Summer 2012 Granny "Square" Swap (sign ups closed)

[Kassaundra]

Luckily there is no rain forecasted for this next week.

That's good, will the county help w/ grading your driveway?

 

[SunnyDawn]

That's good, will the county help w/ grading your driveway?

They don't do that anymore. Something to do with liability but we have a small tractor with a dragger on the back that we can grade the upper drive with. Just not sure how to shore up the berm yet. We'll get there though. It just may take awhile.

 

[Alethea]

Sunny-Thank you for the pictures and update. I hope the repairs go smoothly. Take care.

 

[SunnyDawn]

Sunny-Thank you for the pictures and update. I hope the repairs go smoothly. Take care.

Thanks Alethea!

Thank you to all of you for your concern and caring!

 

[rancher hicks]

They don't do that anymore. Something to do with liability but we have a small tractor with a dragger on the back that we can grade the upper drive with. Just not sure how to shore up the berm yet. We'll get there though. It just may take awhile.

I have no doubt if we all were closer we'd have it done in a day. Take your time and don't get hurt.

 

[SunnyDawn]

I have no doubt if we all were closer we'd have it done in a day. Take your time and don't get hurt.

Oh I love doing the whole community work thing! Used to do things like that a lot when I was young. Back then no one dreamed of painting the house without calling all their friends to help. Course now folks are pickier about the results and I guess sometimes folks didn't always do a perfect job but we loved it! It was great!!!

I'll be careful. The dragging part is pretty easy and I'll get that done by tomorrow. I tested the soil already and it has firmed up a lot since the rains so I should be fine out on the small tractor. It's actually one of my favorite places to be. Out riding the tractor. lol Steve got a used one, 1950 N8 Ford, for me for Christmas.

 

[Smitty's Farm]

Hi everyone!!!!

I miss my crocheting, crochet chatting & my crochet friend! Dh & I have been very busy with the new business. I hope to adjust to my new schedule and have more time to crochet soon. Right now it's wake up, drink lots & lots of coffee, take care of animals, work, work, work....more animal care and finally try to sleep.

Sunny~ Thanks for the pictures. I am so sorry!!!! You have had one heck of a year, but you always seem to maintain such a positive attitude!

I'm thinking of you!!!! I hope you are able to do the repairs quickly before more bad weather rolls in. ((((HUGS))))))

Yes, please be careful! Thank you for asking about the new business. Things are going well. It's a lot of fun. Overwhelming that we are growing quicker than anticipated. Under staffed, but working on that. I worry about giving bad service, but most locals are very patient and realize we are a small business and new and have been very understanding and patient with us. We are secretly open and still haven't had our Grand Opening or ribbon cutting just yet. I hope the newness doesn't rub off too soon for people. Hopefully switching up the wines now & then will help with that and our events.

Oh yea..... I sold a few of my crochet hats in the bar! I need to make time to crochet some more to have on display!

 

[Smitty's Farm]

I haven't tied off the ends or starched it yet, but here is what I'm making for my step-daughter for Christmas. I'm not going to be able to participate in the winter swap, but I hope to catch you all again in the spring.

Oh, and I've been lurking on the crochet chat thread. Some of the projects I've seen on there are awesome!

Beautiful!!! I love it!!!! I can't do the winter swap either, but I will try to lurk when time allows.

 

[Alethea]

Smitty-Thank you for checking in. I'm glad the business is going well and you are at least able to lurk.

 

[SunnyDawn]

Hi everyone!!!!

I miss my crocheting, crochet chatting & my crochet friend! Dh & I have been very busy with the new business. I hope to adjust to my new schedule and have more time to crochet soon. Right now it's wake up, drink lots & lots of coffee, take care of animals, work, work, work....more animal care and finally try to sleep.

Sunny~ Thanks for the pictures. I am so sorry!!!! You have had one heck of a year, but you always seem to maintain such a positive attitude!

I'm thinking of you!!!! I hope you are able to do the repairs quickly before more bad weather rolls in. ((((HUGS))))))

Yes, please be careful! Thank you for asking about the new business. Things are going well. It's a lot of fun. Overwhelming that we are growing quicker than anticipated. Under staffed, but working on that. I worry about giving bad service, but most locals are very patient and realize we are a small business and new and have been very understanding and patient with us. We are secretly open and still haven't had our Grand Opening or ribbon cutting just yet. I hope the newness doesn't rub off too soon for people. Hopefully switching up the wines now & then will help with that and our events.

Oh yea..... I sold a few of my crochet hats in the bar! I need to make time to crochet some more to have on display!

WOW! How cool is that?

Sounds like the secret is out though! Being understaffed is a great problem to have for a new business but I understand you wanting to correct that before regulars see that as the norm and lose patience. All in all it looks like you guys are off to a great start! Way to go!!!

I got most of the worst areas filled in yesterday, except for closer to the edge of the berms. I'm a newb on the tractor but by the end of the day my DH was amazed at how good I was getting at working that thing. It's a blast playing with a tractor! haha The only attachment we have is a dragger but I figured out how to drag a bunch of dirt to the erosion site, dump it, then back into it with the dragger lowered. That way I can push the dirt into the washed out areas without taking a chance of going in myself (not something you want to do in a 1950 tractor that has no safety features).

I did miscalculate early in the day though. We got the tractor right before the storms hit cause I wanted to clear out a bit of brush for the calves we are getting next spring. I had 50lbs of crested wheatgrass seed to spread before the storm. This is seeded in late November right before rain to try and give it a decent start, don't ask me why cause I have no idea.

Anyway... before the storm hit, the earth was dry and I took out a bunch of brush with no problems (below the erosion areas so my clearing had nothing to do with the erosion damage). Yesterday I tried to do the same thing and got stuck. I tried to rock my way out of the hole I was in (one of the new gullies) and my tires just glided like they were on ice. Apparently moving wet sand vs. dry sand is a completely different ball game! We dug and dug and dug and could not get that tractor out!

A neighbor came along and saw our predicament (we were at the top of the drive trying to fix it before company arrived) and saved us. We were planning on getting the truck and pulling the tractor out but the neighbor pointed out that we could just unhook the top of the dragger and then the bucket would just flip as we pulled forward. We tried it and low and behold, without 300 lbs of wet sand holding us in place the tractor pulled forward quite easily. LOL! I felt like such an obvious city girl at that moment!!! I lived on a small farm as a kid for 2 years but we had no tractor and I have spent almost 95% of my life in the city (Orange County in So Cal & the San Francisco Bay Area). Ah well, live and learn.

So the damage is largely fixed and I know given enough time we will get it all done even without a bull dozer! I feel silly having complained about the erosion since it has turned out that we could get a lot of it repaired all on our own and we had fun doing it. The one peacock fatality was the thing that really got to me but the remaining 3 have settled into their new digs quite well and look very happy there. And just now I checked the incubator and I have pips!!!!!

4 marans eggs have pipped and they are busy working to get out of their shells. I love to watch chicks hatching. It is just an amazing process! Keep your fingers crossed for more pips.