Maywood Farm

Backyard Woes!

2011-02-20T08:04:00.003-05:00

Our backyard is totally decimated! I've found its really hard keeping a dog and 2 chickens in a tiny backyard while trying to grow a garden. The drought at the end of the summer combined with the snow and muck this winter = total disaster.

I'm saving up now to get our fence fixed. The fence is really in bad shape and was created cheaply and too fast. That's never a good combination. We have a parking pad outside the back of the fence, I'd like to get that all fenced in to extend the yard and create a new fenced in area for the chickens. Right now they are totally free range and loving it! We could make them a smaller enclosure and let them out periodically but not all day, every day.

Willie is a little easier to handle. She has learned to stay away from the raised garden beds but she will dig if she finds a pile of dirt. Then the chickens come along and scratch their way into a hole searching for worms. Then Redwood twists his ankle walking around the yard! It's not a good cycle.

I'll continue saving and hopefully this backyard will be looking better come Spring!

2011-02-17T05:47:00.003-05:00

I'd love to be one of those people who need only 6 hours of sleep and wake up early enough to get in their workout, shower, healthy breakfast, home errands and work on a home project or 2 before the workday starts. Maybe I'll be there one day but for now I'm lucky to get my shower and be out the door by 8:20am!

Last week I got a promotion, new job title, new responsibilities and I'm grateful for the opportunity. I do much better when I have a lot on my plate. One measure of success motivates me for another.

Waking up this morning at 4am is probably a fluke brought on by an ever racing mind, but wow! It makes me wish I really needed such little sleep; I could singlehandedly change the world!

2011-02-06T22:54:00.001-05:00

I love the smell of hay in the back of my car!

2011-02-05T16:19:00.002-05:00

This weekend has started off wonderfully! Friday I learned I was getting a promotion at work along with new responsibilities; all very exciting! Today I was in my friends funky tie-dye themed wedding which was full of fun and laughter. Tonight we're off to meet friends for dinner and continue celebrating! Tomorrow I'm off work and I plan to go to a yoga class and do homework.

Plus, I found these great old photos of baby Smith! He was probably 5 months old here:

Sweet Smithy!

When we first moved into our home I had a major animal craving. I bought a hamster on a whim and named her Shaquella, after my friend Liz's caretaker. Shaquella was of great interest to Smith naturally and the two didn't always get along. We gave Shaq to my cousin who took excellent care of her until she died. That's Shaquella's cage behind Smith. He was minding his manners for this photo!

His dead eye doesn't shine but he's still handsome!

Now for a nice Saturday afternoon nap!

Being Organized

2011-01-28T20:14:00.005-05:00

I now work 4 10hr days at my main job. This gives me one weekday each week for doctoral work. This new schedule started just this month and so far its been great! The work days are longer, but the work isn't hard. It's busy for sure, but nothing I can't handle. Priority has to be on school right now.

I've found that I'm much happier when my home is clean and organized. Of course, who wouldn't be! Simply having a clean home to enter makes me motivated to work on other things. Right now I'm working on a scrapbook for my Granny. She died in 2008 and I inherited all of her photos and mementos. Putting them together artistically is a way to honor her and her memories. Seeing all that stuff in a box in the closet is sad to me. Last year I made an album for my Nanny and I love flipping through it. These albums become heirloom items and are very special to me. I'll work on my Dad's next.

Clutter makes me crazy! That show, 'Hoarders', is amazing. Every time I watch it I get another bag ready to take to the Goodwill! I find myself thinking, "stuff is the enemy!" It's amazing how things collect, hidden away in a drawer or closet.

Since housework is never ending it's best to embrace it. I think I'm getting the hang of it.

Smith telling me to do the laundry!

Saturday!

2011-01-22T12:08:00.004-05:00

It's Saturday & I don't have to work! (Well, at a facility ~ I am always working on school stuff!) To celebrate this rare event I'm cooking! Right now I've got beans on the stove, tea in the pitcher and cornbread on the way. The small things, like a simple home cooked meal, make a big difference in my wellbeing.

Last night we got to celebrate and catch up with an old trail friend. His parents live here in town and he and his wife flew in for a visit. He hosted his old high school friends, family, family friends, and us for an antelope BBQ. It was an antelope he shot at his home in Montana and carted on the airline in a cooler. The meat was soft, tender and delicious. It was my first taste of antelope and I found it sweeter than venison. I went for seconds.

We weren't celebrating anything in particular but we certainly laughed a lot.

Morning

2011-01-16T08:38:00.001-05:00

A slow morning walk in the snow and ice with Willie, a hot shower and a morning of iTunes. This day is off to a great start!

New Year's Eve!

2010-12-31T09:41:00.003-05:00

Today is the day to say goodbye to 2010! Another year gone by and a new one on the way!

2011 holds opportunity for each of us; I hope to make the most of it.

Life Today

2010-10-07T20:30:00.005-04:00

Back to the Blog!

Life is crazier than ever & I've been negotiating some new hurdles; mostly balance in life: work, PhD work, family, friends, play and self care.

Right now I'm enjoying the final night of a business trip and while I was here I found a great book at a nearby bookstore called The Happiness Project. It's great and it's really keeping me motivated as I strive for balance in mind, body and spirit.

I'm looking forward to catching up on what everyone's been up to!

I grew this entire meal!

2010-08-14T07:33:00.000-04:00

Happy 4th of July!

2010-07-04T07:58:00.003-04:00

"And I'm proud to be an American ~ where at least I know I'm free!"

Hope everyone has a terrific 4th! Work hard, play hard!

Staying Cool

2010-07-03T17:51:00.002-04:00

By eating ice.

Early Morning

2010-06-25T05:22:00.005-04:00

"5 more minutes please!"

"Where's my breakfast?"

Good, early morning! This Friday started out at 4:45am with a trip to the bathroom followed by insomnia, so here we are! As you can see, Willie wasn't ready to rise quite yet. Smith, on the other hand, is always ready to eat.

Today is the end of my 2nd week at my new job. I think I'm getting the hang of it, and with the exception of a computer that was built by a teenage Bill Gates and weighs 30lbs and is slow as molasses , it's going well. I really enjoy my new position.

Tomorrow morning Redwood & I are driving 6 hours east to visit his grandparents, MawMaw & PawPaw. They are both in their 90's and are in failing health. On Sunday we're visiting my great Aunt Lillian who I've written about here before. She's also in her 90's and lives alone. I wish these folks lived closer so we could see them more.

Hope everyone has a great Friday, it's 'Jean's Day' at my work! Woohoo!

Too hot!

2010-06-24T07:23:00.002-04:00

It's way too hot here. It's been in the 90's everyday for 2 weeks. My hens have stopped laying, due to the heat I think. They are a year & a half old so they should be regular egg producers. I really hope this heat breaks soon and we don't have another Summer of 2007. That was the first summer Redwood ever spent in this city and he swore if they were all that bad he was moving! We had terrible heat and drought. All summer the sky would blacken in the afternoon but never rain. There was a stinky egg smell in the city! It seems like a no-brainer to me, but there are still folks who question climate change, despite what science and our own experiences have shown us.

Here's hoping for a break in the heat!

Nighttime Harvest

2010-06-23T07:49:00.004-04:00

A few weeks ago my Mom visited us to attend an art show I had a part in. We got home late, after a nice meal, and while we were looking at the garden my Mom decided we need to harvest the sugar snap peas. My Mom is quite spontaneous so this nighttime harvest fit right into her personality. I thought it was funny that we were picking peas in our finery so I grabbed my camera.

Yum!

Pictures from the Longest Day of the Year!

2010-06-22T20:47:00.008-04:00

In celebration of yesterday's Summer Solstice I took my camera out to the garden: after 9pm! All of these pictures were taken without the flash, from 9 up till 9:30pm.

Close up of the beautiful Crepe Myrtle

Cheryl crawled out from her nesting site long enough to get some fresh water

...and she's gone again! Running back to her nest of broodiness!

It's still quite hot out here!

Yellow Sunsprite is blooming again

Yes, Cheryl is STILL broody!

Small tea rose

Lily!

I love this plant! So glad I didn't rip it up!

Redwood spraying our only remaining squash plant for aphids. Next year we'll look into organic pesticide. This year it's soapy water.

One of my favorite plants, Lambs Ear.

Our view of downtown as the sun sets.

View off our upstairs porch, looking down, this is our walk-up to the front door. Note the 4 flower boxes Redwood made with his own 2 hands! You can hardly see the marigolds at the far end, petunias up front.

View from the upstairs porch to the park across the street. This was my final picture of the night, taken at 9:30pm!

I realized I have never taken any pictures of our front yard. It is quite small, we park on the street, big city style, and use the sidewalk to get to the front door. Not much is in our little front yard but we do try to keep flowers in the front. Marigolds are my favorite. Easy, strong, prolific and my friend Jeff says you can eat them!

These days of light are now slowly shortening but we have a while until the Winter Solstice! Hope you enjoyed your light-filled day as well!

The Longest Day of the Year!

2010-06-21T20:09:00.003-04:00

I love the Summer Solstice! I love waking up when it's light and going to sleep soon after it's dark. I love the light. It makes me feel alive and positive and productive. It's the exact opposite for me in the wintertime. I'll try to hang on to this feeling as long as possible!

The only downside is that now, each day, the hours of light will get shorter.

Awakening

2010-06-20T09:12:00.002-04:00

(Before)
The great lily, under here is where the eggs are laid and currently Cheryl's broody domain!

(After)
Awakening!

God bless the flowers you can ignore all year and they still put on quite a show with no help from you! At the beginning of Spring I debated on ripping this lily out to have room for another tomato plant. I'm so glad Redwood talked me out of it! In the shade of the leaves it stays fairly cool and the chickens have chosen this as their preferred laying spot.

Last night at dusk (which is so close to the Summer Solstice it's after 9pm!) I got Cheryl and placed her in the coop. It was still light enough that I thought she would be able to jump up on the post and sleep next to Gayle as she usually does. I went out about 30 minutes later and she was sitting on the ground, angry and clucking! I placed her up next to Gayle and that's where she stayed until I let them out at 6:30am.

Let's hope this breaks her broodiness cycle!

We've been leaving the coop open at night (except last night) and so far no problems. We do live downtown and the only animal that has gotten into our fenced back yard is a neighbors cat. Our chickens are so large they're pretty intimidating. They have no defenses though so I'm always a little worried!

If we can keep the coop open at night that frees us up to take a few more weekend trips without hiring a chickensitter! (I almost typed chickenshitter which would have made this post much more entertaining!)

Broody Hen

2010-06-19T11:24:00.003-04:00

Here is Cheryl, in the same place she's been for over a week! She's gone broody again and this time she's got attitude about it!

Cheryl keeps laying an egg each day, I don't know where Gayle is laying ~ or if she's laying at all. We move Cheryl off her nest everyday and she makes this awful cat howling noise and pecks at us. Since her eggs are unfertilized there's no point in letting her continue this charade. She's been sleeping all night in this same place. Tonight I'm going to put her back in the coop and hope a night back home breaks her broodiness!

Thank you for being a friend!

2010-06-04T10:30:00.000-04:00

My homemade cheesecake in honor of 'The Golden Girls' ~ inspected by Smith.

Wide Awake

2010-06-04T00:57:00.003-04:00

Normally I try to go to bed at 10pm. I like to get up really early, have my tea, do some stretching and if I have time, walk a trail up on the mountain. Mornings are the best part of the day for me. I love getting out in the garden when it's still dewy, before the sun starts blasting.

I took a 2 hour nap this afternoon so I am still wide awake at 1am!!! This is no good! I have a full day tomorrow and if I don't get enough sleep it really shows.

This weekend I'm hoping to finally make homemade yogurt! Tonight I made a cheesecake in honor of Rue McClanahan (Blanche from the best show ever ~ The Golden Girls). She passed on today to the big lanai in the sky with Sophia and Dorothy. It's an ugly cheesecake but the love is there!

New Laying Location

2010-05-30T20:33:00.000-04:00

Under the big lily!

Catching Up

2010-05-14T20:27:00.005-04:00

Oh, really Timber, don't get up just for me!

Our friend from the Appalachian Trail, True, left her old man, Timber, at our home for a while earlier this month. She's a fast hiker and Timber is old and grouchy. Here he is relaxing on the couch which is where he stayed most of the time! (Note the ~~beautiful~~ useful sheet!)

The garden is coming along but the chickens are getting on my nerves lately! Twice now they've bypassed the netting protecting the beans, sugar snap peas and the new perennials. The desire I have for my own space is overwhelming! I need room for a fenced in garden and a separate area for the chickens and dogs. I'm so not a city person but it's not time yet for us to buy our land and begin to build.

This week (month, year) I need to work on my patience!

New Garden Tub!

2010-04-30T08:32:00.002-04:00

For years I've been using these old plastic storage bins in the garden to haul away weeds, move dirt, etc. These get really heavy and fall apart when they're outside for a while. Redwood surprised me with a wonderful new garden tub on wheels! Now I can haul things without breaking my back & also give Willie a fun ride!

A Request

2010-04-25T23:19:00.002-04:00

Mowgli

My sweet friend Laura is going through a struggle with her dog right now. He got into some xylitol from the garbage and is in intensive care at the vet.

Please send little Mowgli your prayers and healing energy.

I went through this with my Smithy when he was attacked by dogs and spent 2 weeks at the vet. Knowing others walk with you is so comforting.

Thank you friends.

Busy Days

2010-04-24T23:46:00.002-04:00

We've had some good friends drop in this week very randomly. Wednesday night our old pal from the Appalachian Trail, Tarpinator, was driving back home from FL to NY by way of TN and decided to come by and take us out for dinner! On the Trail everyone has a nickname, or a trailname, so all of these Trail friends have some pretty wacky names (exhibit A, Redwood).

A thing I've noticed about spending time with Trail people is that there's no surface talk; I haven't seen Tarpinator in about 2 years but we all jumped right into conversation from the first hello.

The (in)famous Tarpinator & Redwood!

Late Thursday night (or actually very early Friday morning) another hiker,Cotton, came through as he had to get off trail and needed a place to sleep before Mnt. Man came to pick him up the next day. If you've read my blog in the past, you may remember Mnt. Man as the goat farmer from VA who raised our chicks into the fine ladies they are today.

Redwood's not watering the peas, Willie needs a cool-down!

I came home from work Friday and got to spend a short while talking with Mnt. Man & Cotton before I had to go to my next job.

Tomorrow we get to see more good trail friends, True & her faithful dog, Timber. True is a hiking fool and we'll be petsitting old Timber while she puts some big miles in. Timber doesn't get along with chickens so he'll use the facilities at the park across the street.

Redwood did try to spray the chickens but they weren't having it.

I'm thankful for these busy days and friends who stop by to say hello and visit with us whenever they can.

Ahhhhh!

Sweet little chick. Look at that lush green grass!

These pictures were taken yesterday; if you're in the South you know that today we've had thunderstorms and rain all day long! Of course I watered the garden last night, the night before the day-long rains. When it rains, it pours!

Let's take a stroll around the garden...

2010-04-23T08:29:00.006-04:00

Everything is planted except for the butter peas my in-laws sent me and that's only because I have no idea where they go!

Willie bowing down to the carrots & pole beans. In the next bed we have sugar snap peas.

Little Buddha my Aunt gave me, protecting the beans!

You can't tell yet, but lettuce is about to sprout any day now! Note the black netting to keep the chickens out.

Cheryl (chicken) and Willie are in front of the cucumber patch, the pepper plant and the potatoes (in the black garden bag).

Here we have the two new raised beds Redwood made. The bottom one holds onions & squash, the top, cucumbers.

I thought this was a Memphis tea rose (that's what I tell everyone) but I can't find it online so I may be wrong!

Yellow sunsprite rose

3 tomato plants with flowers around them to attract the bees. You can see the sunsprite rose bush back by the fence & the red rose between the 2 air conditioning units!

All told we have carrots, pole beans, sugar snap peas, potatoes, sweet pepper, bell pepper, cucumbers, crookneck squash, onions, lettuce and tomatoes planted this year. We'll see how everything turns out!

Planting Season

2010-04-17T20:53:00.005-04:00

My email was hacked last week and as a result I had a huge amount of trouble signing into my blog tonight. I hope it doesn't continue to be a problem!

Redwood and I have worked many hours in the back yard today. We had the company of both Willie and the nosy chickens. Poor Smith was pawing at the door but after he nearly escaped last time I let him out, I kept him inside.

My back is sore tonight but my spirits are high. I noticed each year our garden gets bigger. I love that! I love feeling as though I am learning more and more how to care for myself. I am inspired tonight to reread Barbara Kingsolver's Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. If you haven't checked it out, please do! You won't regret it! Check out the wikipedia info here.

A few days ago I planted the sugar snap peas and lettuce seeds. Today Redwood created 3 more raised beds and I planted tomatoes, carrots, beans and cucumbers. Tomorrow I hope to get in onions, potatoes, crook neck squash and 2 more tomato plants. I have big plans of creating my own pasta and pizza sauces this summer. Last summer I delved into the world of blanching which always makes me think of the Golden Girls (best show ever!)

The one & only: Blanche Deveraux

So, after successfully blanching corn last summer I feel ready to take on more! I want to try strawberry jam when the berries come into season and into our local market, and tomato sauce!

Life is full of possibilities and I am so impatient, I want to know how to do it all NOW. I also had a dream I made my own soap and that too is a goal.

All of this will be done this summer as I also navigate and begin study on a PhD program I was accepted into. I have had a great feeling about 2010 and it is still carrying through. I am still hoping for a better balance in work and play but I feel that too is coming when the time is right.

Happy gardening to everyone!

Whoooo Nelly!

2010-04-06T20:39:00.003-04:00

I had to share this incredible discovery from the backyard.

Behold:

(The quarter is to show scale! I'm very professional.)

Do these chickens eat well or what?!!?!

Stealing Willie's food

Sick Day

2010-03-22T15:02:00.001-04:00

Necessity has forced me to take a sick day from work. I never missed a day of school until sixth grade and that was only because I couldn't stop vomiting. It's 3pm and I just woke up from my TheraFlu coma. Thought for the day: If your child is sick it's best to keep them away from everyone, and cancel all their appointments. That is all.

Spending Time

2010-03-07T21:00:00.005-05:00

All the curious animals

These past few weeks have really flown by and now it's almost warm weather time. I put in my seed order with Gardens Alive, all of which will be free thanks to the $25 coupon. What a treat!

I was thinking today about spending time and how I want to live my life. It's getting to the point that something has got to give, work wise. I work 6 days a week, sometimes 7. Last month I had 2 days that I didn't have to work. Scratch that, one of the days I had to move furniture in Alabama. So one free day in an entire month. I'm feeling too stretched and unbalanced.

With the economy on the upswing I am hoping for better work. Things happen the way they're supposed to. Right now my personal and social life is taking a backseat to work work work and now that we're out of debt I can look for better options.

We'll see what's out there for me!

Exciting News...

2010-01-27T21:55:00.003-05:00

Tomorrow I'm looking at LAND!

It's been a dream of ours to buy some land "one day" to build our forever home on, expand the garden, have animals, gain breathing room, get out of the city, etc.

We thought it would be years from now until we started even looking but with prices so great right now my Mom and Brother encouraged us to go ahead and look around.

Tomorrow we get one step closer as I check out some listings we've flagged around our area. Who knows, the land I see tomorrow may be totally wrong for us and pan out to nothing. On the other hand, this is a great first step in the direction of our dreams.

After I take my husband to work I'm loading Willie in the car and heading out on an adventure!

My Furry & Feathery Family

2010-01-21T13:34:00.002-05:00

The Night Shift

2010-01-17T21:29:00.001-05:00

Eggs Taste Good

2010-01-16T22:48:00.002-05:00

Before I turn in, I want to share some photos of a beautiful egg straight from the backyard in use making homemade chocolate chip cookies.

Look at that yolk! Orange and packed with nutrients. This photo just makes me smile. I may not have my dream land and farm but we are making it work day by day and step by step. This yolk represents the journey!

Making Butter

2010-01-15T13:17:00.001-05:00

Butter is one of life's little pleasures and it's super easy to make. Some folks inquired how to make such a delicacy for themselves so I am posting a quick tutorial with pictures. This butter took me 10 minutes to make and is much tastier than what you find in the store. If you have kids they'll love the discovery of turning cream into butter.

These are all the ingredients you need to make your own butter. There are ways to make it with a food processor or a mixer and you can use those if you like. I find shaking the jar is easy and simple. The most important ingredient is a high quality, organic cream. Let your cream sit out overnight and use it within one day of sitting out, otherwise it forms a solid mass and goes bad (I know this from experience)! If you use cream right from the fridge it will be too cold and will take you forever to make. Pour your cream in the largest mason jar with the lid on tight and begin to shake.

This is the cream after about one minute of shaking. It starts to feel like it's not moving at all inside the jar, but this is when the magic is happening! Keep shaking!

After about 2 minutes you will start to see a small amount of separation.

A few more minutes of shaking and you see the buttermilk is beginning to separate.

When you begin to see recognizable butter start pouring the buttermilk off into your smaller jar, this is to save for making pancakes or cornbread!

Now you wash the butter in cold water. Use your fork and agitate the butter until all the cream is washed out of it and your water runs clear. Any cream still left in the butter will age it faster so be sure to get it all out.

Put your butter in a container and add salt if you want. Salt is a natural preservative and will keep your butter longer. You can also use the French method and put cold water over your butter as a preservative. It looks strange but it works.

Now you've got homemade butter and some buttermilk for cooking! After all, who wants to eat something called "I Can't Believe it's NOT Butter" ??

I have no idea what I'm doing...

2010-01-12T22:45:00.004-05:00

I've been wanting to learn how to knit for about a year now. I was invited to a 'Stitch & Bitch' at my local bakery but it meets when I'm at work. For my last birthday (during the Tomfoolery Tour!) a great friend gave me two books on knitting which I love looking at. The terminology is incomprehensible as of now but I do like the pictures.

I picked up the following materials in Walmart the other day. I stood in the aisle gaping at all the choices and picked some needles at random.

An old woman was pulling her husband along saying, "If I get down there (bottom shelf) I'll never get up, Roland!" If you ever need to waste a good half hour on the internet check out:you can thank me later!

I still don't understand how putting 'worst' into your product name helps it sell.

I am ready to learn how to knit and hopefully my impatience won't lead me to just throw the whole ball of yarn at Smithy and let him have a field day with it.

The Wonders of Hot Oatmeal

2010-01-11T21:19:00.003-05:00

Ever since the weather turned cold we've been giving our laying ladies either hot oatmeal or hot cornmeal of a morning. Lately it's been ridiculously cold here in TN - a low of 14*!??!!! - so the girls sometimes get both a dawn & dusk portion of the warm stuff.

I think it's working.

Hot oatmeal fuels the chickens towards yard domination!

Cornbread!

2010-01-10T16:31:00.005-05:00

I've finally found culinary success!

I made edible cornbread!

This is a huge success for me because cooking is mostly trial and error and I'm impatient. Instead of photos of cornbread in progress (which I completely forgot about while in progress) I have the next best thing: chickens eating the leftovers! Every good Southerner knows cornbread doesn't keep. Once it's made it must be eaten in it's entirety.

I love that fuzzy chicken butt!

Willie thinking, "Where's mine??"

A Day in the 'Snow'

2010-01-09T20:29:00.006-05:00

Ok, all the Northerners can go ahead and laugh at these pictures of our 'Snow Day'.

Anytime the South gets snow it's mass chaos. Here at Maywood Farm it's no different. Animals were running rampant, tempers flared, egos were bruised.

Willie's tender ego was trampled, once again, by her chicken sisters and their insistence on blocking her path.

Smithy's manliness was put in jeopardy from this unrelenting cold world he had begged to explore.

Willie decides to play alone. Please note the feeder the chickens knocked over in the background and their fresh bowl of oatmeal & water!

Smith rethinking this whole 'outside' thing.

Smithy relaxes in comfort and warmth.

And yes, I do realize all of our animals are in the same color scheme. We didn't plan that, I swear.

Cold Cold Cold

2010-01-08T17:57:00.007-05:00

I'm getting concerned about my 2 hens in this cold weather. Here's a picture of their coop:

We got it off Craigslist after realizing the one Redwood built was a monstrosity. This picture is from the Fall and you can see the nestbox in the back. That's where Gayle & Cheryl sleep at night and have since the summer when we got it. Since it's been cold we've put a blanket over it and covered the whole contraption with a tarp. It's not the Taj Mahal but it's ok.

Since this awful weather we've been giving them hot oatmeal and cornmeal and pouring water over their frozen waterers or putting it in bowls. So far they look fluffy and fat and have still been laying an egg every other day. I hope they're not too cold at night. We go out with the flashlight before bed to check on them and each time they look at us, blinking, probably wondering why we're disturbing their rest! These nights in the teens should break by Monday and I can't wait!!

The past two days I've taken an afternoon nap. It's absolutely wonderful! I made home made bread, fresh butter from cream, 2 nice meals and am planning on attempting fried chicken again tomorrow. The first time I tried fried chicken all the 'fried' came off as it was cooling.

Here's a picture of our pets' dysfunctional relationship:

The chickens have no fear of Willie, as evidenced by Gayle eating her food!
(those yellow rings are squash-the chickens ate out the good stuff and left the rings)

Smith seeing if he can help.

Turtle Day

2010-01-07T10:52:00.006-05:00

Because it is so rare, I value a day at home like nothing else. A day to catch up on my laundry, cook a good meal, work on a project and just relax. I call these days Turtle Days. When I was younger I would go to sleep away camp and was forced to have a break in the day to nap or write letters, called Turtle Time. Of course when you're younger you never need a break ;)

Now the Turtle Time has morphed into the best thing I can think of: an entire day of rest and rejuvenation! The simple acts of fluffing my nest put me back on the right track.

Today I'll be baking bread, making a home cooked meal, washing a pile of laundry, organizing my work and relaxing.

I wanted to share one of my favorite photos from Christmas:

This is at the National Cemetery where my father is buried.

Hope everyone is safe and warm during this cold snap!

Some Winter Images

2009-12-18T20:20:00.004-05:00

Hope your Winter is going well! Things have been busy here with work and the Christmas season.

Earlier in the week I got a great surprise from one of my favorite blogs: BUMBLEBEE BLOG! I entered the giveaway and won a wonderful new book called The NEW Low-Maintenance Garden by Valerie Easton. The pictures alone are inspiring and are cause for me to tap my feet in impatience for Spring.

I want to share a few images of what's been happening around Maywood Farm:

Hot oatmeal for my lovely ladies on a snowy Saturday.

Oatmeal covered beaks ~ so adorable!

Poor Willie has an ear infection. She hates getting her ear medicine.

Smith relaxing after a hard day of ... relaxing.

Redwood, Willie & Smith.

Hope the end of 2009 is treating you well and you are looking forward to 2010!

Winter Goals

2009-11-08T22:03:00.006-05:00

I just couldn't rip this plant up yet!

Well it's come to the end of a beautiful weekend. My chickens are molting, at least Cheryl is; Gayle still looks enormous with all her plumage compared to Cheryl's tiny sparse body. I wonder why chickens go through molt when it's turning cold? That seems like a strange time to lose heat. The picture above is of a cherry tomato plant in a plastic pot. The chickens have claimed this plant as their own since the summer and it's still supplying them with fresh tomatoes!

Don't let the image fool you, Cheryl's body is now half the size of Gayle's!

Today at work I was thinking of my Winter Goals. I have always dreaded the winter and losing light and warmth. I completely understand Seasonal Affective Disorder. Last winter I had lost my job and while working odd jobs I decided to learn to do more for myself. I had lots more free time than I was used to and was getting extremely depressed not finding work in my field.

My friend Megan & I created homemade cleaners to give as Christmas presents. I learned to bake bread and although I'm not great at it I can make a decent loaf. My sister Camellia (hi, Camellia if you're still reading!) says Goodwill's and thrift stores are great places to find used bread makers which knead better than hands but I have yet to find one!

Almost a year ago I decided I wanted to live differently and there have been large strides towards that end. Sometimes I feel frustrated that there's so much more I want to learn but now ironically, instead of losing jobs I seem to have too many! Not that I'm complaining! A few years ago an employer said 'These are your money making years' and that's always stuck with me. My career has gotten a better foothold in this area but the trade off is I am rarely at home or when I am I need to rest and recover.

This season I'm trying to view Winter differently. Instead of dreading the cold I want to embrace it. My Winter Goals this year are:

Finish my Nanny's scrapbook
Learn to knit
Learn to make yogurt
Transfer my family's old VHS tapes to DVD
Have Redwood make more raised beds for our garden

There's more I want to try but I know if I list every single thing I want to do I'll feel overwhelmed and not do anything! These projects will keep me occupied through the dark months until I can play in the dirt again next Spring.

Putting My Garden To Bed

2009-11-07T06:37:00.003-05:00

A few days ago my friend asked for the link to my blog and I freaked out for a minute! I haven't been on here for so long and I was embarrassed by my lack of posting. Jamy, if you made it over here, hello and welcome!

Yesterday afternoon Redwood and I closed the door on another year in the garden. It was a wonderful cool Autumn day. I've been reading about "putting your garden to bed" in order to preserve soil integrity over the winter and prevent erosion. I finally pulled up my bare pepper plants and covered all my planting locations with extra hay. The good thing about hay is that it's super pretty and it also composts very well.

I put my fences back up to prevent the chickens from playing in here. That didn't work!

My dog loves to rummage through leaves, piles of dirt, pinestraw, the litter box, you name it, so I don't think I can save my tomato area from her since I don't have fences here yet.

The chickens love to scratch through hay. Very entertaining!

If you like reading Mother Earth News you should take advantage of the $10/year subscription they've got going on now! I love that magazine and I save the old issues. I also saved both my seed & poultry catalogs from this past Spring. I'm really wanting one of those floozy headed chickens (Crested Polish) but we don't have the room I'm afraid.

Smith keeps a close watch on his sisters

3 Years

2009-08-17T06:33:00.003-04:00

My favorite wedding photo

Next week is mine & Redwood's 3 year anniversary. 3 years doesn't sound like a lot but you have to start somewhere!

For this anniversary we'll be on a roadtrip taking a great friend up to his own wedding in Vermont. We've christened our trip Tomfoolery Tour '09.

Love, friends, experiences...all these simple things make life a wonderful journey.

Is Money a Taboo Topic?

2009-08-01T14:33:00.003-04:00

Lately I've been thinking about money and the role it plays in our lives. I've always been very open with the subject of money, salaries, rent, bills, etc and haven't thought much about it. Most of my friends know the current balance on my VISA and know Redwood and I are working on a budget to get it paid off. I tell whoever wants to know my salary for my 3 jobs without any trouble.

I've got 3 jobs: one where I love the people but it's not exactly where my talent lies and the pay is very low but steady; one that involves lots of driving, good pay, but is not regular; and one that is more like a hobby-it's fun, random and the pay is good but also irregular.

I asked a friend yesterday if it was rude to talk about money. My family was always very open about it and my friends and I are the same way. I never thought it was strange but I've never really given it too much thought.

I can see where talk of money could lead to judgments of being irresponsible and that ties it to feelings of self worth. Some of the free podcasts I listen to (Dave Ramsey, Suze Orman) are educational to me because people freely discuss their fumbles with money and what they are doing to change it.

If I had been as conscious of my money back when I had the really great job I would be in a much better place! I think I have shared before that I didn't even know how much I made until we did our taxes!!

If we all knew exactly what others made would it change how we view them? Would I think they were worth more since they made more money? I certainly feel I am worth more than I make.

I also know plenty of people who have fancy titles that allow them a bigger paycheck but they don't work very hard.

My motivation for my family is to pay off our debt, build an emergency fund (which would have been handy when I lost my job last Oct.), begin our savings and live simply. I do love to travel and experience things and I know eventually I'd like to move somewhere with more space.

Money isn't the root of all evil, it's a tool that gets you where you want to be. As with most things, I am for open communication and community support for those on a similar journey. I am inspired by my friend John who is also on this path and open about his experience. My friends and inspirations Gary & Kiki, who live simply and well, take trips and enjoy their time on the planet.

I hope discussions about money aren't focused on status and shame but rather learning, sharing and accountability.

Making It Work

2009-07-26T20:31:00.006-04:00

The 1st egg of Maywood Farm
(can we have a moment of silence please?)

3 days ago Maywood Farm welcomed it's very first egg.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I can't even express how happy this made me. On the surface it's such a small thing (literally & figuratively) but this egg represents to me how much my life has changed since December 08.

Way back when I was just dreaming of chickens I never could have imagined the feeling of stepping outside my downtown home and getting a warm egg from the nest box. I didn't know it would feel this good.

This egg represents to me the promise of a different kind of life. A life that measures success in moments, a life that appreciates simplicity, a life that I am making happen instead of happening to me.

It felt like Christmas morning going outside the past two afternoons. I was tired from work and wanted to let the hens have some free range time and opened the coop. ('Coop' is used here very vaguely, this is a very small structure as I only have 2 ladies) There sitting in the nest box was a perfect brown egg. For 3 days now I've had a gift waiting for me and it makes me smile to myself and swell with pride.

Good work ladies

I've called friends and relatives to tell them of my bounty and some are excited, some think it's cute but the one person I really want to talk to I can't. My Dad would be proud of me for being true to my ancestors and heritage and learning to do things on my own. Somehow, I think he knows.

I've gardened in my backyard for 3 seasons now and each one gets better. Each year I learn more and take bigger risks. I have a long way to go but I feel good about the progress I've made.

Harvest

Redwood & I are making inroads on the financial front as well. It feels good to pay off debt and gain control. To know where my money is going. We are using a budget and I'm listening to both the Dave Ramsey show & Suze Orman.

It takes more work to live this way than I imagined last December but making it work is well worth the effort.

For Real?

2009-06-28T17:21:00.006-04:00

Have we gotten so lazy we can't even squeeze the toothpaste ourselves??

Check this out!

Saturday Night

2009-06-27T19:59:00.003-04:00

Right now there's a breeze blowing away the lingering 90* temps we've had the past few days. I've got a snip of a headache so I came outside with a glass of water to sit in the garden and watch my chickens free range.

I must say, this is an enjoyable Saturday night. Gayle & Cheryl enjoy a little game I call "Bluff". Bluff involves one or the other zig-zagging her way to a confrontation that never completely occurs. They both puff out their feathers and swing their necks around as if to say, "Oh no she didn't!"

Does anyone know why they do this?

It's been a long day at work and I'm really comfortable sitting here watching these chicken antics. If you've never seen a chicken scratch in the dirt you're really missing out!

BOLT!

2009-06-24T21:35:00.004-04:00

I am a terrible gardener. I get pumped up in Spring and buy all kinds of seed packets then get really busy and forget to plant them until it's past time.

I planted green beans, more lettuce & spinach just last week and my beans and spinach are creeping up already. I think I was supposed to plant these seeds in May but, I am nothing if not a procrastinator. It is really "out of sight, out of mind" with me. I need to have seed packets laying all over the house if I am to remember to plant them!

Now, let me tell you a little story of the lettuce I did plant on time. I got my Romaine & Buttercrunch starters when I was working out of town & planted them in the raised bed Redwood made me. They crept up and soon we were eating lovely salads fresh out of the garden. The Romaine was ok but the Buttercrunch was really good. Next time I'd like to try some purple lettuces. Anyway, my sweet little lettuces were growing fast and I kept watering.
It got hot. More water.

Suffice to say I led my lettuce patch straight into the hungry arms of the BOLT. I thought that cute little flower on top was just decoration. Little did I know it meant my lettuce was going to seed and all the chlorophyll was spent on that instead of flavoring my salad greens. The end result was a bitter tasting plant with a cute flower.

My lettuce was 3.5' feet high and I had to rip all the plants from the ground.

I don't mind. Next year I'll know better and keep the plants low.

I'm not quite 30 so I figure I've got a while to work out my mistakes and get on the right track. I'd really like to try microgreens but I think you need space with a growing lamp. Anyone out there know?

By the way, thanks to those who keep coming back. I know my blog isn't very informative but I'll always share my mistakes for you to learn from!!

Finally, SUMMER!!

2009-06-23T05:53:00.003-04:00

Lovely lady lumps

I am shamefully aware of how long it's been since I updated my blog.

It's not that I've forgotten about it, or even that I had nothing to share. It comes down to pure laziness friends.

If there's anyone out there who still reads my ramblings: don't give up on me! I have many stories to tell of failed lettuce crops and a bounty of a single carrot.

As you can see we finally got our 2 chickens. Redwood and I named them after our mothers, Gayle & Cheryl. Cheryl is a little manly and likes to bluff charge Gayle when they're out free ranging while Gayle is a take no prisoners grub chaser. They are beyond cute and I'm so glad they're finally here!

This season has been about experimenting with potatoes, lettuce, carrots (or carrot), cucumbers and raised beds. I'll go into details later but I wanted to reconnect to the blog world and welcome everyone to SUMMER!!

Finally, SPRING!!

2009-04-08T21:08:00.004-04:00

I just love Spring. My favorite season used to be Summer, then I became a gardener. We've had 2 days of cold temps during which time my poor lettuces were tapping their toes on the kitchen table. Finally they were laid in their new home during a beautiful afternoon.

A local weatherman called these past 2 days of cold "Winter's last gasp." I like that! Winter is not invited here for a long time to come.

Will the snap peas ever reach the netting?

I can't wait to eat these!

Snap peas and Romaine lettuce co-existing peacefully.

Yum.

I Haven't Fallen off the Earth!

2009-04-04T21:19:00.002-04:00

Hello Blogland!

I have a lot of catching up to do. Things have been crazy since I started my new job and I'm still trying to navigate our new computer (!).

Today I took a 4 hour nap (can it be called a nap if it's that long?!!) and I feel very fuzzy at the moment but there's lots of things I want to share.

Hope everyone is well ~ I can't wait to catch up on your stories!

TV Debut

2009-03-24T10:39:00.004-04:00

When I get nervous I pick at my cuticles. It's a bad habit I know, but it eases the tension. These past few hours my cuticles have gotten quite a workout. Tonight I'm being interviewed on our local channel as part of a 3 person panel discussion: 'Staying Up in the Down Times'.

I believe I'm ready since I've made a few notes (such a total nerd, I know) and I've been busting out phrases & anecdotes all morning.

I'm the type of person that gets completely overtaken by nerves right before something then sails through it and afterward I feel I was so silly to have been nervous at all.

At least I have been reassured this show will air at 6am on Saturday morning, therefore guaranteeing a total of 5 people will see it. Phew!

Right on!

2009-03-21T15:13:00.003-04:00

Have you heard?

This will set a wonderful example for many Americans who are new to gardening (Exhibit A: me). I am behind this all the way.

New Job, New Rules

2009-03-19T20:38:00.006-04:00

playing differently this time!

I am the proud owner of ....... A NEW JOB!!!

That's right; in this tough and barren economy the sun has shone on me and now I get to put my savings plans into overdrive! The first step is to eliminate the rest of our debt; then build our emergency fund, and most of all: save, save, save for our next home!

It's hard to save money when you spend it; so I've got to really make it just the necessities. Lowe's may very well go under this summer without my patronage.

List of things I shouldn't buy but every now and then get sucked into:

~ Tall Starbucks frappacino. Ohhhh, Starbucks. How I love thee.Ohhhh. Don't drool on your keyboard!

~ Pretty much anything at Hobby Lobby.

Where'd my money go?!!

~ Those big, soft cookies at Great American Cookie Company

The chocolate ones are divine

~ Cheap jewelry: a la Claire's.

Fake gold! Colored bangles! Earrings in packs of 9!

It is clear that for me to save money I simply can't go into the mall! Although, honestly, I don't go shopping, pretty much ever. The next time I need clothes I'll head to Plato's Closet and the Goodwill. My friend Susan has a handle on where the wealthy donate their twice worn goodies.

I'm excited to get this opportunity to start fresh and invest in what's really important!

A Day of Firsts

2009-03-10T20:37:00.005-04:00

Yesterday was truly a lovely day here in Chattanooga.

It was actually a mite warm at 82*; but after cold season, it was heavenly. I don't need to say it twice: I am not a cold weather person! I'm over it about a month into wearing a jacket!

Redwood and I had a wonderful first day of working in our gnome yard. Our 1st first was working together on some pretty big projects that should have been done in the Fall! We had some serious trimming of Crape Myrtles and ripping out of Willow bushes to make room for garden beds.

Redwood agreed to create the elusive "raised bed" for my snap peas. I've heard of this so-called raised bed and so I was thrilled when he got out the power drill! He used untreated cedar so it should age to a nice silver, just like our compost pile.

Here's a photo progression of the project:

The "Before" (the white net is for the peas to trail up)

Just look how proud he is!

Before the soil

Soil!

Snap peas in their new home!

Willie: hungry & worn out after a hard day of watching us work.

Our 2nd first was turning on the air conditioning for the first time of the season! Yay! Spring & Fall are always cheap months on the electric bill because we can turn on the AC for a little while to cool off the house and it stays comfortable with the ceiling fans on.

All in all, a wonderful day to welcome Spring to Maywood Farm!

My Husband is a Hero

2009-03-02T10:12:00.004-05:00

Shiny & clean

This picture of our bathtub faucet may not look too impressive. Sure, it looks like your ordinary everyday faucet now; but if only you had seen it mere moments ago. The whole inside was moldy green & I couldn't pry it apart to get in there. Redwood would not be deterred however and found success.

I wish I had taken a 'before' photo because it looked like Swamp Thing's habitat.

"Beware the wrath of Swamp Thing!"

Farm Trip Report

2009-02-28T20:05:00.009-05:00

As expected, going to Virginia to visit Mnt. Man's farm was very exciting. Goats, chickens, Heidi the famous German Shepherd, and ... A PIG! Yes, how could Mnt. Man not tell me he owns a PIG?!! I rounded the corner and came face to face with:

WILBUR

Meet Wilbur, he's 25 years old! (and a little grouchy!)

Well, much to my dismay Wilbur wasn't very friendly and I didn't get to pet the little beast. Apparently Mnt. Man inherited Wilbur 10 years ago when someone dropped him off at the farm and he's been rutting around and being a grouchy old man ever since. (Wilbur, not Mnt. Man!)

Heidi leading the way. The goat Mnt. Man is holding is expecting 4 kids. Yes, FOUR! (ouch!)

Here come the babies!

Mnt. Man is gathering a herd (?) of goats to achieve his dream of opening an operational goat milk & cheese farm. He certainly has a good start! I discovered goats have the neatest eyeballs. I took many pictures trying to capture the strangeness but failed. Goats move around a lot. They also don't respond to "Hey! Hold that pose! Open your creepy eyeball a little wider!" Instead I got this great photo of Becky Sue's cute mouth:

Cute goat mouth.

Mnt. Man & Becky Sue

Please note the *ahem* Appalachian Trail symbol so beautifully displayed!

We went into the converted porch/temporary hatchery and found the beautiful Buff Orpington chicks! They are getting so big but are in their gawky teenage phase as you can see from the photo:

Hello ladies!

Click on Video to play a short, but exciting, snippet from the chicks:

Press the big white arrow to play!

Ashley & I got to hold the chicks and she was far better at it than I was. Mine was shaking from fear. Hopefully the ones I get will be calmer (and very resilient, I nearly dropped mine on it's head).

After we bid adieu to Mnt. Man we drove to Johnson City, TN to spend the night with Aunt Lillian. As expected, Aunt Lillian was at the stove, putting finishing touches on a homemade vegetable soup. With ground beef. Aunt Lillian is all about some ground beef. We had a good night of talking and the next morning took her to the oasis: The Dollar Store.

Aunt Lillian is the greatest inspiration for getting old. She's 91, has knee problems and bad hearing but she just keeps going and is excited to be alive. Every morning she sings a hymn (her husband was a preacher) and makes all her meals from scratch. I love going to visit her and I honestly envy her energy! (and chocolate pie recipe...yummm)

Aunt Lillian

All around, a great trip.

Farm Field Trip!

2009-02-23T22:52:00.007-05:00

Sweet Chicks

Well tomorrow is a big day for me! Tomorrow Ashley (Chattanooga buddy) & I are traveling to Damascus, VA to visit Mnt. Man on his home turf. He's currently playing nanny to 25 chicks that we ordered last month. When they're older and stronger 2 are coming to Chattanooga! Mnt. Man has a great farm with chickens and goats and his farm is totally off the grid. Don't worry; I plan to bring my camera!

We also get to visit my Great Aunt Lillian who at 91, still lives alone, cooks from scratch everyday, has more energy than I could dream of and is generally a beam of light in the world! I haven't seen her since Thanksgiving and Ashley hasn't seen her since last May when we went to TrailDays (an Appalachian Trail fest in Damascus).

In baking news: I simply must post a picture of this deliciousness I created tonight:

This is Redwood's hand to show scale. We're very scientific.

In closing I just want to thank Al Gore for creating the internet; for without it I wouldn't find such wonderful blogs to read and to be inspired by. I have some favorites on the sidebar if you'd like to check them out. A full list of faves is on my profile. You have no idea how wonderful it is to find kinship and encouragement from people living the way I aspire to. Thank you my internet friends! (and Al Gore)

Snap Pea Challenge

2009-02-16T20:40:00.008-05:00

Wow it's time for an update!

Hello Blogland ~ hope all is well and happy in your world. Mine has been a bit busy and I have missed posting.

Over at Cold Antler Farm blog there's an invitation to participate in a Snap Pea Challenge. Jenna has inspired all farm types to begin their seeds indoors to combat the winter blues. By the time Spring is here all the challengers will have pea vines ready to put in the ground! Woohoo!

We had company this weekend so I planted my seeds today in their fancy (not at all) new indoor tray. It's got a nifty lid that acts like a greenhouse to hold in moisture until the sprouts are strong. It's very cute.

You spray the tray with warm water to activate the soil. I loved how the potting pods (?) swell up like those bath capsules that turn into sponges in the tub. Whoooooooooop! They each have a little net around them so the roots don't spread to the neighboring pod.

Lonely seed

While I was potting, Smithy came up to be nosy and see what's going on. He does this very cute maneuver where he tries to climb up the cabinet to get attention. He's not allowed on the counters as that where the stove is and he's very accident prone; but that's a whole nother entry!

Smithy checking things out

I started snap peas, red & green peppers and Rutgers tomatoes

I'm excited to try a starter kit for the first time. I planted the delicious snap pea (you can eat it right off the vine, ahhh!), Heirloom red & green bell peppers (great on/in anything!) and Rutgers Heirloom tomatoes (great for canning which I will be trying for the first time this year).

I found a neat fact about the lovely Rutgers Heirloom tomato: "...when NASA sent tomato seeds into space, the Rutger's Tomato was the variety they used in the Seeds in Space program." Very cool! If those can grow in space, surely they can grow in my yard.

I got some good advice from my in-laws on where to plant these peas in our tiny, gnome like yard. I'll be trying container gardening for the first this spring. What little yard we have is on a slope so I'm going to see how the containers work. I may even get crazy with a potato bag!

Crazy potato bag!

I'm really looking forward to Spring and to getting my hands in the dirt with my chickens scratching around with me. We'll get our girls late March/early April and I can't wait!

The Woe of the W-2

2009-02-03T20:43:00.005-05:00

Sample of the woeful W-2 form

The W-2 forms are being sent out all across America in preparation for TAX DAY! Ahh! Is there any other date that sends shivers down the spine of procrastinators and the money oblivious alike? I think not.

I believe I've received all of my woeful W-2's. What a wake up call! I promise that from this point forward I won't be totally ignorant about my paychecks. After reviewing my W-2 from the great therapy job last year my stomach churned a little (and it wasn't from hunger pains or gas).

I have totally underestimated how much I made there (which was considerably more than I thought!) and I have nothing to show for it. How embarrassing is that?! I know I'm not the only person to blow their whole paycheck and have no savings; but when I saw the total and realized there is none of it left.....it really blew my mind.

I'm serious about saving and this new lifestyle I'm creating. I don't want to have that bad, shameful feeling about money ever again.

On a more positive note, we had a beautiful weekend of sunny days and 61* on Sunday! I took the opportunity to work in the yard for the first time all winter. It was great! Seeing as how I burn standing close to a candle; I put on my sunscreen, sunglasses and a ballcap. Redwood told me I looked like Paris Hilton ~ Gardening Edition.

I don't think it was a compliment

I can't wait for Spring! I am so ready to get my hands in the dirt and grow things I can eat. I can't wait to eat that 1st egg that my chicks lay. I'm excited about the future and all the things I'm going to learn and do!

Backsliding

2009-01-23T18:10:00.005-05:00

I discovered this week that living in a simpler way involves lots of planning. I've been reading other blogs that encourage stockpiling dry groceries as a great way to save money, so I did that.

A peek in the cupboard

In this photo you can see lots of beans (seriously, a whole lot of beans), cous cous, loose tea, sugar, popcorn and gluten flour for my bread. In the making of my stockpile I forgot about one important thing.

I don't know how to cook.

Oh sure, I can make a chili, spaghetti and a loaf of bread. It's the nitty gritty cooking that I don't know how to do.

Take beans for instance: When I was living in Santa Fe going to grad school I really missed Southern cooking. Pinto Beans are a southern staple and so I decided to cook some. Well, for the first batch I let them soak all day and then attempted to cook them that night. They cooked for about an hour and they stayed small and hard and ....well, they tasted like rocks to be honest.

For the next batch I thought more soaking was needed so I did that overnight AND all the next day. No better! I asked my Mom for advice and she said she soaks pintos about an hour. So I tried that. Gah! Even worse than before!

I was done with 'cooking' so I drove down to Albuquerque to eat at the only Southern restaurant in New Mexico: The Cracker Barrel.

Oh, the Cracker Barrel. It's Southern goodness set me at ease in the glow of a New Mexico sunset. While enjoying pintos & cornbread with a glass of sweet tea I decided beans are best left out of my kitchen.

That was about 5 years ago. Today I want to live on a budget and make my own good food. I want to cook my own beans and have them be edible (or at least not crunchy). But, I forgot I didn't know how to cook beans when I created my stockpile of beans. I got all kinds of beans in there now; pinto, black, lentils, lima, butter, kidney. They stare at me from inside their Mason jars and I just know they're laughing at my inexperience.

I'm realizing that making a food menu for the month means I actually have to cook some of these meals I so excitedly listed. I should have thought more carefully about how the food would get from the menu to the plate.

As for tonight:

"Do you have a 2 for 1 deal?"

Where Were You?

2009-01-20T18:59:00.011-05:00

Today was a historic day for America. I spent it at work, slyly logging on to CNN.com to see photos of what was going on!

After work I nearly froze on the way to my Subaru, Herman, (Chattanooga's going through a strange cold spell) and headed home to watch the coverage on TV. I have to shamefully admit; this is the first inauguration I've ever watched.

What excitment! I don't ever remember taking pictures of my TV before.

Mr. President

Work that hat Aretha!

Willie doesn't understand the historical significance of today; she just wants to play tug

The QVC ladies are already hawking Obama products

I will remember this day clearly; just as I remember exactly where I was and what I was doing September 11, 2001. Events like these stay with you for a lifetime.

The Coop

2009-01-19T09:33:00.003-05:00

Mountain Man and another hiker came over to build the Chicken Casa in the backyard. It happened to be the day right before the coldest day of the year so it was pretty uncomfortable for them. Mnt. Man was nursing a bit of a cold and needless to say, standing outside all day didn't help matters.

The Coop at the 1/2 point

Mnt. Man decided to call it a day and head back to VA. He'll come back in the Spring with 2 girls for us and finish the coop then. Yes, we have ordered chicks! How exciting! Mnt. Man's gonna do the dirty work of raising the babies before we get the pullets.

I am so thankful everything has worked out so amazingly. A month ago I was totally in the dark about being a chicken mama and now I'm getting ready to house two!

Video of Willie & Heidi in the cold

Now all I have to do is have patience for Spring. I'm not good at patience ~ this will be good practice!

A Day In My Life

2009-01-15T09:03:00.018-05:00

Over at Little Jenny Wren there's an invitation to participate in 'A Day In My Life'. I believe I am one day late as the official date was Wednesday and it's now Thursday night. Little Jenny Wren is in Australia so it could already be the weekend over there and I am 2 days late for all I know!

I have seen on other blogs where bloggers get together to do this type of thing and I am so excited to join in!

This day in my life was an exciting day for me! We had an old friend come see us all the way from Damascus, VA. Our friend Trey AKA Mountain Man is coming to build us a chicken coop! That's right ~ we are getting 2 ladies this Spring! Mountain Man is a former AT hiker and previous owner of a little restaurant in Damascus. The Trail runs right through the town of Damascus which makes it loads of fun. Mnt. Man has a farm there and has previous poultry experience! He had let me know he's got the skills to get a chicken coop off the ground and he could be here ASAP.

I spent the morning getting ready for our guest; I did laundry, vacuuming and general sprucing up. This is where I found Smith when I put the duvet back on our bed: (play video)

In between my house chores I made 2 loaves of bread and let them rise for an hour, kneaded again, then another rise for 45mins. This was my first attempt at making 2 loaves at the same time! I just doubled the recipe and pulled the dough apart when the time came. I think it turned out alright.

One loaf's almost gone! Check out our new red breadbox!

Mnt. Man arrived as I was making spaghetti and we had a quick tour of the backyard. You know it was quick since our yard is small! After that we had a nice meal.

A fuzzy picture of Mnt. Man & Redwood dining

While Redwood cleaned the kitchen Mnt. Man & I jetted off to Lowe's (hardware store) for the chicken coop supplies. I guess we jetted a tad too fast because I got pulled over by a policeman! In my excitement for Lowe's and all things poultry I ran a red light :( Luckily he let us slide this time ~ PHEW! We got to Lowe's, got our supplies and then I stomped around outside while Mnt. Man and the Lowe's guy got everything tied to Herman*. It was really really cold!

Back home the guys unloaded the lumber and what not and then Mnt. Man went to visit another friend in Chattanooga.

I talked on the phone till about 12:30am. No wonder I'm tired today!

So, that was A Day In My Life. It was a good day.

This picture wasn't taken yesterday but it's just too cute not to post. Willie doing what Willie does.

*Herman is the name of our Subaru. Herman was the salesguy we bought it from and he was the nicest and the most normal salesguy I've ever met! He also resembled Morgan Freeman whom I love and that didn't hurt either.

A Few Pictures...

2009-01-13T22:16:00.004-05:00

Western South Carolina

Woodpile at the Lake
Alabama

View from the Lakehouse
Alabama

I Am So Excited!

2009-01-13T18:33:00.005-05:00

Last week I left my status on Facebook as "Does anyone know how to build a chicken coop for 2 ladies?" I was half serious but what do you know ~~ my friend Mountain Man wrote back and said he could do it cause he's all crafty like that. I didn't think he was serious but he is! And he'll be here tomorrow!

I can't believe it! Not only do I get to see & visit with an old friend; he's coming to help me out! WOW!

I tell you, if you've never hiked the Appalachian Trail, you are missing out on meeting some fine people. I've met the greatest people in my life on the Trail and this is just one more example of true friendship and generosity!

Map of the AT

Buff Chickens

2009-01-11T09:59:00.010-05:00

When I started thinking about what I wanted for my life I knew chickens had to be a part of it. My Dad was the president of the GA Poultry Federation and I am so sad he didn't live to see me become interested in chickens. I actually had chickens for a short time in grade school. They were chicks for a science project and I can't seem to find any pictures of me with them which is odd because little kids + baby chicks = photo magic!

A necessity for chickens is a yard to roam in.

Here is a picture of my backyard:

And from another angle: Can you see Willie in the background?
Now these pictures were taken in June before our annual Family BBQ, but they clearly show how little the back yard is! Please note the large silver object in the back corner (1st pic) ~ that's our canoe!

I still want chickens even though our yard is tiny. Not a huge flock, we can't have that yet. I'll have to wait until we have some property for my true flock. I've been researching chickens and from reading Down To Earth I realized the importance of protecting the pure breed chickens. After MORE research, I decided on starting with the Orpington chicken.

An example of a beautiful Buff Orpington

Why the Orpy? (Ok, I don't know if people call them Orpy's but I'm trying to get into the chicken slang!) Well, apparently they're great for people not used to chickens. They're docile and heavy (so they won't try to fly off) and they're pretty regular with the eggs. I want to get a pair of them and watch them grow and play. Also, I want the eggs.

Next month there's a poultry show in Calhoun, GA and you better believe I'll be there! I can't wait to see these birds in person. Perhaps even Redwood will fall in love with them as I have. Right now he's on the fence.

The downside to this dream seems to be the chicken coop. I never dreamed that chicken coops would be so eggspensive (ok, no more egg jokes!). I found a great one online but the price for shipping was almost double the purchase price! I'm looking into building my own but I most definitely do not have a logic/math brain and the plans make no sense to me! I figure this problem will take care of itself when the time comes.

So, once I decided on the breed of chicken I started noticing the color descriptions. I had seen on other blogs the word 'buff' to describe their girls and it never occurred to me that was the color! I thought it meant...buff...you know, buff, strong and in shape like Arnold.

Oh well, I am new at this whole thing. If my Dad was here he'd probably have a good laugh at my expense!

How Did I Get Into This?

2009-01-07T18:01:00.008-05:00

I thought it might be good to have a bit of background on me and why I decided to create this blog.

In mid 2007 I got a wonderful job as an art therapist. Too wonderful in fact. The job was working with sexually abused girls in a group home, 2 days a week. The pay started out average but then when the home met capacity, the pay increased exponentially and I could do all my work there 1 day a week. Since this was a 1 day/week job, I did have another job for the remaining days and weekends too.

The reason I say the job was too wonderful is because I didn't pay any attention to what I was doing with my income. I had big checks coming in; they were deposited in the bank and promptly spent. Every month I would pay my VISA bill in full and wonder how it got so high. Where did this money go?

Redwood and I are not materialistic, we aren't into the latest electronic gadget, we rarely go shopping for clothes and I would always ask "Where is my money going?" Well, an online review of my spending account was an eye opener.

In my mind I didn't think I spent a lot of money because I wasn't into things most people blow money on (new phones, eating out, stereos, clothes); instead I discovered I spend my money on vacations, Lowe's (garden store), Target, the grocery store, Starbucks and Hobby Lobby (arts and crafts store). So that's where it was siphoned off to!

The vacations Redwood and I took during the last year were wonderful! The main ones were Key West, a cruise, and a trip to CO to visit a large group of friends for just over a week. Another money vacuum was our animals. Our cat Smith was critically injured in late '07 and continued to have surgeries into 2008. Vet bills are extremely high! I also made a big purchase in early '08; I got hardwood floors for the rest of the home. Originally all the bedrooms (3) in our home had carpet and although our home was only about a year old when we bought it, the carpets were wreaked from the previous owner's kids and our own kids (Smith & Willie). I don't regret a penny of that purchase though! Our hardwood floors are so much easier to keep clean and they are beautiful.

About the time I had discovered my weaknesses (travel, art supplies and plants) I lost my wonderful job. Medicaid cut all the therapy programs at the group home, mine included. So no more huge checks coming in! This was right around the time gas prices were at their highest and there was a buzzing about our American economy seeing dark days.

I've always paid my bills on time and my VISA in full but I literally had NO savings. Redwood is in his 2nd year of grad school and won a full scholarship so his tuition is paid. While he's in school he does have an assistance-ship with a professor and works in a restaurant downtown. Until he graduates we will be living on mainly my income.

I wanted to reevaluate my priorities with our money. I didn't like the feeling of surprise every time I paid my VISA. I didn't like not being prepared when I lost my good job and not having any savings. I wanted to discover for myself what I needed my life to be and I knew that wasn't 'keeping up with the Joneses'.

For inspiration I like to go to Barnes & Noble and spend some time reading whatever catches my eye. I happened upon one of my favorite home building books, The Not So Big House!

An example of a Not-So-Big-House

I love the homes and the message. I don't want to live in a mansion and I think this 'bigger is better' mentality is dangerous. It's now common for people to be in debt and for them to be constantly shopping at the same time.

I discovered for me, my home is very important. I would love a home with a wrap around porch, land for growing my own food, chickens for the eggs and the antics, honeybees to help my garden and other farm pets (especially a pig). It's simple, it's obtainable, and it's a dream I am turning into a reality. Homes and land are expensive and although money doesn't buy happiness it certainly buys you more options.

So, that's the reason I decided to create this blog. I need to track the process of beginning a different way of living and thinking and ultimately achieving my goal of having Maywood Farm.

Baby Steps

2009-01-06T17:54:00.014-05:00

Megan and I hard at work on our homemade cleaners

During December my friend Megan and I worked hard on making homemade cleaners for Christmas gifts. I made 4 buckets of goodies, Megan made 11! We referred to Karen Logan's book for some of the recipes. We made dusting spray, antiseptic cleaner, kitchen cleaner, odor eliminator, window cleaner, laundry detergent and dishwasher detergent. I think we looked a bit like meth cookers with all the funnels, measuring cups, gallon jugs and whatnot all over the table but it was fun. Megan's a like minded girl and we had a blast getting dirty with our cleaners!

I was a bit nervous as to how our gifts would go over with their recipients. I was afraid giving people cleaning products may be an insult! Would they think I was hinting they needed to clean more? Would they laugh at the old-fashioned-ness of these products? Luckily, none of my receivers had anything negative to say about their buckets of homemade cleaning supplies(so far anyway)!

Simple living means simplifying the daily chores as well. Over the past few months I've been using up my traditional chemical cleaners and getting back to the basics. It's amazing all the things white vinegar alone can do! We as a population have gotten so used to having a separate cleaner for each item in the house and think the newest product out there is salvation! Marketing studies count on our love of the word 'new' to sell their products. Take a gander at this article.

Besides the monetary cost, Redwood and I have our family's health to think of too. Smith & Willie live so close to the floor, whatever gets sprayed, squirted or just plain dropped is all in their territory, chemicals included! I can't imagine having a baby and letting it crawl all over the floor, putting things in it's mouth if I cleaned with chemical cleaners.

So far, so good with my homemade products. Since I made them myself I know exactly what's in them. I added the essential oils I like best (lemon and peppermint) and that means our home smells great too. The white vinegar I use in some recipes only leaves an odor for a short period. I even use it as a fabric softener in the wash! I'm done with buying aerosol air fresheners as well. Here is some interesting reading about exactly what's in those things: "For instance, a plug-in air freshener contained more than 20 different volatile organic compounds. Of these, seven are regulated as toxic or hazardous under federal laws."

These are all baby steps for me on the way to a simpler lifestyle. I have definitely made mistakes so far (like upturning an entire bottle of peppermint oil in my dishwashing detergent!) but I'm having fun taking care of my home.

If you have spare time one day, check online about how to make your own laundry soap or dusting spray. It's actually quite fun!

I'll be glad when...

2008-12-30T09:46:00.012-05:00

I was thinking about this Southern saying, "I'll be glad when..." I'm sure it's said all over the world but there's a particular inflection when said by Southerners that lets you know they are not happy in the present moment.

Here are some examples I can think of right away:

"I'll be glad when this election is over."

"I'll be glad when he goes fishing and I can be by myself!"

"I'll be glad when we're out of this cold weather."

Isn't this a strange phrase? Even though it's said loosely and probably out of habit more than anything; I think there is power in the words we say. Especially about ourselves. Using this phrase lets you tell people you aren't yet happy.

A personal example for me: When we first got Willie she was small enough to sleep under the couch. I didn't want her under there as she was just a puppy and prone to mistakes! I told Redwood, "I'll be glad when she's too big to get under there!" Then I got to thinking, does this mean I'm not glad now? I know as soon as she is too big to get under the couch she'll be doing something else troublesome! Then would I say "I'll be glad when she stops(fill in annoying puppy behavior)"? On and on and on.

Baby Willie

It seems that saying that phrase is a way of holding off happiness. You're actually saying the words you'll be happy at a certain time in the future. I've made it a point not to use this phrase anymore. I don't want to hold off happiness!

30 is Around the Corner!

2008-12-29T07:45:00.004-05:00

I stumbled upon this article bright and early this morning:

"6 Financial Milestones Before 30". Redwood and I have hit 3 at the most; the biggest being we're homeowners. We were able to buy a home in '06 thanks to an artist grant I won which gave us the down payment. Since we've decided to overhaul our thinking I've been noticing hints and information like this article out there in the world, just waiting for an eager mind to pounce!

30 isn't old by any means but I'm glad we're deciding to change now rather than wait till we're 40 or older. Here's a snippet from VOA (Voices of America):
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Rising Debt Plagues Young Americans

"...a weak job market isn't the only factor pushing America's youth into debt. An enormous push by marketers, which encourages mindless spending, hurts American youth who are simply not taught financial responsibility.

Karen Pittman is the executive director of the Forum for Youth Investment. She said, "They don't have the basic information that they need to have to understand saving, understand how to set aside a budget, how to create and manage your finances within a budget. And so financial literacy rates are low. Organizations like NIFTE, the National Institute for Financial and Technical Education provide financial literacy tests for young people online and through schools and find that more than half of them fail those tests."

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I'm positive I'd fail those financial tests! I wish school would make it a priority to teach real life skills to kids instead of nonsense like the quadratic formula. (I never understood algebra or the reason we had to learn crazy formulas we'd never use in life!) I wish I had been taught how to balance a checkbook, pay a mortgage, what interest really is, budgeting, etc.

It's never too late to learn though and I'm keeping an eye out for good info.

Welcome!

2008-12-28T22:46:00.004-05:00

Thank you for taking the time to check out my ramblings!

Sometimes starting is the hardest part so I decided to create this blog to keep me accountable. You see, Redwood (my husband) and myself are going to be trying some new things. We have dreams of buying land, building a not-so-big house, having a garden, chickens, honeybees, a few sheep and, a pig. We want to grow nourishing food for ourselves and learn to be self reliant. We want to make less of an impact on the environment and spend less money on 'things'.

This big change came about slowly this past year as we watched the American economy get downright scary. Redwood and I currently live paycheck to paycheck. Like most people our age (almost 30) we've never really thought about where our money goes. We would say, "We don't even buy stuff! Where the heck does our money go?" I'm working on listing all of our expenses for a year.

On the homemaking front, I'm attempting to live dangerously and make some of our food! Check out this beautiful (I wish!) loaf of bread pictured above. Ok, it was the first loaf I ever made and it looks a little like a calzone but it was warm and yummy and I was excited to do something for myself.

I think the end of an old year and the beginning of a new one is the perfect time for immersion in a new way of thinking. We're on a new journey and I invite you all to follow along and maybe we can all learn together!