Puttin it all together!!

Well, here we grow again!!! We're bringing redneck to a whole new level! However, it's werkin' fer us...we're successfully preparing and putting together our homestead yet again. Here's an update...


As you will see in the photos, our new garden is going in and every little hand is involved. We've improved the soil and are just about ready to put in our "winter crop". For those of you in other areas, a "winter crop" is part of AZ lingo for stuff that doesn't withstand melting conditions. Unless you've lived here, you will NOT understand. It's one of those quirky regional things that we've really had to learn to work with-the benefit of which is year round growing of some sort. Anyway, the odd looking "revival tent" is for our meat birds. We figure they need Jesus quicker than the rest of us , being as they must "come to Jesus" in about 8 weeks-after that they'll be coming to supper...so Robert and Papa (my daddy) made them a "CHICKEN REVIVAL" tent...actually it's a caged area for our chickens-the white tarp is to shade them from the hot sun. This amazing idea is credited to Miss Lauryn-who thought a trampoline frame (found on Craigslist regularly for free) wrapped in some chicken wire would make a wonderful home for our chickens and other small animals. Our little chicks should be singing their praises in just a few short days...We've considered placing a top on it and housing any rowdy children in it for "time out"...still in deliberation on that one! Kinda kills the "come to Jesus" revival idea, huh? Anyway, Nick was fortunate enough to score 3 more rabbits for his project. Somehow, we've been blessed with two families that needed to find homes for these purebred New Zealand rabbits and needed to do it quickly...he is now up to 6, and shortly there will be several more as we are proud to announce the anticipated arrival of our first grandrabbits!!! Snowdrift-our pure white New Zealand rabbit should be delivering near the end of November. This is how Nick is learning about genetics as well as commerce and business principles. He is going to use the money from this first litter to cover food and improved cages. On that same note, David started his own business this weekend. He fashions and develops significantly more enjoyable paper airplanes for the "wonderful entertainment of your children" as he announced to passer bys. For this service he has decided to charge 15 cents per plane. He earned $1.65 on Saturday just gently approaching non suspecting neighbors. Robert sent him first to the neighbor that volunteered him to teach the gardening class to 20 or so people a few weeks back. We can attribute $1.00 of that income to them. Our greenhouse is just about completed. You will see the step by step photos if you watch the slideshow-talk about resourceful, Robert came up with this ingenius idea to frame in the area under the cover by his office and drape it with 6 mil clear plastic sheets making the perfect greenhouse for winter which is another thing we've been wanting to do for a VERY long time. There is nothing like being able to grow year round. Keep checking back for the updates on Robert's NEW project----I cannot divulge everything, but I can tell you that he is outdoing himself on every plane. We cannot believe how blessed we have been-we're being carried through this time and our children are learning how to make something from nothing to learn the important skills they will need to care for their own families in the times to come. Our Lord is SO great and to Him goes the glory!!!