Busy as Bees

It's been over a week since I cut and fit all the tile for the downstairs bathrooms, and the tile is waiting patiently for Chris to help me lay it.

 He has had other priorities, though. The trim upstairs is 99% finished and the floor has been sanded and cleaned of all the chunks of drywall mud. I have a couple posts to wrap in oak and the trim to paint, and all will ready upstairs for the carpet.

While Chris was busy with the trim, I took some time to get some things in order around the farm. Mom came over one Saturday and helped tear down some chain link fencing that needed to go before we dig the trench for the electric line from the pole to the house.

The chicks I bought the beginning of March needed to be moved out of their pen to make room for Finley's 4-H chicks. I used the top rail of the fence to make a perch for the chickens. I thought they would like it since that was where the older chickens would typically roost if we accidentally locked them out of the coop. The young birds didn't seem to like it, though, choosing to roost on the thin, wire fence I use to try keep them penned up instead, so I guess I need to come up with another idea. A predator broke in one night and killed 3 of the birds one night, so we set up a trap to try to catch the culprit, but I don't think the murderer has been back since.

Finley bought some seeds to plant a garden this year. So although I had abandoned all ambitions for a garden this year in order to finish the house, I figured I'd better come up with something. So I popped some holes in an old watering trough, filled it with some dirt and compost, and we planted spinach, carrots, radishes, and beets in a little "square-foot-garden" format.

 And then I tilled up a 20 x 20 foot section of ground against our new field fence and put some black plastic down in hopes I could kill off the evil Bermuda grass before I planted anything. It has only been down for a week or two, though, and I was just gifted with a beautiful flat of tomatoes that my brother started. They need to be put in the ground soon. I guess I'll just peel back a side, get as much Bermuda root out as I can, and put down a couple of layers of paper around the plants to help keep the weeds at bay.

Over the weekend, I abandoned the family to spend some time with a good friend of mine that had flown into town. Friday night, my brother and sister-in-law took us to listen to an interview with Wendell Berry. Full of wit and wisdom as he is, it was quite the delight and privilege.

Sunday, we spent the afternoon at Cheekwood Botanical Garden and Museum of Art. I love this place. One of the current installations is a work by Patrick Dougherty. I think I need to build one of these on the farm.

Electrical, Tile, and Easter, Oh My!

Last week, I spent some time working on the electrical panels. Day one, after a trip to the hardware store for grounding lugs and whatnot, I finished the upstairs sub-panel. I figured after getting some practice on the little panel, I would be able to get the main panel knocked out in a day. But things always seem to take longer than you expect they will.

Before

After

I must admit, I am pleased with the results, and if anybody gets in there and messes with my wires, I might cry. Or punch the perpetrator. Or both.

Friday, we started working on the tile in the kids' bathroom upstairs. Our neighbor used to own a flooring business, and a few years ago, had given us a large stack of salesman samples. Peeling the tiles off the display boards had been a pain in the booty, not to mention the glue we had to scrape off the back of the tiles.

 But I'm really happy with the results.

Saturday, the kids colored Easter eggs. This one of Zivah's was my favorite.

Sunday, we went to an early morning community service where several of the area churches come together to celebrate Easter, then spent the afternoon relaxing with my family. It was a lovely day.

Now it's crunch time. We have carpet scheduled to be installed the 19th of May, and there is a lot to get done before hand. All the baseboard needs to be put up in all the bedrooms and upstairs, tile done in the master bath, and other odds and ends. I'm hoping the kids won't die of neglect in the meantime.

Wind

I woke up this morning to the sound of wind and rain. I was only half conscious when, at the sound of another gust, it felt like someone gently rocked the bed. I am used to the wind making the roof sound like a flapping circus tent, but I have never felt the wind actually move the trailer before.

I will not be sorry to tear this piece of tin down. May it be soon.

A Spring Saturday

Steps almost finished.

Fruit trees almost planted.

Leaves are emerging.

The girl with the curl.

Making Marks

I was getting tired of the cinder block steps we have been using, so about a week ago, I decided it was time to build some legitimate steps for the front of the house. Although we eventually hope to have some nice stone or brick-lined steps for the entrance, we decided it would be quicker and easier to build wooden ones using some old decking material we have on hand.

But instead of just concreting the 4x4 posts in some holes, we figured it would be wise to go ahead and pour a slab. So this weekend, that's what we did.

 Seeing the wet concrete, the kids begged us to put their hand prints in the slab like they did in the porch concrete nearly three years ago. I have to admit, the thought went through my mind that it would be fun to have a chicken print on the slab, too, but brushed the idea aside as a little ridiculous. So when Finley asked if we could put Lizzy's footprint on the slab, I was more than happy to give it a try.

Turned out nicely, I think.