Back creek running.

Yesterday, I started in on the kitchen.  I started cutting the hardiboard to lay over the formica.  I had to trim the edges of the counter first.  No easy task.  I tried my new multitool that has a vibrating blade. It is not very fast and it can still cut into the cabinets.  I ended up using my sawzall and then going over the edge with the multitool and then sanding the edge.  Unfortunately, I noticed that the formica was coming up on the edge nearest the wall.  I pried it up a little and ended up getting a two foot section.  I had to peel the whole thing off the countertop.  I then cut and recut and recut the hardiboard to fit perfectly.  When Annmarie came home she asked me if I had noticed the back creek was running.  I had not.  It is warming up above freezing and has been raining for two days straight. 

This means I need to go lift the fences out of the creek.  I went to the upper crossing and found a large weed pile that should have been burned.  I did not know it was there.  Instead, I dug it out all by hand and cleared the obstruction then lifted the fence.  I got the other two crossings then we went out to the barn to feed.  The babies were ready to be banded and tagged.  Annmarie caught lambs and I tagged and banded.  She never wants to inflict pain and enjoys the snuggles before I torture them.  We are now using two rubber bands every time we band the testicles.  I check after I have banded and make sure there are TWO testicles.  Once that was done we let the two mommas and five babies out into the main herd. 

I knew there was one more fence crossing down below the house about half way to the school house but it was dark by then and I figured I would get it in the morning.  So we went back inside, I cooked all our food on the grill (this will be a theme) and then we laid out the counter tiles to see how they would look.  I will need to trim about 1 inch off the back and one side to get them to lay perfectly.  They look great. 

I started in on the kitchen yesterday. I bought this screen system and installed it. The cool part is I was able to install a zipper into the plastic. It’s very cool.  I emptied all the kitchen counters and started doing a thorough inspection and layout of the plan.  As with all remodels, I hit a road  bump early.  The kitchen sink is old probably from the fifties and there is no good way to reuse it when I raise the sink on top of the granite tiles.  So, another $500 for a new kitchen sink.  We found one that would fit the same hole and is three inches deeper.  We have the room underneath the cabinet so went with a deeper sink since we don’t have enough room for a double sink. There is always something you don’t think about.  I did buy lots of tools this time so that should not be a problem! I still need to set up the tile cutting area on the breezeporch.  I am going to make a plastic walled room with four more of those fancy poles and put my tile saw in the middle so I can cut tile inside the house. 

It has been cold for last week but is now starting to warm up.  We will have to start watching the back creek.  I always forget how slow remodels are.  I gave Annmarie a 3 week estimate and she always doubles my estimates.  We are cooking on the grill and microwave and eating on our laps in the living room.  Not ideal, so the race is on to get it done!

Fancy plastic wall with zipper door.

Left side of kitchen.

Right side of kitchen.

I think they know a bad launching point when they see one.

All that’s left after my burn last night.

I went out to check on my fire.  It was totally out.  I spent about 45 minutes raking and piling the missed and half burnt wood into another pile.  I tried to light it with a few newspapers but it did not go.  It never wants to burn when you want it to. Annmarie told me the butcher would be a little late so I went in and had some breakfast.  Coffee had come out with me in a travel mug so I was caffeinated already.  The cows knew something was up but the two little girls only ate about 1/3 the feed these two pigs had been eating.  When I went in for breakfast I grabbed some of the extra egg cartons I had lying around and used them to start my fire.  They worked great!  I had to feed the fire for about 15 minutes to get it to really take off but it was going good when I went inside. 

The butcher was his usual efficient self.  I am always amazed how quick and easy he makes it.  We had a great conversation about life, work ethic, animal breeding, carcass grading and children.  It is always a pleasure to see and visit with him.  I saved the organs from the cows for a coworker’s dogs.  He feeds them raw meat and I don’t want anything to go to waste that can be used.  The truck did not want to go it was sliding on the surface of the snow and mud.  I had to go get the tractor and put a scoop of gravel in front of each rear drive tire so he could get started and get on his way.  Glad I had just gotten that gravel!  One of the cows was a bull!  Everyone gets TWO rubber bands on their gonads when they are banded.  We had banded him and he had no scrotum.  So I am not sure what really happened other than he was not castrated.  Learning curves are steep for some things. 

After I picked up around the edges I am ready for another fire!

Horses by firelight, curious about where the light was emanating.

Fire, finally I was able to burn one of the old wood piles.

I had to sort the cows so the butcher could finally come get the two big boys.  It was a three month wait and I was unable to move the date.  So we had to feed the boys for the last two months.  They eat a lot of food.  Zeke is getting much better with the cows.  He jumps up and grabs them by the horns.  I am not sure why the horns and not the tail, but as long as he moves the cows I don’t care how he does it.  We always have issues about whether Zeke should go left.  The dumb dog is right handed and always wants to go to the right when cornering or turning animals.  I don’t understand it.  We have to have words every time.  It took less than 10 minutes to sort the boys from the two girls and get them both in the square pen.  Pretty dang good for a greenhorn and his dog.  It is amazing to me how much I can do alone with the dog.  There is no way I could have done that alone.  Not with three hours could I have done it.  Zeke has cemented us always having a working dog while we have animals. 

I took the opportunity to light the old wood pile in the barn light on fire.  It was cold, no wind and snow all over all the buildings and ground.  No issues with stray fires starting up.  In five hours it was down to a small ember fire.  This morning it was all out.  That old wood just burns really hot and fast.  I am leaving the huge pile on the hillside for later.  I keep getting people that want to come out and scrounge through and salvage from it.  If anyone can get some use out of it I don’t want to burn it.  I had three different people pass over the pile in the barn lot.  It was good for entertainment value only. 



It is kinda eye catching.

Our Christmas babies out and about, they are ready for ear tags and banding.

It is the year of the cow!  We will be having two cows slaughtered in days and three new babies in early spring and two heifers will be introduced to bull at that time.  I will also be rebuilding our cow sorting pen system.  I am going to make the chute narrower, longer and add in two more smaller square pens off of our existing pen.  I will also be installing all metal gates that swing and operate properly. After that it should not be too hard to sort the cows.  We are at 50% of our heifer goal already.  It may take another 3-4 years to get the rest of the way, but when the cows don’t cost anything but time it is hard to argue with progress.  Two of the original heifers have lost their ear tags.  I need to order some bigger tags and retag them.  The tags I ordered are a little small and hard to read.  One of the new little 6 month old heifers has already torn hers out.  I have no idea how she did it. 

Annmarie and I are talking about a honey bee hive again.  We like the idea and if it could live in the barn even better.  I may even be able to build a little insulated room up on the walkway.  The bees will generate some heat and a insulated room may just be the ticket to keep them warm.  I could even put in a solar exhaust fan for the summer!  Still discussing this option.  My plate is already pretty full not sure I will have time for this.  If our wild hive is still alive in the spring we will put it off another year. 

I have a list of chores on my phone for this year.  It’s up to 15 items already.  I will post it mostly for humor as I am not very good about staying on task.  We will see how many of them I actually get done. 
1.  Level old house.
2.  Fix leak in barn roof.  use lots of silicone caulk.
3.  Put flood lights on chicken coop directed at skinning pole add switch and light to chicken feed storage area.
4.  Tile kitchen counters.
5.  Tile kitchen backsplash.
6.  Finish off kitchen window trim.
7.  Install downdraft vent fan in kitchen.
8. Tile top of shower.
9.  Install front yard fence.
10.  Plant orchard grass.
11.  Repair pump electrical conduit.
12.  Fix irrigation pump.
13.  Buttress under house, dining room floor before installing tile. (2016 for sure)
14.  Move river rock to back corner of house near heat pump to slow down erosion.
15.  Make Dam in back barn lot with old concrete pieces from up on top of hill. 
16.  Break out concrete walkway near heat pump that tree is displacing. 
17.  Plant sainfoin test plot.
18.  Fix retractable orchard waterer.