Whispering Hills Homestead

2009-08-07T17:46:00.001-05:00

Hi, everyone! Good to see you. I am now only posting at www.whatifweallcared.blogspot.com
See you there!

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Squash & Cucumbers

2009-08-06T17:10:00.000-05:00

I am so loving my parkway this year!

Fresh laundry soap!

2009-08-02T18:42:00.000-05:00

'Green' Beans are Calling Me!

2009-07-31T12:30:00.000-05:00

Hello! I wandered out to dump the compost bicket and noticed my beans are ready to pick again.
I have to get out there before the groundhogs start munching!

Today's Harvest...

2009-07-30T15:09:00.000-05:00

I wandered into the parkway to take a break from work and found a wonderful surprise!
I'll be firing up the dehydrator again tonight!

My Tomatoes are Calling Me!

2009-07-29T18:15:00.000-05:00

Hi! I was simply changing the direction the hose is spraying and noticed a few tomatoes ripe and ready for the table/ dehydrator.
I am so excited to see a harvest start to come in.
This will be a bountiful year after all!

Pretty Fall Colors

2009-07-29T13:13:00.000-05:00

Multimedia message

2009-07-22T19:49:00.000-05:00

More fence goes up and more plants go in...

Butterfly Bush

2009-07-20T15:59:00.000-05:00

Indoor Fly Solution

2009-07-19T12:20:00.000-05:00

Hi! You've got to try these things for all the flies that get trapped in the house! They're amazing!
We had a bunch of flies that got in and couldn't find their way out. They were dive-bombing us during dinner, so we began to look for a way to eliminate them.
Stop by Derald's Flea Market, pay your $ .50 admission, walk back to the first cross aisle and look to your right. He has a good supply, but don't dawdle!!

Blog Changes Coming...

2009-07-09T17:39:00.000-05:00

Hi! Glad to see you. I wanted to let you know about upcoming changes to all my blogs.
Originally I had one blog. When I found there were too many topics I wanted to cover for the one blog, I diversified into multiple blogs.
Now I am finding that I am not always able to post to every blog every day and many posts should be on more than one of my blogs!
I have not decided which blog will be the one I keep, or if I will simply start a new blog altogether and move all posts from the old blogs to the new one.
Once I decide, I will post the location.
Thank you to all my faithful readers. I sincerely hope you continue to follow and that the new format is pleasing!

Making Sun Tea

2009-07-05T08:50:00.000-05:00

Today I'm trying our new sun tea jug.
This is the tea we drink to flush our systems. My son (8 yrs) found a lump on his chest, so I thought I'd brew up this wonderful detox tea!
What teas do you rely on for good health?

Blueberries on New Bush!

2009-07-03T07:18:00.000-05:00

I Went 'Shopping' Tonight!

2009-07-02T19:29:00.000-05:00

Aren't these just the most beautiful things you've ever seen?
Strawberries, mulberries, sweet banana peppers and wax beans ready to munch.
A true feast to behold!

Basil Seedlings

2009-06-30T07:50:00.000-05:00

Hey! Nice to see you! Grab a cup of coffee and let's go around the back.
Remember when I put up the little fence and planted along it to define our property line? Well, the Basil is finally sprouting!
Soon I will have a living fence and plenty of fresh basil to dry for yummy meals.

Planting Corn & Squash

2009-06-29T19:15:00.000-05:00

Good evening! Welcome back!
I've decided to jungle a little more! After I weeded, I spread corn and squash seeds randomly over the area. Then I covered the seeds with a fresh layer of mulch and watered thoroughly.
Soon I'll have loads more squash and corn.

Candy Mulched...

2009-06-29T16:31:00.000-05:00

More Mulch

2009-06-29T07:37:00.000-05:00

Hi! Just a quick picture of Matthew filling buckets with fresh mulch. It's always nice to have such a good helper around!

Corn, Tomatoes & Beans Grow

2009-06-27T13:32:00.000-05:00

Well, hello! Isn't it a lovely sunny day?
Take a look at how much our corn, tomatoes and beans are growing! This area was experimental, using a jungle technique. I really wasn't sure how well all these plants would grow together, but was happily surprised!
The jungle technique does work well and allows little light for weeds to grow as promised.
I will definitely use this technique all over my lot!

Squash & Tomatoes Take Shape

2009-06-27T09:00:00.000-05:00

Hi! How are you faring in this humidity? Grab an ice water and step out back.
Would you look at these vegetables?! I planted them a couple weeks ago. I was trying to get crops in, one small area at a time. As I had planted late, I really wasn't sure if it was worth it.
Look at how cute they are! They're making every effort to grow despite all the excessive rain.
It sure brings me renewed hope for my homesteading dreams to see them so healthy!

Front Lounge Takes Shape

2009-06-26T17:09:00.000-05:00

Hey! How are you today? I'm afraid our front lounge is being rehabbed so we have nowhere to sit out here today.
What do you think? As I got ready to pull more weeds and spread more mulch, I decided to start with the front lounge. This room has really been bugging me as it is so unfinished!
One bucket full of pulled weeds and one of fresh mulch, it's slowly becoming the nicest room on the homestead. Stop by soon to see it when it's finished!

Entrance Says 'Welcome'?

2009-06-25T08:02:00.000-05:00

Hello! This is the revamp of the entrance to our property. Weeds were pulled. Seeds and fresh mulch were spread.
I am hoping that the improved look says "Welcome Friends!"
What do you think?

It Finally Died

2009-06-24T14:49:00.000-05:00

Welcome the the last day of a seriously old bench. Poor thing came with the house and we were already being careful to sit down gently.
Today I tried to move it to weed under. It was in no shape to be moved! There was no point in trying to resusitate, so we declared it DOA and carried it to the curb to be hauled off for scrap.

Alley Rehab...

2009-06-23T00:34:00.000-05:00

Good evening! Welcome! Grab an ice water and let's go talk about the mess the alley was and what I envision out there.
When we bought this property the alley portion of the lot was strewn with debris! Railroad ties, chunks of concrete, glass and poison ivy were everywhere.
Slowly, this year, I have pulled the concrete back from the fence, planted rugosa roses, moved the railroad tied to start a curb, mulched heavily and verbally threatened the poison ivy!
Next I need to level off a space just outside the railroad ties, but inside my blue string. In that spot I'll anchor the cinder blocks to create a solid curb.
When the alley turns to ice this winter, no one will slide into my fence!!!

Watching it all Grow

2009-06-22T08:24:00.000-05:00

Corn, beans, tomatoes, chocolate mint are all growing together here.
It is so nice to wander outside and see that, yes, we will have fresh, safe fruits and vegetables again this season! As we watch this country spin further and further out of control, the basic necessities of life seem more and more precious.

What a Surprise!

2009-06-21T11:03:00.000-05:00

I came out to give some used coffee grounds to my rhubarb and found the cauliflower had formed cute little heads.
What a wonderful surprise for a Sunday morning!

Prepping Pots to Plant

2009-06-15T07:41:00.000-05:00

Hi! Glad to see you!
Today I am not at the homestead; I'm at work. This is the little apartment off my office.
I am needing to get better at growing vegetables in pots, so I'm using available space here.
With both Russian and Mexican scientists forcasting another ice age, and this summer being decidedly cool, I realized that I'd better get a move on and get ready!
How ready are you?

Property Line Gets Defined

2009-06-14T07:16:00.000-05:00

Hello! How are you? How is your homestead doing?
As we are only able to afford to fence a little at a time, we have added the mini fence. Along it I placed pieces of cardboard. On top of the cardboard I sprinkled vegetable seeds and covered with mulch.
The mini fence is helping to keep the neighbor kids out of the yard when we are home. The vegetables should provide a friendly edible fence until we can finish the permanent fence.

Added Summer Squash & Mulch

2009-06-13T07:14:00.000-05:00

Added Eggplant & Mulch

2009-06-12T06:41:00.001-05:00

Hi! Glad to see you! Step out back a minute so I can show you what I did.

As I can not plant another rose until we put up the fence panel that will go in front of the gate, I decided to make use of the vertical surface and plant vining vegetables.

Can't you just envision eggplant winding it's way up the latticework?

A Yummy Fence!

Still a Long Way to Go

2009-06-11T07:43:00.001-05:00

Nice of you to stop back by! I've been up to my knees in weeds. There just never seems to be enough time to pull them all.
I spent a good hour on the far corner. I pulled weeds, mulched and planted more vegetables.
Although it is a neverending chore, I really enjoy it. It is so satisfying to see even a small area transformed into a mini paradise!

Berry Bush

2009-06-10T16:33:00.000-05:00

Hello! Welcome back!
This is a bush we planted last summer. Boy, has it really taken off! No sign of berries yet, but the weather has been weird so I'm still hopeful.
How are your berry bushes doing?

Cleaning Up & Planting

2009-06-08T16:44:00.000-05:00

Why, hello! nice of you to stop by.
This corner was really bugging me so I spent some extra time on it. I pulled weeds galore (I may have to build an extra composter!).I planted a few tomatoes to disuade the groundhogs, then I scattered a few seeds. I mulched around all existing plants and over the seeds. I watered thoroughly.
Now to sit and wait for my seeds to sprout and hope the groundhog feels unloved!
Stop by again soon!

Our Latest Freebie...

2009-06-07T14:52:00.000-05:00

Hi! Grab some iced coffee and come around back!
Check out all this chicken wire we got from a nice man on Joliet_Area_Freecycle! Many thanks to Jan for dropping the big roll at the house. You're great!

Edible Parkway

2009-06-06T17:07:00.000-05:00

I was standing her watering and thought you might want a peek!

A Great Freebie Today!

2009-06-05T07:08:00.000-05:00

Hey! I have to tell you about the great posts we got from Joliet_Area_Freedom. Would you look at all these fence posts! Someone offered these... For free. She had received them through Joliet_Area_Freedom and used as many as she needed.
We were so happy to relieve her of them. And, she was so happy to have them gone.
What a great freebie!

Resort Paradise or Home?

2009-06-04T07:22:00.000-05:00

Hi! Welcome back!
Isn't it amazing how a little ingenuity and hard work can transform a mess into a peaceful retreat?
I can't wait till the whole yard is fenced!

Chocolate Mint by the Shed

2009-06-03T08:53:00.000-05:00

Garlic, Tomatoes & Cantalope

2009-06-02T16:37:00.000-05:00

Around Climbing Tree

2009-06-02T14:35:00.000-05:00

Our Fence Takes Shape

2009-06-02T07:09:00.000-05:00

The Concord Grape Goes In

2009-06-01T07:46:00.000-05:00

Wow!
Now I'm really getting a visual of how beautiful and functional this will be.

Welcome to Our Homestead!

2009-05-31T13:07:00.000-05:00

Learning to Take Off Wheels

2009-05-28T16:26:00.000-05:00

Hello! Grab some coffee and let's go around back.
We seem to do a lot with practical living skills as there is no way to know how independantly Matthew will be able to live as an adult.
Candace is teaching Matthew how to take off a bike wheel. He bought the bike used for $40.00 at Derald's Flea Market. The tires are dry-rotted and the tubes probably are, too.
We tried to get him to take the wheels off himself, but he wouldn't even try, so we turned it into a three stage class.
It is impotant that he be capable of caring for himself as much as possible. It is our job to accomplish that.

Making More Laundry Soap

2009-05-24T16:00:00.000-05:00

Good afternoon! Welcome back. Today I am making up a fresh batch of laundry soap.
I am cooking it on the grill as we still have hot coals after cooking dinner. This will help to not heat up the house in the summer, too.
The pot on the left is the bar soap melting in water. This always takes a while.
The pot on the right is the water heating with borax and baking soda in it.
The bucket on the ground has what was left of the last batch. I poured in a bottle of Dreft we bought for the baby.
Once the bar soap has melted, I'll combine that with the hot water into the bucket. Then stir it thoroughly and let it cool.
Voila~~ Cheap Laundry Soap!

The New Fence Goes Up

2009-05-22T11:12:00.000-05:00

Hi! How've you been? Isn't the weather lovely?
What do you think of the new fence?
The posts and latticework are cedar~ untreated to protect our land.
We plan to put up at least 1-2 panels every payday. Soon the whole lot will be secured!
We will plant a climbing rose at every other panel. Grapes, kiwis or other climbing perenials will be planted at the panels that don't get roses. Soon we will have a thorny living fence made sturdier by the vines growing through it!

Mulching the Edible Parkway

2009-05-21T14:06:00.000-05:00

Honey in My Coffee

2009-05-15T20:49:00.000-05:00

Hi! Hurry in out of the rain. Would you like to try some honey in your coffee?
No, seriously... I've been trying this as an experiment. It's pretty good.
Now, I have found I need way less honey than I did sugar. I really was addicted to 1/3 sugar to 2/3 coffee! That is at least twice what I need of honey for it to taste good.
Try it and tell me what you think... I'd love to hear from you!

The New Mower

2009-05-14T07:11:00.001-05:00

Hi! Welcome back to our little homestead!
I wanted to share with you about the new mower we bought last summer. We had an antique rotary mower that was doing an okay job. It cut the grass fairly thoroughly, but needed to be dismantled, cleaned, sharpened and oiled. That was more than we could handle at the time, so we ran out to Lowe's in New Lenox and bought this new rotary mower.
The best thing about it was the ease of assembly. Matthew and I sat down on the front porch together and opened the box. He was able to put it together fairly quickly while I held the instructions and quietly watched. What a great self-esteem building experience for a, then, seven-year-old boy! After all, none of his friends could say they had built their family's rotary mower!

Grow Vegetables in Pots

2009-05-13T14:03:00.001-05:00

Well, good morning to you! Let's brew a fresh, hot pot of coffee and curl up by the wood stove and chat.
As chilling winds continue to sweep across our homestead, I am once again wanting to improve my ability to grow vegetables in pots indoors.
The attempt last year was short-lived. I started the swiss chard in our edible parkway, then transplanted to pots indoors as the fall season took hold. At first it grew well. But, after a month, it began to die off.
Now is the time for me to begin this project again. Plant a few different vegetables this time. (Not all my eggs in one basket... LOL!).
The window I have used at work is west facing. That is where I planted last year. It would be nice to plant a hanging (trailing) vegetable in the south facing window in my room this year, too.
Are you having any success with growing vegetables indoors? What do you grow? Any tips you'd like to share?

Sunflowers Peak at the Sky

2009-05-12T06:55:00.001-05:00

Well, good morning! Glad you came by early to visit. It's only 39 degrees outside, so let's get steaming mugs of coffee before we head out back.
Would you look at these sunflowers! We planted these to create a living fence. It is not quite at the back of the lot as it would interfere with installation of the latticework fence later. Instead we planted it at the back of the 'garden' area.
Soon we will have a bright fence 10 - 20 feet high. Stop back in a few weeks and take a look!

'Shopping' in Last Year's Garden

2009-05-11T06:56:00.001-05:00

Hi! How are you enjoying spring?

Have you changed your vegetable beds from last year?

This picture is of Candace and Matthew 'shopping' in last year's vegetable beds.

Last Year's Compost Pile

2009-05-10T06:39:00.001-05:00

Good evening! How have you been?
This is what's left of last year's compost pile. From December 1, 2007 until January 2009 we filled this compost pile. It is so nice to know all our kitchen waste and cat manure will provide healthier, more fertile soil for our vegetables.

Storms Move In...

2009-05-09T09:37:00.001-05:00

Violets Soften My Rain Garden

2009-05-09T06:53:00.000-05:00

Edible Parkway Takes Shape

2009-05-08T06:35:00.001-05:00

Well, hello! Welcome to our edible parkway!
We've planted lettuce, peas, currants, green onions, strawberries and asparagus to share!
We are trying to make sure it is appealing to the eye as well as the palette. Hopefully, we will finish adding all the edibles soon and can finally mulch heavily!
It will be nice to watch it mature and to offer free fresh produce to our neighbors. Maybe they will be convinced to plant an edible parkway, too.
Could you plant at least one edible in your parkway and ask your neighbors to do the same?

We Progress as Night Falls

2009-05-07T07:10:00.000-05:00

Good evening!
As darkness tries to overcome us, we put a few more stones on the compost bin.
Tonight the concrete should dry.
Tomorrow we can add more... until it is high enough to contain a year's worth of compost.
It's a relief to see it all start to take shape!

Starting Our Compost Bin

2009-05-06T06:43:00.000-05:00

Good afternoon and welcome back to the homestead! Isn't it a lovely day? How is your planting coming along?
We've finally gotten around to starting our compost bin. These stones are from the old crumbled retainer wall we replaced last summer. This allows us to be ecologically sound and save money!
I chose this location for the composter for many reasons. The chicken yard will be right next to it to aid in ease of transfer of chicken litter to composter. It sits between my peach and nectarine trees to allow compost tea to seep into the root systems of both. It is next to the vegetable beds so I can drop in old plants easily. And it is close to the back of the house to provide a short walk with kitchen scraps and cat litter.
It feels good to build it ourselves. There is something about doing the work ourselves that we cannot ger from paying a hired hand!

This Year's Compost Pile

2009-05-05T06:42:00.001-05:00

Hi! Welcome back! Would you like to have a cup of coffee out back this morning? Shall we brew it with a sprig of chocolate mint?
Would you look at how fast our compost pile is growing this year! It's not even summer and the pile is huge.
It is sitting right in the middle of our expanded vegetable beds~ highly inconvenient! But it was a quick place to dump the compost in the middle of winter.
Now I've found out the 'code regulations' for our area require it be covered. I was intending to build a stone bin this year. I'll have to get on that before the city folk show up fussing!
Meanwhile, the pile keeps growing!

Pretty Onions All in a Row

2009-05-02T07:27:00.000-05:00

Hi! Welcome back to our homestead! Shall we wander out front?
Here is where I transplanted all the bunch onions that were overcrowded. Now I have a nice long row of onions waving in the breeze.To the left of the onions you see my garlic standing proudly. Between these are two (2) rows of peas that aren't up yet.
Soon I should have a seasonal edible green hedge all along my fence.
Yummy Privacy!

Drainage Through Parkway

2009-05-01T07:31:00.000-05:00

Well, hello there! Nice to have you visit our edible parkway.
This is the start of the drainage ditch I dug to handle all the street run-off that will come with heavy rainfall. The water will flow through the neighbor's property, into the ditch I dug on the North side of the house, across the ene of my drive and into this ditch.
I am planting inedible vegitation closest to the ditch and the edibles between that and the fence.
Slowly it is coming together and should be beautiful!

Asparagus in Edible Parkway

2009-04-30T11:12:00.000-05:00

Hi! Welcome! Sit a spell and have a cup of coffee with me.
How is your edible parkway coming along? I can't wait for you to send photos with your comments!
When I redid the asparagus bed, I decided to put two (2) plants in the parkway to share. Asparagus is so expensive, but now we can share it.
If you come by to get some, be sure to cut the stalks carefully (do not pull or rip it) so it will continue to produce.
Can't you just taste the fresh cream of asparagus soup?

Our Rain Garden 2007

2009-04-29T06:38:00.000-05:00

Good morning! So nice of you to stop by! Grab a cup of coffee and let's sit back and relax.
This is how our rain garden looked last year. Matthew and I dug it out by hand and planted until we were bone weary. Candace and Maggi built the little bridge.
It was so peaceful to sit out in such a tranquil setting! The garden was filled with blue kale, violets, tulips, carrots, tomatoes, tomatilloes, onions, garlic, basil and dill. A 'veritable smorgasbord' at our feet. It created a woodsy comfortable feeling to boot!
What have you found to beautify your front 'lawn' and feed your family? Share some ideas!

Turnip Greens in Edible Parkway

2009-04-28T06:36:00.000-05:00

Hi! Welcome back to our edible parkway!
Would you look at how well the turnip greens are growing! No one has come by to snip some for dinner yet. I think I'm going to cook some for dinner tonight. There's just something about home grown veggies.
How is your edible parkway coming along?

Currant Bushes in Edible Parkway

2009-04-27T09:13:00.000-05:00

Good Morning!
Remember going to your Grandma's as a child? Both of my Grandma's had currant bushes. I remember munching at those bushes as a child.
Good memories must be perpetuated, so I decided to plant two (2)! Now my children and grandchildren will be able to munch truly fresh currants.
And so will my neighbors!

Asparagus

2009-04-26T11:43:00.000-05:00

Welcome to our mini asparagus patch! These were the first peeks of brand new plants in the front of the house last year. They grew like weeds even though it was their first year reaching about four feet tall!
This year we are relandscaping their bed, so they being relocated to areas that should provide a comfy space to flourish.
Where do your asparagus like to hang out?

Our Freshly Planted Peanut Field

2009-04-25T07:43:00.000-05:00

Good morning! Nice to see you today. Can you stay a minute and take a look at our mini peanut field?
We took a long hard look at all the nut recalls and decided to plant our own peanuts. This fall we should be able to make our own fresh organic peanut butter. It is such a nice feeling to know oir food supply is under our control!

Cauliflower & Garlic

2009-04-24T14:16:00.000-05:00

Well, welcome to our shade garden! Shall we sit and relax out here with our coffee?
This is the rehabbed area where our rain garden had been. We hand tilled last year's compost and a 40 pound bag of manure into it.
We planted the garlic around the cauliflower in hopes of disuading furry invaders from munching here. Hopefully it will work better than it did with the feral cats!
Do you have any organic ides to keep your vegetables safe?

Making Laundry Soap, stage 1

2009-04-22T19:42:00.000-05:00

Well, hi there! Tonight we are making laundry soap. I got the idea from a group I belong to and thought I'd try it.
I shaved a bar of green Dove soap into an old pan. Then I covered it with water and boiled until it melted.
After that I stirred in 3/4 cup Borax and 2 cups baking soda. Wow, did it foam!
Finally, I boiled 2 1/2 gallons water, poured it over the mixture (in an old cat litter tub) and stirred.
As soon as it cools, I can get back to doing laundry.

Free Firewood!

2009-04-21T09:23:00.001-05:00

Well, hello! Welcome back to our homestead!
This picture was actually from last summer. We had a tree cut down on our property and kept the wood to cut up for firewwod.
We got to talking to the guy who cut down our tree and he said he has a lot of extra wood that he jas to dispose of.
We were SO excited!!!
We asked him to drop a load of wood in our parkway when he had a chance.
We were so happy to come home to an unsightly pile. It took us forever to cut and haul all of it, but it was such a blessing!
This year we will see if he will drop off more wood. Also, we cruise through Oakwood Cemetery regularly looking for fallen branches and kindling.
What is your family doing to accumulate free firewwod?

The Country Patio Expanded

2009-04-20T20:24:00.001-05:00

Good Morning!
Isn't the spring weather beautiful?!
This is a photo of the additional stones we added to our country patio. We recycled stones from our old retaining wall and what we dug up as we prepped vegetable beds.
A little more surface area to step on when it's muddy.
What fun things are you doing to green your lot?

Our Grey-Water Garden

2009-04-20T06:40:00.001-05:00

Hi, there! Welcome to our sunny homestead! Grab a fresh iced coffee and lets talk about water conservation.
This little grey water garden was the product of happenstance.
First, we found that the washing machine was supposed to drain into the scrub sink as a drain pipe dedicated to the washer had never been installed.
Then, we found that the scrub sink drain was rotted.
So we put the drain hose out through the hole for the dryer vent. This worked out beautifully.
And there we sat with all that water just being wasted in the grass, so we decided to try a grey water garden!

Garlic Peeks at the Sun

2009-04-19T07:40:00.001-05:00

Happy Spring! Don't you love to see the new plants peeking up through the warming Spring soil? It gives me such a renewed sense of hope.
This is our garlic we just planted this Spring. Although it's supposed to be planted in the fall, we were unable to get it in last fall amd just went ahead and planted when the stores put it out to be planted this Spring.
So far it is growing beautifully; even weathering our out of season snow with out missing a beat.
We planted five bulbs around the perimiter of our front 'yard' in order to disuade the neighbor's stray cats from using our vegetable beds for a litter box and smoking lounge. We thought this had worked out wonderfully and we had not seen any cats out there until yesterday.
This year we will have enoigh garlic for our family with plenty to sell.

Edible Parkway

2009-04-18T07:40:00.001-05:00

Good Morning! Welcome to our edible parkway!
I've been reevaluating the layout and what was planted. Last year I was unable to convince anyone that the edible parkway was food to share. This year I am hoping the parkway will be beautiful, but will also help to feed many.
Besides the many flowers, I have added many green onions and a strawberry plant.
What have you planted in your edible parkway?

Swiss Chard in the Edible Parkway

2009-04-17T06:40:00.001-05:00

Hi! Isn't it a beautiful day?
Welcome to our edible parkway! This is the patch of swiss chard we had last summer.
It was so nice to wander out in the morning and pick a fresh salad for my lunch! Somehow a salad tastes so much better when you grow it yourself.

The Floods Attacked!

2009-04-16T07:39:00.001-05:00

Hi! Grab a cup of coffee and an umbrella and let's look at this situation.
This was the really hard rain we had last summer. As you can see the water ran into the neighbor's yard from the street and proceeded to flood both yards!
This was a toxic deluge of motor oil and antifreeze! Imagine watching this flow through your rain garden filled with all your vegetable plants! It was devastating!
This is why we began to dig drainage trenches. Now we are digging out all the contaminated soil. Then we have to put in fresh soil combined with fresh manure and last year's compost.
It's a lot of work to decontaminate the lot, but it will be worth it to have safe fresh vegetables!
How clean is the soil on your land?

My Original Breakfast Bar

2009-04-14T12:57:00.001-05:00

Well, hello there. I was just thinking about our first breakfast bar. This was back in December 2007 when we first moved in. It was so handy to have all the breakfast items we could think of in one place. Mornings went so much smoother!
Wow, have things changed!
Isn't it amazing to look back at where you were and note how much you've grown? Our kitchen table is no longer used for a breakfast bar as that was interfering with operation of the dehydrator. And the perpetual heat from the dehydrator was not good for all the breakfast supplies either.
What have you organized to make your mornings easier?

The Antique Mower

2009-04-13T11:39:00.001-05:00

Hi! Good to see you on this rainy day.
Here's a picture of our original rotary mower. It was an antique of undetermined age. We bought it for a mere $20.00 and definitely got our money's worth!
It felt so good to mow our land with ZERO CARBON EMISIONS. And the exercise was great!
How is your rotary mower working out for you?

Storage While We Did Repairs

2009-04-11T11:09:00.001-05:00

Good morning! Let's look at a photo from last year while we sip our coffee.
This photo is of our family room when we first moved in. Although the space was designated as a family room in the house listing, it flooded slightly when it rained hard.
We knew we would not be able to do the necessary repairs as it was winter, so we used the room for storage. Then we sat down and began to draft plans for what the space would be like when it was finished. It is so much fun to take a house in disrepair and turn it into a home! Soon we will begin the process of waterproofing. Then we can put in a Pergo floating floor and really use our family room!
What are you doing to make your house more your home?

My Russet Potato Patch vs. Ground Hogss

2009-04-10T07:43:00.002-05:00

Why, hello! I'm out back planting again.
You're just in time to see my new potato patch. In the middle I planted about 7 Russet potatoes. On top of these I piled a thin layer of last year's compost, followed by good black dirt.
The border around the potatoes is gourmet garlic. As the garlic is keeping the cats out of my front gardens, I thought I'd try it to keep the ground hogs out of my back gardens.
Stop by again soon to relax in the hammock chair with a cup of coffee and see how well the garlic is doing on guard duty!

Starting Out Along the Retaining Wall

2009-04-09T06:56:00.001-05:00

Hi! Nice of you to stop by and enjoy the weather. Let's look at a photo from last summer while we sip some cinnamon coffee.
When we first started homesteading here, we had a neglected bare slate to beautify. One of the first things I planted was peas along the old retaining wall.
I went out and dug my row in the fresh spring soil and began to pop in the peas, when my neighbor came out. It seems there were bulbs planted there which hadn't come up yet. Well, not being fond of that particular flower, I offered to give her all the bulbs I found. Although this was meant as a kind gesture, it infuriated her! It seems she NEEDED for the bulbs to stay planted in that spot in my yard.
Needless to say, she lost that battle. And, to make the point that she was in charge, she later sprayed my pea plants down with ant poison causing me to have to throw the plants and all surrounding dirt in the garbage toter!
Although we must love and pray for our neighbors, that does not mean they are always a blessing.

Beginnings of a Country Patio

2009-04-08T07:08:00.001-05:00

Oh, there you are! Come and sit on our bench.
What do you think of the start to our patio? This was the beginning to our country patio we started last summer.
In an effort to have a 'green' homestead, we used the rubble left from the crumbled retaining wall to make our patio. The natural aged limestone gives such a woodsy feel to our sitting area!

The Hammock Chair

2009-04-07T14:06:00.001-05:00

Well, hello there! So nice to see you today. I was hoping you'd drop by.
I wanted to show you the hammock chair we bought last summer. This thing is great!
Candace hung it up in a snap and we hanging out and relaxing, watching our vegetables grow.
The only place, I know of, to pick one up locally is at Lowe's. Check their web site or call to make sure they are carrying this this year or can order it.
You might want to get enough for everyone to avoid squabbles!

Restarting the Parkway

2009-04-06T09:41:00.002-05:00

Hi! Welcome back to our humble homestead! How are you today? Aren't you glad planting season has started?
Let's take our coffee out to the parkway. I've been working on an ornamental drainage ditch for that toxic street run-off. What do you think?
This is just a start. The little gully will have to be wider and deeper to hold up under big storms. I'm going to plant more ornamentals along the gully to help process out the toxins and act as a barrier to the edibles. Between the ornamentals and the fence will be more and more edibles.
Watch for more updates and loads of photos of the food growing in our edible parkway!
Would you plant an edible parkway? Could you do it as a neighborhood project?

Read My Farmer's Almanac

2009-03-31T17:00:00.001-05:00

Hi! Nice of you to stop by again~ friends are always welcome! Let me pour you a cup of coffee so we can chat.
Have you looked at the forecast for this growing season in the farmer's Almanac? Brr... It's going to be so rainy and chilly here until May, I may need to chop more firewood! And we'll have to be cautious not to plant too soon~ it's so easy to get carried away and lose it all to frost.
With all the rain we have coming, I went to town and revamped the drainage ditch. As soon as we get a good heavy rain, we can see how well I did.
Let's wander out side with a fresh cup of coffee and I'll show you what plants are finally coming up...
Watch out for the mud!

Preparing for the Rain

2009-03-30T17:26:00.002-05:00

This is a picture of the property that floods mine. All the run-off from the street comes in at their drive and runs down the sidewalk onto my property. This is a huge toxic mess of Antifreeze and motor oil!
The new tenants for the house up the hill have arranged their downspouts to drain onto my property, also, causing my family room to flood. And, because their roof is asphalt shingles, all the rain water collected from it is cancer causing!
Today I re dug the drainage ditch I dug last year and dug an extension to handle the water from the downspouts.
Tomorrow it will rain again. We'll see what happens then!

Are You Stocked Up On Seeds?

2009-03-28T21:14:00.001-05:00

With the economy flipping like it did, it is critical that we are all stocked up on seeds.
These are not necessarily Monsanto-free seeds by any means, but will get our garden in on time this year. We won't have any viable seeds to harvest for next year, but will have a full pantry!
Monsanto seeds are engineered to not produce viable seeds forcing consumers to purchase seeds every year. This also gives Monsanto control over the world's food supply!
As soon as I have some down time, I will go online to the Monsanto-free companies and order sufficient seed to get us through 2+ years. Then we will be able to harvest our own seeds to use year to year.
That's sustainable living and independence!

What We're Up To

2009-03-27T21:45:00.000-05:00

Well, hello there!

So nice of you to stop by.

Hang your coat on the hook, place your shoes to warm at the fire and visit a while.

We are in our first home almost sixteen months now. It's been a long journey to get into the house... filled with trials and tribulations, but I wouldn't change a thing!

I want to start with a few photos of what our house was like when we bought it and our sometimes slow, but very meaningful process to make it our dream home.

Come back often to visit, chat and follow our progess.

We'll be looking for you!