Jason closes his journal... Thanks!! I love you!!

[modern_pioneer]

That is some plan you have there. How has it gone so far? I think it would have taken me a couple years just to "plan" the plan. My honey do list is never complete. I kinda have a mental list but my dh insist I put it in writing.

I would love to add a few of those sono-tube sky lights to my house. In a few closets at least. I did have a bid last year on adding solar to my home. I figured if the payment for the financed system was equal to or a bit less than my montly bill it would be justifiable. The problem is I don't have a high enough bill. I was using a lot less than a normal person with a house my size. Even with the 30% federal rebate it was still a higher monthly payment than my monthly elec bill. If that makes any sense.

There is no end to any "honey-do-list", I consider myself well trained, and I know the "honey-do-list" is subject to change at any moment...

Well, the plan has been going okay. We didn't count on the well being so bad when we bought the house. Call me a sucker... The first test came back bad, the second was fine. The owner poured bleach down the well, and than had it tested. The house was empty for 9 years, so I suggested we drink bottled water till the lines were flushed. Once they ran for 12 hours or so over the next few days, I gave the dog a dish full of water.

She got very sick, mind you, that I still had the water filters on the shower. She was sick in a bad way, I knew then it was from the well.

You gotta understand we bought this house in March, still had the other house, needed to update it from the 70s, get it on the market and sold prior to july, pack-up and move, pack up a business and move it to, and run a family life for the kids.

At first it was all to much, the stress levels were beyond anything I could explain.

Unexpected, we spent 6k on a water treatment system we had to have to make the water safe. Of course other problems came up, but I will tell you this. DW and I sat on the side deck the second night after we moved here, the stars in the sky, coffee in the mornings, we agreed this was our place.

There will be bumps in the road, I'd like to think that I have made them softer for us. I know I have done a pretty good job so far, but I think DW would be happy in a pole barn with an outhouse as long as we had each other. I am no different from her, we are like peas and carrots.

 

[justusnak]

Jay, wow, a 5 year plan. Thats great! We have more like a 7 yr plan. I was told by a friend...it takes 7 years to get a farm going like you want it. Hmmm, we bought Feb 05....and have a good jump so far.
New Garage doors with openers,
New French Doors to the breakfast Deck.
2 new chicken coops
Planted... 2 apples, 4 cherries, 2 peaches, grapes, and 15 berry bushes.
Have the second garden plot going this year
Added a woodstove
and this year, a small pasture for sheep and a new front door with sidelights.
We need to get the pond redug...its a sad little mud puddle right now...but does sustain fish life. Its just not deep enough, or big enough for OUR plans.
Hopeing this year to add the summer Kitchen as well. I dont like heating the house to do my canning...so Hubby said he will put in the summer kitchen in the garage...its half underground, concrete block walls..and cool in there.
Keep up the good work!

 

[TanksHill]

You know Justusnak, you make a good point in your post. You have focused on all of the things that you HAVE accomplished. It gives me a good feeling. If I look at things that way I have done a heck of a lot in the past 8 years.

Marriage
Bought my place
1st child
tore down home
built new
8 trees in orchard
2nd child
8 trees in the orchard
garden
chicken coop
3 rd child
Emergency Storage Pantry
More garden
another coop
Rabbit

Not to mention all the regular stuff mixed in. Sorry Jay I did not mean to steal your thread.

 

[modern_pioneer]

Sheesh Nikki your asking a lot!!

Because I haven't bought online, plants and trees, I spread my orders around to six different companies.

Today I got my Raintree order in.

The following plants I decided to rate with smiles.

Red/black currants

Hinrod grapes

Tulameen raspberrys Awesome root stock

Chicksaw blackberry :/ very small this years plants

shuksan strawberry :/

blugold blueberry

Great job on packing, but shipping was at $9 new shipping was $30, I know the extra shipping cost was for the weight.

I also got a $10 off next order coupon.

There customer service is pretty good, my online order flopped, so called and placed the order. Advised me to change a couple plants due to my zone.

I would like to say I am no expert, but I do have some common sense as to the quality of plants I should get.

The only reason I am rating the online companies, is to provide all of you with some info. to use if you decide to order from these companies.

******* ALWAYS KEEP SHIPPING LABELS FOR RETURNS*******

Often I get good info. from word of mouth or via online about many companies that I might consider doing business with.

Over-all I am pleased with my order, however I wouldn't purchase blackberrys from them again.

 

[TanksHill]

Wow, you have some planting to do!!

 

[gettinaclue]

Get to work! Chop chop!

If you want, I'll supervise Hhhhhaaaaaaaaaaahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!! ;P

 

[modern_pioneer]

Today I got my Burgess order in.

I ordered the screen hybrid Poplar, and have some twigs.

Burgess sent them in a plastic green wrap, okay, but the roots are dry. No filler, no soil, nothing...

hoping for the best, I added some water to the twigs.

These are not what I would consider "hardy stock" , they are not what I paid for.

I wonder how many might make it?

 

[gettinaclue]

Sorry about your twigs.

Hope they make it. I guess we're about to see how "hardy" they are.

 

[modern_pioneer]

Nikki, the chicks are doing fine, little buggers... LOL...

They have discovered they have wings and feathers, and they can scratch too. Little hops and pre-flight little runs.

They sleep when all of them need to, but some cuddle out of the way and catch some sleep when they need to.

I know runts, being raised on a hog farm. I do have a runt chick, and I can see she is tender. I was worried about pasty butt, not a problem. She tends to stay out of the way of rest of the flock, almost twice her size now. She never runs when I put my hand down and is quick to hop on.

 

[modern_pioneer]

I was working in the garden this morning, everything seemed to be fine. I finished tilling when I felt light headed, so I drank some water, took a little time.

DS came out to help me, I sent him back to get on his boots, about that time my vision seemed cloudy. I took a deep breath, and continued planting.

DS returned back to the garden, and asked what he could do, I was about to fall over. I told him to hang out I'd be right back.

It was like looking through a straw, I walked towards the house, and I was scared, it didn't seem real. As I walked on the bridge, the only thing I could see was the rock to step on to get on the porch. In my mind at that time I was hoping to get through the door.

I got in the kitchen, and called to Danielle, I need help, help me... She asked if my chest was hurting, I told her no but I couldn't see out of my left eye, and my vision was blurry. She ran and got me some asprin, I took those, and she asked me if I had ate breakfast. I told her that I had skipped breakfast, she asked if I had lunch, I said no I was to busy to eat.

DW brought me some water and jam on bread and told me to eat it because she thought I might have low blood sugar. I ate it, and my eye sight was still blurry. I was feeling cold and told her to get me a blanket, she said I also have low blood pressure.

I ate another couple pieces of jam on bread before I could see again. I went out and finished planting the shallots, slowly and came in to have a rest. I went and laid down for a spell, I never have taken a nap, but felt I needed to rest.

Once I rested and had some food on my tummy, I was okay. When I got up, I had a glass of water and ate a meal before dinner.

I have never ever had tunnel vision until today....