Progress, a little bit at a time...

My husband and I have been working over at the little house this weekend. We went to Home Depot Friday and got some 2x4's and plywood, a new light fixture for the bathroom and the electrical thingy that turns lights off and on, and another fixture for the kitchen. It has a really old cool fixture I wanted to keep but I broke the glass. So I found another one that will work but it needs some rigging.

These pictures aren't in the order I wanted. So  here's the kitchen floor, almost ready to paint. I was going to leave the linoleum in there and just clean it up, but noticed a few holes right by the stove. And it stunk over in this corner, where the fridge was. So up it came. And, along the wall, they used glue. As well as the seams in the big room. So I have been scraping and scraping and scraping, the floors, for days now. I finally got the kitchen done. And wanted to paint the floor in there, but the sink has been stopped up for so long. I poured a whole big bottle of Draino in but it didn't do a thing. My husband kept asking if I had plunged it. No, I haven't. SO he did that awhile ago, and there it went! It's all fixed now! So in the morning, I'll go paint the kitchen floor! And hang some shelves and paint my soap drying racks. I have got to start making soap.

I put down those peel and stick tiles in the bath room last week. I did a crappy job around the toilet in back. I was getting a bit frustrated with it. And I used all the tiles from the box and needed just ONE more to finish behind the door. So I got a few more of them while at Home Depot and finished that little job. I need one of those toilet rugs now to hide the mess around it. And some caulking and the bathroom will be done! Of course it needs a trash can and mirror and a few other little things, like a towel holder.

The man, actually reading directions for the light fixture in the bathroom! Men do read directions, I have proof! He also needed to sit down and rest a few minutes. That's all he gets when he's working with me.

 


And the finished light! I love it. Except here, the wall looks brown. It's not brown.  It used to be. But the paint color is called White Pistachio, a very pale green. I love this color. Can you see that nail poking out of the wall just under the left light? It will not come out. And I didn't want a big huge gaping hole in the wall. So it will be staying right there. Hopefully a mirror will cover it up. Because it is not in the center.

And here is where we messed up yesterday. Don't feel sorry for him now. He had knee pads on and he can do this better than I can. Anyway, we were building the frame for the little 4x8 wall to hide a washer and dryer, when I get them.  I don't know if you can see the mistake already here or not. Those of you who have ever made a wall will see it. The board his left hand is on is in the wrong place. It's supposed to be on TOP of the other board, not INSIDE the other board. We didn't catch this really big mistake until we laid the plywood down to nail it on. And it was too big! Then we realized what we had done. And we were both hot and sweaty and tired. So we left it. Real fast like. And went back to the house to take showers because we had a wedding to go to. I felt like an idiot. Well, it was really HIS fault, because he knew how to do it. We did it right when we were measuring on the wall.

Anyway, we went back this afternoon and took the frame apart and made sure we did it right this time! And we did. And it's up and nailed and already primed and ready to be painted Turquoise Twist tomorrow. This is the wall I want to hang all those old pictures that were in the house when we bought it. Oh, and don't buy 2x4's at Home Depot. They were only 93" long. Not a true 8' 2x4, like we wanted. Ace sells true 8' boards, for just .70 more. So we wasted a few boards in this little project.

 

 And here's some bad dogs in my little house. They will NOT be coming in when it's all finished. NO dog hair in THIS house! There's enough in the big house to make dog wigs for bald dogs. They both need to be shaved.

I feel like we made progress this weekend over there. I hope to get all my soap making things over there this next week and be making soap. I have sold almost all my soap and need more fast. My dryer balls are a huge hit and I'm selling a lot. So I really need to get over there and get busy.

It's supposed to be in the 90's here all week. HOT! And it's really been nice so far. I may just have to put that little window AC in over there. I don't want my soap to melt, right?

Honey moon

Last night, I went out to see if it was out. We've had so much rain and the sky is always cloudy. But there was a nice break and here it is. It was beautiful. It did look honey colored.

A fairy village under an old apple tree...

Busy makin' stuff here at the farm...

Hello! Been a few days. It's been pretty busy around here for me lately. With farmer's markets, goats, making jellies and dryer balls. And painting the little house and trying to get it finished. I did get the bathroom painted and put down the sticky backed tiles. It looks horrible, because I am a really bad cutter. So I will have to put some rugs down and hope no one looks too close. I love the wall color though. White Pistachio. Really nice cool color. So I will get the floor paint I bought a few weeks ago colored and paint the rest of the floors. Then start movin' in! I sure could use the room over there.

So last week, I noticed Zeeboo's puffy jaw. Darn those barber pole worms. I hate when I see this. So I socked the wormers to her. I tried Cydectin and Ivermec, alternating them for a few days. Red Cell, B Compex, lots of good green kales. Then Sunday, after waiting 3 days with no worm meds, I gave her more Ivermec. By Sunday night, her whole head was swollen. So I brought out the big guns, Dectomax. I didn't want to have to use this because there's a 32 day milk withdrawal time. And I'm milking her. And she has the best milk right now. But, to save her and kill those darn worms, I had to use it. It's really the only thing that will kill the worms. So she got some. And she looks MUCH better. I'll continue milking her but throw the milk out or give it to Piper, the bottle kid. Then maybe after 20 days, try it.

I made some elderberry flower jelly. It's so good and pretty too. Hope it sells at market today. The flowers are just now starting to open, so I have plenty of time to make more for awhile.

Also tried my hand at wool dryer balls. It's so fun to see how they turn out after they're dried. I hope they sell as well. I can add a few drops of EO for a nice scent. They are supposed to help cut down dryer time, wrinkles and static. And last at least 5 years or more. I have 6 more in the dryer now, made with some brown wool and black alpaca. I need panty hose now!

This is the Outback hive. They seem to be doing good. Still have a few empty frames. I have been moving the empties to the middle gradually. Wondering if I should add another box yet? The weather has been so crazy the past several weeks here. Cold, rainy, wet, then hot. Poor bees.

And this is a new venture. Dandelion salve, Sure feels good on dry hard working hands. And is supposed to help with sore muscles and achy joints. But I am just loving the soft hands now.

I planted to flats with calendula flower seeds. Most are popping up! I bought 4 from Crabtree farm a few months ago and they are blooming. But not enough to do anything with yet. I want to make calendula salve and use some flowers to dye wool with. I should have plenty, the way it looks so far.

The garden is being over taken by weeds! With all this rain, they are loving it. Also have seen squash and zucchine out there. Should have some green beans soon too. And all the cucumber seeds I planted last week are all up! The butternut squash though, pretty sure it's all been washed away by the stream in the middle of the garden where they were planted. The bottom of the garden should be a paradise soon though, with all the different seeds that have been washed down there.

Going to Main St market this afternoon. I love this market. But it's hot there! The sun is behind my booth and so most of my canopy is worthless. So I am bringing a shower curtain and some rope today and putting it up at the back. So maybe I'll have some shade for my booth.

Sunday animal cuteness...

I went out yesterday in the sheep pasture. Just sat out there with them. Had my camera of course. I think I got some really cute pictures of the sheep and alpacas.

I love these guys. They are so funny. And they are so sweet with the sheep, especially my 3 bottle lambs. These shots are so cute!

My 3 girls. They are getting so big now! I weaned them a few weeks ago. They still come running to me though. I love them. And their wool is so soft.

This is Cassidy, the cute little lamb with the eyebrows. They've kind of disappeared and now she's just a wooly lamb. Here, she was really close to me so I reached under her to rub her belly and she let me. Just stood right there for a long time. She's getting friendlier each day.

This is Annabelle and  her daughter Buttercup. Their wool is really good. They are getting better about letting me pet them. Annabelle let me pet her face for about 5 minutes one day.

Here is Charlotte and Claire, the 2 ewe lambs my friend is supposed to have. He got them and then called and said he didn't want them. Then wants them again. He's crazy! So I don't know what's going on with him. He still has Bilbo the Hobbit Ram, at his farm. He was going to get his son to help him put up fencing for the sheep, so I hope he'll let me know something soon. This is getting old! But these are good lambs.

My little Campbelle. She's so sweet, just sitting up on a hay bale, chewing her cud. What a sweetie she is.

 
M big girl, Carabella. She's so sweet too. Just a big baby girl.

And the big boy Black Bart. He's the best rooster. He loves his girls and takes such good care of them. He finds good bugs and worms and calls the girls over to eat. He just backs up and lets them have it all. He's a good boy. I have him and 10 hens. I got 9 eggs 3 days ago and 2 eggs Sat. Then 1 egg yesterday.

I went over yesterday to the little house and primed the bathroom walls, to get ready for a  lighter color on the brown walls. So this morning, I went and got the bathroom all painted. It's called White Pistachio. Yes, it's a pale green. I thought it was a light pale gray. But it's ok and it's a very calming and soothing color. I like it. I will have to put some kind of tile down in the bathroom, so will have to decide what. And maybe in the kitchen. Not sure.

It's been a rainy day here so far. The weeds are taking over out there! It's a great time to pull them all up. But I'm making wool dryer balls. I have 9 in socks in the washer now and they'll go in the dryer next. Can't wait to see what they look like. I did white roving with colored wool around them. I'll take them to market to sell.

I hope you all have a great week!

In the garden...

As I was leaving this morning I saw this little bright sunflower, looking at the sun rising. It's so pretty. This is a volunteer plant. There are more scattered around.

These are the ones I planted from seeds I feed the animals. Half the row was washed away by one of the many rain storms we've had. But these are doing really good.

 

The 1st zucchini blossom!

And these little pretty sweet banana peppers were just hanging out, waiting for me to find them.

Look at all these grape clusters! This is just a few of them.

There are big green tomatoes too! I guess I've been too busy to see them.Hopefully soon, I'll be having my favorite bacon and tomato sandwich on sourdough bread.

And the dill plants are growing like weeds!

And bell pepper blooms too!

What's growing in your gardens? Or what are you finding in your gardens? I also found a rabbit.

Turquoise Twist...

 Hmmm... do you think Mr. Bell would like his little house now?

I LOVE IT! But that first swipe of the roller was a bit shocking, to say the least. But I kept on and did the whole house. Except the bathroom. It was dark and storming, so the color wasn't true yet. But this morning, it's amazing!

I was going to paint all the wood trim white. But not now. I am loving how the wood sets off the color of the walls. So today, on the way home, I'll get wood cleaner and polish and work on all the trim, doors and cabinets. I'll also have to do something about the wall behind the stove and sink. Plus a fridge will go there in the corner soon.

This corner will have the washer and dryer. We're going to build a little 4x8 wall coming out on the left there and then put up a galvanized piece of pipe to hang a shower curtain or something to hide them. I got those white plastic coated wire shelves from mom's yesterday, that we will hang on the wall over the washer and dryer, for storage.

I got a lot of good stuff from mom's garage yesterday. I love shopping at mom's! Her garage was FULL of garage sale stuff and has been for awhile now. She called a thrift store and they came and got most of the stuff. But she had a really nice tall shelf, a desk, several things that I can use over here. So we loaded them all up yesterday while Tiny was in town with the truck. Most will be painted and put to good use here. AND mom can now park her new Jeep in her own garage!! Yay Mom!

I will also use this little wall to hang that one box of old photos I kept from this house when we first bought this place. Perfect spot. And will be seen as soon as anyone walks in.

The big wall in the kitchen. I'll be using the kitchen now to make soap, cheese, jelly and jams. I can bring ALL my supplies and books over here now! Oh what joy that will be, to have all my stuff in one place! And to have room to work.

After I get all the wood cleaned, I'll pull up the nasty linoleum and get the floor all cleaned and ready to paint. Do you think I should go a little darker with this paint color or maybe go gray? I am thinking I'm gonna just paint the outside of the house a nice gray. The porch floor will be the same color as what I paint the inside floor. So let me know what y'all think. But I love it! I cannot wait to get it all done so I can move in and get to work!