My how time passes
Apr. 6th, 2018 04:59 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
helwenWell, I did just great on posting last year, eh?
As brief a re-cap as I can manage... Seven items, first one is the longest.
(1)
Greenhouse is up on its foundations, raised beds on west and south sides work great! Put in rain barrels (water to stabilize temp swings), didn't have time to finish the outer door, the shed on the north side (storage and insulation), or the connecting wall/doorway onto the porch. Lyle put up a temporary plywood wall at the west end (future external door).
This made winter interesting, to say the least. Tried lots of things, including insulated boxes and buckets of hot water (lidded to retain heat longer), insulated the north, east, and most of the west wall, hanging clear plastic like a tent roof overhead to reduce the amount of space to keep warm, etc. - and eventually gave in and potted all the tender plants and brought them inside. Another crowded winter, making it harder to organize everything else.
The lettuce, spinach, Swiss chard (and apparently bok choi) stayed there, being more cold tolerant. I left the insulated boxes up, except opening the one directly south of the greens during the day so they could get more sunlight. I also moved some bins of stuff that'd been stored elsewhere into the other end of the greenhouse and covered them with a big tarp, further reducing the space to keep above freezing.
I learned a lot though, even so. And thank goodness Lyle was able to build some things and help with a lot of stuff, like when we were lugging buckets of water every night -- sometimes more than once...Most everything is still alive, and I was finally able to re-open a tiny bed for the spinach and a few Swiss chard that were stuck in pots over the winter, _and_ we've eaten greens from the garden several times now.
The porch, which connects the greenhouse to the house! The South wall of the porch has a door and windows! The West side is a kluge of partially done and insulated wall and partially just insulation board and tape. (East and North sides are the house itself)
(2)
Got Fitbits, still using essential oils, exercising more, building endurance, more or less getting healthier. Lost a little over 20 lbs. Still can't go back to kung fu because my knees and shoulders won't go for that yet...but I can start practicing again at home.
(3)
Some crafting and making of things has happened. More than the previous year I suspect, but not nearly as much as I'd like.
I'll try to put it up here as well as elseweb in the future. Among other things, I repaired and refurbished an old wool mantle, primarily for Lord of the Rings Ranger-type thing but first opp to wear it was at a faerie-Ren faire. Among other things, I went full Ranger one of the days at the faire -- sorry, didn't take a picture. I was just pleased it was all comfortable :D
(4)
Went to Steampunk VT last September and Faeriecon in MD in November. Likely going to Watch City in Waltham MA in May...need to make hotel reservations. Lyle's doing a lot better these days, but events are better when he doesn't have to drive on the same day.
(5)
We ran craft classes at the kung fu school's summer camp last year and will be doing so again this year.
(6)
Our neighbor J has carpentry skills and has been helping things to happen faster, at a reasonable neighborly-rate. He helped with the porch last fall/winter. He's currently working on turning the carriage house/partially open back half of the barn into an enclosed space. It's complicated...a lot of material had to be removed as rotten or eaten by powder post beetles. Spraying to happen soon, if it ever stops snowing...
I did most of the prep for that, moving things out and cleaning where I could. Lyle's job is pretty insane these days, with a lot of hours per week and sometimes odd hours (yay international company). He helps when he can, but the company keeps him busy -- that and all the other things he has to do. So yay for help! This renovation is going to provide a home for our books -- yes, we're building a library.
(7)
Despite all, I have managed to better organize a few things and even got rid of some stuff. Just delivered a box of fabric, etc. for a volunteer sewing thing happening on Sunday, in fact (I'm at demo that day). Doing better at opening up space to work in, too. Doesn't stay open, but it's possible. Going to keep pushing that organizing and reducing (as needed), because I have Things to Make.
As brief a re-cap as I can manage... Seven items, first one is the longest.
(1)
Greenhouse is up on its foundations, raised beds on west and south sides work great! Put in rain barrels (water to stabilize temp swings), didn't have time to finish the outer door, the shed on the north side (storage and insulation), or the connecting wall/doorway onto the porch. Lyle put up a temporary plywood wall at the west end (future external door).
This made winter interesting, to say the least. Tried lots of things, including insulated boxes and buckets of hot water (lidded to retain heat longer), insulated the north, east, and most of the west wall, hanging clear plastic like a tent roof overhead to reduce the amount of space to keep warm, etc. - and eventually gave in and potted all the tender plants and brought them inside. Another crowded winter, making it harder to organize everything else.
The lettuce, spinach, Swiss chard (and apparently bok choi) stayed there, being more cold tolerant. I left the insulated boxes up, except opening the one directly south of the greens during the day so they could get more sunlight. I also moved some bins of stuff that'd been stored elsewhere into the other end of the greenhouse and covered them with a big tarp, further reducing the space to keep above freezing.
I learned a lot though, even so. And thank goodness Lyle was able to build some things and help with a lot of stuff, like when we were lugging buckets of water every night -- sometimes more than once...Most everything is still alive, and I was finally able to re-open a tiny bed for the spinach and a few Swiss chard that were stuck in pots over the winter, _and_ we've eaten greens from the garden several times now.
The porch, which connects the greenhouse to the house! The South wall of the porch has a door and windows! The West side is a kluge of partially done and insulated wall and partially just insulation board and tape. (East and North sides are the house itself)
(2)
Got Fitbits, still using essential oils, exercising more, building endurance, more or less getting healthier. Lost a little over 20 lbs. Still can't go back to kung fu because my knees and shoulders won't go for that yet...but I can start practicing again at home.
(3)
Some crafting and making of things has happened. More than the previous year I suspect, but not nearly as much as I'd like.
I'll try to put it up here as well as elseweb in the future. Among other things, I repaired and refurbished an old wool mantle, primarily for Lord of the Rings Ranger-type thing but first opp to wear it was at a faerie-Ren faire. Among other things, I went full Ranger one of the days at the faire -- sorry, didn't take a picture. I was just pleased it was all comfortable :D
(4)
Went to Steampunk VT last September and Faeriecon in MD in November. Likely going to Watch City in Waltham MA in May...need to make hotel reservations. Lyle's doing a lot better these days, but events are better when he doesn't have to drive on the same day.
(5)
We ran craft classes at the kung fu school's summer camp last year and will be doing so again this year.
(6)
Our neighbor J has carpentry skills and has been helping things to happen faster, at a reasonable neighborly-rate. He helped with the porch last fall/winter. He's currently working on turning the carriage house/partially open back half of the barn into an enclosed space. It's complicated...a lot of material had to be removed as rotten or eaten by powder post beetles. Spraying to happen soon, if it ever stops snowing...
I did most of the prep for that, moving things out and cleaning where I could. Lyle's job is pretty insane these days, with a lot of hours per week and sometimes odd hours (yay international company). He helps when he can, but the company keeps him busy -- that and all the other things he has to do. So yay for help! This renovation is going to provide a home for our books -- yes, we're building a library.
(7)
Despite all, I have managed to better organize a few things and even got rid of some stuff. Just delivered a box of fabric, etc. for a volunteer sewing thing happening on Sunday, in fact (I'm at demo that day). Doing better at opening up space to work in, too. Doesn't stay open, but it's possible. Going to keep pushing that organizing and reducing (as needed), because I have Things to Make.
