Homestead mailing list

[lurine AT com-pair.net]

Okey dokey, I'll start.  I am soooo looking forward to 2013.  2012
ended in a sh*t storm.  3' of snow in one day and it didn't quit
until our carports (3) collapsed on our 3 vehicles, the appliances we
had bought for our kitchen remodel and most of DH's tools.  Oh, and 6
cases of my canning jars.  Plus, Son #3 was up for the holidays and
had his truck parked next to the carports and a huge chunk of
snow/ice fell on his windshield and the collapsed/tilting carports
look like they may have sprung the frame as the truck is all askew.

Not being happy with that, it took out a limb of what we call our owl
tree.  An oak that is old as dirt and where a pygmy owl lives.  The
limb took out the gazebo.  Didn't get the glider as we put it in the
barn during the winter. 

Then it took out the north half of the pergola on the front of the
house.  Two days later, icey rain caused the snow on the roof to
become an avalance and the ice took out the other half of the pergola
and ripped the siding off the house.

Power was off and on for over a week with 1 or 2 days without power
then a day with power and then another day or two without power.

So we all survived.  Then I had to deal with the insurance company.
Have you ever had to explain that not everyone in California is a
blue-eyed blonde that lives at the beach?  That you don't have mail
delivery?  That cell phones don't work?  AND, that their adjuster
will have to have both 4-wheel drive with snow tires AND chaines?  @@

Crash, bang, boom on 12/22.  The adjuster will finally make it out
here on Thursday.

So, as I said, I am looking forward to 2013!  DH has already drawn up
the plans for a new carport (did architectural drafting in college,
so we won't have to pay someone inorder to get plans approved).  We
still have to dig out the stove and fridge.  The stove, needless to
say is going to have to go over to an appliance repair shop to have
all the wiring checked, etc.  It is what was second on my dream list
for a stove (1950's gas with a griddle) and I am going to be sooooo
angry if it is ruined!  They are just about impossible to find for
under $5,000!  And, believe me I did not pay anywhere near that.  The
used appliance shop where I got it hadn't a clue!

Don't care if the dishwasher survives or not.  I didn't really want
one but ya have to look at resale value in a house and so you need a
dishwasher.

The carports were supposed to be made of the same quality pipe as
Powder River.  NOT!  So they will be recycled as greenhouses.  We
think we can take pieces of the 3 and make them into 2 useable
greenhouses.

The sheep shed is being converted into a pig house and an acre of
land high tensile hotwired next to it.  There are about 20 oak trees
on that part of the land and piggies raised grazing and with acorns
are yummy!

I have cleared another section in the mudroom so that I have more
room for more canning.  Right now all the space is filled with tomato
sauce, salsa, hot spicey veggies, peppers, cabbage, pickled beets,
pears, peaches, applesauce, pickles (cucumber, watermelon rind,
zucchini), hot and spicey cauliflower (absolutely delish with a
cheese sauce), jellies, jams, pie fillings and syrups/sauces.  Once
the gas stove is in there will be jars of beans, pasta e figoli,
meatballs (Italian, Swedish, Sweet and Sour), soups, soups and more
soups, chili, chicken, venison stew, and whatever else happens to
tickle my fancy.

Right now I am going through the wish books (seed catelogs).  I love
irises and have found the deer don't like them, so I now have a dozen
different colors.  I may buy somemore.  I like having color around
the house.  We've added a BIG strawberry bed.  And we are going to
try growing popcorn this year.  Also found a regular corn that is
short season and will be trying it.

Tried square foot gardening last year and while it worked, it didn't
produce the quantity and quality that my regular raised beds do, so
scraped that idea!

So, what is everyone else up to?

Lynda
---- Original Message ----
From: lflier AT mindspring.com

>No, I agree, Tvo never got cranky with newbie questions. I just think
>the list, particularly after his passing, got to where newbies
wouldn't 
>have felt welcome because it was mostly political stuff and
contentious 
>arguments between a few personalities who would never back down from 
>anything. I certainly didn't want to hang around at that point, let 
>alone a newbie! :)
>
>Nice to "see" some of you folks again though, and get back to a bit
>of homestead talk!