Did You Know?

The average hen lays 260 eggs per year! That would leave us with 780 eggs with our three ladies - that's alot of omelets! This adorable Farm Anatomy Dishtowel also came with a cute cheat sheet on a fresh vs. old egg. Helpful when you have a refrigerator bursting with them!
*Thanks M&D for the present*

April Garden

This Spring has been a busy one at 765. It hasn't allowed much time for projects around the house,  though we have managed to keep up with the garden. Back in February we planted rows of seeds and crossed our fingers the heavy rains and volatile temperatures wouldn't crush our garden dreams. Thanks to our potent compost, far more than what we planted actually sprouted. We have 25 tomato plants (where we'll find space for them all I'm not quite sure), one of which managed to last through the Winter and is giving us an early supply of fruit. So far it's looking to be a productive season.

A Girly Must-Have

There's little to nothing in 765 that screams 'girly'. Certainly there's a female touch - few men will make the effort of choosing a throw pillow - but pink and frilly is nowhere to be found. Way back in 2011 we put a hole in my closet wall to get to a bathroom pipe. Since the closet wall was terrible fake paneling that was crumbling at the touch we took that opportunity to replace it. Since then it's remained the fresh wood but slightly unfinished. With a little spare time Travis finished all the wood detailing and I took the chance to add a feminine touch. Extra white and grey paint from the cabinets covered the walls (and the floor after spilling the can...), a bit of fabric covered the shelf, and a couple extra hooks that were lying around became convenient additions.
Looking for my outfits in the morning has become a little more enjoyable. Now hopefully this will make me want to put my clothes back where they belong a little more often...

Preparing the Spring Garden

February is a slow month for projects at 765. Between work, travel, parades and the almost constant rain, there's little time or energy to sand the windows or work in the yard. (I think I said the same thing last year.) Last weekend we had a day of much needed sun which prompted the beginning of our Spring garden. We (Travis, me and the chickens) tilled up the dirt, added plenty of compost and created some rows for seeds. A few snow pea and tomato seedlings from the farmer's market are getting a head start in pots. But the best part of the garden right now? The strawberry plants. We may only get a couple at a time, but picking a strawberry when I get home from work is a welcomed treat.

Battling Drafts

The winters are cold and the summers are hot inside 765, but the character is unbeatable and it's cliche, but they just don't build them like they used to. The draftiness was meant to circulate the house and is the reason a leak will simply dry instead of mold. While insulating and lowering our energy bill sounds appealing, it's hard to change it, since it was supposed to be like this. So we're working on a happy medium.
While standing in the kitchen any gust of air came right inside. When it's 30 degrees outside even the gas oven has a hard time offsetting that. So we pulled out the wood and found where the draft was coming from: around the sink pipe and from under the house. Travis added a little bit of insulation, a good amount of spray foam around some big gaps, and added fresh new wood around it all. In the process the sink water hoses were replaced and Travis put his wood working skills to use making tongue and groove pieces for the cabinet.
Less draft and a fresh, clean space under the sink - a successful weekend project in my book.