The evenings and night time have a bit of a bite these days, and there's a woodsmoke flavor in the air. Autumn is coming, and, as always, change is in the air. There has been a lot going on in our corner of the world, and here's some of it.
Allan has started work this week as an employee of the US Government at Keyport, Washington, just 8 minutes away. There are mixed feelings, but mostly relief on my end. We have learned some valuable lessons in the past 6 months of Allan's unemployment, and some important home chores have happened during that time, like an overhauled garage and exterior house painting.
Another blessing has been the birth of a new grandchild, Clayton Seeley Edmondson last week. He is healthy and seems happy to be in his lively family.
The garden has been growing well. I did a few experiments this year, like growing potatoes in plastic garbage cans (not a huge success, but we have lots of new potatoes) and growing squash and tomatoes in old tires (tomatoes relatively fruitful, squash, not so much). I have a number of spaghetti squash that need to ripen up, and more tomatoes to harvest. Also, I'll be planting lettuce and other greens today or tomorrow to get a jump on spring. There has been a paltry 18 lb of food harvested, but when I realize that much of that was salad greens, which take SO MUCH to make a pound, I am not as disappointed.
Other efforts in sustainable living are waxing and waning all the time. I am getting ready to set some new goals to have less impact on the earth, like sticking with reusable bags when shopping (if I shop at all!) and bring containers for leftovers in restaurants. Those things I can do 100%, unlike some of the other things that rely on family participation/buy-in that doesn't always happen when young adult children are living at home.
Our 6 laying hens (a slight misnomer) are doing fine in our backyard's expanded chicken coop. Only 2 are laying regularly, and they are the 2 I got in 2008. The new-to-me ones are not laying, but hopefully will be before I get frustrated and put them in the pot. Which I probably never would, unless I had to.
That's it for now, I will be adding photos soon.
Allan has started work this week as an employee of the US Government at Keyport, Washington, just 8 minutes away. There are mixed feelings, but mostly relief on my end. We have learned some valuable lessons in the past 6 months of Allan's unemployment, and some important home chores have happened during that time, like an overhauled garage and exterior house painting.
Another blessing has been the birth of a new grandchild, Clayton Seeley Edmondson last week. He is healthy and seems happy to be in his lively family.
The garden has been growing well. I did a few experiments this year, like growing potatoes in plastic garbage cans (not a huge success, but we have lots of new potatoes) and growing squash and tomatoes in old tires (tomatoes relatively fruitful, squash, not so much). I have a number of spaghetti squash that need to ripen up, and more tomatoes to harvest. Also, I'll be planting lettuce and other greens today or tomorrow to get a jump on spring. There has been a paltry 18 lb of food harvested, but when I realize that much of that was salad greens, which take SO MUCH to make a pound, I am not as disappointed.
Other efforts in sustainable living are waxing and waning all the time. I am getting ready to set some new goals to have less impact on the earth, like sticking with reusable bags when shopping (if I shop at all!) and bring containers for leftovers in restaurants. Those things I can do 100%, unlike some of the other things that rely on family participation/buy-in that doesn't always happen when young adult children are living at home.
Our 6 laying hens (a slight misnomer) are doing fine in our backyard's expanded chicken coop. Only 2 are laying regularly, and they are the 2 I got in 2008. The new-to-me ones are not laying, but hopefully will be before I get frustrated and put them in the pot. Which I probably never would, unless I had to.
That's it for now, I will be adding photos soon.
