Happy New Year's Eve!

Happy New Year's Eve!  I hope this one will be a fun and exciting one but also a safe one too!  Tim and I will be apart this New Year's Eve for the first time since we have been together.  It will be different but we will still bring in the New Year together over the phone!  Now quite the same but we will still be together.  I am staying in Florida a bit longer and Tim is up in Tennessee battling the elements and working on replacing our refrigerator that decided to quit working.  We are going to replace it with a regular refrigerator instead of an RV one.  It will save us over $1000 by doing so.  This should also allow us to get a bigger refrigerator which I am excited about. Look for the refrigerator blogs to start soon.  It will all be shared!  Happy New Year's Eve!

Tim Is Cold!

I will be extending my visit in Florida for a couple more weeks and so Tim decided he would head back to the farm earlier than planned but for a very good reason, it is getting bitter cold and he was concerned about our water pipes freezing and creating a mess when thawed.  He drove home yesterday and was greeted with 27 degree temperatures.  Of course, I know it is winter and it does get cold in Tennessee so we should expect the cold.  Luckily the trip back to Tennessee was not a bad one and he got in just after dark.  The RV warmed up quickly and the pipes are all good.  Stay warm Tim and Shadow!

It's Christmas At The Farm

Lisa & George celebrated Christmas just a day late but they did it for a reason; to be able to celebrate with their kids!  Kaitlyn drove up from Jacksonville and Travis came over from Greeneville and the celebrated their Christmas all together.  I have not heard how it was but I know Lisa was thrilled to celebrate all together as a family.  It is never too late to have a family Christmas!

Merry Christmas

We here at the farm are wishing you all a very Merry Christmas.  George & Lisa are at the farm celebrating Christmas with their kids and we are in Florida celebrating Christmas with our kids and granddaughter.  Merry Christmas!

Mail Box Decor

During the Christmas season even the mail boxes get decorated.  Lisa took over to make them look festive and unfortunately since I was not there my box did not get the reindeer head but Lisa got hers up.  She also added some garland and snowman heads to up the decor even more.  It looks great and very festive too!  Thanks Lisa!

The Outdoor Christmas Tree

With a new kitten a Christmas tree was going to be a problem for Lisa & George.  After all, the cat, Chance, has not seen a tree and with the lights and shiny ornaments who knows what kind of fun would be had by Chance and, of course, George & Lisa.  So they decided to set up an outdoor Christmas tree this year. This way they still have a tree, they can still decorate it and can enjoy it outside and kitty free.  They placed it in the middle of their circular drive along with some other Christmas decorations.  From the pictures sent, it looks great!  At night it is even prettier!

The Fence Is Festive For Christmas

There have been a few other things happening at the farm other than the projects that George has been sharing with us and one it the fence.  You know we like to decorate it for seasons or holidays and Lisa and Cheryl have taken care of the fence for Christmas.  They used some decorations from last year but added some new ones too. It looks great.  Nice job Lisa!

More Reporting From George

The Clean up has begun....

After spending eight days working on the major pieces of the "Last infrastructure project ", the clean-up phase has begun.

Yesterday, Tim and I went down to where Cory (backhoe operator ) had cleared trees and brush down near the orchard and cut up and hauled off the two large trees Cory was able to knock down but were too big for him to move. One more tree in that same area needs to be cut down and hauled off and that will happen today.

I also spent part of the day under the house sun deck getting started on making electrical junctions and connections for the garage and new light in go into the driveway entrance.

Next on the agenda was getting the water and electrical connections started for the barn.  The electrical conduit was extended to inside the barn along with the new water line and secured in place.  More work needs to be done to complete the :barn work" but at least another step has been made towards that end.

Today is Sunday which is Jaquar Football Day.  So after cutting down the one tree mentioned earlier and some low hanging branches on the widen section of Quail Way, probably not much will happen. But hey, who knows??? Stay tuned. ....

Thanks George!  Jenny and Nate will be attending the game today!

It Is Finished - Sort Of!

Drainage /Electrical /Moat Project-Day #8.

It is FINISHED!!!!  Well mostly finished.   I still have probably a month of work left to do to take everything Cory, Tim and I did and complete them in total but the biggest parts of the items on the  "last infrastructure project " list are done.

Today we wrapped up moving the remaining Irrigation pipes to the outside of the garden bed.  I also had Cory trench from the Pavilion to the barn for running an electrical conduit and wire for future solar power to the barn.

There WAS going to be one more item for Cory and I to tackle but after reviewing the Item it was decided bigger equipment was needed and a longer period of time scheduled.  The item was to regrade/slope Turkey Trot which is the road which goes around the outside of our farm.  It has rutted out over the years and nears to be sloped and graded to make it better for the future.  But,,,, that will be a project for another day.

So.....tomorrow starts the finishing of all the items.  Making  new electrical connections, raking and grading the front yard, cutting little roots in the expanded Quail Way, etc.  There's still a lot to do.......Maybe I should take a day off and go eat ribs  instead.......yeah...great idea!!!!

Thank you George, your contributions to the blog have been great. You deserve the ribs!

Day 7 - Almost Done

Drainage/Electrical/Moat Project-Day #7

     I spent the morning being a sub on Lisa' s bowling team.  Have to say.....we kicked.......

      Upon returning to the mountain and farm, Cory was nearing completion of a major item on the "last infrastructure project " list, clearing the triangle of trees and brush down at the bottom of our house site near the orchard.  This area will "open" up our view a little more, but more importantly will give us an unrestricted view of our entire Orchard.  The project was expanded to clear more area along the side of the Orchard which should allow more sunlight to the fruit trees and bottom of the large garden bed.

     After finishing that item completely, we went back to moving Irrigation lines to the outside of the garden beds.  One more bed remains to finish.  Which means.......we will finish that one bed tomorrow and do some additional clean up items before tackling ONE LAST item which I just added today.  It's a major item but I have no reservation Cory will be able to finish it in record time.

Thank you George and I can't wait to see the improvements.  Lisa will be returning to the farm after her "week long" sun bathing in Florida, according to George, we know the truth!  Safe travels Lisa!

Day Six! Thanks George!

Drainage/Electrical/Moat Project-Day #6

Day #6 was about cleaning up some of the many pieces of this multi-part project.

Cory once again went immediately to work and starting removing the tree stumps Tim and I left on Quail Way   after cutting down those two large trees.  Once the stumps were removed, Cory then graded and leveled Quail Way  out.  The road still has a long way to go before becoming "clean" again but it's a start.  Smaller roots still need to be cut out and gravel spread but that's a project for another day.

     After Quail Way, Cory went to the front of the house site and pushed off and cleaned up the rock and debris leftover from a drainage project of two weeks ago.  That project tied the house down spouts into a master drain pipe and runs all the water off into the woods.  This will help the grass on the front lawn from getting washed out as it had started to be.

     Moving right along, Cory went and cleaned.up and removed the pile.of tree stumps down along the property line along with grading the area for future mowing.

     After all that, with the temperature dropping and the winds starting to blow, we started on the last of two items on the list of this "last infrastructure project".  Moving Irrigation lines to the outside of the garden beds.  Once again, Cory ran my tail into the ground.  Several times he had to wait on me to cut and glue pipe together before he could proceed.  But.....the cold finally got to Cory. (Not me!!!)  He was frozen and stopped work early for the day.  After Cory left, it allowed me to pre-make all the irrigation lines for the last bed we need to do.  Once Cory digs the trenches, all that needs to be done is to drop in the pre-made unit.  I will be waiting on Cory!!!   That's a change.

    Cory will start the last item on the list this morning by himself as I have to spend the morning subbing on my wife's bowling team since she is still sun bathing on the beach in warm and sunny Florida.

An editor's note: one again the writer got a little dillusional about sun bathing in Florida!  The cold must be getting to him! It was sunny in Florida but the winds were blowing at about 25 mph!

   

Day 5 More Work On The Farm

I am enjoying having a contributing editor at the farm.  Here is day 5.  Thanks George!

Drainage/Electrical/Moat Project-Day #5

Day #5 was a day of accomplishments.

My backhoe operator (Cory) had returned (early as usual) and work began almost immediately.  This guy doesn't waste time chit-chatting.  He's polite, says good morning and gets to work.  Folks like Cory are hard to come by.

He started digging the last trench for electrical service for our garage as well as one more french drain across our driveway.  With the trenches dug, Cory was off to the next part of this last "infrastructure project ".
   
     The road which goes by our driveway is a private road the residents on Quail Way must improve and maintain themselves.  This road has always been narrow from our driveway down to our Orchard.  Not any more.  Cory went to work removing trees, stumps, rocks and other debris and widened  the road considerably.  Once again, before I could even finish filling in the trenches he dug with gravel and grading/finishing and cleaning up the area around the house site, Cory was finished with Quail Way.

    So, I send him down to the bottom of the orchard where years ago I had removed a number.of trees but never got back to removing the stumps.  Once again, before I could finish up the final clean up around the house site, Cory was finished.  Thank God he was out of fuel thus stopped for the day.  He was working me to death trying to stay caught up to him.

     The were two trees too large for Cory to remove with the backhoe on Quail Way so Tim and I spent the last remaining minutes of daylight cutting them down and hauling the trunks away for splitting later.

     Day #6 will have some clean up items to do before moving on to one of the two last items on the project list........unless I die first trying to keep up with Cory.



   

Day 4 From George

Drainage /Electrical/Moat Project-Day #4

Only one task needed to be achieved on day four of the project, but quite frankly, success wasn't really being counted on.

Years ago, during construction on the driveway to the house site,  empty electrical conduit was run down the driveway edge in case one day it might be needed.

Yesterday, it was needed.

The plan is to install new outdoor lights at the far end of the driveway to light up that area during Roxie's and my Perimeter Patrols . (Potty Walks)  The major issue with this idea was it's about 250 feet away from the house and would require pulling that much wire thru conduit laid in the driveway edge so many years ago.

The sun was out so my volunteer was able to receive his solar power and thus the project began.

Pulling 250 feet of wire is hard enough by itself, pulling it thru a inch and a half wide pipe sunk into the ground under a sun deck is even harder.  But........Success! !!

After pulling and grunting, pulling and grunting some more the wire was successfully pulled thru the conduit.  Lights will soon be turning on at the end.of the driveway.

Today is day #5 and hopefully my backhoe operator returns so the last pieces of the project around the house will be finished and then it's off to the Orchard.......

By the way, the volunteer is Tim!  Tim also supplied the pictures!

Day 3 From Contributing Editor George

Drainage/Electrical/Moat Project-Day #3

Day three of the project started like most other days here on the Francisco Farm. The "Roxie-Alarm Clock" announcing at 5 am it was time to make our first Perimeter Patrol (aka-Potty Walk) of the day together . With the snow still falling from the day before and temperatures still brisk, the walk was completed rather quickly by both parties.

After reviewing the financials, local and national news of the morning, the sun had risen, the snow had stop falling and it was time for the work of the day to begin.

   First on the agenda was the repair of the second and final "issue" from day one of the project.  This was completely quickly and without any problem.  With the repair made, the remaining electrical wire, conduit and drain pipe were cut, glued and put in place.  Lastly, gravel was hauled load by load and dumped into the trenches to fill them in.  By 11:30 am, all work which could be done was complete.

Although day three work was finished  much more work remains to de done on this "last infrastructure project."  Work has been interrupted by the snow and the weekend as my employee (backhoe operator) has been at home watching children due to the cancellation of school and doesn't work on weekends.   A small part of the project remains to be completed tomorrow if my "volunteer" comes out of his abode.  As long as the sun is shining, my volunteer, (who is solar powered) and I should complete this small task and I should be ready for my employee to return so we can continue to proceed towards final project completion.

  With Lisa away sunbathing on the beaches of sunny Florida, I remain here working, doing Perimeter Patrols, cat feedings and keeping my wood stove burning so I don't freeze to death here on the frozen tundra of East Tennessee.

Day three ended as it had began, the "Roxie Alarm clock" announcing it was time for our last Perimeter Patrol of the day as the snow started falling once again.........

As George mentioned theY got snow and Tim was good enough to supply some pictures and to correct an error in this post Lisa is not basking in the sun in Florida because Florida is cold and rainy. High this morning 29 degrees! That is very cold for Florida!

Day Two From The Contributing Editor

The Drainage/Electrical/Moat Project-Day #2

Day two of this massive project started the same as day one-cold.....but with a twist.....snow.  an early winter snow had started falling on the Francisco Farm
   As the snow fell though out the day and the cold going no where, work continued to move forward.
   One of the "minor issues" from day one was repaired.  All the electrical wires for new the electric connections were run in their underground conduits.  About half of  drainage pipes were installed and gravel dumped to cover the completed sections of trenches.
       After six hours of cold and falling snow and increasingly muddy conditions , this frozen soul had had his fill for the day.  A warm and cozy wood stove waited inside and could no longer be ignored.  So day two ends with more worked to be completed.....
Thanks George!..

Things ARE Happening At The Farm

After a week hiatus Just Another Day At The Farm is back and starting with a contributing editor, George Francisco.  I received post below this morning and will add pictures as soon as my ipad stops acting up.  Here is today's post:

The "Moat (err....Drainage) Project" has begun!!!

With the start of another day , (chilly,  I might add) the last "infrastructure project " had began.

The first part of the project was the grading of the RV pad along with the installation of the new split rail posts which will surround the pad.

Step two of the project was the removal of a number of old tree stumps from an area alongside of Quail Way so the area can be graded and prepared for future mowing.

On to one of the biggest parts of the project- the digging of the "moat" around the house.  Actually, the digging is for the installation of new French drains to redirect water away from the house along with installation of new electrical service/connections in various places around the house site.  I am happy to report that only minor damage was created with the digging even though the digging crossed major septic lines, electric lines and water lines.
Day two of the project starts today.......

Thanks George, we look forward to further updates from you.  I did visit with Lisa; she is in Jacksonville visiting for a week. She came by Jenny's house to pick up something and give me my Birthday present.  I will report on my gift tomorrow as it is really cool and deserves it's own post. Thanks Lisa, it was great to see you after two months and to get caught up with all that is going on.
Check back tomorrow!

Taking A Break!

Just Another Day At The Farm will be taking breaks from time to time while I am in Florida.  Since I am not at the farm I cannot report daily activity so I rely on others to let me know what is going on.  It has been a while since I have heard what is going on so until I hear about something I will be taking a break.  When I hear about the happenings at the farm I will blog.  So to my fellow editors out there, let me know what is going! I am still post daily blogs at Travels With Ruth
travelswithruth-ruth.blogspot.com

Cold Nights, Warm Days

As we move into December and eventually into winter Mother Nature is slowly getting us ready with cold nights but then gives us a break during the days with warm weather.  For instance, the other night it got down into the mid 20’s but yesterday it got into the 60’s. We still are unsure what the winter will bring but the good thing is we are prepared and ready for whatever Mother Nature throws at us.  After all, if it gets too bad we can always escape to Florida or California!

Tim’s Travel Day!

Tim decided to leave Sunday to drive back to the farm knowing he would run into traffic.  What he didn’t expect was HOW bad the traffic would be.  He crawled along I-95 North in Georgia especially from Savannah on and so he took a detour to get to I-26 thinking it would be better.  Well, it wasn’t and what should of taken him 8 hours with one stop took him 12 hours with one stop.  Now if you know Tin you know his patience for traffic is slim to none so you can only imagine how happy he was.  He got home safely and that is what really counts!

Oops, I Forgot!

For the first time since I started this blog over three years ago I forgot to make a post.  I usually make my posts in the morning but I have been so busy with Rory in the morning that I simply did not have a chance to post.  So, with that said, I will post two today!  By the way, this is the first post!

An Outdoor Tree

With the new addition of Chance the cat George and Lisa decided to not set up a tree indoors and instead set up a tree outside in the newly created turn around.  From the pictures, since I am not at the farm, it looks to be a pretty good tree.  I am sure once it is all decorated it will be beautiful.  Come back and check k out the finished tree!

Powerball Winner In Greeneville

How would you like to wake up on Thanksgiving day and discover that you are a powerball winner.  I sure would and one lucky person in Greeneville did.  They are $100,000 richer!  Now with that kind of cash I could certainly do some damage on Black Friday.  They do not know who won the powerball but by paying an extra dollar to their Tennessee lottery ticket that made them eligible for the powerball and a whole lot more money.  Not a bad payoff if you play the lottery. 

Black Friday

Well it is Black Friday and as a retired retailer I have finally gotten over the Christmas season.  I still feel for the workers but I no longer boycot the shopping because it won't change it.  So yes, I shopped on Thanksgiving and I got some deals.  I went shopping with both my girls, Jenny & Carrie.  It was nice and we had a nice time together.  We did not go out until after 10:00 pm so we were not the really early shoppers.  We have more shopping to do today but there is no rush.  Enjoy your Black Friday!

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving!  On this day across America family and friends are gathering together to enjoy dinner and just spending time together.  Thanksgiving has always been special in our family and we have always managed to spend it with friends and family.  Through out the years we have spent Thanksgiving day in various locations whether it be at home or grandparent's houses.  We have spent it in friends homes and even in a hotel or restaurant.  It didn't matter where we had dinner as long as we were able to share it with family or friends or both.  We have lots to be thankful for and I just want to let you know that I am thankful for you and taking a few minutes out of your day to read this blog so Thank you!  Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving Eve

The farm is a little quieter with Tim, Shadow and I not being there but it is still full of activities for George and Lisa with their family visiting.  Their house is a little fuller but that is a good thing.  I am not sure of their Thanksgiving plans but here in Florida at Jenny & Nate's house we will have a few people around the table.  Today will be prep day as we get ready for Turkey day.  Happy Thabksgiving Eve!

Tim's Travel Day

While I have been in California Tim has been at the farm staying busy until today when he will be traveling south to Florida and just in time to pick me up at the airport.  I don't get in until 11:00 pm Eastern time so he will be there a little early but will be with our older daughter, Carrie, until I get into town.  Then we will both head to Jrnny and Nate's.  We will see Rory in the morning.
While we are gone from the farm Lisa and George do have their daughter, Kaitlyn, visiting do they will have a nice family Thanksgiving.  They have already enjoyed their time together with movies, bowling, swimming, and more fun activities.  Enjoy your time together Francisco family and safe travels Tim.  See you tonight!
Bonus for today, I get to see Shadow!  It has been a month!

Hard Water

With Tim burying water lines and adding a bigger water filter there is one reason we are excited about it.  It helps with our hard water.  Our faucets get calcified so bad that it almost stops the water flow.  We do have a fix for that.  Hydrogen peri oxide in a zip lock bag and placed over the faucet for a few minutes really breaks down the calcium and is ready to flow water again.  Now not only is our water protected from the elements and filtered but it is also flowing better!  Thanks Tim!

"Paris Can Wait"

Yes it can.  We watched the movie "Paris Can Wait" Friday night and it was terrible!  I will not get that two hours back.  It stars Diane Lane, which I love, but the movie was boring.  It takes place in France and basically all she does is eat and drink wine with her husband's business partner.  They are suppose to be driving to Paris from Cannes but make several stops along the way.  The movie sounded promising but it was not.  Don't watch it hungry!

Water Done!

Tim has finished the water project on the RV.  The water line has been buried and will now be better protected from the weather and the new water filter has been installed in the basement of the RV.  The basement in the RV is heated in the winter and cooled in the summer so the water filter will no longer have to fight the elements.  It is also a lot larger than the one we had, about 80% larger, so now the water from the faucets will taste better and maybe the well smell will not be as bad when showering.  Thanks Tim for the huge improvement.  Great job done!

More Winter Prep

Tim has been busy working on more winter prep on or with the RV.  This will be our fourth winter, I know we took a break last year, and now that we have experienced winter we know what has to be done.  Tim is making it harder for our water line to freeze.  We have to drip water in the kitchen and bathroom so our water lines do not freeze during cold gays and nights.  Tim is relocating our water lines and placing them under ground so that they will be protected by from the cold weather.  We will still have to drip occasionally but not near as often.  One perk in doing so is we are getting a new water filter that will do the whole RV.  Right now we are using a Britta pitcher in our fridge and will continue to do so but it will be nice to have a water filter that takes some of the nasty well water taste away.  Thanks Tim!

Electric Relocation

George has been a busy man working on the RV pad now that there is no longer an RV or shed sitting on it.  He is relocating the hook ups for any future RVs.  Hook ups is water and electricity usually located on the same post at any campsite.  George is relocating the hook up to the rear of the site to make it easy for an RV to get hooked up which allows for a nicer looking campsite.  He had to do some digging but he got it relocated and the new placement looks good.  Way to go George!

Butch Jones Is Out?

Warning...Lisa, don't read!
Butch Jones, the University of Tennessee Football  coach, has been fired.  Now I have heard the Vol fans were fickle and I don't know if that is true or not but when it comes to College football the Vols do it right with their total support but they expect a winning team.  Butch Jones just could not rally his team this year with a 3-6 record over all and an 0-6 record in the SEC, yikes!  Now that you see the stats you know why Butch is gone.  I am not sure who will be the next Vols coach but good luck to them.  The name Peyton Manning has come up!
Okay Lisa you can begin to read again!

Mystery On Quail Way - A Tragedy

Another Mystery on Quail Way but this time it is a sad and terrible tragedy.  I don't know if you remember last summer when Lisa and Cheryl found a kitten and our neighbor took it in.  The kitten almost died a few times due to it being too young but our neighbor nursed it through the tough times and the kitten was getting healthier the older he got.  They named him Lucky because he was lucky to be alive and they were lucky to have him in their lives.  Lucky loved to play outdoors but never went far and was always home for dinner.  Well a couple of days ago he did not come home and when they looked for Lucky he was found.  He had been killed by something and was left torn apart.  They think it was a couple of stray dogs that wonder on thier property from time to time but just do not know.  Poor Lucky, he will be missed!

A Great Buy...

George made a great buy...after it was repaired.  George is trying to repair a dryer that belonged to his son that is out of warranty so he can sell it.  While at Lowes they came across the same model but it was electric and not gas.  He picked up the dryer for $100 in a scratch & dent sale.  He was hoping he and Tim could use a part from the electric dryer to repair the gas dryer.  He could not so Tim asked if he could buy the dryer for $100 and try to fix it.  Our daughter, Carrie, lost her dryer and Tim thought if he could fix this one we would give it to her.  George agreed and together they fixed the electric dryer.  So Carrie, Merry Christmas from Dad and I and George & Lisa too!

A Year Later...The RV Is Gone!

George and Lisa have sold Travis's RV after just over a year of buying it.  It was meant as a temporary home and it was.  In a year's time Travis was able to purchase his own home and the RV was just a guest house.  Now that it is gone George will be doing some upgrades to the RV site for future visitors with RVs to come visit.  He has some big plans for it and once it is done it will look great! George sent me pictures of the RV moving on!

Happy Veteran's Day'

Today we honor all Veterans that have served our great country and the fact that they served is why we still live free in the great country of ours.  This past year has been a tough one for the conservatives that voted in our president and have been forced to have it shoved in our faces everyday through the media that will not just report the real news.  With that said they have that right because of the veterans.  Same with the NFL turmoil, the players can do what they do because of a vet.  So everyone in this country, make sure you thank our Veterans because they sacrificed themselves to keep this country great.  Some survived and some died doing it but they cared enough to serve.  I want to thank all of my friends and family who served; Thank You!  I would also like to say a special Thank You to my husband Tim, my son in law Nate and my dad Edward Winship.  All served proudly!

Football Is Almost Over Except Bowl Games

As we head deeper into November it only means one thing, okay two.  Number one is that College Football regular season is coming to an end and the Bowl games will begin.  For many people it will be said especially the ones who are banning NFL football.  As you may have noticed I have stop tracking my teams and it is only because I got so busy I could not keep up.  Also because most of them are just doing okay.  Number two is Thanksgiving is less than two weeks away!  Enjoy the rest of the regular season college football and bring on the Bowl games!

We Have Back Up Power

When you live out in a rural area losing power can always happen even on a "perfect" weather day.  Living rural also means if you lose power you are not the first priority to get it back.  Knowing this and experiencing it Tim installed our generator so that it is now ready to go to work when the power is off for a lengthy time.  Our generator was with us on our first big trip once we retired.  It was a lot of extra weight to carry but we wanted to be covered.  After the first trip we realized it was too heavy and put it in storage and we purchased smaller one for emergencies.  Our big generator sat in storage for five years.  We then put it in our shed at the farm where it sat for another couple of years.  We did use it at the farm but it meant Tim had to get it our, set it up and then run it.  Now with the generator's new home it is protected from the elements and can be turned on literally in less than 30 seconds.  With winter coming, you have to be prepared and Tim is making sure we will be well protected this year.  Thanks Tim!

The Slides Have Been Tinned!

Tim, who has been working hard on getting the RV prepped for winter has also made the RV better looking too. He had just finished making the roof look like new again and now not only has he improved the look of the total RV, especially looking down from above, he also protected the RV.  Over our slides we awning that help protect the slides.  Well over the years they have gotten pretty beat us and sometimes, when the wind blows from the south or east they make a lot of noise. Tim decided to place tin over the awnings.  It not only protects the slides like the awnings did but it makes it a whole lot quieter during windy conditions and it looks great!  Check out the pictures.  Great job Tim and Thank You!

A New Roof For The RV

A new roof for the RV?   Okay, it is not a new roof but it sure does look like one.  Tim has resealed the roof and now it is a bright white roof that looks like new.  Tim does this to the RV about every two years and it not only make the RV look good but also protects the roof and the RV.  It is a process to reseal the roof and for a guy who doesn't like heights it can be a bit of an effort.  When the job is complete and you see the results and know that the RV is protected for another few years it is worth it.  It looks good Tim, thank you!  He does have another project that he is working on dealing with the slides but more on that later.  Thank goodness the weather was good so that the roof could be sealed and had some good sun for drying it.  Way to go Tim!

The Ronnie Milsap Concert

While I am in California Tim, Lisa and George are having a great time without me.  They went to see a Ronnie Milsap concert.  He was performing in Greeneville.  Lisa and George were suppose to go with our neighbor Cheryl but Cheryl had to cancel and gave Tim her ticket.  According to Tim it was a great concert and Ronnie Milsap entertained for the whole time and never took a break.  For being in his 70's that is pretty good and Tim said he sounded really good and sang most of his songs.  He has had 40 number one hits in 40 years so he had quite a few to share.  It was a great concert enjoyed by all.  If  you can get tickets to a Ronnie Milsap concert do so.  You will not be disappointed.

The Fall Colors Are Beautiful

So the peak colors for the Fall foliage was just a bit off by about three weeks.  What should of peaked in mid October actually happened this week end.  I have been supplied with a few pictures from around the area and I am thankful that I got to see how beautiful the landscape has become with the fall colors.  I kind of wish I was there to see it in person but I am also happy here in California.  Thanks Tim, Lisa and Linda for the pictures.  It really is beautiful.  There is one small problem with peaking at this time.  It has also started the infestation of the lady bugs.  These are a Japanese type that are not nice or cute.  They are mean, smelly and they bite.  On Thursday swarms of lady bugs were everywhere and it was so bad that Tim nor Shadow could go outside for a while.  Now that is one thing I am glad I missed.  Fall - the good and the bad of the season!

The French Drain Is Layed

A French Drain is a trench filled with gravel or rock or containing perforated pipe that redirects surface water and groundwater away from an area.  French drains are primarily used to prevent ground and surface water from penetrating or damaging building foundations.  They are also used to distribute water such as a septic drain field at the outlet of a typical septic tank sewage treatment system.  George put in some French drains for these reasons.  They will protect water from damaging the garage and guesthouse once built and will aid with the septic field.  All in all a win win for moving ground and surface water.

The Dirt Moving Has Made A Difference

So after a couple of days of playing in the dirt some projects are really coming along.  One main project that took some time to finally get finished is complete.  The hill that George has worked on for a couple of years is finally gone and the cul du sac was developed.  Trees were planted, grass was planted and the hill has finally been smoothed out.  It is a long time project that has been completed and turned out really nice.  There is now plenty of parking and turn around space at the Francisco house and the landscape looks pretty good too.  Nice job George!

Digging And An Oops Happens

The digging was going really well until one mishap happened, oops I mean two. As the trenches were being built for some sewer lines a water and a gas line were both cut. Being without both is not fun.  The water line was repaired in a matter of a couple of hours but the gas line took a couple of days.  With repairs made the digging continued and the project should be finished soon!  I am sorry the mishap happened. But at least they both are repaired.

It's Dirt Time Again!

Yup, George is playing in the dirt once again!  This time he has hired a guy to do the digging and will hopefully get it all done.  More trees have been planted and dirt is being moved around to fill some areas and clear other areas.  I am not sure of why so many trees but I also won't take it personally like they are trying to hide or keep us out. Hahaha. It will all look good once done.  I think George just likes to play in dirt!

Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween!  It will be another quiet Halloween at the farm.  We do not get trick or treaters for a couple of reasons.  Number one, we don't have any kids living on our road and number two, we live too far off a main road to get kids trick or treating.  Getting trick or treaters was always a fun part of Halloween and Tim always enjoyed giving out candy! Have a Happy Halloween!

The New Purchases Are Hung

The first couple of fall festivals that we attended were successful for George and Lisa to find some new decorations for their own house.  Yes, they have been buying things for the new guest house but they are also still looking for some different decorations for their house and they found some.  The first is a framed picture of some farm animals.  It is one of those unique pieces that will start a conversation.  It is adoreable!  Another decoration is one they can keep up all year long because it covers all the holidays.  It's Happy Everything!  The third items is a sodden pumpkin sign that is cute and fun.  They just happened to have one wall that the decorations could go on and it looks great!

The Guest House Purchases Part 3

Along with the purchase of the prints and the storage bench one more item was purchased from the Parrottsville Harvest Festival this year and it was this really nice mirror/coat hanger. It is made of the same wood and has the same finish that the bench has so they will look great together.  The prices on all the items were really very good and it helps support the local artists in the area.

The Guest a House Purchases Part 2

On the same day that the prints were purchased for the guest house so was two pieces of furniture.  One of the pieces was a bench with cubbies.  This will be placed at he entrance into the guest house so that boots and shoes can be removed before entering the guest house.  With snow or muddy condtioins this is an excellent piece to have because the red clay mud really can mess up the floors.  The bench also creates storage so it is a win win piece to have.

The Guest House Purchases Part 1

George and Lisa are adding on to their home by building a three car garage and a guest house all in the same building.  On one side will be the garage and on the other side, facing the view, will be the guest house.  Remember the slab that was poured this summer?  That is where this will all take place.  Since the guest house will also be a summer kitchen for pickling, etc Lisa wanted to make sure it had a well functioning kitchen for us to do our thing as "pickle queens"!  The first purchase for the house is some prints done by a local artist that we both just happen to bowl with too.  She is very talented as you can tell by the prints.  Her name is Joan Beiber and she makes some incredible items.  These prints were building in Parrottsville when it was a "big" town.

Gearing Up For A Guest House

While Tim and I have been enjoying a family vacation at Disney World George and Lisa
have been busy looking and getting items for their guest house that will begin being built pretty soon.  Check back over the next couple of days and see what they have so far.

Ummm, Here Boy?

I know Shadow misses us but he has a funny way of showing it.  Lisa and George have been great taking very good care of Shadow and we thank them both very much.  The latest picture of Shadow is snuggling up to George on the couch.  I would be worried except that I also heard when Shadow goes out for his morning walk he sits on our deck for a while. Thanks Lisa and George and Shadow, we love you buddy!

Happy Birthday Tim!

Happy Birthday Tim! We are celebrating Tim's birthday at Disney World with our girls, Carrie & Jenny, son in law Nate, granddaughter Rory and my sister & brother in law Pam and Brian.  This is a big birthday for Tim as he turns 60 years old.  What a great place to celebrate your birthday but at Disney World?  We spent ALL day at the Magic Kingdom and had 15 hours worth of fun.  What made it even more special was getting to experience the joys of Disney through our granddaughter  Rory. Today we are headed to Hollywood Studios then on to the Wilderness Lodge for diner.  Happy Birthday Tim!

Shadow Is Getting Spoiled

Shadow has always been a floor sleeper.  The only time he sleeps on the bed is when it gets really cold.  Well, I think that has changesd.  While staying with George and Lisa our boy is now sleeping on the sofa.  Roxie, George & Lisa's dog, has even moved from the sofa to the recliner. See, Shadow is getting spoiled and thank you George and Lisa for taking such good care of him.  Miss you Bud!

Wears Valley Fall Festival

George and Lisa and Tim and I both attend Fall Festivals yesterday but we were at different ones in different states.  While Tim and I were at the Orange Park Fall Festival in Florida George and Lisa went to the Wears Valley Fall Festival in Pigeon Forge, TN.  We had heard about the Wears Valley one when we were at the Newport Fall Fest from one of the vendors.  They had told us it was a big one and it was.  Lisa said cars were lined up for miles to get parked.  It cost $3.00 a piece to get into the festival but Lisa said it was worth it.  This one was the biggest fall festival in the area.  Next year we will have to check it out.  She said it was great and she even managed to pick up a couple of items.

And Shadow Stayed Home!

Tim and I have made it safely to Florida and it was strange not to have Shadow with us.  He loves to travel but we couldn't take him this trip because we will be at Disney World.  Disney World now has four resorts that you can have your pet at and we are actually staying in one but not the area we are staying.  George and Lisa are taking good care of Shadow and as you can tell by his first day he is really missing us...not!  He is staying with Lisa & George and Roxie, Angel & Chance.  Yesterday he went to Travis's house to play in the back yard with Nix, Gaia and Ajax.  There were a lot of happy dogs.  Thanks George and Lisa for taking such good care of Shadow.  Shadow, we miss you buddy!

The Baseball Season Is Over For Me

With the Cubbies losing last night and ending their season the Baseball season is done for me too!  I love my Cubbies and I am a proud Cubs fan. This was their third post season play in a row so they are doing well.  The Dodgers are just an amazing team this year. Their bull pen was amazing and they had the bats.  Good luck to the Dodgers in the World Series but more importantly Thank You to the Chicago Cubs for another successful season.  Go Cubs Go!

Prepping For A Trip

Today I have the challenge of packing for the next 12 weeks.  Tim and I are headed to Disney World for a week long vacation then I will be staying in Florida for a couple more days until I fly to San Diego for three weeks.  I will then be returning to Jacksonville, FL where I will stay through the New Year helping our daughter Jenny with her business for her Christmas rush.  I will gone from the farm for quite awhile but Tim will be returning after Disney but will head to Florida for Thanksgiving and Christmas.  Getting ready for three different trips is a chore and today will be devoted to getting all my ducks in a row and getting packed up.  I will miss the mountains but I am looking forward to my travels and spending time with my girls!

Jeep Shopping - Not For Us!

Tim and George spent all day Tuesday out Jeep shopping but not for themselves or Lisa and I.  They were shopping for our son in law, Nate.  His car died and he really wanted a Jeep.  After shopping in the Florida area and finding nothing he reached out to Tim who gladly helped.  Tim and George headed to the Tri-Cities and after looking at a few jeeps they found one that they are hoping is going to end up being as good as they think it is.   Tim and I were heading to Florida on Friday and now we both will be driving!  Nice job Tim and George I know Nate and Jenny are very excited!

It's Jewelry Cards Time Again

With the Holiday season about to begin in a couple of weeks it is time for me to get busy and make Jenny a huge supply of jewelry cards.  We will be heading to Florida this Friday and I want to make sure I have enough supplies for Salted With Jen to last until Thanksgiving.  This is the biggest order I have made and it has taken some time to get it all ready.  I even had to make a run into Morristown to Hobby Lobby because I needed some new tools.  I am in the process of finishing up making over 1000 jewelry cards.  Only 400 left to stamp and I will be done.

Always A Cubs Fan!

The Chicago Cubs are playing against the LA Dodgers for the National League Championship Title and a chance to play in the World Series again.  They are down by two games but there are still 5 more games to go and they are at home the next three games.  Last year I got to experience the team that I have loved since I was 7 years old win the World Series and it was a wonderful feeling.  Do I want that feeling again?  Yes of course but if it doesn't happen I will still support my Cubbies; win, lose or tie!  Go Cubbies!

Parrottsville Harvest Festival 2017

Parrottsville Harvest Festival 2017 was a big success and Parrottsville, for being such a small town, really put on a great festival this year and the best part, no rain.  It has seemed that it always rained when Parrottsville Harvest Fest was going on but not this weekend.  It was sunny and warm.  There were several vendors, live bands, car and tractor show, helicopter rides, a beautiful baby contest, a beauty contest and a dog show.  The park where the Harvest Festival is being held is all decorated for Autunm and looks so festive.  We all came home with goodies made by the local crafts people and we all had a great time at the Harvest Festival!

More Bears At The Farm

There are more bears here at the farm and we love it!  A couple of months ago Lisa got a bear caerved from a stump and it turned out great.  While we were there picking it out there was another couple of bears that would be perfect for the farm because an outhouse was involved.  George has wanted an outhouse for a while but not for the purpose that an outhouse has but for decoration.  Lisa purchased a downsized outhouse that came complete with a couple of bears and more.  Check out the pictures; so cute!

Way To Go Cubbies!

What a series for the NLDS (National League Division Series).  It took all five games but my Chicago Cubbies pulled off the win and I could not be happier.  I even wore my lucky Cubs shirt for the Game.  Every time I have worn the shirt the Cubs have won!  It was a tough series for two evenly matched teams going back and forth but the Cubs prevailed and won.  The 5th game was played for almost 5 hours and as a Cubs fan it was a very long  game. Now it's on to the Dodgers for the NLCS (National League Championship Series).  Way to go Cubbies and Go Cubs Go!

More Fall Colors

I know I may be going overboard with the Fall colors but it is so pretty and this week end should be the peak for the colors.  We will be taking a drive to view the colors which means there will be more pictures.  You have been warned!  For now, just enjoy some great colors!  Happy Fall Y'all!

No One Wins

The NFL took a firm stance against President Trump's remarks a couple of weeks ago and demonstrated by kneeling during the National Anthem.  This has caused a huge controversy between the NFL teams and their fans.  A lot of fans walked away from football and are continuing because some teams are continuing to kneel.  No one wins this argument.  Ratings are going down, sponsors are pulling ads and fans are not buying merchandise.  Today the NFL is considering changing the rule that players must stand.  I hope they do but it is a shame that they have to make this rule to make sure all the players do stand.  To the players "using this platform" please stop.  You are working.  Protest on your own time like the rest of us have to do.  See, no one wins and I miss NFL Football.

Newport Fall Festival

We attended the Newport Fall Festival last Saturday and we, Lisa, George and I, were pleasantly surprised how much better this festival has gotten.  The first few years we attended it was boring and did not offer much as far as crafts.  It did feature a lot of local businesses and politicians.  Happily this year it had several craft vendors and only three politicians.  We saw some great things and George and Lisa came home with some really great items.  I will see if I can get some pictures to share.  Thank you Newport for making this year's Fall festival the best one yet in Newport!

A New Lawn Mower

George has a new " Toy".  Now George would be correcting me right now saying it is not a toy but an essential piece of equipment for the farm.  In reality, it is both!  George purchase a new lawn mower but this is not just any lawn mower this is a heavy duty riding lawn mower that puts some of the golf course lawn mowers to shame.  A larger more efficient mower was needed and this new mower fits the bill.  George can now mow in almost half the time and that is always good.  Congrats George & Lisa on the new toy, oops, essential piece of farm equipment.  May it serve the farm for years to come!

Red Sky In The Morning...

Red sky at night, sailor's delight.  Red sky in the morning, sailor's take warning.  This morning I woke up to a red sky and the beginning of a rainy day.  Tropical Storm Nate, once Cat 2 Hurricane Nate, has arrived in eastern Tennessee.  We will not complain because we need the rain as it has been dry here for several weeks.  We do not necessarily want the storms and high winds but we will just have to wait and see what happens today.  Welcome rain...for now!

Peak Colors Are Coming

With Autumn in full swing the leaves on the trees are starting to change colors and fall.  The peak season for Fall colors is in another week but it is starting to get pretty around he farm.  There are a few trees that are just beautiful with their red, orange and yellow colors.  It has been a very dry Fall so I am not sure how it will affect the colors on the trees but I am hoping it will still be pretty.  I love the fall when the weather gets cooler, football is on, the baseball playoffs begin (Go Cubbies) and the Fall festivals around here begin.  We are going to Newport's Fall Festival today.  Check back tomorrow to see how it was!

Odd Jobs Around The Farm

While I was in Florida Tim had lots of time to work on some things around the farm.  He repacked the axels on the LCOW (Little Cabin On Wheels) which is good because we will be using it again in a couple of weeks but more on that later.  The LCOW is now ready to roll with new tires and the axels completed.  Thanks Tim!
Just before I left for Florida the battery charger for the golf cart died.  Tim actually said it literally blew up last week.  So since I have to have a charger to charge the batteries Tim did some research and found a new charge on ebay for a lot less then it would of cost through a retailer.  It came quickly and now we have a new charger for the golf cart batteries.  Thanks Tim!

Happy Birthday Shadow

Today is Shadow's birthday and he is 8 years old (56 in dog years).  Shadow IS the best dog ever and we love him so much.  We got Shadow about three months before we started this crazy life of making our RV our home and he has loved all the traveling that we have done.  Shadow is a traveling dog and loves to ride in the car no matter where we are going.  All we have to do is open the car door and he is in it.  Shadow has been able to visit almost every place we have seen unless dogs were not allowed.  We love you buddy and that you have been with us during all of our adventures.  Happy Birthday Shadow!

A Secure Ride

Our drive back to the farm was another uneventful one which is good.  However, it was also a very secure ride.  There were police cars out all through Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Tennessee.  South Carolina almost had a police car on the side of the road every 2 to 3 miles.  Most of the police were on I-95 but there were still some on I-26 and I-40.  We have no idea why the police were out in force but they were pulling cars over on the side of the road and on exit ramps.  Luckily Lisa drove the speed limit, used her signals, etc. so we were good.  It was a secure ride!

Headed Back To The Farm

Our week in Florida is over and we are headed back to the farm.  We, Lisa and I, both enjoyed our families and of course time flew by.  Rory and I had a great time together and I will miss her but in a few weeks we will be together again.  For today, we have a long drive ahead.  Tennessee, here we come!

More Fall Decor

Before leaving for Florida I spent a day making a few more decorations for Fall and one was a glass vase.  The vase is one I had but after making my autumn glass I wanted to make a vase too and it turned out great!  It took longer to design and cut the vinyl than I expected but when the vase was complete I was happy with it. Check it out!

The Screen Door Saga

Two years ago we attached a screen door to the Crafty Cottage so on nice days the door could be open but the bugs would stay out.  Unfortunately on it's way home from the store something in the truck made holes in the screen and I placed tape on the screen to fix the holes.  In the beginning of the summer this year Tim replaced the screen and all was good until one very excited puppy decided to run through the screen door.  We tried to repair the screen but it was a no go and I ended up placing tape on the door and screen to secure it.  That did not work especially with the door exposed to the elements.  Tim purchased more screen and yesterday replaced the screen correctly so when I get back to the farm I will have a good screen door again.  Since the Fall weather will start cooling down it is perfect timing.  Thanks Tim!

The LCOW Upgrade Part Two

Tim has been busy since I left mostly working on the LCOW (The Little Cabin On Wheels).  He made some more additions to make storage a bit easier.  Since we cannot put anything next to the bed to hold items like eye glasses, book, the remote, etc.  Tim has figured out a solution and added two large trays that he placed on the wall for more storage.  He also reorganized the storage under the bed to get some more space.  The LCOW will be ready for our next trip for sure now.  Look for an announcement soon.

The Tin Project

Tim and George went to the scrap yard a couple of days ago and both came back with some scrap tin roofing material.  Now I know why George wanted it but I was not clear why Tim did until yesterday.  He used the tin to cover the air conditioning box on the LCOW (Little Cabin On Wheels) to help protect the air conditioner and water proof it a bit better.  It looks good and since we will be using the LCOW in about three weeks protecting the air conditioner is always good.  I will announce a little later what our next trip will be in a couple of weeks.  Nice job Tim!

Visiting The Scrap Yard

While Lisa and I were driving down to Florida Tim and George went to visit the Metal scrap yard to look for some junk but they would say treasures.  In the past they have come home with lots of things needed to repair or replace items but they have also come home with items that there were ideas for  yet they still sit in the barn waiting to become useful.  Yesterday, as we were driving, we received a picture of our new fire pit.  Of course they were just joking but it would be one heck of a fire pit.  Instead they came home with some tin roofing material for future projects that will be shared soon.  Boys and their toys.

Headed South

Lisa and I are going on a little road trip south to Florida.  Tim and I were suppose to leave tomorrow but Lisa now has a Gator game to attend and so I am riding with her instead of Tim who will stay home.  He is going to miss seeing his Rory but in a few more weeks we will be together at Disney.  We have the Coffee bowling league this morning then we will hit the road!  Florida, here we come!

The LCOW Gets An Upgrade

The LCOW (Little Cabin On Wheels) got upgraded yesterday.  We have a big shelf over our heads in the camper and it has a lip the helps hold somethings in but there were several times during our travels that what was on the shelf ended up on the bed once we reached our destination.  Well Tim has fixed that issue now.  Yesterday he installed a cargo net that is hung across the shelf and will serve two purposes; 1. The help keep items on the shelf ONthe shelf and 2. To store items in the cargo net.  So now we have even more storage while getting more organized.  Nice job Tim and thanks!

A Sad Day For NFL Football

Do you remember when football was fun?  When you looked forward to Sunday games, Monday night games, Thanksgiving Day games and the Super Bowl?  Well those days are over for so many people and all for one reason; disrespecting the Flag.  Over 100 NFL players got mad at some remarks our President made and instead of being like most Americans and let it roll off their shoulders they decided to be babies and protest during our National Anthem.  The sad thing about it is that they are only doing it because of what the President said about the NFL players who were doibg it and not what it is suppose to really mean.  I see it as a total disrespect for our flag and country.  We are all fortunate to live in this great country where this kind of stupid protest is allowed because of the freedoms we are allowed in this country.  I love my Bears and I am proud to say not one Bear knelt during the National Anthem.  However the Jaguars went one step too far as to disrespect our country while playing in a foreign country so Bye Bye Jaguars.  The Titans were too chicken to even come out on the field during the National Anthem so Bye Bye Titans.  There were some Chargers that knelt so Bye Bye Chargers.  To the NFL players who feel the need to disrespect the flag because of some remarks why don't you do it on your own time and not in uniform?  If I protested at my job I would be fired and so would a whole bunch of Other Americans.  Think about that next time you are in uniform and want to protest.  You play a game that Americans love but you have now forced several fans to stop watching.  The NFL blew it yesterday and created the saddest day in NFL football.

Pinefeast, White Pine, TN

Now that it is Fall that means one thing here in eastern Tennessee, Fall Festival time.  For the next several weeks there will be a Fall Festival or two each week end in nearby towns.  The towns coordinate their festivals so they don't overlap with eachother.  Each Fall Festival is different even though some of the vendors are the same they still vary.  The first Fall festival we attended was yesterday in White Pine, Tn.  It was very nice and had some great vendors.  White Pine closed down Main Strret and set up booths.  There were over 70 vendors, a car show, bounce houses for the kids, live bands and story telling.  Story telling is a big event here in eastern Tennessee and it is pretty good.  We has a great time and will be back next year.  Now we only have a few more to attend until November comes.
We finished a nice day with a nice evening and a BBQ at the farm.  Our friends Larry & Linda came to join us and we enjoyed a beautiful fall evening with great food and a wonderful view.  To top the whole day off all of my college football teams won!  It was a good day!

The Kingsman -The Golden Circle

We went and saw the new Kingsman movie yesterday and we enjoyed it very much.  It was an action packed movie with suspense and humor in it.  If you enjoyed the first Kingsman movie then you will enjoy this one too.  It picks up after the last movie with a new plot to control the world this time by a crazy woman.  Check it out!  

Happy Fall Y'all

At 4:02 this afternoon Fall will arrive and around the farm it is beginning to look like Fall.  The leaves on the trees are changing and starting to fall to the ground.  The orchard has been harvested and now the wild life is enjoying whatever may be left.  The fence has been decorated for Fall and so have the homes.  One thing that really signifies Fall here?  The stink bugs have returned.  If you know what they are then you know this is one part of Fall that should be gone.  Tomorrow we go to our first fall festival which marks the beginning of the next few week ends of Fall festivals in eastern Tennessee, Yay!!!  Happy Fall Y'all!

The Cargo Net

When you own an  SUV the one thing that may drive you nuts, or at least it does me, is buying groceries and placing them in the back of the SUV then when you get home the groceries are all over the place because it is such a lRge space and the groceries roll around.  Well, Tim has solved that problem for me by buying a cargo net for our Dodge Journey.  He surprised me with it Tuesday and it looks great and I know will work great as I had one when we owned our Dodge Durango.   Thanks Tim, I can't wait to go shopping and give it a try!

New Trees

New trees showed up at the farm yesterday and they were big.  George and Lisa wanted some trees to line the new area of the new driveway but did not really want to deal with saplings so they made the decision to buy some mature trees so it would look more uniform with the other trees that were planted years ago.  The truck arrived around 10:00 am and by 1:00 pm there were eight trees.  Now all George has to do is water them twice a day for a few weeks and all should be good.  It looks nice!

Surprise Packages

I received a surprise package from my sister Pam.  She is a Stampin Up demonstrator who spoils me rotten.  Her September SAS is this coming week end then in November is her big Christmas SAS. That is the one that I not only get to attend but I help with the cards and door prizes.  I have now received four Christmas sets that I will be making multiple sample from each set for possible cards at the next SAS.  Thanks Pam! This will keep me busy and even though we are experiencing Summer again if you should come by the Crafty Cottage you will probably hear Christmas music; it can be very helpful in creating.  Fa la la la la, Fa la la la!

Home Again

On the second Sunday of NFL Sunday Lisa and I went to see the movie "Home Again".  We think it was the right decision after seeing the scores of the Bears and Jaguars games.  The movie, starring Reece Witherspoon, was a light hearted comedy and a feel good movie.  It is a movie you could see with the family but judging by the attendees at the theater it could be classified as a chick flick.  I thought it was a good movie and will watch it again when it comes to HBO or released on Blu-ray.  If you are looking for a fun movie then go see "Home Again".

The Circular Drive

Remember all the digging George was doing around his house.  It was serving two purposes: 1. To create a bigger RV area and 2. To create a circular driveway.  The RV spot is still settling before anything can happen with that so for now it is complete.  The circular driveway is on its way on getting completed.  The first of two loads of gravel was delivered yesterday and shortly the driveway will be completed.  However, with the completion of the circular driveway is a new project and this time it is a project for Lisa and I but more on that later!

Summer Has Returned

After the past few weeks of "Fall" like weather Summer has returned to the mountains.  For the next several days it will be in the mid to high 80's and no rain in sight.  We are running the air conditioning again and are back to wearing shorts, t-shirts and flip flops.  The leaves have started to change so it will be interesting to see what happens with warmer weather.  With Summer returning we will continue to grill out on the week ends as long as we can.  I just hope with the warmer weather that the bugs will not come back.  I have to say I do not miss the gnats! It won't last long so we will enjoy it until the Autumn returns.  I am posting a picture of this morning's view.

More Cricut Items

I said in yesterday's post that I have been having fun playing with my Cricut and now that a few more gifts have been given out I can share those too.  Last year the double sided pumpkin/Snowman was a popular item at the fall craft shows.  I love the idea of dual decorations so I created my own Fall/Winter decorative signs.  I sent one to my sister Pam which she received yesterday and I gave one to Lisa.  I think they turned out great!  Love this Cricut!

My Cricut Has A New Home

My Cricut has a new home.  It has made it's way to the Crafty Cottage and since moving it down there I have done nothing but play with it.  It requires  internet to use it and now that we are with AT&T I can use my phone as a hotspot.  I have had so many ideas and projects that I have wanted to do and now, since it has been moved, I have been doing just that.  Now I call it playing because it is like having a new toy.  Good thing I finished my sister's door prizes before I moved it to the Crafty Cottage.  I will post a few projects I have been working on.  I can't show them all because some are gifts that have not been given yet.

Autumn Colors Are Starting To Show

i know we are only in week two of September but since we have been experiencing Fall weather why not enjoy one of the best things about Fall or Autumn...the colors.  Some of the trees are starting to turn colors and so today I am showing a glimpse of what is going to happen soon.  It won't officially be Fall/Autumn for another week or so but for now I am enjoying the colors that are starting to pop up.

Good bye Irma!

I have been watching all the Irma coverage and I am both thankful and heartsick.  I am thankful that my family and friends are all okay and have survived Irma.  My girls were both without power for several hours but both have there power restored by 10:00 pm last night.  Jenny & Nate had some damage to their fence but that was about it so far.  Carrie and Daniel had no damage as far as I know. We are driving to Jacksonville this weekend to see them all.  Rory slept through the storm which is truly a blessing.  My family in Sanford are all okay and have some yard and pool clean up to do.  My friends are all good so far.  Prayer really does work.
I am heartsick over all the flooding and damage throughout Florida.  The Keys, Naples, Miami, St Augustine, and Jacksonville/Middleburg.  In Orange Park the road that leads to my old store is completely under water and my hometown for over 20 years, Middleburg, is flooded with roads closed.  It will be quite awhile until things return to normal.
Irma has come to Tennessee but all we had was rain and some wind.  I think everyone will be glad when Irma just completely disappears.  Good bye Irma!

Irma Is Coming For A Visit

So now that Irma has attacked the Caribbean and ALL of Florida she is not done yet.  She will be visiting us here in Tennessee tonight.  Irma has been a bitch of a storm and I still am waiting to see the damage she has left behind.  I did contact my kids who live in the Jacksonville area in Florida and it has been a long and scary night for them.  They have another couple of hours before Irma moves on and so far so good they are both okay and so are their homes as far as I know right now.  I have heard from quite a few of my Florida friends and they are also good so far.  Prayers worked!  So Irma be warned, we don't want you here so go away be cause there will not be a friendly Tennessee welcome to you.  Move on or better yet...disappear!

The Fence Is Done!

The fence at Travis's house is up and already in use.  George and Tim finished putting up the fence late yesterday afternoon and now that it has been completed Travis's three dogs will now be able to run and play and Travis won't have to worry about the dogs.  This makes life so much easier for Travis and the dogs.  The fence is 350 feet and has three gates: two double gates and one single gate.  Good job Tim and George! 

Making Progress...Off The Farm

The fencing project going on at Travis's house is moving along well and should be finished soon.  George and Tim have been working long days to complete it.  The great thing is the weather has been cooperating really well.  It has been warm, in the 70's, and no rain.  Soon, Travis will have a fenced in yard for his dogs and Tim and George will return back to the farm working on more projects and there are a few!

We Have Florida Visitors

With Hurricane Irma heading toward ALL of Florida people are being evacuated and going where it will be safer.  Lisa's mother and daughter decided to get out of Jacksonville and came here to the farm for refuge and we are glad to have them. Sandy, Lisa's mom,  is staying at Travis's house and Kaitlyn, George and Lisa's daughter,  is staying in the RV that was just vacated by Travis's move.  Everyone has  their own space at night but they will all be together during the days.
As for my girls they will be staying in Florida and riding out Hurricane Irma but both will be safely housed and are prepared for the storm.  As much as I wish they were also up here at the farm taking refuge I understand why they are not.  This is a warning to my girls...I will be calling, texting, etc for updates and more.  To all of my Florida friends and family please be safe, be prepared and be protected.  My thoughts and prayers are with you all!

A New Project...Off The Farm

Tim and George are involved in a new project but it is off the farm.  I announced last week the George and Lisa's son Travis bought his own home.  Well now that he is moved in George and Tim have a new project at the new house; putting up a fence.  George found a chain link fence on Craig's List so now he and Tim are working on getting the new/old fence up.  They just finished day three on the fence but things are going well but they still have a couple more days of work.  Once the fence is up it will allow Travis to let his dogs, he has three, play outside.

A Warning To Irma and Jose

This is a warning to Hurricane Irma and Jose; don't mess with my trip to Florida!  I am headed to Florida next week to visit my kids and most especially my Rory.  It is called getting my "Rory fix".  I don't need you two storms to screw it up so make your turn east towards the Atlantic and move out to sea.  Rory is waiting for her Gamma to visit!
Seriously though, after the devastation that Hurricane Harvey did in Texas and Louisiana Irma could be worse due to it being a Category 5 storm. If you are in the path of the storm please take it seriously and get prepared.  Don't wait until just before it hits and start complaining you cannot find water or batteries.  To my Florida family and friends if you need to evacuate and don't have a place to go you are welcome here at the farm.  We will find room for you.  Just be safe!

The Glass Castle

The movie, "The Glass Castle" was made after the autobiography of the book by the same name about the Wall family.  Jeannette Wall wrote the book and told the story of she and her Sibblings and their childhood.  I had not heard of the book so I had no idea what to expect of the movie.  I thought it was very good even though the content of the movie was tough.  It is an amazing story of survival by the Sibblings and what they could do together.  If you have not seen it, give it a try.

NFL Football Season 2017-2018

It is football season once again and that means it is time to share my team picks!  The first and most important team is The Chicago Bears...Da Bears.  I know they had a terrible season last year but they will and forever be the team I love and follow!  The second team is the Jacksonville Jaguars and that is because I lived in Jacksonville when they got the team and have followed them ever since and also this is my Children's team.  Jaguars to them is like the Bears to me.  The third team is the Tennessee Titans and that is just because I live in Tennessee and that is the only reason.  My new team, this year to follow, is the Los Angeles Chargers.  That is right the Los Angeles not San Diego and the  only reason I am following them is I figure they need fans.  Since they ran out on San Diego and went to LA where even the Rams are not that well received it will be a struggle for the team.  So I am not doing it as a rub in your face San Deigo just an okay they need a fan.  My line up may not be seen as a bunch of winners but just you wait, you never know what the underdogs can do.  Go Bears!!!

It's College Football Season!

College Football 2017 season has started which means Saturday's for the next several weeks will be filled with watching football and that is a good thing.  Tim loves College football even more than NFL Football which means most of his Saturdays will be spent watching the games.  I will be revealing what teams I will be following which are all repeats from last year.  So, what are my teams?  Well here we go!
Northern Arizona University (NAU Lumberjacks) my alma mater
Northern Illinois University (NIU Huskies) my second alma mater
University of Florida (Gators) because I lived in Florida and you have to follow a college team - sorry Seminole fans.
University of Michigan (Wolverines) because Jim Harbough is the coach
University of Tennessee (Volunteers) because I now reside in Tennessee
Naval Academy (Navy) because we are retired Navy
I will be keeping a weekly tally of wins/losses, rankings and maybe a recap or two so if you ever need to know the outcome of a game and don't want to watch ESPN then stop by here for the info.
Go Lumberjacks, Huskies, Gators, Wolverines, Vols, and Navy!!!

A New Homeowner

I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Travis, George and Lisa's son, on buying his first house.  Way to go Travis!  Travis moved to the farm last November and was planning on building a home but he is a programmer and needs reliable internet to do his job.  Unfortunately living in a rural area the Internet here is either on your phone or a satellite based one.   Neither are that fast which in Travis's business is not good.  He needed a cable base Internet and decided to live just a little less rural.  Yesterday he closed on a beautiful three bedroom home where he can live with his three dogs and work with the proper tools needed to do his job.  Congratulations Travis!

The Crop That Couldn't

Who does not like corn on the cob?  To me it is one of those simple pleasures.  In the summer there is nothing better than a fresh ear of roasted corn on the cob dipped in butter; yum!  We had high hopes for our corn crop this year and it was a group effort to get the ground prepared, planted and growing.  The con was even planted in intervals as to not have it all at once.  It was a great plan and the planting part went well.  The rest is more of a war between nutrients and pests.  There are a few reasons we were unable to enjoy the fruits of our labor and this year we did not even get one ear of corn.  Now that is a crime.  The soil was lacking some nutrients for growth and the raccoons and turkeys had there eyes on the corn and they won.  George trapped 12 raccoons but then gave up once we saw the crop was not going to happen.  So as we buy corn on the cob at the store the raccoons and wild turkeys are enjoying what we thought we would.  One day, we will grow corn AND we will eat it.  Be warned raccoons and turkeys this will happen so enjoy what is left this year because next year...well, let's just wait and see.

I Subbed!

The Coffee League has started again and this year I am not a member of any team.  I gave up my spot on the Pin Busters to Lisa because I knew in advance that I was going to be gone for a while in November and December.  This move left me as a sub for the league but also without a team which was weird and a little lonely.  However, I put my big girl panties on and accepted it.  Yesterday I got to sub for another team.  Of course I wanted to do my best and help that team to a victory and I did but not the way I thought I would.  I can bowl but I am not quite consistent yet and I can have great game and I can have terrible games.  Being a sub I wanted to play my best but my ball had a mind of its own and the alley and pins fought me too.  Needless to say I bowled my worst games.  This was my first time bowling this year which means these three games would establish my handicap.  While I suffered through the games my handicap began to grow and as I am apologizing to my team for the day my handicap gave them the win. Now I am wondering if I will sub again?  Only time will tell.

A Chain Gang At The Farm?

While  I was leaving the Crafty Cottage to go up to lunch I looked over and on top of the hill just below the RV were Tim and George digging and moving rock with shovels.  The scene reminded me of seeing the movies with prisoners out digging along the road.  As I drove past them, in my golf cart, I had to stop and make a comment and of course they agreed; they did feel like they were on a chain gang.  The good thing is they finished moving the rocks and George and Lisa's driveway is coming along really well. Good job George and Tim!

A Surprise Goodie Package

I received a great surprise yesterday when I received a "goodie package" from my sister Pam.  Inside the box was some vinyl and new cartridge for my Cricut, lots of Halloween decorations, some fun things for Rory and some Stampin Up ribbon. It was a wonderful surprise and I had a lot of fun opening it.  I have already started to play with the new cartridge and vinyl last night.  Thanks Pam for the present!  You are the greatest!!!

Not Quite The Last Harvest Yet!

The harvesting is winding down but we are not quite finished yet.  We still have some tomatoes and green peppers hanging in there along with some cantaloupe and watermelons.  Watermelons are just becoming ripe and we have three different types of watermelon this year.  I will do a future blog on the watermelon and what we will do with them all.  If they all survive we will have a few!  A couple of things that have never happened before happened while down in the orchard one being I lost the back end of my golf cart.  I was driving up from the corn field and the entire backend came off and just flipped over.  I had too much weight due to the watermelons.  Tim was able to fix it easily; thank you Tim.  When we were down there picking it up one of the watermelons rolled all the way to the bottom of the orchard into the woods.  Tim went after it; thank you Tim.  Have you heard the term things happen in threes?  Well they do!  A little later our patio umbrella decided to take a little flight of its own lucky Tim caught it before it did too much damage or got destroyed itself; thank your Tim!

Being Creative

Since Friday I have spent my days in my Crafty Cottage working on being creative.  It is SAS time again for my sister Pam and I am once again working on her door prizes.  The good thing is she has been so generous to me and sending me new stamp sets to use so I am also having fun playing with my new "toys".  So, even though I have work to do it is like playing.  I have made some great cards and some bad cards; all in my opinion.  I even received a surprise package from Pam with a brand new stamp set that I am now currently working on more cards with.  I have designed two of the three door prizes and once I have the third I will be busy working to complete all the sets.

Summer Bowling Is Over

The Thursday night summer bowling league is over and the champions were...all of us.  This was a league that sometimes was as small as 5 and sometimes as big as 12 that just enjoyed getting together to bowl.  The bowling alley gave us a league rate and were very accommodating to us; Thanks Victory Lanes.  We would bowl three games together and cheer all the great scores and console the for the bad scores. We just did it for fun and it was.  I am going to miss this league and look forward to it next summer.

Special Edition: Happy Third Anniversay!

Today is the third anniversary of this blog Just Another Day At The Farm.  It does not seem like it has been three years but it has and now I have to wonder where the time went. I know the saying "the older you get the quicker times goes" and I guess this is a perfect example of it!  In the three years since we have been here at the farm a lot has gone on and almost every single thing was good.  Okay, now I am sounding like a Pollyanna but it is pretty much true.  Of course this blog could not have happened without all who live here at the farm so I would like to take this opportunity to say thank you to Tim, Shadow, George, Lisa, Angel, Roxie, Chance, Travis, Nix, Gaia, and Ajax.  We have had a great three years together so why not go for another three...or more!  Happy Third Anniversay to this blog Just Another Day At The Farm (justanotherdayatthefarm.blogspot.com).

And The Dirt Moved

A few weeks ago George had rented a backhoe to do some digging and boy, did he dig.  He had finally finished two areas that he has worked on for well over a year.  The RV pad that he created was enlarged by quite a bit and the driveway near the house was made wider and a great turn around spot for vehicles was created.  What was also created was a lake, after so many days of rain, that almost dominated the new portions of the driveway.  George had some fill dirt delivered to help reduce the lake and so he could smooth out the drive.  One load was delivered at the height of the solar eclipse.  It is looking a lot better and dirt load by dirt load the lake is disappearing and the drive way has been created.  So the dirt did move!

Disney Fast Paases

We are planning a Birthday trip to Disney World in October and I have say that the Disney experience app is making our planning so much easier.  We are coordinating for 7-9 people and so the app has been so helpful. Since we are all staying at a Disney resort and all have park passes we could make up to three fast passes at each park 60 days out.  So this morning Jenny and I were on the phone  with eachother talking and she booked the fast passes.  There is a strategy to this and Jenny has figured it out so we are all happy that she was willing to book the passes; thanks Jen!  With the fast passes booked that is one more plan to check off our list.  Now I have to get ready to bowl because the Coffee League begins today!

The Solar Ecplise

Tim and I spent the afternoon yesterday observing the solar Ecplise but had to do it the old fashioned way since we could not get the solar glasses.  Tennessee was one of the states  with the total Ecplise and where we live it was 98.5 totality.  We did not get the total darkness but it did get a lot darker and the temperatures dropped  5 to 7 degrees.  The lighting outside was weird where the bright colors just disappeared.  It got dark enough to turn my light sensor light on at the Crafty Cottage.  It was cool to experience the eclipse. We liked so much that we are talking about a trip to the Great Lakes for the next one in 2024.  A once in a lifetime event has happened in Tennessee and we are glad we got to experience it first hand.

Working For Salted By Jen

I have the honor of making all of the jewelry cards for Salted by Jen.  It is my daughter Jenny's company and she does really good work: Saltedbyjen.com.
Anyway, I had to get some new cards to her because she is low on inventory.  So I spent my week end working on getting a big order to her.  It takes some time to make the cards.  I spent about three hours on Saturday, I had to run and get supplies so if you count that it would be seven hours then.  Sunday was my long day.  I knew it would be and left it wide open because of it.  I spent 12 hours in the Crafty Cottage working away at the cards.  I made 700 jewelry cards for her with two different types.  Each card has to have its corners rounded which is hand done which equals 2800 corners.  This is what takes the most time.  The process is easy just time consuming:  Cut the paper to size, round corners, stamp both sides and package.  I did take a break for lunch and dinner and I am not complaining because I enjoy helping out Jenny whenever I can.  If you get a chance check out her website and if you are looking for nice gift she has lots of options for you. 

A Nice Evening

Saturday was a day that was not predictable at all except for the evening.  What started as a day where nothing was planned until the evening, okay except a manure run and a vet visit, things changed rapidly and Tim and I ended up driving to Waynesville, TN, Lisa & Travis went furniture hunting for Travis and George went to Bristol, TN for the NASCAR race.  Yup, that all happened yesterday but the evening was perfect.  Larry & Linda came over for a BBQ and we spent a nice evening together grilling steaks and enjoying the nice night on our deck.  We got all caught up on what is going on with everyone and did it while enjoying the view.  Thanks for coming over Larry & Linda.  We always enjoy your visits.  It was a good night!

The Pickles Queens Were At It Again

With the amount of pickling cucumbers that we picked the other day we knew we had enough to make at least one batch of pickles.  We decided to make another batch of dill pickles because that is the ingredients we had to do so.  We pretty much have the pickling down to an easy routine that we can now complete a batch in less than two hours and we did yesterday.  This may be the last batch we make as our cucumbers are starting to slow down but I guess we will have to wait and see.

Golf, Bowling & Pizza

We had a day of activities yesterday but not at the farm.  Tim and George played golf in their Senior Golf League.  The League runs from March to October and matches happen every Monday and Thursday.  The nice thing about this league is you can pick and choose which ones you want to lay. Since the matches are held at golf courses all over the area they can be as close as 20 minutes or as far as two hours away.  That is why they can choose which ones they want to play.  While they were golfing Lisa and I ran into Morristown to grocery shop.  When the guys got home it was our turn to leave and go bowling.  The Coffee league begins next week but we still have one more week of the summer league to go. After bowling we went and had pizza.  It was a fun day away from the farm!

Getting Back To Work

We all got back to work at the farm which just means things are back to normal now that we are back from vacation.  Lisa and I went to harvest after several days of rain and it ended up being a pretty good harvest.  We got lots of pickling cucumbers which means more pickles and the tomatoes were enough to do something with them.  Tim and George got busy getting rid of the last tree that was left from the five that had fallen and after being cut up created the log wall along the driveway by George and Lisa's house.  After cutting up what they could they then burned the rest of what was left.  So, the tree is out of the orchard and they are done with trees for awhile or so we thought.  Last night when we were on our deck talking we heard two more trees fall down in the holler.  No rush on those yet. I got back to work in my crafty cottage and got a couple of projects done so it was a busy but good day for all.

Rain, Rain And More Rain

After spending two weeks away from the farm I heard we had missed a lot of rain but we got to experience the rain we missed yesterday.  What was weird is that it would rain when least expected. An example would be that it was sunny and I went down to visit Lisa and while I was at her house it just began to pour.  That was the pattern of the day.  So we ran in and out dodging the rain but we managed to get the little camper and car unloaded and four loads of laundry done.  So even though it rained we still had a productive day.

We Are Back At The Farm

After a long day of driving, yesterday, we are back at the farm.  We pulled in just before dark last night and decided to just unload what we may need.  Today we will unload the rest of the car and little cabin on wheels, do laundry, and check out the farm to see what has happened around here while we were gone.  It will be a busy day getting settled back at the farm.

Returning To The Farm

Today we begin our final leg of our 3/5's GreatvLakes trip as we head for the farm.  We have not decided to do it in one day or two so we will either be back at the farm late tonight or early afternoon on Tuesday.  Only the road will decide and how well the drive goes.  Tennessee, here we come!

Rain Delay

Due to a lot of rain happening at the farm not much else has.  The rain has stopped George from doing much outside and the garden only needs harvesting every six days so i guess you could say that the farm is on a rain delay.  i guess this is mother nature's way of making sure everyone gets a break at the farm.

Farm Happenings

So, what is going on at the farm?  That is a really good question and one that I will answer in a couple of days when we return to the farm.  Until then maybe I should make something up so here it goes:
A mass landing of alien ships have landed in the garden and have started to destroy producing plants. These aliens have dusquised themselves as squash bugs and have discovered that the stems of Zucchini, pumpkin, yellow squash, acorn squash and butternut squash are delishious and can feed the whole alien nation.
And that is what is happening at the farm!

The Food Saver

A few weeks ago on Facebook I saw a video on a new product that helps protect food.  I thought it was so great and shared in on Facebook; which is the only way to save things for later. Anyway, my wonderful, beautiful, talented, charming daughter (just in case she reads this) ordered me some as a surprise and it was and I love it.  They work great and they do keep the food fresher.  This food saver is great when you need half a tomato, cucumber, pepper or onion and don't feel like cutting up the rest.  Just place a food saver lid on the other half and it keeps it fresh until you use it in the next couple of days.  She ordered them from Amazon which ended up costing less then ordering directly from the food saver site.  Thank you Jenny for the great gift.

We Have Tomato Sauce

We have tomato sauce thanks to Lisa making some the other day.  Last year we made quite a few jars but with the garden under producing this year our tomato sauce is slim.  The good thing is she will have some jars to enjoy. I know I said I would have the zucchini lasagna recipe today but I am having wifi issues so look for the recipe tomorrow or Saturday.  By postponing the recipe I have been adding up the ingredients.  We have zucchini and we have tomato sauce.  I know we can make cheese so; Lisa are you up to it?  Haha

Zucchini Bats

I am not sure if I could make up a new game using zucchinis as bats but if I could we could grow them.  In a two day period we have had some zucchinis that grew from 6 inches to almost 15 inches long.  I have no idea why but we were shocked when we went down to pick them.  So what do you do with a huge zucchini?  Well you takes pictures then play with it a bit but then you make it into zucchini lasagna noodles and make lasagna.  Come back tomorrow for the recipe.

An Anniversary Is Coming Up!

Lisa & George just celebrated their 30th Wedding anniversary last week and Tim and I will be celebrating our 34th wedding anniversary next Sunday but neither one of these is what I am talking about.  The anniversary I am talking about is this blog and Tim & I arriving at the farm; can you believe it will be three years?  During this month I will share some memories of the past three years at the farm along with our everyday tales!  Three years soon?  WOW!

Farm Flashback - The Bear

We now have three bears at the farm.  Are we concerned?  Not at all in a matter of fact we wanted these bears at the farm.  Now I know I said three but right now I can only reveal one.  Lisa's birthday present from George and made just for her; cutest bear ever! It hangs out by the back door on the porch welcoming all who comes and visits...or does he???

Bread & Butter Pickles - Low Carb

While I am out seeing the great North Lisa has been busy making more pickles.  This batch of pickles  are Bread & Butter pickles but she made them low carb by replacing the sugar with Splenda.  She made 6 quarts and last night was the true test of how they turned out.  She said they were really good and George could not tell the difference from the sugar B&B's.  Last year we made some B&B's with stevia and they were awful; we threw them out. I guess this year we will be enjoying the B&B's instead of tossing them.  Way to go Lisa!

No News Is Good News

I go by the old saying "no news is good news" a lot because I figure if I don't hear from anyone, like friends or family, that all is well.  In most cases it is.  So since I am not at the farm I cannot share what is going on so I am using the no news thing and report nothing for today.  Mean while, please follow my travel blog as Tim and I are having a great trip.  Travels With Ruth :
travelswithruth-ruth.blogspot.com.    We start our third leg of our trip!

A Nice Harvest

Since I am on vacation Lisa had to harvest on her own and it looks like it was a good one and she will be busy processing the harvest.  There is a good amount of tomatoes and cucumbers which means one thing...pickles and tomato sauce.  Our pickles, although not as many as last year, are good and The tomato sauce should be too if Lisa uses the same recipe.  We have done one substitution this year.  Instead of using sugar we are using spleda.  With Lisa watching her carbs this switch works well and the taste is still good.  Have fun Lisa!

The Cantaloupe Is Great!

Even though we have been struggling with the garden the cantaloupe has been doing well and I have been fortunate enough to enjoy it.  I have had both kinds now; the regular size and the mini.  We even had enough before I left on my trip to take with and enjoy on the road.  There will a lot more cantaloupe before I get back but Lisa will make sure someone will be able to enjoy it.  Whoever does, they are the lucky ones. 

Welcome Chance

While Lisa and our neighbor Cheryl were out walking the other day they came upon a tiny kitten that had been abandon along the side of the road.  This is the second kitten they have found in the last month.  The first kitten they found they gave to a neighbor.  This kitten has been welcomed into Lisa's home and joins Angel, their 14 year old cat and Roxie their 3 year old dog.  Chance is four weeks old and weighs about 1 pound.  He had been bathed to get rid of the fleas and is being dewormed.  He still need special kitten food because he is so young but with the loving family that has just adopted him he will be receiving all the love and support needed.  Welcome Chance!

The Dirt Has Been Moved

The backhoe has been at the farm for over a week now and  of  the dirt moving project has been completed but it took a real effort to get it completed.  The day after receiving the backhoe it broke down and it took two days to get it repaired.  Once the backhoe was repaired the dump truck decided to break down.  The good thing with the dump truck is that Tim was able to fix what broke.  With all the set backs the dirt moving project did get completed and the backhoe was picked up this morning. 
Now there is a big turn around area down by George's house so even if a semi truck comes to the farm it can turn around.  The RV pad has been expanded and will create a nice area big enough for the RV, the shed and a nice yard for the dogs.  Great job George and Tim!

Preparing For The 3/5's Great Lakes Trip

Tim and I are getting ready for the 3/5's Great Lakes Trip that starts tomorrow.  We will be taking the Little Cabin On Wheels and heading north to Michigan and Wisconsin where we will spend two weeks traveling through.  We chose Michigan because we have not visited that state during our travels and Wisconsin will be family visits.  It is called the 3/5's Great Lakes trip because during our travels we will be visit 3 of the 5 Great Lakes; Lake Huron, Lake Michigan and Lake Superior.  We spent some of yesterday and will spend all day today packing for the trip.  I will still be keeping up with this blog everyday but to follow along with us on our trip please follow my Travels With Ruth blog:  travelswithruth-ruth.blogspot.com.

Garden Time

The garden is slowly coming along and our harvesting is hit and miss.  As you know we have lost one pumpkin plant and two zucchini plants but we have also lost half of the corn, all of the green beans and the squash is getting iffy.  The culprits, well let's just say between the squash bugs, raccoons, and poor nutrients in the soil this year's garden is struggling along.  We have already been making plans for next year's garden and we know what we have to do to get rid of some pests.  George has a plan to get nutrients back in the soil so next year's garden should be a lot better.  As far as this year's garden we will appreciate all we get from it when we harvest.