PROJECTS CONTINUE!!

A couple of projects going on along with everyday life and farm work. Pictures are of the mess that tearing out lathe and plaster can make. It's all cleaned up now, plaster double bagged for a special section in the county dump. Now we're measuring all the fixtures, cabinet, light, etc., ready to sheet rock, figuring how high to put the bead board, final decision on paint color, plus turning the door to open into the back hall. It will start coming together soon. AND, the TV IN THE KITCHEN is working!!! Cable company came today and hooked up the TV in one of the upstairs guest rooms and programmed the TV in the kitchen. So nice. The HD box is in an upper cabinet as you can see. The reason: no room on my limited counter space. So, I had this brilliant idea. When the upper cabinets are completed (another project!), I think it will look very cool. The wall color will be a soft yellow, the bead board will remain white. The upper cabinets will be in the same yellow "family", but lighter. The varnished wood you see will be replaced with a frosted, ripple glass. The very top of the cabinets will all be open as is the one at this time. Painted inside, rope lighting, some greenery and our mom's old kitchen utensils, bread bowl that's over a hundred years old. The living room will also be a project starting in October. You can see from the picture that everything is mostly brown and white. Just a spot of color here and there and some items waiting to find their proper place in other parts of the house! The walls will be a toasted wheat (not definite, but close to that), the mantle will be black with a slightly darker shade of wheat above that. Rug will be gone replaced with laminate wood, probably spiced apple. Already posted the striped drapes. Entry will be tiled, new door. First though, we're replacing all the windows in the house before winter. At least, that's the plan. A man is coming out Monday to give estimates and we may qualify for discounts and remodel assistance! We're having fun doing most of the work ourselves, finding bargains and sales and getting creative to keep the cost low. Watch for updates from time to time!

The Beat Goes On

Close to installing sheet rock in the bathroom. Have chosen the paint colors...2 shades of a light green. The TV is mostly installed in the kitchen. Now, I just need to figure out how to set it up! I've read the directions and got the giggles! So, we'll see.

Yesterday I made a pistachio pie,,,it is so light and delicious. Vern really enjoyed it. We had guests last night and I served it for dessert, then we finished it up at lunch today.

I've also been rethinking kitchen color. We still are going to install bead board around the lower part of all the walls and behind the counter as a backsplash and it will all remain white. Have decided on a light yellow for the upper cabinets and a slightly darker yellow for the remaining walls. I think Vern will hurry and get that paint soon before I change my mind again!!! He loves a yellow and white kitchen, but was willing to go blue. He's pretty sweet that way!

You cannot believe the projects there are in this house! Started to make a list but it was too exhausting!! We are still having a great time bouncing back and forth between projects, forgetting our list when we go to Home Dep*ot, misplacing the spray paint can to finish a little project, losing a little bag of screws, laying a tool down and can't remember where, etc., etc., etc.!! Fortunately, we're both a little "nuts" and don't "bolt" from challenges!

Last evening, friends came for dinner and brought with them a wooden sign they are purchased at a chili cookoff in a neighboring community...it reads Down on the Farm. Really cute, so they bought it for us. A few minutes after they arrived, Vern drove up after spending 3 1/2 hours in the alfalfa fields, unplugging nozzles, moving pipe, fighting hot sun and mosquitos. He was wet and muddy and happy as can be, as usual! So we made him stand by the new sign and took his picture. He was a little embarrassed, but couldn't hide how happy he is to do the work he does.

I took a picture of what an 80 year old house looks like "behind the scenes"! Vern is going to tear out the remaining lathe and plaster, then insulate and install the sheet rock. Then we can paint, put down the new baseboard and install all the remaining items...toilet, sink, cabinet, faucets, light, medicine cabinet. He also wants to take out the window over the tub and enclose that in with a small, long window at the top that opens...sort of like in a modern house!! Not right away, though...too much else that has priorities.

Earlier this week, we went fishing with friends, or I should say the guys fished out on the lake in our friend's boat, and we girls drank coffee, talked, picked blueberries, read books and talked some more! I also bought some pink hair color that washes out and made tiny little strips of pink color in my hair that Vern really liked!! Today, I walked into a salon at Fred Meyer and asked them to cut the back length of my hair. Very spontaneous and am so glad I did it. Yesterday, I stopped by a yard sale a couple of miles from here and bought a pink flamingo! She is ceramic, very graceful in a beautiful green dish,,,see picture above. Also bought a b & w picture of a little girl bathing and it says "clean living keeps you young". Will hang it in our "new" bathroom.

So, enough of a "reality" post of our daily life. Should be some great pictures coming up soon, but these will have to do for now.

POTPOURRI

Busy, busy recently! Vern tore up the old bathroom floor and back hallway. It was quite a job! Part of the sub floor had to be replaced. There was OLD vinyl glued down under the particle board, then he started replacing what was needed, ending with a top layer that had to be screwed into the particle board every 4 inches! This project took 3 days. The new vinyl was layed yesterday. Now, it's new sheetrock, texture and paint, install new fixtures and baseboard. He's also moved the equipment out of one of the back fields to get the heifers into another pasture, irrigating the third alfalfa crop, he and his brother loading up the ATV off to be repaired (it's back & running!). I feel rather helpless during all of this activity, so I lend encouragement, take pictures, cook really good meals, keep the rest of the house as neat as possible and share lots of hugs. I also have worked hard on one of the upstairs guest rooms and it's really shaping up. I occasionally go outside with my camera and "talk" to the girls (heifers),,,they get very curious and stand and listen and another 2 or 3 wander over to join the group! My cousin also made a beautiful flower arrangement for our entry. There is a *Michaels here and I had fun shopping a great sale for those flowers. We're still having fun amidst all these projects. The list is still long! Enjoying the flowers, sunrises, a recent movie and today, we are GONE FISHIN'!!! Vern thinks he might have fished once years ago, so our friends are driving us to a lake today and the guys are gonna' fish and us girls are gonna' sit on the deck and talk!! A nice break and tomorrow we'll be back at it!

HAPPY FARMER!

My husband is so happy as he is cutting and baling his own grass hay and wheat hay this year! He's worked so hard moving sprinkler pipes, some of them are hand moves...hoping that changes this next year. Had already contracted for the alfalfa hay to be cut and baled. Everything was pre-sold so that made him happy too! Irrigating the third cutting will start fairly soon. Pictures are of Vern standing in the alfalfa hay, showing how good this second crop is, for the most part. Also of a couple of sandhill cranes out in the wheat hay this evening. Took pictures too of other alfalfa hay fields, most of it cut now, waiting to be raked. The grass hay has been hauled away, the wheat hay will be within the next two days. Will spend a few days working on the house and yard before the irrigating starts again!

ALL WORK AND NO PLAY? HA!

Picture it, down on the farm! Mid-morning, still in my pink nightie, cooked the potatoes and eggs while talking on the phone to a dear friend, then, making the potato salad for lunch tomorrow as friends coming in from out of town. Listening to country radio, the song Twinkle Twinkle Lucky Star is playing, I smell like onions! Door opens and hubby walks in, smelling faintly of diesel as he's been baling hay. I order him to put his shoes down, grab him and we dance and twirl around the kitchen! We're both pushing 70, so if you are young and happen to read this, don't ever let the surprises and fun go by the wayside!

He's back to baling, I'm going to get ready as we leave in an hour to take someone out to lunch, then back for a couple of hours, then off to the Fair! Destruction Derby tonight! Looking forward to friend's visit tomorrow, then off to the ballgame tomorrow night! And to cap it off, the Pro-Rodeo Saturday night!

Still no TV hookup in kitchen...just a couple of twists and turns! ;D

The picture is the "new" swather working away in the wheat field a couple of days ago.

Happy Days!

NEW STUFF...

I am loving my life! The list as to why is so long! At the same time, missing family and old friends a lot, too! There is some family and old friends here that we enjoy very much...a small luncheon gathering of 5 women friends, baseball games nearly weekly with a former grade-school classmate and her husband with whom we also enjoy other activities, an upcoming fishing trip week after next, lunching with my cousin and working together on a new flower arrangement for our living room,, then other things like keeping house as best I can because my husband loves to walk into it, running errands, cooking interesting meals that we enjoy outdoors at times but usually at our little table by the window, watching the heifers grow fat as they are carrying little unborn calves, smiling at the happiness of my husband because he loves farming so much, smiling at myself because I'm loving it too, hearing the distant train late night, early morning, afternoon and marveling how that sound can still be such a comfort since childhood, helping restore to new life 80 year old wood floors, slowly giving up the wearing of shoulder pads,tearing up because I know how much I am loved and how much I love, happy laughter, awesome moments, making beautiful plans together while realizing that if they don't come to pass I am content even then, and fear of God when I know the disappointment I have been and fear of God knowing full well His holiness, love and forgiveness to His misbehaving children who are also His greatest joy! (This will only make sense if you understand "fear of God").

Vern purchased a used swather a couple of days ago and the man has been in "heaven"! I am so happy and excited for him and it is such fun to watch him cleaning it up with a bucket and mop no less! Loving that I'm interested and happy and am taking pictures for our memory book. I love asking questions, learning and enjoying this life on a small farm. To many it's small, but nearly 130 acres seems pretty big to me! Never run out of things to do, for sure.

We take time out to enjoy friends and family. In fact, have a couple of trips planned for this fall...late Sept/early Oct heading into Idaho and eastern WA, then early to mid-October northern Oregon and southern WA. In August though, we have plans this coming week to attend a "destruction derby", baseball game and a night at the rodeo and perhaps a musical stage play. Recently, we made a couple of trips to a quaint community just a couple of hours away and found a painting on canvas that resembled one of my granddaughters so much, it could have been her! We purchased it and will present it to her soon.

Will post a few pictures...hope you enjoy!

AND AWAY WE GO!

Check back soon for the TV installation story! ;D

The Trip!

Well, need to write a bit about the trip...we went to Walla Walla to visit my best friend and her husband. Another couple met us there as well and we all had such a fun time! We attended Caledonia Days in a nearby community, enjoyed an outdoor play of Hairspray, went to the movie Larry Crowne, ate tons of food, went wine tasting and talked and talked! Trouble is, left my camera there, so pictures will have to be later. (Also left 2 blouses and a pair of flip-flops)! So, that's it...going out to lunch with Vern, then we're buying a screen door and grocery shop! Plus, a busy week ahead...hope you all are lovin' life and having a great week!
This is the "edit for pictures" as promised! Also updating a bit, as in no screen door yet, but still lovin' life! ;D

July 4th and a Trip!

July 4th was spent in such a variety of ways! We first drove to a nearby community about half an hour away and met my husband's brother at a city park, watched a small town parade which was pretty cute, then wandered around, eating lunch, meeting a couple of friends, viewing old cars...my favorite? A 1947 Chevy truck. We came home for awhile, then met friends downtown for the 4th of July parade at 5 pm...enjoyed that, then walked a few blocks to a Chinese Restaurant that my family enjoyed several times a year when I was growing up. It was great, and the waitress was from *Guangzhou, Chi*na and we had a fun visit, since I had been there a few years ago. Then we continued walking to a park near a lake and enjoyed listening to music, watching a sack race, tug-of-war, and a pie-eating contest. We then drove to a parking lot, brought out the lawn chairs and wine (and a blanket or jacket!), and watched some spectacular fireworks! All in all, a very good day!

PROGRESS!!

All the alfalfa has been cut, raked and baled. Now, they are getting it loaded and in just a few days, will be stored in the hay barn. Pretty spectacular! "My Little Pony" across the road, is growing and still frolicking like crazy, although in the afternoon, she's zonked, lying in the sun! A turkey hen has been visiting the pasture, which gives the cows something to do besides eat, and they have fun chasing that turkey and she looks hilarious running as fast as her little legs will carry her. She has flown a bit, but not far at a time. Then the other thing is, I have a 2" faux wood blind at the kitchen window!!! It only took seven, as in 7, days to get there!!! When you're working with an 80 year old house that has not only storm windows, but lathe and plaster walls...one thing leads to another. So this is how the story of a window blind installation goes: Step 1) HE: Sweetheart, I think you really need a light above the sink. SHE: Oh, I'm getting used to the light on the left wall over there, that's ok. HE: It really wouldn't take any time at all and this fall and winter, it would sure be a help I think. SHE: Okay and then studying it for a minute, suggests that perhaps a new style can light could be installed, instead of the one on the wall above the window. (Now, there is no power to that old light as the house was rewired and originally that wall was going to be removed and a new kitchen added, so there is a hole in the wall and dead wires at this point). HE: What a great idea sweetheart! Let's go get one! (Off we go and return home). Step 2) The can light is too tall to fit into the little cabinet above the soffet over the window. This requires removing the bottom of that little cabinet. cutting the opening in that, replacing it and inserting the can light. DAY 2 and Step 3) HE: I'll just run wiring from there, down through the corners of the cabinet on the right, and hook it into the wiring for the garbage disposal and put the switch for the light just to the left. SHE: Okay, that sounds good! (She actually has no clue) (Wiring is run, but light dims when the disposal is switched on.) DAY 3, Step 4) HE: It's not the best and right way to run the wiring like I did. It needs to go over further to the right where the plug-in is. SHE: I see. (?) Step 5) HE: So, I'll just cut out some of the sheet rock, drill holes through the 2x4's and run that wire right over. SHE: Okay! Step 6) HE: Oh, I thought I had another switch, but I don't. SHE: When I go to the store, I could get one then. HE: Oh that's okay little sweetheart, you'd have to walk clear to the other end of *Freddie's. SHE: Really, it's no problem and I need the exercise! HE: Okay then, thank you! DAY 4, Step 7) We are eating breakfast at our little high, round table by the window at the other end of the kitchen. Something moves. Darling, there is a big spider crawling down the window edge next to you...GET IT, LIKE NOW PLEASE!! He does, and said gosh, I wonder where that came from! I said well, maybe from the large opening in the ceiling above my head, uh, maybe? HE: Oh no, I'd better cut some sheet rock for that. (The hole was from the rewiring, about 3' x 6".) So, that was done. Sheet rock also cut for the new opening at the other end of the kitchen for the wiring. Also, for the old opening for the old light above the sink. Then, plaster has to be mixed and put over all of those areas. So.....DAY 5, Step 8, 9? Lost count! HE: I'm sure sorry sweetheart, this is taking so long. SHE: Well, we've still had to live life, plus you're moving sprinkler lines again, irrigating, m0wing the yard, all your other chores, plus you've taken me to lunch, a movie, etc. There's progress every day! It's fine! HE: Well, I have to do some painting, and we do need to run to town because the switch plate cover you bought yesterday is too big. So, we both went, bought a new plate, looked at floor tile (the bathroom is the next project), purchased a new toilet to add to the growing collection of bathroom remodeling items stored in the garage, returned home and he did some painting. DAY 6: Cut molding to put around the base of the soffet and to cover the wiring inside the cabinet, cut little square boards to hold the blind and installed those. Completed painting everything that needed to be white. Went to cousin's house for dinner. DAY 7: Painted the sides of the cabinets on each side of the window the correct color, Desert Plateau, which the upper cabinets will eventually sport, and let that dry. Out to lunch and grocery shopping. Then (drum roll, please), THE BLIND IS UP!! Looks fantastic! No more bath towel at the window in the afternoons! The sun beats in that window till it sets and really heated this room up. The blind is too long however, so it needs to be shortened and I have assured my persevering hubby that it looks like it would be easy, at least according to the instruction sheet. That's when we both sigh and think well, maybe! So, in the kitchen, we need to finish painting the built-in hutch, original to the house, paint the walls on the upper half (not the yellow shone in the picture), attach bead board to the lower half of the walls, put up the backsplash, finish painting upper cabinets, install the flooring. Not much, really! Undaunted, we carry on, laughing ourselves silly most of the time, after a few apologies and explanations, that is! Wow, it took me almost as much time in the telling of it, as in the completion of it! Vern is now moving sprinkler lines and then we're soon off to meet friends for the baseball game! Looking forward to Polish hot dogs and *beer! Oh my gosh, Vern just came in and I suddenly had another idea for the upper kitchen cabinets...he loves it! Will share that at another time! We are hoping the great crop of alfalfa bales will all fit in the hay barn! The second crop is already starting to green up in the fields. It's interesting to watch them picking up the bales and how quickly it goes. Hope to get some more pics tomorrow of that operation as there's still a field and a half to go. Happy 4th of July tomorrow! We're off to a park in a small community just a half hour away, then back here for fireworks tomorrow night. Enjoy your day!