Sneak Peak

Our designer just sent me this updated sneak peak rendering of the what the house will look like....ooohhh ahhhhh :)   If only the grass was that neat.

Foundation



Coyote in the center

sitting where the dining room will be



House on the hill, the columns are supports for the huge deckH

blueberries, yum!

This week they poured the foundation and they are now back filling it.   We are hoping they don't back fill/smooth too much, the slope on the side of the house will make for great sledding and seems to be a favorite  place for the kids.  We finally started cutting the grass over the weekend, and by "we" I mean the guy we hired since I don't have a tractor (yet).  He saw a coyote hunting mice while he was cutting.  I have heard there are many in this area which scares me a bit.  I don't think we can fence 15 acres, but maybe fencing one or two might be needed so he doesn't eat moms dog as a snack.  Things are growing well in the garden.  The boys are eating fresh peas off the vine daily and even have had a few berries.  Yum!

Measure twice

The cut out for the garage looks almost as big as the house.

I was at the land yesterday and was told that the excavator didn't cut the garage the right size -not out far enough- and was going to have to come back and make it bigger.  Today when I asked if it was the right size, I was told "no" he was going to have to come back and dig a third time -this time it wasn't back far enough.  Hum.  I wonder if he gets paid by the trip.    Hope he measures all  four sides today.


In the garden today I planed some more pickling cucumbers, zucchini, and potatoes.   I also mixed some peat moss around the blueberry plants.  I started with 10 and I think 9 will pull though, one is looking sad.  They apparently didn't like the move.   They did better than the raspberries though, I started with a lot of those and only have about 3 that show any sign of life at all (and that is slight).

Blueberries: recovering

Strawberries: blooming!

Peas: climbing!

Footings and roots

Where it goes in will be the porch/front door

What a great day! The sun was shining, there is now an outline of our house, and I got a bunch of work done in the garden.  I got over to the land today and was thrilled to see the red spray painted outlines of the house.  By the end of the day, there were rods in the ground and forms for the footings.
 
Great progress was made in the garden today too.  I went to the local garden/farm store to get some peat moss for my blueberry plants and couldn't resist all the plant starts they had.  I left with some strawberries (to replace the ones the bunnies got), some pumpkins, and onions starts.  I went back and spent a couple hours planting.  I am pleased to say I got them all planted - 8 new strawberry plants,  a couple pumpkin plants and about 30 onion starts.  I also planted some beans and pickling cucumbers that I bought a couple days ago.   Tomorrow I'm hoping to plant some potatoes.  In the mean time, take a peak at what grows in the garden:

strawberries

Peas, lettuce, beans -I ate my first pea pod today!

Outside the garden is growing too, look how high the hay is:

My boys are 4'4'', the hay is taller

15 Acres of our own

If you were following me over at Paper,Scissors,Ink you may remember this scrap page a while back:

In May our home sold and we are now beginning construction of our new home.  I don't think I will be done in the time I had hoped, but it is in the near future.  The reality of living on such a huge space is sinking in, and its a bit overwhelming.  What do I do with that much space?  How on earth do I take care of it?  Today the hay is about up to my chin, I have no farming experience so I'm not really sure what to do about that, but I guess I'll learn.  In the meantime, its still beautiful, hay and all.   I think I need a goat....or two.....or ten.
So here are some of the latest photos:

 

Excavation began Thursday, and foundation will be in this week!