RUG HOOKING BLOG

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I'm a mother of four grandmother of seven and great grandmother of three. I live with my husband in the house that we built with the help of my brothers and will have been married for 57 years this February.

Saturday, June 14, 2014

MY WEEK IN A NUT SHELL

It's been a busy week although my work of caring for the calves has diminished considerably since 12 of the 16 calves  I was caring for have been moved outdoors this past week and the little bull has been sold.  So now I'm left with only 4 calves to look after. Wow........ in no time my regular chores at the barn are done...



These are two of my weaned young calves in a bigger pen waiting to be moved in the long pen. They were curious to see if I would take their picture. They eat grain and hay and drink water from the water bowl. They are quick to feed.



The pen is longer than is shown in the photo and represent two days worth of work  and I wasn't quite finished. My son helped me remove the partition gate  away from the all that you see in the middle and I whitewashed the wall. You can see how black it was before.

 The long pen was empty and I used this opportunity to scrape calf shit, fly shit, dust and cobwebs and hay stuck in the cobwebs off the wall and ceiling and whitewashed everything.  The job wasn't  quite finished when I took this photo.

I've been working at the barn for over 5 years I think and this is the first time we didn't had calves in that long pen other than when they clean the bedding and they put them right back in when they are done, so I took this rare opportunity to whitewash the place.

Years of dirt accumulation on the ceiling was hard to scrape off until I used a wire brush.
I was using a thinner whitewash solution than I should have and it did not do a great job, yet it's way better than it was. This is two days work and I wasn't quite finished. I did some whitewashing on myself too while I was at it. lol...


I weeded this long garden and that took me two whole days  work. The hedge needs trimming. I don't know when that will get done. I need to move to a camp in the woods where the deers trim the branches, lol.



I also transplanted some basil, pepper plants where my lilies missed. No sense having bare spots.
The snow peas are up. Yesterday I planted another row along side the one that are out and I need to put up a fence soon.


Spinach is coming up.


Red and yellow onions are growing side by side and I think these are beets or swish chards. I love small tender beets.


More pepper plants and sweet basil



Let's see what's blooming in my gardens this week. Bearded Irises


Mauve creeping phlox by the hedge


A silly impatient bumblebee who can't even wait until this Lupin opens up fully to collect the nectar and pollen. There are tons of other blooms around.


More bearded Irises. All same old flowers as last year as I don't buy new one anymore but divide and conquer.








Another Azalea in a low container that has been there for ions. I was going to replant it in in the soil this Spring but it didn't happened.


A snowball tree by the chimney that is getting way too tall.

 This tree was a free bonus from a seed order catalogue and was just a tiny whip of about 4 inches when I planted it. I had no idea it would grow so tall. I've kept it trimmed from the bottom. Look at that, it looks like a bees nest way up there.



This is a close up of that Azalea



Can yo believe, these pretty ferns are fiddleheads that I planted there a couple of Springs ago. I dug them up along side of the river's edge. They spread by runners under the soil and pops up here and there. I love them.


So simple yet so beautiful and they grow for free around here, no need to spend money for these beauty.


These Leopardbane  have finished blooming and needs deadheading so they won't spread everywhere. It's been raining so it didn't get done yet.


 These are two more weedy flowerbeds that needed cleaning but it didn't take long.



Here the job is done. I have so much more to do.

What got done today will be shared another day. This post is already too long. My apologies but it's a record for prosperity.
Thanks for visiting and if you feel like it leave some comments.  They always make me feel like you came to my place to visit. My house is still dirty inside, my laundry is still not done, a good thing I have tons of clothes, undies and socks by the drawer full. hehehe.
JB

16 comments:

  1. gosh, the ferns are my favorite! too hot and dry here to have them. love the iris, too. and thanks for the memory of whitewashing barn pens! hadn't thought about that in years! (no, i've never done it myself, but have seen how crappy they get and how clean they look afterwards!)

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  2. Gosh Julia, I read your posts and think I work hard. My goodness girl!! You are a working machine. You did that calf barn and that giant flowerbed!! Your garden is going to be wonderful. I find it funny that the the wonderful things you plant are winter crops for us. The ground gets too hot.
    I really love your flowers and that snowball bush is so pretty as are your bearded Iris.
    Well now that it is raining I hope you get to stay inside and rest.
    Have a lovely Sunday.

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  3. It must be very mind-cleansing to be surrounded by so much beauty and nature! I love the irises.

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  4. I dunno, Julia… whitewashing calf pens? weeding? I like spinach! and beets and well, basil. LOVE Irises … bearded or not! … can't see the bumblebee! I even enlarged it! oh, dear m'old eyes?! sure are pretty colors!

    Beautiful flowers one and all … what a pretty place you have made to live in… ;)

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    1. thank goodness you pointed out the Lupin ! I was looking at the picture below .. the Irises.. can't tell a Lupin from an Iris… pitiful! ~ old eyes aint' what they used to be but dang...

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  5. What at great visit at your place Julia! You sure have a full day but you do know how to balance it. I love the Bearded Iris, so lacy looking & those colours! Lovely, I'm going to try them next year when the dust settles here, too much construction right now. You've really inspired me to go weed the garden I have!! What a great before & after! Your gardens are beautiful & you've got such a green thumb. I'm researching to learn more about gardening, your blog is perfect for me to know what works in this region as your about 2 hrs away when I'm here at the cottage. Perfect because that's the time of year when all nature comes to life & your garden is in full bloom of colour & alive with bees, such a sign of summer! I'm in a full battle with ants right now, so your visit was just what I needed. Thank you for the tour Julia. Enjoy this weekend.
    Hugs,
    Cynthia

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  6. Hi Julia...your gardens and flowers are spectacular! It is already hot here...I'm worried that we will have a super hot summer after all the rough weather this past winter up North. Some of my flowers are already fried. Thanks for the info...now I know who to call the next time I'm up sh** creek with no paddle!
    Wonderful garden tour!!!
    Robyn

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  7. You all have a beautiful place.
    R

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  8. Flowers are beautiful. It is worth all the weeding we have to do.
    I don't miss white washing and cleaning calf pens.
    You are one hard working lady!

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  9. Oh my! Those Iris are gorgeous! Careful when you are in your attic as some of those bees may get through that vent. You are a vary strong person and always amaze me with what you accomplish.... that barn work would have knocked me on my butt for a month... so much to do on a farm! I hope you get to have a relaxing Sunday today! :-)

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  10. So much of life is spent cleaning up shit, isn't it:)
    I love your recordings of the daily farm work you do
    and it's sweet to my soul to see all your beauties growing
    and the seeds coming up and the grass green and lush
    and your Summering happening at last.
    (yours was such a long winter!)
    Calves are such beautiful creatures....love those gentle eyes.
    Thanks for sharing the way you do:)
    -Jennifer

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  11. Julia,
    Do you ever sleep? You are truly amazing.
    Love all your flower pics, especially the iris. Old man winter killed most of my mine :(
    Hugs :)
    Lauren

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  12. Those iris are so lovely.
    Glad the calves are growing and most are out on their own now. Not so many babies to take care of.
    The garden and flower beds can sure keep you busy, especially since they are so big.
    I hope you are setting aside some time to sit in your gazebo and enjoy some quiet moments.

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  13. I just hold my breath and look every time I come here and see your gorgeous plants sweet Julia. I have never seen a yard so full of beautiful plants as yours. Those little calves are also beautiful and look so healthy. Lots of beauty around your place. That was a job I am sure doing the whitewashing. Looks to me like you did a mighty fine job! Hugs

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  14. You have a beautiful farm, the family, critters, plants and projects. It is all so wonderful. I love reading about it all! Hugs.

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  15. I hope you slept good after all that work! Whitewashing always makes such a huge difference in the barn! It's about time we do it again...although we don't do it ourselves! Your flowerbeds are so pretty!!

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