Wednesday, July 30, 2014

HOME Sweet Homestead

A glimpse at a few things from the homestead...
We saw a wild turkey walking across our driveway. It left this beauty behind. Wallpaper removal in the school room seems never ending. 
We're kind of wishing we had just painted over it.
We found a collection of flower pots in the barn. They have a new home in the solarium.
 There are random things hanging on our walls until we decide where we want to really put things. I hung up this little brush that belonged to my Pepaw. I love it. I don't know why I didn't have it hanging in our last home.
 We're all getting used to the electric fencing around here.
The rams have learned the boundaries well.
 
Mabel is still learning unfortunately.
 We have one lone raspberry bush. The boys and the birds eat the raspberries as soon as they are red. Hopefully, one day we'll have lots of bushes and plenty of berries to harvest. Until that day comes, I have to snap a photo of a berry while the boys aren't looking. 
 We're also trying to remove thistle from the pastures. 
While it isn't a pleasant task, I do enjoy playing this song in my head over and over.

Thursday, July 24, 2014

{Gratitude} Lately

Every day I look around in amazement at all the 
beautiful, yet simple, things that I'm so thankful for.
 Lately I've been grateful for...
little boys that love reading just as much as I do
 beautiful blooms that haven't been eaten by Mabel (yet)
 a cool dairy-free treat on a hot summer day
 the best organic blackberries I've ever eaten
 
fun memories made by the pool
 and for pretty dozens

Friday, July 18, 2014

Farm-girl Essentials

Rarely a day goes by when I'm not wearing my boots, gloves, my new knife
and my grandmother's pearls. 
These are... this farm-girl's essentials.

Thursday, July 17, 2014

Rams on Loan

On July 5, five rams came to live on the homestead temporarily. We have usable land and they needed to be kept away from the ewes (or ladies) for a little while at Peacefield Farm. These boys have been a joy to have around and are helping us prepare for our own ewes that we hope to get this fall. They have definitely taught us where our fences need to be strengthened. We have now implemented electric fencing in addition to our 5-strand barbed wire. We've enjoyed this trial run as shepherds and can't wait for our very own sheep soon. 

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

HOME Sweet Homestead

Two months in and our homestead is really starting to feel like home. We've accomplished a lot, but still have so much to do. We are trying to find a new rhythm with this new farming life and renovating a house. I admit there are moments when I think what in the world have we gotten ourselves into. Other times I look around and am in amazement for this new adventure. 
Here's a glimpse at what's happened in the last week...
We are putting the finishing touches to the master bedroom.
 It is our one room where we can sneak to if we need a little break from the rest of the house.
 The turkeys are outside and loving it!
 We've begun stocking our shelves with preserved summer goodness.
 The first layer of wallpaper is down in the school room. 
Deer decimated our garden one night this week. 
They ate all of the sweet potatoes, tomatoes, sunflowers, and some of our cucumbers. It was sad. 
But as I was surveying the damage, I saw our beans growing up our corn stalks. That made me smile.
 We cleaned up some fallen trees in the pastures. 
We have a good start to the firewood that we will use this winter.
We also now have our swing hanging on our side porch. 
 
It's been a nice place to enjoy the beautiful weather lately!

Thursday, July 10, 2014

{Gratitude} Lately

Every day I look around in amazement at all the 
beautiful, yet simple, things that I'm so thankful for.
 Lately I've been grateful for...
daily homestead harvests
 friends that share tractors, trailers, sheep, and their lives with us
 the beauty of Queen Anne's Lace
 neighbors that stop by with the gift of a chicken
 a cool new timer and a finished school room table
 and afternoons enjoying the creek that's a mile down the road

3 Little Turkeys

We were told turkeys weren't easy to raise. We don't know many people that raise them. But, we I was dead set on raising one turkey for our Thanksgiving dinner. (I know I'm weird, but I like knowing where my food comes from and now we have a homestead where we can raise our own.) We bought 5 baby turkeys a few weeks ago. I sat and watched them, checked on them often, and they were my babies. My heart was crushed when I saw the first dead turkey just three days into our turkey venture. Then I was devastated when the next one died two days later. But, then we crossed the 3 week old threshold (where turkeys are supposed to go from fragile to invincible). So now we have three happy, thriving, little turkeys that will have a new home outside very soon.

Monday, July 7, 2014

Independence Day Weekend!

Our Independence Day weekend was filled with lots and lots of things! Here's just a glimpse...
clearing fallen trees, building fires, and gluten-free s'mores makin'
 sparklers and fireworks
 baby squirrels jumping out of birdhouses and hats catching on fire
 frozen strawberry pops on the front porch
 dust baths in the driveway
 and the arrival of sheep!! on the homestead
 It was one glorious weekend!


Wednesday, July 2, 2014

HOME Sweet Homestead

Here's a little glimpse at what's been going on this week at the homestead...
I got two of these lights for the front porch at a showroom closeout sale for $20 each. It has made the front porch so much more welcoming. 
 
Also added to the front porch is a new-to-us bench. The arms are a little wobbly and it needs a paint job, but I've already enjoyed sitting on the front porch and watching the boys play.
 We tied up tomatoes and they already need to be tied again. 
They are growing so well!
 We got a new mailbox and it's now on our side of the road. Yay!
 We unraveled a ton of hoses that were on a tree and this giant hook was underneath. 
It was kind of a cool find.
 There are bricks everywhere! In flower beds, in the yard, around trees, I mean everywhere. This sweet little bunny also showed up in one of the flower beds, too.
 
Our friends let us borrow their tractor for a few days. We've already put it to good use. Bryan mowed around all the fences and what a difference it made!
 We have also hauled lots and lots of cinder blocks from various places on the property. Today I dug up 35 half blocks and hauled 5 wagon loads of bricks that were beside our side porch.
Also, it took me two days, but I finally got the first coat of paint on the walls in the bedroom. 
Things are shaping up around here, for sure!