I went to a Garden Party II

Some far more knowledgeable and experienced folks would call me stupid or perhaps, to be kind, foolish or ignorant.  I choose the title "DARING AND ADVENTUROUS!"

So as follow up to yesterday's braggartly claim of 95% of the rocks being harvested, fearing what yet lay before the surface, I threw caution (and common sense) to the wind and ventured forth into the unknown exploratory journey of attempting to till the garden! (Cue trumpet sounds.)  I selected an area in the middle of the garden about 6 feet wide and the full 30 feet across.  And dove in...

Two hours...I repeat, two hours later I had made two passes at this area and yielded yet another bumper crop which can be seen in the foreground of the picture to the left...but wait, that's not all. 

Besides the horseshoe, the window screen and the myriad of rocks and roots piled in the pictured here (above left), I, at great danger to myself and to the well being of the tines on my tiller, harvested yet another pile seen here (to the right)...

While the tiller performed flawlessly there were those wonderful "jerks" and stalls" which let one know there is something there.  Occasionally there were warnings, such as the earth moving a foot away from where I was tilling indicating I had a big one "on the line" (fishing metaphor).  Once in a while the bigger stone would be sufficiently inline with the tines that it would just stick up in there nicely and stall the engine (that dreaded, oh darn, now we do have a problem).  One was so large and so wedged it took several minutes with a hammer and a masonry chisel to break it up and remove it. But some of them were thin enough that the tines of the tiller actually broke them...

I must admit the thought of raised gardens has crossed my mind, but frankly the expense of 1500-2000 square feed of raised garden frames, bedding etc. isn't on our list of financial priorities, and I like the challenge and work involved in breaking this ground up.  There's just more satisfaction in hard work, than easy work...

...it's what I sense God thinks when he looks at me...and He is MORE than up to the challenge.

I went to a Garden Party...

We're seriously excited that in just three days we expect to begin the big window replacement/siding project on the house that will make it so much more presentable to the community and make it just a whole lot more attractive.  While we appreciate the sturdiness of the block construction, the new look will be the most visible exterior change.

This week's weather has been amazing and yet so busy with an annual physical, 2 Bible Studies, several meetings and appointments as well as other assorted activities, there's been very little opportunity to work outside.

Finally today, I was able to get the tractor out and get the spring clean up done.  It included my own little "garden party" (cue Ricky Nelson).

A friend and neighbor came up last fall to plow up the ground and it was a massive task since the ground had perhaps never been tilled or at least not in the last hundred years or so.  We only opened up an area about 30'x50' for the first year.  We're still not sure what the deer will do but we have some plans to deal with that.

So today was the first garden "harvest" and I estimate I harvested easily a ton of stone from the 1500 sq foot area.  (All in that tiny little trailer I call Mighty Mo - pictured below.) If you look closely (or click on the picture of the rocks to enlarge) you'll see my foot at the bottom.  The pile is easily 6 feet x 8 feet and 3 feet high in the middle. Some of the stones were well over 100lbs. You can imagine this old man's back may be stiff in the morning!  But it's done.  The garden is clear of 95%+ of all rocks bigger than 1 inch.

It's times like this I greatly miss that Prairie soil in Illinois.  The Silty Loam here in Tioga county can run up to 35% rock/stone.

Be that as it may we're on our way.  We'll need to disc it before I'm able to use the rototiller but we're moving in the right direction.  And our second set of seeds have been started indoors (April 1 and April 15) since we don't plant much before mid May here, but we'll be ready.

It's a good feeling to go to bed exhausted.  There's incredible comfort in having put in a good day's labor.  I wish more folks understood that.

Stay tuned for another posting coming soon, when the supplies start arriving!

OGM Contracts and Reality Checks!

 

It's not much. But it's OURS! Our own four acre estate in the mountains. It's requiring a lot of work. It had four walls (concrete block), 1/2" foam board insulation, and a wood stove.

But slowly, we've been making it ours. We were a bit anxious in January, when the gas/oil contract we had with Seneca Resources expired. We knew they were planning on putting this unit on line so payments would be made but without a contract we, as far as we knew, would receive no payments.

Enter the negotiations...We had previously sought the input of a friend with a background and some extensive experience in such matters. We also had carried out conversations with some of the neighbors and other friends who had experience in these matters.  The bottom line on such offers seemed to be "take it or leave it."  

But, of course, being the bullheaded person I am I wasn't going to just roll over, so I pushed back...pretty hard and heard:

Well we really don't need you to sign.  1. There's no "leg" (actual pipeline) under your land so there's no trespass. 2. Federal and States laws are on our side in that a 4 acre plot can't hold up progress on a thousands of acres development. 3. If you don't sign, instead of the percentage we'll be paying you (which is above everybody else who has the unexpired contracts) we send less to an escrow fund in Pittsburgh and the State uses it for Land Development. So...

Now to be sure, the one who is tasked with negotiating this does not actually work for the Oil/Gas Company, he only represents them in the negotiations.  And he did extend a pretty gracious attitude and understanding.

But that's what Big Government and Big Corporations can do.  They really don't need our permission.  They'd just like our blessing.

So we'll sign. We'll be paid for a percentage.  We'll receive a small "signing bonus."  Neither will make us rich, but it will at least pay the taxes and some of the utilities, so there's that. And, of course, there is a "non-disclosure" agreement in the contract so we won't be sharing the terms.

Anyway, we are blessed.  

We're hoping to leave the house with a certain level of self-sustainability, intending it to provide a place of rest and refuge for future generations.

But, of course, we'll die and life will go on, unless Jesus comes and makes all of this moot!  Maranatha! Come, Lord Jesus!!!

 

 

Just when you thought you had it done...

You may recall the former small bunk room was converted into a study.  It housed my (Glen's) books, Kenyan, Ghanaian, and Thai memorabilia and other assorted items for decoration purposes.  It was something of a "pastoral man cave."  My space... 

It also had a futon for relaxed reading, naps, and other appropriate uses (like converting into a bed for our granddaughters' and/or grandson's overnights (to which we look forward, hint! hint!).

But alas, with less need for study space and severely limited other space (remember this is a two bedroom one bath home) we decided to shift the emphasis of this space and convert it into a den, so...

The W. African Mahogany bookcase has been repurposed to a kitchen pantry cabinet replacing one now being used for storage in the laundry room. It stands next to a set of Ofram wood and wrought iron shelves we brought back from our time in Ghana.  (This shelving unit matches the sofa table, end table and other units which will eventually end up in the Den.)

The new Den was rearranged to provide an open area for play.  Shelving was added (and more will be coming after the Amazon delivery of brackets tomorrow). And while one end table has been placed the other, along with the matching coffee table, is currently providing kitchen "assistance."

In the picture to the left you can see where the additional shelving is needed.  Also, one might rightly ask, "what is in the black bags?" They hold something of a treasure trove of kites. When we lived in Waltham, IL I picked up a love of flying kites.  It was the perfect setting - wide open spaces, consistent (and sometimes strong) winds.  Many of my kites were sold when we returned to the mission field. Recently, however, I have "inherited" Carol's dad's collection.  Being an engineer, you know he had to have the latest, greatest, and best.  The only problem here is the inconsistency of the mountain valley winds that blow through.  Although we've got the open spaces it is sometimes hard to keep them afloat...but they stand at the ready.

The final, recent change has been the bathroom door.  Yes, we are a bit of an eclectic couple and certainly "country."  We had some great rough cut white spruce planks I got from Jake West (West Branch Lumber, Morris, PA) and, as earlier mentioned, had decided to make something of a simple plank door...outhouse style one might say...we still haven't decided on stain or whether we'll just continue with the boiled linseed oil/thinner treatment.  That falls under the heading "under discussion" like so much more in the project...

And so ends the story of "Just when you thought you had it done..." as if anything in home ownership is ever truly done. 

May the Lord our God, who is abundantly able to bless you beyond your wildest imaginations, keep you in His grace and His will.

Soli Deo Gloria!

*pictures may be clicked to enlarge

When bored...

One of the challenges I faced in returning to the states some 8 years ago, was boredom.  It wasn't a lack of busyness. It was more of a lack of the challenges faced in cross-cultural, cross-denominational, cross-national, cross-linguistic work.  There were other challenges to be sure but they were more, which doctor of the myriad available, which hospital of the assortment, which ketchup of the massive varieties, which car, even which way to go to work with paved roads EVERYWHERE. The challenge of the easy life was having to make so many choices.

This whole issue of boredoms, which I thought I had largely dealt with, was rekindled in retirement three years ago.  No meetings required. No daily commute, times of preparation, counseling, etc.  Lots of time.  And then the move from a busier small city (Sanford, NC) to a rural setting (1 mile from the nearest paved road and almost ten miles to the nearest signal light).

I have managed to stay somewhat busy with the house finishing/ remodeling (not sure what to call this), now preaching and leading a Bible Study weekly.  But this weekend that frustration of boredom hit again like a two by four up against the head.

It's not a lack of busyness that was bothering me but the question of significance.  I got to dreaming of the times of travel to places unknown, sitting with people I had never before met, discussing Kingdom issues where the Kingdom has yet to have a presence in language which was literally foreign to me. Those types of significant challenges.  There are opportunities for ministry here to be sure, but as I contemplate how I might best invest my time, I was bored. And of course I still dream of returning to international work...

So what does one do when bored?

Separate the frozen boards, flip, rotate, and re-stack them and set them up for the solar dryer,

turning this...

...into this

When the weather gets a bit warmer the ends  will be opened up and box fans will be placed to form a wind tunnel of sorts to speed the drying.

So when there is a pause in the interior project work, we wait upon spring for the windows and siding work to begin, and I'm feeling bored what do I do? What might any man rightly do? PLAY WITH WOOD AND DREAM!  

Soli Deo Gloria!

"I love it when a plan comes together."

 John "Hannibal" Smith, from "The A-Team" was fond of saying, at the conclusion of a project, "I love it when a plan comes together."

Today's project was the transport of 1000 board feet of freshly sawn White Pine lumber which will be used for flooring in the living/dining/kitchen area of the house.  We have an open concept space of about 900 square feet and are planning to use a face nailed (using cut nails) planked pine floor system, using mostly 1x12's with some 1x10 and 1x8 thrown in to add variety.  (I couldn't have done it without the gracious offer of a pick up truck from neighbor Mike Stanford. And thanks to Rick and Janelle Davis and Mike and Debbie Youmans also for the offers of a truck and/or trailer...)

The first load contained 596 board feet and
weighed heavily on the suspension.   The weight was significantly above normal because, as you can see in the following pictures, some of the boards were frozen together.

(As a general note pictures posted on this blog will open and expand when clicked on).

It was about a 2 1/2 hour endeavor to drive out to West Branch Lumber Company, load the lumber, transport it back to Chatham Twp and unload each time.

The second load, coming in at about 406 board feet was a lighter load but didn't make much of a time difference. (Probably due to the necessary conversation about the Ambrosia Maple Jake had recently lumbered for his dad, the wormy pine lying nearby, the various walnut planks, and the piles of assorted other woods weathering nicely around the grounds. I love talking wood and Jake has some SWEET stuff!!!

But I was focused.  I had 1000 board feet of lumber to load, transport, unload, stack, cover (and soon to also build a solar dryer for, and then  square the edges and ends of, and put down in the house later this year.)  I. WAS. PUMPED.

My ever wonderful wife helped to unload all of it, including the frozen together pile of 8, 10 foot 1x8's (a heavy load) and when we finished it was time to sit in front of the fire, enjoy "a cuppa" and relax.  Thank you, Lord.  I love it when a plan comes together!

Almost there...

Life with linoleum...or not...

The flooring finally came in and it was quick work to tear out the temporary baseboard moulding, layout the pad and snap the new waterproof laminate flooring in place.  Outside of cutting around the toilet base everything was a straight shot.

We chose a Pergo product with a grayish brown color to contrast with the walls and yet stay with the "gray" coloration that the metal roofing on the shower interior brought to the table.

The wood for the door (a fresh cut white spruce) has been drying for the better part of a year outside.  I put it in the shop today in preparation for trimming and gluing. Because we tend toward and eclectic style of decor the door will be a simple planked door like you might see in a simpler home. Something like this...

It's been rough sawn and we'll likely avoid too much sanding.  If it works I have enough wood to do a couple of more...

And on a future note as we look forward to spring, we've had the flooring cut.  It's 1000 board feet of white pine varying in width from 1x6 to 1x12 with most of it being 1x12.  It's drying now and I just need to find a way to transport it the 20 miles or so.

Spring will also bring the major window replacement and siding project...so a lot to look forward to.  God. Is. Good.