Saturday At The Homestead

The sun is shinning with a slight breeze this Saturday. The windows are open & Laken & I have cleaned the homestead.


Lucas has mowed the back yard & trimmed around the rock bed's. The smell of fresh grass in the air. Finally the grass is growing where the old pond was. After the second seeding of grass seed. After the first time of seeding last fall hubby's dog dug up the area and rolled in the straw. Lucas put metal fence posts around the area & put wire around it to keep the dog out. Again this spring I had to reseed it.

Duck's & Chicken's are roaming the grounds.


Sam is caring for the little flock.

The four legged barking monster is tied at his two story dog house beside the neighbors two dog kennels for now. Only until hubby finishes mowing the front lot of the homestead then he will let the monster loose. The barking is non stop and is dose not help the neighbors two dogs are barking right along with hubby's dog. This is the area of the homestead I rarely visit. It dose not appeal to me. I am happy inside the rock bed's. I am thinking this would be a wonderful day for a cookout. I hope you all are having a lovely Saturday. I have another prayer request. My Lucas has an unspoken need. May Our Lord grant this request & may Our Lord shine down on you all with answered prayer's for your needs. Amen.

Blessing's Til Next Time!
Lara

Far From Happy / Help

The day started out to be quite lovely. I went for a long walk and enjoyed the breeze and sunshine. Later after lunch and hubby off to work I worked in the yard digging up dandelions. Oh how those yellow flowers take over. I filled three walmart bags full. If they are outside the rock beds I don't bother with them but inside the rock bed I remove them then spray. I took another walk in the woods looking for some not so thick flat rocks to put around the pond. I was in luck I found four. I dug out the dirt & layed the rocks. I am on my way to having stepping stones around the pond. In between the rocks I plan to plant violas. I have them planted in a mini greenhouse. They are just starting to sprout. The boys arrived home from school & I took Lucas to the church to do the mowing. He now has two jobs. Yay! When I returned home I cleaned the kitchen. The tarts in the warmers needed changed. As I was removing the old wax I looked out the window and saw hubby's dog around the pond. I knocked on the window and said no. I thought he was going to get a drink. It was to late he jumped into my fish pond. I grabbed the camera and got this shot of him trying to get out. Well he could not get himself out. I had to go drag him out of the fish pond. I called my hubby at work and told him what his dog had just done. He laughed and said he would have to have a talk with him when he gets home. He told me I should have shown his dog his own swimming pool and told me he was probably hot. I was far from happy. In the three years since my hubby's oldest son dumped this dog here it has killed many shrubs dug holes in my flower beds and gotten into my first fish pond and ate my fish. I moved that pond and he did it again. He knocked the rocks around the fish pond into the pond and dug up all my flowers I planted around the pond. They were flowers I put alto of TLC into growing myself from seeds. Hubby would not believe his precious lab would do something like this. Well this time I have a picture. Again I am far from happy. This dog gets treated better than the kids and I and never dose no wrong. I have been working on this yard for fifteen years. I have carried rocks from near and far. I have planted every year. After the dog came hubby insisted I needed to remove rocks to make openings for his dog. There are now five openings. I need to find something to put around the outside of the rocks and the openings that will deter the dog from entering into this yard. Something my hubby can not see or smell. I had the dogs two story dog house moved from inside this yard two summers ago and added the gazebo. The dog thinks the gazebo is his personal home. He has scratched the floor of the gazebo. I want to scream. The dog has his own pool and lots of open ground to roam and dig holes. Yesterday hubby set up the dogs pool before he left for work. The ugly purple dinosaur pool is set up in the area I want to put a potting shed and garden boxes. Not a pretty view from the dining room windows. I know why the neighbor added an electric fence around his box garden. TO KEEP THE DOG OUT OF IT. No one wants to have their garden trampled and dug up let alone their veggies pee'd on. Hubby is now worried his dog will get shocked by it. Well an electric fence is not an option for me. For that matter no fence is an option for me. I put much of my time into making the homestead grounds beautiful only to have this monster tear it up and dig it up and kill what I have planted. Got any ideas? How can I keep this monster outside of the rock beds? HELP!


Blessings Til Next Time!
Lara

Plants Around The Pond / This & That

I just could not wait. I had to get outside & start planting around the pond this week. I so enjoyed myself.

I have been excited about planting around the new pond since it was finished last fall. I moved the bleeding heart plants & stella de Oro Daylilys from the flowerbed behind the gazebo. I moved the birdbath from behind the gazebo to. I like it better behind the pond. I purchased two Scarlett O'Hara Pieris shrubs & four Fort Hill Creeping Phlox to plant around the pond. I am tickled with how it is looking. I plan to put flat rocks between the flowers for stepping stones. This pond is much bigger than the last one & it has two shelves in the corners. Now I can have water lilies this summer. I had planned on adding our waterfall to the pond but after all the digging last summer & finding so many large rocks I decided to add plants instead. We need to make a trip to the woods for more rocks soon. I can never have to many rocks.

The little magnolia tree I planted last summer was full of beautiful blooms this week. Twice I have spotted a humming bird stopping by. I planted it for privacy on one side of the gazebo. I wish it would grow faster. I got the onions in & the peas have started to grow. The rain water has been good for them. I am going to plant green beans as soon as all danger of frost is over.



I was shocked when I went out to the gazebo one day last week. The neighbor trimmed his tree leaving alot of open space & little privacy. I moved all my lilies back to the flower bed along the house. I am thinking I might just plant zebra grass in the flower bed behind the gazebo to close it in for privacy.

My bowl rack I purchased from Carol at Firecracker Kid is now filled. I wanted two more bowls to fill the top rack & I finally found two the same size. I also got the wood scones from Carol. I have a link in my side bar for the Firecracker Kid blog. It is worth the visit. Many wonderful wood pieces perfect for your homestead.

I have been working on tags for my creations. I will be putting them on the items I have at the shop & all the new items I will be adding. The tags have my blog address on them. I am hoping when an item is purchased at the shop that the customer will look me up for future purchases for other items that will not be going to the shop.

The chickens are roaming freely about the homestead grounds with the ducks. I never had chickens before. I have been very surprised at how fast they grow & how friendly they are. As I worked in the flower beds they all just followed me about. Sam & I visited a local farmer Monday night looking for silky chicks. It so happened the farmer has a silky chicken sitting on a nest now. We plan to stop back in a few weeks to pick up two chicks to add to the flock. So this is what I have been up to lately when it is now pouring down the rain. Now that the rain has stopped I will be going for a walk.

Blessings Til Next Time!
Lara

Flooded Yard / Move In Day For The Chickens

The rain came down all day Saturday & the yard started to flood as I watched from the window's & took these picture's from the window's. It was the first day of fishing season here but the water ways were flooded. Road's were closed due to the flooding in area's. Sam missed out on fishing this past weekend. I did not miss cleaning trout. Lucas started his first day of on the job training Saturday & Laken made her way to Gettysburg. Taking longer due to some flooded road's.




The chicken's enjoyed the day in the chicken run. They are getting to big for the chicken brooder. Good thing it was a nice clear day today. I finished staining the chicken coop. I added a rabbit feeder to the large door. I added some glass board that was left over from a shower wall. This will make it much easier to keep the floor clean. The large door is the perfect size & heigth for backing my little garden dump wagon right up to it when I will need to change the shaving's. The chicken poo & shaving's will go right into my garden's for fertilizer.

I added a nice thick layer of pine shavings to the floor & the nesting boxes & hung the old chicken warter I got at a public sale week's ago. Now the coop is ready for our chicken's. Off I went to gather them one by one to introduce them to their new home.

Our five hen's & one rooster are happily scratching about their new home tonight. After I took this picture I secured the doors to the chicken coop & I assume the Chickie's are sleeping by now as I type. Now to count the day's til our girl's start laying those wonderful egg's. My egg gathering basket is ready. It is calling for rain tomorrow but I am hoping it will hold off until I get the onion's in the garden. The boy's will be home early & Lucas will need to get to work soon after they get home. So my taxi service will be running at full force. For now my bed is calling me. A little reading before I shut my eye's. I am reading 40 Days with Jesus Celebrating His Presence. 40 short message's for each day to read & ponder as my heart grow's closer to my Savior as I spend time in His word.

Blessing's Til Next Time!
Lara

Almost All Stained

I took the tarps off the chicken coop to get ready to stain again today.

I set out to finish staining the chicken coop but I did not finish it. I took this picture before I started. I did get the roof done & the side. Next nice day I will finish this end. I have some work I want to do to the inside yet before the chickens are moved in to their new home. The chickens spent the day in the chicken run today while I worked. They seem to know their own name when spoken to. Yes I know they were not going to get names. LOL.

The tulips really showed off today in all the wonderful sunshine. Their blooms were wide open bringing a smile to my face. I opened the packets of peas seeds & planted them. I still have some area left to plant more so I think I will pick up another pack of pea seeds. No time to get the onions in. The boys arrived home from school. So it was time to get them something to eat. I think tonight will be an early bedtime for I am really tired.

Blessings Til Next Time!
Lara

My New Treasure

I found this lap desk that needed some repairs. I planned on repairing it & painting it black. After putting it in the dinning room I discovered it was the same color as the barn sink. I decided to keep it the color it is. For now the center panel is glued back into the frame of the desk lid.

My barn sink is in front of the fireplace on Pap's wood chest. Sprint flower's are in the old crock & my sheep are amongst the flower's.

I woke to rain dancing on the tin roof early today. I love that sound. It is so easy to just stay in bed & sleep. Oh but I had to get the boy's up & drive them to their bus stop. Not much going on today at the homestead with all the rain. The chickens were put in the run for a few hours. I hope tomorrow will be rain free so I can finish staining the chicken coop. I have pea's & onion's to get in the garden. I should be able to get all this done if the rain holds off.

Lucas is at work & Sam & I will be going to pick him up after his shift end's. Laken came back home today so the kid's & I will all be home tonight.

Please continue to join in prayer for the fellow blogger I requested prayer for in my last post.

Blessings Til Next Time!
Lara

Colorful Blooms

The garden is waking from a very long winters sleep with colorful blooms & sound of trickling water in the pond with swimming fish enjoying the sunshine as they feed. I have waited for months to see my beautiful yellow & red jewels bloom from the bulbs I planted last fall. The grass is green again & the snow fountain cherry trees are budding. I love to see Gods beauty come to life in the garden. I have started Pansy & Viola seedlings in a little greenhouse tray to plant around the pond. Now to count the days.



Yesterday was a beautiful warm day sun shinning bright with birds singing in the trees. As the chickens scratched & pecked in the chicken run the ducks roamed freely on the homestead grounds. I cleaned out the kitty house, duck house & our little dogs house. Their spring cleaning is done & all have fresh bedding to snuggle down in. I started to stain the chickens little coop. I only got one side of the roof done & two sides stained before the dark clouds moved in over head & the wind began to blow. The stain was not completely dry so I covered the chicken coop with tarps. Good thing I did because it spit the rain down fast but short. Today it continued to rain off & on. Come back sunshine I need to finish staining the chicken coop. Oh but April showers bring May flowers.

A thought to ponder:

We never know what tomorrow will bring or if it will come at all. Always look at the glass as being half full & not half empty. It tends to remind us there is always something to be thankful for. Never let kind words unsaid because you may never have another chance to say them again.

Please join me in lifting prayers for a fellow blogger & her family in the days to come. This family has lost a loved one & will need continued prayers.

Blessings Til next Time!
Lara

Photo Shoot At The Shop

Today I made a trip to the shop where I sale my Colonial Homestead Creation's. In front of the store on the street was this old wonderful pumpkin wagon & chicken crate. I would have loved to have taken them both home with me. I bet you would have too.

The first time I saw this shop the items on the street were what caught my eye. I never noticed the shop before. I am so glad I found the shop & went in to browse. On my second visit while talking to one of the shop owners was how I come to selling my creation's there.

The shop was busy but Huston the shop owner told us to feel free to take pictures of my creations displayed in the shop for my other blog. To see many more pictures of my creation's & the shop please visit my Colonial Homestead Creations Blog. http://colonialhomesteadcreations.blogspot.com or to make it easier use the link to the shop for my creations in my side bar. I will be making & adding hang tags with my blog link & email address to my creation's soon. Sam & I will put them on my creations next visit. Until then I have to work on some new creation's for the next special event at the shop.. It was a fun day for Sam & I. He is my helper & always willing to help. Laken & Lucas were out & about with friends. The chickens are bedding down for the night so Sam & I will also be settling in. Before long we will be getting up with the chickens. I am pretty sure we have one rooster in our little flock. When will he first crow? We wonder! Good Nite All.

Blessings Til Next Time!
Lara

Chickens * Paint * Shop Event

The baby chicks sure have grown much faster than I guessed they would. Today is the first they were out in the dirt to scratch & enjoy the fresh air.

Sam's little dog watched over the baby chickens while I cleaned their brooder. He kept the cats away. I am wondering if Ollie's suitor's will soon stop visiting. Ollie's is still in her fenced home.

The boards were finally cut & nailed to the door. Now it was time to decide weather to stain or paint. The doors in my Pap & Grams house were made like this. Gram wanted to change them but Pap did not want to because he made them. Then years later I cover doors to make them look like theirs. Their house is being remodeled by the new owner. I have not been in it since after their passing. I hope they keep the doors as they were.

I decided on paint for the doors. This door will be finished once the holes are enlarged for the new door knob & it is installed. Then on to the next one. Taking a break from it for now. My last test results came back ok. I took Lucas to the doctor today for his work permit. The doctor heard me coughing & listened to my lungs. I ended up with meds before I came home. He told me if I did not get on meds right away it would be a case of pneumonia. I have not felt well for three weeks but never gave it a thought. Laken started her new job today. After she goes to work tomorrow & the boys get home off we will be going to buy Lucas pants for work. The job supplies shirts but he has to have black twill pants & black sneakers. So glad he already has the black sneakers. Look's like Sam & I will have alot of alone time to enjoy. He is a big fan of Yahtzee.

Clear your schedule & take a trip to an old historic town for an all day event. If you like antiques & prims you will not want to miss it. To find out more visit http://colonialhomesteadcreations.blogspot.com While there be sure & visit The Birds Nest Farm The Shoppe where my creations are offered. You can use the shop link in my side bar to get there also.

A thought to ponder:

To Be In Your Children's Memories Tomorrow, You Must Be In Their Lives Today

Blessings Til Next Time!
Lara

Visit The Shoppe Located In Bedford PA

I thought you might like to see the shoppe my creations are being offered at. You can use the Colonial Homestead Creation's link in my side bar to get there from here. If you would like to keep updated of my newest creations & the special events at the shoppe be sure & become a follower of my Colonial Homestead Creation's blog. There will be a link on that blog to see more of the shoppe & it's history. There you will find the hours of business & directions if ever you are in the area and would like to visit. The next up coming event at the shoppe will be May 28th 2011. I will be posting about the event on my Colonial Homestead Creation's blog in the near future. Next trip to the shoppe I want to take pictures of my creation's as they are displayed for the customer's to browse.

Blessings Til Next Time!
Lara