From The Home Place. NEW DIGS!

September 8, 2011

We moved back into the house on the 1st of August.  All our belongings were delivered on August 5.  Rachelle and Kristen came on the weekend and helped open over 200 boxes and get things organized and put away.  They got the kitchen, library and pantry done that first weekend. Huge job and so grateful for their help.  Since then we've been doing a little each day, plugging away at it.  Most everything now has a home except for the pictures that go on the walls.  Still trying to decide what to put up and where to put it.

We are so happy to be back in our home.  It looks really nice and updated now.  We did have can lights put in the kitchen area and over the bar.  BIG improvement.  The wood stove is out and the Daiken splits are in.  One in the living room.  You can see it in the picture.  The other in the master bedroom.  So far we've only had the AC on a couple of times for a few minutes each. The 15" of insulation they put in keeps the house cool most of the day and into the evening if we are careful to keep the doors closed.

Front Entry

Living Room

From Front entry into kitchen

Garden is producing nicely.  Lots of tomatoes, cabbage, zucchini, chard, onions, garlic, etc.  Planted more bush beans last week and they are coming up nicely.  If we are lucky enough to have a long fall, we should get to pick them.  You can see in the pictures that we have a huge area of winter squash/pumpkins.  We had no idea when we planted them that they would go crazy and totally take over the entire area.  We can't get in between the plants so have no idea what is being produced.  We can see some around the edges and it looks like a good crop of butternut, acorn, sweet meat, turban, Hubbard, and spaghetti squash plus a couple of pumpkins.  Where they are growing is where we dumped the hay/straw/leaves that we cleaned out of the chicken coop during the winter.  Apparently it is just what squash/pumpkins love.  Haven't really canned much yet.  Did pick blackberries and made jam and syrup last week.  Good year for blackberries!  Plan to can tomato sauce and of course grape juice.

Winter squash and Pumpkin Jungle

Back deck with new paint job

Green beans and Peppers

Dad and I painted the back deck and sidewalk around the house. It's redder than we thought it would be but has darkened some and we are getting used to it.  Really looks a lot nicer than the old weathered wood. Dad also painted the front porch and front face of the house as well as the window trim.  So the old place looks all clean and fresh inside and out!

Young chickens (Welsumer and Australorp) are now laying so we are getting 12-16 eggs a day now.  Egg customers happy.  We plan to kill most of the old hens this fall.  They will go into jars for food storage.  Have about 20 more young ones (Black copper marans, blue laced red wyandottes, favorolles, cherry eggers and more Welsumers) that will start laying in another month or so.

Dad and Rachelle will be flying into Las Vegas on the 21st of this month to attend Swiss Days in Santa Clara.  Looking forward to good visits with family and friends.  Fly back on the 28th.

Shaquel is getting married on October 1st at the Melrose Vinyard.  I'm working on shortening some of the bridesmaid dresses.  On the 4th we'll drive to SLC for Kiely's wedding on October 6.  Andrea is coming with us.  Andrea hoping to check out Dixie and BYU-I as well as attend all the wedding festivities.  I think Rachelle will be flying to SLC and meet us all there.  Denise rented a house in SLC for us all to stay in for a couple of days.  When we all share the cost it's cheaper than a motel and more fun to be all together.

This week in the 90's.  Summer coming on with a vengeance but later than normal.  We aren't complaining because the garden loves the heat and needs it to ripen the tomatoes, etc.

Our love to each of you!  Hope you have had a GREAT summer!

Mom and Dad
G'ma and G'pa Reber
Lynn and Dennis