AROUND THE HOUSE

It still takes my breath away that I can actually use that phrase......

If you are 'up to here' with doing stuff around the house - just live without one for a few years!

Although it's been cool and windy we've been making progress on a few things in the yard. Derek's one of those guys that can spend all his time outside - checking this, tweaking that. He's even been known to garden by flashlight. 

Since we are expecting such a busy summer with campers he may just have to resort to that at some point to get it all done. 

But right now we have some time and are making good use of it.

Let the planting season begin!
Derek put down the back planks to stop the rain water from hitting the garden - our house does not have eavestroughs. You can see where the soil marks the wall. The other in front was added to divide the large bed. Something is in the garden but we aren't sure what - floppy fellows so doubt we'll keep them - just long enough to see what they are.

Yesterday I planted two types of kale, rainbow swiss chard, perennial spinach, mesclun, lettuce and beets. Thanks to my sis and brother in law for the seeds that they gave us when we were on the Vancouver Island. 

In the front garden these lilies are taking their time! But there is white showing - it shouldn't be long now!

Cas and I went to cut rhubarb this morning. Cj mentioned 'tender young rhubarb' and freezing the other day in the comments. I was thrown for a minute and quickly googled what I was missing. Although I have used rhubarb in the past I am far from an expert. I will admit to not knowing that the stocks should be picked young - I always waited for them to be large and thick! Yikes! Stands to reason - so many other things are better picked young like spinach and beet tops. 

Turns out - even though they are poisonous we can compost the leaves. Here is our new compost by the way. But our's will have to wait.....

until the dinosaurs are done with them!

I forgot to mention that a few weeks ago we planted two blueberry plants in our front garden ...

and two haskap plants. Have you heard of Haskaps before? They are very good - their flavour between a blueberry, saskatoon and raspberry, and very nutritious as berries are. We are excited for our first batch - probably not this year though.

We're over the moon to see that the lilacs are on their way! We hear that we have light and dark purple and white! Our shrubs are so large and surround that house that I think we'll be living in lilac fragrance once they are out. 

I'll fill the house with them but for now we are bringing the crab apple blossoms in. The jar to the left is Derek's experiment with poplar buds in olive oil to make a form of essential oil or salve.

Now that we have a real kitchen again - I'm back to making things homemade. 

If we're not traveling and if I'm not working or doing this and that - you can find me either reading or making something in the kitchen. 

We've gotten back to making raw dog food for Rufus. We had a recipe from a few years ago but thought that we would reeducate ourselves on what we can and can't put in his food. While shopping the other day we stocked up on sweet potato for him and here you can see that I grated some carrot. Looks like for next time I should chop the carrot finer. This site has lots of useful info. Now we also know what to grow in the garden for Rufus as well.

I also continue to improve my energy bites. I shared the recipe for these way back in May of 2012 while we were working at Skihist. Sadly, I got away from making them much in the last few years.  I've been tweaking the original recipe. In addition to the oats, coconut and chocolate, I now increase the variety of seeds and such to include ground flax, whole flax, wheat germ, sesame, sunflower and pumpkin. 

Reading all the bad news about peanut butter these days I'm trying to switch it over to almond but at $13.00 a jar it will have to wait - we as yet, haven't had a pay cheque since last September! We did find sunflower seed butter at a good price so I used that with the PB. And lastly, I decreased the amount of honey finding the called for 1/3 of a cup way too much.  

Anyway - if you are looking for a good morning or afternoon fuel this is a good one.

While I was doing that Derek and Cassia were enjoying the sun in our 'secret garden'. We used some pallets and our old cushions from the van to make a nice outdoor room with a chaise lounge.

Derek even put up some logs for Cassia to climb around on. Who needs a playground?

Tonight while I did my rounds the three of them went for a walk. Just look at the progress of our poplar and aspen trees!

Did I mention last time that this used to be a driveway to another large house on the property. 

Love this trail.

There is a place in the park with the foundation of what looked to be a significant house. It's a neat area to walk around complete with an old Packard. A nice flowering crab apple as well.

This is the only standing building in that area - wonder what it was!

So much to explore and enjoy for this almost 6 year old.

So, that's how it's been.

The park has been quiet since Easter giving us time to complete our settling in and cleaning of the park. 

Yesterday, following several emails back and forth and a Skype interview, Derek and I hired our third employee for the park. A fellow of 20 from Saskatchewan - we think he's going to be invaluable and await his arrival mid May to take on maintenance and security duties. 

Other than that - we are hoping for busier weeks ahead as the temps are forecasted to improve. Our camp hosts are also set to arrive on the 19th or 20th.

Derek and Cassia are heading to the lower Mainland for a few days to pick up the last of our possessions that we have had stored at his sister's place since 2012. I can't wait to see them back with our crock pot!

Listening to Alan Jackson's - Remember When - one of my favourites.

Teresa

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