WHATCHA DOING TODAY?

[Jeepers]

Great to 'see' you posting Ambergris. Was getting concerned.

 

When my posts disappear, I'm taken back to the Home page and out of the forum I was posting in.

 

I start 'nesting' in October and November. I know there is a possibility I'll be stuck in the house because of bad weather and I start getting motivated. Or if I just don't want to go out in the cold. I don't really consciously think about it. I think it's an ingrained heredity instinct thing. I need to scale back this year though. I'm trying to clear out and organize but I'm still out of room.

 

I don't like my hands dirty either. I don't mind getting them dirty at all. But when I'm finished with the dirty work, I can't stand it until I wash them. I feel about my fingernails as I do my hair...It'll grow back. My DIL can cut hair and I was trying to tell her I'm not picky about my haircuts without her inferring that I was saying I thought that she was a second rate cutter. Thin line...

[snapshotmiki]

Me too, Jeepers! Just gone away! I wrote down the control + things to keep by the computer until I remember them.

 

Glad you are safe, Annarchy. Hopefully you will get a little rest!

 

Hi Ambergris! Glad you are back!

[Homesteader]

I rototilled the last of the temporary perennial nursery and planted the stragglers. I ended up with about 200 plants from our Indiana place. It was fun getting all the flower/garden beds ready for the new owners. I replanted the parents but took all the babies. I should have around $2500-$3000 worth of free perennial plants. Many are for us but many are for our honey bees and the brave butterflies that make it all the way to wisconsin.

[Mt_Rider]

Well....today.... A good day but I'm It was late aft/evening before I could even move on what I hoped to get settled back in place. Just DRAGGING before that!

 

Hauled stuff up and down and now the porch looks like it should. Ahem...MUCH better than before the stain project and the RIPPIN' WIND. Took all the misc outta there and finally brought the second glider chair back up. Ahhhh! Still weight things down with interesting rocks we've collected here thru the years. Quartz and Rose Quartz are pretty and heavy enough for that.

 

Fixed all the tarps and other displaced things due to the WIND!

 

Changed the EX-waterbed-platform-with-regular mattress....trying to see what it will take for DH to sleep well again. [it might take a new waterbed mattress...but we'll see.]

 

Did 2 loads of laundry.....partly stuff that got wet in the Waterbed Incident.

 

Then was about to go down to feed. Suddenly Koa WENT OFF.........BARKBARKBARKBARKBARK!!!! See it? It's a BOBCAT in the barnyard. Not the lynx/bobcat from last fall. That one was orange with a kinky tail. This is the more usual tabby color with snub tail.

 

So I hurried to get ready.....closed the dog into the rear of the truck. Collect my stuff and drove down to barn yard. Me and hardware went over around the barns [swinging wide....don't want to trap it inside]. Saw bold thing sitting just beyond. Good safe shot with hill behind and no neighbors. Did not aim to hit [not knowing laws for lynx/bobcat but wanted to give UNfriendly impression. Koa about tore the truck up cuz I left her behind. But in that situation, I cannot control her. Do not need vet bills for slashes. Cat took off immediately ...uphill into woods. After feeding horses/escorting nervous ducks up to duckhouse, Koa did get to direct our walk to track kitty. Left her calling card several times....which I hoped she would. We need to claim territory cuz that cat was stalking my ducks...about to come up off pond for supper! :frying pan:

 

MtRider ....Ah yes.....living in the 'wilderness'. Never a dull moment.

Edited October 23, 2016 by Mt_Rider

[Daylily]

Good Morning ! I enjoy reading what everyone is up to.

 

Annarchy, you are brave! My climbing limit is the third step on a four foot step ladder. I am impressed that you could do that roof!

 

A bobcat! My DDs saw a young one last spring and got a picture through the leaves. It was about a mile from our house.

 

Miki, I had to google Following Atticus. Sounds good.

 

Welcome back Ambergris!

 

Jeepers, I get that nesting instinct too this time of year. I want to start decluttering and getting rid of stuff.

 

Homesteader, Yay! about the plants! If we moved I would be digging up lots of plants to take with me. What are some of the plants you took with you?

 

Last week, DH's uncle (who is about DH's age and they are very close, like brothers) got a detached retina and had surgery. He and his wife had planned to put a new roof on their house as soon as they got home from FL last weekend. He got the detached retina on Saturday, she drove home Sunday and he saw the doctor on Tuesday (he was out of town Monday), had the surgery on Wednesday. So their oldest daughter gathered up a volunteer work crew to do the roof today. DH and DS left at 6 am this morning to help. It's a two hour drive. Please pray for everyone's safety as they do the roof, etc.

 

So Mom, DD and I are here at home for the day with big project lists and deciding what we want to accomplish. I have my to-do list all written out. I don't know what DD plans to do. Mom has some more beans to shell. She's limited by her very poor eyesight. She has shelled all our beans this year. Probably more than 10 bushels in the shell. It makes her feel like she contributes tot he family and it most certainly saves us a bunch of time!

 

Some things on my list:

 

1. dig at least five goldenrod clumps out of the driveway flower bed

2. plant daffodils

3. wash cans (emptied spoiled food from cellar last week, soaked cans in bleach water)

4. work toward planting my four little herb plans (marshmallow, sage, thyme, salad burnet) This involves cleaning out the partially buried fiberglass tub-weeds

5. carry in firewood for the night

6. church treasurer work

7. wash and put our to dry my tomato seeds. They are now fermenting in little plastic containers. Some are ready to wash & dry, some aren't.

 

There is more but that's enough to list. Hope you all have a great day.

[Annarchy]

Everyone sounds busy.

 

Mt_Rider, glad you carry personal protection, including Koa.

 

I will be on the road today. Sorta looking forward to it, resting my back.

 

My Uncle said he might show up at home today. Hoping I get there first. I haven't seen him since before my mom and other Uncle passed. Of the 3, he's the youngest in his late 70's. He's coming in from Maryland to go gold hunting, "one last time", in southern AZ.

 

Well, time to finish re-packing and launder my bedding, then get on the road.

 

Looking forward to seeing the extra chickens DH has been babysitting while I've been gone. The owner sent us a cute message: "If you care for a chicken, you are literally a chicken tender ".

 

Hoping everyone has a wonderful day.

[Mt_Rider]

Chicken Tender.... Drive safe, friend!

 

Pray everyone is safe on the new roof project!

 

 

I just wrote out my ToDo list today too. I did so much labor stuff yesterday including up/down stairs. Too much. Very shaky today. Chilled, tho it's 60 out in the sun. Probably get a later start on this.

 

--catch up on dishes

--bring in laundry on line

--process some of the greens we got [collards, kale, chard]

--call K with my Kale Chip recipe ...and find recipe

--find recipe for broc salad or call N to get it from her....again.

--call G and find out how important appointment went yesterday

--wash more duck eggs...I'm out

--Remember to keep eye out for BobbyCat

 

.....I try not to do much labor on Sundays but beyond egg washing, it's just day to day stuff.

 

MtRider ....but I have to get my functioning back up first

[Ambergris]

That sounds like a lot to me.

 

My favorite tree is bearing a bumper crop. I tried to get some picked this weekend, but can't reach or bend without issues yet. Maybe tomorrow. I want to load the freezer and the dryer.

[Jeepers]

I didn't do much of anything today except watch the Steelers lose.

 

Good reminder about making the fall list. I haven't done that yet. I think because it's been raining so much I haven't thought about being outside. It's time to get out the small white board and get to making that list.

 

I have to do laundry tomorrow and maybe make a run to Barnes and Nobel. It's about 20 miles from me so not so convenient as Borders was. I miss Borders. I was going to order some children's books from Amazon but the reviews weren't so good. Some said the edges on the pages were very sharp and a lot of people said the pages stuck out beyond the book. I did get a list printed out so that should help speed things along.

 

I really need to get my car in the shop too. The brakes are squeaking...still. I'll have them rotate the tires while they have them off. That will be a free-bee since I bought them there.

[The WE2's]

Biiiizzzzzy around here, but made a lot of headway. Got one of the Homestead's upstairs room cleared (what was a bedroom) and wiped down the woodwork and damp mopped the now revealed, wood floors. Today we finished moving the bookcases into that room (which is now a "library") and got a LOT of our books carried up and into them. Moving bookcases and then books up those narrow stairs was a real job :-( But we'll be glad when it's done. Then we'll attack the other room (livingroom) and the kitchen & bathroom. We'll be winterizing all the plumbing up there and won't be using it. I'll use the kitchen strictly for storage etc...may have Mr. build me a couple of shelves across the kitchen counter to start seedlings in next season. Got a 5x30 section B2E section of the garden done...put down newspaper and then covered it with the leaves we collected last year. It was so rich and black! Ran some of the brush we've collected through the chipper and added that too. Haven't pulled the Okra (yes, it's still producing), egg plant, bell peppers and 2 tomato plants. Everything else we pulled and ran through the chipper. Went to Menards (they're having their 11% sale) and picked up some HD totes and some more space bags to store linens in. Been picking up sheet sets, blankets, comforters, baby blankets (to cut for personal clothes) and other items we might need in an emergency. Abby-girl is in bliss. We picked up a toddler baby mattress and about 5 or 6 fillted sheets and it's laying on the floor right beside mommy's side of the bed :-) She can't drag it around nor does she try to chew on it. It's nice and sturdy and I'm sure very comfy. She doesn't even mind that she has to get up when mommy steps on it to get out of her bed :-) We're hoping to get moved to the Homestead before too much longer and then get this place sold. Decided to put the Roost on hold and get this part of our properties dealt with. Did take a few hours off for our last motorcycle ride of the year, and spent some time with some lovely friends quite a distance from us...a 3 1/2 hour ride one way, so it was an all day trip. Ended up getting home after dark which is something we've only had to do one other time. We just don't ride after dark, but time got away from us as we chatted after supper. So tomorrow...Mr goes back to work for a customer and I'll be back on deck holding down the home stuff. Did pick up some charcoal since I drug out our Cobb and want to do some cooking on it. It just saves so much when I can cook a whole meal with 5 or 6 charcoal brickettes. Still not having to use any a/c nor heat and I'm hanging most of our clothes outside. Saving dollars is a must since we're paying utilities on 3 properties and insurance and taxes are like Jaws3. That's why we're trying to get moved out of this one and get it sold. So if I'm scarce it's because I'm busy!

[Mt_Rider]

Wow WE2....very busy!

 

I got several things done. Not surprising....not all the list. Didn't get my calls/recipe things done. Got such a late start cuz functioning was difficult. Dishes. Eggs, only a dozen. Clothes line. And regular chores....keeping wary eye out for BobbyCat. There is always tomorrow....

 

Toooo much to do every fall....

 

MtRider

[Jeepers]

I got a late start today but ended with a bang. I got all of my errands run and bills paid and meds picked up. Got the Jeep gassed up and filled up the gas can. I need to fill the mower before I can mow again if it ever stops raining. Then I drove down to another town that has every store I wanted to go to.

 

I snooped around Jo-Ann fabrics (didn't buy anything). Then off to Michael's for some more tee shirts. They are nice and long and roomy. They were 3 for $10.00. I wear the heck out of them and wear one just about every day. Nice colors too. I'm stocked up on tee shirts now. Swung over to Bed Bath and Beyond and picked up another shelf thingy for my dish cabinet. I had a coupon...woo-hoo. Went to Wal-Mart for a few items and off to, ahem, Toys R Us. I was looking for a onsie that had the Cleveland Indians on it but they didn't have any 3 month sizes. I skipped Sam's Club because I'm trying to cut back on the stocking up.

 

I finally ended up at Barnes and Nobel. Among other books I bought my GS his very first prep book!!!

 

The Little Red Hen.

 

[The WE2's]

I got a late start today but ended with a bang. I got all of my errands run and bills paid and meds picked up. Got the Jeep gassed up and filled up the gas can. I need to fill the mower before I can mow again if it ever stops raining. Then I drove down to another town that has every store I wanted to go to.

 

I snooped around Jo-Ann fabrics (didn't buy anything). Then off to Michael's for some more tee shirts. They are nice and long and roomy. They were 3 for $10.00. I wear the heck out of them and wear one just about every day. Nice colors too. I'm stocked up on tee shirts now. Swung over to Bed Bath and Beyond and picked up another shelf thingy for my dish cabinet. I had a coupon...woo-hoo. Went to Wal-Mart for a few items and off to, ahem, Toys R Us. I was looking for a onsie that had the Cleveland Indians on it but they didn't have any 3 month sizes. I skipped Sam's Club because I'm trying to cut back on the stocking up.

 

I finally ended up at Barnes and Nobel. Among other books I bought my GS his very first prep book!!!

 

The Little Red Hen.

 

 

[The WE2's]

We picked up a pretty good size load of bagged up leaves and hauled them to the homestead. Hopefully we'll be getting lots more calls :-) Leaves compost down very quick and the worms love it. We both did catch a whiff of sinus, perhaps from playing in the leaves? But we're both on the mend. Mixed up some Elderberry syrup and took some, also some Vit. C and Echinacia. Used a nasal spray for a day to clear things up. We'll have to be a bit more careful handling the leaves that have been so composted down...these were from last year and were ready for the garden bed! LOL

[Jeepers]

You 2's have been very busy but also very productive! Glad Miss Abby Girl likes her new bed. I'll bet her mattress is a lot better than mine. And sheets! Sheeesh.

[Homesteader]

We worked on putting together the third bedroom, after almost a month here. Moving takes longer every time. We have to make lots of repairs to make our living easier, so I can't complain ( a new kitchen ceiling light over the counter yesterday). We're also adding just enough to each bedroom to make our lives easier. Everything else will be sold or given away. Three out of four of our filing cabinets will soon be history. We saved the best one and it's getting ready to be spray-painted and added to our small office. I refuse to trip over everything and eventually fall and break a hip. Where would I be then???

 

The rain has stopped and it's supposed to be 65 F today. It will be the last big push to collect leaves. The rototiller threw a belt and we're waiting for a new belt. I guess my huge garden will have to wait. I do have five rows of 4'x50'. That will get me started in the spring. I am hoping to lay down some amendments before winter, based on the soil test results from the Univ of Wis. None of the results surprised me as the sandy soil is growing better toad-stools than grass and weeds.

[Daelith]

We picked up a pretty good size load of bagged up leaves and hauled them to the homestead. Hopefully we'll be getting lots more calls :-) Leaves compost down very quick and the worms love it. We both did catch a whiff of sinus, perhaps from playing in the leaves? But we're both on the mend. Mixed up some Elderberry syrup and took some, also some Vit. C and Echinacia. Used a nasal spray for a day to clear things up. We'll have to be a bit more careful handling the leaves that have been so composted down...these were from last year and were ready for the garden bed! LOL

If you can stand to use a Neti Pot, I found that has helped with my sinus so far this fall. Takes a little getting used to though.

 

And if you need more leaves, feel free to come to my house and get all you want. I have lots and lots of leaves.

[The WE2's]

Tried a netti...once...didn't go where it was supposed to and probably won't try it again :-( We have two, one for him and one for me that we just keep set back though.

 

Too bad about the leaves...too far away :-)

Edited October 30, 2016 by The WE2's

[The WE2's]

May sound absurd to some but I used a q-tip with a few drops of Beta-dine and gave the inside of my nose a gentle cleansing and things cleared up within hours. Remembered a chirop. who used to do that many, many years ago to clear my sinus...except he stuck them WAY up. Gave it try and got the results I hoped.

[The WE2's]

Picked up a few items to top off the freezers for winter, and a couple more blue rain catchment barrels to add to our system so we'll be able to supplement our garden next year. Picked another batch of tomatoes and some Kale. We're still in the 80's here but it's supposed to cool off tomorrow. Took Abby-girl to the doggie-park. She sure loves it, but it was boy's afternoon out and she preferred to lay at our feet (she was the first one there and had played frisbee quite awhile) and let them growl, romp and tumble. She views that as agressive I think.

[The WE2's]

Mr. washed out the new rain catchment barrels and they're ready for next season. I opened the spouts of the 4 existing barrels and let them drain out. I also picked another 6 red tomatoes. Got a bunch now so I'll drag out the VitaMix and get some tomato juice ready for jarring up. We both winterized the travel trailer and Mr. put a new black water pull on the tt. The old one was plastic and one "wing" had broke, so it was very hard to pull...for him. I'd never have been able to do it. Now, the new one is an EZ pull type so I could if I needed to. I had wanted to get the tt's exterior washed but we ran out of daylight. Another thing on our "to-do" list.

[Homesteader]

I can't tell you how blessed we are to be back in our home church in Wisconsin. The kids have grown up in our 14 years away, but that's OK. We have lots of catching up to do and are thankful we can still sit under our pastor before he retires in several years. He's been a dear friend for years and even brought out work groups in some of the countries we were building radio stations. It's nice to have a pastor and church leadership so focused on world missions. It can't come at a better time in history.

 

We live quite a ways from the town where our church is so we find a new place to eat on Sunday afternoons and do some shopping on the way home. Hubby has been wanting a 3-point post hole digger ever since we decided to do some construction around our new place. We bought one at the farm store and now he's happy. First project is a honeybee shelter for the winter. Second project will be deer fencing around my gardens and orchard (that may wait until next spring as we're running out of good weather )

 

We picked up a few bags of barn lime for the garden. The soil tests came back 'wanting' in many areas. I figured as much as we grow mushrooms better than grass or weeds. The veggie garden is now 400' long and I can spread some lime by cup-full in the long 4' wide strips. I'm enjoying the raised-bed idea without the sideboards. I can rototill once and then use the beds without tilling again, if I want. The soil stays in the beds, and I can cut the grass between the beds to keep the mud down.

 

We picked up about 25 gallons of fuel for my lawn tractor and tiller. Hubby says, "happy wife, happy life". I agree.

Edited October 31, 2016 by Homesteader

[TheCG]

I plotted out how to feed everybody this week.

 

And priced out our compound bow so we can post it on Craigslist.

 

And re-seasoned my cast iron skillet. (13-year-olds don't remember when you tell them not to use soap on it!)

 

Going to work on my classes for the rest of the day until it's time to make dinner and get kids around for Halloween stuff.

 

Dinner is going to be pan-fried potatoes topped with Italian sausage, ricotta, and spaghetti sauce, then baked.

[Mt_Rider]

Still pretty wiped out from our ridiculous week of WIND, staining, veggies, and waterbeds. I did get to visit with my folks this weekend. My mom and I were pretty tired. She'd had no sleep the previous nite. I'd had interrupted sleep but mostly still in backwash of THAT week. Honestly, we ate at local diner and after eating the salad, I was too tired [not full, tired!] to eat much of the Liver N Onions. Took most of it with me instead. So after going to their house, she and I sat on couch for a marathon of "Anne of Green Gables". That show was done so well. The actors are so perfect for the characters. Horrid when Matthew dies tho.

 

'Twas a good day but still quite fatigued. Weather has been fabulous! I wish MS Fall Fatigue Thing happened in a different season. I've always liked Fall best!

 

MtRider ....Ugly van is running. So soon, we take it to get hay.

Edited October 31, 2016 by Mt_Rider

[Jeepers]

All is bright and beautiful in my world...McDonalds brought back their winter broccoli soup and the Dairy Queen has their fall pumpkin pie blizzards. Ain't life grand!