April

April has flown by. We spent the month inching ever closer to the completion of the rehab of the old farmhouse.  We are in the phase of hanging drywall on the newly constructed walls -- upstairs.  Downstairs is another story.  We still have some electrical and plumbing to complete before we can start the drywall.  But we ARE making headway.

We started the month insulating the new pump house in preparation for the plumber who would move all of the equipment from the old, cinder block pump house to the new one.  What a difference the new pump house makes.  Once the pump, water tank, water softener etc. were relocated, we were able to knock down the old pump house, preparing the back of the house for the eventual addition.

And we dug trenches.... yes, indeed.  As if we hadn't dug sufficient trenches in the two years we have been trying to tame this land, we decided we wanted power run to some of the out buildings... so more trenches were in order. What's one more trench?

Or two?  Another Irrigation trench, please, as long as we're at it!

Well, actually, there were MANY more trenches dug in April, but I think you get the picture.  When in doubt, trench!

Now, of course, with the promise of "April Showers" which, in these parts, means....lots of water with no place to go, and since we'd enjoyed almost a month without a rain event, we decided we should take advantage of the pond being almost dry, and increase her diameter and depth.

And none too soon.  Sure enough, we were blessed with rain...lots of it.  The trees, flowers and plants all loved the rain after such a long dry spell, but we had our hands full (of shovels and rakes) helping direct the water to the newer, better pond.  Our work paid off, and, with a few more tweaks, the whole thing should be working without our assistance during heavy rainfalls.

Meanwhile, all the dirt removed from the pond was used to build up the roads around the house and to the outbuildings.

While we were racing against Mother Nature to deal with water issues, our carpenter was busy working on the fire escape we are installing, and replacing the window with a door.  The fire escape is not yet completed (railings needed), but it's coming along.

Of course, the juggling of the many different parts of this project can get a little overwhelming. Every day is an adventure, and we never quite know what progress will be made by day's end.  There always is progress, but I for one, will be happy when the whole rehab is complete!  At least we are nearing completion with the upstairs drywall.

Naturally, life isn't ALL about the rehab of the old farmhouse. I traveled to Maryland on Easter to share a meal with family, and we had a great time.  There are definitely some excellent cooks in my family -- several generations worth!  I was really, really full when I finally pushed myself away from the table.

I returned to Maryland this weekend to celebrate my mother's birthday with her.  We did all kinds of exciting things...umm...we tried out her new washing machine for the first time, ordered a book online for her (one that she will be reading for her book club) and I called and set up appointments for her to meet with contractors to get bids on refinishing her floors! (Will the excitement never end?)  Later, she and I met my sister for dinner at a nearby restaurant.  Mom turned 77 on Saturday and I think she was thrilled when the waiters led the restaurant patrons in song wishing her a Happy Birthday....

On a sad note, we lost one of our goats to a copperhead bite.  The only good thing about the whole incident is that she went quickly.  In less than two hours from the time of the bite, she was gone.  While I understand this is life on the farm, in the woods, etc. it is always sad to lose an animal. Oddly, Renee was always the "loud" goat.  The other two were quiet in comparison.  Since her passing, the other two have become much more vocal.

So life goes on and I (ALMOST) managed to get a post published in April....

And of course, the post would not be complete without a picture of Eloise. One of my nieces and my little brother's girlfriend conspired to snap a delightfully silly photo of my sweet granddaughter....almost 4 months old in this photo.