It has been pretty peaceful, yet productive, on the homestead for the last couple of days. It has been nice, but such rhythm lets one day roll into the other, until you sudden realize that it is Sunday already.
Yesterday was spent cleaning. Our house, like many others, have been run over by all things 'kid' for the last several years or so... We have purposely had hand-me-downs and upcycled furniture to get us through these growing years, as we know that many things will go to ruin by basic wear and tear of two active children before their growing is done.
We are finally trying to move past this, and yesterday was a great step in that direction. Yesterday morning, the kids went off to a day with their grandparents, and the husband and I tore much of the house apart. We are overrun with the outgrown toys and clothes that the kids had no use or need for anymore. At the end of our work, we had a minivan full of contributions to the local GoodWill and 1 lone bag of trash. That bag was mostly filled with broken items that would have no second use...but I still hate the thought ot it. Joel Salatin's words ring in my ears, saying there is no "away"...but I am glad that the reuseables far out weighed those items headed for the landfill.
Today will hopefully bring a new-to-us dining room table and chairs. Since we moved to this house, we have been using a table and chairs set that has taken quite the beating. They have been used for every possible reason...craft...paint...play doh...and some eating, of course, and they are showing their wear. The table leaf was crafted by my husband in the hours before a long ago Thankgiving dinner when seating expansion was needed, and the chairs are especially on their last legs. The seats have been replaced by wooden boards and covered with seat cushions, and the legs are held in place by lots of spare wood screws. I am looking forward to chairs that do not arc and threaten to tumble each time we sit on them.
The rest of the possible future happenings are quiet. The dog frenzy has calmed down to a mere whisper, and my search for bees this spring has led me to point of reconsideration. But, for now I will table those items to the back of my mind and just look forward to a day home with my children. The rest may unfold as it may.
Showing posts with label cleaning. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cleaning. Show all posts
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Saturday, October 15, 2011
An unsuspected success...
We had big plans for today...
In my minds eye, I saw myself waiting for the crack of dawn and then rushing outside to the newly enlarged garden. I was going to run full force at the creation of more raised beds then I can count, and then relish in the future fruits of my labor.
But, that was not meant to be.
We awoke to the pouring of rain. And while my husband still hurried off to greet the dawn from his duck blind, I merely gazed off into the sheets of rain coating the window glass. This would not bode well.
And sadly, we were right. While the rain sped away in the late morning, it was not until late afternoon until we ventured out to the garden. Some of the saturation had fled the soil, but enough was still present to let the raising of garden beds be a tough task to tackle....but we trudged on, and ended a solid hour of wet work with several beds raised and in place.
Thoroughly chilled, I fled back into the house to warm up and tend to more domestic details. Many parts of the home have been cleaned, laundry and ironing have been dealt with, chapters of a book have been read, and I have actually finished untangling a mess of yarn that I have been struggling with for a week.
So, while the day didn't quite turn out as planned, it will still an unsuspected success of a different type.
And I am glad.
In my minds eye, I saw myself waiting for the crack of dawn and then rushing outside to the newly enlarged garden. I was going to run full force at the creation of more raised beds then I can count, and then relish in the future fruits of my labor.
But, that was not meant to be.
We awoke to the pouring of rain. And while my husband still hurried off to greet the dawn from his duck blind, I merely gazed off into the sheets of rain coating the window glass. This would not bode well.
And sadly, we were right. While the rain sped away in the late morning, it was not until late afternoon until we ventured out to the garden. Some of the saturation had fled the soil, but enough was still present to let the raising of garden beds be a tough task to tackle....but we trudged on, and ended a solid hour of wet work with several beds raised and in place.
Thoroughly chilled, I fled back into the house to warm up and tend to more domestic details. Many parts of the home have been cleaned, laundry and ironing have been dealt with, chapters of a book have been read, and I have actually finished untangling a mess of yarn that I have been struggling with for a week.
So, while the day didn't quite turn out as planned, it will still an unsuspected success of a different type.
And I am glad.
Monday, September 26, 2011
Garden plans....
It is amazing what clean(ish....) house will do for your spirits....
I tore much of the downstairs apart yesterday for a thorough cleaning. And it was very much needed.....I love the summer, but I find it so hard to remain indoors when there is so much to do out...and my house shows that neglect. I mean, I figure, where will the dirt go? Veggies can rot on the vine, but dirt will never leave. So it can wait.
Until Fall.
And it is Fall.
So, the house is clean (at least for another hour....until the kids get up) and much of the outdoors is closed up for the season. Not as much to do out there now. I admit, I did have visions of a grand Fall garden, but the intense rain from the late summer took care of part of that thought, and my full frozen and pantry took care of the rest. Without veggies to harvest or storage for said harvest, the gardening is pretty much complete.
But, even as I type this, I remember this is not quite true.
The garden of this past season is nearly put away. But the garden of next season is still in the works.
Our functional veggie and fruit garden is currently about 20 feet by 60 feet. A decent size, nothing to sneeze at... But, for next year, this garden will grow. To about a quarter acre.... Which might still sound small, but it not. It will be 4 to 6 times bigger than before! It will be a whole host of possibilities!
So, in the next 2 weeks, we need to get a rotiller and start to work the soil. I would like to have everything turned over this Fall, so that beds can be raised and ready for planting next Spring and Summer. I figure, we will have our work cut out for us this Winter, between selecting seeds, starting seedlings...and dealing with the frigid winter chicken care (shoveling...lots and lots of shoveling....) it will be so lovely to have everything that much closer to planting next garden season.
And now...I am all amped up to get back outside, and start work.... But is it Fall, the house, and family, need my attention, and I must remain right here....At least for another 5 minutes....I am sure that I can manage five minutes....
And I can always grab the kiddos and bring them along....I am sure they won't mind...really....
OK, maybe a little... ;)
Happy beginning of the week, y'all!
I tore much of the downstairs apart yesterday for a thorough cleaning. And it was very much needed.....I love the summer, but I find it so hard to remain indoors when there is so much to do out...and my house shows that neglect. I mean, I figure, where will the dirt go? Veggies can rot on the vine, but dirt will never leave. So it can wait.
Until Fall.
And it is Fall.
So, the house is clean (at least for another hour....until the kids get up) and much of the outdoors is closed up for the season. Not as much to do out there now. I admit, I did have visions of a grand Fall garden, but the intense rain from the late summer took care of part of that thought, and my full frozen and pantry took care of the rest. Without veggies to harvest or storage for said harvest, the gardening is pretty much complete.
But, even as I type this, I remember this is not quite true.
The garden of this past season is nearly put away. But the garden of next season is still in the works.
Our functional veggie and fruit garden is currently about 20 feet by 60 feet. A decent size, nothing to sneeze at... But, for next year, this garden will grow. To about a quarter acre.... Which might still sound small, but it not. It will be 4 to 6 times bigger than before! It will be a whole host of possibilities!
So, in the next 2 weeks, we need to get a rotiller and start to work the soil. I would like to have everything turned over this Fall, so that beds can be raised and ready for planting next Spring and Summer. I figure, we will have our work cut out for us this Winter, between selecting seeds, starting seedlings...and dealing with the frigid winter chicken care (shoveling...lots and lots of shoveling....) it will be so lovely to have everything that much closer to planting next garden season.
And now...I am all amped up to get back outside, and start work.... But is it Fall, the house, and family, need my attention, and I must remain right here....At least for another 5 minutes....I am sure that I can manage five minutes....
And I can always grab the kiddos and bring them along....I am sure they won't mind...really....
OK, maybe a little... ;)
Happy beginning of the week, y'all!
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Holy humidity....
There is just something about these hugh humidity days that just makes me want to open the whole house with a hinge, shake it on its side and spray in down with the garden hose.
It just feels like filth is clinging to every corner....even if I just cleaned something, it is like I never touched it. The wet air attracts dirt and coats everything with a layer of stickiness that even the strongest vinegar and water solution is no match for....simply said....Ew.
So, in honor of the horrid and unseasonable humidity, I declare today a cleaning day...and no-holds-bar, shake 'em up, outta-my-way, cleaning day....
I wish the best to all the nastiness covering every surface....may it find a lovely home elsewhere!!
Happy Sunday everyone.... ;)
It just feels like filth is clinging to every corner....even if I just cleaned something, it is like I never touched it. The wet air attracts dirt and coats everything with a layer of stickiness that even the strongest vinegar and water solution is no match for....simply said....Ew.
So, in honor of the horrid and unseasonable humidity, I declare today a cleaning day...and no-holds-bar, shake 'em up, outta-my-way, cleaning day....
I wish the best to all the nastiness covering every surface....may it find a lovely home elsewhere!!
Happy Sunday everyone.... ;)
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
A long day....and a long, long night....
Holy flip~ I am so exhausted this morning....I simply can't get out of my own way.
Yesterday was a bonus day....a rainy day....a prime day to get things done around the house.
And we succeeded! We cooked and cleaned, scrubbed and canned, crocheted and organized. We filled every moment to the max, and at the end, I was completely empty. Not another iota of energy left to be expended.
But, as crowning parent achievement, we let our daughter have a friend over for a few hours in the afternoon. They entertained themselves well, with scarcely a peep to be heard.
But, unbeknownst to me....they were fully engrossed in the telling of scary stories.
All seemed fine until about 9 that night. We were headed to bed, with the plan to rise very early in the morning to get some work done for the office. And it was right about that time that we learned our daughter really isn't scary story material.
Needless to say....it was a very long night.....
And this may be a very long day....
Yesterday was a bonus day....a rainy day....a prime day to get things done around the house.
And we succeeded! We cooked and cleaned, scrubbed and canned, crocheted and organized. We filled every moment to the max, and at the end, I was completely empty. Not another iota of energy left to be expended.
But, as crowning parent achievement, we let our daughter have a friend over for a few hours in the afternoon. They entertained themselves well, with scarcely a peep to be heard.
But, unbeknownst to me....they were fully engrossed in the telling of scary stories.
All seemed fine until about 9 that night. We were headed to bed, with the plan to rise very early in the morning to get some work done for the office. And it was right about that time that we learned our daughter really isn't scary story material.
Needless to say....it was a very long night.....
And this may be a very long day....
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Cleaning :(
I have to clean my house today.
I am not looking forward to this….
I used to be OK with the whole cleaning thing, but I think that was pre-kids, pre-garden, pre-crazy life. Now, it just seems like a big interruption on my day.
But, that does not stop the fact that it needs to be done. I hate an unclean house, and it is so easy to achieve that state. I find this especially true in the summer. We are constantly running in and out of the house, trying to remove our shoes before tramping through…but only partially successful. And now that I am trying to cook more, the kitchen feels like it is constantly cluttered. But the time I get home, cook dinner, and load the dishwasher afterwards, the thought of putting anything away is just too daunting.
So, today is the day. The house, and the car, will be cleaned. Top to bottom. It is going to happen.
Really.
Truly.
Well, if I say it enough….maybe it will actually happen.
Wish me luck…I think I will need it.
I am not looking forward to this….
I used to be OK with the whole cleaning thing, but I think that was pre-kids, pre-garden, pre-crazy life. Now, it just seems like a big interruption on my day.
But, that does not stop the fact that it needs to be done. I hate an unclean house, and it is so easy to achieve that state. I find this especially true in the summer. We are constantly running in and out of the house, trying to remove our shoes before tramping through…but only partially successful. And now that I am trying to cook more, the kitchen feels like it is constantly cluttered. But the time I get home, cook dinner, and load the dishwasher afterwards, the thought of putting anything away is just too daunting.
So, today is the day. The house, and the car, will be cleaned. Top to bottom. It is going to happen.
Really.
Truly.
Well, if I say it enough….maybe it will actually happen.
Wish me luck…I think I will need it.
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