Our Treehouse

Have I ever mentioned our tree house?  I probably haven't.  We don't have children and I really didn't see a need for a tree house on our urban farm.  It sat humbly in the old oak tree, waiting for someone's attention.

When we first looked at the property we didn't go all the way to the end of it.  So after we put our offer down we made a trek to the very end and found a tree house.  A very elaborate one.  It was a split-level green house with doors, windows, curtains, a chair, corkboard, and a mattress.  

At one point, my husband was convinced that someone was living in the tree house.  He was at the bottom of the property and he saw a quick large movement from inside.  It could of been an animal, but he thought it was too big for a raccoon.  So he grabbed Harley and a shotgun, rapped on the door, and called out, "I AM GOING TO COME BACK IN 10 MINUTES AND YOU BETTER BE GONE!"  Sure enough, that person moved out.  

Then one blustery, rainy day, the house and half the tree came down.  

BOOM!  

Well, at least, that's the sound I imagine it made when it hit the earth.  I didn't hear it over the storm.  If a tree falls down in the middle of a storm, does it make a sound?

My husband and I stood there the next morning staring at all the debris.  Thoughts flying in and out of heads. 

We don't have a truck or trailer to haul the remains of the tree house to the dump.  So, my parent's offered us Ol' Blue.  

Meet Ol' Blue.  

I have fond memories of Ol' Blue.  She is my Dad's old grimy work truck.  She is dirty, she is old, most little things are broken on her, and she's got enough torque to haul a mountain.  My Dad would take me and my girlfriends to school blasting scratchy 1980's love songs through Ol' Blue's speakers.  More often than not, the truck would be filled with corn syrup or apple boxes.  Dad would grin his sideways smile and say to me, "Don't be embarrassed.  Those apples are going to pay for your college education."  Try telling your 16 year-old daughter not to be embarrassed.  Go on, try it.

And now Ol' Blue is back in my life helping me out.

But how to get the house off the tree?  

Now in the story comes my kindly neighbor and his cousin.  I swear, God has blessed me by surrounding me with people who only want to help.  It really is amazing.  

Kevin did some prep work and removed all the windows so the glass wouldn't shatter during demolition.  He did really well till the last glass window.  The pane of glass slid suddenly from its frame and rained shattered glass on Kevin.  A shard hit him square in the face and he quickly used his gloved hand to staunch the wound.  When he pulled his hand away he saw blood and ran to the house screaming my name.  I quickly settled him in the bathroom with tweezers in hand ready to pull glass from his face.    

"Uh, where are you hurt?"

Kevin turned to the mirror, and chuckled to himself when he realized he had a teeny tiny scratch. 

Later that week my neighbor's cousin came in with his excavator.  He tied a chain around the tree limb and with simple ease pulled the whole tree house and it's limb free.  

I am sad to see the treehouse go.  I can easily imagine a young girl named Samantha playing with her dolls in that tree.  Maybe she imagined it was a sail boat taking her around the world.  Maybe it was her fort for the day.  Maybe it was just a quiet place for her to call her own.  Whatever it meant to her, I hope she knows that I will never forget her treehouse.

 

Birthday Present

WOW!  What a wonderful holiday weekend!  Not only did we get a day off, but it also happened to land on my B-day.  Happy 29th Birthday to me!  And what did I get for my B-day?  The best thing ever, a new camera!
Now I can pretend I am photographer and take pics like these of our property:

Our Red Barn

I just happen to find this little hidden gem the other day

Miss Butters

Missing her Goat Momma... aka Kevin

Hope you enjoyed these as much as I enjoyed taking them.  I think I will do one more post by the end of the week.  I am on a roll!

Love is in the Air

This is the time of year when every one takes a moment to tell that special person how they feel.  It doesn't matter if you've been together a week, 5 years, or 75 years that buzz of romance can be felt pulsing through air.  This weekend we had the honor of being invited to our good friends, David and Nancy's wedding in Mendocino, CA. There was something about the beautiful setting of the Mendocino coast that made you feel love like an electric current.  And for some reason, that Tom Jones song was playing on repeat in my head throughout the weekend: 

"Love is in the air everywhere I look around, 

Love is in the air every sight and every sound .... 

Love is in the air, in the whisper of the trees, 

Love is in the air in the thunder of the sea... 

And I don't know if I'm being foolish 

I don't know if I'm being wise  

But it's something that I must believe in 

And it's there when I look in your eyes." 

-Songwriters: PENNINGTON/LEMAIRE

Here are some pictures of the some happy couples feeling the love!

And now the Groom!

And the Bride walking in with her Father!

Everyone here at Blue Antler Farm is feeling the love and wants every one to have a wonderful Valentines' Day.  Reach out and tell someone you love them!

New Years' Resolutions

Hi All!

Sorry I have been gone for so long, sometimes life gets ahead of you and it takes some time to catch up.  Due to some financial restrictions there hasn't been too much DIY at the house.  But that doesn't mean we haven't been busy! Since I last wrote to you all both Harley and Ellie have had surgery to remove some unwanted items, the goats have both had their copper bolus, the tree house has fallen down, and Harley has gotten skunked.  Our first Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years has come and gone.  And we continue to plan crazy new ideas for 2013.

So here is my list of New Year's Resolutions... Don't laugh at me because it is February, like I said we have been busy!

1. I want to put up a blog post every week.  Even if it is just to say hi, I want to connect with you guys and let you know what we are planning.
2. I will finally get those hyper links to work at the top of the blog.  Someone please send over an IT genius because I really have no idea how to do it.
3. I am hoping we have the land on our property clear of all brush, debris, and fallen tree houses by Spring.
4. Chicken coop and at least 6 chickens.
5. I hope to of at least have found a stud for one of the goats and to have our First Freshener by early 2014.
6. Finally finish painting the interior of the house (includes removing chicken wallpaper from the kitchen).
7. I plan to put new trim around all the windows and doors, new baseboards, and crown molding in the house.
8. I would also like the wood paneling in the living room removed.
9. Some new living room furniture would be nice!
10. Last but certainly not least, I hope to have a summer vegetable garden and actually eat from it!

I know this is a pretty ambitious list, but let's see where we are at next January (February) 2014!

Wishing everyone a Happy and Prosperous New Year!

~Blue Antler Farm

The Truth about Home Ownership

So I know everyone told us this, but this first year of home-ownership has been tough financially.  Kevin and I had gotten used to having that little nest egg to fall back on.  It gave us peace of mind, that if something should happen we were going to be okay.  

Well, that little nest egg basically became our house.  And every last dime we have gets put into the house.  I am not complaining, that is just my reality.  And to be honest I don't mind.  Because for that last few nights I get to close my days looking at this and it reminds me that it is all worth it!

Chores

I know people have told me this, but Kevin and I have a lot of chores!  I have never felt it more than this weekend, when Kevin sprained his ankle.  I was left to get it all done by myself!  

So here is a list of typical chores we do on a weekend:

1. Wake Up.
2. Let out the goats.
3. Feed the dogs.
4. Give dogs their medications.
5. Feed the koi.
6. Take the dogs out to potty.
7. Clean up dog poop.
8. Make breakfast
9. Do the dishes.
10. Change out goat's water.  This is easier said than done, since it requires a screwdriver to remove it from the wall.  And then you have to carry the heavy bucket to a place to dump it.  Refill.  Do this twice!
11. Muck out the barn.  Also easier said than done. This requires pulling the green waste bin all the way down to the barn (we haven't set up the compost yet), scooping out the muck and then putting fresh bedding down.  Drag the bin all the way up the hill to where it belongs.
12. Change the water in the fish tank.
13. Clean filters in the koi pond and top off the water level.
14. Water the plants and the lawn.
15. Clean out the fly traps and the yellow jacket traps.
16. Clean up the house.  There is a LOT involved in this, but I won't go into detail.
17. Clean dog's drinking fountain.
18. Shower.
19. Eat.
20. Do the dishes.
21. Lock up the goats for the night.
22. Feed the dogs.
23. Take the dogs out to potty.
24. Sleep.

Let me tell you I am sore today!  But there is so much satisfaction at the end of the day when I am sitting on my deck enjoying the twilight with a glass a wine.  What a good life we have!

It is WAR!

That's IT Mr. Gopher!  You are no longer welcomed here.  I tried to let you live here, but you have not followed the rules.  You have continued to dig holes in the front lawn and that is just not acceptable!  You had 1 acre to choose from and you insisted on living on 200 SF that is my front lawn.  Not cool!

Here is your eviction notice: carbon monoxide.

Side note:  This first attempt to gas him failed. 

You may have won this battle, Mr. Gopher, but we will win the war!

Let There Be Light

I know this is really weird, but Kevin and I have been sitting in the dark since we moved in.  How long has it been?  Oh, 10 weeks ago?  

Every room in the house has a ceiling fan with lighting except the living room.  Which happens to be the room we spend the most time in.  So, most logical people would run out and buy a lamp probably within 1-3 days of sitting in the dark.  Not me!  I straight up refused and made any guest who came over sit by the light of the TV or the light spilling over from the entry or the hallway. 

I know, strange, but there is a method to my madness (isn't there always?).  I wanted can lighting in that room, and not just any can lights, but cost efficient and eco LED lighting.  And if I go out and buy a lamp, I will never do it.  Recessed lighting would just end up at the bottom of my home improvement list, which if you haven't seen it, is very long.

So I called my friend Joe to help us with the lighting.  I showed him the room I needed lighting in, and showed him access into the attic, and then finally showed him the fuse box.  

Wait, wait, back up!  A fuse box?  Who still has those?  Well, I did.  And I kind of liked it, it was cute.  Joe, however, felt it had to go.  

So a trip to Home Depot was in order to buy the lighting, the cans, the wires, a new breaker box, light switches and dimmers.  I am not going to tell you how much that cost, but let's just say we'll be eating a lot of pasta.

On Joe's next visit, we did the installation and Kevin learned a thing or two about electrical construction.  I am so proud of him!

And now we have beautiful lighting!

Pests! Pests! Pests!

First it was the flies.  They were everywhere.  So I got a couple of green reusable fly traps.  They are awesome and after having them out for a month, I have actually seen a difference.  Thank goodness, cause flies are gross.  Thanks to our fancy doggy septic system, there are never any doggy poops out, but for some reason the  flies are always out and about.  I haven't figured out what is attracting them.

Next it was the spiders.  Well, to be honest, I never did anything about them. Those are skittish little things (although very poisonous) and they mostly hang out in the garage and under the house.  They are not bothering me.... yet.  I will get to them when I get to them (way down low on the priority list).

Then it was the yellow jackets.  They didn't bother me at first.  They never bit or stung me and I thought we could all live peaceably together.  But now they seems to be taking over.  And it is hard to move about the yard without dodging one of them.  They seem to like the water in the pond, which is why they are hanging around the yard.  So off to the store I went to get another trap.  Just like before a nice green reusable one.

Now, it's the gophers.  

How do I deal with gophers?  I absolutely refuse to put poison down.  I have too many loved animals to risk having poison on the ground.  Someone told me to flood it out with a hose and then when they come out to breathe, hit them over the head with a shovel.  But if you haven't noticed, I happen to be an animal lover.  That would be hard to do.  Why can't I write a nice letter asking them to please not dig holes?  It would go something like this:

Dear Mr Gopher and Family,
I know you think you have found prized real estate.  It really is beautiful out there, especially during the sunrise.  But I hate to tell you this, but there is already someone living there, me.   And I really do not appreciate the holes you are creating in my front lawn.

I know, I know.  I have a lot of space.  Why can't I share it?  Well, I am here to tell you that I can.  Just please live by my rules. Here they are:

1. Do not dig or live in my front lawn at all.  Period.  I hate to say it, but your holes are unsightly and I don't want to upset my neighbors.
2. Do not dig or live in my immediate backyard.  This is for your benefit as well as mine.  You don't want to pop you little head out and be attacked by a doberman.  Trust me, it will not be pleasant.
3. Do not dig or live in the vegetable garden.  This is food for me and my family.  Please find your own.

That's it!  Three little rules.  There is plenty of space for you everywhere else.  Tons of it actually.  If you could agree to my 3 simple rules, I am sure we can live amicably with each other.

Very Truly Yours,

Lilian A. Ramey

Sigh... If life could be that easy....

Oops!

Things don't always go smoothly and accidents do happen!

Fortunately this happened in the hall closet, so I don't have to look at it all week.

I guess this weekend we will have to learn how to hang sheetrock on the ceiling, tape, texture, and paint.  In a few years we are going to laugh at this and be home repair pros!

DIY Warriors!

Kevin says I don't blog enough, so here is a quick recap of what's been going on:

We had our pool removed, finally!  Kevin and I never wanted it, just another thing to take care of and we didn't have the time for it.  So I put an ad on craigslist stating that it was free to whoever could pump the water out, dismantle, and haul away.  You would of thought we were giving away the lottery!  I got over 50 responses in the first 15 minutes.  Based on some of the emails I wish I had more pools to give away!  Well, we gave it to the first responder.  He came that Saturday and worked 7 hours.  By the end, he deserved it!

Also, my handy husband made a mineral/baking soda dispenser for the goats with some PVC pipe, plumbers tape, and PVC cement.

Isn't he handy?  We leave these minerals out for the goats to self medicate.  We have also been busy getting them all healthy for the year with de-wormers and vaccinations.  This week we are going to try to wean them off the milk.  Say your prayers that our neighbors don't go out there to kill the goats, or us!

Since this is a goat post.  How about a video?  One of the perks of working in construction is that I got to take a couple large spools from the site.

I hope you enjoy.

Pond Loving

Isn't it beautiful?  Something I have noticed at Blue Antler is that there are always  flowers in bloom.  A few weeks ago the climbing roses were a burst of creamy pink opening themselves to the sun.  There were so many of them reaching for the sky it took your breath away.  Last week it was the Juniper.  This week it is the Hydrangea.  And next week the pink water plants in the pond are going to have a full on display.

Well enough with the sappy flower talk, let's talk about some fish! 

Along with these beautiful flowers, Kevin and I inherited 5 koi fish in our pond.  Which breeds?  I have no idea. Some of them have long feathery tails and fins, and some do not.  Some have whiskers, and some do not.  Some are almost all white and some look like a splash of gold, white, and black.  Some maybe goldfish and not Koi, but it doesn't matter to me what they are.  All that matters is that we take care of them and I enjoy them.  And I really do!  I had no idea how much serenity having a pond with fish can provide, but I spend at least 5 minutes a day watching them swim around eating their food going after bugs.  They are starting to know me and are coming to the surface to check me out.

Did you catch that?  I can see them now.  If you read an earlier post, you would know the water was so murky we didn't even know anything was alive in there.  But look!

 

Another sign that this pond is coming back to life are the dragonflies.  There is just something magical about dragonflies.  And I don't say this lightly because I hate about 98% of bugs.  I know what you are thinking, oh Lilian, what about ladybugs?  Yeah, I hate them too.  But dragonflies are allowed room in my heart.  The way they dart here and there with their brilliant colors and curious behavior, landing and floating above the water. It is just fascinating to watch. 

 

Can you see him there on top of the red maple?

 Did you know that dragonflies are fierce carnivorous eaters, and some can eat yellow jackets?  That's awesome, cause along with having fish, the pond also attracts  mosquitos and yellow jackets.  Dragonflies will pretty much eat any bug that is smaller than them, which rates them high on my list.  Eat away dragonflies!

Ta ta for now!

~Lilian

A New Beginning

Okay.... here goes, my first post.  

Just in case there are select few out there that are interested in happenings of my life, here is an ongoing diary of Blue Antler Farm.  What is Blue Antler Farms?  Well, the simple answer is that it is my home.  But the more complicated answer is that Blue Antler is what I have been dreaming about for the last 4 years.  For years I have read Martha Stewart and Sunset magazine, watched our friends collect pounds of tomatoes off their home garden, and attempted home soap-making in my tiny apartment kitchen.  I read about a more sustainable living, but could not even recycle.  But more importantly, what I wanted and needed was space.  Space to cook, space for a friend to crash after a glass of wine, space to entertain, and space to grow my own food.  Well, Blue Antler is my answered wish.

For the last three weeks we have been moving and unpacking boxes as well as painting a few rooms.  Well today was our first big step in making this place a real farm.

Everyone!  Please welcome Buttercup and Oreo!

These two lovely girls are baby Nubian Goats.  We drove up to visit Split Rail Farms in Penngrove, CA and fell in love with them.  We originally wanted Nigerian Dwarf Goats, but decided that we had the space for a larger breed.   Our plans for these two ladies is to use them as lawn mowers.  We have about 2/3 of acre that needs clearing out, so these two are going to do the work of weed whacker.  In about a year and half, we'll choose one of them to have a romantic weekend at a stud service, and then fresh milk, goat cheese, yogurt, butter, and soap for us!  Oh I am so excited!

So what's it like driving an hour and fifteen minutes with a baby goat in your lap?  Not so bad!  Not a single bit of poo or pee on us!  Feeding them has been much harder.  Since these babies are still only 10 weeks old they are still being bottle-fed.  And although we made a beautiful baby bottle out of Lagunita beer bottle and some nipples, it is nothing like mother's warm milk.  It was a little disconcerting, but we will get over this little hump.  Hopefully they will be hungry in the morning.  Here is picture of me trying to feed Butters (Buttercup).  Not the prettiest picture, but who looks good trying to feed a goat?

So that is it for right now, it is getting late and someone (um, me) needs to get up early to try and feed those goats again.  Wish me luck!