An Invisible House?

Hi! 

Nice to see you again! 

This evening I am concentrating on pulling weeds in the parkway~ maybe the front 'yard', too. 

 I have the parkway all flowers with a few edibles so my house just sort of disappears. 

When I invite people over they have a really hard time finding our house. 

They drive right passed it!

 My thinking is that it is so much better to blend in right now. 

Not let people know who you really are or how much prepping you do. 

 An invisible house full of nondescript people will be more likely to be passed over.

Food & Fun at the Fair!

Matt at the Grundy County Fair

This was Matt's first experience feeding sheep and he really took to it!

Centennial Trail

A really nice hike for Cub Scouts! Xander and Matt are having a blast. So glad to hike this trail with such cool kids!

Time to hike at Isle a la Cache!

Making Lists of Work to be Done...

Well, I escaped the office and the never-ending A.C. to wander the rental properties and make lists of things I'd like to see repaired/ replaced/ updated this summer.

 It's amazing the things I notice when I take a peaceful walk with just a clipboard and pen. 

 The list is longer than I imagined it would be, and, Oh the joy of Freedom!

Enjoying a Rainy Day at Work

It's so funny how a rainy day can cloud my mind. 
Today I would've loved to stay in bed and listen to the rain. 
Just roll over and go back to sleep. 
But, work was beckoning me from across our little valley that is downtown Joliet. 
And so we are all here at work. 
Matt playing computer games, Aiden napping, Candi in her office.
And me...? 
I'm sitting here thinking about the building. 
Who's behind on rent? 
What storage closets aren't rented? 
What condition are the empty units in? 
Wonder if I should inspect occupied units? 
Think I'll sit here a spell and rethink my game plan. 
Re prioritize my projects. 
Have a blessed day, all and enjoy the rain!

Precision Practice

Well, Matt's moved up to mowing between the headstones. 

Still missing some spots, but, overall, a good job! 

 He's learning teamwork vs. joyriding. 

He wants to be one of the guys, so he must learn the job. 

 And, Volunteering is What Scouts Do!

Time to Work

Hey! We're at Oakwood Cemetery so Matt can learn the proper way to mow a cemetery.

Took a 'break' at home to make calls to prospective employees. It was so refreshing to sit out front in the hammock chair while I worked. Nice to be able to run three loads bedding and get two hung out on the lines out back. Nice to give the chickens fresh water. And, more importantly, nice to hear my son play with his friends while I worked. Now I am back at work; parked out front waiting for Candi to finish and come out. Maybe I can finish a couple hats while I wait for her?!

Pretty Deterent

Hi! Welcome back! This is one of the Prickly Pears a friend gave me when she thinned-down her garden. I am planting this at intervals around the perimiter of my property. Although it's a beautiful flower on the cutest little cactus, it is virtually covered in almost invisible thorns. The look says, 'please, come smell me and tooch my petals', but the pain to follow will, hopefully, keep uninvited guests from scaling the fence.

Post- Snack Munching

Well, they've abandoned the platter for a Narrow Leaf Plantain I just pulled up and tossed in!
Fickle little monkies, aren't they?!

Snack Time, pt. 2

Well, as you can see the children loved the snack! It's so funny to see them fight over a bit of onion or tomato! Wow, that guacamole is going fast!

Snack Time!

Time to set out tonight's snack! Guacamole that was getting dark, wilting lettuce and limes.
Let's head out back and see what the feathered children think!

Yes, that's my fence in the foreground!

A Last Minute Snack

Good evening! So nice to see you. Come around back and watch the chickens munch. I decided to crack open an apple/ pear/ rhubarb chutney I canned in 2004 to see if it was still good. It was, but I didn't need it for supper, so I threw it on the Liberty Platter.
Then I opened one of those generic beef stews and dumped it on the other end of the platter.
I love to see my feathered children standing in their food and chasing eachother over a tiny piece of potato when there are ten pieces still on the platter!

Eggplant was Yummy!

More Fresh Grass Clippings!

Hi! How are you doing this beautiful evening? Hasn't it been such a lovely day?
This evening I was lucky enough to be able to borrow a gas- powered weed-wacker. Now most of my proposed garden area is cleared and ready for a layer of cardboard covered by a layer of

How Sweet is the Harvest?!

Howdy! Amidst all the confusion and crazy reports on the news, it's always good to know you have the ability to put farm fresh home grown food on your family's table.
Our jam is all processed and ready for labels.

Mashing Berries for Jam!

Matt had such fun mashing the berries! He was my official berry-masher for this batch of jam.
Next batch I will have him do the measuring and stirring.
One step at a time I'd like for him to learn the process. That's plenty for a 9-year-old boy who'd rather be outside!

Time to Make Jam!

Hi! We found a bountiful supply of mulberries, strawberries and rhubarb!
Time to make fresh jam! We've been completely out of homemade jam for months and the wait for fresh home grown berries has been horrible. Worse than staring at the fireplace all of December waiting for Santa!
So now to begin the process of making jam~
Love in a Jar!

Acorn Squash & Strawberry Yogurt Snack

Welcome back! So nice to see you again. Come around back and see what we've been up to.
Today the snack for our chickens is an acorn squash cut up with the seeds removed (for planting). After placing the squash on the Liberty Platter, I added a cup of organic strawberry yogurt.
To watch the chickens attack the snack you wouldn't believe there is a full feed bin at their disposal with both cracked corn and layer pellets!
Isn't it truly amazing to see how much chickens love acorn squash and organic strawberry yogurt?

A Log Full of Fresh Bugs!

Who would've thought this would be such a desirable and enticing meal?

Brunsons 5.25.10

Brunsons Need Weeding!

I am thinking we'll stop by and show them some love on Memorial Day!
Do you have a grave site you'll be tending to for the holiday?

Time to Add Better Roosts!

Hi! How are you enjoying the sweltering weather? Step around back and peek at what the crazy chickens have been up to!
I came out to check on them and found their unofficial scout checking the durability of the perches. I can tell him that only the upper right one is worth anything!
Time for me to seriously raid the kindling pile and hang some real perches! I have keep my little feathered buddies happy!!!

Yogurt for Supper!

Don't you just love a cool cup of ogganic strawberry yogurt?
How about to cool your feet off in?
They sure eating and wading in this snack!

Evening Snack Time!

sliced oranges and limes served on a bed of lettuce with egg shells and a couple handfulls of cracked corn!
A banquet to make juicy roasted chicken and yummy eggs!

Coop all Ready for Supper!

Hi! Welcome back! Step into the coop for a minute. Doesn't it look all fresh in here?
I just put out another layer of bedding and refilled the food and water. Now all the chicks are ready for the night.
Happy munching my little feathered friends!

Snack Time!

Don't you just love it when someone throws a big bunch of fresh worms on your snack tray? And the fun of grabbing the juiciest worm and running as fast as you can while your friends chase you trying to pry it out of your beak?!
Then there is that inevitable moment when you look across the yard and see a friend pinned down and being plucked by a 'friend' while another 'friend' pecks at his feet? Ok, so not all of the worm-munching scenario is fun.
But worms sure are yummy!

'Toxic Rain Garden'

Isn't it filling in nicely with violets?
This area is a slight depression to hold the water from the driveway.
Thus it is toxic and we don't eat anything from this garden.
Where does the run-off from your drive go?

Chilly Spring

With this Spring being so chilly, windy and wet, it's a wonder anything is blooming!
As the weather runs out of control across the country, I can't help but wonder what impact there will be on food prices.
Will farmers have succeessful harvests?
What about all the families relying on home gardens?
Knowing the weather will get crazier every year, what should we be doing to prepare?
This homesteader is thinking it's time to revisit growing veggies indoors. That was only a semi-fruitful project last year, but greater experience and necessity may improve my success rate!

Two Week Old Chicks in the Run

Putting Up Chicken Wire

This started out as quite a chore, but got so much easier as we went along!
And it was a project we all helped with.
After all, how can the kids say it's theirs too if they haven't helped build it?
Family projects build such a great bond!!!

Green Onions & Mesclun

Another garden patch is planted.
Thus we plant hope of feeding our families.
With food shortages around the world and so many going to bed hungry in the USA, a garden is a comfort.

Lily Pads Reaching for the Surface!

It is so nice to see our water lillies growing this year! We bought fresh bulbs and have eliminated bleach, Clorox 2 and Oxiclean from our laundry regimen.
Just goes to show what eliminating toxins can do!
Now if it will just warm up!

Matt putting up Chicken wire!

Coop Construction a la Dave & Steve

As the evening progresses, the coop takes shape and we feel more hopeful that we'll eventually be able to house our chicks outside!

New Chicken Coop Going Up!

Well, we had a rethink on the coop~ Vandi wanted a bigger one she saw in a magazine!

New Compost Bin

Good afternoon! Glad to see you! Come around back and see our latest project.
What do you think of our compost bin? We thought it would be nice to have our compost contained this year and I heard about using pallets from a yahoo group I'm on and thought we'd try it.
We placed the compost bin in a far corner of the garden. Close enough to toss clippings and table scraps into, but far enough away as to not offend guests.
It's constructed primarily of wood pallets we'd been accumulting and wired together with fencing wire.
As soon as I harvest the onions and dwarf blue kale on the other side of the compost bin, I will build a second bin for next years' compost. That way I have one being emptied while the other is being filled.
Tell me about your compost bin...

What Are You Doing?

Well, I came home to find this child acting as escape scout for the troops! I think it's time to put them out in the coop!!!

Garlic Mustard Crop

Hi! Welcome!
Would you look at all this Garlic Mustard! We are truly blessed.
This plant was originally brought over from Europe as a salad green. With no natural 'predators' here it has become invasive and is choking the wildflowers out of many parks. Most parks encourage visitors to pull these plants out by the roots.
If you happen across some garlic mustard, the leaves are delicious as a salad green or cooked like spinach! When harvested in a park, it is virtually pesticide/ fertilizer- free!
Take a hike in your park today and munch a healthy free meal tonight!

Turnip & Garlic Mustard Greens

Hello! Come on inside! Remember all those turnip and garlic mustard greens? We threw them into the dehydrator!
I set the temperature at 145 degrees and the timer for 8 hours and go about my day.
Soon we will have an ample supply of greens in storage.
What's your favorite way to store your garden's bounty?

The Planter

Well, this is what's left of the plants I put in at 377 Western Ave., Joliet, IL 60435! I am So Pissed!
I don't mean to rant, but I took my time to choose exceptional plants to really accent our property. I took time to plant and water carefully.
I am so amazed that anyone would be so cold-hearted as to destroy flowers this way.

Hanging of the Hammock Chair!

Started digging dandelions in parkway!

Brunson Gravesite

Messenger Woods Hike!

'Fishing for Trash' at Monee Reservoir

Hey! Right now we are on patrol for trash. Hope to see you around the next bend!

Peas Have Sprouted!

Hi! Come around back quickly and see what's sprouted!
Would you Look at those peas! I barely planted them 2 weeks ago and look how they're growing. It's so gratifying to see all the work pay off. Soon my family will have plump, ripe peas to munch.
What's coming up in your garden?