Corn Burning Furnace

Late fall 2007 We bought and installed a corn burner furnace. LOVE IT! So cool to just walk over to thermostat on the wall and push a button and voila! HEAT. We were foolish grasshoppers again this summer....are going to have to buy our wood all winter...but that turned out to be blessing in disguise because the guy we buy the wood from is really cool and is going to sell us some sheep also. Shermen installed the ductwork in the cellar for the furnace, (Kaaren helped) and it looks so cool down there now.....civilized. Something is there that wasn't before, and we did it.

Party Like Rock Star

Monday when I got to work, one of my co-workers asked if I "partied like a rock star" this weekend. (We planted bulbs this weekend, in anticipation of our spring wedding.) I told her hell yeah, like an aging rock star in recovery. Steven Tyler perhaps?

We planted bearded irises, in almost black, pink and blue/white. We planted allium (sp?) and white bleeding heart, some blue wild geranium, some blue/purple fragrant things i forgot the name of, a red peony...transplanted a couple lupine, dianthus and some ground cover. I'm so excited, even if only half of it blooms, it will be so gorgeous.

Engaged!!!

Last nite Shermen suggested we go for a walk on the property to watch the sunset. It was a beautiful Autumn nite....and a gorgeous sunset which I have attempted to memorize so I can paint it. Oranges and purples and fiery red. We saw a deer running across the field, and a cayote jumping thru the tall grass. Very cool. After the sun set, Sherm looked at me and asked, "Do you think you could watch this sun set with me for the rest of your life?" (I'm getting all teary eyed just writing this.) Of course I said yes, which he made me repeat a couple times, just to be sure, I guess. He then got up onto his knee, (we were sitting on a blanket) and took my hand and held the ring at the tip of my finger and asked if I would marry him....I cried and laughed and said yes yes yes. (he was a bit teary eyed also.) It was just the most beautiful moment. I couldnt stop crying cuz it was just everything I've ever wanted but didnt know it yet, so perfect, and I was just filled with this feeling of being so very blessed. It was a moment where everything just felt so perfectly right, as if everthing was exactly as it should be. As we walked back to the house we were just so taken with the beautiful scenery, and Shermen said, "Sweetie, we are going to grow old here together."

We had a lovely nite and a lovely meal at a very posh restaurant. This morning he woke me up by covering my face with kisses, and I just love the fact that I was smiling before I even opened my eyes. Today we bought a beautiful red tea rose to plant in honor of our engagement. Earlier this summer, Sherm bought me a flowering plum tree and a pin oak for himself, which he planted at the same time. I just feel so happy and content, there is nothing in this world I would rather do with the rest of my life than to spend it with him on that beautiful land, helping to make it even more lovely with each passing year.

Betrothed

September 28th 2007 Kaaren & Shermen officially engaged to be married!

Bulbs Eaten

Fall 2007 All the bulbs I did such a good job of digging up are gone because Daisy ate them. Find a better storage place. We have the lovely cellar...duh use it.

Sunflower Bummer

August 2007 All the lovely lovely sunflowers were ready to shine...then the rains came and wiped them all out. Plant away from direct water flow from eaves, and provide support.

aug 8

major sadness here on the farm....our sweet dog louis either ran away or was stolen, we arent sure. he's been missing since last tuesday, july 30th. we made up lost dog posters and knocked on doors etc., but no louis. we'd finally kind of accepted that he's gone when yesterday we got a call saying they saw him, right at the end of our (very long) driveway! looking very lost and sad. but hours of searching and calling have so far yielded nothing. we'll keep trying though.

another chicken, the big rooster, 'broke' the other day, and sherm processed him all by himself. pretty impressive! i notice another is down but dont think i'll be taking it upon myself to take care of it. i did clean out the 'coop' all by myself the other day. felt like quite the authentic farm woman out there in my wellies and overalls, shovelling shit in the 90 degree heat. i do my part.

our new floors are gorgeous, and the new 'temporary' walls look great too. as sherm says, no fabulous or anything, just normal. like normal people live here.

its aug 8th and i am putting in the seeds for our autumn crop today. chinese cabbage, radishes, beets and cucumbers. our current crop of cukes are lousy. if they arent bitter, they are bizarrely large or misshapen.