoes in the trench. Pounded in 4 t-posts and wired rebar mesh to them, after covering all the soil but about 4" square around the base of the tomato plants with wet newspaper. I was planning to add straw mulch on top, but the chickens were showing too much interest, so I just weighted the newspaper with scrap lumber so it couldn't blow away when it dries out. My plan is to add a 2L bottle by each plant and water them through the bottle. I also plan to add other veggies along the borders of the bed. 

I have another raised bed to finish this afternoon, but the sun came out, and I got hot and tired! Came in to drink some water and have some lunch, ended up making several new flower bouquets, setting more water to filter, heating more rain water on the stove and all kinds of other stuff here in the house before I ever got to the food and water I came in for! I think I'm rested up enough to get busy outside again. Back to work!


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## jessimeredith (Sep 12, 2004)

mgm~ So far, just two coats (well, two have 3 coats on them but who's counting) and they look good. No primer...because I'm cheap, lol...and it's still doing well.

I've called painting on account of it's too darn hot and humid even in the shade! Maybe next week after the rain moves through this weekend will see me finishing them up. We've switched to indoor projects for the time being. I'm recovering our beloved IKEA sofa bed...love IKEA, dislike the dull easy staining fabrics. The sofa we have is oddly shaped and they don't make extra covers for it so I'm ripping off the old fabric and recovering it with a super heavy canvas (which is being Scotched heavily). Saving all the pieces to use as a pattern for the recovering AND to eventually make slipcovers. MIL sent me home with two boxes and a tote of fabric along with two bolts...a lot of upholstery fabric, so I've got options.

Oh and we've got cucumbers poking through already! Woot!!


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## terri9630 (Mar 12, 2012)

Texasdirtdigger said:


> *terri* - So sorry about you hubby's pay.
> It is probably grasshoppers eating those beans....they are just crazy horrible here.
> 
> *MGM *- See..... what a monster post!!
> ...


Not grass hoppers... I caught a itty bitty baby bunny. It was managing to squeeze in through a 1/2 inch gap at the gate. Never seen a bun that size on its own.


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

*terri* -Wowzers.....I've never seen one that small either. Glad you found out what was munching. 

Grasshoppers are so bad, crop dusters are spraying for them on our new place.

MGM - I have a few down pillows I need to reconstitute......Thanks for the reminder.

We had loud thunder last night and not a drop of rain.


Work still sucks ( sigh):yuck:


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## Cindy in NY (May 10, 2002)

jessimeredith said:


> mgm~ So far, just two coats (well, two have 3 coats on them but who's counting) and they look good. No primer...because I'm cheap, lol...and it's still doing well.
> 
> I've called painting on account of it's too darn hot and humid even in the shade!


jessie - it would probably be a good idea to put a strip of waxed paper on the shelves under the books. No matter how dry they felt, we always had books stick to newly painted shelves esp if it's humid!


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## Vosey (Dec 8, 2012)

You all are getting a lot done! I am impressed. 

MGM - I had no idea you could do that with down pillows. I thought if you washed them they never fully dried and they'd mold. Not that I probably will anyway, those kind of things are always at the bottom of my to-do list! 

Ohio Dreamer - My mom and I made many doll clothes together when I was little, and my talented sister always gave me homemade doll clothes as presents. Your post brought back some wonderful memories. 

Had a big meeting at work yesterday, our new fiscal year starts 6/1, we've got a 6 month reprieve at our clinic, so will be open at least until 01/2015. Well, at least that's what I read between the lines, no one's willing to commit to what happens in January. So save, save, save we will just in case. 

The garden is jamming. I spend every evening on bug patrol. Squishing flea beetles and cucumber beetles. DH has finally conceded some of the tomatoes are not going to withstand the prior flea beetle attack and asked if I wanted to pick up more tomatoes in town Friday. The one Friday I wasn't planning on going to town!!


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## lindamarie (Jul 9, 2013)

ladies I need to take a break. Two people we know overdosed this week. One is 24, of on Sunday and still in critical care unit. Other is 45 and overdosed yesterday and didn't make it. Hubby and I have never been so grateful to have our daughter in jail. What is the attraction, the allure? Lives cut short either by death or incarnation. So many people and families torn apart.


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## Ann-NWIowa (Sep 28, 2002)

LM sorry to hear about your friends. Don't let it pull you down. I am another who does not understand the allure of drugs and alcohol. People make choices -- sometimes bad choices and the results are bad. Sometimes the choices don't seem bad, like my nephew's son going swimming in a lake, but the results are bad. This side of Heaven I do not think we will ever understand. Why is a question to drive a person mad. I think we just have to accept, keep praying for the family and move forward with our lives. I too am glad your dd is in prison and safe from drugs. Hopefully, by the time she is free again she will have re-focused her life.

We're still under thunderstorm watch with possibility of more heavy rains and flash flooding. Oh joy! So far we haven't gotten too much rain and could handle several more inches as long as it doesn't come all at once in a deluge.

Dh dropped a sandwich with a thick coating of mustard on the carpet so I had to use carpet cleaner on the spot. Now I'm having an asthma attack from the perfumed cleaner. I've used my inhaler, but think I'm going to have to leave the house for awhile. :runforhills:


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

Hugs LM. Do what you need to do to re-group, we'll be here when you're ready.

DD and I finished the dress for her doll. Came out cute . I wasn't "in the mood" yesterday to mess with it, but I did to a point. I've never been a good pattern reader so when I got stuck we had to stop. After thinking it through I figured out what we had to do and it went well today. Next are Aprons! I searched and found a pattern I really liked last year (http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/350278721633?lpid=82). We bought all the fabric and notions, it's all been sitting in a bag in the closet for a year waiting for us. Pulled it out, DD started ironing the fabric (I wash fabric when it comes in the door...so I don't forget) and I traced the pattern. Pattern is sized from kids size 4 to ladies size 20, so I traced it onto heavier paper so it will last  if I like it as much as I think I will....I may want to make more (for me, possibly a DIL and grandkids some day, another for DD, etc) I traced DD's size today as I want to make her's first (she's the smaller ladies size, I'm the larger). They will almost match when done. We are both using the same main fabric but different contrasting. 

Sewing sounds like more fun then cleaning, lol. I really should start on the main floor clean-up, but I'm not motivated. Sewing machine is in the same room as the a/c unit  We don't keep it cool enough to be able to do much work without a heavy sweat.....but it does drop the humidity enough to make it comfier. Maybe it will be cooler and/or dryer next week.....dirt will still be there, waiting.


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

Hugs LM. You know we love you! Take care and come back to us when you feel like chatting.


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## jessimeredith (Sep 12, 2004)

Take the time, LM. We'll be here!

Couch recovering complete and is a success. Many of my friends are questioning the sanity of me using cream colored canvas, what with the animals and two boys...they don't understand the fear of MOM I put in those kids, lol.

No rain today...supposedly tomorrow. Garden is popping out like crazy, the only thing not showing above ground yet is the carrots.

Tomorrow I start deconstructing Daddy's chair for a long, long, long overdue reupholster (figure I'm on a roll, may as well keep rolling) and repair. Then it's on to slipcovers for our small armchairs (as purchasing them at IKEA would cost $30-50 plus shipping).

Cindy~ no worries on putting books on yet...there's still all the edges to be painted and I'm sincerely hoping it rains all week off and on so I can put it off longer!


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

*Vosey*, it took several hours in the dryer on high to get the down pillows dry...and then I had to put them in for another hour each this morning to take out the last bits of moisture that had come to the surface. I should have put them on the line for a while today in the sun, but I really, really wanted to make sure they were dry, so I used the dryer.
*LM*, we'll miss you, but understand if you need some time to process the events lately. I don't understand the allure either, but with a dd that went through a battle with drug addiction, I know what you mean. (((Hugs)))

Well, I switched gears ...I worked on that 2nd raised bed last night and found it full of quack grass under the cardboard, so I'll need to screen the soil to get it all, and I just wasn't up to it today. I tackled my kitchen again instead. I scrubbed more walls, light fixtures, even the back door! I especially scrubbed the cabinets, getting them a little more ready to paint. Most of the uppers are done now. Still trying to decide what I'm going to do with my countertops...I was thinking granite tiles, but I think I'm going to do a Google search and see what other options are out there that aren't so expensive, but will still look nice with white cabinets.

I also cut up one of the ripped white sheets and made a set of white curtains to go on the window over the kitchen sink, and I finished the curtains for the dining room window. I moved the curtains and valance I made a few weeks ago to the guest room, and they look amazingly nice in there. I think that was on my to-do list a few months ago, lol.

I pulled rhubarb last evening and made a big pot of stewed rhubarb - been eating off of that today. So yummy. I had fed the rhubarb with compost tea last month, and it really took off growing after that. I plant to give the patch another dose tomorrow, especially to the smaller plants that I'm not harvesting this year. I have a couple big plants that can stand heavy harvesting, and I hope to get some chopped rhubarb in the freezer this month. Tried dehydrating it a few years ago, but didn't like the results, too hard to rehydrate, so frozen or canned from now on.


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

Nothing new or exciting to report.

Have a Blessed day!!


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## Ann-NWIowa (Sep 28, 2002)

We had another little shower last night so still too wet to do anything outside today. At least its sunny. I have a load of whites and sheets on the line. I picked our strawberries -- all 3 of them! We attempted to net the cherry tree, but there is now more tree than net. Its been three years since we had cherries so we hadn't used the net for that length of time. Dh says we'll have to get a new net when we go to town next week, but I think the cherries will be done by then or at least nearly done. Done for sure if the robins decide to harvest them.

Our potatoes are blooming like crazy. That plus all the rain we got should mean a good potato crop. Early days, but I live in hope. The weeds and grass are getting ahead of us although the garden is still okay. I weeded it good just before the rain started. 

I can't figure out why our rain gauge had 6" of rain it in when the neighbor's had 3". I'm sure the 3" figure is correct. It was interesting last night on the news they showed the latest State drought map and our area of the state is now considered drought free *EXCEPT* for our county and the county just west of us. There is still a considerable area of the state considered in drought even after this week's rains. Flooding is bad in many areas of the state due to a lot of rain coming in a short period of time. All the flooding in the Minneapolis area will be coming down the Mississippi shortly so there will be flooding south at least to St. Louis area. Saylorville Lake (Des Moines River) is expected to rise 37 FEET in the next couple of days.


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

Decided to wash curtains today after realizing I'm managed to speckle some of my BRAND NEW curtains with rhubarb juice when I was processing it the other day.  Also gave the rest of the sheets and sheers the Dawn and Oxiclean treatment so I can start making pillowcases, etc. Most of the stains and grunge came out, and now they are clean and fresh. 

Pulled more rhubarb and used the leaves from it to cover weeds around the rhubarb plants. Also pulled a lot of grass from the garden area to feed to the horse while I was at it. She's still being rotationally grazed on the lawns and pasture - gets grumpy when she doesn't think I move her soon enough, but the idea is for her to actually EAT all the stuff in each area!

Counted heads today, and I think I have 17 chicks left between the 3 hens. They lost a few, some of the eggs pipped, but didn't hatch, and one was born crippled and I had to put it down. It's so funny watching the chicks...there's always one that isn't paying attention when everyone else has moved on, and then stands there cheeping at the top of its lungs for help. I usually give a gentle nudge in the right direction by standing on the opposite side and looking fierce! Well, not really, but the chicks think I'm pretty scary, anyway, lol.


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

Good Morning!!

Continuing to go thru things and purge and pack! Man, Moving take a lot of organization! Especially, when animals are involved.

We meet the Septic "Designer" tomorrow and Dh is taking another truck and trailer load.

Received my dog food auto- ship and I called and upped the quantity to get some laid in.

I filled my car up with gas and thought I was gonna need CPR! HOLY.

The garden is looking great! That young man is doing a fantastic job.

I picked 4 Nectarines that were ready this morning.

I have a cake order for next week.

I am racking my brain trying to get the exact placement of my commercial kitchen. I am going to take about a forth of the building and locate my sewing studio in it......I am suffering from mind saturation:huh:. People there are already asking questions.

I have a big pot of homemade doggie delight processing and I am going to can some chicken stock. 

That should be a wrap for my weekend!

Cyber Hugs and everyone have a Blessed and productive day.


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## Vosey (Dec 8, 2012)

TDD - One of the best things about moving is getting rid of stuff!

Both this weekend and next are being disrupted by work obligations. Today is our annual company-wide picnic. Most of my site is boycotting it, but I feel I should go. Most of us live an hour from 'town' so it's a haul. So off to the valley I go today, where it will be much hotter, I'll try not to be too annoyed. I'll do some shopping since I'm there, I need to stock up on nuts and some other things. Today will be the Co-op for food and the Grange for dog and chicken feed. But I hate going to stores on Saturdays! 

Goals for the weekend are low. Keep battling cabbage worms in the garden. Thin carrots. We need to clean out the herb garden. Camper is 1/2 there, I'll chip away at that.


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

Replanted some corn this morning then went and picked up the boy from camp. He's not going back tomorrow....he's taking the week off to go to church camp. From "my" perspective it's the same thing....he'll be gone from noon on Sunday till noon on Saturday, lol. 

We are going to take the kids to a movie this afternoon. we usually do about 1 a year. Prices have gone up at our local theater.....$3 a ticket now! Still a bargain compared to what most places charge.....but it's one of those "old" theaters....no stadium seating and such. For $5 less a ticket, I'm happy with the old 1990's style chairs that were cleaned and recovered instead of replaced. There is a cup holder and you don't feel springs in your back or behind.....that's all I need!


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## jessimeredith (Sep 12, 2004)

Sent the kiddos off to the in-laws for a week...poor folks just don't know what they agreed to, lol. Then spent a part of the day trying to figure out where I want to put pictures, etc. Sister came by to drop off some cabbage, dogs got so excited to see her they jumped on the door and locked me out...next prep I didn't think I'd need, a hideAkey. Luckily I had the phone, my tea and my sis to keep me company for the 30 minutes it took DH to get home from the in-laws. Brought home some squash too.

After sis left and I got cooled down, spent the rest of the day chopping cabbage and slicing squash for freezing. Freezer is looking full already and the season is just beginning! But I know a good re-organizing will solve that problem.


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## Ann-NWIowa (Sep 28, 2002)

I got in my exercising again today. Not 100% for the week but close. 

DD called and her partner's son came home from his mom's with a raging case of head lice and also announced his mom had bed bugs. Obviously, dd is worried her house will become infected. It seems beg bugs are becoming epidemic. My grandson has them in his apartment -- spread thru the building. Makes me itch just thinking about bugs.

I worked on weeding the front flower bed again this evening. I have a long way to go to get it cleaned up. The side yard flower bed is a lost cause and is going to be mowed and/or weed whacked. Creeping charlie has infected the whole area. I hate that @#$!%^ stuff as it virtually impossible to get rid of it.

My hope is I'm better able to concentrate next week and that I can accomplish something -- anything actually. The last two weeks I have been useless.


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## Cindy in NY (May 10, 2002)

Everyone is so busy!!

Having computer problems here so just checking in. DH will be ordering a new HP laptop this week.

Garden growing really well if I can just keep the squirrels out of it!!


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## Vosey (Dec 8, 2012)

Ann - congrats on the exercise! I managed 2 days of exercise last week, not enough but I figure better than nothing. 

The company picnic yesterday turned out to be worth the long trip to town. I met a woman who's on our board of directors and had an intense connection with her. You know how that happens once in a very rare while? Really reminded me of the incredible work we do and renewed my sense of mission at work. Maybe it'll quell my anger towards management a bit  

But now I have 1 day to get a lot done and I'm not feeling very energetic. At the top of the list is laundry and canning beets. Didn't realize until yesterday that the beets are much further along than I realized. Last year I canned pretty big beets, I'd love to can them at the 1 to 1 1/2 inch size. I was going to dehydrate more kale and beet greens, but probably won't. The kale will be there next week and we have another patch of beets going so will be innundated with those greens soon. 

We have been eating piles of greens and lettuce every day, surprised I'm not turning green!


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## Ann-NWIowa (Sep 28, 2002)

It rained overnight and early a.m. Our rain gauge says 1", but I don't trust it because it said 6" last week when it was actually 3". I'm not sure what the problem is, but I'm guessing dh has it too close to something and we're getting runoff in the gauge. We're supposed to have more rain and storms thru tomorrow so nothing outside is getting done.

I need to clean out another area and get rid of more stuff. I actually have about 30" of empty shelf space in the basement!! Its next to my treadmill so I "admire" it while I'm walking. Tells you how boring the treadmill is! I also have an old dresser cleaned out and off that I want to get rid of. It must be WWII era as the drawers are mostly cardboard. Its a vanity dresser and dd broke the mirror years ago so no need to have it taking up space.

What do you do with old pictures? We have a large family portrait from when it was just ds and us. Ds has no interest and his sisters don't, so what do I do with it? There is another from when it was just 4 of us and I think that dd#1 might like to have that one. Its terrible but we do not have a family portrait of the 5 of us. Lots of snapshots but no formal portrait. I barely started going thru the snapshots and decided to leave that for a snowy day/week/month. There are tons of them!!


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

Ann, for cherished pictures you no longer want....scan them then toss to picture. You can then keep them on a thumb drive in a drawer. I need to take my own advise....DS was 2 or 3 when we finally went digital, so we have tons of paper picture of him that we *never* look at (and ones from my & Dh's growing up years). Whereas the digital ones are on our hard drives and used as our screen savers, so they are still enjoyed daily.


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## Vosey (Dec 8, 2012)

Ann, the one thing I'd ask is how old are your kids? If they're in their 20's or 30's hold on to those pictures. We get a lot more sentimental with age  No 20 year old wants family pictures, but many will later on.


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## Ann-NWIowa (Sep 28, 2002)

My youngest will turn 43 in July and my oldest will be 53 on Friday.


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## jessimeredith (Sep 12, 2004)

~Hold on to them Ann...pop them in a plastic tote, label it and push it out of the way somewhere. I can't tell you how much it hurt to not be able to find good pics of Daddy (for his service) when he passed because Mom had them thrown all willy nilly throughout the house. We didn't find the best of them until 3 months after he was gone. Still haven't found the 8x10 of his Army picture.~

Spent yesterday getting decor hung in the living room and dining room...unpacked the last of the boxes (excepting the books) that had been hiding. Now to start working on building all the furniture for the dining room. Our little 4 person table isn't going to cut it! lol 12ft table, sideboard and hutch are on the list. Thank goodness for anna-white.com 'cause we just don't have the $$ to buy that stuff! Today we get measurements, make adjustments and make our shopping lists. Tomorrow is all about running errands, paying bills and spending a little quiet quality time together as the kiddos are with the in-laws still.


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## campfiregirl (Mar 1, 2011)

Sharpened my skills at a pistol class yesterday. It was nice to get some technical instruction on grip, stance, sighting, etc. Dad did great on teaching me safety & gun maintenance, but when my pattern was tight around the bullseye, he just said I was a natural and never taught me why. The boys got more time with him on that while I was off doing more "girlie things", I guess. So now I know, and I like it!


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

*Campfiregirl:rock:*

We have had two days of nice rain...... now it is over and the humidity can make you pass out!! PHHHHHEEEEWWW!

Same old stuff here............. gotta run!


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## Mutti (Sep 7, 2002)

Birthday supper for son, turned 39. His brother here so we all went out target shooting. Then some hot euchre. Grand time had by all. 

happiness today....picked first 2 lbs. green beans, pot full of beets and saw the cukes blooming and zucchini almost ready that they darn bugs had missed! Will be nice to be eating out of the garden again. Pole beans have started climbing and my sweet corn is more than knee high by the 4th of July! Got another 3/4" of rain last night but the nice pitter patter kind so garden watering taken care of for this week, at least.

Completed two quilt tops and working on tying the first one. Last winter was so cold that I decided we needed a much bigger supply of warm quilts and ones that weren't so fancy that we only like them for "pretty". Finally using my fancy dancy Phaff enough so I don't have to check the book to remember how to wind bobbins. Been trying some of the fancy stiches out and mended my pj bottoms with the overlock stich I didn't didn't even know I had!

Lunch easy as made double batch of egg rolls for bd party. So good leftover hot or cold.Not much new. Just checking in. Hard to believe it is almost the 4th already. Year half gone


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## mpillow (Jan 24, 2003)

work work work....

So we've kept after the wood, weeding, planting and mowing....looking forward to some rainy days for the garden and some rest from outside work. I've seriously been "pushing" myself....and DH has been doing more and more....its so nice to see him moving and enjoying a sense of accomplishment despite a sore back from cutting wood!

Today I scrape hoed smaller garden, weeded carrots---miserable work!, planted another row of green beans, potatoes, a double row of beets, more swiss chard and lettuce. mowed about 8 baggers full from the neighbors lawn---HAPPY COW!
Something is eating my winter squash in the compost pile----tried to fence it but not helping...

Hope everyone is enjoying SUMMER!


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## Ann-NWIowa (Sep 28, 2002)

Went to town with dh for 2 doctor's appointments and shopping. Ended up so long at the doctors that dh needed to come straight home. I guess we'll be making a special trip later this week to shop. Maybe I'll hit my favorite 2 thrift stores and some garage sales while I'm in town. Usually we only go to town when he has doctor's appointments so often don't have much shopping time.


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

Aprons are done  DD finished her's today, once I pulled out the other sewing machine to do the button holes. She's very happy with it....looks cute, too. This evening I started and finished mine. My back is tired! 

Tomorrow we will tidy up, then start some of the sewing I need to do for DH.


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## crobin (Mar 17, 2014)

Wow everyone is busy. Picked 45 lbs of cucumbers today, pickles here we come, 15 lbs of yellow squash, and a couple of pounds of white squash and zucs. Tomatoes are ripening well, just a few more days. Put up 56 quarts of potatoes, really tired of potatoes right now. Went to the back pasture and found 12 black walnut trees covered in baby walnuts  can hardly wait. Also found lots of persimmons and the muscadine grapes are loaded. We have been here since October and are still finding little pockets of goodness. Going to bed now. Hope everyone has a great day tomorrow.


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## terri9630 (Mar 12, 2012)

Texasdirtdigger said:


> *terri* -Wowzers.....I've never seen one that small either. Glad you found out what was munching.
> 
> Grasshoppers are so bad, crop dusters are spraying for them on our new place.
> 
> ...


We haven't had any grasshoppers yet. Only had a few last year. The quail and roadrunner love them.


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

Third day in a row for rain...... not everywhere....but it's good!!

Dh and I are barely stopping to breathe....... we have been falling in the bed and slowly crawling back out. The night's are flying by. (UGH)

I am working on an order for more fruit trees to be delivered in the Fall. I am going to plant some Mayhaw Trees, close to the live Spring.

Time to boogie on........later! (CYBER HUGS)


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

YUCK....it's not raining this afternoon so DD and I went out and scraped the doors on the garage (rest is sided). It's been in dire need of painting for about 3 yrs now....so needless to say about 90-95% of the paint scraped off. But it's still humid and sticky out......now I have paint chips glued to me :run: If all goes as planned I will be grossed out by being covered in primmer tomorrow....


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## Ann-NWIowa (Sep 28, 2002)

We picked cherries from our semi-dwarf tree today. I got about a half gallon by the time they were pitted. I gave a quart to my neighbor, made a cherry cobbler and froze the rest. There are more on the tree so maybe we'll have another smaller picking. Usually the second picking isn't worth the bother.

Finally had the yard mowed today. Dh's partner's son was planning to do it, but various things prevented it being done for two weeks so it was a mess. Paid $30 and got all the grass clippings for mulch in the garden or compost. Plus she mowed the neighbor's yard at the same time and we got those clippings too. I now have nice deep mulch around all of my tomatoes and a lighter mulch on the sweet potatoes, melons and cucumbers. The lady that did the mowing will only mow for senior citizens. She charges $25, but we gave her $30 and it was well worth it.

Mosquitoes are miserable this year and about carried me away. The only good thing about 3 years of drought was no mosquitoes!


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## 355946 (Mar 23, 2013)

Ohio dreamer said:


> Aprons are done  DD finished her's today, once I pulled out the other sewing machine to do the button holes. She's very happy with it....looks cute, too. This evening I started and finished mine. My back is tired!
> 
> Tomorrow we will tidy up, then start some of the sewing I need to do for DH.



Pictures?


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## Cindy in NY (May 10, 2002)

Waiting on our new computer to arrive but as long as this one doesn't start whirring, I'm okay to be on for a few minutes!!

Busy here! Had a yard sale a couple weeks ago. Didn't get much of a turnout because we misjudged how many folks would be going to a local craft fair. We made about $70 but $40 of that was from selling a kerosene heater and a neon sign! Put all the remainders at the end of the driveway with a Free sign on it and it was like a feeding frenzy! We still had to cart 15 boxes of books off to church for the Free Fall Sale.

I think the garden is finally planted. I had to buy 6 packs of red cabbage and brussel sprouts because the couple of seeded plants are so tiny. I think all the lettuce is finally coming up. The squirrels keep digging in one particular spot and have dug up the same cucumber plant three times!! The nasty earwigs are back in force. I read that if I put out cans with vegetable oil and a bit of bacon grease that they will be attracted and get caught. Anyone ever try that? Also thinking about putting out some cans with karo syrup in them.

Thought I would do some painting on an area where the paint had started to peel. Unfortunately, once I scraped I found some spots of rotted wood. DH had to replace one piece of wood and used epoxy on several others which then had to be sanded. Went from a one day job to about a week. Painting is done but I still have to go back and seal everything with chalk.

DH went through his jeans and pulled out three pair that were getting ratty. Cut them off, hemmed them and now he has three new pair of shorts. He's getting rid of the two pair I made for him several years ago that are really tattered!

I cut his hair every two weeks so about every 3 months I have him color my hair. We call the kitchen "Salon du Ken"! I used to have my hair colored at a beauty salon and watched what they do. I showed him how to do the same - mix the two bottles, put them in a wide mouth jar and then use a comb to comb the color through my hair in several different directions.

Went to a fabulous yard sale last Saturday before we had wood delivered. Not sure where all the regular buyers were but glad they hadn't found this place! I got a whole lot to sell on ebay (old Tuco puzzles, feedsack aprons, old ceramic wall sconces, a cuckoo clock, and a bunch of old religious items) plus a bunch of old Christmas decorations that I love!! Also found some useful items: a box of sandpaper for $2, a small scythe for 50 cents, and two Swing-A-Way can openers for 25 cents each! Best find though was two of the long handled pickers that would usually be for getting cans down from high shelves. I'm keeping one in the house for picking up stuff off the floor when my back is bothering me. The other one is for outside. I bought a long handled weed puller a couple weeks ago and DH said "but you'll still have to bend over to pick up the weed". Not anyone more!! I used my outside picker to pick up small branches and tiny, early butternuts!! No bending!! Woo Hoo!!

I've been having a problem with my right ankle ever since my back surgery. The drs think it might be nerve damage from the surgery. I've started taking gabopentin for the nerve pain so hoping that will help. Hoping the side effects will pass.

Gotta go wash some clothes. Looks like our rain might be over!!


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## Vosey (Dec 8, 2012)

One of the downsides of living in the boonies is no yard sales! Well, once in awhile someone will have one on our road, last time we got a 1940's kitchen sink cabinet for free and it now holds a lot of back stock in the garage. Your finds sound great Cindy! 

My life is about to get sidetracked for a bit. My family is coming in 2 weeks from Maine, Idaho and Hawaii to celebrate my parents 80th birthdays. It's incidentally my birthday when they are here and that's all my mom wants to focus on, I don't think she wants to celebrate being 80! 

Anyway, lots of shopping,cleaning and preparing ahead. And at the same time our renters are moving out and our house in town is going on the market (finally!). It needs cleaning and work, and it's an hour away. And it's HOT in the valley, the yard will need to be watered regularly etc. I hope we sell it quickly as we'll be paying the mortgage until it does. Once it sells, as long as I still have my job, we will be able to seriously put some money aside to get this mortgage paid off and not be so reliant on my working full time. All part of the master plan, but stressful.


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## NBC3Mom (May 14, 2005)

Been so busy at work I haven't had time to read or check in for 2 weeks. Had my 5yr appointment with the radiation oncologist last Friday and he told me that if my triple-negative breast cancer has not returned in these 5 years there is only a 5-10% chance that it ever will. That was wonderful news to hear. On the negative health side, I reinjured my ribs carrying water for my son's chickens during the week his family was on vacation. I never realized that I do a lot of carrying and lifting with my left hand. Ribs were not healed completely when I did all of that work. 

Last Saturday was DH's company picnic. The morning was spent target shooting. There were 20 people taking part and we each got only 2 turns shooting (one at a time) but it was a fun morning of competition. The non-shooters came in the afternoon for food and games. DH's boss came from NJ and provided all of the ammuntion. He brought me a gift of 500 rounds! Nice guy!

We had our first green beans in 3 years from the garden. The rabbit fencing was worth every penny. Cabbage and broccoli are almost ready, too. Any leaf or stem that poked through the fence has been nibbled off by the rabbits so the fence saved a lot of veggies. The rabbits ate most of the peppers, spinach, and an entire row of broccoli outside the fence. We are saving all of our change to buy fencing for the rest of the garden next year. Zucchini will be ready soon and the herbs are growing tall. Finished freezing the strawberries last week. There are 15 1/2 gallon waiting to be turned into jam when I get time. This weekend is our first free one since May 3! I have to bake bread, so tired of eating store bought for the past month.

We had tornado warnings Tuesday afternoon and a one did damage some in our county. I was at work but DH said we just had a nice steady .6" of rain at home. So far this growing season has been great. Only watered the garden when we put in the plants, Mother Nature has taken care of it otherwise.


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

PatriciaK said:


> Pictures?


I'm not too good at that....let's see if this worked.


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

Hey, it worked! The reverse side is the same pink as on her pockets. Mine's the same, just with yellow instead of pink....I don't do pink, lol.

Garage is primed. OH, what a sticky mess oil based primer is!! Now to give it 24 hrs to cure, then on to the final painting. at least that's latex, so it's soap and water clean up. Need to do a bit more training with DD on "how" to paint. But the only way to learn is to practice. Primer won't be seen later....so it's a great starting point


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## Homesteader (Jul 13, 2002)

Ohio D I thought one couldn't paint latex over oil based? Am I missing something or just having a brain glitch?


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

Homesteader said:


> Ohio D I thought one couldn't paint latex over oil based? Am I missing something or just having a brain glitch?


There are some "funky" rules about that, lol. You can paint latex paint over oil based PRIMER (not the same as oil based paint). You CAN NOT paint oil based paint over latex primer or latex paint. Most people just learn/teach that you can't mix oil or latex, ever as it's easier to remember. But on a 125 yr old garage, I want the "awesomeness" of oil based primer, but I'm NOT dealing with that clean up two days in a row.....so topping with latex paint tomorrow (oil based primer take 24 hrs to cure ). Oil based paint on top of oil based primer is no better then latex paint on top of oil based primer - so why mess with the oil based paint.

So...is that as clear as paint?:lookout:


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## mpillow (Jan 24, 2003)

I couldnt get out of my own way today!


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## Cindy in NY (May 10, 2002)

Jen - the apron is very cute!!

mpillow - what's your buddy's name? How much does he/she weigh?


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## mpillow (Jan 24, 2003)

That's Jack the dog and he is slightly more than 100 #.....Momma Kitty on his back is about 5#

It happens like this all the time.


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## Ann-NWIowa (Sep 28, 2002)

My dh swears by oil based primer and we always cover it with latex paint. It has worked well for us thru many years. I also hate cleaning up the oil based paint mess. 

Went to town to shop today. At Menards they had plants half price so I got two good sized blueberrie bushes for $4.97 each which was way less than half price. Original price was $19.88. We had rebate checks totaling $14 so that paid for the bushes. 

We also bought a mail box & post for in front of the house so we will no longer have to pay for a box at the post office...unless they change the rules yet again. Dh said it would take 3 years to recoup the cost. I told him less than that as we won't be driving to the post office several times a week to pick up mail or to mail something.

Fareway had Oscar Mayer hot dogs for 99Â¢ so I bought 2 more packages. I now have six in the freezer. HyVee had another brand for 67Â¢ and I bought 1 of those. Both had eggs for 99Â¢ so I got 2 dozen. I know hot dogs are not the best "food", but with meat prices out of sight, I have to substitute. My 1960ish cookbooks have recipes for hot dogs so maybe I'll go back and do the 1960's all over again. Eggs also make a good substitute for meat.

Tomorrow is ds's birthday so I invited him and his housemate (ex-wife!) for dinner and birthday cake. I've always liked this ex. His first ex is nasty and I never met his 2nd ex. This ex has serious health issues and was in the nursing home and they would not release her to live alone so ds stepped up. It will be interesting to see how this plays out. I mean there was a reason they divorced!!

Rain has been forcaste all week but we haven't gotten any. Drought looms in my mind. 

The past couple of weeks we've been eating store bought bread. It has convinced me to turn the oven on and bake no matter how hot it gets in the kitchen. The store bought price is terrible and the bread not much more than terrible. My dgs raved about how good the toast was from homemade bread so next time he's up I want to send a loaf home with him. 

Now I need to sit down with my budget book and calculator and see how I've done with grocery shopping for June.


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

*mpillow*, looks like you have been "over ruled", LOL......you MUST take some time off and just relax 

*Ann*, My biggest hint for cleaning up oil based primer......cheap brushes that you throw away after one use! I only clean up skin after a painting session with oil based anything  At least with your DS and his EX they are no longer "attached" to each other. Separate bank accounts, don't have to "agree" on major XYZ, etc (assuming they don't share kids....they there is still some attachment). So maybe they can live like roommates, and let things roll off their back and sit back and realize that at least it's not their "hot mess" they are looking at when looking at the other person.


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## jessimeredith (Sep 12, 2004)

whew....just catching up with all the business you all have been putting out!

Kiddos still at the in-laws, we pick them up on Saturday. This week without them has been both boring and productive...weird, I know. I miss their craziness but don't miss them being underfoot during hard work time, lol.

Went to sister's house today and cleaned out her green beans...she hadn't picked in a week and is out of town until Saturday. 2 completely full 5 gallon buckets, now all picked, snapped and being processed. Got more quilt tops done along with some more cushion covers for the couch and all the shopping for the month...much easier to do with the kids not around.

Tomorrow we're finally tackling the gutters...the downspouts are all clogged and goodness only knows what the rest of it looks like!


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

Same ol here.

Except, I was given a jillion..... really....a bunch of OLD canning jars.....I have not gone thru them, but I am thrilled to have them. There was also a Huge Box of Honey Jars. SCORE!! Most are in the original boxes ( and some I don't even remember LOL!!!)

Still trying to get a grip here......I don't know which way to turn!:smack


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

*TDD*, sounds like you need to call a truce!! Take a day where you don't go to work, don't pack, don't cook, and just chill! Maybe mpillow can loan you a dog to help.... Ok, if you are like me that might kill you....so take 3-4 hours and do nothing "worth wild".


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## Cindy in NY (May 10, 2002)

*Ann* - sometimes folks can't be married to each other but can be great friends!!

*Jen* - I don't think I could "chill" for 3 - 4 hours! Maybe one hour. Whenever I try to sit and relax, I remember something that I need to do and I get up and do it!!

*mpillow* - I didn't see the cat until you mentioned it!!


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

LOL, you ladies need to learn the art of "chilling", lol. I didn't say you had to sit and do nothing, just nothing worth wild. Get a book that isn't teaching you a skill and read, sit and watch a movie, call a friend on the phone you haven't talked to in forever and chat about "nothing", etc. If your an out and about kind of person, go for a walk, go to an auction and buy nothing.....just enjoy people watching. The point is to give yourself time to accomplish nothing.....believe it or not I get more done that way. After a "chilling" I'm rip roaring ready to go at full speed.....verses just limping along 24/7.


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## mpillow (Jan 24, 2003)

TDD Jack would gladly pay you in hugs and kisses (and fur) for a bit of Doggie Delight. He likes to wash pots and is particularly fond of the milk pail.

He snores and chases rabbits all night though...He makes me laugh every day because he is such a noodle head. He is good for the heart and soul.

I agree with the time off...time it with bad weather!

Sun is out...waiting for the lawn to dry....so I can mow....


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## Mutti (Sep 7, 2002)

OD...I'm an excellent "chiller" ! I figure out a mental list of things I want to get done and then it is me time to read, knit, sew on my quilts. Somedays the weather suits and I'll work way too much in the garden but the next day will be a chill and Bio-Freeze day!!!

Picking beans like crazy here. Took some early beets to my dear friend Beth who is 88 years young. She loves new beets and sure is one thing you rarely find in the store around here. Cooks up the greens,too. And every time we do something for them they send the nicest thank you note in the mail...who gets good mail like that anymore?? Pa says we'll go over this weekend and hoe around their corn patch..Emmett is 93 but still has to "put something in the dirt". Lived here all his life so has so much history to tell us.

Today's the day...off to sign for the Gator. We've mulled it over and over but is the only viable option for this hilly wooded acreage. Pa's knees just aren't good enough to get out and do the things he wants. With his A-1 credit we got the power steering for free and don't have to pay sales tax as is for farm use. Tractor is of little use in our steep woods. Big investment for us retirees but don't want to spend our time unable to get out on our property. Not like we like to go on fancy vacations.

Finally got first quilt tied. What possessed me to double the cotton batt? Extra hard on the hands getting that yarn needle through. Binding and done with the lst one.

The phoebe babies finally flew off...so annoying as she built nest right on porch light and had fits everytime we went in and out. Bluebirds on their second family of the year.

DIL has taken it for her job to mow every week...a 4 hour job at least. Son does the weed wacking. Looks so much better around here these days. Helped yesterday and we got all 100+ tomato plants tied up. Those tomato clips sure beat string.

Everyone sounds busy. Son just brought me waffles...didn't know they were cooking!


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## Cindy in NY (May 10, 2002)

Jen - I do lay down and read most every day but then I fall asleep!!

Mutti - I was looking at Backwoods Home magazine and Jackie Clay had a golf cart that they used to get around their property. I think their place is pretty flat though.

I cut off the garlic scapes yesterday. I'm going to try a recipe I found to pickle them.

Had planned to work on repairing an old quilt earlier this week but the white fabric I bought was much too white. Went back today with a scrap piece and got a match.


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## Ann-NWIowa (Sep 28, 2002)

We had a heavy rain this a.m. and about 1/4" overnight. We have water running across our basement floor and I'm not sure why. I went out and checked the evespout/downspout and it was connected properly. I noticed several spots where the ground is too low against the house so guess we need to do some fill. Its supposed to rain and storm thru Monday so we may end up officially out of drought for the first time in nearly 4 years. 

Rains have been very spotty but heavy around the state with a lot of localized flash flooding.


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

Sorry to hear about your wet basement, Ann....but the possibility of getting out of drought stage is GREAT news!

I'm sitting here a bit depressed today. Talked to my contractor/cousin that was going to put a roof on our cabin. He can't do it. He talked to our neighbor and he won't let him park on the edge of the road on his property to get to ours. (our property has guard rails along the road). It is his land and he can do as he pleases, but it sounds like he is NOT friendly or nice (even his DIL rolled her eyes and told my cousin "good luck talking to him" when he asked them about it a few days back, lol). He's from the "big city" and does things big city ways, not the way things are done up there. There is an "old road' behind the properties that has been our access point to the cabin for generations. Guess an easement was never put in the properties deeds over the years, so he has blocked us off from our land. One must keep in mind that until our short visit last year, no one has been on our land in a decade or so. This guy tried to buy our cabin form my parents 10 yrs or so back....he was rather pushy, if I remember, and mom didn't care much for him or his ways. All of which I forgot till I was talking to "M" and what he said he was like. M said he pointed to the new cabin he built and told him that if my parents would have sold him their land he wouldn't have had to build that cabin (he has 2 on the property, now - one which my great grandma built, which is a log cabin, and the new one). Anyways, sounds like he's not going to be fun to be around. Land isn't THAT big, we are both squished between the road and the drop off for the creek....well within sight and talk space of one another. Not sure how much time we are going to be up there anyways, but it looks like I now have to go up there for a few days, deal with the State Highway people and look into getting a driveway put in ($ we really don't have at the moment). Need to look into the exact property lines and talk to the township (neighbor pointed out a pin to M, so if there is one that will make things easier). "Easiest" place to put in a driveway will be on the property line between us and "him" if there is enough space. On the up side, it will save up $ when we do get M to get the roof on, as he won't have to haul stuff in if there is a driveway.

I'll talk to DH about it when he gets home and see what his thoughts are. Need to figure out when to get the ball rolling on the driveway. At least I can call M and get a name for who to call with the equipment to do it. He has a good idea what needs to be done, so he knows who to call. 

Thanks for letting me vent, I just need to "talk it out" some so I don't get overly stress about it.


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## Ann-NWIowa (Sep 28, 2002)

Ohio - are you saying your land is landlocked? If so, in some states, an easement must be allowed. The "old road" might still be in effect as an easement by law. If its been used for generations, then it might be considered a permanent easement. Sounds like you need an attorney to sort things out. Sometimes a letter from an attorney will get a neighbor to cooperate without further action. I'd at least investigate the "old road" before I went to any expense on a new driveway.

The wet floor in the basement isn't a big deal. Our basement isn't finished and the wet area is in dh's shop not the pantry/deep freeze portion. As long as its just water running to the sump pump, I don't get upset. When there is standing water because the sump pump is not working, I get VERY upset. Fortunately, that has only happened twice in the 35 years we've been in this house. Both times were power outages and since we now have a generator plus an extra sump pump so we should be safe. I certainly hope so anyway!!

I baked a birthday cake for my ds. Since I didn't have 53 candles I went with symbolic and put on two rows of candles - 5 in one row and 3 in the other. I wonder what he'll think about it??


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## crobin (Mar 17, 2014)

Rain off and on today. Picked another bushel of cucumbers, yellow squash, patty pan squash, zuchinni, and two butternuts. Okra should be ready next week. We were able to weed the peanuts, I am so excited about them. Should be picking purple hull peas soon, can hardly wait. Have two loaves of zuchinni bread in the oven and two roosters we killed in the crockpot for dinner and stock.
TDD- so sorry things are crazy, they will get better, take a few and clear your mind.


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

Ann-NWIowa said:


> Ohio - are you saying your land is landlocked? If so, in some states, an easement must be allowed. The "old road" might still be in effect as an easement by law. If its been used for generations, then it might be considered a permanent easement. Sounds like you need an attorney to sort things out. Sometimes a letter from an attorney will get a neighbor to cooperate without further action. I'd at least investigate the "old road" before I went to any expense on a new driveway.


Not sure it's "legally" landlocked as the cabin is only about 5' off the state road. Thing is, the state road is about 7-10' above the grade of the cabin. So the entire length of our property has a guard rail between us and the road. Talked to my mom, it was the guy on the other side of our property that tried to buy the cabin......so....it might be this guy has bought the property on both side of us and is still wanting the middle piece. Who knows. Mom said she's ok if we sell and buy elsewhere. This land is far from ideal as a prepper.....but it's been in the family for generations. Not making any decisions, soon. So much is in the air here at home that I don't even want to think about this right now. DH might or might not be leaving in a week for a month in China. Work is "blowing up" for him again.....the stress is dripping off him! So it's not a good time to make any major decisions.


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## Vosey (Dec 8, 2012)

Phew, took a bit to get caught up here! Love reading all your news. 

Remember how I just whined that I miss yard sales living in the boonies? Well, I'm driving home today and there's a yard sale a mile down the road! DH and I go over and I scored canning jars, lids, new 5 gallon water jugs just like the ones we have, rubber boots and 2 nice cowboy hats! There was on old Presto canner, but the little old lady wanted $25 and the gauge was cracked. Everything was a little more money than I think a yard sale should be but I didn't mind as I sort of know the family and am pretty sure they need it more than me. 

I saw a recipe this week for refrigerator pickled radishes, pulled a bunch, sliced them thin and threw it all together in a flash. I think they'll be great on sandwiches. Feels like I did something today. 

The rest of the weekend is going to be pretty much shot, will be a chore just to get all the laundry and cooking done.


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

Dh went to the farm and left me sleeping here........... I had things to do there too!!

CURSES!! Now I have to re plan everything for today.:grump::bash::stars:


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## Mutti (Sep 7, 2002)

Next time my kids talk me into letting the birds nest on my porch I'll be putting my foot down...darn bird nest crawling in lice. Yuck. Son has collected some bird nests over the years...even hummingbird one and wanted this one, too. I've always discouraged any nests as the birds seem to think my ferns are the ideal homeplace.

No, I'm not a bird hater! Have been observing a downy woodpecker who is, apparently, raised her baby on dog food from my Pyrenees dish! She'll fly down, grab a piece and then fly up to the electric pole across the road where she appears to wedge the food in a crack and then the baby bird pecks at it. Our hummingbirds are so babied by DH that the come fly around and around him to notify that their feeder is empty.


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## Ann-NWIowa (Sep 28, 2002)

Today's is our town's annual celebration. Last night was a truck pull and fireworks. Today is parade which includes a antique tractor ride (memorial for fallen police officer) so we're off to the parade. Lots of other things going on throughout the day, but we'll be coming straight home from the parade as dh can't walk the fairgrounds. I swear every town in the State, including some that are no longer towns, has an annual celebration. 

My home town's celebration is the 3rd Saturday in July. I haven't been to that one for 20 years, but we're thinking of going this year.

I'm anxious to get my blueberry bushes planted but its really too wet to dig. I still need to make my final decision where to put them, but I'm leaning towards inside the garden fence. 

I have a roast in the crockpot so dinner will be easy today. PBS has 3 sewing/quilting shows on Sat. afternoons so I'm going to chill and watch them. :happy:


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## Vosey (Dec 8, 2012)

TDD - maybe he thought you needed to do some of OD's "chilling" today! 

Mutti - my husband's the same way with birds and nests. But I agree that crawling with lice is a bit much. Did you see the post recently of the birds nest on a shelf in their garden shed? Tucked in on top of the miracle grow. 

Ann - I think it's weird what the towns here do, only a few have a 4th of July parade so they don't compete with each other. I think 3 towns in the whole county do a parade. Where I grew up every town had a parade, makes it a fun, small town feeling. Not so big and crazy.


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

*TDD*, sounds like your dh thought you needed sleep more than work today. Good man, that. 

Golly, it's been a busy month for all of us - took me a while to catch up on 2 pages of post in the last week. Good job, everyone!

I've been busy working my way through my to-do list all week. Been cleaning out the chicken house and spreading the bedding on the garden beds in need of it - my rhubarb and raspberries should be very happy! I knocked together some new raised bed frames to put around the rhubarb patch while I was at it. Got all the tomatoes planted, including sifting all the soil in 2 big raised beds to remove quack grass, and adding plenty of compost, some epsom salts, covering everything with a good layer of newspaper to keep the chickens out, and using t-posts and rebar mesh for tom supports. I'm using Bret's idea (from the fiction thread) and making crosspieces to hook on the mesh to keep the toms under control. I think it will work.  Added chicken bedding to the strawberry bed, covered it with a lacey sheer that can hook on a row of nails on the sides of the bed, and made sure it was thoroughly watered. The strawberries were looking really anemic this year, not enough water and depleted soil, I'm sure. Cleaned up the asparagus patch and am in the middle of sifting the rest of the soil in that bed, too. I don't know how much more I'm going to get planted this summer, other than short season crops, but I intend to get all the permanent plantings rehabbed and more of the raised beds replaced with solid 2x8s and any that will remain fallow covered with enough newspaper or feed sacks to completely suppress weeds so they can be planted early next year. As you can see, I've spent a LOT of time in the garden in the past week!

The hens are doing a great job with their babies...still have 17 chicks, all starting to feather out and starting to flutter a few feet in the air. The last hen, that left her eggs for me to hatch, has 3 chicks and she is the MOST protective momma. One of the chicks got left behind when she went through the gate into the garden and was trying to go through the chicken wire (didn't fit). I rescued it and before I could get it over the fence, she was flying at me with her claws out, squawking at me like anything.  I tossed the chick (gently) and ran, lol!

I've nearly finished scrubbing the walls and cabinets in the kitchen - been working on it a bit every day. I think I can get by with just putting up some wainscoting in the kitchen nook and painting it sage green to tie in with the living room when I get it painted. The rest of the paint was in good shape once I scrubbed the heck out of it. There was a leak by a window in the nook, so the mud was flaking off that wall. I can't match the paint I used when I originally painted the house, so using some spare wainscoting I have in the barn will take care of it cheaply, and should look really nice, too.

I took a day to finish sorting paperwork and found a *JURY SUMMONS!* It was tucked inside some junk mail, and I must have missed it. It was for February...I think I'm in trouble! :nono: I'll have to make a call on Monday and beg forgiveness. I would actually rather like to sit on a jury, so I'm sorry I missed seeing the notice. Oh, well, at least the paperwork sorting is done, one more thing checked off the list. 

Today was another showery day, so I worked on my garden department decorations for the fair - 3rd weekend in July is going to be here before I know it. I have all the letters cut out for the theme...whoever came up with the theme "It's Fair-licious"...good grief! I chose letters to spell out It's "fair"-licious to grow a garden! I'll use pictures of garden crops and pics of finished dishes made with the same crops...like wheat and elephant ears, corn and corn dogs, popcorn ears and kettle corn, potatoes and french fries...fair food. If I need to, I'll fill in with things like apples and apple pie, stuff like that. I still need to look around on line to see what free clip art I can find.

It's been fairly cool with lots of showers much of the week, so I've been able to add to the water in the 55 gallon barrels, which will come in very handy soon. We usually have drought conditions from about the 5th of July through at least the end of Sept, and with my sandy soil, I have to water. This year, I'm using bottles next to the plants to slowly seep water to them. I hope in combination with the newspaper mulch, it will be enough to keep everything growing. It just started pouring again, so it looks like more gallons of water coming off the barn roof again - yay!


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## plowhand (Aug 14, 2005)

crobin said:


> So excited!!! My peanuts are blooming. I have never grown them before, but had to try. I dearly love boiled peanuts, just a Southern girl. Hope everyone had a good day.


 Don't forget to landplaster your peanuts!


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## Ann-NWIowa (Sep 28, 2002)

mgm - I make a habit to always ALWAYS review the mail when it comes. Usually, I quickly throw away 99%, but that other 1% needs to be read and then dealt with. Over due bills cost money and a missed jury summons could result in a visit from the sheriff with a bench warrant. It doesn't take long to go thru the mail each time we get it. I do a further sorting of bills in one pile and everything else that needs to be reviewed in another pile AND then I have a place for each on my desk. I even have dh trained to always put the mail in a certain spot when he gets it (after he lost or couldn't remember what he'd done with it a couple times).

Its still rainy with storms forecast so I haven't done much outside. The mosquitoes are making up for time they lost the last three drought years and swarm the second I step outside. I'm allergic to mosquito spray on my skin so I have to put on jeans and a long sleeve shirt and spray the clothing. I need to find my head net because I'll need it to pick beans. 

I need to bring in the step ladder and remove all the crockery from the top of the cupboards and clean up there. Hasn't been done for way way too long. I keep newspapers on top of the cupboards so only have to roll those up and throw them away and then a quick wipe of the top and then new newspapers. However, the crockery will need to be degreased and scrubbed. Yucky job especially when I've put it off for so long. Twice I've brought in the ladder only to find dh has put it back in the garage! 

If you like old, new and in-between tractors the parade yesterday was great. I'm guessing there were at least 70 old tractors mostly beautifully restored. Then the local John Deere dealership had several new HUGE tractors in the parade. Only ONE horse in the entire parade. Two members of the 1934 graduating class were also in the parade. Plus the usual fire trucks, business floats, VFW, etc. The kids collected a lot of candy and its always fun to watch them.


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## Cindy in NY (May 10, 2002)

We have a paper recycling bin in the kitchen so mail comes into the house and most goes straight into the bin.

We have the new roof almost finished on one of the wood storage units. I have to keep reminding DH (the PERFECTIONIST!!) that he's not building a house and it does not have to be perfect!! We should finish up tomorrow if the rain holds off. We'd like to get another cord delivered next Friday or Saturday. It's been so humid that I've had to make a sweat band out of an old tea towel that I wrap around my forehead and clip at the back with a clothespin. I'm making quite the fashion statement!!

I'll be able to actually pick and eat something from the garden tomorrow - lettuce!

Ann - you might want to try chickenista's bug spray. It really works and you shouldn't be allergic to it.


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## Ann-NWIowa (Sep 28, 2002)

Cindy, I took a look at her website. I like the sound of the natural repellant, however, I'm allergic to scents including natural so doubt I could use it. 

Its been raining here since 2:30 a.m. and we're currently under a severe thunderstorm warning. I think its mostly going south of us -- at least I hope so as this storm has produced up to baseball sized hail! Dh drove ds to a medical appointment and ds's car was sitting in our driveway. Fortunately he left the keys in so I pulled it into the garage. No point in letting it get hailed on with a vacant spot in the garage! We're also under a tornado watch until late this evening along with flash flood warnings due to the rain which is to continue all day as well. This weather makes me nervous and I'm finding it hard to concentrate and accomplish anything.


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

Just got home from a "gun run" with my FIL, lol. He got a gorgeous Henry lever! All the guys in the shop were drooling over that one!! I picked-up a Hi-Point Carbine, not "drool worth", but a nice little chunk of metal. Glad they came in during the week....means the Hi-Point is in my name. Had they come in on the weekend DH would have wanted to make the run....then it would have been "his" gun  This evening we will have to head out to the range, once it re-opens. We have it closed this afternoon so the local police can go out and qualify. Since we'll be there, we'll pick mulberries, too. Yeah....it's going to be a great evening.....


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

*Ann*, and *Cindy*, I used to sort the mail immediately and throw away most of it, but got out of the habit when I stopped picking up the mail every day.  I flip through it, but the summons was tucked inside a junk mail catalog so I missed it. I'm just lucky it fell out as I was tossing the catalog!
*Ann*, hoping the storms stay away - I saw on the Weather Channel that they were headed for Iowa and thought of you. I have relatives throughout IA, though I've never met them, and I always watch to see if IA is expecting severe weather.
*Cindy*, gotta love the hillbilly fashion statement!
*Plowhand*, I'm almost afraid to ask what "landplastering" your peanuts entails, lol!
*Jen*, congrats on the new toy!  Have fun at the range tonight.

Can't believe it's already the last day of June. I'm reviewing my to-do list to see how well I did, and to see what has to go on July's list. I'll start the new thread before I go to bed tonight, so it's ready for all of you early risers. 

I pulled weeds by the bunches in the garden yesterday, and turned dirt in the raised beds outside the barn. I want to plant peas by the barn, as it's a spot that gets morning sun and then shade through the hottest part of the day. I think peas will be happy there.

I also finished washing the green slime off my pickup - it looks pretty good for an old truck now. I need to drive into town tomorrow - have errands to run, and then I need to swap rigs with my ds, so he can fix the brakes and speedometer on the truck (and hopefully recharge the ac). He's finally done with the brakes on the Sport, now that work has slowed down a bit for him.

Finished running all the rain water from the barrels and totes under the drip line through milk filters and into 5 gallon buckets and the 55 gallon barrels. Have a few more of the barrels full and all of the rest of them fuller than they were, after the downpours. The forecast is now for dry and hot, so I'll be starting to experiment with siphoning/pumping water back out of the barrels soon. I'm putting down newspaper to mulch open soil just as fast as I clear each bed, hoping to keep moisture in the ground.

Had to rescue my chickens from the neighbor's hound, Ellie, yesterday evening. She's Russell's bestie, but she HAS to learn to leave my chickens alone. I really like my neighbors, and I don't want to have issues. I have a feeling I may need them if and when the SHTF, and that's worth more than an problem with their dog. They've already said they'll replace any losses, and I know they are trying to keep Ellie under control - she's only about a year old, so still very much a puppy. I do think I'm missing a chick, but the moms managed to round up the rest of them. I'll count heads again when I go back out, and see if the last one has turned up. Besides, since I had loose pigs at their house last year, I think I can cut them some slack!

Been researching water softeners/filter systems today, and it looks like the one my well guy recommended is well thought of, judging by the on line reviews, so one of my calls this afternoon will be to that business to arrange for installation. So, I'd better get busy...a couple calls to make and more weeding and mowing to tackle, in between breaks to cool off (it's already 81 out and still getting warmer).


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

Okay, here's my June to-do list and how I've done on it. How did you do on yours?

1. Fix water pipe or finally install the new water softener system (eliminating the old plumbing and the stuck pipe) and new pump house. *Researched the water softener system and called to arrange installation. Will wait on the pump house rebuild until I know where the system will go.*
2. Fix all plumbing problems in house before turning well water back on. *Move to July's list.*
3.. Continue filling water storage barrels and totes, maybe the swimming pool, too. *Worked on this all month and was able to fill quite a lot of the barrels, but not the totes or the pool.*
4. Finish weeding, fertilizing and planting raised beds and beds around house. *This one's going to take all summer, at least! Made good progress on it, but there is much more to do, and I won't get some of the garden planted like I wanted to do.*
5. Bird net strawberries and cherry tree. *Strawberries netted. Cherry tree dropped all but a few cherries, so not worth netting this year.*
6. Find out if I can buy scrap copper from salvage yard (for algae suppression in tanks and barrels). Also cover filled containers or paint black. *Didn't get to this one yet.*
7. Level barn aisle and put down pallet floor. Fill in pallet gaps with additional boards. *Made good progress on this - nearly done, but ended up concentrating more on the gardens. This one will be on July's list, along with putting a floor in the tack and feed stall.*
8. Wild bird-proof my chicken feeders. They are eating more than the chickens! *So far, I am just limiting how much feed I put out each day, rather than using the feed hoppers. That's cut down a lot on feed consumption.*
9. Replace thermostat wafers on incubators, get at least 2 of them working and regulated properly, and have spare thermostats for future use. Don't need to set a hatch unless all 3 broody hens fail to hatch and raise chicks. *Tried to buy wafers, but have to be ordered on-line now - didn't get to it yet. All 3 hens did end up with chicks, with a little help from me - 17 chicks between 3 hens.*
10. Cull "boarder hens" - sell or butcher. *All 3 older hens seem to be laying the occasional egg, so as long as they are free-ranging, they can stay a while longer.*
11. Finish flooring trim and repaint guest bedroom, find frame and headboard for the bed, make curtains and fix closet doors, turn into a pretty room! *Got the curtains made and hung, closet doors ready for track to be installed, nothing else yet.*
12. Finish painting and replacing floor molding in kitchen, clean sand and paint kitchen cabinets. *Scrubbed all the walls and cabinets throughout the kitchen and much of the ceiling. Pulled old floor molding nails ready for reinstall - decided to add wainscoting in kitchen nook, so this will be a July project along with sanding and painting cabinets.*
13. Replace my front and back steps and fix my back patio. *Back steps are replaced, need to find right size pallets for the front steps. Bought the bricks for the back patio and brought home sand for the base under them.*
14. Order hose for my wringer washer, along with any other needed parts. *Didn't get to this one yet.*
15. Complete essential repairs on SUV and truck (waiting on my ds for this).*SUV is done, just need to swap rigs so he can work on the truck.*
16. Make the decorations needed for my garden department and continue gardening project in front of building at fairgrounds (fair is 3rd weekend in July). *Nearly done, just need to print out a few more pics and educational info to go with them.*
17. Commit to garage saling each weekend this month, looking for needs, NOT wants. *Didn't go to a sale all month - stayed home almost every day and worked on projects here instead.*
18. Pay vehicle and homeowner's insurance for the year, as well as the property taxes I forgot to pay by April 30.  *Done.*
19. Sort the paperwork pile and get everything in it dealt with (filed, paid, burnt). *DONE!*
20. Have old fridge in barn picked up for recycling rebate. *Decided to keep it for dry storage in the barn.*

All in all, I think I did a pretty good job on the list. Lots to do in July and throughout the rest of the summer, of course, but every small step is adding up.


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## crobin (Mar 17, 2014)

MGM-land plastering is adding calcium to the dirt around the peanuts before they peg. Peanuts use an abundace of calcium, so you have to add extra. My June list is still ongoing, plant, pick, preserve, repeat.


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## Vosey (Dec 8, 2012)

Vosey said:


> I remembered my one overriding goal for June:
> 
> Get the camper cleaned out (and that means clean, get rid of all the winter mildew) and ready for fire evacuation. When we lived in town we went camping every weekend, now that we have big gardens and chickens and live with mountains and forest around us not so much! I emptied the food cupboard last week, rusted cans and way expired stuff. Cloth napkins and towels have been moldering in there too long. Sleeping bags and pillows too. Ugh.
> 
> ...


Ugh, not so good and I only listed 2 things! Although I did a number of smaller things, lots of gardening. 

Camper is 1/2 done, has to be wiped down and food put back in. My nephew's staying in it in our back yard in a week and a 1/2, I have a deadline. 

Grab and go bag is done, but our lists have not been. 

Btw, garage is looking much better, that was on May's list! Little bit by little bit, mostly by DH....


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## Ann-NWIowa (Sep 28, 2002)

Well, today was annother interesting weather day. Starting at 2:30 a.m. we had wave after wave of storms not ending until around 5:00 p.m. Some were just rain, some wind and rain and one with hail. We were fortunate in that the hail was 1Â½" or smaller. Just a few miles south they had hail up to grapefruit size. I went to the basement during the hail because I'd heard on the radio the size of the hail. Storms were state wide with a few tornadoes thrown in for bad measure. One death. Temps tonight will be down to 63 and tomorrow is supposed to be sunny and mid 70's.

I did a quick walk around the outside of the garden and our corn is 100% gone, potatoes flattened, beans, cucumbers & melons shredded. In a couple days I guess we'll have a better idea of what has survived and what I might be able to replant. Mosquitoes about carried me away so I didn't stay out long enough to do a good evaluation.


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

*crobin*, thank you for the explanation!
*Vosey*, I'm a great fan of adding what you get done to your list, for the sheer pleasure of checking it off, lol!
*Ann*, so sorry to hear the hail took your garden. Hoping some of it will bounce back. After 3 years of drought, it seems just cruel to lose this year's bounty to the storms.

I got the new thread posted for us - see ya there!


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

I feel like I have been away for a month.

Work is stranger than ever......I think they might have sold......They will let us know at the last possible moment. Big layoffs last week.

Ann - So sorry about your garden.

mpillow - If I get my hand on Jack.....she is coming to live with me!! What a cutie pie!

MGM - {{{{Hugs GF}}}}I am completely derailed in my preps... just dog paddling and getting nowhere!!

Jen - Henry lever....... Be still my heart!

Dh has been steady loading truck and trailer loads.

Have a good one!


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## VICKI1 (Jul 23, 2004)

I put my list on the first of the month and was hoping it might make me more accountable for my projects and it did. I did get my pullets seperated from my butcher chickens, my lawn still needs more work (an on going project) but my garden beds are looking good. I started my compost pile but I will need to read up on that a little more. I didn't get another garden bed put together, I have everything just didn't get it put together. I didn't get my grass planted, I think I'll wait till fall. That will give me more time to get the ground in better shape before I plant the grass. Thats my June.


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## Cindy in NY (May 10, 2002)

Ann - hope a lot of your garden survived!!


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## Spinner (Jul 19, 2003)

My list is very short.

1. Acquire as many 4" pcv pipes as I can. Get them leveled on the east side of the house, and in other "good garden spots". 
2. Work on my car.


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