accomplishment – Life on the Farmlet

We have scrimped and saved wherever we can to keep our costs to a minimum. To say that the Mountain Farmlet is costing us a mountain of cash, might sound scary to some, but we are managing and doing so much of the work ourselves. It feels intimidating, and to be honest overwhelming at times, but we have been researching and learning by doing and each time we tackle a new job at the old place we feel better equipped for the next bit that comes along.

Yesterday Bob left for work and then came back saying that his car transmission was acting funny. We took it into the transmission repair shop and got the verdict of $1,400.00 to rebuild it. We are not elated, but we will survive this too.

Now I am going to share with you some of our outlook on life. I have no intention for this to be preachy, so please don’t take it as such.

I mentioned to Bob that some people would look at what we are going through (car repair, our sick Little Dog expenses, hidden damage in the old farmhouse) and might think:

“God is punishing us.”

To which, after some deep thinking, he later replied:

“(paraphrased) You know some people would think that, but I believe he is preparing us and teaching us to live more frugally. Look at how much we are accomplishing by learning to do the work on our own. Yes, there are some projects we can’t do ourselves, but none of this is insurmountable. He is making us stronger, smarter and wiser.

We have always dreamed of living in the country and owning a bit of land, and this dream is becoming a reality. We are just having to work for it, and that is not such a bad thing. It will take us longer than we anticipated, but we will accomplish our dream.”

Today, after a parts delay, the construction of the new roof begins. It has to be done, it is expensive, but a sound roof will protect all our hard work on the inside. And while we have found some really rotten wood behind the walls in the kitchen and bath, we now have a brand new floor in the bathroom. We have also discovered that under the badly damaged sub-floor in the kitchen there are relatively new, and pristine beams to hold up the new flooring when we install it. That was a welcome surprise that will save us much labor and money.

As we worked away the day, and along our journey home, I took these photos to share with you. Be patient, they may take a moment to load…

: The light and pattern here facinated me. (Of course, your POV may differ!)

: What lies behind this patch in the outside wall?

: A little window who’s top only reaches to my waist!

: It is about 18 by 24 inches. I will repurpose it and my chickens shall have light!

: Massive oak planks 14 in. wide by over 8 ft. long. The fire explains the smoke and water damage on the outside wall in the previous picture. Even these will be repurposed, and have a future in my plans.

: Beauty is where you find it and depends a great deal on how you perceive it.

: An old cedar fence post and forgotten hand plow out front of the house.

: The days work done, we head out. What a lovely surprise we found at the side of the highway. The sun was a bit too harsh for a good view, but you get the idea.

: The road home

: Day is done, and tomorrow holds promise for attainment of our goals..

I leave you with a message found on a church notice board near where we live…

“The task ahead of us is never as great as the power behind us.”

To which I respond…

Selah!

~*~*~*~

NOTES: The Amplified Bible translates *selah as “pause, and think of that” I like that translation.

Reference: Selah in the Psalms ~ http://ancienthebrewpoetry.typepad.com/ancient_hebrew_poetry/2007/07/selah-in-the-ps.html

Where’s my bulldozer? (pixilatedtoo.wordpress.com)
Outside my window (pixilatedtoo.wordpress.com)

“Enough stalling!” I told myself.

The job is now complete, I am not perfect, and though long overdue on a promise…

Here it is!

Julie’s apron!

I chose the fabric for her because it reminded me of peacock feathers and mandalas. A mandala is a circular emblem, often with spokes in its design. It can be found in many cultures and its designs are infinite.

It is said to:

“[Represent] the universe itself, a mandala is both the microcosm and the macrocosm, and we are all part of its intricate design. The mandala is more than an image seen with our eyes; it is an actual moment in time. It can be can be used as a vehicle to explore art, science, religion and life itself. The mandala contains an encyclopedia of the finite and a road map to infinity.”

Quoted from The Mandala Project, and found HERE.

~*~

I hope she likes it.

The pockets are fully lined,

the hem is deep to cover the raw edges of the blue stripe, and it is invisibly stitched. The waist ties are extra long so they may be tied in the front or back and the little stitching at the waistband is also invisible! I added a bit of quilters batting into the pocket bands, and the waistband to help give them a bit of substance, and for flair I added some beading on the pocket bands and to one of the mandalas!