TanksHill...Roll on!!

[SKR8PN]

Sorry to hear about that TanksHill.

Another option is to run your fence a foot or so longer than needed, and bury it at a 90 degree angle to the above ground fence. Critters can't dig under what they are standing on........

 

[TanksHill]

Thank you all for your nice replies. It does help. I have heard that about putting the fence deep on the outside. The ground has always been so hard pack we have never had any issues. But to be honest after that last big earthquake there was a crack in the ground. It ran diagonal across the back corner. I think my hillside shifted and the corner was off the ground. The coop is built on an area we graded and created down slope. My dh dug it down and stuck some plywood in the ground. then reinforced with steaks. Then put my eucalyptus logs back. I hope it deters then critter.

I went to the garden for some therapy. Loosing the turkeys really bummed me out. I am thinking I know more about veggies than birds. So much so I think next year I am going to try and have a little farm stand in front of my house. I sell eggs without a problem so I was thinking of adding these veggies I am swimming in.

This is from two days ago. Please ignore the scarry beet.

This was today's haul.

I went out for a couple zucchini. I had no idea all these other goodies were ready.

yum!!

g

 

[framing fowl]

Sorry about the turkeys . I don't know what to do with coyotes other than shoot them.

Love the veggies! Cute basket. Isn't it fun to put it over your arm and walk out empty and come back full?

 

[Dace]

Sorry to hear about the loss of your little turkeys! That is a bummer

I love your harvest basket, very cute! Thinking along the lins of a produce stand, what about selling started veggies & herbs in pots (maybe newspaper pots since they'd be free)? I always thought that would be a good farmers market thing for me....I love starting seeds!

You liking this warmer weather?? It is about time summer decided to show up to the party!

 

[TanksHill]

Yes Dace, I have thought about started plants as well. When was a kid I did just that. I transplanted Spider Plants and Creeping charlies and sold them on my front sidewalk. I guess we never really change huh??

That reminds me I am stopping by a lawn mower shop up the street today. They have a great plant stand I am going to ask them about. Wont hurt, maybe they will give it to me.

That basket jeesh, I bought it at my Good will for couple dollars. It comes in handy for so many things.

The weather has been really nice here. With this warm up my veggies are all doing better. Those darn tomatoes may even turn red.

g

 

[Dace]

Mornin' Gina!


I haven't heard form you in a bit, so I thought I would check on you....how is everything?

Do your kids go back to school on Tues? Mine do my son already started last week, but it will be nice to have everyone back on a routine schedule....this crazy summer routine gets old fast.

How are your surviving turkeys?

Happy Labor Day Sunday!

 

[TanksHill]

Hey Dace,

Thanks for checking in on me. I have been around reading and such. Just not too much to contribute. I am keeping busy.

My kids went back to school on Aug 23, all 3. My youngest started kindergarten. She was so excited. I thought it would be the perfect time of year to plan a combo b day party for my kids.

I don't invite the extended family over very often but I figure if I am having some I may as well invite all. So for my sons 10th and daughters 5th I man-ed up and put something together. I invited my siblings and their teenage kids as well as DH family and there little ones. Then there were about 6 couples who are our friends and their kids. I ended up with about 60 people. It went really well but I spent the first week of school cleaning for the party and the second week recovering from the work.

I did pulled pork in crock pots, 1 left plain for the GF family. I also oven fried about 80 chicken legs and kept them in one of those huge electric roasting ovens. Then 3 salads, green, broccoli and pasta. Had a couple of huge watermelons cut up as well. I had a country picnic theme going so it all went really well. I just have a hard time sitting still. I was on my feet all day checking on folks and the food. I don't think I ever ate.

I did have a nephew come who has taken a balloon class through Disney. It was so perfect. He tied the greatest balloon hats, animals and stuff for the kids. I guess he needed the practice so it worked out great for both of us.

My garden was quite an attraction. Everyone knows I garden but I don't think they realized the extent of it. They were very surprised to see everything I had. The house and yard were in peak form so I was very proud. The chickens and turkeys were exciting for people to see as well.

The turkeys are doing well. I feel bad because they are not free ranging. They do have a large run but not the greens and bugs like the chickens. They are getting really big.

I have been canning and dehydrating everything I can. I did jalapenos yesterday. Remind me not to plant those things next year, they grow like weeds and we don't even eat them. I also did tomatoes, from the farmers market. Diced this time. I think I did 26 pints. Today I am working on pears, free from a friends tree.

I never made it to my sewing this week. Made a great plan for dd skorts but never quite got to it. I found mens t shirts at the 99 cent store. I bought several colors and plan to use them for the short part of the skirt. Such soft fabric and just the right amount.

I had two huge truckloads of free tree mulch dumped in my driveway. I have spent the past few mornings in the fog shoveling. Well pitch forking. We spread it around the circle of my driveway. Keeps the weeds down and water in.

Talked my brother into taking home some kefir grains at the party. He has been taking some stomach medicine for like a year and we both agree the good beasties he will benefit from. I do have to admit I killed the kefir Free sent me. I just could not get it going. I think it was kind of working but then it hit a rough patch and I did not know how to bring it around. I went to that Pockets of the Future blog and donated for some of hers. She mailed them liquid in a zip lock then double bagged and in a manila envelope. I only cycled them through once and they started making the best kefir. I am now and a kefir making fool. I love to eat these grains as well. Kind of chewy but wonderful flavor.

Well I guess I have talked your ear off enough. I have had a ton of coffee today and slept wonderful. Oh, I have a really funny story to tell about our power outage of 2010. Not something we experience very often. I will try and come back later to tell it.

Not only that but while shoveling mulch this morn DH and I talked about moving. He said he thinks hes almost ready!!! The problem is he said he thinks the house will keep coming up in value. I explained to him that they are actually going down again. Crud. We are just going to keep trudging and see where we end up.

Have a great day everyone!!!

Gina

 

[TanksHill]

So we had a power outage last week. I woke up in the middle of the night and the alarm clock was black. I rolled out of bed and had to cross the house to find dh cell phone. Only to find it was 2:57. I usually get up at 4 so there was no way I was going back to sleep. I jumped into full SS mode.

-Grabbed and oil lamp and lit it.
-Found the emergency candles. Had no holders. I remembered something abut beans in a jar. Had to find a flashlight so I could find the beans in the pantry. Batteries were dead of course. No AAA in the house. Crud there in the camper. I am not going out at 3 am for batteries. Found the beans. Do you know how loud that is at 3 am. Ting ting ting beans into the mason jar!!!!
So I got the tea kettle on for coffee. I figured I would get my normal morning stuff going. After all dh still had to go to work. I was sure the power would be on there.

Around 4 am I finally was brave enough to head to the camper. My dog stayed on the porch and supervised from a distance. Nice!! Flipped the switch of course it lit up like the 4th of July. Got the batteries and the wind up radio. Went into the garage which had open doors. We forgot to close them the night before. I guess that was lucky. I grabbed a jug of Clean Heat oil for another lamp. Back to the house.

I was going to go on line, I have a lap top after all. Well the wireless router and modem are in my sons room and electric. Not good!! I did remember to plug in a non electric telephone. Just in case I needed to call somebody!!

So I grabbed an afghan and laid on the sofa. I watched the sun come up in the east. Right through my front door!! It was really nice.

Over all I would say I did ok. A few tings I need to work on in my emergency preparedness plan. The power finally came back on around 11 am. I guess someone hit a power pole up the street and it took them a while to fix it.

The funny thing is I was at my kids school the next day. I over heard a woman talking about how her daughter had a panic attack.. I guess she was upset she couldn't get to school. Her mom did not know how to open the garage door without electricity. All I could think was thank goodness I am not that woman!!!

So I do have a few things I will do differently. Maybe next time I wake up to a black clock I will just roll over go back to sleep.

 

[Farmfresh]

Good story and glad to hear from you again. It is those little trial runs that keep us tuned up and sharp. Still .. I have to agree about the turn over and snooze idea.

 

[Dace]

Great story Gina!!

You made me take a minute and think about what would do....around here the power poles are underground and in the 11 years I have lived in this community we have only had power outages a few times, usually due to SDGE shutting off an area for work.

I don't even have an oil lamp

DH *may* be starting up a new job/project this week, which will give me more free time...I am thinking if all goes well I may just pull out and dust off my sewing machine. DD likes those short little fluffy skirts and I thought I might give one a try...how hard can it be?

Glad to hear that the party went well...sounds exhausting!

Happy Tuesday ....my two girls go back to school today, 3rd & 12th grade