The Spring Fling

Today was really one of those days with lots of work, thoughts, memories and good feelings.  The morning started with chores, check the asparagus and a peaceful breakfast on the back deck.  A quick lick and a promise to the house and off I went to prime and paint at the cabin.  Have you ever heard a "lick and a promise"?  That is a saying my mom would use when she didn't have time to do the real cleaning.  That is what I did today.  Left the dishes in the dish drainer rather than take care of them.  Looked around and promised tomorrow I would dust and run the sweeper.  Yep, I call the vacuum a sweeper.  Oh, the dishes in the drainer...........I haven't used a dish washer in two years and don't miss it.  With just the two of us I would rather "do them up" after each meal.  For some reason these old hands love the warmth of the water.  It gives a little relief to those knotty old joints that remind me of my grandmothers.  Like the gray hair, it is all part of Carrie Gross, I remember from so long ago.

I had my day planned out when I went to bed last night.  Dick would be subbing at school and it meant I could work at my own pace with no interruptions.  The first thing at the cabin was prime the walls.  Then it was off to mow our lawn, the barnyard, around the garden and finally the cabin lawn.  Next the weed whacking for our house and the cabin.  By then it was lunch time, cheese burger,  like Jimmy Buffett sings............it was in Paradise.  Again the back porch to munch along with a view.  The view I never get tired of looking at.  The chickens and guinea hens were busy scratching and looking for bugs.  Smokey had his head down to the green and never once looked up when I would call to him.   That spring green gets to him!  A great love affair until the temperatures get hot, the grass loses its moist tender taste.  Then it is back to nibbling here and there for another year.

Once lunch was over it was back to the cabin to paint.  The primer was good and dry with all the windows open and a beautiful breeze blowing through.  It made my time go much faster feeling the fresh air and the feel of rain in the air.  It will blow rain in for the evening just in time for bed, relax and be thankful for the day.  A day of work, good feelings that I can still do what I love to do.  Keep busy, feel accomplished and grateful for this life we have.

The cabin is ready for the woodwork and chair rail.  I have moved on in my thoughts to what colors to use in each room.  Yes, it is getting close to the final decisions of what to do as far as decorating.  At this point I am thinking very simple and plain.  White for woodwork, cupboards and curtains keep coming into this mind of mine.  The bedroom and bathroom are painted............hunter's white.  It doesn't look white, more of a light gray/green if that makes sense.  The living room and kitchen are painted a very pale gray/green.  It reminds me of the sea grass at the beaches in NC.  I took a few pictures but the lighting just wasn't good this afternoon.  Maybe morning light will be better.

By the end of summer we are hoping to have a "WELCOME TO THE CABIN" so the ones that live close and have been following our adventure can take a look at it in real time.  I'm sure there will be some treats to eat as well! 

Here is the first pick of the garden.  Tomorrow night, asparagus with butter, salt, pepper and lemon.  Our favorite way to enjoy it.   That is it, my Spring Fling for the day!

A little of This and a Whole Lot of Nothing

It is asparagus time.  Three days ago we walked around the asparagus bed and not a sign of it. Today when I went to do the chores I thought, go take a look and maybe it will show signs of tender new shoots.  It sure did!  All 5 inches high!  Now we will get our fill of asparagus and pickle some for next winter.  We only did a few jars last spring since we didn't know how it would be.  I can tell ya, we will be canning as much as possible this spring.  Delicious....

The green has taken over brown.  Fields and pastures are beautiful and the lawn has been mowed twice in the last week.  Right where I like to be, on the lawn tractor or farm tractor grooming it once or twice a week during the early days of spring.  That is my "take me back, feel good, breathe deep moments of my life.  Great feeling to be free.  The fields will not get touched until the first of June.  That way the wild birds, turkeys and fawns will have plenty of deep cover to hide from the predators.

The cabin:  Where does it begin and end?  I don't want it to be completely finished, the cabin offers me as much peace and enjoyment as cutting grass, garden and animals.  Every few days the new project is completed and on to the next.  The dry wall is hung and the seaming and nail plastering is ready for the third coat.  I would like to say the final coat but not sure of that.  Today will be knocking down the imperfections and putting that thin third coat on.  Then we shall see if it's a 3,4 or 5 coat process for this unprofessional mudder.  Right now it looks so different with the walls and dividing walls in place.  I thought it would look really small once it was divided off but it doesn't.  Just a cozy 20'x 20' little cabin.

My "mud mixer" guy.

The "mudder gal".

Yes, I see the light!

  
A saying that every now and again pertains to me......a little bit of this and a whole lot of nothing.  I can be talking about a supper of leftovers or work that I am planning for the day.  Sometimes I do a little bit of this and a whole lot of nothing. Which is more often than not.   In fact, my husband says to me frequently.......stay focused, Cheryl.  I can be doing laundry, walk by a little chore and end up changing directions in a blink.  That's me, mind goes around and round and where it stops, not even I know at times.  For example, the cabin work can be mudding, sanding or sealing some wood.  What ever floats in my thoughts is where I will be today.  That is the best part of no schedule, no commitments, just do it. 

The door is finished, color and all.  We actually agreed on a color which is very unusual.  I picked the color so to show my kinder side I am letting the husband pick the wall color.  Sometimes I have a kinder side, sometime!  This could be very interesting because rarely do we agree on colors.  I will make do and decorate accordingly.  Just because I will prove I have a kinder side and can give up control of a situation, every now and again.  Scary!

The Fight is Over

It was days of fighting.  Who would win?  Never a doubt that Spring would take "Old Man Winter" down.  The days get longer, the sun gets higher, temperatures go up and down randomly and the snow slowly retreats to become the milky water flowing in our streams.  We can wish all we want for spring to come early but it is not to be.  Mother Nature shows us all the subtle signs for weeks on end.  Even now with days of warm breezes, blue skies and comfortable nights "Old Man Winter" will step in now and again just to let us know he is a fighter.  Eventually he will give up and just be a memory until next fall when he slowly creeps back into our lives.

At Cook'n by the Creek the grass is growing, pastures are getting green, leeks are on the menu and trout season will be here next Saturday.  Leek digging, our favorite spring saying, "it's a leek digging, beer drinking, (I hate beer) homemade bread kinda day.  That will be next weekend.  Ham is waiting to be cooked in the crock pot and the juices will provide the broth for the leeks to be cooked in.  A few leek sandwiches with butter, salt and pepper make for a few days of meals all wrapped around the "wild leek".  If I'm lucky the grandson will be knocking on my door with a few trout.  That has been the "cycle of life" since a little girl.  Comfort food, comfort life.  We have so many memories through the years with family and friends digging, cleaning and cooking leeks.  Some traditions are worth keeping and a "leek digging, beer drinking" day is one.  The day is full of sunshine, blue sky and warm temperatures.  That perfect day just happens and away we go. 

The cabin is still top priority for our days.  Six sheets of sheetrock to hang and then the plastering begins.  Yesterday as Dick was cutting out an outlet I was a little nervous.  He didn't shut the electric off while using the rotozip to go around it.  Our measurements are sometimes less to be desired and all it would take is to hit the inside rather than the outside of the box and he would be lit up like a Christmas tree.  I was ready for a picture just to prove I had nothing to do with the "light up".  All went well and 8 more to cut out.  Well, not completely well............we did have a little discussion with someone putting a little thunder on the ground.  All in a days work around here!

Ready, cut!

Today I will be sanding the final side of the door and hopefully putting the first coat of primer on.  I left the marks from where a porcupine chewed on it.  Just a little character and memory of what was.
Then we are off to watch OVHS baseball at Coudersport, deliver donations to the thrift store and before we leave get an ice cream cone from Cream and Sugar ice cream shop.  Chocolate of course, it is made in Penn State and the best ice cream we have had in a long time.  Ice cream is not friendly to me but for some reason Penn State does not bother me.  Yeah, I knew if I searched I could find one that liked me!

The Mr. had to sub at Votech today so an afternoon of my favorite ride was in order, the zero turn lawn mower.  It is running like a top so the chances of me getting a new JD is slim to none and none being more like it.  There was some limestone to rake out of the lawn from the plow guy this winter scraping to low on the driveway.  I can not think of anything I HATE more than raking.  That means in work choices......snakes are at the very top of my HATE list.  It is that time of the year when my eyes are scanning for the slithery, scary things.  It doesn't matter if it is dirt, grass or gravel, all raking is a pain in my arms.  It's done and now for a relaxing hour to have a cup of maple tea and enjoy the beautiful warm breeze going through the house.  All the windows are open and it is one of those days to just smile about. 

What's for supper?  Don't know and don't care..............like I said, just one of those days.

Ready Strip

April is a month of eleven days I will be flying solo.  Let me tell ya, I like having Richard retired but there are times I need to have the "me time" and do what I want without being questioned then told how it should be done.  Remember, I am not good at taking or following orders!  That's the truth.  I get down right ornery, even if in my mind I know there is a better way.  Since Dick will be subbing at school for eleven, yes.....eleven days I will be doing little chores and projects with a smile on my face, a song in my heart and happy as can be.  For about a month I have been mentally lining up my to do things, buying a few tools that will make it easier and just plain googling the projects. 

This morning was a leisurely cup of coffee ( or 2 or 3), feed the horse and chickens, and one last google.  Coffee Up, Farmer Brown!  The weather couldn't be any better today and tomorrow to do a couple things in the basement.  This morning I worked on "Monty's Door".  It came from a room that Monty Hathaway had built on his home which we bought in the fall of 2015.  It is an exterior door that I really liked and convinced someone to let me have it.  There were so many coats of paint on the outside but the "Ready Strip" that I bought is amazing and so nice to use.  This is the first time I had tried this brand and continue to use it unless someone can tell be a better stripper to use.  How about it, Barb Maxson Adams?  I know you strip a lot  and I am just a once in a while stripper............any better recommendations? I like Ready Strip for the fact, put it on one day and take it off the next.  It does not dry out, run and when it is scraped off it comes off in long strips with a rubbery texture.  There were a few areas that did not all come off so this morning when I was done scrapping I took a small brush and brushed it on just in the areas that needed it.  Tonight or tomorrow it will come off and I will be ready to sand, prime and paint.  The door is going to be hung barn style on a dark brown rail dividing the living/kitchen areas and the bedroom/bathroom areas.  Not going to say the color, Dick just looked at the sample and didn't say a word.  We shall see.  There will be a little plaque that will be inscribed "Mont's Door" and the date he built his home.  Just a simple little memory for others to see.

When the Ready Strip is ready to come off it turns a dark green.  No smell to it!

The glass will be etched with a design.

You can see the spots that didn't come off the first time.  Nice that it stays where
it's put and doesn't run on the wood already stripped.

As long as I was in the basement.........time to organize the canned goods. 
Soon it will be garden planting, harvesting and canning.  The Melamine dishes, from Monty's place.
I had to keep just a few, there were dozens of them.  The rest went to the thrift store.

Bloused Trousers

Sunday when I was getting ready to start the work day at the cabin a memory just jumped right in.  It was at the point of putting on my work boots and tucking my jeans into them.  It was a flash back of watching my dad get ready for work at Messer Oil.  He would put a wide band on his boots around the ankle.  Then lace them with rhythm.  One lace in each hand seesawing them up the hooks until the top and then tie them off with a double tie.  He would pull the band up on his trousers and blouse them.  I always thought why bother but now I know.  They looked the same when he came home from work or the barn.  For my tuck them in my boots means all day long I am tucking them back in.  Every time I bend my knees out the jeans would come making for an uncomfortable feel.  Next winter if I remember, the blousing technique will be put to the test. 

As usual I had to google blousing trousers.  It started with military dress attire.  I have pictures of my dad when he was very little wearing jodhpurs.  They were pants that were very tight from the knee down and bloused out at the hips.  English Equestrians wear this style.  I often wonder why they had all the extra material around the hips so I googled that too.  Made sense, it is to give extra room when riding a horse.  From the knee down they were tight to keep the pants from getting caught in the stirrups.  So, if you have been wondering all your life as to the reason for breeches, jodhpurs and knickers now you know.  To think one little memory of 60+ years ago created a blog.  As always my mind is like someone that loves to travel, it just keeps wandering in all directions.

An update on the cabin.  It really is starting to look like a cabin!  The left over tongue and groove was taken back to the garage and room was made for the sheetrock.  As of last night we had hung 10 sheets of it.  The kitchen walls are all sheetrock and the living room has tongue and groove up 4 ft. with 4 ft. of sheet rock up to the ceiling.  Next we do the bedroom and bathroom with sheetrock.  My work will begin once that is done............plastering the screws indents and seams.  I can not stand the smell of it but am the only one patient enough to do it and it does take patience.  Ya can't hurry plastering.  It works out ok because I don't have the patience for painting walls and Dick does.  He is really good at it too.  Works out fine around here, each has their own specialty that the other can not or will not attempt.

Quincy just want a chipper to run by.

Saturday is usually designated for pizza night.  The best way to bake a homemade pizza is on a stone slab at 410 degrees on a low rack.  The bottom is crispy and the dough evenly cooks through.  We like thin crust but thick crust bakes just the same........good every time.  Toppings depend on what is in the refrigerator.  Last Saturday it was onion, mushroom and green olive toppings.  I have a feeling in the next couple weeks the pizza will be topped with fresh wild leeks.  As with adding them to fried potatoes, spaghetti, cheese spread and what ever else sounds like it needs a boost of leek flavor.  My friend from NM sent me a great idea.  Deep fried leeks!  Of course we will be trying them. Besides leeks it calls for my favorite...buttermilk to dip them in first.  Remember buttermilk makes deep fried foods extra crispy.  I have no idea why but it sure does.

Yum and we didn't have to leave the house. 

The next two pictures are proof that Dick and I share everything, work, fun, fights and injuries.  When you are working with tools there is always a good chance there will be some kind of an injury.  Nothing that requires seeing a doctor but that moment when the whole world gets dark and our words are less than to be desired.  Dick was on his last section of putting up insulation when he hit his thumb with the hammer type stapler.  Very lucky the staple did not go in the thumb and even more lucky for me, I was not there for the action.  Yes, it seems we get careless the closer we get to finishing a job.  As with my left hand.  We were up about 4 boards of tongue and groove.  It would not slip in place because it was warped in the middle.  Dick said, wait and I'll stand on it while you nail.  I was nailing anyways because of being closer to the ground than a 6'1 guy.  I always take the low jobs by choice.  Much better than working off a ladder for me.  Ok, so he was standing on it, I started to nail and the damn board slipped completely off the other and came down on my hand.  Board weight, 2 lb.  Dick's weight 205 lb., 207 on my hand.  Doing the dance, squeezing my hand and talking to myself out loud with Dick chasing me around saying, "let me look at it."  Again, hell no! I am not going to let go of it!  I knew it wasn't broken and tried to tell him that.  Five minutes later he was able to assess the damage, all was well and back at it.  Different board and went in like it was suppose to.  Lesson #111,111,111............don't try to make something work when it starts out too difficult.  That is a sign of things to come.

It should be a goner within a few weeks, eek.  Glad it isn't my thumb!

So many beautiful shades of green, blue and purple for about a week.  Happy I don't wear my rings when I work!
The top of my hand looked like a horsestepped on it.  Aw, the joys of living at Cook'n by the Creek.