tommywalnuts-My Self Sufficient Journal: Rural, Urban, and back again
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TanksHill
Super Self-Sufficient
Great job. My pallets are still sitting in my driveway. Uggg!!!
- Thread starter
- #133
tommywalnuts
Lovin' The Homestead
Hey all
Well we got our tax refund in WHOO-HOO! We did the right thing and have paid off every thing we owe, except for my truck, which will pay off in one more year. No bills except truck, utilities, rent, and insurance! I am so very relieved. We also gave the kids $50 apiece to get anything they wanted, and my wife and I bought some things we had been wanting as well(perfume, clothes and movies for her, a 30-06 for me lol). We are also doing some upgrades to the house(we rent from my aunt, and upgrades come off the rent), and saving back some for emergencies.
Something else I am getting into is a life insurance policy for my wife and I. Arranging my grandma's funeral, I saw first hand how much it can cost, and how little can be left for those grieving. If something was to happen to me I wouldn't want Laura to be burdened with bill worries on top of everything else.
We have had so much snow here this winter, 8 inches last night. Normally southern Oklahoma sees maybe 1-2 inches, and often not even that. The kids made some hilarious snow men...Johns looks like a short old man lol. But the snow hampers any SS work outside, so not much going on there except feeding chooks, collecting eggs, buying some seeds for the garden and planning, planning, planning. As soon as it warms up, we are going to paint our shed white with red trim(OU colors for Laura), and I want to improve our fencing, and build some wooden planting boxes to hang from our deck rails. In these will go jalepenos and chili peppers. I also will put up a trellis for the cucumbers and tomatoes. I think our soil will be ready...I have tilled in lots of dead leaves, old straw and chicken poo to build it up. Man just typing it out makes me excited lol.
Well, hope everyone is blessed and having a good time
T
Well we got our tax refund in WHOO-HOO! We did the right thing and have paid off every thing we owe, except for my truck, which will pay off in one more year. No bills except truck, utilities, rent, and insurance! I am so very relieved. We also gave the kids $50 apiece to get anything they wanted, and my wife and I bought some things we had been wanting as well(perfume, clothes and movies for her, a 30-06 for me lol). We are also doing some upgrades to the house(we rent from my aunt, and upgrades come off the rent), and saving back some for emergencies.
Something else I am getting into is a life insurance policy for my wife and I. Arranging my grandma's funeral, I saw first hand how much it can cost, and how little can be left for those grieving. If something was to happen to me I wouldn't want Laura to be burdened with bill worries on top of everything else.
We have had so much snow here this winter, 8 inches last night. Normally southern Oklahoma sees maybe 1-2 inches, and often not even that. The kids made some hilarious snow men...Johns looks like a short old man lol. But the snow hampers any SS work outside, so not much going on there except feeding chooks, collecting eggs, buying some seeds for the garden and planning, planning, planning. As soon as it warms up, we are going to paint our shed white with red trim(OU colors for Laura), and I want to improve our fencing, and build some wooden planting boxes to hang from our deck rails. In these will go jalepenos and chili peppers. I also will put up a trellis for the cucumbers and tomatoes. I think our soil will be ready...I have tilled in lots of dead leaves, old straw and chicken poo to build it up. Man just typing it out makes me excited lol.
Well, hope everyone is blessed and having a good time
T
modern_pioneer
Mountain Man
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- In the woods with the critters
Congrats T on paying the bills off!! 
- Thread starter
- #135
tommywalnuts
Lovin' The Homestead
Hey ya'll
Been awhile since I have posted...been checking in and reading every now and then. Just been very down, but I don't want to talk about that, time to put it away.
So we still haven't been able to find the cord to download or charge up our digital camera...so no pics, which sucks. The new chicks are doing great, but black sex links are nothing like our red sex links. They seem more aggresive and flighty. One of them turned out to be a barred rock pullet, which was a cool bonus. I also picked up a couple of ducklings for Laura. One seems to be a Cayuga, and the other a Black Swedish. I think the Cayuga is a drake, and am hoping the swedish will be a hen, for eggs. I tried to get some Indian runners from Craigslist, but they were already gone(sucks cause they were free).
I have begun the shed painting, but have to do it in sections. I am trying to spend a certain amount on projects, and save some for our house fund. I also have just finished my planned planting boxes, which hang from the railing of the deck. All made from salvaged materiels, total cost $0, just labor. So next week, I will fill them and plant peppers.
The garden is doing well. Cabbages and mustard greens are growing well, and red onions are breaking the soil. I had to build a 5 foot tall fence to keep the hens out. It too is made completely from salvaged wood and leftover wire from the chicken coop. Total cost-$0!!!!
I sold my toy- I had an 80 model Chevy short wide bed that I have been turning into the hotrod I always wanted as a teen. It has a crate 350 long block with just a bit over 600 miles on it, new Edelbrock carb, new tranny, glasspacks, very awesome. Anyways, my moms old beater finally gave out, so I sold it to her for 1000, pay it out at whenever and whatever she can. Gotta take care of mom, ya know. Whatever she can pay will go into the house fund.
So thats pretty much it for now. As soon as we can find that dang cord, I promise a bunch of pics. I'm gonna get back into my journal, as well as my projects...no more moping about, its springtime.
Hope ya'll are all blessed
T
Been awhile since I have posted...been checking in and reading every now and then. Just been very down, but I don't want to talk about that, time to put it away.
So we still haven't been able to find the cord to download or charge up our digital camera...so no pics, which sucks. The new chicks are doing great, but black sex links are nothing like our red sex links. They seem more aggresive and flighty. One of them turned out to be a barred rock pullet, which was a cool bonus. I also picked up a couple of ducklings for Laura. One seems to be a Cayuga, and the other a Black Swedish. I think the Cayuga is a drake, and am hoping the swedish will be a hen, for eggs. I tried to get some Indian runners from Craigslist, but they were already gone(sucks cause they were free).
I have begun the shed painting, but have to do it in sections. I am trying to spend a certain amount on projects, and save some for our house fund. I also have just finished my planned planting boxes, which hang from the railing of the deck. All made from salvaged materiels, total cost $0, just labor. So next week, I will fill them and plant peppers.
The garden is doing well. Cabbages and mustard greens are growing well, and red onions are breaking the soil. I had to build a 5 foot tall fence to keep the hens out. It too is made completely from salvaged wood and leftover wire from the chicken coop. Total cost-$0!!!!
I sold my toy- I had an 80 model Chevy short wide bed that I have been turning into the hotrod I always wanted as a teen. It has a crate 350 long block with just a bit over 600 miles on it, new Edelbrock carb, new tranny, glasspacks, very awesome. Anyways, my moms old beater finally gave out, so I sold it to her for 1000, pay it out at whenever and whatever she can. Gotta take care of mom, ya know. Whatever she can pay will go into the house fund.
So thats pretty much it for now. As soon as we can find that dang cord, I promise a bunch of pics. I'm gonna get back into my journal, as well as my projects...no more moping about, its springtime.
Hope ya'll are all blessed
T
framing fowl
On a mission
Sounds like you have been busy with spring activities. I've never had mustard greens, do you just eat them in salads? So if I read that right, you're doing peppers in boxes and then is the rest of your garden in the ground?
justusnak
Almost Self-Reliant
Hey Tommy....welcome home! Good to see ya back. Sounds like you have been very busy! Dont ya just love springtime!? So many project..so little time. 
Nothing like spring time to clear out those winter cobwebs...and get your mind off of "stuff"
Nothing like spring time to clear out those winter cobwebs...and get your mind off of "stuff"- Thread starter
- #138
tommywalnuts
Lovin' The Homestead
Yeah, used to be fall was my favorite time of year, but since I have gotten into growing and SS, its spring. Speaking of growing, got to get some spinach going SOON. Sure wish I could find that dang camera cord, I really want to show off the urban farm.
- Thread starter
- #139
tommywalnuts
Lovin' The Homestead
hey ya'll
Well, things are going pretty good around here. Garden is doing well, chickens are happy and laying, weathers nice, and still making paychecks. I am repainting our shed(which hasn't been painted since the 50's); thats really making the backyard look nice. I planted yellow and red marigolds in our deck plant boxes...I was going with peppers, but to be honest we don't eat a lot of peppers and I really liked the colors of the flowers. I still have to get tomatoes and cukes planted, and then work on the front yard(re-gravel the drive, make a nice walkway, planters with shade loving hostas and ferns).
I have been going to church real steady lately, 6 weeks in a row. I go by myself(the kids go to a church that they like and I don't and Laura don't want to go...so I started going by myself). Each week I try to keep the message in my mind and apply it whenever possible. This week was on being more giving. So I gave my mom some catfish(see the hunting and fishing section for that story) and stopped to help someone broke down on the road.
So thats life in Southern OK for right now. Holler at ya'll later.
T
Well, things are going pretty good around here. Garden is doing well, chickens are happy and laying, weathers nice, and still making paychecks. I am repainting our shed(which hasn't been painted since the 50's); thats really making the backyard look nice. I planted yellow and red marigolds in our deck plant boxes...I was going with peppers, but to be honest we don't eat a lot of peppers and I really liked the colors of the flowers. I still have to get tomatoes and cukes planted, and then work on the front yard(re-gravel the drive, make a nice walkway, planters with shade loving hostas and ferns).
I have been going to church real steady lately, 6 weeks in a row. I go by myself(the kids go to a church that they like and I don't and Laura don't want to go...so I started going by myself). Each week I try to keep the message in my mind and apply it whenever possible. This week was on being more giving. So I gave my mom some catfish(see the hunting and fishing section for that story) and stopped to help someone broke down on the road.
So thats life in Southern OK for right now. Holler at ya'll later.
T
framing fowl
On a mission
Glad to hear you've been well. Flowers are good for the soul so I wouldn't worry about not planting the peppers! Do you have a special type of fern that you plant in your planters?
