Sunday, June 16, 2013

Pinterest Project #1 - Day 1

People think Facebook is a waste of time. Sometimes, I agree. Scroll, scroll, scroll through updates of our closet friends, spending time when you could be doing something more productive. Like wasting time on Pinterest.

Pinterest, the website of great recipes, instructional activities for kids, tattoos, crafts, you name it, it's on Pinterest. Just like Facebook, I have an account and boards of things to do with the kids, crockpot recipes, dessert recipes, hot guys, and ideas for the farm.

Saturday afternoon the kids and I picked up some paint while running our errands. They were pretty excited about our painting project. I was saving painting for Sunday, so while the grill got ready so I could cook dinner, Jonathan helped Ghon and Genevieve hung out with me. But first, we needed to harvest our first crop!

Broccoli! One or two had already gone to seed, so the chickens had a broccoli snack. There are still a handful of heads still growing. We should have another pull in about a week.



Ghon is still working on extending the chicken run. A good number of holes have already been dug out, but he has been working on making them a bit deeper and pulling excess dirt out. Jonathan gave him a hand with the digging on Friday.


 While the boys worked digging holes, Genevieve, Giraffe, and I mowed the grass, again.

My beautiful girl.
 The Pinterest project....
The pin-spiration!

There were easily 12 tires left on the farm. Some with rims, some without. Small, large and tractor sized. We will need to dispose of most of the tires, but I figured I could make some awesome planters out of a few as well!

My plan is to build a small flower bed by the mailbox. The farm house is at the bottom of a hill and on a curve. There have been plenty of accidents there in the past. I figure the tires will also help protect the actual mailbox. Since the road itself is a tad busy, or at least the cars travel crazy fast, I'll be planting some hearty perennials in my tires. I'm starting off with three tires, and will play with the layout a bit next week before planting. We have a new mailbox post up, so phase two next weekend will be to install the mailbox, remove the old box and post and get the plants in. I have a small hummingbird flag to decorate with as well.   The biggest challenge will be to decorate, but keep the 'approach' clear for the rural mail delivery. You can currently see the ruts and the approach as she pulls up to the existing box to drop off any mail. Today, the kids and I painted the tires in preparation of next week's planting.







The kids did a great job painting. We came in paint clothes, and boy am I glad! They did manage to get more paint on the tires than themselves, but came home pretty blue, Genevieve in particular.

After painting and a quick cleanup task for Ghon, we headed home for showers. Ghon won't be home until close to their bed time and HBO and I have a date for 9pm, so I don't want to be at the farm late. :)

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Memorial Day at Hummingbird Farm

Yes, Memorial Day was oh, over two weeks ago, but this is the first I've been able to sit, write, and post pics. I really shouldn't be as I should be getting ready for bed, but oh well!

We spent Memorial Day Monday at the farm. Well, most of it.

Ghon started our dinner by 9am by throwing a brisket on the smoker. Then the family made a trip to Southern States. We looked at plants, we searched for vegetables, and we bought 5 more chickens. Sigh. Ghon wanted 10, but I held my ground with 5. Something has been getting some of the "adolescent pigs" as I call the young chickens. We've lost more since Memorial Day. We had 50 baby chicks and we are down to about 20. It's sad and enough to make you angry all in one. The newly purchased chicks are almost of mature age, and should be laying in the next week or two. The pigs should lay early July. I'll be glad to get more eggs!

After the trip to town, we got to work. After Ghon tilled a row for us in the garden, Jonathan became farmer and planted. He did a wonderful job helping plant over 30 tomato, pepper and melon plants. I thought for sure his attention span would have wore out much sooner than it did. Genevieve helped some as well.

   
Jonathan and Genevieve were great helpers - and zombies.

After a little planting, I convinced Genevieve to take a nap while Jonathan and I kept working.


The biggest event of the day...I learned how to drive the tractor. Sort of. Ghon has to turn it on, get it everything in gear and make sure I am pointing straight, but then I am good to go. I mowed the far field and orchard and part of the front yard by the fire pit. The kids love riding in the wagon on the back, especially Genevieve. I mowed again this past weekend, and she rode with me the entire time. I even learned how to raise and lower the mower deck this weekend. :)


 
We took a few breaks, fed the chickens, and let the kids be, well, kids.

Genevieve giving chickens some broccoli.

Jonathan hauling more firewood to the fire ring.

Firecracker.

Singing along to songs in his head.

Wearing Daddy's hat, she kept calling herself "Daddy's Boy!"

Playing with his electronics.
A month ago, Cindy and I cleaned out the workshop. Ghon walked in and said "Oh, this wasn't here before." In other words, queue Kim leaving the scene.  He leans down and starts to pick up a snake skin as I back away chanting "I don't want to see it!" Conveniently, the kids were in the car ready to head back to the house with me to pick a few things up we forgot. So down the hill I ran and into the car. I looked in the rearview mirror to see him holding a huge snake skin. I still hate snakes. How dare it shed it's skin in my almost cleaned out workshop??? UGGG!

That is roughly 6 feet and 4 inches of snake. This might be Slick.

Thinking happier thoughts, this is what we had for dinner.

Corn, ribs and brisket - all on the smoker.
My baby girl loves corn. She was singing all about her corn, which was fresh off the smoker with no butter, salt or pepper, and was amazing.

From the log bench to the tractor, gnawing on her corn cob.

After dinner, Jonathan asked if he could take pictures with my camera. I let him run around with it and he took a ton of pictures. These are some of my favorites.

His boots, the chickens, his gator, mom and dad, trees and the fire.

We burned from the magic hour of 4pm until about 9. We got some work done and got some good family time in as well. It was a good day.



Can you tell we like burning things?

Smores!

Monday, June 3, 2013

O, Anna Sun!

So this post doesn't really have anything to do with progress on the house. Nor does the video have anything to do with rebuilding an old farm house.

However, I have always liked this song and the lyrics have taken on an expanded meaning for me the further we dive into the renovation. I considered bold font for the lyrics that remind me most of the house and the project, but it's probably obvious and easier to highlight those that don't, so I've left it alone. The song was written at a conflicting time - the end of college and the start of true adult life. In relation to the house, the song for me describes the status now, the destruction, the hard work, and the potential it holds.

So enjoy, "Anna Sun" by Walk the Moon.

"Anna Sun"

Screen falling off the door door hanging off the hinges
My feet are still sore my back is on the fringes
We tore up the walls we slept on couches
We lifted this house we lifted this house

Fire-crackers in the east my car parked south
Your hands on my cheeks your shoulder in my mouth
I was up against the wall on the west mezzanine
We rattle this town we rattle this scene

O, Anna Sun!
O, Anna Sun!

What do you know? this house is falling apart
What can I say? this house is falling apart
We got no money, but we got heart
We're gonna rattle this ghost town
This house is falling apart

Screen falling off the door door hanging off the hinges
My feet are still sore my back is on the fringes
We were up against the wall on the west mezzanine
We rattle this town we rattle this scene

O, Anna Sun!
O, Anna Sun!

What do you know? this house is falling apart
What can I say? this house is falling apart
We got no money, but we got heart
We're gonna rattle this ghost town

What do you know? this house is falling apart
What can I say? this house is falling apart
We got no money, but we got heart
We're gonna rattle this ghost town
This house is falling apart

This house is falling apart

Live my life without
Station wagon rides
Fumbling around the back
Not one seat belt on
Wait for summertime
Coming up for air
Now it's all a wash
Now it's all a wash

Live my life without
Coming up for air
Now it's all a wash
I want everyone
Racing down the hill
I am faster than you
Wait for summertime
Wait for summertime

O, Anna Sun!
O, Anna Sun!

Sun!

What do you know? this house is falling apart
What can I say? this house is falling apart
We got no money, but we got heart
We're gonna rattle this ghost town

What do you know? this house is falling apart
What can I say? this house is falling apart
We got no money, but we got heart
We're gonna rattle this ghost town

This house is falling apart
This house is falling apart
This house is falling apart

We're gonna rattle this ghost town

This house is falling apart
This house is falling apart