4/30/19 To Dos

A fluffy butt just because ;-)
I worked a half day today and just wasn't very energetic this evening.

Breakfast
Chores
Clean coop & compost almost done cleaning another 7x9 pen
desk
kitchen well no, not really
laundry never even thought about it
clean chick brooder
afternoon chores



So this morning I spent 15 minutes taking care of bits on the desk leftover from last night and shredding some paper.

much better. I like having some clean space

When I got home from work I emptied out the door pocket of the van, which is where receipts tend to collect. I put everything in a shoe box and put it here on the desk. I haven't done anything with it, but it's not in the car any more and it's not in danger of blowing away when the car door is opened.

4/29/19 To Dos

A pretty and fragrant hybrid tea rose "Oklahoma"

Working half day so short list

Breakfast

Chores 

Clean chick brooder: it turned cool, windy and trying to rain. Maybe tomorrow

Sort basket on desk

Afternoon chores

Laundry  I managed to get the dry clothes off the line and folded up before I left for work, since it was trying to rain.

Bathroom tidy

I don't know why my brain does some things. Trash on the floor not picked up because it's too much trouble to move the heater to access the trash can. I could have just put it in a bag and trashed it elsewhere.

It actually took me less than 15 minutes

So I spent the remaining 3-4 minutes on the dresser top.



I spent about 45 minutes sorting out 2 shoe boxes of papers and receipts from under the desk.

There are a few bits left from the boxes that I'm not sure what I want to do with and some other bits that I will deal with tomorrow. On the plus side of desk cleaning I have found a gift card and a couple of checks which are still good to cash ;-)

4/28/19 To Dos

Fresh cut peppermint

Today’s tea flavor is peppermint. 

Today’s list

Breakfast

Chores

Incubator set up

Plant tomatoes herbs: oops never got there

Clean chick brooder: didn't get there either, but tomorrow for sure!

Nest boxes: didn't manage that either

Shade cloth: didn't even go there

Desk Ta Da managed to get the desk top cleaned off!

Afternoon chores

Laundry: folded up and put away the ones on the line, managed to wash and hang out another load

Dishes   Did 15 on dishes while dinner cooked

Clean coop And compost   got a small coop cleaned out and another compost pile started

Oyster shell  If you don't know oystershell is calcium carbonate and is needed by laying hens to make hard egg shells.

Of course the list is impossibly long. Yes but I didn't get too worked up over it and actually took it kind of easy today.

The big tall cardboard box is full of egg cartons. Behind it is my vintage 1950s redwood incubator. My little tabletop model cooked a batch of eggs and I need to get some chicks hatched before it’s too hot. So that incubator needs to move....

Over here where I can plug it in. 

Took me 30 minutes to accomplish a move of about 10 feet.

I did manage 30 on the desk. There is still more to do but a lot of it I’m not sure what I’m going to do with yet so just going to rest on what I’ve gotten done for now.



That vintage incubator came right up to temp and held steady all afternoon. So 72 eggs went in tonight.

4/27/19 To Dos

I had farmers market this morning so just a short list today;

Breakfast
Chores
Market
Water Plants
Afternoon chores
Pick up feed
Desk

I realized after yesterday's marathon desk session that this mess is much more serious than I was acknowledging. It is going to take a hell of a lot more than just 15 minutes here and there to crawl out from under this rock and I really need to focus hard on the same area for a much longer period of time. Since the desk, my financial and paperwork clutter are cause for anxiety I have decided to focus a lot of time on these things. I know that once I get this under control and all my back taxes filed I am going to feel a lot better!


So after market I did 15 minutes plus however long it was before I realized I hadn't set the timer.

And then I did another 15 minutes at which point I was able to actually wash off the right hand side of the desk top! Yay Me!

4/26/19 To Dos

Today is hot. Not sure how hot but hot. 

Breakfast

Chores

Shade cloth

Plant tomatoes

Pot up new bare root stock

Errands

Deliver eggs

Lunch out

Paperwork 

Bills

Afternoon chores

Giotto approves of shade cloth. Seconds later he was barking off a coyote. 

8 cherry tomato plants in and watered.

My “office” area. This mess feels so depressing and overwhelming. Ok throw away some trash.

30 minutes later. A lot of trash gone and part of the floor swept. Still so far to go!

Slogging along. Did another 30 minutes. Actually found few square inches of desk top. 

Picked up the mail while I was out (that's the pile in the chair)

Took care of the mail, paid up the bills, fileing for another hour. Not done yet, but beginning to feel like I"m making some sort of progress.

4/25/19 todos

Chocolate flowers and pink primroses are blooming.

A short list today because I’m working this afternoon. 

Breakfast

Chores

Kitchen nope not happening today

Laundry this didn't happen either

Nestboxes: got some done

Clean coop and compost: the pile heated up to 160°F so I had to turn and water it. Didn’t get any coop cleaning done. 

Afternoon chores

I cut herbs and greens for the chickens to eat, like this clover and milkweed.

with some calendula

and catnip

Then I cut herbs to put in the nest boxes like rosemary

and mugwort, along with some sage.

4/24/19 To Dos

My beautiful Cecile Brunner rose. Just because. Those tiny flowers smell soooo good!

The day’s agenda. Let’s see how far I get today.  

Breakfast

Chores

Plant dahlias

Weed eat

Check electric fence

Plant seeds: oops

Pot up snapdragons

Clear beds: I didn't get any new ones cleared off but I did manage to get the last one ready to plant

Plant peppers

Steps up hill (May have to cut pallets for wood): didn't have to cut wood but I do need more stakes; got two steps done

Clean nest boxes: ugh didn't get that far

Trim herbs for nest boxes: didn't get there either

Afternoon chores

Laundry: managed to fold up and put away the clean clothes and hang out the load from the washer.

Kitchen:  did 15 minutes putting away clean dishes, setting mouse traps, cleaning out a gross drawer and putting the stuff in it to soak in bleach water overnight.

Driveway: didn't get there

Clean coop and compost: didn't get to this or any of the rest of the list.

Buy straw

Sort mail

Pay bills

Shade cloth for dog and chickens

Snapdragons all potted up. 

4 Red bell pepper plants in.

I didn't get any more beds cleared off but I did get the next bed ready to plant in the next couple of days and watered a lot of stuff.

Got a couple of steps done in the hill. Now I need more boards and stakes. 

I only did 15 in the kitchen tonight, didn't get an after pic and I'm too tired to go do it now ;-)

I didn't get everything on the list done, but I accomplished a good bit and I did manage to remember to eat, drink and not get too hot in the sun. I also moved some chickens around this evening when it got dark. and now it's waaaay past my bedtime.

4/23/19 To Do

Blue flax, just because it’s pretty

I have to work this afternoon so a short list today. 

Breakfast

Chores

Clean pens and compost: got some done, more tomorrow!

Clear driveway so I can get the truck up to the back: not even

15 in the kitchen

Laundry: ooops didn't get there

Afternoon chores

 Before



And after 15 in the kitchen; got about another 2 square feet of floor space opened up, regular dishes washed and a few things from the counter. Still catching mice/baby rats. Ugh. Reminds me I need to reset the traps before I go to bed.

The Day's To-dos

Well my white board is still missing in action and a paper list on the freezer door isn't getting anything done so maybe putting it here will help.

Breakfast
put away eggs
chores
laundry: I managed a load washed and hung out. The second load is still in the washer. Sigh.

dishes: I washed dishes for 15 min while dinner cooked. But by the time I ate and finished this post it was time to shower and go to bed.

plant seeds (might have to mix potting soil): I didn't have to mix potting soil and I did get 4 flats seeded.

clear garden beds: got one done

plant peppers and tomatoes: not yet

cover squash bed against birds: OOPS not done

clear other beds: Not a chance

plant greens: not even

clean coops / make compost pile: I did get one small coop cleaned and compost started

Unload car: sort of, got a couple of things out and in the house

Evening chores

oh there is sooo much more to be done but I doubt I'll get through this whole list today as it is....

A bed that grew cauliflower over the winter. Cut down the plants and the clover all of which I fed to the chickens. Added mineral amendments.



Also a couple of buckets of manure and lightly forked it in. The ground is getting really dry so I watered really good. Took about an hour.  I’ll put in plants this evening. (mmmm might get plants in on Tue or Wed)

There are 3 other nest boxes but 2 broody girls want this one then a third wants to lay in here. I did manage to clean out this 7x9’ pen and start the compost. 

 I made soil blocks, four trays at 36 per tray. Seeded a tray each of zinnias, marigolds, sunflowers and Swiss chard.


The kitchen didn't get much love today. Now a garden blog post, a shower and off to bed. Working a full day tomorrow.

The Day’s Agenda

Today started by continuing last nights project of washing up some wool I found while emptying a box. Got it all washed and dried. 

Sprayed clear coat on some gourd birdhouses. 

Delivered birdhouses and some paintings to display at our Miami Loco art fest this weekend. 

Worked on the living room some more. 

Managed to set up the stereo I bought about 6 months ago. 

Sometimes things get messier before they get better. 

And some days it’s like arranging deck chairs on the Titanic. I put away the clothes on the indoor line. I sorted out a box of magazines for the library. Found some more cool stuff I forgot I had. 

I set up the little TV so I could screen the home movies from moms house. Some I will have transferred to disk to share, others will go to the people in them and others to the trash. And I set up an incubator. I had a broody hen but she wouldn’t stay on the eggs. I have another broody now so I will set her up in her own space and see if she sticks before giving her these eggs.