July 30th - more progress

We have managed to get a camera to replace our ailing camera and have some new photos!

Here is Lillian and her new friend - the frog! And Zeb :) Zeb has been staying here with his family for the past 2 weeks while they get their new apartment lined up.


Lillian and Zeb in the middle of the dug out circle that will contain our dome greenhouse


Chicken treats!! They love the green tomatoes! They love to fight over them, which is very entertaining. Not pictured here is the 'alpha chicken' who seems to have the run of the little chicken show ... maybe next post we will show the 'alpha chicken' at her finest ...


The [finally!] weeded garden. Rows of beans! Beyond that broccoli, kalarabi, and other goodies!


Unknown mystery vines up on our vine-teepee. We think they are cucumbers, but at this juncture we are a little unsure of what in the world these things might be.


Different varieties of winter squash growing up a new A-frame. Acorn, Blue Hubbard, Butternut and what else ... can't remember the others. :)


Bethy getting ready to drive ... (oh shit!)


... and our new room. I was so concerned that with the move to the new room that it simply wouldn't be as messy as it once was. I am so relieved! =D Just kidding. We are very much in transition - but we're in there! Making it happen!

July 20th - more work on the house

The kids, watching something on the television, Jedi weapons in hand!


Lillian, being incredibly rediculous!


Cute!


Our new room. Dad and i just put that floor in this weekend. It was not too difficult. The hard part was all of the kneeling. My knees are achy! Check those cabinets. Dad made them on the fly. Pretty impressive work. The room still isn't quite finished. Molding around the windows, closet need shelves still.

A shot of the cabinets and book cases, almost finished.


Another shot of the room.


Here is where the back deck used to be. A simple stair and landing have been put in. Eventually, we will have a simple patio on the bottom with some bushes and river rock.


Lillian insisted that she paint!


Tomatoes.


Chicken! They we're pretty sure that I was holding, but i was not.


Mmm! Poppies! Laudanum anyone??


A fun shot of Katie and Aiden! Mui guapo!


My old friend Andy and his family will be staying for the next couple weeks. In only 15 minues of them being here, I learned from them of 3 different plants growing right in our front yard that I would have otherwise mistaken as weeds. One is a lemony herb that is will go great in salads! Another is a plant whose leaves can be made into a tea that helps breathing. It can also be smoked for the same effect. The third is a plant whose flowers make a wonderful fruity tea with a ton of vitamin C! More on this next week!

More demolition! July 13th

Ok - so we we're finally forced to demolish the back deck. The back deck was a piece of shit - no question. It was all just a matter of necessity that we finally had to do it. Aiden literally fell through a board up to his hip. He was not hurt, but it freaked everybody out. So, here is the initial stages with a very basic level already erected. It's pretty mesy, as the racoons and other vermin has stashed all sorts of garbage goodies underneath.


And here is where old rotten decks spend their last few hours.

Check these 'maters out! Katie has been cleaning them up and putting hay in.

A tee-pee for the cucumbers to grow up.

Me, with my weapon of choice.

We found us a Lillian!

And for dinner, an indian okra dish with shiraz!

Geodesic dome struts and lunch - July 5/6

July 5th and 6th I began cutting the steel electrical conduit for the struts of the geodesic dome. Here is Aiden operating the press!

The press flattens the ends of the cut pieces of electrical pipe.


side view


and then lunch was a fried corn tortilla topped with tabouli, fresh greens, feta, and Newman's Own Parmesan and Roasted Garlic salad dressing!


bon apatit!

Independence Day - 2009

Ya know - nothing - and i mean NO-thang spells independence and sovereignty like planting and working your own garden. My family and I spent this 4th of July weekend working on our garden plot and breaking ground on our new greenhouse, which will be of a steel pipe framed geodesic dome.

We are not strangers to eating salad these days. You can see we have an over abundance of the stuff! There are carrots and a few small strawberry plants in there, too.

This is the future home of what will be a geodesic dome garden. In an hour or so I will begin the first cuts of 3/4" steel electrical piping which will form the outside grid-work of the dome. In this picture you can see the outside arc of the domes foundation. It's a lot of work to remove the sod and knock of the dirt to preserve it for fill.

Here is a shot of the garden from the way back, near our mulberry tree. You can see that every plant has a cylindrical cage around it. This keeps the bunnies hungry. :) Pretty soon these will have to come off.

Mulberries. Our friend MacKenzie stayed with us for a few days and made a delicious mulberry pie. Heaven.


Standing atop the kids swing set you can get a better view of this bed. Kalarabi, califlower, brocolli and some other things that Katie remembers but I don't. :) Time to get out there and weed.




Aiden clipping chamomile flowers.


Lily and Aiden looking at something!



Jase and Aiden lighting sparklers

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Holiday carcass.

... and the woman of my dreams, light of my life ... mother of my children and best friend in the whole wide world, my lovely wife, Katie. :)