Spring!!!

Having arrived home this rainy afternoon, I see so much spring has sprung since last week.  Trees and yards are greener.  Flowering trees are bursting forth already!  The dogwood tree in our front yard is no exception!  It's lovely!

Barn Progress

Front sliding door is on!

Stall walls are beginning to take shape!

One wall done.  One wall framed! 

Front door is closed.  I'm so excited!  It's beautiful!

Rose Gardening

Keith has plans for a formal rose garden and he has made great strides getting it started.  First we started double-digging. Later we borrowed a rototiller and THAT was the key to progress.  Yay!  Just waiting for roses!

Barn Progress

P3 put the lag screws in the header board that will hold the trusses for the roof.

Missy and Maizy had a play-date.  What a beautiful day!

P3 and Daniel measured and divided the old pole into sections.  Paul cut them, but unfortunately the log was mostly hollow inside, so we burned it.

Much progress!!!  Feeling very blessed!

Paul sawed off the posts so we can start roof installation next. 

Cubbie

This is our newest toy.  We had set some money aside for a small tractor.  Rene'e found this one for us on Craigslist.  We went to see it with her Dad immediately.  He said it was one of the best ones he's seen.  He actually wanted to get it for himself!  We arranged to pick it up the next day.  When we left that night her Dad said it was worth twice what he was asking for it... without the mower!  What a deal! 

So the following day, despite the freezing rain, Paul helped us pick it up!  We are just tickled with it!  It's a 1965 International Lowboy Cub.  I told Keith to hurry up and name it before I come up with something like "Little Bird" or whatever.  He calls it "Cubbie."  Smart man. 

Paul II loaded it for us and Paul III helped chain it to the trailer.

Cubbie has arrived at it's new home!!!

Keith unloaded his new baby. 

I took it for a spin to show all the barn-raisers.  I love it!!

Cubbie lives in the barn... out of the weather.

More Barn Raising

Keith, Lee, and Chuck dug holes and now they are sinking the poles for the addition on the back of the barn.

Paul III carried a  bunch of those 80 pound bags of concrete.  Lee is marking where to hang the header.  I love those ladders.  They are Rene'e's.   

Keith and I nailing on the brackets that will hold the rafters! 

Keith, Chuck, Paul III, and Lee hard at work. 

Keith sunk the lag bolts holding the header up. 

Chuck made sure it was level and Paul tamped the fill around the pole.

How about that!?  It's coming together!  Lee and Chuck and Jill watch as Paul III and Keith secure an end piece. 
There will be 3 stalls across the back with dutch doors on each.  There will be an overhang over the doors.  It's going to be so cute!!!  This will surely add significant value to our property as well.

Paul III holds a piece for Lee as he drills pilot holes. 

See how hard that kid works!  He's a gem!  So are Lee and Chuck.  I would be lost on this project without them. 

We Have A Dog!

Meet Missy!  She's part beagle part lab and about 8-ish years old.  She belonged to a  young lady who works at the Hospital.  She had to move quickly and her new place did not allow dogs.  She brought her here with food, bed, and treats.  She stayed for a while with her and left in tears.  So sad.  What a horrible thing to endure.  I have been in touch with her and assure her that Missy is well and happy and that she can visit anytime.   

Wizzy... classic black cat stance... He does not think this is funny.

This is at least a week later.  The Zom's gave us a toy for her and she LOVES it!!!  The kitties are getting closer and are curious about the new squeaky toy too.

One of our barn-raising days was sunny.  She's supervising the activity.

Construction Underway Front

It was a blustery day, cold enough for sweatshirts but warm enough for MUD in abundance. 

Rene'e, Lee, and Chuck working on the front of the barn.

I nailed the 2nd and 3rd boards from the right.  This was my first endeavor using a powered nail gun.  That's Janet in the picture.  She's such a gem!  She came with two big pots of chili for the workers. 

My two favorite Pauls!

See, it's coming together!!!  Paul, Lee, and Chuck.

Chuck has just one more board to nail on finishing the front wall.  We will eventually build a sliding door for the opening.

Supplies

I have the best husband, friends, brother, and nephews EVER!!!  Rene'e and Lee are the planners of this endeavor.  Rene'e ordered the lumber from a saw mill in New Bethlehem, past Rimersburg.  Paul lent us his trailer to haul it.  The mill cut the first order a foot too short, so we had to re-order and eat the expense of that trip.  When we went for the 2nd order we found that they had cut it a foot too long and charged us for the extra foot.  Rene'e argued with them so they took $100 off the order.  In all we ended up only $4 over what we had expected to pay for it.  

We had to make 2 trips to get it all.  We picked up Paul and Daniel on the way back with the first load so we had helpers for unloading.  I'm telling you, they are WONDERFUL boys!!!  They came dressed appropriately to work and even had work-gloves.  Unloading was a piece of cake with them helping.  I gave them each a little spending money, to which they replied in unison "No thank you."  So stinking polite, but I insisted they take it.  They worked HARD and have been such a blessing to me on many occasions. 

Fresh cut hemlock and lots of nails for the nail gun!

This is the small half of one load.  Each load was two bundles, one bigger one smaller. 

Let The Demo Begin!

Keith took the particle board down.  Seriously... windows?!!!  Who knew?!  There really isn't anything wrong with the siding either.  I thought we needed to replace it, but maybe not. 

Front corner before I took a hammer to it.

Front corner after I took a hammer to it!  I tried to pull the wood off in full pieces, but most of them split or broke.  We salvaged a good bit of it.  Many of the nail heads were rusted off.  I found rat poison and plenty of spider nests albeit COLD there were none crawling.  Whew!!!  Glad we started this while it was frigid!

Barn - Before Pictures



Look at the rays of sun shining down on this building!  I'm just now noticing it myself.  You see, God has a plan for this place.  Just wait and see.  It will be a blessing to others, not just us. 

West side.  This side takes the brunt of the weather.  What is up with the particle board? 

Back of the barn.  There is a concrete slab about 10x12 on the right side, under the trash can.  The neighbor told me that there used to be pigs in the barn.  That is consistent with what Paul suggested based on chew marks on the inside.

Compost

Now that we have our own home and a little bit of property, it's raised up within me the desire to put more effort into caring for the land.  We have weekly trash service and bi-weekly recycle service.  We are being careful to recycle as much as we can.  But let's talk about the land right here under our feet...  Keith wants a rose garden.  I want a vegetable garden.  Doesn't it seem logical to COMPOST?!  This is my newest idea.  I'm researching the topic to figure out which method will work best for us.  There are all sorts of compost bins out there for purchase.  I'm not sure that we need to buy one.  We could probably make one.   I'm not sure what kind to make either.  I'm still trying to decide where to put it, not too close to the house or the barn and not a hike away either.  Also, I'm not sure if I should keep a compost bucket in my kitchen.  I read that some people keep a container in the freezer, which keeps it from fermenting in the kitchen.  There are also biodegradable bags that could be used in a kitchen bucket.  Not sure if I should think about those or just rinse the bucket after dumping it.  Any suggestions are appreciated.  I'm hoping to get it started in the Spring.

 



I understand that the Agriculture Extension in Pennsylvania often has a composting course available where they give compost bins to participants.  I was looking for that, but now I see that most counties have discontinued it.  Bummer :( 

It's Brown and it's Soft to the Touch

It's NOT a new pet, although having a new pet would NOT be out of the question.... if you ask me.  Just saying.  It's our new sofa!!!!  It's plush yet firm and oh so inviting!  The best part is that it is an electric recliner!  We wanted a reclining sofa.  I always had a hard time kicking the foot rest back down.  What am I weak or something?  Seriously?  I'm a hiker and I ride horses.  I should have SOME leg muscles!  Regardless, the minute I discovered it was electric I sunk into it and with a sigh said "This is the one!"

Mom was gracious enough to spend a quiet day at our home waiting for the delivery.  She apparently enjoyed the kitty-sitting opportunity as well.  Lovey found her to be quite attractive.  She spent the majority of the day lounging on Mom.  Too cute.  To say she's a "lap-cat" is kind of an understatement.  Thank you Mom... for your time and your attention to Lovey.  I hope that when you finally experience her alter-ego that it is from a distance.  :)

Home Improved

Today marks another home improvement.  The Culligan Man came and installed a water filter system.  This will remove a great portion of the iron present in our water.  I made coffee with tap water this afternoon and it was wonderful!  Finally!!!!  In addition, we purchased the softener unit that was newly installed here back in 2009.  The rent for the unit was about $50/month so we're happy to just own it.  I asked for a discount and they gave us half off the installation cost.  I'm happy with that.   

Let There Be Light!

The lights in the basement were a little bit odd.  The light at the foot of the stairs didn't work with any of the switches.  We figured out by chance that it did work when you run water.  The running joke was "Hey turn on the shower I need to go to the basement!"  The few lights in the basement offered dim lighting at best.  I had to use a lamp to see in the laundry corner, which meant I had to unplug something to have a place to plug in the lamp.   I can make do, but my husband is very handy in the electrical field.

Keith's last night off he spend it almost entirely working on the basement lights.  He rewired them and installed several new lights.  He also mounted a 4 foot fluorescent light over the laundry area.  Now it lights up like daylight in the night!  I'm so lucky to have such a bright husband. (pun intended)

I love my coat rack made out of horse shoes!  It's so ME!  Lee made it for me.  It's perfect in the entryway to hang our jackets. My friend Amy gave me the sign hung over it, which just fits our home so perfectly!

And with that all being said... the sun sets in the West as I return home this evening.  I love this home and the beauty that surrounds it.  I'm so blessed!