Always Behind

I sure wish I could snap my fingers and have the house work done because I cannot ever, ever, ever catch up or keep up with the messes this family makes. Do you have any idea how long it took to just pick up this area? At least it is still clean this morning.... that in itself is a miracle. Two dishwasher loads, one load by hand and a bunch of scrubbing got my tiny kitchen clean.  Well, kind of.  The floors still need mopped and the table is covered in crap.  After a couple hours that was only half of the family/kitchen area (about 1/8 of the house!).  *sigh* Also, watered 147 flats in the plant room with fertilizer.  That took forever!!  I managed to kill 10 Roma Tomato plants in the Mother's Day festivities.  Nice.

 Mr. Lucas helped me gather eggs.  The turkey keeps breaking the chicken eggs when she tries to use the same nest.  Little pest.  I read that her eggs are worth $5 each if fertilized.  Man, sure wish I still had the Tom that the raven got. Apparently, Royal Palms are on the watch list for being endangered.  Who knew?

 I love when I can pry him away from television and toys to hang with me.  He's such a character.

 Already sick of watering this area (it's twice this size).  I sure hope that old seed grows and I don't have to start over!

 I hauled manure out to seven of the ten beds (I ran out).  I got 5 of the 7 tilled, but got cold and tired last night and quit. I'll finish today and then they'll be ready for warm weather and planting!

 Miss Em and I picked up most of the wood that Elijah split the other day.  He gave ten minutes time... he sure isn't going to give anything extra to actually stack it.  He is at the height of teenage laziness at 15. Our little pallet by the fire pit was full and I'm not sure where we are stacking our winter wood so we left the rest be.

 Voles, shrews, mice...whatever they were they destroyed this bed.  This was my only perennial bed and they ate it all this winter.  My summer mission is to trap every one within a five-mile radius.  Like I could really do that, but doesn't it give you a crazy visual of a mad trapping woman?!

 I raked the lawn last night to knock down the black so I can see the bare spots.  Emily gave me about a five minute break.  There is a lot that needs reseeded.  Homer picked up seed (which he said was crazy expensive) and now I need to get a move on.  I want to wash and get rid of the black being tracked everywhere!

 I never did get to the ditch, but the front looks better.

 This area is the top of the hill next to the lawn/gardens.  I want it to be all lawn with bird feeders.  I am determined to do that this summer. It's been too many years of talking about it.

 I want to go up to the Aspen and put a bench there to bird watch.

 This is what it looks like when you are standing down by the flower beds.  It's about a 6 ft. drop.

 That's where Emily's greenhouse is going.  We have to haul gravel for a base for the flooring or it will get mucky when it is wet.

 Nick put some dirt in my trailer and drove it up to the front lawn for me.  Now I am ready to plant that grass seed.

 This first flat kind of quit growing under the artificial lighting.  Everything in the plant room really needs some sun!  I went ahead and fed it to the animals last night even though it was only about 4 inches tall.

 It really did make quite a root mat.

 Daisy went nuts. She loved it.

And so did the chickens. This was .50 worth of barley (2 lbs 5 oz) and it made 4 lbs 1.5 oz of fodder. I'm sure as I get better I will easily be able to double the feed.  If we go to Delta (100 miles away) and get a bulk 2000 lb bag it would only be 18.5 cents worth of barley.  This will be great for the chickens in the summer since they don't have access to  greens, and in the winter great for them all.

Okay. It's another day and I need to get to work.  Olivia wants pancakes and then it's on to the first project of the day!

p/s
Are you wondering if I did anything fun? Well, kind of. We watched part of a movie (until it got too late) and I soaked my feet.  I have horrible looking heels and Em informed me that if I don't do something about them she isn't going to allow me to wear sandals this summer!  Too funny.  Also, my right foot is killing me.  I hobble around all day long.  I swear I cracked it, it hurts so bad, but I haven't been to a doctor in 5 years (since Lucas was born) so I'm not about to go in and whine about a lot little bit of foot pain.  It'll pass eventually.