Town House Homestead Tuesday

So, two weeks later this little guy has become king of the homestead. Well, he thinks so any way. He has the run of a quarter acre and if I have to say so, I think they make them cute so we keep them. He has punctured my skin, chewed on my pant legs, stolen my boots, and I cannot get any sweeping or dust mopping done unless he's in the crate. I am exhausted, but for the last few nights he has been sleeping for at least eight hours. Not bad for ten weeks. I think he has doubled in size in two weeks and has a wonderful appetite. The vet says he's very healthy. Hunter is a thinker and problem solver and it's hard to stay ahead of him. I was totally unprepared to have a puppy in the house and a few times I've wanted to find him a new home. Hopefully with warmer weather we can learn to get along better. Together we have a lot to learn.

This past weekend we had some major tilling done to start our pollination garden. CCH Lawn and Landscape spent several hours clearing the yard. We are on our way to being known as 50,000 bees and a puppy.

This is a very large area with lots of potential for every kind of plant we feel like planting, and enjoying. It will be undergoing lots of changes in the next month.

CCH Lawn and Landscape was also hired to make an eight foot bench for this garden. Just simple cement blocks with timbers. This is for sitting, but will also be used as a work surface for the bee tending.

My daughter also had them create removable lattice fence panels as a bit of architecture that we can blend in with plants. They came out perfect and we can store them if we need to make changes to the garden.

The hive boxes are being painted. Another coat and we will be ready to receive the ladies. They will have a struggle to survive, but we will do all we can to keep them going and protect them. So many predators and battles for them.

We did a bit of raking to prepare the hive location. Emily helped bring in supplies and they laid weed cloth, cement squares and stones. They added a water bath over the tree stump that we cut back further and at the end of the day, a test of what it would look like was done. 

I think it's going to be beautiful. Right now there aren't any plants and the area with the pebbles will be much larger, but for this weekend we are finished. CCH Lawn and Landscape will be hired to put a stronger floor in the shed and build new doors so we can use it this coming winter. It's a bit worn right now, but still has a good roof, and some paint will bring it back to functional.

The sign warning of bees is on the gate at the side of the house and we've taken out a few locks for it, so we can decide which one is best to keep people safe. The neighbors are all on board with our bees and they hope they may have a jar of honey in the fall.

The gardens we put in last year are beginning to blossom and it's so nice to see. As of April 15th we have been in our new Town House Homestead for one year and when I look back at what we've done, I see all the miracles I am grateful for. I look forward to vegetable gardens and sharing our abundance in the near future. Thank you for stopping by and visiting. I hope to see you again soon. 

Town House Homestead Tuesday

Well for sure this has been an interesting week. We've had things scheduled, but we were a bit spontaneous too. Spontaneous to the point that this little fellow is now a member of the family. We've wanted to find a dog, but most dogs, two to three years old, are always gone by the time we find them. However, this past week my daughter found a Craigslist add for him. She sent a message, and within an hour she had a response that he was still available. We made arrangements to go see him and sure enough he came home with us. 

His name is Hunter and he is just over eight weeks old. He is a lab and terrier mix and I'm sure he's going to fit that name within a couple of months. In the mean-time he, and we have a lot of learning to do.

He is my daughters dog and they have more than bonded. He's been here just shy of three days. Yes he's very cute. She named him Hunter because that will be his job. Keeping those ground hogs from digging any more dens. He already has a fix on them and I haven't seen them since he's had free run of the back yard.

Don't let this cute little guy fool you. He is very smart. He's a problem solver and a con. He's trying everything including being bad for me because she's not here. He just realized this morning that she leaves and that didn't make him happy to be stuck with the old one. Oh well. It was a very hard first two days, but her co-worker brought us a crate and without hesitation after we put his blanket in it, he put himself inside and cuddled up to sleep. Two sleepless nights left us frustrated, but last night he slept for three and a half hours before needing to go out. Small steps, but we'll get there. He's got half an acre to run on, and lots of people who have come to play with him. Even our senior neighbors have offered to babysit. They love dogs. 

My seedling are doing well. Last week I got my Italian basil and Purple basil started and they have popped their heads and are growing. I think I miss basil the most through the winter, but now I can grow it in the basement under the grow lights. I will need to find some heat source for it. I'm not sure what I'm going to start this week. I have my hands full with puppy.

So the puppy took up all of Saturday and Sunday my contractors, CCH Lawn & Landscape, came and built my compost bin. I am so happy with it. They said they have some tweaking to do, but I can use it, and as you can see I've started collecting wintered leaves and brush for it. I also have a bit saved in the freezer as far as food scraps to add, along with paper and cardboard. This has been a life time dream, believe it or not, to have a place to garden and dig in the dirt. I see Hunter and I out there for many hours during the day this summer. CCH Lawn & Landscape will be back in a couple of weeks to do more work for us too. Our little homestead is taking another major step. That's what's been going on at the Town House Homestead. Thank you for stopping by and have a great week. See you soon.