Would You Say I Have A Plethora of Pumpkins?

I had so much fun with my pumpkin patch this year!

It started off as a good way to keep weeds from growing on my West facing hillside, and it worked well. The real bonus was watching the chickens hunt for bugs in it, watching them grow, and giving them away.

I had so many pumpkins this year, I decorated the gym at the Stake center for a dance with them. The best part was the clean-up, after the dance I had the kids all take one or more home with them! Neighbors got pumpkins, all my Beehive girls got pumpkins, family got pumpkins, and even the FedEx lady got pumpkins for her and her grand kids!

I had some help from Lydia and her family. They came over and helped me clip and move some of the pumpkins off the hill. Later Lydia and mom helped me clean all the vines and chuck them over to the goat pen.( I'ts a huge bonus having goats, they eat all the garden scraps that the chickens aren't interested in!)

 Owen and Lylian picked out their favorites.

It was a lot of work moving all these pumpkins! I later used the 4 wheeler and trailer to get them all off the hillside. It made the work go quick, it still took several trailers full to move them all.

Since we had the whole Lawson family together...why not get a few family shots?

Pretty cute! I love how Olive just worked her way in there. Such a good lookin' family! I LOVE that they live so close to us now. We have lots of good times in store.

Picnic Table

I have so many memories of growing up on the farm in Paul. When I think of my childhood, that's where my thoughts take me. We could play outside all day and mom didn't have to worry about us. We would play in our sand box that grandpa Calvin built, or the playhouse that dad built us. Mostly I remember riding motorbikes, shooting our BB guns and our siblings were our best friends. We were tired and dirty by the end of the day, as it should be with kids. I also remember eating many outdoor meals on our big picnic table. It sat under the shade of our weeping willow tree. I bet everyone of my cousins at some point have eaten at this table.

I don't know how it happened that I now possess this very same picnic table. It was at home with grandpa Virgil in Shoshone for years, while my family gypsied around the country. I am so grateful it stayed in the family. We use it all the time at the Villa. It must be about 30 years old! It is showing some signs of wear. A few dings here and there, but it is as sturdy as ever. I decided it needed a little lovin'..

The boys are so quick to lend me a hand they got to it before I could get a proper "Before" picture. You can see how 30 years in the sun has dulled the finish. It just needed some fresh paint.

I love this oiled bronze color.

Six cans of spray paint and several coats later... I think this table is ready for it's next party!

I wonder if this table will bring back good memories for the next generation? I can't see why it wouldn't be around for another 30 years. One of my grand kids will probably end up with it.

That makes me smile.

This is my cute little nephew Richard Robert. He loves being ouside in overalls.

The Last of the Flooring Projects

This project was a doozy, not because it was hard or even that expensive; but because it took several months to complete and all the while we had to live in a bit of a mess. That's not easy for me to do!  (I have issues with waiting and messes) 

First we had to clear everything out of the basement. Remove all doors, tape the walls and worst of all... Skye's room had to be moved upstairs. Yuck!

The basement floor had many problems that needed fixed before beautification. We had to make it level, fill in drain holes, and patch the concrete. Before we could do any of those things we had to sand and clean the floor.

It's never all work and no play here at the Villa, but sometimes the line does get blurred a bit.

In the middle of the clean-up, Skye decided it was high time for Jon to get his crash course lesson in rideing. It only took one lesson! Jon is a fast learner and Skye is a great teacher.

Look at that focus! Jon was cruising around the Villa in no time.

I definately see a smile. I'm so glad because Jon may not know it yet, but he has lots of rideing trips to go on with the Shore family.

Now back to work/play. (See, there is a thin line between the two.) Arron and Skye leveling, patching and filling holes.

Remember, all this took time. Time to cure. Time to dry. Finally, we got to the cool part. Staining and epoxy coat. First re-tapeing all the walls.

Time for a break.

Pizza.

 Never ever have extra help on a project without feeding them!

I'm not sure if Laiken and Jon come out to help us because they enjoy it or because they know they'll get fed. Maybe it's a little of both?

 I never said the food had to be fancy!

Time to squeeze in another lesson from Skye.

How To Unicycle.

Back to work/play. Adding the etching stain.

Now tell me, what woman would'nt want to come downstairs to find this?

After much waiting again. Waiting to dry. Waiting to cure. We got this.

A Tickle to My Green Thumb

The best way to kick off Spring is with Spring planting. Why not plant a statement piece? I love going to Nurseries, and will go any chance I get. Lately, mom and I have been going to Du-Rite because they are so knowledgeable.

With such a large space and starting basically from scratch, I think it's best to ease into and savor the landscaping of my yard. Our first project is the front bed. After pulling away the grass and amending the soil with compost, I had to make some decisions. What to plant?

This is my east facing flower bed so I wanted to do some fun shade loving/tolerant plants.
Azaleas, Columbine etc. But what about my statement piece?

We need an evergreen in the front yard, badly. After a bare, dreary winter I know we will appreciate an evergreen. Nothing that will get huge, especially up close to the house.
 After spending some time looking around, doing some window shopping,  it's been decided were getting a Pom-Pom tree. Yep, one of those old lady, 70's trees. Surprised? Me too. I distinctly remember dis-liking these trees. I can only explain it by saying my palate for plants has matured.

 It's a good thing I took Arron with me to Du-Rite Nursery that day. He insisted on the big Pom-Pom tree. I would have spent half as much on a tree half the size. I'm so glad he talked me out of saving money to get the one that was right for the space. See, these trees won't get taller because of the way they have to be pruned to keep their shape. It pays to be in good company!

There was nothing left to do but get it home and get it in the ground.

It was pretty heavy. I'm sure you noticed a fork-lift placed it into the back of the truck. No worries Skye was home, so let's begin.

They only slightly dented Arron's brand new tailgate.
Oops! Arron was not happy about that.
Dag gunnit!

I think it was worth it. Don't you? No pain, no gain, and all that.

We will do curbing when we do the front walkway and stoop. I also have rock picked out to cover the dirt.
 (Covering the dirt is my new obsession)

I snuck in a Magnolia tree. I got the plantin' bug. "Try and stop me, O someone please, just try and stop me."
 -Katherine Hepburn in Holiday
(love her!)

The Shed

The trouble with organizing a thing is that pretty soon folks get to paying more attention to the organization than to what they're organized for.” 

-Laura Ingalls Wilder

Arron is off to build a shed and get organized!

This is the building site.

These are the materials.

Now get crackin'

Laiken sure loves her dad.
 She drove all the way out to the Villa so she could give him a hand.

Once they got going, it all went up pretty fast.

It was still cold out when the shed was built.
We wanted to have it up before Spring.

Jon came to help put up siding.

We installed windows that were purchased off Craigs List.

Because building something from scratch, and from the ground up, is sooo easy, Arron made his own trusses.

(seriously, if only the Villa could have been this easy!)

I married a Trophy Husband!

He is so Awesome!

Taking a pizza break, after putting on the sheeting for the roof.

Saw horses and plywood make the best dinner tables.

After the roof is covered with tar paper, Laiken and Jon cut the metal roofing.

Arron waits for each piece.

Then screws it down.

Arron built the swing doors.

Skye clocked some hours in after school.

The total project took less than 80 hours.

Here it is complete with cupola!

I told Arron that was not negotiable.

I can't wait to get a weathervane on top!

The shed still needs painted and I have some fun landscapeing ideas, but there's no need to wait to get settled in.  I have a basement that needs emptied!

Here's moving day.

I no longer store tools, extension cords, lawn care items, trim, paint, paint sprayers, air compressors, motorcycle parts, lawn furniture, tarps, chain saws, ladders, canning equipment, ski gear, camping gear or Christmas decorations in my house! 

Hallelujah!  Holy shit! Where's the Tylenol?

We built the shed 12X16 and extra tall so it would get us by until we build our big shop.  We even have room inside for two of our street bikes!

Arron was trying to roll up a tarp to store on a shelf in the shed but Olive wouldn't get off so she got packed up too.

A Poodle burrito.

We are so happy with our shed.

Arron did a great job!

We are now looking forward to finishing up our basement.

One project at a time, the Villa is coming along nicely.

I really do love it here.