What's Been Going On Lately

Temperatures have changed, and the sun finally came out.  The rain stopped, we’re waiting for the partially cleared clay (hole) to dry. We have more skimming, tilling, and fencing to put up before adding rich soil, and planting seeds / seedlings.

While waiting for this area to dry out, Bulldog Man and I decided we’re going to start our orchard.  We purchased our first apple tree, a Honey Crisp.  Because it was raining like crazy, we stored that tree inside the dog run against the house.  This way the deer would leave it totally alone.

Since the rain stopped, we dug a nice hole twice the size of the tree’s root base, on the south side of the property, where the tree will have sun access and plenty of space to spread out.   We added moisture retaining soil, and compost to the hole then planted the tree.  Then we placed T-Posts, and fencing around the tree, to help protect the tree from deer eating the branches, leaves, or apples when they come in.

   

 

Starting this orchard has put a smile on my face.  Now, I can’t wait until next week, when we go purchase a couple more trees.  Our goal is to plant more apple and peach trees.  Eventually, we’ll have all the trees we want planted.  This is a project in the making!!!

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I needed a larger place to dump my compost.  Right now, I have a plastic barrel designed to spin easily.  It’s just not big enough for the size of garden we eventually would like to have. 

 

After having all of our sub floors replaced in the house, we were left with all kinds of left over plywood.  Bulldog Man, Tank, and I pulled out several pieces we thought would work for making a large compost holder on the ground, not too far from the new garden we’re working on.

 

We pulled several small trees, previously cut down in the back part of the property.  Bulldog Man decided we’re going to use the trees in the corners of the compost box for support.  Here’s what the project looked like as it went up. 

Plenty of openings for ventilation, and water access when needed.  After helping the guys with the project, I attached the small trailer to the old yard tractor and drove it down the driveway toward where our drain ditch is located, out by the gate, to rake up two trailers full of damp wet leaves, and drove them over to the compost box, where I dumped them.  Everyone knows compost needs wet leaves and worms!

Tank was home to help wearing his strange boots!!!

 

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The other day while going outside, I came across approximately 23 – 25 wild turkeys, walking around our pond, near where we feed the deer.  I realized I forgot my camera, and ran back into the house.  This obviously scared the turkeys, and they wondered from the front area of the house into part of the woods out back.  I was able to capture part of a large group walking through.  This was the largest group I’ve seen on our property.

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A friend of mine, Harry at Self Sufficient Mountain Living,    commented on my blog stating he sure wished he had my energy.  I responded back to Harry with, “I have arthritis in my back, and hips. If I don't keep moving the pain is worse”.  It’s true!  So I keep on….keeping on!  My doctor suggested I see a pain management doctor to help with the pain.  Off I went to an amazing pain management doctor up in Oklahoma City.  He examined me, looked at my x-rays and MRI, and made an action plan.

This past Wednesday, I went in for 6 lumbar epidural steroid injections and 1 sacrum (to the hip) epidural steroid injection totally under anesthetic.  These injections are to help reduce inflammation around the spinal nerves and pressure on the nerve roots.   I should know in a week or so if the injections will make a difference with my pain, and actually delay/prevent me from having surgery.   I don’t dwell in my pain; I get up daily and MOVE!!!  

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In the state of Oklahoma, you’re allowed to feed the deer……..please don’t send me complaints about this!!!  I feed the deer because there isn’t much for them to eat in the winter time.  Twice a day, I provide corn and apples.  When spring starts knocking at the door, I slow down their feed to one bucket, and then eventually to none.  Lately, the deer have become a bit possessive with the feed.  I’ve started spreading only one bucket in several areas across our dam for feeding.  

 

I’ve attached several pictures of a pregnant deer trying to hog the feed, she bites and kicks the other feeding deer. 

Life is good living in the country!

I BET YOU THOUGHT I STOPPED BLOGGING.....NOT!!! (5TH ATTEMPT TO LOAD POST)

Hi, blogger friends!  Yes, it’s been a while…..  I hope everyone had an amazing New Year!!

Let me tell you what we’ve been up too, since my last post.

We’ve been dealing with some mighty strange weather, like y’all have.  The temperatures have varied over the weeks to negative numbers all the way up to the high 50’s.  At one point we were actually colder than Alaska.  

Here’s what’s been happening on the homestead……..

Bulldog Man and I had found, over the summer, an amazing 40-year old handmade baby cradle; we couldn’t pass it up…..we purchased it at an amazing price, and took it home with intentions of stripping it, and making it look new.  I was asked by a dear friend if Bulldog Man and I were expecting a baby!  At our ages….it can’t happen :-)…however, were expecting a new grand baby (in January of this year).  Our son, Steven was expecting his first child, and our family couldn’t wait for it to happen.

We sanded down the cradle, cleaned it thoroughly, stained the cradle an amazing color, and let it dry completely.  Then we polyurethaned the cradle and ran into a problem.  The polyurethane started to leave white blotches all over the cradle.  We waited days for it to dry to see if the white blotches would disappear.  Some blotches disappeared, while new ones popped up.  This just didn’t make any sense to us and we didn’t have time to waste.  We were delayed refinishing the cradle due to the water issue and construction at our house. So onward we went, sanding down the cradle again thoroughly.  

This time instead of staining the cradle, we decided to paint it the same color scheme as the baby crib our son had purchased.  The cradle came out gorgeous; we’re still wondering what caused the blotches with the polyurethane.  

We delivered the cradle to our son and his wife on the 23^rd of December; they loved it and couldn’t believe how well it matched the paint on the crib!!!

After visiting with our son and daughter in-law, we stayed at my sister’s house in Texas, until we returned home on Christmas Eve.

On January 8^, 2018 our 6^th grand baby was born.  

Let me introduce you to Cora Faye, 7 pounds 7 ounces

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Due to the cold weather, squirrels in our neck of the woods were hunkering down in warm places. Unbeknownst to us, a squirrel decided to build a nest under the hood of our truck.  He/She ripped insulation off of the fire wall under the hood of the truck, and took the material off of the air filter to build a nest; on top of the intake manifold of the truck.  When we went to change the oil, a nest (well structured I might say) was found and pulled off of the intake manifold of the truck. 

After researching the internet, I’ve learned that by placing moth balls under the hood of your vehicle, it will deter squirrels from building nests.  So I attempted my version of storing moth balls under the hood of our truck, and other vehicles.

I pulled out some old material, cuts squares, placed moth balls in the center of the squares and pulled the ends together with sown heavy duty string.  Then I cut two slits in the material on the sides and placed a zip tie through.  This way I could mount the pocket on a heavy wire under the hood of each vehicle (I made sure the wires wouldn’t start fire or have issues). This has worked well, and has deterred the squirrels (the smell isn’t real nice). 

Now we’re dealing with the squirrel playing games with us inside our detached garage.  Eventually the little bastards will be caught!!!!

*****(The Type Print On This Post Keeps Acting Up, Excuse The All Caps*****

For the past 4 weeks, I’ve been recuperating from walking pneumonia and dealing with a broken foot. 

You heard right! 

I caught an upper respiratory infection after visiting my sister which turned into pneumonia.  And weeks before, I was locking our driveway gate when the inevitable happened.  The driveway is gravel, and it’s not level so, when I ran to catch one side of the gate, my foot went down onto an unlevel section of the gravel on the driveway and rolled.

I ended up breaking a metatarsal bone, and pulling tendons.  Talk about painful, and a burning feeling….OMG!!!!  I immediately went to my primary physician who looked at it, and sent me to the hospital for x-rays because she thought it was broken.  The radiologist diagnosed me as having no issues!!!!  I demanded a referral to my foot doctor.  Y’all know how that works…..it takes time to get a referral. So in the mean time, I’m walking on this foot, and in pain.

Finally, I have an appointment with the foot doctor (a specialist).  She looked at the x-rays, advised she believes I have a fractured foot, and pulled ligaments, and ordered an MRI to determine a plan of action.  While waiting on the MRI appointment (several weeks), I’ve been put in a $300 boot to immobilize the foot. 

Geez……I paid (the insurance company did) $300 for one boot…..they could have at least given me a pair of boots J at that price!!!  Right??  Now I’m in a waiting mode and need to just take it slow with my foot, to make sure I don’t do further damage.  The MRI facility called last night and scheduled me for an appointment on January 29^th. 

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A recipe worth keeping--BAKED DONUTS!!!  We love donuts however, fried donuts don’t agree well with the body.  So I found this recipe on the King Arthur Flour site.  They’re baked donuts three ways, and Bulldog Man gives them 4 paws up as a rating!!!  Here’s the site and recipe:  https://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/baked-doughnuts-three-ways-recipe

 

 

 

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Y’all know we have a massive amount of wildlife on our property.  I thought I would share with you a video of my husband cutting Tank’s hair….check out the doe watching it all happen and eating with no fear.

 

Soap, Trailer, & Clear Margins!

While cleaning out one of my closets, I came across 4 pounds of suspension soap, goat’s soap (from Hobby Lobby) by Life of the Party; made from all-natural ingredients, in my linen closet.  I decided to go ahead and personalize this soap.  

Using old pots as a double boiler, while continuously stirring, I melted the suspension soap.  Then I added essential oils (ginger and lime) to create a unique scent, along with a few drops of teal to create the color.   Once ready, I poured the mixture into the mold, and let the mixture sit for 24 hours.

Scent and Color Getting Mixed In

My mold is a postal box (extra tape around the box for support), lined with a commercial can liner (lay flat using my fingers inside of the box), cut open with the ends taped down on the outside of the box.   You need to make sure your mold is ready before melting your soap, because the mixture solidifies relatively fast. 

After 24 hours, your soap will be solid. Remove the soap from the mold (discard the plastic liner, don’t reuse it).  Cut the soap to the desired size using a knife or a special cutting tool, I used a wavy soap cutter (purchased at Hobby Lobby).  

The final step is to let your soap cure for 8 weeks.  I use an old cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, and a couple of cooling racks.

After 8 weeks, you can place a decorative paper wrap around the soap. 

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While shopping at Home Depot for silicon, Bulldog Man and I came across a trailer; built by Agri-Fab, a hauling cart to use with your lawn tractor, made out of steel.  We’ve been looking for a trailer capable of holding 200 to 350 pounds to help with tasks around the property, like hauling dirt, rocks, and wood.   This trailer/cart even has a release lever, making it easy to dump whatever’s in the trailer.  The cost was $99.00, and we walked out, spending only $89.00 with a military discount. 

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We also have two things to celebrate. Our son Tank turned 24 years of age and Bulldog Man was diagnosed about 3 weeks ago with basal cell carcinoma next to his left eye.  This morning we drove into Oklahoma City for a surgical procedure to remove the cancer.  The surgeon, a military veteran himself, cut into my husband’s face in an attempt to remove all of the cancer and get clear margins on the first try.  We waited in the surgery suite for the lab results to come back.  If clear margins weren’t found in the initial biopsy, additional cutting would be required.  The lab results came back with clear margins, the doctor stitched up my husband’s face (10 stitches), and we returned home.