Fence Building: Pt 2

Well, the majority of the fence is complete. We still have to add the decorative fence that will separate the garden from the yard, but as we currently have no plants/garden, this is less of a priority. The weather has started to improve - daily temperatures ranging in the mid 70s to nearly 90 the other day! As usual, we have been out enjoying the weather and catching up on our outside chores.

Barry had the opportunity to get his first turkey (ever) with one of Hubs' friends. Very exciting. As I type, it is marinating to be made into turkey jerky.

The great hunter emerging from the woods

20 pound bird. Not bad for his first time!

Ethan helping Claude pull out the old fence separating what will become the garden

Look at Claude go!

Track-hoes make everything easier

Uh-oh, getting instructions from the big guy

Claude removing a small oak that the old fence was growing through

New and improved view from our back deck. Soon we will look out on our garden

Dragging the tree away

Completed perimeter fence

Nice and secure. Nothing in and nothing out

Mean looking barbed wire

Hubs added a nice man-gate so we can more easily access the pasture from the side yard

Scout is stealthy...hiding in the grass

Old fence, new fence....lots of fence

It's wonderful having the fence complete. Now we no longer have to worry about Allie, our small dog, getting out. She would always seem to find a hole in the previous fence (not hard since the mules mowed it down). This brings us one step closer to our garden which I am BEYOND excited about. We plan to take it slow this year - we have a lot going on and we don't want to waste money, get overwhelmed and take too much on. Best to start small. 

Peace Out :)

Fence Construction: Part 1

We're alive! I swear! Life is crazy - but isn't it always? Ok, quick synopsis of the past few weeks. We sold our house in Grass Valley finally (yay!!), we started many of our Spring projects (yay!!) and we adopted a new cat (double yay!!).

Our property is just under 25 acres, and surrounding the house is approximately 1-1.5 acres of "yard space". Beyond the yard is our pasture where our neighbor brings his cows and mules and we get to view our rolling hills. Before Christmas, while our mule friends were on an extended visit, one of them got feisty and decided to kick down our fence separating the pasture and the yard. The fence was old, ugly and decrepit to begin with (gross chain link from a million years ago) but with the added crunch of mule hoof-prints, it was quite atrocious "lovely".

We had been planning to take down the old fence and build newer, more picturesque (and efficient) fencing when time and finances permitted. Along with the yard, we planned to map out our garden (and consequently, fence that as well). We are well underway. Quite the project it has turned into. Hubs and the boys have spent the past two weekends (and weekdays) working on getting this fence project up and going. Still not complete, but pictures of the whole project will follow. Hubs is hopeful that he will get it finished before the weekend. I hope so too!!

The process begins 

Trying to save our plum tree. The tree was growing right through the old fencing 

Mess of concrete posts pulled up by Claude 

Removing the old fencing

Ethan doing his dance moves

That looks like a lot of work.....

Fence-less yard. The biggest it will ever be

Putting Claude to work to remove the old water pressure tank

Barry pouring cement for the corner posts

Corner posts 

Lining up the fencing with string - gotta make sure it's straight!

8 feet in between each t-post....all the way around 

My cowboys working until dusk to get those t-posts into the ground

Almost finished with this line of fencing!

So much work involved and I am thankful to have a husband with the drive, desire and ability to do this. Love this country life we have.

Peace out :)

Ditch digging and tree branch hitting

Hubs was so excited to put Claude the Trackhoe to work this past weekend. We have a large pasture that is boggy due to the lack of draining off excessive water. Since burning the blackberries and the water grass, all he has talked about is helping to allow it to drain properly into the area at the bottom of the hill. This area is where we plan to put a pond. Of course, that is about 43 years down the road, but at least we have plans.

How does tree branch hitting fit into this whole work day? Well, I'm glad you asked. Last week, Hubs had a procedure on his head resulting in a handful of stitches and a quite tender surgery location. Ignoring explicit orders from the doctor to "take it easy for a few days", he got up the next morning and proceeded to excavate the entire property. There are two things I am thankful for right now. Well - three technically. First, I'm thankful he's ok. Let's start with that. Second, I'm thankful he followed directions enough to keep it covered for a few days. And third, I'm thankful I wasn't there to see this. Evidently, whilst traipsing around on Claude, a thick tree branch got caught and swung back. He didn't see this happen as he was watching the tracks to make sure he didn't get stuck. Said branch flung back and with full force hit him directly on his wound. I am certain the colorful words that came from his mouth following this would shame any sailor.

Proud Hubs after some clearing

Good thing Claude can handle that mud!

Creating drainage

Already the water is moving better

Checking it all out 

BUT - he's ok. And wound seems ok too. Believe me, I was VERY careful when changing the dressing. The good news is that he is getting more comfortable on the trackhoe and therefore, more and more pleased with how it works and what it can do. I'm certain he'll go back out there again this weekend and work on the pond. Me? I can't WAIT for that day. With the valley heat, a nice pond will be refreshing.

Peace Out :)

Manly work time

So Hubs and boys spent the better part of their weekend chopping, cutting and stacking firewood from the property. We have found that while our insert in our living room is wonderful, it's not as efficient as we had hoped. Imagine our surprise when last week our supply of firewood out in the barn was completely diminished by the first week of February. Unheard of!!

Consequently, Hubs decided something needed to be done because we would NOT resort to using the heater. Nope, no way. Not an option. Needless to say, the boys were much more inclined to turn that thermostat up a few notches than spend their weekend out in the windy tundra. But Daddy won that battle. Oh, and by "tundra", I mean close to 60 degrees and sunny. Lovely CA weather :).

Scout stayed in the truck the whole time. Just wanted to be near his boys

It's all fun and games until your dad makes you sit in the back of the truck and stack firewood

You can doooooo it

Ethan so angelic in the sunlight

Tossing more wood on his pile

Hubs showing the boys how it's done

Necessary maintenance on the chainsaw

Love that you can see him splitting wood in the background :)

The fruits of their labor

Yes they were parked on a hill

Attacking the next bunch of downed trees

We have firewood! Yay! We enjoyed it greatly last night as the temperatures dipped into the high 20's. Yes, I know. People have negative numbers, but for us that's COLD!!

Peace Out :)

Big burn day

Our pasture is great. About 13 of our 25 acres are in pasture. What wasn't so great? The tremendous amount of blackberries that were starting to take over. That and water grass. The house and property had been neglected for years, so unfortunately, we have a lot of work ahead of us to bring it back to it's former glory.

A few months ago our neighbor (the owner of the cows, mules and horses) sprayed our blackberries with something that would kill them thus allowing for us to burn them in the late winter/early fall. This is something that will have to be repeated for several years, but each year the intrusion of blackberries will be less.

Over the weekend, Hubs and boys spent the day wandering up and down the hill carrying the torch and propane. I had spent the day doing my once/month shopping and prepping so fortunately  unfortunately, I missed the flames in all their glory. I'm not sad about this. I'm sure I would have been hyperventilating. Hubs grabbed the camera, but seeing as he was busy tending the HUGE flames, he only got a few before and after pictures of the property.

Lovely dead blackberries and water grass

No more blackberries! But now ugly patches :(

Waiting on the cows to come over and stomp these spots down

Smoldering 

Water grass before

Looks like we had some sort of accident

Bye bye water grass

Just finishing up

So now I have to remind myself that the patches were intentional and I need to remember what the end goal is. I'm told that the cows (when they come back over) will smash the little blackberries that may come up and they will somewhat turn over the burned portion of the ground. I hope so! Luckily, spring is coming so hopefully the grass will grow back. 

Just another day on the farm!

Peace Out :)