TanksHill...Roll on!!

[big brown horse]

I am reading all of the advice from you all. I am applying it to myself too.

I am applying it to myself as well as wishing the same for you Gina. I'm not that good with words, but I would love to give you a great big hug

I love your new slogan...and as free says I think you have some passengers in there with you.

 

[FarmerChick]

HEY GINA

you will be fine....the old motto....one door closes, many more options open!!!

I am like you...change is H A R D! But change can be good. We do love our lives just perfect, most of us, and change can be upsetting, but go with the flow. Don't fight the flow, go with it and life is easier then swimming against the tide.

Whew...

You know what I mean. Hope all goes well...it will for you!!!!

 

[TanksHill]

Hey karen, thanks for stopping by. I hope your summer is going well. Yes I know go with the flow. But I can't swim very well and the anxiety is killing me.

BBH I'll take any hugs I can get. Sometimes, Heck most of the time it's the little gestures that count the most.

Denise, we have discussed the topic of in laws with a professional if you know what I mean. She helped my husband to understand that when he is with his dad he feels 10 again and wants to do anything he can to make his dad happy. I am good with that. Except when it causes issues with my family core. Please let you SO know what going on in my life. Maybe it will help him to realize fathers usually have the best intentions but sometimes things just don't work out. Be ready to handle things yourself.

Thank you for the kind words Dace. I know you have had some of the same experiences and your positive attitude gives me hope.

You guys are so great, thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Beekissed]

Yep, sounds like Aly is in a similar situation with the whole land thingy. Now, I've never had any dealings with in-laws and try to have little to do with my own family. But I have faith that you can do whatever you have to do, Tanks! You seem like a strong woman. SSers seem to land on their feet because they have leveled the playing field all along.....smoothing out the bumps by saving money, cutting costs, making do.

You'll make it through this and it will make you even stronger!

 

[dacjohns]

Gina,

Go to the Pepper Tree and have an ice cream. Sounds like you could use one.

 

[TanksHill]

Today was a beautiful day. I would say it reached at least 80 degrees. I spent sme time coming and going inside and out. My kids are still under the weather but well enough for me to sneak outside for a bit.

My mother used to tell me when I was a kid that I was solar powered. That's kinda ironic with the way things are going around here. I feel much better after some hard work out in the sun.

I unloaded about 10 bales of straw from the back of dh Freightliner. Two at a time into the trailer behind the lawn tractor, and took them out to my orchard. I use the straw as a mulch to keep the weeds down and the moisture in. I did this last year and the trees really seemed to do well. dh rides the lawn mower over the rest of the field but my trees are getting big and the mower really can't get close enough.

I love the look of the fresh straw around the bottoms. I will water it down one tree at a time with my whirly sprinkler. I just hope the chickens don't make to big a mess out of it.

Kinda hard to tell whats what but, the trees closest are some citrus I planted end of last year. They look dead but I think I can nurse them back. My main row has pear, apricot, peach, plum and two apples. On the other end I have grapefruit, lemon, and lime. Then the next row up has two nectarines and a cherry. Not sure what the cherry is doing. It's green but I don't think it get cold enough here. Then I have 3 avocados, Bacon, Fuerte and Hass. We put those in end of last year as well.

I really want to add some nuts but I think they need to go on the other side of the property.

Watered the garden, added more bedding to my little coop. The new dozen sex links started laying last week. 4 tiny eggs from those girls today, should reach 12 in just few days. Speaking of eggs I posted on craigslist yesterday for fresh eggs. Since school is out I am not seeing the moms that normally buy from me. The fridge is overflowing. We'll see how that goes. maybe I will start a delivery service. Take an hour on Fri or Sat am and deliver the darn things.

Dh is off for another contact meeting. Putting the word out that he may be looking for a consulting job. Most of the people he is talking to are ex employees. They all like him so maybe something will turn up. They also like the idea of him being a corporation of his own. Makes things easier on them.

Who knows.
have a great day, gina

 

[jenlyn9483]

Gina I envy your little orchard you have going. I really want to start some fruit trees. I wish it did not take so long for them to mature and bear. It would be so nice to have a big pear or apple tree producing right now and making gallons of preserves and jam. I let my goats free range my fenced property during the day so I have to divide my property by building a couple fences before that would be feasible. Been babying a little mimosa tree for a while that they already took out once.
Are you still having coyote troubles? We have them in my area but they wouldnt come near my place with a ten foot pole with all my big dogs. Sounds like you need a gun and a big dog. There are tons of homeless puppies and dogs around here, thats how I got mine, all rescues. I also have a barn cat that would kill up all those moles you have and give any coyote a run for his money, LOL. Good luck with everything.

 

[Dace]

Hey G....I need some eggs!

These girls of mine are taking their time. Two are now showing some posturing which supposedly indicates they are about to lay...but nothing yet.

 

[TanksHill]

Dace u can have any eggs you need!!!

Jenlyn, You know I have working on that little orchard for about 7 years. I have many failures. One thing I have learned is just get the tree in the ground. When you buy a little bare root thing the hole really does not need to be that large. For me the time of year to plant is usually after the first rains so the ground is pretty soft. My stone fruits did not take that long before they started producing. OK so maybe the first couple years it was only a dozen or so fruits but they were the best apricots I have ever eaten. I though citrus would be the easiest. I am on my second round of trees and things aren't looking that good. But, the trees that do take do amazing.

We still have quite a few coyote in the area they come and go. I chased off a really mangy German Shepard last week. I saw it coming down the street so I headed to the end of the driveway on my lawn tractor. Shooed it off. My chickens were out free ranging and I was a bit worried. I do have a large dog. Hes is a6 month old Rottweiler. He's still learning and not much god for anything at this point. The kids love him though.

Life on the work front is still about the same. Nothing like sitting around waiting for the bureaucrats to decide my future.

All good though. We have made some A++ connections related to solar and hope to meet with a marketing lady this week.

 

[TanksHill]

July 15.

The last couple of days have been kinda mellow. The kids are on the mend and starting to climb the walls.

My fil is having a luau this weekend for his 60th b day. I really am not n the mood to party or celebrate anything with him or his friends but I must play nice.

So being the good dil that I am I am going with a smile on my face and behaving. I think I can make more of a impact by showing up than boycotting anyways. Yesterday I made my girls two matching dresses to wear. I picked up a new pattern for the 6 yo and used one I have had for years for my 4 yo. The dresses came out ok. the 6yo is way long but she liked it like that. The first time I use a pattern things are always a bit off. Next time they will turn out perfect.

I worked in the garden for a few hours this am. My very traditional German neighbor brought me some cabbage starts from her greenhouse. Actually it was mine but it fell apart and I gave it to her. Her sil fixed it up and they have been doing very well with it. Anyways I saw these cabbage growing in her garden. They must have been a foot across. Huge dark green beautiful things. Turns out the seeds were smuggled in from her sisters garden in Germany. I can't wait to see if they grow.

I transplanted some little lettuces and cleaned up a lot of gunky leaves around my zuccs and cuc's.

Did I tell you all that my potatoes failed. Well, they did and I know it's the potato I started with. I tried to use some Fancy fingerling and they never grew. I grew reds last year and little golds through fall. So I know they will grow. I am just going to try again. Should have plenty of time before winter. Not that we have winter but you know what I mean.

So let me ask you this. Do any of you use DE in your gardens. I use it in my coop and for my rabbit but I read that it works on all bugs. So when we noticed the garden was full of what I call Roley pollies. But he neighbors says they are potato bugs. I sprinkled some DE all around. Just wondering what happens if it gets wet. I kinda figured since it's ingested by humans as well as animals it gets wet and still works.

We will see what happens.

Have a great day. gina