Monday, April 18, 2016

Spring Sun brings the light of growth to the homestead.

Since meeting with Edwin and going over the details of the barn, John and I have been focused on prepping the land for it's arrival. This past weekend gave us the perfect weather to do what we could.

Saturday:
Saturday when John was at work, I drove out to the homestead.  We had loaded the Rav with a number of tools to help me in the first step of clearing the land.

I stopped for coffee and breakfast along the way, so when I got there I started right away.  With my big sun hat and battery powered weed eater, I started with clearing the tall grasses from last year.


Below is a photo of the stake and rock that designate where the center of the house will be... a robin was there to great me...


I decided to make the shady brush pile at the edge of the woods 'home base'... ie; the place where I would sit during breaks.  :-)


After an hour or so, things were coming along.... and I was enjoying how big and blue the sky is here...



Our water well, with the dry grasses... The vineyard from across the street borders the blue sky...


Progress...


Sunday:
Most Sundays John and I go out to the farm and tend to the alpacas needs.  We clean out the barn and pasture, move a few bales of hay, and sometimes do heard health.  We will do other property chores as needed as well.  That can involve chimney sweeping, tree trimming, log splitting, and moving any number of heavy items from one place to another.  We often then spend time talking with my parents around the kitchen table until it is time to go back to the city.  This past Sunday was different because we knew we were going back to the homestead after visiting the farm, so we kept it brief and motored on after smooching the pacas...

Here Pumba is sunbathing....


Seneca's nickname on the farm is,
"The One with the Dreamy Eyes"...


From the farm to the homestead is about a 45 minute drive...

This tree pile is made up of trees that were removed from the space where our house will be... it needs to be cut up and moved a bit farther from the build site.

We have plans for the wood...






After working with a chainsaw ... we went for ice cream...


Monday:
While I was at work, John went back out to the homestead to finish up the clearing...














Then he decided to check with Edwin on how the barn was coming along.  It will be done tomorrow night!  So at some point this week we will run out there after work and pay the balance.  Then we need to arrange delivery with a gentleman that Edwin recommended.  




So this week is going to be full and intense.  From runs out to the country to arranging the delivery of our first structure.  John and I are up for whatever this week will demand of us.  This will eventually be the shelter for the alpacas.  Until our house is built however, it will be our cabin in the woods.  We are looking forward to long weekends on the homestead.  Working during the day and relaxing around the bon fire at night.