Sunday, May 16, 2010

today's the 16th

Today... being the 16th.. means one thing, it's time for the Abbie/Tatter photo. It's seven months already, I don't believe how fast the time has gone, and yet, I can't think of "how" it was when Abbie wasn't here with us. Strange how that is. She is really growing into a little person, "talks" all the time, is beginning to be "mobile" and is such a treasure.








Course, you know that Camille must have her spot in the light as well.









Hey, Tatter, where did you go???






Good idea, I'm out of here too....






No, Mama... no more photos!!!!!


sure signs..

Even the thought of this blog makes me tired!!!! It's been a big week of decision making with regards to the house.. as of now we have (ta dah!!!) Kitchen cabinets - ordered... carpets and flooring - picked out (flooring man is coming this week to measure)... bathrooms - ordered or bought.

We have been buying things from different places. Where we can, we like to shop local and give the "little" guy the business, sadly though, sometimes they just can't compete with the "big guys" and since we do have a budget, I am looking at the bottom line. We ordered the cabinet and sink for the mater bathroom.. along with three toilets from a local company. But they really couldn't come up with a budget price for the cabinets in the other bathrooms.. so, we headed out to see what the "big guys" had. From the look of this photo... you can easily see they did have some good prices.

I had it in my mind that I wanted to do something different in the downstairs bath, it will be more like a "guest" bath being on the main floor and I did want it a little fancy. I told Ed what I would like is to find an old cabinet (like a sewing cabinet) and make that into the sink. I combed a couple of "junk shops" and the Internet but never came up with what I thought I wanted. Well, the "big guys" had some pretty cool cabinets and we got this one.. sink included for 350.00!!!! Then picking thru the piles, we came across this mirror... it listed for 140.00... but it was on clearance for ..... 28.00!!!!! (yes that's right ---- 28.00!!!! talk about a steal) And this is the "finished" look!!!! All we need now is plumbing - which Ed can do as soon as he gets a minute. This room just needs trim... install the toilet and we are done in here!!!!






On my trip to the barn this morning, I found that we had overnight guests!!! These two beautiful geese had found a warm, safe spot in our field. When I pulled up in the truck, they moved into the field a little, but really weren't in any hurry to leave. They walked around for awhile, picking thru the grass for "goodies" I guess, and then headed out to who knows where. "You're welcomed back anytime dear geese... come again"



Beeker has some pretty exciting news!!!!







She has officially joined the group of "egg layer"... this little white egg on the top of the pile is her's. Between the hens, Mrs. guinea hen and now Beeker we are getting five eggs a day. I know that's not alot compared to some who keep hens.. but for us... it's plenty. I have also ordered four more chicks from our grain shop.... can't remember the name of them, but they are the hens that lay the light blue/green colored eggs. They should be arriving sometime next week.






"yes, official chicken now - Miss Beeker"......







Oh and the barn swallows are back!!! I found a couple checking out last year's nest. I don't know if this is the pair from last year, if it's one of their young 'ens.... or if it's someone new. But I do hope they take up residence on the farm. I love their call and greatly appreciate the bugs that they eat.






And speaking of "bugs"... my first shipment of predators arrived int he mail this week. I have to give them a couple of days to warm up and hatch out, but they will be going into the manure pile and get a jump on eating nasty flies!!! They worked beautifully last year, we hardly had a fly in the barn all summer... so, we are definitely looking forward to them doing their job this year.
so all kinds of wonderful signs around the farm... signs of house finishing projects, new life, and things to look forward to..... we are blessed....