Greenhouse Adventures: Troubles

The greenhouse saga continues! 

Ever since my brother and I put the roof panels into the greenhouse, there have been several that don't want to cooperate. 

We first thought that everything needed to be cinched down. Nope. 

Maybe a few caulking dots? Nope.

Caulking along the entire edge? Nope.

Just keep pushing them into place and pray that they stay put? Nope.

No matter what we did, those panels would always keep sliding down. 

This has officially become a battle of wills. Who will win? 

I came home from work, and my brother told me to go outside before I took my boots off. Uh-oh... 

Those darn panels were so opinionated that a couple finally decided to wiggle out and find a new home on that blustery day. Thankfully, they didn't get far, and we were able to get them before they really went anywhere or got damaged. Thought you could run away, huh?  

Do you see a problem? Something missing perhaps? 

Thankfully, I didn't have any of the newly germinated plants in there yet. 

So I turned to the all-knowing Google to see if it had any advice to dispense. 

And it did. 

I found a guy who grew in greenhouses, and he had an entire clip on what he used to keep his panels in place. 

SCORE!

His recommendation? This stuff. 

It can be applied wet, it sticks even when it gets wet, and (according to the You Tuber) lasted a long time. But it costs $10/roll. Valuable stuff this is. 

So to the store we went. 

Again. 

We put the panels back into place, and secured the rebellious ones.

Fast forward a few days, and it was a dark and stormy night. Thankfully, my brother was outside the moment the front came through and immediately thought to check the greenhouse. One wall panel had completely come out and another one was seriously thinking about it. So there we were, putting panels in again and taping more all by flashlight this time around. It's a really good thing we had bought two rolls of tape. 

Now no one is going ANYWHERE. 

...At least, I hope... 

Until next time! 

SG

January Recap

 January could be summed up with snow and cold. It really forced us to slow down, hunker down, and wait until things thawed. Actually, it was a much needed breather even if it all was quite the hassle to do anything in 12-18" of snow: barn chores, haul water out to the animals, and taking longer to bundle up to head outside. It was frigid, but it was gorgeous. 

 Of course, Jubilee loved every moment of it. ;) 

 Through the years and as I've been outside more and more, I've found that I love all the seasons for different reasons and how they create a rhythm to life. Winter is a time of rest to brace for the hectic pace of spring, the dragging through summer, and a reprieve after the scurrying through autumn. There is always something to complain about with each season, but each season also has a beauty that the other seasons don't have. I recently discovered 'Winter Song' by Emily Smith, and the lyrics are rather fitting. It encompasses hygge (hue-gah) - embracing each season for what it is. 

"So we'll stoke the fire and light the lamp

Turn our backs in from the damp

Settle down beneath the starry sky

Endure the winter passing by"

 "With carols sung, the trees been taken down

We've passed a dram and the bells no longer sound

Snowdrops rise with promise of the spring

There's talk and wonder

At what the year might bring"

 "The blackbird starts to thicken up her nest

While the early lamb, he takes a snowy step

But the north wind's grip it tightens with his chill

And holds the buds closed against their will"

  "So we'll stoke the fire and light the lamp

Turn our backs in from the damp

Settle down beneath the starry sky

Endure the winter passing by"

Until next time!

SG

Spring is coming!

I can't help it. The sun has decided to make an appearance; the bulbs are peeking out, there's a warmth in the breeze promising that spring is just around the corner. I can't wait. ^_^

PS - I promise I'll get you off of the cliff hanger that I left you on with my ER post. My computer situation hasn't been conducive to blogging as of late. 

April Showers

One of Dad's plum trees

Can you feel it? That change in the air? Spring is coming. ^_^

Daffodils have started to share their rays of sunshine, the grasses are growing thick and green, the trees have started to leaf out, the orchard is blooming, the birds are wooing each other with songs, golly, the sun even decided to make an appearance! Being welcomed by a sunny morning makes getting out of bed that much easier. Easter this year was blissfully beautiful. I don't think I remember a time when we had a warm Easter - we always had to do the egg hunts indoors.

But then the breeze from the Southwest picks up a bit, it starts playing in your hair more, a chill gives you goose bumps. Then you see it on the horizon - a heavy, looming black cloud is working it's way up the mountain, and with it comes drama. It might bring just a drizzle, it might bear a torrential downpour, it might even deliver hail. Seeking shelter at this time is advised. The chickens are hiding under the cars, the geese are in the puddles (don't ask me why), the cats are curled up in a box, and the llamas are chilling out in the barn munching on hay. But after the storm, look for the rainbow. If gold was indeed stowed away at the end of the rainbow, everyone in this area would be rich. Despite the lack of physical riches hidden there, we are truly blessed with how many rainbows we get here, and every one of them is different.

Anyways... random thought of the day. ;) Go enjoy that sun break while you can!

March Madness

Our Jubilee. She's seven years old and still acts like a puppy. I can't believe that I was able to get a picture of her sitting still.

No, I'm not going to talk about basketball. Actually, I don't even know enough about the sport to write a short blog post about it.

...back to your regularly scheduled program...

In like a lion, out like a lamb. Or vice versa. At least that's the theory. What if March just can't decide if it's going to be a lion or a lamb?  Over the past couple of weeks, we've had just about every possible weather system for this area. Even in one week we've had warm, sunny, cold, snowing, and rainy. There is a running joke in the family... if Sarah (me) is wearing slippers it's gotta be cold. I haven't been able to put the slippers away yet.

If there is one profession that I would absolutely hate to have, it would be a weather forecaster in the Northwest. Sometimes I wonder if the best he (or she) is able to do is give a guess. Goodness knows what that jet stream is going to do. Who knows what those clouds are bringing with them. As a weatherman, you can be wrong every day and still keep your job. As a forecaster, you can get it right and people will still hate you for what you 'bring'.

Whatever they say... just roll with the punches for now. Hang in there. March is almost done. Spring is just around the corner. In fact, one of the trees in the front yard started to leaf out this week despite the snow. ;)

The Changing of Seasons

God's provision, grace and blessings are clearly seen in all the seasons. Winter is a time of quiet - a time of rest after the craziness of all the other seasons. It's a time of getting ready for the next year. In Spring, we see rebirth. Emerging from once lifeless ground, sprouts push towards the sky with all their might. The most vivacious, vivid green is everywhere you look; the first blooms are preparing to greet you. Babies are everywhere it seems - baby plants, sheep, goats, birds, cows, deer, coyotes, chickens, etc. Summer is a time of golden hues, growing, maturing, bare feet, weeding, gardening, fresh fruits, veggies, fields of wheat gently swaying in the breeze, a refreshing drink of lemonade, a siesta in the hammock, and watching the long, lazy sunsets, each custom painted by the Creator.

Autumn seems like a rushed blur after those dog days of summer, but it is a time of storing up for the seemingly harsh winter that is quickly approaching. Bringing in the harvest is simultaneous with school starting again (why do they have to do that?). Cool, crisp air is a relief after the muggy summer atmosphere; heavy dew settles on whatever it touches in the dark of night. The breeze shifts directions, becoming more of a wind instead of a breeze. Trees retreat down to their roots, leaving once green leaves shades of orange, yellow and red. Squirrels are busy hiding their stash only to be forgotten by midwinter; flocks of birds by the thousands are flying in formation to warmer climates. The aroma of baking, canning, and cooking wafts through the house. Crunchy leaves are underfoot and under car - you open the car window just to hear that wonderful sound. The last pieces of produce are brought in from the garden as once healthy, vibrant plants wither back to the ground. 

As much as I love all the seasons, autumn has to be my favorite. Sometimes I wish it could stay this way forever, but if we were stuck in one season all the time, wouldn't it get a bit boring? Now, you'll have to excuse me - I'm going to go jump in that pile of maple leaves. 

 

Too many comics?

How do you tell if you read the comics too much? You build a snowman to replicate them.

Here we have the pointy-haired boss from the comic strip, "Dilbert."

Obviously we read the comics too much. ;) Gotta love home schooler snow days.

Hoe Down!

Hoe Down/Harvest Party!

Setting up!

Must move towards the light!

My little brother. =)

O_o

*reverent silence

Bonfire!

We even had live music! =D

Dancing!

Ooh! Pretty lights!

This isn't what it looks like... ;)

More dancing!

In the barn

Some of our musicians

The Virginia Reel

Laura, our dance caller and music supplier, was running late, but, thank goodness, some people had brought their instruments, so we impromtued the first couple dances. =)

We even had a full moon!

There was so much food!

Playing in the loft!

At the end of the party... =(

Fire!!!

Wow! What an evening! This whole party was the brainchild of a drive home from ECD one evening at the beginning of the summer. We were thinking that a harvest party would be fun, and we just ran with it! =D My parents were excited to host the party at our house, so we even had a great farm location (complete with farm atmosphere)!

Unfortunately, the week leading up to the event, the forecast started out as showers on Saturday, Oct. 3 (the day of the party) then changed to thunder showers. We were all praying really hard that we could not have any rain on the event... Saturday morning was cloudy and overcast but in the afternoon, it cleared up, we had sunshine and blue skies! That night we even had a full moon to complete the whole experience! =D

Another unfortunately... I was getting migranes almost every other day leading up to the Harvest Party... To give you some backround, I had fallen off a horse the week before and made my neck, head and back go out of alignment which leads to migranes. >_<>

So, all things summed up, I want to do this again next year! =D

PS- Most pictures made possible by Daniel S. and Nathan B. Thank you!

The Seasons Come and Go...

Isn't if funny how you can get into the groove of something so much that it becomes almost second nature and then, out of the blue, something gets in there to kink the whole process? That is almost how it is with farm work... When the weather's fair and comfortable, you don't think about the chores very much until you get hit with some freakish weather that makes the whole process screech to a halt or makes you cringe with the thought of doing anything.

That's how it is with all this insane amount of heat in the area right now...

When most people are retreating inside with the AC units, we (my family and me) are all out trying to make sure that the animals have enough cold water and are comfortable enough to withstand the heat. We hose down the llamas, spray the chickens (they hate it, but it's for their own good!), hose ourselves down and continue with the work.

The opposite was true this last winter when we had more than 3 feet of snow... We just had to dig trails through ice, wind, and snow to get to the barn and chicken coop. With the power out we only had the fireplace for heat and the generator for a few commodities. We spent minimal time outside because it would take way to long to warm up again to be safe...

It truly is amazing how 6-7 months ago we were in below freezing temperatures. Now it's touching the triple digits... XP

Stay cool and drink lots of water!

Signs of Summer

1. You refuse to wear anything on your feet except flip-flops. The only exceptions are your riding boots and dancing shoes (which might even be your flip flops!)

2. You feet are stained with dust. Not joking!

3. You've tried everything on the shelf, but you still can't find relief from the sunburn.

4. You forgot what color your skin was before the sun decided to kiss it. (I really see no problem with that as long as it's not red...)

5. The hammock is calling you!

6. You can make dinner in a matter of minutes. Icecream, popcorn, and salad. Maybe something bbq-ed...

7. You have to eat fruit over the sink because it's just so juicy! <3

8. You can't imagine life without the window open all the time (except for when the AC is on, but that's not working really well...)

9. The kitchen gets seriously abused with all of the seasonal produce being stowed away for the deep winter months. Who can be thinking about snow when Mr. Sunshine is around?

10. Your idea of a work out is gardening, hiking, trail riding, etc. Forget about a gym membership...

11. You don't know what day it is... lost your sense of time in the hammock a while ago

12. You really want a ride in a convertable

13. Another siesta is very appealing right now

14. You have a stack of books waiting to be read in the hammock, if you can keep your eyes open long enough to read them!

15. You work your schedule around how hot it's going to be that day

16. Your bedroom is showing signs of neglect because you've been outside most of the time

17. You start developing a farmer's tan again. Oops!

18. Nothing is more calming as a breeze on a summer evening

19. Your turn! *fill in the blank*

All Powerful

Honestly, farm life is never boring and will always keep you on your toes. Last night was just another example...

It was hot and muggy, so all the windows in the house were left wide open. At about 4 o'clock in the afternoon it became black. Everthing was dark and something didn't feel right about that at all. I look out the window and, sure enough, massive thunderheads billowed just south of us. The sky turned an ominous hazy green and pinkish-brown. Who wouldn't be thinking "tornado" hasn't done very much studying on weather. Then the wind hit - hard. I've never seen a storm front come in that fast! As if on cue, all of the south facing doors inside the house slammed shut as we were rushing to close ever single window.

Once we closed the house down- my mom remembered all the animals and patio furniture we had outside. My brother and I bundled up to close the chicken coop and barn, but the dust was already kicked up and leaves and branches and who knows what else was flying everywhere! It felt like a Winnie the Pooh moment... What a blustery day! We got the girl llamas in, barn shut (except for the slight opening for the swallows that nest in there!), chick tractor secured, and loose yard art collected, we went inside thinking we were done with battling the uncontrolable forces of the weather.

We forgot about our male llamas in the neighbor's pasture - down the big hill - but by this time it had started dumping the hugest raindrops I had ever seen, and our neighbor warned us that it might hail- big time! It didn't take long to get down the hill (we were running, bad for you knees though...). When we reached the pasture gate you couldn't see the nearby water trough. That's how hard and fast it was raining. Keeping half and eye on the ominous sky above and trudging through deep, wet grass we finally reached the llamas. They didn't move very quickly back up the hill... so by the time we reached the barn we were soaked through. I wish humans could get water by osmosis... but it we did, we most likely would drown in cases like this...

Anyway... Dad got home from work and, of course, the weather lightened up a bit with some sunshine! But then we went inside and it started raining again. Later that evening there was a showy thunder and lightening storm but no tornados in our area. Thank God!!! My mom says that it's times like this that prepare us for the actual thing, which I would really rather not think about...