moxies_ Life on the HHP Ranch....Rain!!!!!!

[moxies_chickennuggets]

I find them terribly inconvenient and disgusting. Leaving their little presents in the worst possible places. I keep my skillets covered, my small appliances covered, or wipe them down when I use them. They do not seem to get into my pots & pans cabinet, thank goodness, but, I look for little presents everytime I come into the kitchen. I bought a pack of Tomcat snap traps last year, when we finally got moved into the main house. They work like a charm too. I have been searching around to buy more, unsuccessfully. Might have to order online. I do not believe in "catch and release" where rodents are concerned. They breed way to abundantly, and are, IMO, a health hazard.

So, I keep watch, trap as necessary, and reset the traps. We don't have a barn...just a main house, a woodshop, a potting shed/hot house, a tin shed out back, and the storefront building. I knew the property had mice, as I found several dead ones when we were cleaning up the place. It's rural.....other people/neighbors have barns, livestock, etc. There is a chicken operation just across the back few acres behind us. I can hear the noise from machinery on a daily basis. So, I just keep process the little *!@'tards.


Another one bites the dust! PS..I wish the snakes I keep finding around here could keep up with the supply

 

[moxies_chickennuggets]

Hmm....no new mice this morning. Both traps are empty. It won't take long for new ones to fill the void...

 

[moxies_chickennuggets]

Wow...I got 2 pages now

Anyhoo......nothing better...then a clothesline full of freshly washed laundry, drying in the breeze.....happy chickens scratching and clucking.....rain in the forecast for later this week. It will hopefully fill up all of my rainbarrels I used today to wash my laundry with. I used 100 gals for 3 loads. In the summer, I prefer to re-use the wash and rinse waters, but winter, just too cold for that. Now, December...I just wash, and rinse...and then move the pump to the next rain barrel.

 

[moxies_chickennuggets]

Wow, been a while since I came in here. Maybe I should post something.

I have been keeping busy, though not with holiday stuff. Neither DH nor myself do the holiday thing. I don't observe birthdays or anniversaries either.

We finally got a good rain this month!! 1.5"!! I took 120 gals from my rain barrels and pumped it into the dirtiest water tote. It is a 275 gal one, and needs to sit a while and leach. We don't have the parts yet for draining it anyway. No hurry...no worry. It may sit till March. We won't need to capture the rainwater for garden use till summertime anyway.

I have also been working on getting my business set up. alterations seems to be the way to go. So many people asking for it, and the few ladies out here where I am, are getting elderly, and want to get out of the business. I'll happily take up the slack for them. Jobs are still non-existent here in SC. I was laid off in 09 from a very good job. I had come to SC in 08, specifically for jobs...and to get away from winter weather. After being stuck in KS for 13 yrs...since 95....I saw no reason to continue to live there. working 2 jobs...in KS, I always only brought home just around $900.00 a month. Talk about needing to be frugal...

So's, in 08, I packed my lil' truck up and headed east...to SC. Got me a darn good job, doubled my income in 8 monhs...actually had to find a CPA to do my taxes. I had no idea what bracket I might be in. But, heck...we were working 72+ hr work weeks then......6-12's.....and every other weekend..all mandatory. I loved it. I was single, kids all grown up and gone...I had plenty of time to work crazy hours. I had a blast...and it was fun while it lasted.

and then.....economy went poop...poof....splattt....well...you know




>>>to be continued......

 

[Denim Deb]

I would gladly send you some rain if I could. I've had more than enough.

And as for the mice, at least they're better than rats!

 

[FarmerChick]

splatt
yup, alot of people are going splatt

I tell ya I can't find anyone to do alterations. I hope your biz jumps big tiem for you. I needed alterations and everyone recommended one lady in the area, but come to find out she passed a few years earlier. and no one took up the niche.

get your name out there. grocery store billboards etc. put a small ad saying alterations and the locals will find you!!!

good luck

 

[moxies_chickennuggets]

splatt
yup, alot of people are going splatt

I tell ya I can't find anyone to do alterations. I hope your biz jumps big tiem for you. I needed alterations and everyone recommended one lady in the area, but come to find out she passed a few years earlier. and no one took up the niche.

get your name out there. grocery store billboards etc. put a small ad saying alterations and the locals will find you!!!

good luck

Oh yes...it is already making the rounds...my name out there. But, I have alot to do to before I get there. The storefront building, was more of a finished room was all, even though it had been a store before we bought it. It just has electric, carpet, a/c, finished walls and ceiling...and home made wooden bars on all the windows. I do have a wooden sign out front too....which is great. After the first of the year, I do my research on SBA, and get a local atty to handle any other issues I might have. I have heard conflicting stories on all of it so far, here in SC. Right now, I am awaiting on some legal stuff to finish up. I have to call my atty for that, after the new years holiday is over.

 

[moxies_chickennuggets]

Ok...time for more talking to myself. I tried this blog thing, on another site...last winter. But once springtime hit, I got busy...big time. I'll prob be even busier next spring, providing I get to open my alterations shop. Betwen ...the garden...7 chickens.....mowing the 1 acre....keeping house...doing the once a week town run....helping DH's mom.....opening a business....taching myself to make CP soap.......gee...what else

Oh yes.....doing the laundry with the water pump and rain barrels....that takes about 4 hrs...to wash 3 loads, and hang up on lines. I am making my own laundry soap, but that may cut back. I want to use the soap nuts in the summer time, when I recycle the wash/rinse waters.

 

[moxies_chickennuggets]

I've been a little busy. There is an "Apron Challenge" going on right now...and, being as I needed one...I jumped in. DH has a collection of bedsheets his mom and others had given him...so's...I re-purposed it.

Nice queen sized flat sheet. Old enough to be broken in, still in good shape....stained enuff to not be too perfect to wear. (I love re-purposing sheets )

So, I have a nice collection of vintage aprons....40's-50's. I tried to do an apron I found off the net, but no way to resize it. I decided to just re-make one of the vintage smock ones. It looks to be from the 40's. Hate to actually wear it and ruin it. And, it's to small. Ok, I'm to fat.

I laid the vintage smock out on the sheet, and raced around it with my fabric markers. They are chalky, and come off. I was able to cut out 2. It required re-inforcing the buttons, the tabs for the button holes, and enlarging the back by 4". Not a problem. Here are the finished results.

The small print apron is the original vintage one.

 

[Denim Deb]

Very pretty.