Spring Projects

The last 2 weeks or so have been non stop go, go, go.....

We had a tree next to our driveway and our electric pole that was hollow at the base; so hollow that I could see through it!  I called the electric company and they cut it down. 

 We cleaned it up and are in the process of splitting the wood.   Some pieces were so big, we wondered if the log splitter could handle it.

Yep: chopped it right up.

Before

After

Scott could not resist climbing it!  It's still about 18 feet tall

The original plan was to FINISH the inside of the house, THEN address the outside.  Well, I got impatient.

I decided I want goats!  So I bought fencing.

We cleared the brush where we decided the goat pen fence line would be.  Even the missionaries came to help!  FYI.  Our Elders rock!  They put in T-posts beautifully.

We had to regroup: we ran into some rocks, more like a ledge of continuous rock. Well, I want a fence around the garden.  

Putting up field fencing is a bit different than cattle panel fencing.

We put up the garden fence and we are using it as a temporary pen, until we figure out the goat pen area.

We got Nigerian Dwarf goats!  A momma, "Momma Llama" and her doeling, "Lani." (lawn-ee)

If we are going to have goats, we need shelter for them.  I got pallets, lots!

Eric made this shelter out of a few pallets and some left over lumber and metal laying around.

AND... if we are going to have goats, we need a livestock guardian dog (LGD) to keep them safe. He's a 6 month old Great Pyrenees and Anatolian Shepherd mix. 

We named him "PomoQudjm" - Amelia, need I say more.

We call him Poe-Moe.

As if the first tree was not enough, we decided it was time to have the HUGE tree closest to our house removed.  This one was not free.

The right equipment makes all the difference!

The onions were so interested, they took their book learning outside.

The trunk measured 56 inches in diameter!

I wanted to make a coffee table out of it, but it is rotted out in a few spots.

Before                                                                      After

Before                                                                          After

 

The small stuff was chipped up.  But we get to chop up the firewood and clean up the shavings from the stump grinding.

Elms peel!  Wood braided rope!

I thought I had a pretty big pantry....  until I filled it up.  The room adjacent to it is bigger!

"Honey, can you switch it for me?" 

So the very first 100% completed room (the pantry) got a doorway, and I got a new pantry.

Our tractor has been out of commission since the beginning of last summer.  Foliage GROWS out here.  I wanted a running tractor this summer!  And so did Elanor!

She pressure washed the tractor so our neighbor could see what needed attention,

With a few new parts and fuel and oil, the tractor is up and running!

Click here to see my reaction to seeing it for the first time.

In the middle of all these projects, the hot water heater started leaking.  EEEK!

All of the camping gear was immediately removed.  The wet stuff laid out to dry.

Eric put in a new hot water heater, with a pan under it!

I have put off painting my bathroom for ever......  I was painting the new pantry and bedroom walls, so I finished the bathroom too.

I had painted the cabinets and some on the walls, and then left it for quite a while.

Before

After

Now... back to work!  

Animals - find or hatch chickens

Inside - stairs, entry way

Outside - goat pen/s, water drainage and earth regrading, chop wood, lot's of wood!

I'm sure I am forgetting so much....

Seth is still at horseshoeing school and is doing well.  We visited him on Easter.

During this time of self isolating, we have been blessed to have a very similar routine, except for attending church and church activities.  God is good and He answers prayers!