Working on the To-Do List

Yesterday Tyler and I decided that we have even more to do this summer than we did last summer (with the wedding and honeymoon)! We even made an excel spreadsheet to keep track of all of the household projects that we'd like to complete before baby arrives in September. With the beautiful weather we are having, yesterday was the perfect day to kick start our work.

Hanging baskets and deck flowers

Flowers for the front door

I had appointments with the dentist and midwife yesterday, but then I visited the Spates Garden Center and bought a ton of flowers for the house. I figured the good thing about potted flowers is that you only have to water them, not weed them! After potting it was so hot that I took a break inside, but once it was cool again I went out to do some "poor man's weed whacking." Basically I took a pair of garden shears to all of the growth around the property that needed to be whacked! I also picked a bunch of lettuce for our dinner salad - and learned in the process that perhaps the best way to grow lettuce is in an Earthbox or raised bed. Not only did it take a long time to rinse the lettuce clean of dirt, but grass and weeds had crept into the mix!

Tyler working on weeding the garden

Fred keeping his distance from the fence after getting shocked - it was kind sad to hear him whimper!

Massive amount of weeds, aka "treats" for the chickens

Lettuce and berries

Tyler worked on his tan/sunburn/bug bites yesterday by spending most of the day outside in the garden. First he had to cut down a few trees that were shading an apple tree. They were located near where he wanted to install the electric fence so they had to come down before he could put the fence up. Next he had to mow the area around the coop which must have been 3-4 feet high! Then he wrestled with the fence until he got it into position and figured how how to make it work - we now have 6,000 volts protecting our hens! I dare any raccoon or dog named Fred to come near them! Finally Tyler pulled weeds and pulled weeds and pulled weeds. And when he was done, there were still plenty left to pull but it looked much better!

Of course I also had to take random pics of hens and Fred while we were outside.

The only garden veggies these girls will eat now will be from the compost!

Fred stands alert! I love this picture!