Happenings around the Home

Spring gave way to a myriad of projects, new chicks, new coop, new pen, new garden, rebuilding and moving planter boxes, new bees, cleaning out irrigation ditches, building a grapevine arbor, weeding, planting, getting new chicks to replace the chicks that Bentley killed... you know, all in a days work.

Back in April we went to my brother's house for Easter Dinner. I put the month old chicks in a make-shift pen so they could get used to being outside. I figured a few hours they'd be just fine. When we came home we discovered they had been killed. By Bentley. Who had apparently snuck out while Ryan was loading tables and chairs into the back of the car - unbeknownst to us. Needless to say we spent Easter evening cleaning up chicken entrails from the grass. Bentley got the chewing out of a lifetime. Kids were wailing and crying. It was definitely a night to remember but not for the right reasons. 

So, on Easter Sunday we said goodby to Kimchi Cocoa Puff, Marzipan Sr., Honey, and Katsu.

The next night we went out and got 4 new easter egger chicks. These are when they were newbies.

Forgive them, they're now in the awkward teenage months. Meet Marzi Jr., Schnitzel, Rudy (Root Beer) and Buffy our resident wookie (in order from L to R).

But don't get too attached to Schnitzel. We are 99% sure that Schnitzel is a 'he' and therefore will be finding a new home soon. I don't want a rooster and I am sure my neighbors don't want us to have one either. But he sure is cute and has tons of personality.

Ryan built me this awesome coop using scrap wood and lumber. Total cost was under $20. Pretty happy about that. This will be the coop for the new hens.

  

Garden is all planted and so close to bearing fruit. I built a grapevine arbor to keep the vine from growing into my lilac bushes and peony bushes which it does every year. Usually I just cut the vines all back, but I want all the grapes I can get this year so I can bottle the juice it in the fall. Pretty happy with my efforts and the fact that it was an inexpensive DIY ($15) that I could do all by myself.

And these purty girls just keep on laying their pretty blue and green eggs. They love it when they get to free-range the yard.

 

The flower garden was lovely this year. So many tulips and peonies. Wish I could figure out a way to get them to last longer.

This year we have two beehives again. For some reason our established hive and our new hive from last year didn't survive the winter. We don't think they died, because there weren't dead bodies inside. We think they swarmed and left and moved on to greener pastures. Our neighbor, who owned the previous bees is getting out of the hobby however Ryan and I wanted to keep going. So Ryan is now the master beekeeper in this house with our neighbor teaching him what to do. Ryan loves it. 

So far both hives are doing well. Ryan has already had to add boxes on top since they were producing so much comb & honey. The easter bunny even brought him a beekeeping jacket. So he's pretty legit.

And that's what's been happening around our little abode these days.

Fall Harvest

Ryan's mom planted grapevines along the property line years ago. I have always felt guilty that we just throw them away every year. Last year I attempted to make grape juice and it was a disaster. Hand mashing through a sieve and yielding only a cup of liquid, that was super thick and gritty. Wasted a whole day - and after the mess I was left with, I swore I wouldn't attempt it ever again. 

But this year, we had so many grapes and they smelled so good that I decided to try my hand at it again. So I researched a few things and found a juicer steamer that was on sale. It arrived this past Saturday so I got at it and did a test batch. After the first round I knew I had made the best decision ever in buying the juicer steamer.

Sunday, we had our nephews mission farewell, but after we got home, we took advantage of the sunny day and we all got to work picking grapes and washing them. In the end we got 14 jars for our food storage and put 3 in the fridge. I never cared for grape juice as a kid - just too sweet and watery. But this stuff, it's the nectar of Gods I tell you. Or as Ryan called it - Mormon wine. Thick, fragrant, and just the right amount of sweet and tart. I am addicted.

The best part for me of all this, spending the time with the kids, side-by-side, in the kitchen. They loved helping out and Finley even said that this was his favorite yard-chore thus far. They cut the grapes from the vines, washed them in the sink, and picked them off the stems. The best conversation comes in moments like these. Berlin had us rolling with laughter, Finley had us wracking our brains trying to remember our science lessons from school eons ago. The three of us standing at the sink picking grapes of the stems, talking about the silliest things and even serious things. I hope that this will become a Fall tradition for us. Ryan remembers his mother juicing these grapes when he was a kid. He used to have to pick them off the vines and stems. I want my kids to have the same fond memories. I will take these sweet moments when I get them.

Apricot Pickin'

The apricots are here and we have WAY too many - especially since Berlin & Ryan are the only ones who'll eat them. Yuck! is my opinion on the fuzzy little things :)


As I was mowing the lawn on Monday Berlin came out singing another song she'd made up and went down into the field. I look over and saw her jumping to reach the branches. I ran in, got the camera and snapped these up, then went back to mowing the lawn.


Seriously, how can you not love this little gal?

Heading over to the apricot tree after realizing the cherries were all snatched up by the magpies.

Upset because she can't reach the branch.

Pickin' heaven on a lower branch.

I just told her she'd better not be eating them off the tree. Totally guilty!

the Fruits of our labor

This weekend I'll have my work cut-out for me. I just got my BIG box of cucumbers and I'll be canning some German pickles this weekend. Can't wait. Ryan's mom had the best recipe ever. They are so yummy and we are just about out from the last batch that we did. Aren't these gorgeous?

Our apricot tree is also brimming with fruit. I plan on making a couple jars of apricot jam for Ryan, but as I hate apricots, I am offering the fruit to anyone who's willing to come & pick it themselves. Seriously, just come on over and pick away (just let me know so I can bring Bentley inside - I don't want him barking his head off at you *smile*). Most the apricots are pretty good, there are some though that have what's called "skin blight", but the Arborist told me that it doesn't affect the fruit. It's still great for eating, canning, or pie making. Berlin seems to think they are pretty tasty. She asked to pick some this morning and here's what she brought in:

Our apples are getting bigger. I think they'll be better this year than last. Ryan has been working hard at pruning all the trees to get better fruit out of them. I can't wait. I plan on making applesauce and pie filling for the pantry. As with the apricots, once the apples are ready to pick, you are all welcome to bring a bucket (or two) and pick some. With 2 apple trees, there's no way we can eat them all.

What's in your garden?

Here's what's in mine...

With all the up & down weather that Mother Nature has sent our way (yeah, 3 inches of snow on Monday?) I'm glad to say that most of the garden survived. I say most, because everything I planted in the ground (zucchini, yellow squash, Dill, Asian snow peas, snap peas, and green beans) died. I started all of my plants inside from seeds (except the bell pepper & tomato plants) and so when I planted them in the ground they were already on their way to being something beautiful. But with the weight of the snow and the cooler temps, I just don't think they could handle it. *Sniff*Sniff* I wonder if there was too much native clay soil and I didn't amend it enough with fresh gardening soil? Who knows.

But, everything that I planted in the containers survived beautifully. Our tomato plants have pretty yellow flowers on them, the Asian snow peas are climbing their trellis wonderfully, our red, yellow and green bell peppers are well on their way to being ready to pick & eat, pickling cucumbers are getting bigger and the strawberries are red & shiny. Woo hoo! I'm excited the containers have worked for us. I was a bit nervous, but turns out they were better than in-ground.

But here are the goods:

Asian Snow Peas

Strawberries (next year I'll plant way more - 4 plants just aren't enough)

The garden patio

Basil & my poor ranunculus that got thrashed by the snow.

Bell pepper plants (green, yellow, and red)

Scallions

I also transplanted one more zucchini and one more yellow squash into the containers. I'm hoping they will do better here than they did in-ground. I had to start them over again from seed inside, but they are huge and I'm hoping that once the leaves/stems get longer I can just spread them out of the container and on the ground so they have room to grow. Now, I just have to re-plant some dill seeds and hopefully it will grow just as well too.