Farm Journal - 2026

[Hopalong]

If you enjoy woodworking, you could make amazing hangers from found branches....

(I watch too much YouTube.)

LOL
hugs
Hops

[sKePTiKal]

I've FINALLY found the oomph and momentum to tackle a whole litany of spring cleaning tasks around the house. As well as finish painting that godz-awful bench. Still have more to do in the mudroom and it has warmed up enough to start the outside "clean up" and seeds.

Have a date in May, for B's pump replacement surgery so hopefully he can till the garden, before. Hol & I have some landscaping projects on this season's list. Big rains washed out along the front edge of a culvert under the drive to the pond... so we're going to build stone retaining wall and backfill with shale. Then, I'll need to order another big load of gravel for the 3-4 miles of driveway we have on the property.

There is mutiny in my shop. Some of it is personality conflict; some of it is overly ambitious holier than thou overstepping one's role; and some of it is a lack of stepping into a new role. The good thing about all this is bro is taking a more pro-active stance now and I'm standing back advising. We're TALKING a great deal more and sorting all this out. Fortunately the former President is still working 3 days a week and he's been consulted often while we sort out just what is going on. And try to work with people to get them to stay in their lanes and pick up the slack that is falling on subordinates. There is always a loud scream in the back of my mind... about having to deal with this kind of crap... STILL.

I already have plenty to do and I'm enjoying finally having a life outside of managing other people. I would like this later stage of my life to be MOSTLY that slow, enjoyable "just being". Hell, I've earned it. But there is no rest for the weary, I guess. At least not yet. It's going to take some weeks/months to sort this issue out - and the pushy person thinks it needs to happen by Friday.  <rolleyes>

Looks like most of my herbs survived the winter. I've got 5 American Elders to transplant into their permanent home. Once I decide where that's going to be.  <grin> They get 10-12 ft tall. And I want to plant some more berries/shrubs this spring too. MAYBE a fruit tree or two... maybe. We have a lot of local orchards around us, so that's less of a priority.

When B gets back, this time we're organizing, purging, setting up garages and shops to be more functional and where everything wil have a "home".

It's that busy time of year. We still have a few things to refine out in the studio, too.

[Meh]

Sounds like some big heavy projects with the gravel and wall. It's still early spring yet so you have time!

[Hopalong]

I was so confused trying to figure out what B has been President of. Took me a minute. LOL.
Any chance your brother would buy out your share of the factory? Sounds like a burden you'd like to be free of.

I'm happy B is getting a new pump. If you want to share the date, white light coming. With or without.

I love all your plans and know they engage you. Just don't let 'em wear you out.

My Big Project is having my water-damaged cork kitchen floor replaced. (I'll still have the cork, which I love, in the extension.) We can forget the HGTV requirement that open-ish floor plans include a sweep of matching flooring. I've got hardwood in the front room, soon-to-be Marmoleum in the kitchen, then cork in the back room.
No off-gassing, which I'm happy about. I also picked the wildest pattern for the linoleum that they offer. It has colors that work with the wall colors, including the weird one I made up, in the kitchen. I'm excited about it. And linoleum is just linseed oil plus wood fiber. So, "natural" floors throughout, even if they change every 20 feet. Snort.

hugs
Hops

[sKePTiKal]

Meh, I'll have to have contractor do the gravel. But we need to build that stone wall and backfill over the culvert first. And it's still too wet to get bobcat or backhoe into where the stones are. (I have LOTS of big stones.)

Hops, the multi-image/material floors sound cheery! Just like with art - in interior design all the rules are made to be broken! One does what makes one happy. A future owner can do something else. So there! <makes raspberry sound>

Hol just painted her bedroom. Of course, walls & ceiling are black. With her generous glass doors/windows and hickory floor it looks like a NYC loft instead of a WV solar hut. She's broken a ton of design "rules" and it all works great.

It's going to be warm enough for shorts today. The vinca is blooming; daffs are up and the serviceberry tree is about to pop blossoms. I'm still working my way through spring cleaning the house; almost there. It's supposed to rain later this week - so maybe I can burn the cardboard that's accumulated AGAIN. Windows are open, while I can before the waves of pollen start blowing (another cleanup job AFTER it's done).

[Hopalong]

Sounds joyful! Wonder if Hol will love all that black. Bet she will. With enough light it can be gorgeous. But I couldn't, too thenthitive to rithk it.

SERVICEBERRY! That's the tree name I was floundering for. Thinking of replacing my mid-Atlantic fungus-doomed dogwood out front with one. Thank you. Fearful of the cost (why are "native trees" so much more expensive?). Another tree I've always yearned for since having one in the yard in London in full bloom...golden chain or laburnum. But that's not native, either. Sigh.

Well, here's the floor pattern -- feast yer eyes! LOL.
https://eco-buildingproducts.com/products/marmoleum-click-tile-and-panel-flooring?variant=49317094490418&country=US&currency=USD&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22929525334&gbraid=0AAAAAD4Hw7OILrio5VumDwUoO7pecI5FQ&gclid=Cj0KCQjw4a3OBhCHARIsAChaqJNx4_3HISjZTiyPEtr4OQylg1vxe6XpYDge27R83ntGP-vi0Q1a2nQaAsFbEALw_wcB

hugs
Hops

[sKePTiKal]

I like that Hops! It's like molten copper & gold... or a mix of all the different daffodils. (Added bonus: spilled tomato sauce won't show... tee hee!)

[lighter]

We're under a strict no burn fire hazard right now.  It's so dry....and it's been windy.  I heard a helicopter yesterday....maybe looking for fires.

The Dogwoods are blooming at the lake .....most of the new trees have been growing....have buds.

Seems the swamp Oaks aren't thriving......the River Birch and Redbuds are.

We're about to dive into Spring cleaning with two new housekeepers at the lake.  The mountain house is done.

I'm looking forward to garden reports, Amber.

Lighter

[Meh]

That marmoleum looks like flowing molten lava. Must be a very lively place.

[Hopalong]

It probably looks like the inside of my mind, too. LOL.

Apart from the visual drama, for me the best thing about it is that it's NOT vinyl and does not off-gas toxic forever carcinogenic chemicals. I can't stand the new-shower-curtain smell of them and did so much research on it in a former job that I will squeeze my savings to use natural or zero-VOC materials when I can. If my kitchen weren't so small it would be out of reach. The cork nearly was when I first got my house fixed up but I loved it. Just not practical for anywhere that could spring a water leak.

I'm happy that my biggest room still has the cork underfoot. I didn't get any pattern with that, just the natural color that includes sliced recycled wine corks. It's pretty!

I can obsess over pretty simple things. The wheelbarrow awaits me outside, for its crazy unplanned load of annuals. That brought me joy every time I looked at it, and my yard guy enjoyed being told to "create anything, any mix--just enjoy stuffing it with flowers."

I think I'm just feeling happy today. Lighter (no pun intended!) and feeling hope about the decluttering and more. Leading covenant group tonight, which I always enjoy. Here's my outline, Lighter:

TOPIC: Where do you “go” when you’re scared?
If anybody’s not scared during this time in history, I’d love to have a beer with you. My treat! Most of us are feeling the varied attacks on democracy and humanity these days, OR may live with personal challenges that require dealing with fear. Yet for each of us, there might be individual sources of courage and inner peace. Let’s talk about them.

Questions to Ponder:
1-Do you have a consistent source of comfort? If Yes, what is it?
2-Who in your life has demonstrated notable courage? Has anyone inspired you?
3-If you were advising a child or young person how to cope today, what would you tell them?

hugs
Hops

[Hopalong]

I've been hijacking thread topics right and left, sorry, so thought I'd respond to your last post on Friendship Moments thread here instead:

I Googled "best native tree species for steep rocky soil in [your state]. Fun! Then I thought, if anybody's ever done this type of search Amber did it years ago. LOL.

Otherwise, your gardens sound so appetizing, though my next suggestion wouldn't perhaps quite suit that theme: ever thought of safe composting of humanure from composting toilets? I'm a sustainability nerd even though I can't do much of anything interesting because of my back, and it fascinates me because of global ecological implications. It CAN be safely processed in a separate compost set of bins and damn, maybe those hungry gardens would go nuts with that kind of nourishment? After two years of proper composting, it's as safe as any other compost and dramatically more powerful for soil.

[NO offense will be taken should this inspire a recoiling smackdown....lol.]

On the home front, my miracle helper came for an hour today to help (well, to DO nearly all of it) a big unload of the glass-door kitchen floor cabinet my grandfather made around 1900. She stacked all the contents on the big teak table in the back room (otherwise known as the laundry sorting precinct) so the installers can move the cabinet back there while they work on the new floor.

So tomorrow Pup and I vacate the premises at the crack of dawn (845am) and he gets dropped at the play camp and dog spa place for all day or until they're done. I will be wandering like a homeless wraith from friend to friend and will need two heating pads when I get home. BUT THE WILD MARMOLEUM WILL BE THERE! I'm very excited about it. It was a forced renovation but gives me a chance to re-experience a home improvement to my quirky heart's content.

Back to dreaming of Amber's gardens. I could take a road trip and come poo in them if you'd like, just to show how it's done. Oh har har. Hops is losing it.

hugs
Hops

[lighter]

It'll b so nice to have the floor done, Hops!

I'm glad it feels exciting to get things done.  The cabinet sounds lovely, but cleaning it out sounds better!

Lighter 

[sKePTiKal]

Hops, maybe before putting everything back in the cabinet - look at what's on the table. When is the last time you actually used that thing?

I have a handmade red oak cupboard. I store loads of things... that I've been considering donating. I have a set of Christmas china that hasn't been used in a decade. It takes up half a shelf that I could use for tinctures and teas. I have kept a platter that matches my everyday dishes, but it's been a good few years since I've needed it. But when one does need a bigger plate... well, I might keep that. A side dish bowl... a pretty salad bowl... glasses for wine that I don't drink. Champagne flutes... that I do occasionally break out for mimosas. I can probably ditch half my winter/Christmas table linens. I do like the red/white gingham snowflakes...

I think I'd much prefer to only store things I actually DO use - like the deviled egg plate & tupperware.

I've been mentally sorting the corner cupboard with plastic storage containers too. Do I really need TWO crockpots??? A blender??? (I do have a 30 yr food processor that sees the light of day once in a while and a toaster.... but I am "alergic" to countertop appliances. Then there are the flours, sugars, rice, lentils, etc in jars on top of cupboards... which I THOUGHT I was going to use in baking. Nope.

Those can get composted. Somewhere. I'm not a religious composter. Now leaf mold is another story!

[Hopalong]

Yes, that's just as exciting as the crazy new floor! Both cabinet and kitchen table will be purged before anything goes back in/on them. I'm eager to do it.

I'd already purged a lot in the last two moves, so the few sentimental things are sturdy dark-pink-glazed nesting mixing bowls from the 40's my mother used for her baking, my paternal grandmother's ancient waffle iron that still makes amazing waffles. Both of those "spark joy" and are charming to look at. Atop the cabinet I keep the sole childhood photo of her, which I do love seeing, in an interesting old-school easel frame with decorated glass around the edges. As the oldest (b. 1910) of a poor family of ten, she was the only child taken to a studio for a professional photo. She's one or two, standing on a chair in a lovely handmade little dress and looking at the photographer with sober curiosity. It's genuinely charming, no matter what overtook her psyche as she grew. I had it printed on her 90th bday invitation, and somebody even framed it and gave it back to us. It's that cute. No regrets.

Otherwise, kitchen presences include my ridiculously heavy "heffapot" I'm still proud of making. Elephant "foot" as the pot (with toenails), a trunk as the spout, a peanut handle on the lid. It's funny. Appliances clutter counters but hauling out the heavier ones ain't worth it (ow). Might rethink where to store a few. Crock pot's heavy as heck, but I have more bowls than I need, and a corner lazy Susan cabinet that could be a LOT better organized and edited. It's higgly piggly now.

I am too. Probably more higgly than piggly, which is good. General happies today.
Spent the day short on sleep but seeing friends. Bfast in a cafe in an old bank building, really nice/unusual setting. Afterward got myself a new pair of walking sandals, "Ecco." My gait's weird from the back so no more slides or clogs, dang it.

At this moment resting under a raffle quilt at a pal's house until the installers leave my house, then go sign tax forms, back across town to fetch Pup, then home at last.

hugs
Hops

[Hopalong]

I like it even more than I expected to, partly because it's a bit more toned-down- looking in the larger space than on the sample. I'm shocked by how
easily the color flows to the natural cork in the extension. I didn't plan it that consciously...with color, my id's in charge.

Yay, Marmoleum! It's not as soft but given Pup wear, that's a good thing. It can be mopped like a regular floor without fear. And I bought new sandals today so my feet aren't mad at me....

hugs
Hops