Planting A Garden and Chopping Wood

So it's been a while, a long while, since my last update. I wanted to take some to tell you all what we've been up to!



The Garden


It's that time of year here in the south. Time to get the seeds in the ground.  We normally will do a square foot garden, Squarefoot Garden but it's on the far side of our yard and late in the season we all lose interest and the box just fills up.  In an attempt to stay focused this year, I decided to dig rows closer tot he house and I wanted to do it the old fashioned way, no tillers, just by hand.  After doing research I discovered that the best method for us was the double digging method. See this video for more information! I measured out the rows and over two days did all the digging needed, I was so proud at how well these looked and I could not wait for the weather to warm up.  My only concern was our dog.  Sugar is notorious for digging the garden and sure enough, the next morning, my light airy soil had been stepped in and dug up and all messed up.  For a moment I caught myself chasing the dog around the back yard with my kid's diamond minecraft sword.  During the chase I was reminded of years earlier when my childhood pet dog Butterfeet chewed up the water hose and my dad chased him around the same back yard with a piece of hose.  I laughed in the kitchen window watching him and thought he looked so silly...I didn't understand his frustrations then, but I completely get it now! So on to plan B. Sugar is scared to death of Walmart bags. So I just knew this new plan was going to work.  I tied string around my bed and attached bags all the way around.  This was most definitely the redneckedess thing I've ever made.  It didn't work. That dog was back in the bed the next day trying to find China! I formulated Plan C and this was it.  60 cinderblocks later there's a great cinderblock wall and now the dog can't get in it. It worked and now my plants are green and looking healthy!!



Chopping Wood


Sooo, as we were driving home the other day we saw a felled tree chopped up into nice rounds on the side of the road.  The Mrs. makes a comment wishing we had an ax to chop up that wood into pieces for our fire pit. Challenge Accepted! This was the first time I've ever handled an ax, I've ever chopped wood, anything! There is something so relaxing and satisfying about swinging a heavy piece of metal and that crack noise the wood makes as it splits. I spent hours chopping wood and huffing and puffing and sweating, I loved it! This led me to watch all kinds of videos on YouTube about chopping wood.  I can literally sit and watch videos for hours about chopping wood, it's so hypnotic! I have learned that seasoning the wood really does matter. In my excitement I decided to burn some of my freshly split pieces and even though it burned there was a lot more smoke and it choked us out.

Love these adventures and I love the kids helping me on these projects. I still have to dig up the blackberry plants and move them. I need to build a trellis for our squash plants and beans. all kinds of fun things going on!

Until next time!