June 23-29, 2019 Garden, Breaking Things, Dd's New Job

June 23-29, 2019
Garden, Things Breaking, Dd's New Job

Hello, Friends!

 

Church Struggles Continue:
We are still spinning in circles about our church problem; still, we have no idea how to proceed.  Sometimes God says, "It's up to you and it will be okay either way you go."  



At least that is how it feels as we haven't felt any guiding towards confronting the issues.  



Although I do feel like I could and should be able to tell a friend what happened without being "unchristian," as I feared.  So, if the opportunity arises I think I'll be okay to share.  It took me three weeks to make that decision!!!! 

The roses are blooming around the pool area this week.

Ada Bible Church:
Dd and I went back to Ada Bible Church this week, but, this time we went to the later service. Dd fit right in as there were more teens and young adults at the later service.  The sermon was really good.  



Ada's Women's (Thrive) Bible Study:
Last week I signed up for the women's Bible study and went to it on Tuesday night.  I *should* have asked to be in a group with older women; I was the oldest woman there!!!  We are reading a great book called: In His Image by Jen Wilkin.  I've had fun marking up my book and digging in.  This week I've sat out in the 'bottom' chicken run with my book so the hens can feel safe to wander to the outlying areas that have lots of greens.



Alternative Baker:
I made blueberry scones with a GF cookbook my friend Heather suggested, called: Alternative Baker by Alanna Taylor-Tobin.  The tasted fantastic but the heavy cream gave me heartburn.  I was really hoping I would be able to eat them.  I'll try the recipe with almond milk and see if they hold up.  We usually have nice weekend breakfasts and I wanted to try Heather's scones so I asked my library to buy the cookbook and it finally came in this week.



Heat and Humidity/Bedroom Moves:
Due to the heat, Dd moved down to the basement where it is usually quite chilly.  This week Dh and I also decided to go down too!  So, we pushed her over to the 'library' room and brought down her bed to put in that room and we took the other bedroom. 

Dd mowing her new area

 It has been SO nice sleeping in cool temps.  She is *really* loving her new room (aka the 'library') and has been working on fixing up the yard area in front of the big window there. 




 Tuesday, she focused on the lawn in front of her basement window.  She mowed the grass.  She made a dish-soap wash to get rid of the anthill in front of her window.  She filled the bird feeder with sunflower seeds and water.  She took a picture of the raccoon eating the sunflower seeds that night!!!  She had to lower the window covering so she could sleep because she felt like she was being watched.  



She has plans to add more things to her little 'yard,' when we were at Menards she picked out three hooks and a new windchime!  Now she has another bird feeder, windchime, and a hummingbird feeder above her big window. 




Breaking Down: Truck, Pool, Sink
Let's see---this week we have the truck still broken, although Dh continues to try and fix it.  



Then the pool has been a problem---for one, we had a lot of water disappear and we don't know if it is the lining or a valve that is the problem.  So, Dh has spent hours and still hasn't been able to solve it. 




We got the big winter cover rolled up and put away for the summer.



The garbage disposal broke and Dd decided to remove it and replace it with a normal drain.  That's been a repeat problem.  Too many problems!  Hopefully, next week will bring some solutions.



Pool: 
This week we have been trying to figure out what is wrong with the pool while I did a lot of weeding.  I found the front section of the pool had weed-fabric that I could just roll up and take away!  It is nice to have that yucky area not looking so bad finally.  I wish I had a bunch of white rocks to put there.

Close-up of the area after rolling up the fabric.

Henry and I sitting out in the 'bottom chicken run' so the hens can eat the greens feeling protected.  The hens really like Henry and more will come down if he is with me.

Ordered Flooring:
We *finally* ordered our new flooring!  We are going to get a nice natural oak hardwood that is 3 1/4" wide.  We decided to get really nice flooring for the upstairs, but we will have to get artificial planking for the basement as it gets moist and cold down there.  Back in our first home, we had nice oak hardwood floors and it was so nice to have!  I'm ready to cover up our current floor!  When we moved in there was nasty carpeting that I immediately pulled up.  Unfortunately, under the carpet was nasty particle board--ugh.  I painted that with a few coats of Kilz (sealer), followed by an excellent quality oil base, stone-colored paint, then sealed with 4-6 coats of polyurethane.  The painted flooring lasted well everywhere but at the seams and the seams look weathered now.  The painted floors in the basement are terrific---the cement was a perfect match, but the particle board falls apart with excess use.  There is a small chance we might get to do the basement floors this year.




Rearranging:
As we will be getting the 33 boxes of wood flooring in a few days we have been trying to clear out our living room and dining room to make room for that!  We are supposed to open the boxes and lay out the flooring and let it 'breathe' for a few weeks before we lay it down permanently.  I've been busy bringing loads downstairs to the Rec Room; but it's getting really cluttered down there!



Chickens:
Ms. Lemon continues to thrive!  But, Charlotte spent yet another week being broody.  She won't get off the nest, even to eat, unless I literally pull her off amid her protest.  I continue to put her outside in a chicken tractor with her own water and feeds.  



She can pick at the greens and scratch and be outside.  I know *eventually* I will break her and she will come out of this phase.  She has lost so many of her old white feathers and they have been replaced with nice clean new feathers.  I'm so thankful that it isn't winter because I wouldn't be able to take such good care of her like I can in this weather.  



The rest of the girls are all doing fine; but for some reason this year they haven't increased their egg production.  I've been getting around 5 eggs each day, and I have 25 chickens!






Chicken Coop:
The chicken coop is on a hill and as the chickens scratch and it rains the dirt goes to the bottom and I have to dig it up and carry it back up.  This week I spent a few hours filling buckets (around 30) with dirt from the bottom and filled all the holes and low spots on the top.  



The umbrella had really gotten low and crooked so I straightened it up and built up a mound of dirt and logs to keep it in position.  It was a lot of super hard work, but the top chicken coop looks SO very much better!!!!  



Garden:
I planted more green bean seeds in the spots where I had previously planted the seeds but they didn't grow (or something ate them, more likely!).  Dd helped me hang down more wool yarn for the green beans to climb.  I also planted more corn seed out in the corn beds...hoping for more corn than last year.  

Watering:
It was such a hot week I found myself coming and going with the hose!  



Poison Ivy:
All along the sides of the fence we had tons of poison ivy growing.  I know Giz is coming next week and she will probably want to paint so I spent most of Saturday morning pulling up tons of weeds around the fence.  I was very careful, covered head to foot, and wearing gloves.  Thankfully, I didn't get any rash.



Weeding:
The last two weeks, and probably from now on out, I will be doing LOTS of weeding.  The seedlings are big enough that I can tell what is the plant I want vs. the weeds I don't!!!  Weeding is such a thankless job that eats up hours of my week, but it has to be done.



Grape Vine:
I added two more metal poles as the vines are getting longer.  It looks like we could already use another one!  The vines really do take off!  I brought out my handy wool yard and trained many, many vines this week.  After the amazing jam, we made last year I am very willing to spend lots of time on my grapes this year in the hope for more of that taste of heaven!!!!!!  So beyond amazing.

Flowers:
I've been trying to get some of the marigolds that I planted from seed, from Giz, out of the veg garden and transplant them to the area gardens.  Marigolds are tricky; they look so skinny when they are young but bulk up and take up so much space when they grow. 
This week we had one small poppy bloom, but all the rest have faded away.  The peonies are all about done too.  But, now we have some daisies, coneflowers, and hosta blooms.  The Tiger Lillies are very close to blooming. 

Dd's Week:

Dd's Meal This Week:

Wed (I had a migraine)

Larkin made dinner:

Salmon with GF bread crumbs, Jasmin Rice, Peas, baked cauliflower.  She washed ALL the dishes and cleaned up the kitchen. 



Dd's NEW Job:  
Saturday Dd started working at Michigan Farmhouse Pizza!  She had a great time and was complimented at her hard work.  She said she had to wash a lot of dishes; which is her very least favorite activity!  She also made pizza's too and was allowed to bring one home with her since it was her first night.  



Dd Offered A Second Job: 
Dd's math teacher offered her to work at her husband's work office.  Dd is thinking this offer over.  We don't know exactly what she would be doing but should be able to find out more.






Science:
Apologia Biology: all week



Audio:
The Romanoff Empress by C. W. Gortner

Can you see the hummingbird sitting on the tree branch?  

Next Week:
Giz and Grampy are coming up for a visit!

...........