Tropical Storm Irene

We'll we made it through the storm. We lost power around 12pm on Sunday when a tree came down in the backyard and ripped the wires off the house. And from there tree's just kept coming down. We got power back Tuesday evening around 6pm and cable, phone, interent this morning. I'm not sure how much longer I could of made it without power. Dishes were piling up and so was the laundry. Not to mention just being able to wash her hands after being around the animals. Each day was getting harder. We went to one neighbors to fill all the animal's water jugs and to shower. The other neighbor loaned us one of his genorators to use. I guess it could of been a lot worse and I'm very thankful to have it back. The kids were running around the house last night flipping on the lights and turning on the water. It's the little things that make us happy.

The last bit of excitment we had that day was Cutie Pie had a litter of two. She's a good first time mother. Zack decided if one's a girl he's going to name her Irene. So he's trying to come up with another hurricane name for the other one. But he's got to wait a couple of week to tell if there buck's or doe's. So Butterscotch's ( the mother) babies will all be named hurricane names.

A close up of the tree on the wires on the right of way.

Another tree down on the right of way that took out more wires.

You can't see it well but the top of the tree broke.

A big tree broke at the top in the island and came down. It took out a couple of littler ones when it came down.

With no power and it pouring outside we ended up spending most of the day in the schoolroom were there was more light. We ended up playing a four hour long game of monopoly.

We decided that the orchard was the safest place to put the truck and van. We figured that those trees were smaller and wouldn't do as much damage if they fell.

A close up of the tree.

After the fire department left I went to the schoolroom to watch the rain and wind. When I noticed that we had a tree near the garage that was split. Each time the wind blow the tree would split a little more. We had to run outside and move the vehicles because we weren't sure which way the tree would fall.

Some Fire Department

Arron ended up calling the fire department to let them know that we had a tree down on the wires. First they drive past the house. So much for all the 911 numbers on the mailbox. Then Zack stands at the end of the island to wave them down and they just sit there watching him. After five minutes they decide to ask him if they are suppose to follow him. Once they made it in the driveway Arron went to talk to them. They decided without getting out to look at the wires that there was nothing they could do and left. Don't get me wrong I think highly of the guys that were out that day running from call to call but this is just Effingham's Fire Department doing nothing as usual.

This is were the lines are suppose to be attached to the house.

Picture of the tree that came down and ripped the wires from the house.

Day #31

Framed and cased the two loft windows then put them in.

Show Time!!!

Today there was a rabbit show in Acton Maine. So Madison and Keegan were excited to go since it would be there first show since joining ARBA. So all week they've been getting the rabbits ready for the show. Today they all got up early and loaded the van and off we went. The weather was hot and a little sticky but the kids did great. And thankfully the show didn't take all day. We were able to go home and have a little time left to do other things. I wasn't able to get any pictures of Zack. Whenever he was at the table I didn't have my camera.

Smile !!

All the kids wore there 4-H shirts and Madison has her ARBA card clipped to her pocket and her pin on her shirt. Keegan started out with his too but by the time we got to the show he decided to put it in Zack's pedigree book with his.

All the kids did great and so did the rabbits.

Keegan listening to the judge. He was so excited today was the first time he got to show a rabbit since joining ARBA.

Zeus and Posidon waiting for their turn

Keegan watching while the judge looks Buddy over.

Day #30

Today we got up ten pieces of steel on the roof. It didn't go as bad as I thought it would. That's as far as we could get before the rain came.

I finally see an end to this barn. We only need to finishing the rest of the roof, put two pieces of siding on the front and then finish the back side.

Not a very good picture of the roof. To many trees in the way.

Day #29

Were finally getting the front done. Very slowly. It took us almost 4 hours to put on 12 pieces of siding. We only have the piece on the very top and one piece below the loft door left and the front is done.

Baby Corn

We actually have corn.

Garden work

Zack picking some of the tomato's that had started to turn red.

Day #28

We were able to get screen put in Sweet Pea's window on the left side of the barn.

Day # 28

Worked more on the front of the barn.

We put typar on as we went.

Then put the siding on. We also made a trip to the hardware store to get the boards for the trim and got three of the four pieces put on.

Day #27

You can't see it well but today we made a shelf to go over the front doors.

Swing Time

Arron's been wanting to build Madison a tire swing since we moved in. But we don't have any good tree's for it. So they came up with this. And Madison loves it. So do the boys. When they can get on it.

A.J trying out the swing

Play Time

Most dogs play with tires they can carry but not Ginger.

5th grade

First day of school. Were starting school this week and slowly working our way up to a full work load. But for a first day it went great. Now if it would only stay that way for the whole year.

8th grade

Don't we look happy about our journal entry.

11th grade

A graduating junior this year.

Turkeys

Finally putting on some weight. I've got at least 8 BIG toms this year. And the hens aren't to small either.

Wired for Wind

I don't like science but Arron loves it so for our 4-H group were working a wired for wind project that Arron is helping the kids with. So they came up with three or four designs last night and then tested them out.

Madison testing a different design they came up with.

Madison testing one of their designs while Zack watches the meter to record their numbers.

Wired for Wind

Day #26

Picture of the back door and the point that we stopped with the siding.

Day #26

Finished siding the left side of barn and the back up to the loft windows.

Day #25

Left side of the building finished siding. Today wasn't the best day for working on the barn. No one was able to work well together. So we weren't able to get as far as we had hoped to. But we still got work done.

Day #25

The back side with the siding started. We can't go higher up yet till we frame the loft windows in.

Day #25

The siding started on the right side

Pickling Time

Tonight Arron and I worked on canning dill pickles. Can't wait to see how they came out.

A.J doing what he does best

Last night was the wrap up for the teen's summer reading program at the libary. Total all the teen's read combined around 5,000 minutes. A.J read over 3,825 minutes himself. No wonder he came in with the most minutes read. We do need to find something else for him to do.

Day #24

More typar put on and then more siding. We almost got the whole side done today. We also rescreened the first window and put screen in the second window. So now they can stay open at night without the worry of something getting into the barn.

Total cost so far to date for building the barn is $350.00. If we had to buy everything new it would have been well over a couple thousand dollars by now. My goal is to keep it as low as possible.

Day #23

Back to work on the barn.

Today we put on some typar on the front and then put the siding on top of that. We also had to stop and make a run to the hardware store for the four side pieces.

It needs a good cleaning but can't complain about the price "free".

Madison loves to help cook. So with nothing to do on a rainy day she decided to make some blueberry turnovers.

Madison working on her blueberry turnovers.

Raspberry Bushes

This year we didn't get many raspberries. I got a late start to weeding them and pruning them. So we decided on Saturday to go down and spend some work on them. So we cut them back and spent about three hours pulling weeds and then we started one wheelbarrow after another of rabbit poop to dump around them. Well after five hours we got half the row done. On Sunday we picked up were we left off. And after about four or five hours of more weeding and rabbit poop we got the rest of the row down and it looks great. So now we sit back and see if we get a good crop next year.

What the raspberries looked like before we started.

what the raspberries looked like after we were done with them.

Blueberry Jam

Last night Arron and I made blueberry jam for the first time. Here's what we came up with. We ran out of small jar's so the big jar in the back was a little under half full. So the kids are going to have it on their english muffins tomorrow.