My family's journey down the road less traveled....

Monday, April 30, 2012

Spring Fever....Round 2

I think Spring has sprung, for good this time!!


Ohio experienced a rare treat this winter in the form of no real cold, harsh weather.  That reprieve meant us gardeners were able to get our fields, beds and containers ready for planting several weeks earlier than usual.  We burnt back the weeds and tilled up the raised beds within the first week of March.  It was glorious.  However, as 99.9% of Ohioans know....it wouldn't last.

We quickly entered a rainy period with colder temperatures, biting winds with gusting over 20pmh on average and the ever present Ohio gray sky.  It did slow me down a little but I refused to give in completely.  I took this time of being forced indoors to set up a mini greenhouse and get my seeds started.  Watching the seedlings emerge was just the shot in the arm I needed to keep motivated about my garden this year.  After watching the weather forecast today, I think we're almost in the clear and yesterday's beautiful warmth and blue skies helped me kick in back in gear!!

Seedlings moved outside to begin hardening off...will continue to start seedling throughout the season for fall plantings

These photos are more for me than anything.  I tend to forget what I have planted where and until things take off it's hard to identify the plants!!  Bed on the far left has 80 white and yellow onions.  Middle bed is half planted with a lettuce mix and spinach.  Bed on the right has a quadruple rows of snap peas running the length down the middle.  Note to self-will need to get trellis set up so they can climb.

Please excuse the surrounding knee high grass...Schleprock stuck again and this time the steering shaft to the tractor sheared off in half.  Mr. Awesome© had to splice two of them together to make a new one that will fit and it should be finished and ready to tackle the jungle tonight.

Once I get this mowed down we'll start on the fencing.  We're enclosing a 30ftx40ft area for the garden.  That's larger than what we have going now but will allow us to expand with more raised beds in the future.  Mr. Awesome's dad offered us his gas powered auger to make the job easier and can we say, "Thank you Jesus!!".  I was sooo not looking forward to getting out there with the post hole digger!!!  Once the fence is finished we'll arrange for a load of gravel to fill in the walkways and we've needed to add gravel to raise up our driveway.  

My biggest achievement for the weekend was the repair of my clothesline.  Last fall, someone who shall remain nameless except to be called the Butthead who killed my clothesline, managed to shoot through two strands of the wire.  It was one of those once in a lifetime moments that probably couldn't be recreated.  After the initial shock it was kind of funny.  Anywho...I got the two new lines of wire strung and ready for a load of laundry.

Now that Spring fever has hit and my garden is progressing, it's time to focus on the indoors.  The trashcans and donation boxes are gonna be overflowing in the next few weeks!!!

Springingly yours..............Deborah

Saturday, April 21, 2012

Unexpected Visitor...

Living where we do, on a gravel road surrounded by hundreds of acres of crop land, folks often mistake our property for the Home for Wayward Animals.  Or, as in some instances, Home for Unwed Pregnant Kitties!!  We've seen a dozen or so cats and dogs abandoned along our stretch of road over the past few years.  It has ranged from Carl the massive Great Dane/hound mix to Bart and Lisa the pair of young, sibling kitties, all whom have arrived unannounced, unexpected and unfortunately, unwanted.

It has been a few months since we've seen any wayward creatures so today was perfect timing for this fella:

Meet Leroy.  Leroy was discovered hanging out under my apple trees today.  He's missing all the feathers from his lower chest and his bottom is covered in poo.  It's sad that someone let him get like this and instead of finding a humane way to end his suffering they decided to drop him off at my house, leaving him open to attack by various varmints including my two dogs.  He's currently in a quarantine cage while we decide his fate.

I can honestly say I expect folks to drop off unwanted dogs and cats but a rooster???  This one I never saw coming!!!

signing off....The Home for Wayward Roosters

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Simple Woman's Daybook


FOR TODAY

Outside my window...the wind is raging and it's beginning to cloud up.

I am thinking...of all the power we'd be generating if we had a windmill right now!!!

I am thankful...for herbal ADD remedies ;-)

In the kitchen...are a few dirty dishes and the most scrumptious pumpkin chocolate chip muffins.

I am wearing...jeans and a long sleeve shirt...it's cold today.

I am creating...I have a few projects in the wings but until the baby chicks are able to be moved outside and I can set up my sewing table again they'll have to wait.

I am going...not many places this week.  I work tomorrow from 9-noon then again on Friday from 3-3:30.

I am wondering...how long I can resist the last chocolate covered cherry on the counter??

I am reading...I just bought and downloaded the Hunger Games to the Kindle!!!

I am hoping...the wind dies down soon...I have seeds I want to plant in the garden.

I am looking forward to...this weekend...it's supposed to be warm and my tractor should be fixed by then!!!

I am learning...how to motivate the boy Oompa.

Around the house...there is the usual clutter and laundry and the baby chicks are peeping in the background!!

I am pondering...what to get my brother and his lovely wife-to-be for their wedding??

A favorite quote for today..."I'm just twitchy Mom"...thus said by boy Oompa during a math test!!

One of my favorite things...my warm, fuzzy socks.

A few plans for the rest of the week: School work, work, the dreaded grocery shopping and fingers crossed...working in my garden.

A peek into my day... 


Boy Oompa's b-day party this past weekend