House Update

We were not planning on working on the house for awhile more. But WH gave me a HUGE present! This was the back gazebo. He knew how much I hated it. I mean how much I REALLY hated it. Seriously who would do this? The hot tub never stayed clean and it was just plain tacky and ugly. We still have some staining and finishing work to do but Tada!

So much better dont you think? It is also insulated and finished on the inside. Just a few lights and we are ready for fall hot tub parties. I am so excited about this and let me tell you it is needed. I have been a whole year without my bath tub. I used my jacuzzi about once a week. I loved that thing. We havent had a bath tub here yet. Someday we will but..........yeah......

Ok just cuz I couldnt resist. Bel says Hi!

Amida still isnt impressed.Lol

Meet Bel

So here I go disapearing on yall again. We have had company. MIL has been here to give the place the once over. She had been told ALL sorts of horible things about North Dakota. So WH felt it was his personal responsibility to show her the real North Dakota. Of course that meant a ton of shopping along the way! Needless to say she went home thinking we live in a pretty neat place!

So I bet you are wondering who Bel is..........She is my new puppy! A shitzu yorkie mix. She weighs about 3 pounds and should probably get to be about 7/8 pounds. She is a lot smaller then Amida, oldest daughters dog. Here she is playing tag with Amida. She never did realise that Amida wasnt playing. She just didnt care actually.Lol. She runs so fast through the house that she cant get herself stopped. Lol. She hits quite a few walls and table legs.

Here she is before her bath. Pretty scruffy looking. Oldest daughter will be moving to Germany in Nov/Dec. She will be taking Amida with her. I have been having a VERY hard time with this. So Bel is here to distract me. So far she is keeping me pretty busy. I had forgotten how much I diliked potty training........

Chicken Day

The time had come for butchering the chickens. They were so big that when I fed them they wouldnt even stand to eat. They would just lay and eat. I was getting very worried. If we waited any longer they would start to have heart attacks. Their little legs couldnt hold up their body weight.

The white ones were done growing. Sadly we had to butcher two of my other chickens also. The place where I bought my hens from didnt do a very good job sexing them and I got 3 roosters. So I watched to see which one was more dominent and the other two had to go. I wasnt going to let them get to the point of fighting and killing each other.

A couple friends came over and in less then two hours the job was done and the chickens were in the freezer. We skinned and didnt mess with the plucking. MUCH easier let me tell you. We dont eat the skin anyways. Skater boy was disgusted by the whole thing. He helped with one chicken then called his job done.Lol WH thankfully had done this all before. It really didnt bother me as much as I thought it would. I guess its because I always knew they would be our meat chickens. I kept the guys supplied with liquid refreshment and did the wrapping.

Its funny now that the others are gone I am going through a LOT less food and water. I am giving lots of table scraps and my layers have bulked right up. My rooster is a crack up. He is all puffed up with pride and has just this week started crowing. Of course its a rather pathetic crow. As WH puts it it somewhat sounds like a cat being skinned. Lets hope he gets it together so he can impress his little harem of girls!

North Dakota Living

I am turning into a farmgirl! I am LOVING every minute of it too! Well I still dont like getting dirty. BUT I do love the results from the hard work.

I also am finding some pleasure in the solitude in gardening. Everyone leaves me alone when I am out there. Too many times of coming out to bug me and I put them to work! Ü

The results are so very worth the effort. Strawberry rhubarb custard pie. mmmmmmmmmmmm

Pickled green beans and pickles. I also put away a few jars of rhubarb for winter pies. (pantry isnt done yet and yes that is my alcohol shelf underneath.Lol)

I havent been in the sewing room for awhile. How do you quilt when it is 90+ outside and I still feel the need to unthaw. We have started work on the house again. We are finishing the main bathroom. WH's mom will be here tomorrow for a week and an extra bathroom will come in very handy.Lol