More Spring....

Spring has the tendency to bring out the 'pyro' in some of us country folks, especially when it is the designated way of taking care of last year's weeds and leaves in the area you live in.  I remember the springs in Waterflow.  You knew it was spring because of the spring burning.  It's actually a smell I like, I think because the smell does mean Spring to me, the season I love the most because, it means Winter is over, the season I hate!  You just have to choose a day when the breeze, not wind, is right and the burn index is low.  When you live in a place where the rainfall is more than 16 inches a year and the humidity is high, there are quite a few windows that qualify.  Right after we did the burn, it rained for a week.  The pasture and everything else is amazing!

We really don't go out of our front door that often, but today we did and saw these beautiful flowers coming from some vines that climbed the supports of the deck.  They are about 8 to 10 inches long.  These pictures show them just beginning to open up.  The buds they come from look a bit like pine cones!  These vines, by the way, are a total pain.  I pruned them like crazy last summer, Isaac pruned them again mid summer, Stan pruned them again in November.  They grow over into the oak trees that are close to the house, their viney little fingers groping until they come into contact with something they can overtake.  Overtake is NOT too harsh of a expression!  These vines were going to be chopped down here in another couple of weeks.  Well....they still might be....  Like I said overtake is what they do and undoing what they overtake is time consuming, very!  These may be the first and last time I see these beautiful blooms...in my own yard.

We found out that these trees are simply called "Red Buds".  I loved seeing the bright green leaves coming out at the top of the trees where they get the most sun.  We will probably keep a few of these trees, because they are beautiful, but not the 10 we have.  We are looking forward to fruit trees. 

Double ovens = faster.......

I think that Stan can vouch for me that I have never asked for many things in our married life...he just said Amen!  We had just bought a new oven a year ago last Thanksgiving in Idaho.  I really liked it.  But then in December, we went to visit Isaac and Heidi in Kentucky.  They had just bought a new oven, or should I say a new double oven.  I really, really liked it, and wished that my new oven was a double!  When we moved to Missouri, we had to leave our six month old oven behind.  I was kind of sad about that, but in the back of my mind I was saying, "Now I know what I really want, a double oven."  ....and I got it!  It makes making a double batch, the only kind I know how to bake, of cookies take only half the time!  Love it!

Hickens....as Zack would say.....

These are our chickens!  The bottom two pictures are the Delawares we got as chicks in February.  The company also sent an 'exotic', which is the black chick.  We have no idea what it is, but we like it!  They are all lovin' the warm weather!  As Stan plants the garden, he throws the weeds into the big coop.  They all think they have died and gone to chicken heaven when this happens.  There will be a few of them who DO die and go to chicken/rooster heaven soon.....

Spring forward....

Spring has definitely come to Missouri!  I love Forsythia bushes, the yellow flowering bush!  I have planted them in a couple of places back West, but they never did very well.  They do great here!  The daffodils are a little past their prime, but still beautiful.  There are a couple of pictures of miniature daffodils, they have multiple flowers and are really beautiful.  We have a lot of beautiful flowering trees.  However, if all they produce is flowers, they will be axed!  We want fruit trees, which, by the way, we ordered a bunch yesterday.  Of course that will be a blog all by itself.  Putting them in the ground will be a project, the ground is rocky!  I love the flowers of spring.  The earth is awakening!

Movin' on......

I LOVE my new kitchen.  Stan told me that since I was the one working outside the home, whatever I wanted done first, he would do.  I HATED  the old kitchen, it was really quite gross!  Now look at it!  He will finish the side that faces the dining room with the wainscoting.  The walls above the cabinets will be an extension of the light yellow from the laundry area.  No more pictures until the finishing touches are put up!

A little closer...

Here's the progress.  I can hardly wait!

THIS is what happens when....

....you are doing remodeling, you have piles everywhere, because all of the places you were putting things, are being deconstructed.  You may notice the film of wall dust on the leather couches.  Yeah, it'll be nice to have it all done and cleaned up!  These pictures were taken at 1 AM on Monday morning.  We are trying to keep me on a little bit of the same schedule so that going back to work Tuesday night won't be so hard on me.

I must explain the old countertops.  This is a picture of what they looked like.  Now the explanation!  Whoever lived here before wanted, I'm sure, some nicer looking countertops. Sooooo, they did some moj poj.  I'm not kidding.  They used a sponge with several different colors, then they did the clear top coat that you use on moj poj.  You can see the brush strokes and everything!  The countertops were always sticky.  It was truly gross.  Where they had spilled boiling water, or put something hot on top, the moj poj had melted into a wavey something.  Anyway, it was just pretty gross.  Hence, Stan and I decided I needed a new kitchen when Lowe's had a promotion of 18 months 0% interest, if paid on time.  That is how we got our nice kitchen in Idaho.  We have an enclosed trailer we used to move, which we are selling, which will cover a good part of the cost.  Stan is doing a great job and when I come home from work and see what he has done...well, let's just say I'm delighted.  Our marriage has survived several deconstruction, remodels.  I think it will last!

Two new peeps...

These are the two chicks we hatched from our own chickens and rooster.  They are from Barred Rock chickens and a Blue Orpington rooster.  They are cute little things!

Now the OTHER side of the kitchen....

So, here is the progression of the other side of the kitchen.  Doing remodels is a very dirty process and there is nothing you can do about it.  Stan does a great job of cleaning up one part of the project before he starts the next.  I guess if he didn't, it would all be a huge pile and he wouldn't even be able to get around in it!  We are really pleased with the results so far.  We have picked up the counter tops, so Monday, the bottom cabinets should be in!  SOOOOO excited!!