2006-Feb-23 - Today......
What a busy day! Today was filled with lessons (a variety in nature :) work, chores and smiles! We got our schoolin' lessons done, extra chores for prep to sell the house. The real estate agent comes tomorrow.
We believe God has answered months of prayer...we are just seeing it. We're slow, sorry Lord. 
I won't go into details, suffice to say, we are going back HOME. 
Anyhew.....we got laundry soap made ( I made an extra batch so I could take a picture of it?!).....we made candles, cleaned house...and more work outside......
Marc is big into outdoor clean up because he gets to play fireman......
The property does look great all cleaned up though! Lots of pine needles and branches that have come down this Winter. That is about it for today...it's time to hit the hay! Have a great evening all! Lisa
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2006-Feb-23 - Homemade Heating Pads
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2006-Feb-20 - Todays outdoor chores :)
We've been working at tidying up the property.....here are some pics from today :)
That's it for today....it's time to call it a night! Lisa
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2006-Jan-22 - Butterfly Houses
This is another article I think is a super educational opp---the link to the original article is at the bottom—
My own side note here—a great place to get the butterfly (and others) kits is Insect Lore, I have purchased kits there—and they are NEAT J www.insectlore.com
Whenever you decide to look for a butterfly house for your flower garden, you first have to determine what it is you actually want. A search for butterfly houses will yield two different types. There is the type of butterfly house that contains butterflies and their nectar plants. These type of butterfly houses are actually structures created for the specific reason of providing a safe and enclosed space in which to study the butterflies.
It can vary from a playpen-size for individual study to a medium-sized net-drapped area to large green house-like structure for scientists' study. We even have large enclosures open for public viewing, education and delight. If you find this a delightful prospect to walk in a large "cage" with hundreds of butterflies surrounding you, consult your local museums and zoos for information. This being the information age, check online too.
As part of your children's, or your own, education, you may wish to raise some butterflies from caterpillar in a small butterfly house. Live butterfly kits are readily available and come with all you need to raise the caterpillar to a butterfly, usually a Painted Lady. Of course you may be able to collect the eggs from your own garden and raise them in your own home for your education and enjoyment. Please find a proper resource to guide you in this prospect if you should choose to do so.
You may also wish to create your own butterfly house of this type in your own flower garden. This can be done by means of mosquito netting drapped over an easily portable structure such as a light weight greenhouse structure or some type of tall stakes. Just surround whatever flowers are providing the nectar source at the present time. Don't forget the small puddles as water sources for the butterflies, too.
The second type of butterfly house is actually a hibernation box. It is usually a tall, 6 inch diameter box mounted on a post which is then set into your garden.
The front of the box has half inch slots through which the butterflies can enter the house. The front also swings open to allow you to place some twigs or, preferably, some rough bark within the house. This allows the butterflies a good gripping surface.
Place the box near some host plants for the type of butterflies in your area. This will provide incentive for the butterflies to lay eggs on the host plants in your flower garden in the spring.
The top of the butterfly house may be opened so you may observe the hibernating butterflies and record the numbers and types of your hibernating guests. If you are very lucky, on a warm winter's day, one of your guest may actually step out of the butterfly house. If this occurs, sugar water or home-grown flowers may keep it occupied until the day starts to cool. At which time, the butterfly will make its way back into the butterfly house in your flower garden.
© 2005, Sandra Dinkins-Wilson
http://www.pioneerthinking.com/sw_butterfly.html
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2006-Jan-22 - One of many Projects on the list :)
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Now is an ideal time to consider easy-to-construct outdoor features like a Western Red Cedar trellis. These elegant structures provide calming tranquility and dress up your front or backyard natural setting. Here are a few considerations to remember when enhancing your outdoor living space with a trellis, and resources where to receive free trellis information brochures: Site Selection Consider attaching the trellis to your home, using it to shelter a path between the main house and an outbuilding, or simply frame the view of another landscape feature. Remember, one of the greatest appeals of a trellis is its architecture – so make sure the site and size you choose is appropriate for its surroundings. |
(ARA) - Trellises have been adding character and elegance to outdoor living spaces for years. Better yet, these stylish wooden structures are practical projects that bring everyday elegance to your yard or garden – and can be built in a single weekend.Layout
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Take special care when deciding the proportions of foundational posts and overhead canopy. For instance, a set of 4-inch by 4-inch posts would be ideal with 2-inch by 6- inch overhead boards. Also, make sure the posts are vertically straight and even in height, and ensure the overhead canopy boards are level and evenly spaced in parallel to each other – attention to detail is essential here. |
Materials
There are a number of choices available, but one of the most popular building materials for trellises is Western Red Cedar.
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Many homeowners specify Western Red Cedar due to its all-natural look, pleasant aroma and character that blend nicely with the natural surroundings. And Western Red Cedar’s natural resistance to decay and insects has long been recognized. “Natural qualities of Western Red Cedar make it an excellent choice for a wide range of building projects both inside the home and outside the home – like trellises,” said Peter Lang, general manager of the Western Red Cedar Lumber Association. “Unlike plastic or imitation wood products, cedar is one of the most environmentally-friendly building materials you can use. It’s naturally durable without the need for chemical treatment, dimensionally stable, resilient and lightweight.” Western Red Cedar is also free of the pitch and resin found in other softwoods – a quality that makes it ideal for a wide range of finishes. Whether you choose a lightly tinted semi-transparent stain or a two-coat solid color finish, cedar ranks at the top in its ability to accept and retain a finish. Construction Tips Prior to digging your postholes, remove all rocks, plants or sod that inhabit the area. These items can be strategically added or relocated after the trellis has been built. Also, it’s paramount the posts be put solidly into the ground or secured to concrete footings. If you choose to put the post into the ground, the portion of the post that will below the ground should be treated with a preservative. Regardless whether you build or buy the concrete footings, the foundational posts must be level and true for the trellis to look correct. And be certain your posts are long enough to provide enough headroom once they are entered into place. Once the posts are in place, consider adding 2-inch x 12-inch x 12-inch square cedar post caps on top of each post. These post caps ensure the posts can handle the weight of the overhead canopy boards by dispersing the load more evenly, and it provides a nice finishing touch to the structure. However, you’re using Western Red Cedar to construct the trellis canopy, which is lightweight and has a fine, consistent grain making it easy to work with. Decorative Touches Consider adding decorative touches to all canopy board ends. To create a decorative end, perfect your design on construction paper then use it as a template to transfer your design to each board end. Cut, and then sand the edges to create a smooth finish. Be systematic and symmetric in applying this decorative design to each canopy board. The possibilities are endless here, but choosing decorative flair to complement both the surroundings and the architectural feel of your house will add to the appeal. As you’ll see, trellises can give any backyard some classical character as well as seasonal charm. A trellis can make a dramatic change to your outdoor living areas, and better yet, you can build it in just one weekend. |
http://www.pioneerthinking.com/ara-trellis.html
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