Forms are in!

On Thursday and Friday of last week, the dump truck, three pickup trucks and a Bobcat showed up and drove down the driveway. We are finally starting this house!

They worked hard for hours measuring, laying string taught between stakes and pounding in the forms just right. Lots of discussion - and when they would stand together with the large houseplan and start gesturing, Skip would walk up there just to make sure we were part of the discussion. What a great deal to be out here as they are building. I would be going crazy in town wondering how things were going. The last thing they did before they left on Friday was to take the Bobcat and dig the trenches you see in the picture - we are assuming for the piers.

The plumber is supposed to show up on Monday - (even though it's a holiday - go figure) and the foundation poured either next Friday or the following Monday. And then our builder assures us, "things will start moving very quickly". Hmmmm

Everything else going great. The dogs are growing bigger than Ginger now. And give her a real run for the money. Recondo even jumped in the pond yesterday and retrieved the frisbee by swimming for the first time.

Vegetable garden is growing like crazy. Tomatoes look healthy. So do the peppers, and the corn is coming up. Beans are looking good, strawberries are sending out many shoots but no berries. Maybe later. I'm harvesting the cabbage and the onions. The broccoli and brussel sprouts were a bust. Rabbit got to them too early. I spread "DeerScram" which is supposed to ward away deer and rabbit. Smells like blood and dirt mixed. Yuck!

The sinks for the master bath came in along with the faucets we chose. They are beautiful! Made of tempered glass, they will sit on top of a granite counter and are called "vessel" sinks. And the faucet is a one-handled operation. Very easy and practical (and has an antique gold finish). Unusual but I still think trends with the "old world" look we are going for.

I painted our iron bed frame an antique "hammered" gold and it looks much better than the white it's been painted for years. And last week I picked up an old buffet I found on CraigsList and am hoping to cut a hole in the top and fit in the Mexican sink I bought on Ebay. Can't decide whether to leave it the vanilla color it's painted or antique it up a bit. Decisions, decisions!

More later. Love to all. Vaya con Dios

And have no idea what it is!

And the turtle stays inside his shell for at least 15 minutes. No pictures please! I finally had to kennel the dogs so he could get some peace.

Doggies find a turtle

Here's a closeup

Our blooming pasture

I think I just found my new screensaver!

We are moving dirt here, Folks!

Yes, it's true! The dozer showed up on Friday and "voila", we have a pad! Next week they will mark all the plumbing and put up the structure for the pad to be poured. We pulled the car up to the spot and just sat in there watching them doze away. It was so much fun - And after they were gone, we took the dogs up there and sat in our adirondack chairs with a glass of wine and just grinned at each other. :)

In the meantime, garden is growing great. I'm harvesting the last of the cabbage - only got one really good head - broccoli and brussel sprouts went to brer rabbit. Strawberries are sending out many legs but aren't producing much. Probably next year will be better for many of the permanent plants. Same story for the asparagus, just too early. Beans are just coming up along with summer squash, cantaloupe, watermelon and acorn squash. Tomatoes, basil and peppers are getting bigger. I'll be planting corn today.

Blackberries and grapes still look spindly. And not expecting any peaches this year. Maybe next.

Got some "Deer Scram" which is a pellet form, safe for our dogs, I can put around the garden to safely deter deer and rabbits. Hope it works. We are also planning to improve the fence and electrify it.

Chickens are fine. I think Mona Lisa is working her way up to two eggs a day. And the "mobile" pen is easy to pull around and change their location. They love that. Fresh grass to scratch. They both love it if I bring worms up from the garden. I hold them out and they suck it down like spaghetti - (which I have also made for them and they love) Too funny!

More later - love to all!!

Vaya con Dios!