Busy Weekend

No soccer games, no gymnastics meets, just staying home and getting some work done around here. I had been waiting for this weekend for over a month. I had a list of things I wanted to get done that weren't getting done because of all the running around over the last month. I really had no hope of getting it all done since interruptions are a constant in my life, but I wanted to at least get a good start.

First project: Finish digging the path through the yard.



I am planning on making a rock/brick/whatever strikes my fancy path going from the back deck (nonexistent as yet) to the gate at the back of the yard (also nonexistent, but there is a temporary gate to keep the chickens out of the yard). The first task was to lay out the path (a hose is handy for this) and then dig out the dirt. I started on the path a few weeks ago and had been working on it a little here and there when I had the time so I wanted to finish the digging this weekend. I will then put in a few inches of sand and then I will be ready to put in the rocks/bricks/whatever strikes my fancy. I have a broken stone grinding wheel that would look pretty neat in there, I think. I am going to try planting some little ground cover plants in the cracks.

The wide space in the picture (in the shadow so it is a bit hard to see) is for a bench or flower pots or something like that. The area to the left of the path will be flower bed, which right now consists of a mostly dead rhodedendron, 3 dead sunflowers, a tiny azalea, a day lily plant, and a hydrangea that looks like it is dying but is hopefully only looking like that because it is almost winter. A bit of the area to the right of the path (where the aenemic looking lilac bush is) will be flower bed also.

---

Next task: Start on the rock wall.

Boy, that sounds ambitous, doesn't it? A rock wall. Wow. After getting started on it, I decided that "rock wall" wasn't very accurate, and "rock edge" was probably a more appropriate term. Heh heh sorry, Megan, you sounded so impressed when I said I was building a rock wall. I didn't mean to mislead you.



First I dug a shallow trench for the rocks. Then, with my husband's help, I used the transit to figure out the proper height for the rocks at several different points. The yard slopes a bit funny over there and I wanted to make sure the top of the rock edge was fairly level.

Once I got started the work went very quickly and I actually ended up finishing the job on Sunday.




The wall/edge is taller at the left end than it is on the other side, but it is pretty level across the top. It looks fabulous, if I may say so myself. The edge is surrounding another would be flower bed that only contains two clematis on the fence on each side of the corner. I am planning on putting some kind of flowering tree over there.

Building the rock edge was like putting together a puzzle. It was so much fun. I have an ambition to build a taller wall sometime but it will require some much larger and much flatter rocks.

---

Third task: Pull all the cornstalks out of the garden for the pigs.

No picture for this one, but the garden is coming to a pretty ugly end and I wanted to get all the leftover corn out to the pigs. I had hopes that I could throw a few stalks into the pen to distract them while I run in and dump food in their feed pans. No such luck. Apparently cornstalks are only interesting when there is no other food to be had.

My 9 year old son helped me with the job of pulling all the stalks out of the ground and stacking them on the wagon. We piled them all up behind the pig pen to make it easy to toss them to the pigs.

---

Fourth task: Help with garage.

I am usually not a lot of help with the garage, mostly because oldest son does the helping. He was off burning the paper trash for a lot of the time though, so I had to run back and forth giving help when needed. This weekend we got the rafters and sheeting on the mud room and a good amount of the siding on the back end. There is a window back there, but that will be cut later. All the siding has to come down so it can be painted on the edges to prevent rotting later.




We are slowly getting to the point where we can put in some lights and work even when it is dark. Of course, then it will be too cold.

---

Last task: Shoot off the rocket.

This was more organizing and facilitating than doing, but we did have to find time to do it so it made the list. It really deserves a post all it's own so I am going to attempt to figure out how to put up a little video since I don't have any pictures. Let me just say that it was interesting and a little disappointing, but FUN!! Everyone should make a model rocket and shoot it off sometime in their life.

---

Path--check
Rock wall, er, edge--check
Cornstalks--check
Garage helper--check
Videographer for rocket project--check (such as it is)

Fun Mom is back

For a while anyway.

The boys are learning about the Prussians this week in history. For their fun Friday project they got to make a pikelhaube. Not a real one, a fake version of one.

This is a real Prussian pikelhaube (spiked helmet). Here are the ones the boys made:



A little different, but they like them anyway. I thought it was fitting that younger son used his hat from Morocco for his pikelhaube. Morocco is across the way from Spain which is next to France, and the Prussians were fighting against France in the story we read. See? Work with me here.

Of course they think they should also have some Prussian weapons to go with them.

No Fun Mom came back and put a nix on the weapons. I suppose they will go outside this afternoon and pretend, which is okay.

3 Reasons my kids aren't allowed in the pig pen.

Reason #1: The electric fence.



The pigs were getting a little rowdy with the hog panels and they even escaped a few times so my husband decided it was time to put up the electric fence. The pigs thought this was great fun and caused all kinds of havoc tearing down whatever he put up. Adding a few kids into the mix to chase them away from the completed work was even more fun. As soon as one pig distracted the boys on one side of the pen, the others would run to the other side and grab the wire. Until my husband turned it on. They didn't think that little game was so much fun any more. They were soon huddled in the middle of the pig pen in hopes that they would be safe there.

This is the most minor of reasons, mostly because once you touch an electric fence you usually make sure not to make that mistake again. But since I do have some little ones, they aren't allowed to go near it. I hear that farm boys like to pee on the electric fence, but so far my boys are not aware of that activity. I'd like to keep it that way.


Reason #2: See all that brown stuff in there? It's not all dirt.



I don't have a poop phobia, really. I just don't think it is all that smart to take a plastic pvc pipe and scoop up dusty pig pen "dirt" and blow it on your brothers. Once the boys were reminded what they were scooping up and blowing on each other, they didn't think it was all that smart either.

Reason #3: Pigs will eat you if you stand still long enough.



Or so I hear. I have heard and read stories about people that have been eaten by pigs (not told by the victims, of course) so I am not taking any chances. The combined weight of the 4 pigs is probably close to 500 pounds so it would be very easy for them to take out a 50-60 pound youngster. Shoot, they almost took me out a week or two ago and I am still limping from being charged at from the side right into my bad knee that was finally starting to feel better. I am now trying to be much more careful when going in the pen to feed them. Hitting them with the feed bucket isn't working so well any more.

So I am the No Fun Mom that won't let her kids play in the pig pen. I guess they will have to go find something else fun to do. Some other things that No Fun Mom has prohibited are: Playing in the horse poop compost pile (only partially composted), playing in the other compost pile (the one with the chicken guts in it), and playing in the tire stacks (had to rescue a kid that got down inside and couldn't get out). Oh yes, and car roof jumping is no longer allowed either. Yep, I am No Fun Mom.

Whatever.

Home Ec

Ever take home economics in school? I did. In 7th or 8th grade we were required to take a semester long class that covered cooking and sewing. Those are the only two things I can remember, that is. We had to make a felt pillow from a kit--I made a hamburger because it looked the hardest. It took me all of about 10 minutes to make, since I was already far beyond beginning sewing level, even at that age. I was bored stiff in that class because I already knew how to cook and sew.

Now I have a daughter in 8th grade. She is a very creative, crafty (in a good sense) person. So I picked out a home ec "curriculum" for her. Really, we don't need a formal curriculum to teach cooking and crafts, but she is someone that loves a schedule. Also, though it pains me to admit it, I haven't been all that great about allowing her to cook or teaching her to sew. I always plan to do it later. You know, when I am not so busy. Of course, when later comes (which is just about never) all I want to do is relax.

The book I chose to use breaks the year up into 6 different sections. One is just some reading about young ladyhood. The others are cooking, gardening, knitting, greeting card making, and sewing. She has been making lunch, or part of lunch, once a week. We have had applesauce muffins, banana bread, scones, and quesadillas with homemade whole wheat tortillas. Last week she made veggies and dip.


This week's recipe is fruit and fruit dip. Easy stuff, but she is in heaven.



I didn't get a picture before the kids got to it. Trust me, it was arranged very nicely.

She really doesn't need cooking lessons. This is the kid that I can tell as I am walking out the door to feed the animals in the morning--"Fry up some eggs for breakfast, would you?" or as I am leaving to go pick up her brother at the bus--"Cut up some potatoes and put them in the oven, please." If she doesn't know how to do something, she can usually figure it out. BUT, like I mentioned before, it is letting her do it on a regular basis that is the problem. This is one way to do it.

Anyway, we are starting the knitting unit. I can do all the other things except knitting. I have decided that I am knitting challenged. Even if I can decipher the instructions, my knitting still looks all lumpy and uneven. Yesterday while waiting for my oldest son at the bus stop I pulled out the yarn and needles I had just purchased. I thought I would figure out this knitting thing a little before having to show 13 year old daughter how it is done.


R-i-i-i-p

Who knew that casting on isn't just something you can just figure out? I guess directions are needed, although the second attempt, using directions, wasn't much better.


R-i-i-i-p

Maybe the problem is lumpy yarn. It is a little thick and lumpy so it is hard to pull through and make it loose enough. We may have to get out some simpler yarn. Not only that, but whose idea was it to get connected needles? How awkward.

My daughter is going to make a headband out of this lovely yarn, assuming I can get her started on it. As for me, I think I will stick to making gymnastics leotards. Sewing them, that is. Not knitting.

3.6

My oldest son brought home his first report card of the year this week. His school breaks the year up into 4 week cycles, to give parents a better handle on their kid's progress, I guess.

So his GPA was a 3.6. "Hmm, look at that," I said.

"Is that good?" he asked, "I didn't do so good in writing."

He got a B in writing. Far be it from me to let him know I am thrilled with a B in writing, if he feels the need to get a better grade. "I'll do better next time since now I understand what he wants from us," he said.

"That'll be good," I said. I also told him that I thought a 3.6 GPA was fine. But really, given the fact that all they did in the first 4 weeks was PT(A), Health(B+), Writing(B), and Military Science(A) (which he was absent for most of due to hunting and was only "learning through life" and "construction math" --where they learned about converting fractions to decimals, and a few other VERY elementary math lessons), I can't get too excited yet.

This cycle they have added in History, Algebra II, and Chemistry/Physics. He is also teaching algebra I to his classmates. He seems to love it, which surprises me, given that he is so shy. In science he is one of 4 students (the rest are seniors) that are studying ballistics. He is going to do an experiment involving shooting off a rocket. I ordered his rocket a few days ago and he is very antsy for it to get here. His experiment will be distance traveled at different angles of trajectory. The inspiration for this project comes from watching the movie October Sky.

His dad and I tried to convince him to build a punkin chunkin cannon, but that was a no go. Probably best, since he has only a few weeks to finish the project.

I can't see this school lasting him much longer, and we will be looking into other options for next year. I want him to do well academically, but not at the expense of his learning. Doing well in an easy class is great for the ego, but I think if he keeps achieving without a struggle or challenge he will eventually get bored and stop working. Also, the school he is attending is full of screw ups and underachievers (sorry, but it is true) who think ALL schoolwork is dumb, boring, and a waste of time. How long can a good kid who is out to learn all he can be bombarded with that attitude before he picks it up himself?

When that happens, it will be time to move on.

Gathering Eggs

Something I have been doing a lot of lately. I have 17 old hens, and about 30 new ones. The new hens are just over 5 months old so they are starting to lay eggs.

Problem: The eggs are very small. Another problem: The chickens aren't penned up so it is anyone's guess where the eggs end up. Some in the hen house, some in the middle of the field, some nestled in the corner of a stall in the barn. Twice now I have come upon a nest of more than 15 eggs. Eggs can last without being refridgerated for about 2 weeks so I am not worried that the eggs are bad. However, I can't sell the eggs because they are too small, so I have a drawer in my refridgerator with about 4 dozen little eggs in it.

Even the bantie hens have started laying. Now their eggs are really small.


Regular sized egg



Pullet egg




Bantie egg



Those little eggs are so cute. They are even cuter when in the frying pan:



Even the turkeys are starting to lay eggs. Right now their eggs are about the size of a regular sized chicken egg. They are a little rounder and speckled.

So I have a boatload of eggs. LOTS AND LOTS of eggs. Oh, except the kind I need--regular sized chicken eggs. My big chickens seem to have picked up the nasty habit of eating their own eggs. Some days if I am on the ball I can get 6-8 eggs from them. If I don't get out there quick enough, I may get 2.

I have told them that eating eggs is a habit that will get you put into the stew pot, but they don't seem to be listening. Yet.

Wanna see something gross?

Do ya?

Really?

No?

Yes?




My husband came home with a deer. This isn't the gross thing, by the way. They came home early (4am) this morning. One deer, three hunters. Dirty clothes, stinky people.



Look at that tongue--isn't that gross?


Somehow my husband has managed to get out of cutting up the deer. HE gets to go to Florida, to a transmission convention. At Disney World. Excuse me while I go kick his hiney.

Strawberry Hat

I figured I ought to mention the strawberry hat. I made a shameless plea for my sister, Irie, to make my little guy a hat. She talks about the hat here:Berry. I have another strawberry hat that was made for my now 9 year old by a good friend of my mom's. The poor hat has been loved so much, especially by my current 3 year old, that it will not fit my littlest guy. It has been too stretched out. So, my berry talented sister knitted him up a hat. Ha ha, why learn to knit when there are people that you can coerce into doing it for you? Hmm, I think I am in need of a hat to match the nice scarf you knitted me last winter, sis, what do you think?

Apparently, she also made my little nephew a pumpkin hat. I love it! It appears that it is being used as a cover up for a bad haircut, which is a perfectly acceptable use for these cuter than cute hats. I haven't seen the haircut yet so I haven't made a personal judgement as to its badness yet, by the way.

Alas, my little red head doesn't have enough hair to warrant a haircut, therefore eliminating the need for a bad haircut cover up, so he is limited to wearing his strawberry hat outside when the weather is cool.

Peaches and Pears

From this:




To this:



To this. 26 quarts of peaches, 18 quarts of pears.




All that and a soccer game on a nice Saturday.