The Canvas

The backyard, roughly where the garden will be placed.  The scaffolding will be out of here in a couple of weeks.  This fall, I'm going with a 10'x10' plot, maybe to extend out to a 20'x20' in the spring.  It depends on how much soil I can get my hands on.

The frontyard.  (The bags of trash have been taken to the trash/recycling)  I'm thinking of a climbing rose to the right of the window on the right.  Hanging baskets on the porch and maybe some other nice homey things.  The kids are already planning their pumpkins on the porch for Halloween.

Empty Canvas, Except for the Chickens

I have two rooms more or less completely unpacked.  Of course, the first one was the kitchen.  Dishes were unearthed and holding spots chosen.  I am unfamiliar with having such a large kitchen and the walk from one side to the other bothers me. 
Sometimes.
Other times, I'm thrilled with the cabinet space and all but dance from dishwasher to cupboard. 

The dining room is done and we have more books than the Thrall, Texas library.  (There is no Thrall, Texas library.  It's too small for that even)  Why a gardening fanatic married a science/history teacher is beyond me, bookwise, anyhow.  We have more shelves of books than we have furniture.
Godshonesttruth.

I am slowly beginning to get my driving bearings and can at least get over to my in-laws' place.  As long as the Walgreens, HEB or gas station is along the way, I'm good.  If I have to find anything, I'm sunk like a U-boat.

New friends have made their way to our feeders, dive bombing each other the whole time.  I've begun to recognize their chirps and beeps at one another.  This little beauty made her way to food while the others were arguing.  Good girl.

The neighbor has the friendliest, egg-laying-est chickens I'd ever met.  They're sweet and I save bread crusts for them.  It cracks me up to watch them race to the fence when they see me heading their way.  I'm hoping that we can get the property that separates our yards so that  I can have them over to our yard once in a while.  The grasshoppers here are fierce and the hens race like rugby players trying to get them. 
The Youngest has made a friend across the street, making parents and siblings all around dance in delight. 
Seriously. 
She was driving me insane, always underfoot and "bored".

I took some photos down at a (sorta) local park.  They get a lot of my beloved wading birds so I try to stop by whenever I can to get some shots.  The blasted furnace of the sun was setting and the tree made a decent shot.  What you can't see is the large amount of cattle and great egrets on the branches.  Still, a nice shot.

Happy Solstice From A Moving Box

Happy Solstice and Supermoon!  :) 

We have begun moving into the house, boxes and boxes of books and stuff sitting all over the house at this time.  This group of boxes belong to my husband, mine arrives tomorrow.  Happily, my boxes will be moved by others, unlike yesterday hauling box after box from truck to living room.  (whew!)
By Wednesday, we should be into the house full time!  Woo woo!  I can't hardly believe it!


 My. Own. Home!!!

Living in Texas is so similar to spending summers with my grandparents in South Carolina that it makes me tear up sometimes.  I don't know if it's the birds, the smells, or the attitudes, but I half expect my Grandmother to come around the corner. 
On that same subject, the Hubby's family has decided that our nuptials are more than reason enough to throw a BBQ/wedding shower.  (The just want a get together)  The invitation list is on its third page.   (Insert shocked face here)

And, yes, before you ask, I have already scoped out the landscape for planting purposes. My herbs will do wonderfully and I'm plotting and planning as to where they go.  And then plotting and planning on what  things I'm going to make with all of those herbs.  :)  I have access to a water bath canner that I'm going to use to full extent!

On The Road

The Lower Falls in Yellowstone National Park.  :)    We've been on the road for a week, finally in Amarillo, Texas  for the last night before getting to our destination. It's been an interesting and, often, very exciting week. 

The big news is that the girls cannot be stuck together in a vehicle for more than two days without getting pissy.  I've got one more day before getting home and I'm dreading it.  I understand now why some animals eat their offspring on vacation.

The other big big news is that The Hunny and I got married in Jackson Hole!!!!  Woo woo!!!  

Actually we got married here:

It was wonderful and I couldn't ask for a better husband!  :)

Babies!

 

 

Merganser hen and ducks!

                                                                            Diving down!

Lately, I've been taking a lot of bird photos.  The babies are out at the wildlife refuge and my fiancé is nuts about birds, like me.  He can tell the bird by the call, so it's really nice to have him go with so I know what I'm taking pictures of.  Plus, it's a great family thing for us to do.  The Oldest (deep breath) will practice her driving while I take pictures, the Youngest with the other camera and The Hunny is driving coach and bird identifier.  LOL 

 

Male Marsh Hawk

 

 

 

We are all packed and meeting the movers tomorrow morning at the storage unit.  Whew!  I'm so excited to get going!!  At this point, I've just decided that if I forget something, I don't mind.  I'm too tired to care.  LOL

June - Kicking It All Off

whew! It's finally here.

 June.

For the last 8 months, I have been working towards this month.  My hard work has paid off and I am just beginning to relax and enjoy it all.  I have had my last day at one of my works and will be done with the second job on Thursday, when the kids are done with school.

But first, I have a few more boxes to go through in my storage unit....

Ticking Down

I have spent the last three months working two jobs - at the school's cafeteria and at the cleaning company.  I'm tired.  But, the end is in sight!!  My last day at the cleaning company is this coming Friday and the following Thursday, I am done with the school.

Whew!

But, the good news is that all of the work has made it possible for us to get the most beautiful little house!!!  It's a 1940s house with all new insides! 

 The Main Man found it a couple of weeks ago at a family get together (his cousin is installing new carpeting, I love how this all comes together!) and it should be completed by the time we get down there in June.


Needless to say, I'm beyond excited!  I have mentally landscaped the entire yard hundreds of times over.  I'm still a little lost on the inside, but am leaning towards the "french country" style.  (It appears that's what they call it when you have old stuff and lots of flowers....just so you know.)  I need furniture first, however.  (oops)

So when I'm not working, I'm ruthlessly going through my storage unit.  (A word to the wise, begin shredding old check copies NOW.   I discovered that you can get rid of those old check copies.  I'm shredding years and years of copies.  Just start shredding now if there's a chance that you could be moving anytime in the next five years.  You just may be done by then.)