Beauty Farming Life

  OK...so it was a much slower process than I realized it would be.  Perhaps I was wearing my rose colored glasses.  Or perhaps I was just worn out.  Either way, I got a lot done but it didn't seem like it when I looked around at the end of the day.   I wished I had "before" pics, I thought I already had them on the computer so I organized away and then came home and couldn't find them.   So these are the "after" pictures. Ikea shelving unit with storage boxes This is one side of the sitting area off the master bedroom.  We already had the shelving unit.  We also already had the white storage containers (Ikea), they were just scattered all around.  Now with the sale of the house in town, they are together again.  These will provide all important storage in the small house.  We found the bulletin board years ago at a going out of business sale.  We stored it in the garage in town and to be honest, I forgot about it until we started packing up t

Here is a project I did a couple of weeks ago.  I didn't get pictures so this one is before we covered the the beds for Winter.  I didn't get pictures of it because I didn't have the camera OR the phone while I was doing it.  D'oh!  So this is sort of an 'after' picture of what I did. A year and half ago (right about now actually!), I had to dig a loooooong trench from the house to the garden so we'd have water out there.  But the faucet only had four connections on it and that would only let me bring water to one half of the garden.  We needed to get it to the other half for any future growing opportunities.  Water to the other half of the garden So I bought another hose stand with the four bibs on it just like the one on the opposite side.  Since the hose goes from the house to that side of the garden, I used a Y-connection and attached another hose to it.  Then all I had to do was dig a trench directly across the garden and connect it to t

Thanks to everyone for entering...  The winner of the book giveaway is: CONGRATULATIONS! CLICK HERE for her Google+ CLICK HERE for her blog    We just need you to email us (use the "email me" button on the sidebar) and let us know the address to send it to. We love doing these but we hate when not everyone can win.   Thanks to everyone for always leaving such kind comments.  There will be another one coming soon, we have some more books to share!

Our apartment just put this station in the pool area... It's sponsored by one of the local power companies. There are cables running down the center pole that are for various devices, including phones, tablets and e-readers. Cell Phone Solar Power Charging Station And it's all powered by the sun!   Yep, the three "wings" at the top are solar panels and charge batteries inside the pole.  What a brilliant idea this is.  We love to see little things like this...it's the little things that eventually add up to bigger things and slowly, the world gets a bit 'greener'.  We'd love one of these at the farm, LOL!

Every Thursday, we like to post a picture of something we've found online that inspires us to do something similar at the farm.   Sort of our own blog bulletin board so that we can eventually look back and hopefully recreate it...enjoy! Magical Outdoor dining, image courtesy of Southernliving.com OK...so you know we have an interest in creating some outdoor space to eat.  With 11 acres, we certainly could find a space big enough for this but of course, it might be a bit pie in the sky.  Still, as any inspiration does (and rightfully should), it doesn't have to be an exact copy, it only has to inspire something like it.  It could be smaller, have fewer lights, etc.  But still, we love love this amazing dining area.  Can you imagine a more magical space for a dinner party?  Special occasion?  An evening Thanksgiving dinner? Be inspired!

So while WE'RE at work all day... Hobart (top) and Brisbane (bottom) sacked out on the couch ... this is going on at home! Those lucky cats! TGIF!

I love this stylized image of a farm, if only it could be this colorful and orderly As this posts, I'm off to the farm today.  2nd Man is again staying in town.  There are some things he just isn't meant to see, LOL! So I'll spend another day, hopefully in coolish weather, sorting through more stuff and finding a home for it.  My main goal today is to get the beds (or at least one) cleared off so that we can go back to spending nights out there.  Or more immediately, so I can go out one Saturday here soon and spend the entire weekend finishing it up.  It's funny how when you are moving stuff, any flat surface becomes a great landing pad...and then a Jenga tower. And that's what the beds (and dining room table) have become. I'll be back late this afternoon and have an update later and with more "after" photos.  And I'll make sure I take "before" photos this time too. Hope your weekend is a good one!

We like wine.   But we don't understand all the tasting and smelling notes.  When someone starts talking about tobacco, blackberries, lemon rinds and oaky barrels as a good thing, our minds think "ashtray and trashcan at an orchard"!   We just know what we like and what we don't like.   So occasionally we'll post a review, our own review, it might make you want it or not, you might have a totally different opinion, but hopefully it'll make you laugh.   It's all good fun right...? Rib Shack Red wine review During our " STEAKSGIVING " celebration a couple of months back, we (of course), had grilled steaks.  When I went to the store and the guy asked about the wine I was looking for, I told him we were having grilled steaks.  He said "for Thanksgiving?"  Hey, don't judge!  I told him it was for "Steaksgiving" and after describing it, he laughed and said he understood.  He directed me to this variety.  It

Staying in town today, even though I have more rooms to do at the farm (update on progress tomorrow). There is rain on the radar too.  But I'm really staying in because it's NASCAR race day.  The Daytona 500 to be specific.  As this posts, the race is about to start.  We are big fans.  Well not crazy like we dress up or paint Jimmy Johnson's car number on our chests, LOL, but we do enjoy it. Not sure what it is that's appealing to us, probably the personalities of the drivers, the cars look cool, the speed, and yes, the occasional crash.  There is a racetrack here in Texas, just North of Dallas, one of these days we'll have to make a trip up there to see a race in person.  We understand there is nothing like seeing a race in person. Hope you are having a great weekend, even though it's almost over!   Back to work tomorrow.

So Saturday was the next day of clearing things out and putting them where they belong. For those who missed it, we sold our house in town (home for 16 years) and downsized a bit to move to an apartment.  But there were things that didn't fit at the apartment and other things that we still want but don't need in town and they had to go to the farm as well.  Needless to say, things where a bit cluttered.  OK, a lot cluttered.  When carrying things in and your arms are full, it's so easy to just put it on the bed.  Then when that's full, put it on the table.  Then the other bed.  Then the dresser.  Then the couch.  Then the floor.  And then...well, you get the picture.   Last weekend, it was the sitting area off the bedroom   that I worked on, and the weekend before that was the living r oom .   This weekend it was time to focus on the bedrooms. This is the bedroom before.  The bed was filled with stuff.  It was just a matter of putting it all where it wo

So while I was cleaning, I pulled open a drawer in the dining room cabinet and inside a large red bowl was this: Scorpion Needless to say it is dead.  I have no patience for scorpions.  We do not need to have dangerous creatures lurking around in drawers and cabinets and God only knows where else.  It's bad enough that there has been a snake inside the house.  And mice.  These things genuinely creep me out. I have to laugh though...my Grandmother, who lived in SW Oklahoma, would always tell us to "check the bed for stingin' scorpions (as if there are other kinds?) and mice" right as we climbed into bed.  Yeah, sleep tight Grandma!  They had a great little house in the country, clean and neat, but she always said that.  We laughed, nervously, then.   Now here I am, all these years later, and it looks like I might once again end up checking the beds for 'stingin scorpions and mice'!  I can hear 2nd Man the first time I suggest that when we spend the

Found these in the clearance bin at a store recently, $1.97 for the set... Retro tin salt and pepper shakers ...and of course just HAD to buy them for the farm.  Not sure how practical they'll be, but come on, they are too cute to pass up! Any of you find anything special lately?  

Every Thursday, we like to post a picture of something we've found online that inspires us to do something similar at the farm.   Sort of our own blog bulletin board so that we can eventually look back and hopefully recreate it...enjoy! Flowering bulbs in galvanized tub, image courtesy of southernliving.com OK, it's time to get some flowers!  I found this photo on Southern Living.  Love love LOVE this.  We like the idea of the galvanized container of course, but then this combination of bulbs is just beautiful (though I think there are a few non bulb type flowers in there).  The galvanized tub makes it look so perfect for use at the farm.   Of course, I guess most of the year before this blooms, it's just dirt. We suppose that's the downside of bulbs in containers instead of the ground, but hey, something like this is so pretty it almost seems worth it. Be inspired!

Saw this sign at the store and thought it was too cute not to snap a picture of and share... Although I might just have to add "pasta" to mine, LOL! ...so what kind of hybrid are you?   What do you  run  on?   

I love this stylized image of a farm, if only it could be this colorful and orderly ANOTHER day of cleaning up the house at the farm.  Let's see, this posts at 10am, so I will have been there for about 2 hours. It will be another beautiful day (wish I could be outside doing stuff) and so the windows are open and I'll be tackling the kitchen and dining room and if I have time, the mudroom and porch.   Let's hope for nothing creepy crawly in drawers or cabinets! I'll be back late this afternoon and have some more posts.  And of course a longer post with more "before and after" photos soon.   Hope your weekend is off to a good start!

So yesterday, I was at the farm and it was a beautiful day. The mesquite trees still think it's Winter.. . ...and the  grass  weeds also still think it's Winter... Fruit tree blooms ...but the fruit trees seem to think Spring is here...they  are all starting to bloom, including the ones I haven't gotten in the ground yet... Roasted chicken with broccolini  When I came home, 2nd Man had roasted some chicken breasts over a bed of broccolini and we had that with mashed potatoes and gravy.  It was a great and satisfying meal to come home to.   I got the kitchen done (yay!) it was mostly an all day job.  I will have a post tomorrow with before and after pictures.   We have some errands in town today so it will be a quiet but satisfying end to the weekend.

Another day another room down!  The kitchen is off the living room, off the dining room, and off the guest room...so everything sort of ends up in here since all roads lead through the kitchen, HA! With a more spacious floor, it's a great place to sit stuff down and then just step around it.  Of course then one thing becomes two and that becomes three, etc. But then once it's all picked up, it looks much more open.  That bench/cabinet opens up (the top lifts up) and it was full of junk stuff and I cleaned it out and put dishtowels inside (it's a heavy lid and no gaps so it's mouse proof) Of course, kitchen counters are second only to tabletops for collecting junk stuff.  Above is before... ...and this is after.  We didn't realize it was so big, LOL!  Still need to work on the upper open cabinets.  When we had the house cleaned up and painted inside, we had them put these up, they are just simple 'boxes' hanging on the wall...I&

Here is something 2nd Man threw together one morning with just what we had leftover and  I had to get pictures.  It's so good, I ask for it regularly, depending on what we have on hand of course.  The ingredients change a bit but the concept is the same.   Sweet potato and egg hash with steak This is called "hash".  And by definition it's most anything with some form of potato, onion, and meat or other veggies eggs optional but eggs make it breakfast ready! On this particular morning, we had a few new potatoes, a couple of sweet potatoes, two shallots, a leftover hunk of steak from the night before and of course, eggs. Chop up the new potatoes and fry in a bit of olive oil. Add the sweet potatoes and continue sautéing... Next add the chopped shallots and sauté a bit more... Add the chopped up steak, which of course is already cooked, and heat it up... Add some beaten eggs (we used about four) and salt and