Right after they left, we got serious about the future garden and got clear plastic to lay down on the area to solarize the weeds and grass that are there.
I am relieved that this means I don’t have to build and fill so many raised beds. I do want one more on the bed half of the garden.
I am also building pollinator gardens in various areas to encourage bees. (and to look petty) This is the first and smallest one. Again, using rocks and materials we find on the land.
I absolutely LOVE the garden.
Things grow here! Quickly and easily! So far we have harvested 18 of these guys!
And there is no sign that they’ll be slowing down anytime soon.
I made pickles for the first time in my life.
I haven’t tasted them yet – you are supposed to wait at least two weeks.
Beans,
Peas are finally starting to grow – they have been slow to start.
Tomatoes
Cantaloupe,
Watermelon,
Jack’s Pumpkins!
Zucchini,
Basil
Along with solarizing the garden, we had to make it bunny and deer proof. We put chicken wire all along the perimeter.
Currently, we are getting the deer fencing up. Supposedly we need an 8ft fence to keep the deer out. We chose used netting which in it's former life was was a volleyball net to keep balls from going over into the neighbor’s yard. Here it is has been a cat tap and deer deterrent.
I like that you don’t really see it.
We have had a lot of baking over here. Claire is the resident cake baker and she makes wonderful chocolate cakes (we don’t let her make any other kind – that would be a waste!)
Josh and Claire went to camp last week so Joy was able to make one of her own without a big sister to critique her. She got an air balloon cake pan from the library. Her cake was delicious too!
Claire made a cake for Father’s day and reclaimed her cake baker position. Poor Joy, demoted to cookie maker.
Paige doesn’t bake but she does cook sometimes.
She also is the resident postmaster and keeps busy ALL day crafting cards and letters and delivering them. She is quite the artist/crafter.
Right now, the main project is the kids’ bathroom.
We demoed it all and not surprisingly, it was disgusting. This is what was under the tub.
We couldn’t figure out why there were always so many flies in the bathroom, Now we know they were coming up from under the house, into the walls, and out one of the many holes in the dry wall. Apparently mice or rats were under and behind the tub too. Who would put a tub on top of that can of varnish? Oh, wait, I know who....
Water damage anyone?
My mom and I are tiling the bathtub surround.
It is slow going – we kept getting interrupted by small people that want to eat lunch and dinner! Yesterday we had a snake emergency and had to drop everything to see what kind it was. The 3 younger kids were walking in the freshly mowed pasture
and nearly stepped on this guy.
He is a king snake.
But despite the slow progress, it is looking pretty darn good. We will finish today or tomorrow. Then we have walls, and floors to get done. The goal is for it to be completely done before my other brother, Steve and his family drive out in 2 weeks. I think we can do it.
My dad is moving their trailer to a different part of the yard that gets more shade. Unfortunately that means running a new electric and water line to get to it.
Jack helping tamp down the covered pipe.
Sweaty!
It has been in the mid 90’s but the humidity makes is feel a lot hotter. The thing is though, once the sun starts to set the temperature actually drops! Imagine that! It’s only the afternoon that is too hot to be out. We are having a nice little cold front move through right now. It was 82 degrees yesterday and right now (morning) it is 52! It’s the end of June! Oh. It hasn’t rained for a whole 2 weeks so I had to water my garden. (hose hooked up to the well) It’s nice that water is free.
Speaking of the well, I think we finally have that situation worked out. My dad has spent many, many hours crouched in the well house installing a chlorinator and holding tank. Now the water is getting chlorinated just enough to kill the coliform but not too much that it will ruin the septic tank. It is so nice to have water come out of the faucet that doesn’t smell like sewer/wet dog! I am still running water through the Berkey for drinking – now to get the chlorine out, but we are going to get an under sink purifier so that will come to an end soon.