February 22-23, 2014

It was a very pleasant weekend. With temperatures in the low 60s Saturday we staid in town for a bike ride and didn't get out until late afternoon. Overnight it dropped just below freezing, and with clouds in the morning it was slow to warm up -- rather gray actually. But it cleared early afternoon and with temperatures around 50 it was very nice.

Cedar Dangler

Right after arriving Sally walked out back and immediately noticed this cedar limb down up the hill from the house. She asked if I had cut a cedar? Upon inspection I could tell it had been dead a long time, and looking up I could see it was from the top of one of the cedars. I believe it was broken off during the 2009 ice storm but had been dangling up there for 5 years. I got the Poulan out, cut it up, and stacked the limbs on the wood pile.

Fire Wood

Sunday morning I filled the Stihl with gas and headed down to the SE corner. I wanted to pick up the wood I had cut the previous weekend (tornado downed) and get some more. It continues to be very dry and so the low section of the road was solid, so I wanted to get as much wood back to the barn as I could.

I pulled up by the pile I left the previous weekend and loaded up the logs to take to the barn. I then started cutting on two other downed trees. One was a long straight red oak, not quite as big as the one from the previous weekend. Then I started on two others, some kind of oaks but not red oak. I never got to the base of these as they were criss crossed and I ran out of gas. There were some limbs, but most was splitting size. I then carried the cut pieces out to the edge of the wooded area where I could load them -- some I could barely lift. I made two trips to the barn and then took a break for lunch.

Sally came back with me after lunch. We loaded up more logs and made another barn run. Three truck loads of logs is going to translate into lots of splitting. But now I can do that even in bad weather. We then made one more trip for the limbs and the pieces I had split the weekend before. They didn't quite all fit. This load we left in the truck, and hauled them directly back to town.

I counted at least seven more downed trees in this corner. Just as I burned up the firewood from the 2009 ice storm I'm given lots more wood by the 2013 tornado.

February 14-15, 2014

We are hoping that this was the last multi-day week of sub-freezing temperatures for the winter. It was very windy and only in the low 40s, but it was above freezing. This huge ice cycle had been dropped by the bluffs above the spring. It was in the low 20s Saturday morning but climbed into the upper 50s. It was not good enough for Sally though because it remained very windy.

Garden

Sally wanted to get some spinach started, so we stopped on the way out at the Farmer's Co-op and picked up some seeds. I weeded this mound and the stretch along the north fence of the garden. The soil was very dry and my fingers got very cold. Saturday she planted the whole packet of seeds, watered, and spread some pine straw.

Pond Seal

I had these three bags of bentonite clay that had been stored in the chicken coop for years. Since I had cleaned out the coop, I decided to go ahead and spread it around the spring tank in hopes, once again, that it might seal it and keep it from leaking out.

The last time I had done this I had almost rolled my truck when I attempted to back it out of the little road over to the spring. (I had to have a tow truck pull it back up onto the road.) Not having a wheel borrow I decided to use the Outback, but turned it around and drove straight out.

Tender got to go along. From past experience I do not expect that just spreading the stuff will stop the leak, though that is what I have been told. I wonder if getting some hip waders and stomping around in there would help – or get some pigs as Eddie had suggested.

Fire Wood

Saturday I drove the Outback down near the SE corner taking my Stihl, splitting maul, and sledge hammer. I cut up the red oak that had been broken off by last year's tornado. It took almost 3 hours and I figure I have 2 to 3 truck loads of nice wood. I could barely lift the largest pieces. I only split about 40% of it, but it does split nicely. I brought one piece back to the house for Sally to smell and feel. It was wet inside and I have been explaining how you need to get it split a good six months before you plan to burn it to allow it to dry – and we will need this wood next winter. (Sally was using my iPhone for internet access, so I did not get any pictures.)

Prune Fruit Trees

Sally pruned her rose and I pruned the nectarine, apples, and pears. The pears are what I have the most hope for, though we have had several nice nectarine crops. We just have to pick them early to beat the wildlife to the fruit.

February 9, 2014

We had not planned to come out this weekend because of the 4+ inches of snow from the Sunday before, followed by a week of bitter cold and more light freezing precipitation (snow, sleet, and freezing fog). Eureka Springs schools were out the entire week, as were many others. The University closed for one full day and two half days.

Showing

My plans changed when an Amarillo couple saw our ad and wanted to come out and see our place. They were going to be in Norman, OK on Saturday so they had planned to drive to Eureka Sunday, see the place on Monday, and drive back Tuesday. I made arrangements to be off work and staid in touch with them. But the forecast for Monday was more snow and more sub-freezing temperatures, though the highs Saturday and Sunday were in the upper 30s. I was somewhat worried about the road, but figured it would be fine at least through Sunday. Plus, why have a showing in a snow storm. So I talked them into coming straight to the farm on Sunday, and that is what they did.

I arrived about 12:30. Though the upper road was clear, I decided to walk down the hill to check out the entire road. There was some snow where it entered the woods due to a few pines south of the road (need to be cut), smatterings of snow on down, and then at the bottom where it turns and levels off there was quite a bit. But it was all soft and almost clear on the up hill side, so no problem driving down. I even drove back up to the top just to make sure. There was lots of snow in front of the house(shaded by the pines), on the north side of the house, and on the north side of the garage.

The couple arrived right on time, near 3:00. She said the house seemed larger than she expected, based upon the pictures. I had given them the blog address, she had read much of it, and asked questions based on some of my postings. They said it was very beneficial. She even wanted to check out the Loveable Loo (I believe that was a first). After looking through the house we walked out the bluff to the eastern border, around to the barn, and over to the spring. We only had to deal with a little bit of snow. My impression was that it is not right for them, but you never know.

Fire Wood

We have burned lots of wood this bitterly cold winter, and were almost out. So I loaded all the rest I had cut, split, and stacked in the back of the barn into the truck. It made exactly a truck load. The picture shows whats left, nothing. In the summer of 2012 I had a double row of logs 5' high between the first two supports, and a single row between the next two. I've got to get started cutting and splitting next year's supply.

Walnuts

Having about 45 minutes before my guest were to arrived, I cracked a big bowl of walnuts to take back to town and pick. There are lots more I have stashed in the rabbit hutch that need cracking. (Of course the cracking is much faster than the picking.)

January 31-February 1, 2014

With the weather looking iffy, we might not have come out except for having a second showing scheduled for a couple from Missouri. It was in the low 40s Friday, 50 Saturday morning, but then cooled into the 30s with on and off light rain through out the day. We needed the rain, though I am not sure it amounted to much. I forgot to take any pictures this weekend.

Chicken Coop

I decided to clean out the chicken coop Friday afternoon. The main issue was all the leaves, bark, cedar cuttings, etc. that the pack rats had stuffed into the coops. I used a stick to rake it into a bucket, and then my gloved hands to scoop out everything I could. Some I put in the humanure compost bin and the rest I dumped over the bluff on to the far walnut tree. I then moved some items into the closed portion of the garage, including a metal shelf which Sally insisted had to go. I still have three bags of bentonite clay (brand Pond Seal), which I moved out by the front of the garage with plans to spread it into the spring tank (which only holds a few inches of water except during very wet periods). I did not get that done this trip, and really need my wheel barrow to help with the task.

Heater Pilots

We were in the living room Friday evening when I felt cool, and so went over to turn up the heater. The pilot was out, and I could not get it to re-light. I then went to check the other heater and the pilot was out on it as well. I was dumb founded since I thought I had finally figured these things out – keep them clean. For the past several years a good cleaning at the beginning of the season was all that was needed. But what now? With no wind, was there an actual low oxygen situation in the house? (They are ODS pilots, oxygen depletion sensors.) With this cold winter were they just being used more and got dirty? I first tried canned air to blow them off, it didn't help either one. I then cleaned the one in the kitchen with WD40 and then a tiny bit of carburetor cleaner (Sally hates the smell and violently objects to my use of it, but it is the best solvent.) I finally got it to light, but could tell that it was not burning correctly because the flame was off the pilot and it was making a blowing sound. I knew it would soon go out if I turned the heater up, so I just left it and we went to bed. During the night I checked it and could tell it was better, so went ahead and turned the heat up a bit. In the morning it was still burning and the pilot looked good. Whatever contaminant was on it must have burned off, or was it an actual low oxygen condition?

I then used a toothpick wrapped with a little cloth soaked in alcohol to clean the other one. It lite, was burning right, and continued to work fine throughout the day. I am going to bring out some pipe cleaners to use in the future, which should make the job easier.

Second Showing

The Missouri couple arrived around 10:30, and when I opened the door to greet them I was surprised at how much cooler it had gotten. Plus we were already experiencing light rain and drizzle. He brought his mother since she may live there with them, and his cousin to get his impressions and opinions on home remodeling ideas (like adding a second bathroom). We visited with his mother and cousin's wife in the living room while they explored the house and discussed ideas.

I then took the couple and cousin to the barn, over to the spring, up above the spring and beyond the swing, around the top of the bluff out back, up one of the shoots to the top of that bluff line, on up to the top of the hill to the upper pasture, along the pasture back toward the road, and back down the trail through the woods to the house. We got pretty wet and were all cold. They declined any hot tea or the opportunity to warm up in the house, and were off. We'll just have to wait to see if they are still interested.

Steve

Mid afternoon we heard someone drive up. It was a barn builder from Farmington that was sent out by a lady in Ohio that raises goats and has decided to move to Eureka. I have been talking to her for several weeks. Her plan is to have people come out to purchase her goat milk, and I expressed the opinion that the road was the biggest issue – the steepness and the potential of meeting someone and having to back down. She had called Steve to check out the road and to offer an opinion about building a stand to sell the milk from at the top of the hill. He was actually the second person she had sent out to check out the road. They have both said it was good and solid and would be fine. The first said definitely do not pave it (something I was surprised to hear). Steve and I had different understandings regarding exactly what she may want him to build for her, so I tried to call but missed her. I showed Steve the barn, it started raining again, and he was on his way.