Fall Garden

Our Fall garden is anxiously awaiting a bit more cool weather so it can really take off. This time around I've tried a few new things to see what will grow best in the front yard. So far we have: red cabbage, butternut squash, spinach mustard greens, leeks, broccoli, arugula, tomatoes and one bell pepper. And of course a whole lawn full of basil. (Please come take some before we mow it!) There are a bunch of tomato plants, though we only bought two. The rest pop right out of the compost, like the one happily growing beside the leek. Hopefully it will be a successful season!

What's growing in your fall garden?

Cabinet Caulking

Caulking our kitchen cabinets is one of those easy, DIY projects we should have done ages ago. There were some fairly large gaps that lead to the attic or in between the walls, and you know what will get through those cracks when the weather isn't pleasant. We unloaded everything inside, gave the shelves a good cleaning, and found a perfectly matching caulk at Home Depot. Travis sealed it all up, making our cabinets feel like new. Another benefit of the project: cleaning out the pantry and reorganizing it. There's certainly satisfaction in knowing everything that's in there, and hopefully it will spark a few new meals.

Rainy Day

Our rain barrel was nearing empty and the grass was heading for dead, so we were excited for a long day of rain. This lady didn't feel the same. She spent the day watching out the front door, ball in paw, hoping for a break so she could do a little squirrel chasing. We'll certainly make up for it with this new, crisp fall weather!

Front Window Makeover

After painting the front iron door we realized how bad the window next to it looked. Old white paint and rust everywhere didn't compliment our shiny new door too well. So this weekend we spent sanding and painting (among many other small projects). The final product looks much cleaner and makes the porch look a little more cohesive. Now if only we could paint the whole house in a weekend...

For 765 / 4

More inspiration from the For 765 Pinterest board!
We've been tossing around the idea of a deck from the back door for a long time, but it's certainly not on the priority list. I like the way the stair is built into the deck design and even saves a bit of space.
The washer and dryer is a little higher on the list. If we can't move it into the bathroom closet this might be another solution.
While the weather now certainly doesn't warrant dreaming of needing a fireplace it hasn't stopped me. This one would fit nicely into our existing one.

1. 2. 3.

Currently Reading

My current read right now is Trauma Farm: A Rebel History of Rural Life by Brian Brett. It's a book full of observations on farm life, both current and historical, the modern food system, and the joys and traumas on an endless day on the farm. While we are nowhere close to living on a farm, it's surprising how many of the stories we can relate to.  Most strikingly was this quote, where he talks about stumbling on a baby rat:

          "However, this was a blind baby, slow and lost, as if it had accidentally crawled out of the nest too early or someone, cat or dog or raccoon or mink, had murdered its mother and it was on a last, slow, desperate crawl for life. I knew I should kill it, but I didn't have the heart. I was reminded of Mike once shooting starlings in his cherry trees while simultaneously raising baby starling that had fallen out of a nest. He hated those starlings for their thievery and the damage they were doing to endangered songbird populations. Yet babies are different. Every creature deserves the chance to reach its prime. However, an adult pest is another story, and then it's ever bird or man for himself. I knew I'd bring this rat baby into the house, feed it, warm it by the fire, and then release it far away in the bush. Sharon would be annoyed at first, superficially, before she helped with great tenderness. 

       Sam, the border collie, came up behind me. She saw the baby rat and, before I could move, snatched it, killing it instantly. Then she tossed it up in the air as if it were a toy, caught it, and swallowed it whole, happily trotting off down the road again, while I stood alone in the bluing darkness, overwhelmed once more by the arbitrary casualness of death."

I laughed out loud while reading this, reread it, and then had to share with Travis - he chuckled too. The death of the rat is not comical - it was more so the fact that I'm sure the very same instance has or would happen at 765. While Travis and Juliet enjoy popping the starlings out of the chicken cage we haven't had a baby one make it inside the house. YET.