June & July 2016

Much of the late spring/early summer of  16 was spent wrapping up bits and pieces of projects.  We did the first sprucing up of the hall bath.  Walls were patched, primed and painted.  The sink cabinet painted.  New flooring and toilet installed.  The only thing I have to say about the finish choices is 'ya win some, ya lose some.'  To the other fart's credit, I saw these same choices made in a historical home rehab a few months later.  Perhaps it will grow on me.

We also managed to get the first goat pasture-drain field fence completed.  If you look closely, you may spot two happy goats, and the wooden corner posts that delineate the fence line on the east.   The white peak in the background is the front (south side) of the barn.

To the left is a shot of the barn, from the lane that runs on the north side of it.  This is the back of the barn.  One of our goals for 2016 was to work on taming this "block" of outbuildings.  Ironically, we decided it was too over grown to put the goats in charge of weed eating.  That task fell- and felled- us.  We'd no sooner get the weeds knocked back enough to start the fencing than they'd grow back.  I'm firmly convinced the area is one of Dante's circles!

This is a shot looking to the west, at one of the times progress had been made.

This is a shot looking to the east that also captures a time of some progress.

The front "lane" or south side of the buildings was also terribly over grown and neglected.

The area also received much of our blood sweat and tears throughout '16.  But again there was little to show for it in terms of permanent improvements.




We ended that quarter with a nice little va-ca, again to the family cabin up north, on the shore of lake superior.  That area did help us remember that our landscape was practically barren compared to some.

Odds and Ends on Animals.

5 month anniversary with chickens, 1 month with goats.
 Things I've learned thus far:

•  Only thing more hyper than a baby goat gal is a baby goat gal who's scored a sip of your coffee. 

• Chickens don't lay eggs at eggzactly 5 months- not even   if you wave calendars in their face. 

•  Slippin your cell phone in your sports bra while lecturing roo on his duties may result in random boob dialings & recordings of the above conversation. 

•  baby goats may look like they're on their hind legs to move in for snuggles, but they're probably just positioning themselves to wee wee on your boots.                                                                       

Laboring Days

Was working too hard as "machete momma", decided to get goats to lighten the work load. So we moved and re-stacked 4 cords of wood, found, hauled,  put up two tons of hay, emptied and cleaned a 12x24 room, built a barn door, 24' of wall, stalls, installed hardware cloth on windows and gaps, hauled and installed dozens of cattle panels- in two weeks- so we could buy 2 goats...so we wouldn't have to work so hard. . . Labor day has a whole new meaning to us! But, at least we got some cute 'nuff goats outta the deal!