Yosemite in July, 25 years ago today

25 years ago today I married my best friend.  Wherever you are, my sailor, I want you to know I'm thinking of you.

Happy Anniversary. I'll be waiting for you here at Our Haven.

To Do List Tuesday

I have to mow the lawn - again. IF I have enough energy once that's done I plan to get started on my garden shed sign. Right now it looks like this: 

My plan is to sand it, match the "chalkboard" shade of gray as best I can, and then re-word it: 

We'll see how far I get. 


UPDATE: I got the background of the sign painted - two coats, then it started raining. I'll finish tomorrow.  I DID get 95% of my geography unit finished - yea me! 

Oh, and good news - because of the rain, ALL the chickens went into the run early. I decided to leave them there - and guess what? They ALL went into the coop and tucked themselves in like good girls. ^.^  

You have no idea how happy I am about that. I think I'll keep them in the run for a few days just to make sure they get the idea. Hopefully that will be the end of it - but with chickens, one never knows. 

Mystery Plant Monday

All images (C) Our Haven 2013

Here's another plant I've not seen before. It's in a rock garden of sorts. Seems to be similar to an ice plant. So that's where I begin my research. 

I think I have a better picture in my stash - here's one I took earlier this spring. 

I took this one in May

It reminds me of "ice plant" a bit - but it has electric blue tiny flowers and the leaves aren't as succulent like.  So that's out.

It also reminds me of "rosemary" but isn't woody like I've seen. It also hugs the rocks and only stands up a few inches. The leaf structure is very similar, but the flower structure doesn't match. 

Hmmm what else?? 

The flower color reminds me of lobelia but it's more cobalt and has much simpler  structure. Each flower head is at most 1/2 inch across.  The plant, I discovered by watching it this winter, is evergreen. Well it's someplace to start.

HA! Found it!!!! 

Lobelia gave me a clue. I put in a search for "electric blue flower" and halfway down the page, there it was. So my books loos out on this one too - I wonder if there's a "Name this Flower" ap somewhere - if there's not, there should be. 

Here are details on Lithodora from my research: 

Family: Boraginaceae

Genus: Lithodora (lith-oh-DOR-us)

Species diffusa (dy-FEW-sa)

Cultivar: Heavenly Blue?? or Grace Ward?? it's hard to tell.

You can read more at Dave's Garden - one of my first "go to's" when I want to learn about plant care. 

I learned that it's deer tolerant - apparently it's one of the last plants the critters will eat because they don't like the taste. 

It's great for rock gardens, butterfly gardens, woodland areas or as border plants. 

It is considered evergreen in USDA plant hardiness zone 6-8. 

It's a ground cover that forms a mass 6-12 inches tall and 36-48 inches wide. Flowers emerge in early spring and keep going through summer. (Mine have slowed in the warmer weather or because my chickens have been eating them)

It prefers well drained acidic to neutral soil and is drought tolerant.  I also likes loamy or sandy soil. I ready that it shouldn't be planted where there's too much clay. 

Something important for me as I want to propagate this puppy and spread it around or give it as gifts - it doesn't set seed. The flowers are sterile. Any plants that do come of see won't be true.  Propagation is from softwood cuttings (something I have to learn how to do - I'll add it to my wishlist. 

My mystery plant for this week - solved once again with the help "asking the right question" in a search engine.  

So internet research 2. Book research 0. 

Simply Sunday

Snapshot Saturday - a chicken update

Ever had one of those days? 
Ever had one of those days that lasted a week?

That was my week.  It began when a 400+ pound elk decided to meet my son while he was driving my daughter's truck to work. We were told he was lucky it was a baby.  Son is fine. Truck will be fine. . . eventually. Elk - not so much.  

There so many things to keep up with and projects at Our Haven, I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed at the moment. 

On top of that, I'm working on curriculum for when school starts and I have to teach my "little humans" -- because changing grade levels isn't a quick process.  Needless to say, I didn't do much blogging last week. Not sure how consistent I will be in the coming days - but I will breathe (in, out, repeat, let go) as has become my mantra.  

I am finding more often that when I feel stressed or overwhelmed I go spend time watching the Goddesses and Dingle Twits. It works.  So, today I thought I'd share some of what they've been up to. 

These are the Dingle Twits - not enough individuality to have separate names yet. They received this name after the fourth night of me having to round them up since they don't have enough intelligence to come in at night like the Goddesses do. It's not too bad, I don't have to chase them down or anything. Usually they're together, and I just walk behind them herding them in the right direction.

The funny thing is that the Goddesses gather outside the run - preen and whatever and then file in to the run and coop and tuck themselves in. 


The first few nights, Hera and a Ariadne came back out a couple times and squawked at these guys like they were telling them it was time.  ^.^  The Dingle Twits just sat there (they're a month younger and I'm working on integrating the flocks). 

After the second night of trying to convince them, the goddess just stopped expecting them to follow and did their own thing. Last week, as I was heading out to lock up, I asked my daughter whether she thought the Dingle Twits would be in or not. The name stuck and they've been the Dingle Twits ever since.   

I thought we had a eureka after that because I found everyone inside three nights in a row.  Just when I was beginning to think they might get it, the Dingle Twits ride again.  The other night THIS is what we found. The glowing dots are the Dingle Twits about 15 feet in the air.  

They had used the bench to get to the lower branches and the lower branches to get to the umbrella. Then used the umbrella to get to the higher branches. 
I put the umbrella there, by the way, to provide some shade as the trees are still young and it was a warm day. I thought I was being a good chicken mama! Lol. 

They seemed very happy to stay there for the night. Getting them down took some patience - - and a broom.   


Then there are the goddesses. This clip is from treat time. I've been working my way through a treat list I found on Backyard Chickens to see what the girls like.  By far their favorite thing right now is yogurt.  They come running when they think I have yogurt. 

That's my chicken update on Snapshot Saturday. 

Simply Sunday

Snapshot Saturday - Allow me to introduce you to "Our Haven"

 I fell in love with it the first time I saw it. The sense of peace, rejuvenation, and home has only increased since it became ours. Not too long after we moved in, our daughter said, "Mom, this has always been our home." 

It is Our Haven in more ways than one, and I think we have always belonged here. 

all images copyright "Our Haven" 2013

  

one of my favorite views - from the balcony of my bedroom

a place to breathe

a place to hide

our future jam/jelly garden - I think. Not sure if it gets enough light though

overrun garden - or therapy?

view from the deck up to the barn - What's that? A sunny day in the PNW? 

The Picnic Patio - a place to escape the rain or sun, play a game or read a favorite book.

View across the deck

Future focus of Mystery Plant Monday I think - Pretty, but what is it? 

The "full-sun" bed - a work in progress

The Grotto - a future river hideaway. A great place to cool off or fish!

One of the Goddesses favorite places to relax during the day. My garden shed is in the background, the barn roof is peeking out the top center.

Fabulous Friday - Remedies, Recipes, and Cleaners

 I have been converting the cleaning products I use to all natural and home made for quite some time.  I either made or purchased awhile, a "natural" version as one of the regular bands I had already had ran out -- I didn't want to just throw out good money which is what I would be doing if I tossed a 1/2 empty bottle of 409 or something.   

Why would I go to the trouble? I want to get away from the harsh cleaning agents and limit the chemicals my family is exposed to. It will be better for our septic system in the long run as well. After all, my grandma was able to clean just fine with vinegar, borax, baking soda, and some muscle.  

The recipes are out there, and they are plentiful. One weekend I tried a recipe for laundry soap that someone had Pinned. I thought, why not.  I tried a liquid soap recipe  but something wasn't quite right about it (whether it was cook error or recipe, I'm not sure). So, it was back to the drawing board - or supermarket for me. . . 

One if the switches I made was to Mrs. Meyers. It does a good job, I love that I can tailor the fragrance I use, it's OK with my septic system, and the best part - I can just pick it up of the shelf.   The down side?  It's as expensive as the other stuff - definitely not a way to save money.  Still, it was a good transition given the convenience. 

Now that it's summer, and I have more time (and I'm almost out of soap) I thought I'd give it another try.  In my test kitchen today - laundry soap for HE machines. Most recipes were variations of the one I eventually used - can't wait to try it on towels.

Ingredients & supplies:
An airtight container (gallon size at least)
cheese grater
food processor 
4 cups Borax 
4 cups Washing Soda
2 bars grated bar soap
I used Ivory, cause it's what I had on hand - other recommendations are Castille or Fell's Naptha
2 cups Oxiclean (dye and fragrance free)
There seems to be great debate as to the "naturalness of this product" but I leave it to you to decide - it has Sodium Carbonate (washing soda)  and Sodium Percarbonate (basically hydrogen peroxide in solid form which probably explains why it works so darn well. 
10-15 drops Lavender essential oil 
You could also use TeaTree, Camomile, or whatever you prefer - just remember a little goes a long way.


Steps: 
1. I ran the powder 2 cups at a time through my Vitamix (except for the Oxi - it was already very fine). 
2. I added each portion to my airtight storage container
3. Mixed it it all together once I was done (next time I'll add the soap last - I discovered it stuck to the container a bit when I mixed it)
4. Added the essential oil, put the lid on and gave it a shake. 

2 tablespoon for regular loads and 3 tablespoons for heavily soiled loads should be plenty, I'll let you know. 

I didn't think to stop and take pictures along the way. I have to remember that for next time. 

Also, I did some extra research and feel safe using this recipe with our septic system because there are ZERO phosphates and ZERO fillers. That means there's nothing to harm necessary septic bacteria. Yea!

Therapy Thursday - today in the garden . . .

In February, I was itching to plant. Since it was still too cold, I perused the garden catalogs and put in an order instead. Then the beauties began to arrive - and I wasn't ready for them.  Most of the bulbs and dry root stock I ordered came right in the throws of report cards, closing my classroom, and moving my daughter home. Needless to say, getting them in the ground fell to the bottom of my priority list.  

Two weeks ago, they at least made it out of their boxes and I got them sorted: shade, part shade, full sun. That's as far as I got. They still looked good - but I knew it would serve me right if they dried out or rotted. I knew better, but sometimes it is what it is, we have to breathe and let go. 

I think the thing that was feeding my hesitation was that the beds where I think I want to put them aren't ready yet. They still need A LOT of work in the weeding and stump removal area. Let me just admit right here - I put the cart before the horse and now I have to deal with the situation. 

The planting directions said they should be soaked for 1/2 hour before planting. I had this brilliant idea (think brain on summer vacation) to leave them in their bags while they soaked so I wouldn't mix them up.  Well, by the time I got to planting them (way more than 1/2 hour), the ink had come off the labels so I had no idea what was what anyway.  LOL  ^.^  

I decided that I would plant them in pots to be transplanted later when I got the beds ready.That way I could also determine which, if any, weren't going to make it after all.  I labeled what I could decipher and put question marks to the rest - it'll be like getting surprise gifts!

Wishful Wednesday - There's gotta be a better way of doing this...

I love my Goddesses (chickens) - I do. Sometimes, however, it's like having another pet around. Even when they range about most of the day like ours do, there's still maintenance that needs to be done.  

It's kind of like having cats - LOVE having them . . . dealing with all the husbandry that goes with? Not so much.  Cleaning the chicken coop/run is rather like cleaning the catbox: It needs to be done regularly and completely sanitized every so often. 

Cleaning the run and coop with the little scoop and pail I was using was taking it's toll on my back, not to mention using precious time. This is where my Wishful Wednesday comes in. The other morning I was trolling my favorite chicken pages, doing research on the care and keeping of the little creatures (I'm a new chicken mama!) when I read about how someone made basically and extra large cat scoop out of wire and a rake. I thought I'd give it a try.




I used some of the extra hardware cloth from building our run to create the mesh and wired it to a hay fork -- I don't know what it's called, found it in the barn :)  

Here it is all finished. It took me the better part of an hour but I had a great view while I worked (I parked myself on the deck, listened to the river go by). It turned out exactly as I wanted.  

I wire fit it to make it really tight using 15 gauge wire (made my own twist ties). Then fastened the cloth to the pitchfork.  It works GREAT! 


 Here's our coop and run. It is fully enclosed for their protection. We used hardware cloth instead of chicken wire for it's durability and to protect against predators (like coyote, bobcat, weasel, hawk, eagle, bear - yes, I said bear 'cause that's where I live).

Hen Haven: Our coop and run houses 14 birds. 

They've gotten SO big in just the few weeks we've had them. The Goddesses are about 14 weeks old. The little bits (in their separate "look but don't touch area" while I'm trying to integrate flocks) are about 10 weeks.

Look how nice and clean the run is - and my back isn't sore in the least.
Love it when incentive and ingenuity work together to make wishes come true!