Hobbit House update

The interior is done!  Well, mostly done.  The solar system still needs to be installed....

Anyway, here's a quick video walk through.

Seed planting

Saturday, April 7th was bright and sunny.  I decided to dedicate a few hours to the green house.

Last summer, John, Joshua & I took the little "farm truck" and went over to the rock ledge on Riverview Farms (the 782 acre hunt club that adjoins our property on 3 sides).  We collected limestone slabs to use in building a rock oven.  Well, the stones have been standing there in a pile ever since.  I decided to put what we had collected into use as the floor in the greenhouse. John said he didn't mind. We can always go collect more rock.

Our "farm truck", with right hand drive.

Our order had come in from Baker Creek Rare Seeds.  I'm always excited about planting!

This year's seed order.

The herbs will be staying in the greenhouse.  I want to get some herbs & small fruit trees going in the greenhouse.  I want an interesting, relaxing growing environment.  Some place to sit and listen to the birds & smell the dirt & plants.  An over sized terrarium.

My friend Karna hosted a tea party last week, and it was a beautiful day for it.  I went to my friend Beth's house so we could car pool.  Then we went to Karna's.  What a nice day.  The food was good, and so was the companionship!

The pergola put interest shadows on our faces.

I also spent time with the ladies, working on the Hardy Homesteaders raffle quilt.  It's almost finished.  We just need to finish the border.

We were quilting ( and eating cake).

The brush piles from this past winter are slowly disappearing.  I hate tripping over sticks!  My right leg doesn't lift very high, thanks to my Parkinson's (and some old damage after a riding accident).  So as I'm walking along those damn sticks trip me up!  I make piles & burn them when the weather cooperates.

Chris and Joshua have been working on the Hobbit House interior.  Josh & I got the exterior waterproofing finished.  Now it looks like an avocado. Once the interior cement is completed, the door and window can go in.  Then I can tile the floor & paint.  I hope to have everything ready when Tammy and Ariel get here in May.

February weather

Normally at this time of year, we have snow and/or ice on the ground.  The temperatures are in the mid-30's during the day.  Here's a picture from 2/17/15.

This ice storm was in February 2013.

And this year?  No snow or ice.  At all. Nothing.  Maybe that doesn't seem odd to you, but ponder this.  It's been so warm that the tree frogs (alias peepers) are sing outside right now.  It's only 43F right now and I hear peepers singing.  The wasps are out already.  And the lizards and garter snakes.  Very odd, if you ask me.

I've been working on the floor inside the Hobbit House.  I've been scrapping off concrete that fell through the mesh when they were working on the dome.  I need to remove this mess before we can put any tile down.

Joshua was working on the french drain for a few hours yesterday.  That is damn hard work.  Shovel and bucket work.  He's removing clay from around the concrete pad so the drain tube can be laid down.  Then gravel will cover the drain.  We have the sealant that we will cover the dome with, as a rubber barrier.  This will waterproof the dome, so we can bury the whole structure.

We'll work on the inside during the summer.  The interior will be cool in the summer, nice for working on the interior walls & putting tile down.

I made a Pinterest board for the Hobbit House, if you'd like to check it out.  Here's a link:

Hobbit house ideas on my Pinterest board