Fall is here!

It sure is Autumn. The leaves are falling and the trees are all changing colors! My fear is at hand - what to do with all these leaves! Wow! I ordered a leave mulcher vac thing and it should be here on Monday - sure hope is works well... ah, the joys of lawn and yard equipment I never knew I needed!

It was rainy and overcast all day. I wore a sweater for the first time. I have been wearing long pants too and today we turned on the heater!!! Wow - hot air blowing out instead of cool air?!

This is our first full Autumn season here. It is interesting to watch the seasons changing. We have seasons here!

Fall is coming!

I think fall is coming... much sooner than last year. There are leaves on the driveway and the big summer spiders are laying egg sacks. It was cool today, after a light rain last night. And the final clue - the Hummingbirds have left! I miss their cheeriness and antics. But I will look forward to them returning and know that Spring will be on her way. Some of our Dogwoods are turning red too. And they all have ripe berries. This is our first change to fall.

And we have been here almost 1 year. We landed in Charlotte on October 17 2005.

It's Raining!

I think fall may be coming... It is raining and has been all day long. AND the high today was only about 74!

I think it may warm up later this week, but hey, this is nice... except for the work in progress in my yard!

We finally got working on the pasture area. The DH got in on the action and with his help, we were able to remove a good section of grass and measure for the proposed fence! We have more grass that we cut but did not haul away... hope it don't melt back together after all this rain! yikes! that would be a real drag!!! We shall see tomorrow.

I felt like a real farm girl the other day... and a neighbor said we look like we fit right in! yea haw!

I hate ivy!!!

I hate ivy!!! I know there may be places and garden spaces where it is appropriate, but I don't know where... I drives me nuts.

Especially here. Ivy is totally invasive and this area is tender to such invaders! It has not been kept in check in a LONG TIME. It has climbed up the trees and over the fences and is growing down into the woods! I don't know what to do about all this ivy!

I am pulling alot! From around my front garden and in the barn yard and OFF the Barn! Pop started to cut it at the base of the trees to kill it. It works and I need to do more of that. I know from past experience that Ivy will eventually kill a tree!

As far as it going into the woods, that's my biggest problem... don't know what to do... That's ALOT of ivy to pull >:P
I guess, just like everything, a little at a time...

here are some pictures:


Taking over the barn yard fence! Yes, there is (or was) a fence under that mound!!!









Poor tree,


That is the top if the same tree! ->








PS. The Barn has all 5 windows screened now! J-man helped me clean some lumber out too! coming along...

Setting up the barn for chickens!

Wow! I am so excited! I started working on the barn conversion! Not just cleaning it out and wandering around wondering when and how to start. I just jumped it and screened a window after dinner. I used the left-overs to screen in 2 eaves!






Here is the screened window! I used 1/4 welded wire to keep them varmits out!





Keep moving forward, even if it's slow, just keep moving...

Shades of Green

I wonder how many shades of green there are? I guess it depends on what you're looking at... So. Cal has about 4: New spring green, mature leaf green, burnt-out-with-the-heat green, and winter green.

I like to rag on CA a little so I don't get too homesick... So don't take offense ya'll from California!

Here in South Carolina there are more shades and variations of green than I ever have experienced. Just looking out my window, there are more than I can count.

I try to look for the positive things about being here... right now it's hard...



Here is Luna Moth Green. This beautiful green woodland fairie
came to visit one night. I have seen 2 this summer!










Dogwoods in bloom -






























Creek behind our house just beginning to green








Horrid green plaid wall paper!











Of course, there is a wishing for green phase here too...

Chickens or not?

So, I am trying to acclimate to living in South Carolina.
I do like it here - it is beautiful. Don't get trees like this were I come from...
I don't mind the rain or the humidity or the bugs too much (got to remember to use bug spray even in the day time!!!)

What I am toying with is this idea about having chickens...
I have always wanted to have a small farm type place. That is what does appeal to me about where we live - very farm. I love goats and I have yearned for a goose for a long time. And I like chickens. Never had any - always lived in the city... Now... It is a distinct possibility. So are goats and a goose...

So the question is... How many 'pets' can a person have before it goes over the edge? I'll tell my cat story at a later time...

The big issue is housing. This house has a 3 stall 'barn'. It would be a great to convert one of the stalls into a coop, but there is ALOT of work to do to make it safe for the chickens. We have so many predators. And How many chickens should I really get? I can mail order a variety of chickens- all types of breeds and colors etc. But, did you know that the minimum to mail order is 25! That is a lot of chickens. Did you know you can mail order chickens?!

anyway, I am thinking about the numbers and meanwhile I pulled up some ivy today to try to keep it from completely eating the barn! I hate ivy!

Fireworks are legal here

Backyard type Fireworks are legal here. Fireworks were also legal in the City I moved from in CA. Of course, we used to watch every year for bottle rockets landing on our roof...

I wonder how it will be here this year...We have already heard a few over the weekend.

We are going to a fire fireworks show. And the city will be firing their CANNON! We've got to see this! That is sure something that doesn't happen in CA!

pictures to follow

Welcome

This is a place for all people who have ever moved and found themselves in neverland. Ever move across the country? I did last year, from So. Cal, to South Carolina! I left all a knew, traveled non-stop for 4 days across the 40 (that's a story) only to end up in apartment hell.