Today....

is one of those pre-planned/written post days I promised.

As this post goes live, I'll be running all over the South Central part of KY setting up utilities, hunting down washers/dryers and refrigerators, lunching (hopefully) with my sister and not losing my mind being trapped in the Kia with the Screamers and Tanker.  At least that's the plan.

The losing my mind part is likely to happen...it usually does at least once per road trip.

We've spent the past week debating the merits of fridge sizes...small without a freezer, large french door with bottom freezer, side by side, traditional freezer on top model, etc.  We have the large upright freezer, so have been trying to justify spending more money on a fridge with a freezer...or not.  Hopefully by the end of the day we will have decided.  We shall see.

With the move just a couple of days away, we'll also be taking a look at plants for the container garden and gathering up supplies for growing things in the greenhouse...late season start sort of limits us but the greenhouse should give us the extension we need.  I've got plans folks....plans I tell ya!

So whilst I pack away and get to moving...what are you planning this weekend?

Taking the Guesswork Out...

of my container gardening plans with this!

can be found here as well

Happiness...joy, joy.

I'm seriously thrilled.  With this and the obscene amount of containers, soil and seed awaiting me at the new place, I'm beyond certain that I'll be able to get in a decent amount of fresh veg despite the lateness of planting.  The greenhouse will help with that as well.

I, for real, cannot wait.

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Somewhere....

in vast reaches of the youngest screamer's former room, amid towers of boxes that stand twice as tall as me, there are two boxes that are meant to be elsewhere.  Boxes that were supposed to be mailed off to someone else, boxes that never made it out the door despite numerous reminders.  Boxes that will get to where they are supposed to go, sometime around mid-June...instead of February.

Also in that mass of towering boxes are my seeds.  Seeds that I have containers and soil for...but have no clue as to which box they are residing in.  Oh yes, I labeled the boxes...carefully...so as to make organizing during unpacking easier (we've played this game a few times, ya know).  The problem is...the sheer height of the box towers negate my ability to find diddly squat.

There go the plans to have some sort of garden plants containerized before the move.  Guess we'll shoot for an early June start and hope for a good turn out before Fall hits.  Theoretically, it's possible...but with Ma Nature and her mood swings the past year plus...well, she don't run on theory.  So the greenhouse (yay we kept it) will be going up ASAP, just so I can have it all situated for extended growing.  I may even get adventurous and use it for some late Fall cold weather crops...providing I can keep the temps/humidity inside steady enough that little plastic-y thing might just keep me in spinach and lettuce all winter (keep in mind it's one of those $200 dohickies from Lowe's...not the most efficient but useful).  If not, hopefully it will be sufficient enough to keep the temp tender citrus trees alive through winter.

Ah, the joys of mid-garden season moving...and towers of boxes.

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Officially....

we are packed...as much as possible considering there is still a long stretch of 7 weeks or so before moving day.

Full, labeled, taped boxes are stuffed into a corner in the living room and the youngest screamer's ex-room is full up.  Spare room is pert near empty (it was our pantry/storage/crafting area) and everything is off the walls.  Nail/screw holes filled.  All that is left is to paint, pack up the few remaining necessities then load everything onto a truck and clean up.

This is going to be the longest 7 weeks.

Ah the trials of being married to an OCD "get it done ASAP" kind of guy.  Me, I would have waited until May to even start.  Him, he's been sneakily packing since we decided/understood that a move was going to have to happen (ahem...end of January, beginning of February).  I detest packing; he revels in it.  Consider us opposing magnets.  But it's done (mostly) and we wait.

In the wait time, we have been taking stock and making plans.  Considering we will be doubling our household square footage, we are shy on furniture.  So the deal is I get to yardsale for furniture that I can go all re-finishing crafty on...and that we will build what we know we can't afford to buy finished.  There are plans saved and dog-eared in magazines (only with plans attached) of large dining tables (our 4 seater will be woefully pitiful in the incredibly large dining room), bookcases, storage shelves and more.

The yard/garden area takes considerably more planning as I want it to be functional AND gorgeous.  A place that I can grow a "hidden" food garden while still being able to entertain family and friends.  A spot for us, the screamers and the dogs to frolic (I really don't frolic but ya know) and relax.  But also a place that will grow as much of our fruit and veg for the table as possible.  The ideas are there in my head...it's the translating to paper then yard that is a little more tricky when I'm not actually there looking at it yet.

Plus, the majority of planting opportunities for the year will be past by the time we're down there.  Trees can go in this fall and some late summer/fall crops.  But other than that, we're kinda stuck waiting for next spring.

We've gotten pretty good at waiting.

Spring Break....

and we're broke...as in ill broke (money broke too but that's a different story).

Tanker gave me snot at some point last week...it has quickly spread through the house to the screamers.  Yay...spring break!

Regardless, this week's weather is supposed to be pretty nice so I'll be out and about...transplanting kiwi vines into larger containers, doing the same with the grapes (hoping that the shallow pots they lived in this winter didn't kill the roots) and blackberries.  Everybody will get a few days to settle into their new homes before getting haircuts.  Nobody but the kiwi have buds yet, so still dormant enough to hopefully handle the stress.  If not, I suppose I can get more later. 

I've not started any seeds (don't want to move seedlings anyway) so we'll be hitting up the local nurseries once we've settled further south for a few tomato plants and whatever else we may desire.  Not likely to be much as the farmer's market is 4 blocks from the house and will be my go to shopping spot for the summer...in bulk, of course, so canning can commence.

The rest of the break around here will be filled with boxes and paper.  Not scheduled to move until June 1st, but everyone knows how quickly something like that sneaks up on a person.  

Now I'm off to load up on fluids and meds in hopes of a headache free day.

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The Switch....

will be happening soon!

In other words, you get to tag along on a fantastical journey involving me, mine, working, school and all the usual inane insanity that involves us...only come July we'll be tossing in a bit of Urban Homesteading.

You see, I'll have a big, blank citified backyard that ordinances say I can have up to 10 hens in.  Now the hens may not be making an appearance until this Fall but I can dream and plan until then.  The garden, of course, will not likely be worth much of anything this year...if we can even get one in...but that doesn't stop me from sharing our (mis)adventures with you.

Since we're radically changing our diets (no beans, no flour...go on, follow along with that fun separately over at meandering mods) and we still need to have food on hand, you'll get to join along on my visits to local (and not really local but I like going for the flea market part too) Farmer's markets.  There will be frequent visits this year since (as I said above) a garden is highly unlikely.  I'll try to remember my camera as often as possible (especially since I'm working on building a portfolio) and share our little world.

So there you have it....one bit of guaranteed change.

Birds are Gone....

For the first time in what seems like forever I won't be traipsing out to put up birds at dusk.  Feels weird.

Still have Momma Rabbit and the bebes, for another 3 weeks; they (well, momma and 5 of the bebes) will be off to some friends.  Two of the bebes go to KY to be pets to some sweet kiddos.

Plants from the garden are slowly being assessed, dug up and repotted in their new container homes.  Grapes, kiwi and thornless blackberries will come up in about 2 weeks to be repotted.  Fingers crossed that everyone survives and thrives.

We've shown the current place to a couple of potential buyers for the landlady...not sure anyone will buy at what she's asking without A/C (folks are sorta set on having it).  I'm probably a little too honest about the place to promote a sale though.

Next week begins phone calls to schools, paperwork gathering, faxing and getting everything in line for the screamers to start on time.  First day is August 7th down there, so have to get on it if the new school is going to be set to handle the eldest screamer's "needs."  Paperwork required to get the screamers insurance through the State must be done (the kind we still pay for but at a lower rate than private...Obamacare before it was Obamacare...KCHIP if you're curious).  Transfer stuff for the VA...change of address for bills, checking/savings accounts and mail in general.  Transcripts to be ordered for Tanker.  Options to be explored for me (school will likely be put off until next Spring for myself however).

Most of the house is packed...Tanker is in a hurry despite the fact we still have approximately 24 days here.  Most of the big items that needed to be sold are sold.  I've had a hard time dealing with the freebie seekers trying to lowball prices...but have decided to start asking them if the lowball price they're offering is what they would accept and why.

Alas, that is the life here at the moment....not terribly interesting, but not boring either.

Its Official

By the first of August we will again be Kentuckians.  Land size is smaller, but that just means back to container gardening for some things...no biggie.

Pics will come once we get in permanent...none were taken this trip because flooring and the likes are being finished up.

A busy month ahead...lots to sale, pack and get rid of.  Wish me luck!

From Tank Tops to Carhartts....

in 24 hours.

Ma Nature...you're killing me...and my garden...and the chicks that New Momma stupidly took out in the rain today.

Early spring, late spring, lots of rain, no rain...one at a time I can deal with.  All at once, nope.

Alas, I dread the worst has happened but happily have more seed on hand to restart.  That's alright Ma Nature...I got this.

S/N:  Sometimes cooperating with Gov't agents gets the neighborhood Meth Cooker you didn't know about out of the neighborhood.  Just sayin'.

This Month....

has played hell on me.

Budget all out of whack, body all out of whack, brain all out of whack.

The budget was an easy fix...stop fixing things until the 'Stead is in our name.  The rent on this place is nearly twice what our mortgage payment is going to be (go figure).

Body, not such an easy fix...some kind of bug has taken up residence and is refusing to budge.  No, not been to the doc because right now the insurance has my PCP as some doctor that's 3+ hours away...um, no.  So just battling on as I can, missing work off and on...good thing it's just a temp job right now and my sales numbers are good or they'd boot me.

Brain...well, that goes along with the body.  Just tired.  And when it's time for bed, wired.  I really need an off switch installed up there.

In other news, the garden is coming along nicely...I sold a bunch of chicks and adults....hatched out more...got more heirloom seeds in today...strawberries are in the ground (mostly)...orchard is popping right along.

I leave you with last week's pic of a row of peas....straight lines are overrated.

After This Weekend...

the real work begins.

This weekend is frivolous fun weekend...a day trip to SDC to break in the season passes...then a day of "rest" aka putting together (FINALLY) the table and benches I've been working on (off and on) for a couple of weeks.

Then Monday, the real work begins.

In addition to a new j-o-b for me (Lowe's...infinitely better than slinging burgers for drunks and minimum wage...even if it is just seasonal) there is plenty to be done around the 'Stead.  Topsoil delivery means the raised beds will finally be getting put to use...but that also means shoveling, shoveling and more shoveling along with putting in some PVC hoop frames on a few of them so they'll be useful sooner this spring and longer this fall.  Cherry trees and blueberries need to go in the ground...strawberry "patch" needs to be worked out as the coop has yet to be moved and the area I WAS going to put them in happens to be the chickens' favorite place to take a dirt bath.  If the ground ever dries out enough in the spot we've got to cross (natural wash out area...small raging stream while the rain was melting the ice/snow last week), we'll get the coop moved...IF.  I'm thisclose to just building a new coop.  Seriously.

We'll also start work on the rabbit shed...right now the chow dogs are in small hutches next to the house.  Tanker wants them out further, next to where the coop will eventually be.  Oh and a small barn/shed/whatever is in the works for future cow...whenever she is able to be bought.  Prices have started inching back up on dairy cattle, so looks like we'll be waiting a bit longer on that.  Sigh.  I'm beginning to think just putting up a small barn would be a better choice.  May be chewing that one over with Tanker soon...before any serious building is begun.

And now...I'm off...chicks to attend upstairs and sleep to be had.

It Looks Like...

a construction zone around here!

Tanker built the first of his rabbit hutches today...I built a pen/brooder for the first set (bought/given) to move into and will likely be building another tomorrow for the set peeping away upstairs (they need to go on outside but still be warm).  The raised garden beds are built and treated, some seeds started, fruit trees awaiting permanent homes, pecan trees on the way.  Inside we are stripping away old carpet from the stairs, putting up new ceiling fans (will be needing those this summer for sure), painting, hanging doors and have two windows to replace (well, more than two...but two at a time is all we're doing).

We're making this place our own finally...now that Tanker has settled his mind on staying.  Which is a good thing because I'm not ready to be moving on anywhere else just yet.  The gypsy in me is quiet for the time being...better enjoy it.

Getting There....

Today was a day for outside work.

Separated out the new fruit trees for the soon-to-be orchard.  Started my herbs and cold crops in the greenhouse.  Hatched more fuzzy butts (current count as of this very second...26).  Found a clutch of eggs hiding in a brush pile (left them...who knows which gal laid them and how long she's had that particular hiding spot).

Tomorrow is a run to Lowe's and the local hardware store, a run to the Fort and a run to my now ex-job (will be turning in uniforms tomorrow)...gas jumped nearly 50 cents in two weeks here, completely negating my working so far from home.

I'm still going to do the job hunt thing...just hunting closer to home is all.  In the meantime, I'll be getting crafty...I suppose...and probably throwing some stuff up on Etsy...maybe.

Not Quite Spring...

but things around here are hopping along like it is!

Hens are laying, roos are crowing, some random bulbs are poking through (despite the chill in the air).  I spent the past few days scouring reviews on nurseries and decided on two for our much desired trees and berry plants.  Wood for the raised garden beds has been bought, as has a greenhouse...seeds bought and charted for getting them started at a (hopefully) good time.

The screamers even have a touch of spring fever...tomorrow they will be burning off a lot of that excess energy.  Whether they like it or not.  We've all been cooped up inside for too long.

How about you?  Spring fever bug bit yet?

Sorry...

I've been such a Debby Downer lately...it really needs to stop 'cause whiny gets you nowhere (to quote myself when speaking to the screamers).

So instead, today, I'll share plans and ask you...folks that have listened to me whine for entirely too long...to opine with me.

I'm considering doing some seed bombing in the pasture this fall (4.5 acres of it...untouched in the past 4+ years...back 1/2 acre full of blackberries and is where the orchard will be eventually btw).  If it were you, in a Zone 5b micro-climate, what would you bomb with?  I don't want to seed the whole thing, just be kind of random with it.  Don't know what I'm talking about...check this video out.

Yeah, we plan on visiting the Ag Extension office before we get into any major endeavors; so the bombing would just mainly be a little boost to hopefully provide a little extra forage for the only animals we'll have in place before next spring:  chickens (and maybe turkeys...even though Tanker thinks I'm nuts).

And there you have it...opine away!

P.S.  This one will set the computer type drones off....bomb and nuts in the same post.  bwahahahahahaha

Better. Sort Of.

Tanker is more human since realizing that I was right (16 years married and he still hasn't figured out that I'm right 98% of the time) and started some self-helpish stuff.  I'm good with that.  Plus I pointed out that we only have 6 weeks (or so) left living On Post and he perked right up.  Back to planning his garden and outbuildings he has gone.

The Sort Of part is this:  I'm suffering from a pretty rough bout of De Quervain's Tendinitis.  Damn it hurts.  Makes working at McD's living hell.  I can type one handed pretty well; fine motor stuff or lifting/gripping with the right hand...not so much.  I have the feeling it's going to come down to deciding on work or health.  Health will win hands down (no pun intended).  We can make it by (now that the pay issue crap is straightened out) without me working but I've kinda gotten used to having an outside the home job now.  So I continue to look for something else...something more worthwhile (money and gas wise) than the 30 minute drive from the new place to McD's for $7.25 an hour.  So not worth it.

Our little "garden" in the "yard" (seriously...do 5 plants count as a garden?) is producing nicely at the moment...pulled out the first cucumber and the kids when nuts.  You'd have thought it was made of gold, honest.  Going to let things keep going as long as they can then let them go to seed so we can gather up and save those precious heirlooms before "returning the yard to the condition it was received in"...aka WEEDS.

Off to ice the wrist...it's feeling a bit dodgy at the moment.

Watching CNN...

International (of course)...not so much controlled, imo.

I don't know what's top news there, but here the headlines are insane. Israel, Egypt, Gaza, the Koreas, China, Japan, the Euro and the German Presidental resignation and of course, BP and the Gulf...I'm exhausted just trying to keep up with that. Throw two little wild men into the mix along with school work (papers, presentations, etc) and the house...yeah, I'm tired.

But enough of my exhaustion...I want to know how your gardens grow? As I have no yard, no balcony and no place but some fairly narrow window sills in which to grow veggies, I am having garden withdrawals. I could totally grow tomatoes or something in the window sills, but the weather around here has been so freakish that I don't know how well they'd do. Very wet and pretty doggone cold for late May-going into June. So the sills are filled with petunias (bonus of having a ground floor).

Of course, all this really means is that I won't be canning this year unless the fruit/veg at the local market is so spectacular that I simply cannot pass up buying bushels of it (I have yet to be impressed but know I could be so if I took the trip to Frankfurt). Okay, fine...give me more time to explore the local locale and get to know the locals better, lol.

So, go on...brag on your gardens!

This should be Interesting....

orders came down...we are off to the EU...interesting, no?

I now get to play "run around like a mad woman" in order to have all the proper paper ducks in a happy little quacking row so the screamers and myself can actually fly WITH the Spouse vs. sitting here waiting for the process to start from over "there"...fun, right?

So the blog morphs again in a fashion...American prepping for those sometimes super harsh German winters in Germany.  And more....you that haven't been overseas will be in for a treat.  I plan on putting up perfect examples of the fantastic gardens that I grew to love on our first tour.  True square foot gardening.  Beautiful.

My own garden will be a complete experiment and completely depends on the possibility of a balconey...no yards where we'll be so far as I can tell.  At least not for a low ranking peon like the Spouse, lol.

There ya have it.  Ozark Momma will be leaving the Ozarks soon...with a little luck mid-March.  I can't tell you how thrilled (really, seriously, no joking thrilled) we are to be going.  Even the screamers are excited.

A Trip to the Grocery....

and a revelation.

Someone, around here at least, is listening. Watching, learning and buying. The area has always been big on gardening, for the most part. Nearly everyone puts in a summer garden. But this year...this year, someone (or somebodies) is doing more.

You know those packest of seeds that are 10 cents? The ones that are black and white and look old timey? The local grocery (literally local...locally owned...the only major competitor here with Tram-Law) was putting them out last week, earlier than usual I might add, and this week...poof! There are barely any left in the stand. Out of curiousity I chatted up one of the stockboys that's been there for years. "Faster than I've ever seen them go" he says. "Don't know when more are coming in. There weren't any on the truck this week but I'm sure they'll get more in."

Looks like gardens around here will be more than just the usual tomatoes and cucumbers this year. I'm looking forward to my seed order from Baker coming in, even if I don't get to plant as early as I'd like. Oh and Big Lots is stocked way, way, way up on canning jars and the likes here...so I guess not every big business isn't seeing the light...they know what is going to make money for them in just a few months at least. I would sure love to go grab a huge bunch of them, but lets face it...they'd be broke in the move most likely. I'll wait to see where we are headed, then think logistics.

On another note, Tram-Law here is already putting out the gardening stuff...no seeds yet though. Interesting that this wasn't the case last year. That stuff didn't show until late February.

So, what's the gardening forcast for your area?

Since....

I don't know WHERE I'll be but pretty much what the housing situation will be come planting time (okay, so maybe not this year...but I do know I'll be in the same place next year) I've been eyeballing some stuff to make on-the-go gardening a little easier.

I'm diggin' this Worm Factory 360 and checking out the smaller (ie less expensive) models they have too.  Reviews seem pretty well on the positive side, so it's on the wishlist but not a definate buy.  Seems that it would travel well...just what to do with it should we be station not Stateside in say 4 years....since it's not a definate buy, I won't worry.  I also like the idea of the EarthBox system, but have the stuff on hand to do that already.  Some window boxes that I've had for a good long while, some twine and dow rods...simple, effective and cheap.  And I totally see a Mini-Garden Stacker hanging/sitting in my kitchen window, loaded with herbs...yeah.

My list from Baker Creek is complete and I'm ready to put in that order...as soon as the "put away" fund is large enough to handle it.  Should be alright soon enough, then I play the sit and wait game...trying to decide if I should start them and risk damage in a long move or just hold them for next year...oh, the decisions.