Monday, June 13, 2011

No Spring Chicken!!!!

Yesterday we had a little work party here.  We needed to make a place for motor home and boat parking.  Today, I am feeling every muscle in my body!!!  I am NO Spring Chicken anymore!!!!
We started the day with some breakfast burritos from a place here in town that makes the most delicious breakfast burritos EVER!!!

Our oldest girl and her family arrived, gloves on, ready to work.  Even Hannah and Claire were dressed and ready for the day.  Here is our darling Hannah with her gloves on.  Note the ring!!!  How cute is that?
The girls  had on their work clothes, and work boots.  Hannah, it turns out, is a GREAT helper!!! 
Claire mostly had a ball running all over the grove playing!
She was not so excited about the many alligator lizards and rats we found in the wood pile!
The wood piles were all sorted, moved and relocated. 
A tree had to be removed to make a path for motor homes to fit tandem style in back.
At one point in the tree removal, while Greg was working on something else, and I was mucking out the chicken coops, I heard Jake call me over to help him.  He said, " Can you just hang from this limb while I keep sawing it down.  I need some help pulling it down."  I said, " Sure....call your chubby mother in law over so she can use her  heft to help fell trees!"   Guess I must continue with Weight Watchers to help shed my winter coat!!!
After a lunch break, Gennifer took the girls home (kicking and screaming) and Jake and Greg and I continued working outside. All.  Day!!!!  Jake left after the tree was down, all except for the stump, which our saw couldn't quite handle, and Greg and I stayed out there til dusk.  I realized at about 8:00 p.m. that I hadn't eaten since my breakfast burrito which had kept me full enough to skip lunch.
Here is the space we cleared.  Doesn't look like much, but believe me, it was a big job!!
The brambly pieces will be burned next weekend early in the morning when there is no wind. 
The smaller pieces will be cut to use for the chimneya.  The huge pieces from the big pine we had to have removed last year will be split and stacked for firewood.  Those were a bear to  move for the guys and I forgot to get a picture of where they were moved to, but you can see them being moved in earlier shots.
They were going to put the motor home back last night, but we decided to wait til tonight because today we are having this big beautiful bouganvillia you see on the left of the gate, removed to create more space and possible parking for the boat.
I hate to see that beautiful plant go, but I will not miss the mess!!  It blows those papery flowers into my garage and all around the driveway and I hate it.  I bet our neighbors won't miss it blowing into their pool either!!  We are also relocating the trash bins, and next summer, I plan to take over that space for my garden too.  It will more than double my existing space, and I have big plans for what all I will plant next spring!!!  While raking out those soft tissue papery leaves from that corner of the yard, I found that "somebody" has been laying their eggs out there!!  From now on, nobody gets to leave the coops for free ranging until eggs have been laid and collected!!!
Until next time (which might be tonight to show you what I have been making) that's it from the farm.

18 comments:

Holly said...

Man, what a job. I hate to see the bouganvillia go too but yes, those papery leaves do go everywhere and they are such a pain to clean up. It looks like Snackers wants to go for a boat ride. Do you think the eggs were hers?

Bethany said...

I LOVE the ring on the outside of the glove!!!! And while that looks like a lot of work it looks like a lot of fun too. But then again...I didn't have to do it so what do I know? :)

From the Kitchen said...

I'd say that cute Hannah is a fasionista when it comes to dressing for brush clearing! I can't imagine a full day of yard work since one small bed can "lay me up"!! Looks good.

Best,
Bonnie

Unknown said...

Way to go and get all of that done! That must feel so good to accomplish such a big task!
Hope you are enjoying today! Can't wait to see what your making!

Anonymous said...

I'm not sorry I missed the manual labor work this weekend but I am sorry I missed the breakfast burritos! H's shirt is so cute!

Dawn said...

That Hannah is my kind of girl. Wearing her bling for all to see. LOL
Is the burner you have beside the logs the inside of a washing machine drum? If so how well is it holding up to burning in it? I think it is cool. All your hard work looks great!

Pammy Sue said...

Wow, y'all were busy! I noticed that you cut your butt out of that one picture. Hee-hee! I don't miss a thing! Too funny. Whoever took that picture in the first place should be banned from taking pics. Not that yours looked bad at all, but nobody wants their ass in a picture, do they?

What a cute little princess helper.

Kris said...

Dawn, yes that is a washer tub. We use that for a bon fires in the grove. When our kids were growing up, and even still sometimes, we had a lot of bonfires back there. Works great. Pam....hush your mouth!! Actually I didn't crop it, but should have. My daughter took it, and I picked the one with the least bit of me arse in it!!! Only you!!!!

Kris said...

Oh,, and Holly, no I think it was one of the "B's" eggs. Snacker is still regaining her weight and has not begun to lay again.

Sunny Simple Life said...

Phew I am tired just reading this post.

NanaNor's said...

Hi Kris, Girl I thought I had been trying to shed some fluff but you are really working it!!!! You did all that in one day-what a lot of hard work, no wonder you were sore. We've just been taking long bike rides not working like you.
I can't wait to see how it looks after you get the motor home and boat in there. Hope you are kicking back today.
Hugs, Noreen

Debbiedoos said...

I can't get over the work you do. I will say you make it look fun though..everyone looks like they had a smile on their face.

Debbie said...

WOW! That looks like a BIG job, but one of those that brings great satisfaction when it is finally done. I do love bouganvillia and had a beautiful one at our last house. But I really don't miss the mess. It is a bad one. The girls looked cute in their little boots and all, but the ring Hannah was sporting was priceless. Looking forward to seeing what you are making!

Unknown said...

Spring Chicken, That's a big no here too. I can't lift my arms today. Wow, I didn't realize your yard goes on and on. What great property for CA. And an orange tree no less.

Cathy said...

Holy cow! You have been busy. But it always feels so good when the work is done.

Linda said...

You sure were busy getting all that done...it was great to have all the family pitch in and help. That Hannah is quite the fashionista!!

Genn said...

All in a day's work right? :)

It looks nice all cleared out.

What are you making???

Oh yes, and that picture of Hannah with the ring on her glove. That was so cute. She's already got her own style. I love it.

Kerri said...

Yikes! Lizzards and rats? What's under the bucket?
I'm wishing I had a breakfast burrito right about now!
Never a dull moment at your house!