Homestead chores and update on the chimney

Most days the homestead is anything but the dreamy thoughts of life on the prairie. Take this morning... before heading to work I:
Feed the chickens, geese, turkeys, guineas and made sure everyone had water.
Picked cantaloupes for breakfast
Had poo-girl duty (picking up dog poop ...ohso glamorous)
Laundry
Put away last night's dishes
Washed the eggs
Made dinner for tonight and started tomorrow's
Turned the compost bin (not much, just put in the kitchen scraps and turned it 7 times)

Breakfast

Dinner for tomorrow put in the crockpot. 

Dinner for today... Thai lettuce wraps. Started with ground sausage, add fish sauce, honey, lime and hot pepper flakes.

Add your favorite veggies and mint....simple and good . 

The chimney didn't get done Saturday. When friends heard we still needed help many offered help. And then one came over without being ask... he just knew we really needed help and needed this project done.  Yesterday Jamin and Dude got the stone applied... well, Dude taught Jamin and Jamin did most of the work since Dude is having trouble moving.  Today the rest was to be done and grouted but the winds were just too high to get up on the roof .  I love how it looks so far and so grateful for the friends we have. 

By the end of the morning I got a lot done. Dude had feed and watered the big animals, milked the goat and did the laundry.... I was so glad I could cross that one off the list. 

peace 

Tuesday, cantaloupe and crafts

Dude is still in pain but not totally out of commission.  I did manage to to feed the animals, walk the dog and cats, spent time with the geese and had poo duty outside before heading in the house to finish in there then off to work. 

I did pick an amazing cantaloupe. It was so sweet and juicy.  

Next up, I had to get the salsa made. I picked the tomatoes the day before and I wanted them to be firm for the salsa. 

Most of the ingredients were from the garden. 

Looks good. 

Then on to make a craft. We have a craft party at the end of September and this is one of them. 

I got some terracotta pots a while back to replant my ever growing aloe vera. 

I washed some pots and their saucers. 

Then I painted them and glued them together. Next time I will use a brighter color. A glue gun doesn't work for this craft and I had to use gorilla glue. 

Just need to fill with seeds for the birds. 

I made these placemats last year. 

Just before I left I realized I needed a card for someone at work. This one was quick and easy. 

I found this fan case in the trash at work. Some how I want to make them into eyeballs for the party. 

Dude would not stay down. He only had a tiny bit left to put on the roof. He was pumped since the inspector had been out and he passed all his inspections. 

The only thing left is the chimney. He is putting large rock around it and put the gutters on.   

It has been a stressful few weeks but we will get through this like we do everything. We find out more this week what is going on with Dude's pain.  We persevere.  We reinvent and work hard to make it happen. We dreamed to long for this not too. 

peace 

Weekend on the homestead.

Saturday was spent lining up much needed help for the upcoming week.  We have someone coming in to feed and take care of the animals.  My son and his wife are house sitting for us and family came to visit.  It was great to know we had all our ducks in a row. 

Today family came to help us with the roof.  Dude has been struggling with a bit of pain from all the work he has been doing on the house. So ... family to the rescue. 

Grandkids learned about taking care of the birds. 

Who wouldn't enjoy this? 

Family were wonderful to come and help dude with the front roof and the chimney.

A bit of rest. 

Our grandson learning the ropes... the tractor... 

and carding wool.  He was so good at it. 

Great job. 

It was a hot day, not a cloud in the sky and not a single complaint. They got so much done. 

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! 

Time to settle in for the night and crochet. I started a new shawl. 

We pray for our many friends and family in Texas braving the storms. 

peace 

Roof continues to go on, bees, and crafting

Today is first Saturday so I spent the morning in church at Adoration. 

Copper metal roof continues to go up.  Dude finished the back half and the skylight is covered up. 

Remember this what the house did look like. Today we celebrate the aniversary of closing on the property in 2011.

I checked on the bees. I have raised bees most of my life, learning from my Dad but this year I had had enough and said I wouldn't raise them again after losing so many hives to CCD.  I ended up with a swarm and thought, well, a gift from God... I will try. This hive is thriving so far.  I put a honey super on it today and hope for some honey before the end of the year. 

All day long I could hear a cat crying. I looked in closed rooms and cupboards and couldn't find her. We had an inspector out yesterday and Dude decided to look in the crawl space where he had been. 

Sure enough there she was....

Later today I picked up the glass jewerly and crafts I made last week. They were finished being fired. 

This is an aspen season I did. I plan on making four total, one of each season. 

Dude's bowl turned out cute. 

I stopped to get inspiration from my friend Susan. 

We are working on a sugar skull quilt each. 

She made these clever zebras. 

And working on a quilt for her uncle out of his old shirts. 

And her glass piece was finished too. 

We ended the afternoon with a nap, dinner and mass all in that order.  A storm went through tonight dumping much needed water. 

peace