Stress Relief

Some days you just have to know yourself and be prepared. Today I was finishing up a grant application that was pretty much ready, but I was waiting for two people to get me two bits of information. And I waited and waited. I had some great Memorial Day leftovers to give me sustenance, but I was looking for something more today. Some days its a healthy choice and some days its a mentally healthy choice. Just as I got the information I needed and had to run the application to the grant organization, I popped into the bedroom to grab some shoes - and discovered this. A sign that one of the air conditioning pipes had broken - a while ago!

Being ready for this type of emergency is important. White chocolate has a calming influence while grant writing and having your bedroom ceiling crack above your bed.

I made a wise choice.

P.S. The AC is fixed. The ceiling will be a while!

Blooming

On the Pond Farm Memorial Day 5K

This is race where everyone is welcome to compete.
Want to take a stab at it?


We had to run - literally run - the goats to a new field so they would follow without getting distracted by some tall weed. The morning run was a little trickier, but the evening return was a piece of cake. And fun I think.

In Bloom

Quiet Sky

Busy - Or Make Hay While The Sun Shines.

Just getting ready for bed and I realized that I did not take a photo today. That is rare.

But the robins are gone from the nest and somewhere in the field, and the bathroom lies in wait for the cabinetry. The sun did come out today, allowing for some outside work. It also poured twice, so don't think it was a day at the beach! The humidity in between storms blew away with the late afternoon wind, but it was ugly while it stopped by.

Cilantro and dill volunteers were found and harvested before I till tomorrow. Lots of plants were dug out to replant and transplant later. Manure was deposited in the garden to feed this year's veggies. Jake's supply from last summer's pile. Some rocks from the garden clean up filled a hole by the drain that has been eroding. Crude clearing and landscaping was done with the loader and the tomato babies were run in and out of the house to avoid the heavy rain and winds.

Oh - and the regular stuff.
Goats out. Goats in.
Grocery shopping. Banking. Recycling.
Volunteer errands. The trail project. Emails.
Cleaning. YUK!
Dog chase the tractor. Dog run away from the thunder.
Late, late dinner with a little TV.
Blog. No misspellings found.
G'night!

Empty Nest

Three...

Two... One... Flight! I actually got to see this last robin fly from the sill, to the fence rail, bounce off, and hit the tall grass in Jake's old field. I was so thrilled to be outside at the right moment. Here he hid while mom checked up on him. Finally I left him alone and went to find my next garden project, when suddenly I felt eyes upon me.
Robin Two!

In the VIDEO BELOW YOU HEAR THE MOTHER ROBIN CONSTANTLY chirping in the background.

With all the calling, the parent robin is not hard to find, so therefore neither are her babies. And without the window screen, we can finally see the details in these newest farm members.

Robin Progress With Only Three

This is the only still photo I have managed to get of the robin parent with the nest. Love it!As of the beginning of the week, one of the four must have fallen out of the nest.
I imagine it was a tight squeeze.

VIDEO OF ROBINS BEING FED IN THE NEST -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAdaeVgOx_Q

Notice near the end, before she flies off, the parent picks something up.
She cleans their manure as soon as they produce it and takes it away.
Amazing! Can she work in my barn?

Then today we have this. They seem to double in size every day!I am always peeping from behind a folding indoor shutter, so I thought one had flown the nest. No. It had wandered to the end of the sill. I think they are not much longer for our window entertainment.

Really Green

One thing about lots of rain in May. Lots of green and lots to eat.Rose bushes go fast.

Got Boxers?

This one's for my sister-in-law Becky. I think she'll enjoy this.

Re-Construction Begins

All the walls are rebuilt and have been readied for primer, paint and tile.After using the tractor (me) and muscle (them!), the cast iron tub was removed and replaced with a new "ding-less" model! Luckily a lot of the work got done on nicer days, but now with a drizzle being the constant, most of the work is indoors. There is a tented tile cutting station at the front door. These guys were ready to work in all weather.

I am pleased at my first choices of tile going up, and today the grout will complete the picture. I was thinking of not using the glass and stone tile trim, but it was also used partly to avoid a small cut at the top. It turns out we love it and the accent it gives to the space. There was one flaw in yesterday's work.
Can you see it??
Dave noticed it right away.
This is a shower!

Robin Babies Are Thriving

When you last saw the nest there was one fleshy little thing and three eggs. By the end of the morning we had one egg left. It seemed that it would not hatch, and then a little hole appeared, and movement, as the beak worked its way slowly through. Soon we had four desperately hungry beaks to feed.

Now we have fancy feathers starting to form.
What's hard to believe is that by two weeks old, they will be leaving the nest.
Its a long way down. I hope they get it right!

Demolition

The plan for the bathroom renovation was to remove the tile and vanity, patch and paint the wall, replace the cabinet and reuse the vanity top.

But the tile took the walls with them, so the walls are now gone. Its quite shocking really. At least this was part of the plan to make the shower higher. The plate glass mirror was carried off without a hitch. It will be trimmed of the blackened edges and be made good as new. Now we have a clean palette to start over with.