Some out - more IN

Today it was clear and sunny --a beautiful day to play in the garden - which is not what we did.

We did - take the carpet which was removed (by us) and put it in garage to be sold on Craigslist or given to someone who wants beige carpet. THEN we unloaded a lot of paint, 39 (yes I counted them - twice) boxes of cork flooring, a new light fixture for the kitchen and about a quart of sweat. I confess this is simply a catching up with small changes post - one big point I'd like to make - look closely at the picture of partially painted room (which will become our office/workout room once we actually move in). See the ugly dark grey tinge to what was apparently a white room? THAT my friends is what happens when you use those "one coat" paints - there is a black pigment added to a perfectly good white paint so indeed it covers most anything else but is NOT white. The white we are using is called Fragrant Jasmine (doesn't that just sound wonderful and relaxing? - still smells like paint but the name is the thing). It goes on the wall in a barely warm white shade not a cold touch of black white shade. It isn't all that noticeable until you begin to paint a real white over it - then the greyness becomes all too obvious. I'm tired - you must excuse my obsession with colors of white.

It is good on Buhlaland - because I have a great big bottle of ibuprofren and a Coke Zero over ice right here next to me. See you soon!

Starting To Change

Not about fall color this year - because with Texas drought only color is dried up brown on the leaves. Wanted to share the adventure (that is called a positive thought process - if I think of our move as an adventure may

be it won't feel so tough - RIGHT????)

Today is pretty much just posting Before pictures - 'cause the afters will come slowly - we have a big house to sell before we can afford major

changes to new place. Suggestions will be enjoyed with the caveat - every thing we will do has the proviso "if we can afford it" - and that is money as well as time/energy in our budget. The move is occurring because we can no longer physically deal with a two story house and almost 10 acres - so we now have a money budget and an energy budget - what we can realistically actually physically get done (enough lys for you?) OK off to the picture files -from the backdoor(which is out of order but taking forever to move pics - so work with me people! LOL)

We currently HOPE and plan to extend back porch and cover it - so we can sit out on porch, have barbecue grill there and generally enjoy the view of neighbor's pretty pastures and dozens of deer! My "lottery" dream is to put a nice two person hot tub/spa out there but that is WAY down reality list.

In back door to long walls - as you come in backdoor to the right is door into garage (which will be DH's woodworking shop and our washer/dryer will be there also). To the left long wall will be place for large black armoire (DH made it years ago and it is marvelous storage as well as sweet reminder). Opposite wall will be future home of pantry shelves - open or with doors still a topic of discussion (I'm thinking open with an assortment of baskets/containers to organize but DH is thinking doors 'cause - well that is how he thinks - more finished but LOTS more work too!)

Then teeny amount of kitchen cabinetry - great hopes to change this but definitely moved to later on - can live with it the way it is. All except color - we have already purchased paint - shinier finish and a wonderful Behr white - Fragrant Jasmine. The floor is a very good grade of linoleum tile - black with a tiny fleck of white and grey. Will definitely be keeping the floor.

Like the arched view into living room (yes it is a smaller house!) and then we'll put our round kitchen table in the corner as dining table. Have a new brushed nickle finished lighting fixture for over table. So that is the first installment - will post pictures of rest of house and what we have definitely already done or decided. Exciting time - I'm better at starting projects (thank goodness I was blessed with a husband who likes to FINISH things completely!) So whatcha think???? It is good on Buhlaland - we are blessed whether original location or newer place - God provides for us in ways we didn't have the sense to ask!

This week on Buhlaland (sounds dramatic - it isn't)

Found a very nice oleander at the Depot this week - we've been looking for oleanders to plant around a little memorial stone we're going to put up for DH's sweet little mom. Over a year since she passed - embarrassed to admit I haven't sent off all her things to be shared around with her granddaughters and nieces. Just been too much free floating stress around here this year!


White flower is a Maid of Orleans Jasmine - wish I had smellovision for you - intoxicating fragrance!












Dear Hubs on the trusty tractor scraping the -- how to say it delicately? - the goat poo out of their big shelter. We've learned it works best to scrape out into the open area of the pen - when we get rain ( a faith statement 'cause I believe we WILL get rain again) the natural effects of water on dry poo makes for a good pen - lots of lush grass for the goatzees to lounge upon and eat.










Our vegetable/container garden didn't work out very well this summer - but the Brown Turkey fig planted near the Coop Mahal (chicken run) actually is making figs! I'm so excited - the plant smells wonderful and we might get a harvest of 4 or 5 real figs!









The chickens have kicked it into gear at long last - this morning the east nest box (preferred spot for depositing one's cackleberries) had five when I was out with camera.











The chicks still have serious "attitude" - chickatude is not an attractive quality in an animal who tastes good fried or stewed! we'll see how things go. Steadily getting seven eggs a day - who the one slacker is I haven't figured out yet.





DH has his next doctor's appointment next week - he is slightly better. We are leaning heavily on the Lord - not knowing is one of those valleys nobody enjoys -ignorance is NOT bliss it is the lack of information. His timing is perfect so we are remembering to stay in prayer and read the Word.
"Ephesians 3:14-21 (The Message paraphrase)
My response is to get down on my knees before the Father, this magnificent Father who parcels out all heaven and earth. I ask him to strengthen you by his Spirit—not a brute strength but a glorious inner strength—that Christ will live in you as you open the door and invite him in. And I ask him that with both feet planted firmly on love, you'll be able to take in with all followers of Jesus the extravagant dimensions of Christ's love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God. God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us. Glory to God in the church! Glory to God in the Messiah, in Jesus! Glory down all the generations! "
Only rational response is --Amen!
- we find the Word trustworthy and life is good here on Buhlaland. We pray you are finding the same in your part of God's world.

All in a day's work

A ring on the phone and a truck at our gate - hubby and I scurried up front hoping not to be late. What to our wondering eyes should appear - a huge honking truck with tree trimming gear!



After building our place here about 9 years, trees on Buhlaland have grown up enough to be a potential problem for power lines. Electricity is provided by the locally owned power company and their crews have always been super guys. The fellows on the truck were amazed when we asked if they would simply pile the branches up along our fence instead of grinding up and hauling off that supply of goat food.

Sizeable mounds of freshly trimmed oak limbs in our east pasture - ready for a goat feeding frenzy.

awwww cute little frenziers aren't they? It was interesting and goat pleasin' yesterday on Buhlaland. Hmmm now I wonder who is going to pile up those frenzied clean branches for the next big bonfire???

Busy week

If you look at my blog activity you'd think I was missing in action. I didn't go missing but we were in action a lot this week.

Strange how it can be - at this very moment - Friday night. It was just Monday morning a few hours ago wasn't it? What did we do in the 5 days since Monday?

We started building a chicken coop. DH pulled our truck in the backyard with load of building materials. First you see the new nifty JawHorse holding the first post for le coop deluxe. We are nearly done - today (Friday) DH dug the trench for wiring so the coop will have electricity. No - we aren't putting a tv and sound system in - just going to have a light inside.

Chicks are supposed to show up on the 26th - getting excited about the new critters for Buhlaland.

We also took several walks in the pastures - enjoying all the new growth since our nice rains last week. Fun seeing tiny oak leaves opening up.

Columbines are coming up - yep it is spring and busy here on Buhlaland. I plan to do some cooking this weekend and will post recipes if it turns out well. Maybe I'll post the recipe even if it is yucky as a warning huh? Working on my menu for Easter Sunday -not far off now.

Time is such a tricky concept - it seems we have so much of it - 24 hours,7 day weeks, 365 day years - a life time span of maybe 80 years?

2 Corinthians 4:16Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Didn't want you to think I was totally MIA - even though all this is temporary we still have to work at useful activities toward the time when time is no more.

Tin can gardening?

IT was a cruddy year for gardening in Parker County - the reality of farming or gardening in Texas includes the occasional poor return year. The other problem would have to be our vegetable garden spot. We located the large, heavily tilled and fertilized 25 ft. by 25 ft. garden patch behind the workshop, completely out of sight from the house. You've probably heard "out of sight out of mind".

Having my garden spot so completely out of my sight - definitely contributed to being out of my mind (both forgetting to tend the garden and feeling a couple of bricks short of a full load!) DH and I (mostly DH) removed the elaborate sprinkler system he'd installed in the garden and burned off the knee high weeds. He used the weed eater to neaten things up (and eliminated about half my herb garden but how can I complain about it when he did all the work??) THEN we planted a genetic dwarf Bonanza Peach tree and a nice sized Brown Turkey Fig. DH next installed a NEW sprinkler system making sure everything was spaced so a riding lawnmower could be maneuvered easily in previously weed infested garden area.

Now we move to our new idea - we are experimenting with using a galvanized container with drainage holes drilled in it. The big tin can is placed not ten feet from the breakfast room windows and back door. Theory is - if I see the "garden" constantly there is higher probability I'll take good care of it. Right now we have 3 tomato plants, bok choy, red leaf lettuce (which is NOT doing well at all) and two kinds of summer squash. It does seem very late in the growing season to be trying all this but we normally have mild winters and shouldn't have a killing frost for at least 45 days. So we'll see - I think it is fun and if it works - we'll add more containers for a decent veggie garden.

I'm blessed with a clever and resourceful Mr. Buhl here on Buhlaland and that is very good.

Moment of reflection ---- and then a big WOO HOOO

A tiny bit sad - our incredible little renovation job (took over 6 months and I don't want to SAY how much money) on the Rock House across the road from us. It is no longer Our little Rock House. For a moment I want to reflect on how much work and detail and charm (and sweat and stepping on a rusty nail and taking antibiotics for 2 weeks and innumerable bites and stings from things dislodged from ancient hiding places) went into the renovation. We bought the little house hoping to make it into an office/guest house/gift shop/terrific thing to own. DH and I put in bead board ceilings - one piece at a time and custom fitting the cedar crown molding. Replaced every window in the building with those cool tilt out energy efficient windows and painted it historically correct red and a creamy almost yellow color. The front half bath was all red (why skimp on a good thing right?) I won't go through the whole 6 months - but we literally rebuilt the building trying to keep a charm of old with high energy efficiency and functionality.
THEN - reality came along and we found we weren't really being good stewards just using it as an office. So we moved our office into part of our workshop here at Buhlaland - and put the Rock House up for sale.

Today was the big day - closed on the property and the young man who bought it is moving in as I type. He and his girlfriend were pretty excited.
A little sadness about no longer owning our completely renovated little house ----
THEN some genuine gladness over the infusion of funds - as in money. First we'll pay ahead for a year for our Compassion sponsored kids then we pay off a little debt and THEN - well I'll do a Scarlett O'Hara on that one - I'll think about that tomorrow.
Just thought I'd share this with my bloggerities. If I don't see you before then - Have a safe and sane Independence Day celebration - ribs, ice cream, salad shared with some of our best friends - cannot get better for a holiday! It is so good on Buhlaland - you never know where the Lord is taking us but we know it is always better than anywhere we could have imagined.

First step

Hey there blogernets (still working on the terminology). Lord willing and our finances hold out - we may actually renovate (read that word FINISH) the master bath. While putzing around at a home improvement store I found this light fixture on the clearance table. I like it - a lot - so it is planned for over the bathtub in the alcove next to the new window we have yet to build. First will be a large bumpout on the master bedroom so we can have a closet to truly organize (HUH?) my life.
But this light fixture is a commitment - especially since it is still in the box sitting in our home office. Talk about an elephant in the living room - this is the renovation reminder in the office space! Probably going to do beadboard ceilings like we did at the little rock house, Italian style plaster and waxed walls, not sure about tile versus wood floors and after that it all gets blurry. I'm not a person who plans a heck of a lot - I'm a lot more - build me a house around this doorknob gal. So you are looking at the doorknob (metaphorically speaking) of my master bath. What do you think? You doing any big projects in the next few months? We are always doing projects but this time it'll be mostly for US not for money. Woo Hoo says the Lady of Buhlaland - it is GOOD here and we are grateful even for a cool metaphorical doorknob type inspiration. Y'all have any good door knobs out there??

Hey - It's HAY

Our goats still have plenty of pasture grass to eat - they don't like it much but it is nourishing and plentiful. I confess a need to overfeed everyone and everything, today we went down to a friend's place and bought some sudan round bales today. DH hooked up the big trailer and we drove about 17 miles south of our place. All went well - except the tractor with a bale spike on it wasn't starting today because we are having a cold weather spell. Typical country ingenuity,the guys figured out a way to use a heavy chain and lift the bales onto our trailer. Whew. Would have been a long trip for nothing if these men weren't clever - but DH and James knew how to solve a problem.

Once back at Buhlaland - the goats weren't overjoyed but once one ate a mouthful- wow! it's sudan - hey you guys - come eat some HAY.

He makes it look so easy

I sometimes have trouble believing that DH can always do everything - he said he could just drive the tractor up on the trailer. Obviously once again - he can do it and I'm impressed - how cool is it on Buhlaland? Pretty cool! See it is the little things in my life that just tickle me!

Job well done

Welcome to our offices, DH and I came over this morning to clean the outside of the building. You'd think being outside (that is redundant - the outside/exterior of a building is by definition outside huh?) it would stay cleaner than the inside does. BUT - that would be a mistaken notion - a bazillion spideys and their attendant messy stuff had festooned (what a great word) the outside of our little rock building and the windows were not precisely transparent - verging on opaque in some places! So armed with pressure hose, scrubby brush attachment to hose,squeegee, fistful of papertowels and determination to clean it UP around here - DH worked hard and I hardly worked but those windows surely sparkle now don't they? The beautiful cedar front door is DH's handiwork also - please note the Texas flag front door mat - yes - we are definitely in Texas! The original little building here was begun in the late 1800's - the rock part and several additions came from the 1940's on (so we are told by the neighbors who all seem to know these things). Just thought you might like to know - we do work in Buhlaland - and like our buildings nice and clean!

Wow - just realized that with my frequent scriptural references you might think I was referring to the man in the Bible who was named Job and writing without respect about roasting him or something. Nope - I am referring to work as in we had a job to do - and did it. Whew - didn't want to be accused of false or offensive titling. Yes I'm being facetiously silly.