Homestead Update

Welcome to Garden Friday(?)

This is more of an update on the Homestead in general,

as not a dang thing is going on in the garden.

We have some garlic and asparagus planted out there,

but the only thing really growing right now (thanks to ample rain) is the cover crop.

We planted Winter Rye in the beds that we are not using for fall/winter harvest.

What had been growing was decimated by the freeze.

One bright spot, our sunrises have been exquisite!

We had our overhanging trees trimmed 

on the back of the property.

As you can see here,

there was quite a bit hanging over the house and back deck.

This growth was also interfering with Big K's HAM radio antennas.

 After the work was done,

it not only looks neater,

but it allows for more light into the north side of the house.

No worry of branches causing damage to the roof either.

 

 

 The 2023 project list has been assembled.

Last year we really didn't do much to the house,

but now that I have started receiving my Social Security money,

we will be able to tackle a few things on our list.

Looking forward to getting some of the house updated.

 

 

 

With the initial leveling work completed,

the area for the newly purchased shed is being prepped.

We need to add gravel which will be the base for

our Trex planks and then the shed itself.

I'm so looking forward to having all of my tools

and equipment in one, covered space.

Some of our chook supplies will be kept in the 7X7 shed as well.
We hope to get to work on assembling it this coming weekend,

weather permitting.

The price of eggs is the most common topic of conversation around these parts.

Makes me so grateful to have our girls providing

one of nature's most perfect foods.

Life is better with chickens.

Hope the sun is shining where you are!

 

 

Wordless Wednesday

 

 

 

Friday Fotos

 

Welcome to Friday Fotos!

We've been a little bit busier on the homestead over the last week,

able to tackle both indoor and outdoor tasks.

It's felt good to rack up some steps on my pedometer.

 

It seems the chooks have decided that the flower bed 

in front of the porch is their newest favorite place.

I'll have to come up with something to keep them out of there,

because I have plans to beef it up with perennial plants for the growing season.
 

 

This week I finally found a home for these old newspapers

my parents had kept from all those years ago.

 

The local historical office was happy to have them

to add to their collection.

 

 I'm not sure how I got them or why I held on to them for so long.

I'm just glad that they will be able to be viewed by others.

 

Our neighbors two doors down keep bees.

I decided it was a good time to stock up,

as I've heard from other beekeepers that they 

completely sold out of their honey this past year.

 

 With springtime fast approaching,

I gathered the cardboard tubes that had been collected

and made seed pots.

A new process was used this time,

and I'm curious to see how well they hold up.

 The tweak with these is that the bottoms sit flat,

so there is less chance that they will tip over and spill soil.

I'll be posting the new method soon.

 

 

We had a weekday in the 60's,

believe it or not,

and I took full advantage.

This DIY "shed" that I fashioned last year

was starting to look ragged.

It was time for a bit of reorganization.

 

These storage units were repurposed from C's room.

They used to house a lot of his Lego bricks,

but we redid his system and he no longer needed these.

They were ideal for use in the outdoor space.

I was able to store smaller items for the garden and the chooks.

 

They fit perfectly in the space and allowed me

to fit more into the same area.

Some "s" hooks will be acquired so that

I can hang up some of the items and get them off the ground.

Here's another chore I've been waiting to do

once the weather cleared up a bit.

The area under the chicken coop would sometimes get soggy

when it rained or snowed.

I'm hoping this diversion dug into the ground behind the coop

will shed the water in a different direction,

thereby keeping their run area drier.

 

Well, the warm weather lasted a day, and then it hit.

We were blessed with about 2 inches of snow.

Hot dog!

 

You'll hear no complaints from me!

It's still a magical thing to me,

and I enjoy watching it come down and blanket everything

in a serene sea of white.

 

The chooks, on the other hand,

are not so fond of it.

They pretty much stay in or under the coop.

I did shovel most of it in the run,

so that they could stretch their legs.

The Eglu coop is surprisingly warm inside.

When I open the nesting box in the morning,

I stick my hand in the roosting area 

and am assured that it is toasty warm.

Amazing!
 

 

On a side note,

we made a discovery this week with one of the chooks.

It was the middle of the day and I went out to check on them,

and Queenie was sitting on two eggs in the nesting box.

Hmmm...

It seems we've discovered why she has been acting so peculiar lately.

Unfortunately, we aren't set up for chicks just yet,

so I took the eggs.

We are hoping she continues to be broody for another month,

when we will have another coop to use for spring chicks.

It will be our first time caring for baby chicks 

and we are all very excited.

 

What's happening on your homestead?
 

Need Flags?

 

 

Our living habits are fairly simple.

We believe in the homesteading lifestyle which means

that we make do with what we have,

reuse or find a new purpose for items

and invest in quality merchandise when new elements must be replaced.

Shopping at thrift stores is always preferred,

as you never know what vintage treasures might be found.

 

That being said,

we were in the market for some new flags

for the garden and the house.

I've bought flags in the past from the usual places,

and been disheartened at how little use we got out of them.

For the most part,

they could not stand up to the elements,

fading with the sun and ripping with the gusts moving across the property.

 

Until now.

For the last year or so,

I've purchased several a dozen or so flags from 

Discount Decorative Flags

and been pleasantly pleased with the quality of their products.

Even with the windiest of conditions and ample sunshine,

the flags we've purchased still look brand new.

Their collection also includes door mats,

mailbox covers, windsocks, and more.

The bonus is that the flat rate shipping of $5 for orders under $49,

makes it that much easier to dress up your home and garden.

Orders amounting beyond that, include free shipping.

 

The selection of subject matter is diverse.

Everything from seasons, to specific holidays,

to sports teams to any number of animals, floral,

military, nautical, outdoor, and patriotic

themes are available.

There really is something for everyone here.

With the average price of house flags hovering around $10,

this company gives you your money's worth.

And if that isn't enough,

there is a clearance section with a wide variety of choices.

I find it difficult to restrain myself when perusing this area on the website.

I do change our flags out with the seasons,

so this section makes it easier to add to the collection.

I think I might just need a few more flag poles around the homestead. 

 

This website is a fabulous place to find a thoughtful gift.

I'm not much of a shopper, but this company provides great products at a good value,

and that's an important aspect for me.

 

If you find yourself wanting to dress up an area of your homestead,

pay them a visit and see if you can't find something

you can't live without.

 

(I'm not receiving anything for reviewing this company,

I just like to keep the good stuff moving.)

 

 

Dryer Fire Safety

 

One of the tasks we managed to complete during lockdown

was cleaning out the dryer vent.

It's suggested to do this at least once a year,

depending on how much laundry you do.

Not only is this important for the life of the dryer,

it could save your life.

Along with making it easier for the dryer to do its job,

keeping the lint filter and vents free and clear of sediment

helps your dryer work more efficiently and quickly.

 

The lint that builds up in the vent is highly flammable,

and if the vent gets clogged, it can start a fire.  

It can also prevent CO gases from exiting the system outside

and keep it circulating within the laundry area.

 

This brush, with the extended handle,

is a tool that makes the job a breeze.

It can be used with a power drill, to make the task even easier.

The brush can be found at most hardware and home improvement stores.

 

Our laundry space is in a hallway closet,

we don't have a separate laundry room (yet).

Now, you know I wouldn't show this to anyone unless I thought it could help.

This is what the floor underneath the dryer looked like.

Ugh.

I doubt it's ever been cleaned under,

but since the dryer had to be moved to get to the vent,

we took the opportunity to tidy up while we were there.

 

 

The hose connecting from the dryer to the vent hole in the floor (on the rear right),

was removed and we could get to work.

With the Shop Vac and my usual floor cleaner of hot water and vinegar,

the grunge was sent down the bathroom sink.

We placed the brush into the hole and got out a mess of debris.

The second part of this task was to locate the vent on the outside of the house,

and clean it out as well.

You may be surprised at all the junk that makes its way out.

All of this debris can be composted,

or if you don't use dryer sheets (I use dryer balls),

it can actually be left outside for the birds to use in nest making.

I even know someone who puts it in her worm bin.

The back of the washer and dryer were thoroughly cleaned.

The side where the washing machine sat was no better.

For some reason, this side was sticky and I found a stack of newspapers

wadded up behind it, along with a few stray kids' socks.

This tile will be replaced when we redo the bathroom floors,

but at least it's cleaner until we tackle that job.

We will be moving the laundry to another part of the house,

and this closet will become our pantry and storage area.

Looking forward to making this spot more efficient!

Every time I opened the doors of the laundry closet,

the area in front of the washer and dryer really bothered me.

It was full of nasty grunge and gunk. 

Ahhh, that's better. 

More importantly,

our family feels a bit safer,

knowing that we have maintained this often forgotten space.

It will be an annual chore that can be accomplished in minutes.

Our safety is well worth the time and effort.

 

Birdhouse Perch

 

This spring we put up several birdhouses, in part,

 to help with insect control in the garden.

Some were attached to trees, 

while a couple of others were mounted on 5-foot conduit poles.

The occupancy was hit-and-miss until we discovered a different way

to keep the birds and the eggs inside a bit safer.

We swapped out the five foot poles for 10 foot lengths of conduit.

This makes it more difficult for snakes and squirrels to rob the nests.

It also allows our feathered friends to have more privacy,

without being disturbed by foot traffic passing by at (our) eye level.

The poles slip easily into a simple bracket

and hold the birdhouse in place.

Using a piece of wood or a screw on the top,

the pole stays right where you want it.

This also makes it a breeze to clean the houses out each season,

as the pole handily slides right out of the bracket

after bringing the pole down from its roost.

We used both PVC pipe and plain rebar inserted into the ground

to anchor the poles.

Even in our hard, clay soil, this was readily accomplished.

With the PVC, the pole fits snugly inside,

and with the rebar, the pole drapes over the top.

Either way, it is quite secure.

We used what we had lying around,

but even if the items need to be purchased,

it's fairly inexpensive.

 

Bird watching has become a daily pasttime,

so it is our pleasure to provide for the families who call our property home.

It's one small thing we can do to encourage and foster

some of Nature's most fascinating creatures.

 

Using Diffusers

Essential oils have been used in our home for several years.
We prefer the DoTerra brand,
as we've always had good experience with them.
These oils can be added to diffusers, applied topically,
and some are even safe enough to ingest.
Especially in winter, when the air is exceedingly dry,
dispersing oils into the air helps keep humidity higher,
while adding a fragrance to fit one's mood.
We usually have lemon or orange diffusing in the living room,
but we use peppermint during the holidays. 
Aromatic application can encourage
relaxation, stimulation and emotional renewal.
The diffuser shown above is our living room unit.
It gets filled in the morning,
and pretty much goes all day,
cleaning and scenting the air.
This unit has an automatic shut-off,
so if I forget to turn it off before bedtime,
it will shut off when the water is gone.

Using a diffuser with essential oils in the bedroom
encourages sounder sleep.
Scents such as lavender, jasmine, sandalwood, and even vanilla
foster a sense of relaxation and restfulness.
Eucalyptus, lemon and rosemary can aide
in breathing easier through the sleep cycle.
Along with the chosen aroma,
the vaporizing effect of the mist adds needed humidity to the air,
especially in the dry winter months.
I was even able to find a diffuser
with an added bonus, a white noise option.
Between the essential oils and my choice of rain, 
a rolling stream or incoming waves, my sleep has improved.

An important aspect when using a diffuser in any application,
is keeping it clean.
The water sometimes sits and creates mildew in the reservoir.
Simply using warm water and perhaps a bit of vinegar
will take care of the problem.
I do this at least once a month,
and more if I see it's needed.
This ensures that the diffuser will last longer
and continue to support your well being.

Our diffusers are a welcome addition to the homestead.