Top Shelf [Laundry]

I've been making our laundry soap for about three years now.  I'm sure there are a lot of different recipes out there, but I make Jenah's HomeMade Laundry Soap.  It's easy and extremely inexpensive.  Additionally, it doesn't bother my sensitive skin, it's gentle enough for delicate garments, and... if you happen to forget the a load of clothes in the washer overnight, they don't smell mildewy by morning.

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Encompass

01 february 2014 . saturday . (day one thousand four hundred eighty-nine)

The garden plan for this coming year involves putting a temporary cage around the fruit trees.  The idea is that each tree will sit inside a 4' diameter circle composed of 4' high chicken wire or mesh.  I haven't yet decided what will live in the circles with the trees.  ...maybe flowers or herbs or bulbs or borage.  In the end, it doesn't really matter so long as the trees are protected from hungry deer.  Over this last weekend, J. and I took advantage of the sunny weather to work in the yard.  I was able to encircle three of the front-yard fruit trees with leaf mulch, cardboard, and more leaves.

Stall

Thanks to more than sixteen hours of combined labor, there is more visible floor space in the garage than there has been since we bought the house over two years ago.  It still isn't functional in the most ideal fashion, but... it's functional.  

Assuming I can find a level section, I'm looking forward using the open area to building a self-designed chicken coop.

Crave

make dinner*

*As previously noted, like the days leading up to the last event, I'm going to make more time for getting [party and non-party related] stuff done by keeping my posts minimal, and I'm hoping to maintain momentum by focusing on what's already done.

Meantime

accept.  don't expect*

The Sunday (and following days) I had in mind did not involve any kind of lost and found scenario.  Oh well... I suppose it is just another opportunity to practice going with the flow.

*As previously noted, like the days leading up to the last event, I'm going to make more time for getting [party and non-party related] stuff done by keeping my posts minimal, and I'm hoping to maintain momentum by focusing on what's already done.

Preservation

can 8 quarts of tomatoes (from our very own garden)*

*As previously noted, like the days leading up to the last event, I'm going to make more time for getting [party and non-party related] stuff done by keeping my posts minimal, and I'm hoping to maintain momentum by focusing on what's already done.

"Clean Up, Clean Up"

muck out the refrigerator*

*As previously noted, like the days leading up to the last event, I'm going to make more time for getting [party and non-party related] stuff done by keeping my posts minimal, and I'm hoping to maintain momentum by focusing on what's already done.

Time's Up

harvest black beans*

It's less than two weeks until the next wedding celebration.  The summer edition was pretty, damn fantastic, and I'm so looking forward to what (and who) the autumn ado will bring.

*Like the days leading up to the last event, I'm going to make more time for getting [party and non-party related] stuff done by keeping my posts minimal, and I'm hoping to maintain momentum by focusing on what's already done.

"Tomorrow, Tomorrow"

clean upstairs bathroom*

*As previously noted, in order to allow for maximum get-#@$%-taken-care-of time, I'm going to keep my posts pretty basic this month and simply highlight items from my ta-da list.

Pretend Tuesday

replant the area near the potatoes*

so it won't need to be planted a third time... keep area watered*

figure out a place for the dill and plant*

*As previously noted, in order to allow for maximum get-#@$%-taken-care-of time, I'm going to keep my posts pretty basic this month and simply highlight items from my ta-da list.

"It's the Final Countdown"

clean off patio*

put up shade tent*

*As previously noted, in order to allow for maximum get-#@$%-taken-care-of time, I'm going to keep my posts pretty basic this month and simply highlight items from my ta-da list.

Flower Power

prepare/level the dirt between the house and the sidewalk*

decide what to plant there*

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Greener Grass

to prevent the digging up and eating of seeds I've planted...

to give the wimpy grass area a shot at survival...

put up better fences*

*As previously noted, in order to allow for maximum get-#@$%-taken-care-of time, I'm going to keep my posts pretty basic this month and simply highlight items from my ta-da list.

Jack, Jack, Jack

plant beans*

watch them grow*

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Taking Care of Business

in the recently demoed room:

remove remaining fabric/nails from the walls/ceiling*

pull all staples from the floor*

*As previously noted, in order to allow for maximum get-#@$%-taken-care-of time, I'm going to keep my posts pretty basic this month and simply highlight items from my ta-da list.

Grounded

plant borage*

divide and plant thyme*

*As previously noted, in order to allow for maximum get-#@$%-taken-care-of time, I'm going to keep my posts pretty basic this month and simply highlight items from my ta-da list.

Adding Up

stack the rest of the wood (that's been piled up since March)*

*As previously noted, in order to allow for maximum get-#@$%-taken-care-of time, I'm going to keep my posts pretty basic this month and simply highlight items from my ta-da list.

Hang On

finish installing hooks & hang the baskets beside the front door*

*As previously noted, in order to allow for maximum get-#@$%-taken-care-of time, I'm going to keep my posts pretty basic this month and simply highlight items from my ta-da list.

Three, Two, One...

tighten the twine on the climbing roses so they're not so saggy*

To celebrate our recent marriage, J. and I are hosting festivities in three parts (Summer, Autumn, and Winter).  The Summer ado is less than three weeks away.  It should be a small affair, with a few out-of-state and out-of-town guests along with some local pals.

In addition to the final pieces of Spring planting, there's a lot to accomplish around the house in preparation for our little event.  I'm a list maker, which can be helpful in times like these, but I've found that to-do lists often make me feel worse than better.  I look at all that needs to be done and my stress level increases dramatically. For this reason, I've developed an alternative to the traditional to-do list.  I like making ta-da lists instead to show what I've already finished.

*In order to allow for maximum get-#@$%-taken-care-of time, I'm going to keep my posts pretty simple this month (or at least for the next three weeks) by focusing on what's done.

Using Protection

Most of the tomatoes (40+*) are planted in the backyard and hopefully safe from deer.  Even with that many out back, and after giving some tomato starts away to the neighbors, there were still more.  Due to space restraints, the leftovers needed to be planted in the unfenced side-yard.

As of yesterday, the tomatoes are safe within the confines of their chicken-wire cage.  I'll have to figure something else out once they reach heights above 2'.  This particular garden square will be a testing ground for what can be accomplished in the full-sun part of the yard that isn't fenced.

* Gasp... I am fully aware that I will be canning and dehydrating my brains out late this summer.