Category Archives: Around the house

Pig Pen

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One of our first projects was building a secure pig pen.  Last year we had a few problems with the pigs getting out.  This year we are doing all we can to keep them in.  We set up hog panels and electric fencing around the bottom.  Greg also built this board walk type thing around much of the pen.  The pen will not be green for long.  It will soon just look like a dirt/mud pit as the pigs do what they do best…root.  The board walk will help keep us out of the mud when we need to go inside and it should keep them from being able to ground out the electric fencing with dirt.

Zoe helping by balancing things on a stick 🙂

Greg built this fabulous pig house and even bought me Bard Red and white paint.  I am a sucker for red barns.  We don’t have enough room to actually have a barn but at least our animal houses will be my favorite colors.  We are hoping to get many years of use out of it.  The kids had fun playing in it…at least until it starts to stink.  The house and most of the pen were completed in one day.  As is often the case in this area we were being threatened with rain.  All was fine until we opened the can of paint.  We were expecting to get our little piggies the next day and had to get the house painted before they got in there.  Thankfully, it never started  raining too much so we just kept painting.  It is just a pig house after all.  We were able to get all the red and most of the roof painted white before having to call it quits.  Unfortunately, after the rush to get this done we were not able to get the piggies.  Apparently pigs are hard to come by this early in the year and the man we were getting them from had accidentally over promised and was out.  Oh well.  We have a great home from the ones we are scheduled to get in May.

 

Lots of Changes at the Thames Farm

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Yeah, I guess you could call us a mini farm now.  We have been busy, busy these last few weeks.  I will attempt to update on all the fun changes and activities we have been up to.  Here’s the list I can remember so far.  I will expand on some of them later.  We took down (with the help of a professional) a 60 ft fir tree, finished the fencing to keep kids and dog in the back yard, fenced a pig pen with hog panels and electric fencing (they better not get out this year), built a pig house and chicken tractor, fenced off the remaining “animal area” for the sheep, dug a trench to get water to the back of the property, got power to the back, made soap, gone on field trips, and just picked up our meat chicks today.  We still have quite a list on the white board but they it is reducing.  Well maybe not reducing but the list is progressing.  Amazing how new things keep getting on it.  And of course when I say “we” I mostly mean Greg.  He has been working so hard to get things done and I keep getting in trouble for trying to do too much.  It is not in my nature to sit and watch him work on these things but as he says “I don’t want the baby coming out right NOW.”  OK, OK, I get it.  So, we go out there to keep him company, provide moral support and hand him tools.

Apparently that’s all my brain will handle at the moment because it has stopped working (I hope it comes back soon).  But for now I will leave you with some pictures of some darn cute hard working kids.

 

Oliver 1yr

Zeke 2 yrs

Zoe 6 yrs

Zoe's Snowman

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Zoe 6 years Toby 4 years

Our first snow was about a week before Thanksgiving.  Not much but enough to cover the ground and allow Zoe to make her snowman.  She made a snowman and a snow dog appropriately named Zoe and Toby.  She was adamant about doing this one herself.  She raided the winter bin and I love that the gloves she picked out were mismatched and the baby hat fit perfectly.  I was so glad Toby was there to play this day especially.  I had no interest in playing in the snow and the boys didn’t either but, Zoe and Toby spent a few hours running and playing.  I was actually surprised he wanted to be out there.  He is usually more the fair weather type.

Around The House

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Our chickens have finally started producing.  I was getting really tired of feeding 16 chickens and getting nothing in return.  We had even started giving most if not all the scraps to the pigs.  I know, poor chickies but the pigs are more fun.  So, now we have our eggs and they are producing more and more every day.  Soon we will have more than an dozen EVERY DAY!  I need egg recipes.  I was bummed to discover quiche recipes only use 4 eggs.  I was excited to find one that used 8 eggs, then I noticed it made 2 pies.  Today we got our first green egg.  Zoe was so excited the whole neighborhood knows too.

We didn’t do many veggies this year but we couldn’t resist a few things.  In front of our shed there was already wood attached for something to climb.  I immediately saw peas growing there.  All I had to do was add string.  The kids LOVED the peas.  I always laugh when someone mentions having a hard time getting their kids to eat vegetables.  I have been blessed with children who love them.  I think 5 peas made it into the house and that was just because Zoe really wanted to have them with dinner.  Zeke had a hard time understanding why I wouldn’t let him pick the peas that were only a 1/4 inch long.  He still doesn’t understand but, oh well.

I love his chubby little fingers!

Hope you are enjoying your summer!  How does your garden grow?

Buying a House and Moving

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So, almost 2 months ago (wow has it already been that long!) we bought a house and moved.  We had been looking for about a year.    Many offers were placed but non came through.  Most common was for us to find a place we loved and place our offer only to find out that another offer had been accepted just minutes prior.  If you needed your place sold just invite us over and it would sell…to someone else.  Next most common reason was the inspection report.  We conducted a total of 4 house inspections (anyone need a great inspector ?)  Yep, in this down economy we were doing our part to keep him in business.  Apparently, we had a knack for picking the most, shall we say, interesting houses.  Our inspector probably cringed a little each time we called him. 

But we finally found a house.  We double checked to make sure there were no other offers and the inspection passed with flying colors.  Now we are moved in and mostly settled except for the list of things we want to do to the house.  Most everything is cosmetic and adding our own preference and style to the house.  We are so blessed to have found a house that doesn’t NEED work. 

Here is the front of the house.  One thing I love is that all entrances to the house are covered.  No more standing in the rain holding children while trying to unlock the door.

And the back of the house.  Again, large, covered porch.  We have been using the grill so much already.  Rain or shine you can stand out there and grill away.  I was grilling in a hail storm the other day.  Crazy as it was to have a hail storm in May!

And the view from the back porch.  Greg put together this awesome playground from two that we had.  The kids have had so much fun on it already and I love having it.  There is a small shed to the left and some covered areas to the right where the lawn movers and chickens are housed (not together 🙂  Also, on the right are various fruit trees.  The row of Christmas trees in the back divide the property.  This is what we can see from the house but the pigs and future farm animals are  blocked from view (something I love).

 And just because these were so cute here are some pictures of what the kids did at the old house to keep themselves entertained while we were packing.   

Back With Pictures!

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We are back online.  The charger has been found and a card reader for the camera purchased (the cord is still MIA).  Just a quick post to let you know we are still alive and busy.  The most recent change is PIGGIES!  Or as one person lovingly called them, mobile pork chops.  Just 3 days ago we brought home 2 little piggies. 

On the left we have Barbie Q and on the right Saucy. 

They have been enjoying the wide open enclosures.  Their life thus far has been lived in a barn.  They have been rooting around like crazy finding all sorts of goodies to eat. 

And I don’t know about the saying curiosity killed the cat.  Pigs are very curious.  And not only do they want to check out the new things they will try to eat it.  We used some recycled (and free!) boards for their house which had some nylon straps attached to it.  Upon inspection they had to try to eat the straps. 

Happy Monday!

The hunt

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So, I know I am suppose to be back on the postings now but the hunt for the camera charger and cord to hook up to the computer is still in full swing.  We know that as soon as we buy a new one we will find the old but we may have to just do it.  Right now the battery light on the camera is flashing at me.  I quick turn it on, take the shot and turn it off.  I have no idea if they are turning out right.  It’s almost like using a 35mm again.  It just isn’t as exciting to post without pictures.  Especially since we have so many new things to show! 

We are thoroughly enjoying our new house.  We have been unpacking, gardening, unpacking, playing, unpacking, chasing chickens, oh! and unpacking.  I’ll have to come back to the chickens in another post.  They really do cause their share of problems don’t they.  That is about it for now.  Just letting you know we are still alive around here.  The first camping trip of the year is just days away and my to do list keeps growing.  The camera WILL be in working order by then…at least I hope so.

Back Online and Ready to start posting….well somewhat!!!

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We are back online after two whole weeks of being offline.  Well, it is safe to say that we are happy to have our own home (or at least renting with benefits) 🙂  Praise the Lord!!  We are now back online too.  Can you tell that I was having some Internet withdrawal issues.

ANYWAY!!  This is our new place..

Sorry this is the only picture I have as of now I am sure my wonderful wife will be sharing more as time goes on. We are still unpacking the house and getting settled in so got to run.  Take care and God bless!!

Greg T