More progress on the Study

i know that the pictures are all jumbled, but this is a picture of Michael's study, the bottom two are of us still in the sanding and texturing phase. Michael picked out the colors, I think that it is going to look great. The door is coming next, in about a week, Michael is hoping sooner. it will be nice to have a work place for him. But as soon as that is done I am going to have to start on the living room (the other side of the wall).

New Wall with Sheetrock

Now we have the Sheetrock on and the mud. Sanding is next, YUCK! But it has to be done. We also replace the whole where the tile was with pre-finished wood flooring. Didn't Michael do a Great Job!!!!

Okay, so looking at the blog, I realized that it has been a year since I have posted anything, but, since no one else has posted anything, I don't feel too bad.
Sarah has been bugging me about sending her pictures for the wall that we are building, so I decided this would be the best place for it. The pictures that are shown are that of the wall frame, the chimney that was uncovered, and the tile that we got rid of.

Guess what I did?!

I CUT FAITH'S HAIR! I think I did a pretty good job, at least for the first time that wasn't a straight cut. It looks better in person than the pictures. You will just have to see it. She loves it.

Garden Planning Time!

OK All!!!

It is really that time of year again... (at least, that is what I am telling myself)
And I am in the mood to do some research and planning!

So, lets start a list of what items we want to grow and can this season... so we can start determining when to start the seedlings, and where they are going.  (and yeah... I know I have a compulsive problem... organizing and over planning... but you love me anyway)

Rachael and I were talking, and we thought it would be smart to have a small family plot at each house, with a few items that we all use on a regular basis... like a zuchinni plant, cucmeber... just the stuff for eating on the spur of the moment.

Stuff like the cucumbers for pickles, beets, carrots (yes I am bound and determined to grow carrots)corn, etc, we would still do like we always have.

I am not sure if we ever finished the conversation about the green house... but I have the little one with wheels here at the house for the moment. 

Here are my suggustions... (in no particular order)

Beets
pickling cucumbers
Corn
zuchinni
Tomatoes (red ones this year... not green)
Berries (what about adding blue berries somewhere?)
Asparagus (will take a few seasons)
Grapes - do we need to replace some at Rachael and Elaines?
Peas
pumkins for the kids....(we would want what? 20? - not a free for all... lets prune down and let them get bigger)
Crookneck
Onions
Herbs (I may start these at my house... from seed, but make a small kitchen window style garden)
Peppers - Purple ones! (so yummy)
Spinach
Strawberries

I think we will need to replenish the fruit supplies too - but we'll have to go to brigham to do that.  I think I a going to order the Berry Puree from Oregon thru Lee's this year, and make black berry jam and syrup.  the peach syrup has been great... and if any one needs some, let me know.. I've got a decent amount still here at the house.

Ok... so everyone send in your own lists... (even if it is something on mine) so we can start planning.... Spring is right around the corner..... right????


Sarah

Building an Igloo

So, this past saturday, we all headed out to Grandma and Grandpa's, so the kids could in the snow.  We figured Joseph could handle all of the kids, and the girls could stay inside, and work on projects, relatively uninterrupted.

This worked out well for an hour or so.. then most of the kids cam back... because Uncle Joseph and Aunt Patti were more focused on building the igloo than sledding.  The kids helped out with the igloo in the beginning, but soon lost interest.  Patti and Joseph made good headway, the plan being, that it will be done when Michael gets home, and the grownups will have a wienie roast and smores out in it as a group date.

Everyone says it sounds like fun.  Me?  I have some reservations about a fire out on the ice.  Everyone tells me it's fine... but really??  The logic just doesn't add up.

 

The New Year

I was talking to Rachael this morning.... and even though it is January, we should start in on the garden planning....(I'm a little spring crazy at the moment... and yeah... I know it is a long way off)  Dad had some good ideas as far as the green house....that should work much better this year.

So.... Here is what I am thinking... respond to this post... with what items you think we should do.....and the method of preserving you prefer for it (dehydrated..shredded...canned...etc..) and list up anything else we need to consider restocking.

On a side note.... here is some chicken research....
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orpington_%28chicken%29
these are the ones our cousins raise... they have 4 of them.... and average 6 eggs per day-roughly.  the info on the site is helpful... especially that these continue to lay thru the winter.
the coop that they built... really isn't that big... and they just heat it with a light bulb.

http://www.backyardchickens.com/cgi-bin/faq/mojofaq.cgi?cat=2
this website was recommended to me by a good friend... who helped write the "Raising Chickens for Dummy's book"...... it has some interesting info... but I found more useful stuff elsewhere

I'm still researching feed.... to see if we can make it... from the stuff we grow.