From Gardens to DIY in the Cabin: The Fall Frenzy

We took a little break from being in the garden this week. We cut down the beans last week and have continued to bring in dried pods, but for some reason we just could not work up to getting back in there to plant the fall garden.

Looking at our forecast that might be for the better anyway. We’re expecting close to 100 this next week again and I’m thinking beets and carrots wouldn’t much appreciate that.

Instead, Stewart and the children started a bunch of greens – kale, cabbage, collards, lettuce, cilantro – and they’re beginning to sprout, deeply tucked away from the searing sun. We’ll direct seed a few more in the next few weeks, but this will give us a bit of a head start.

As an aside, meet Bear. Well, Grandpa Bear is what Annie calls him because, of course, Grandpa gave him to her. He has seen a lot of dirt and mud and most likely “chichee poo” as he is dragged from place to place.

Instead of gardening these past two weeks, there has been much to do in the new cabin as we ready for fall and winter. Last week we painted, something everyone enjoyed getting in on. Having walls that are not plywood orange has felt like a down right extravagance that I’m still coming to terms with. Bright, light, lovely white. There are splatters of paint on the floor, the kind you collect from little helpers, but those toddler footprints in white add my favorite kind of decorative touch.

I believe I’ve heard something about not wanting to live in the space you’re renovating. Well, we’re kind of used to inconvenient living situations at this point. However, when the project is happening right in the doorway to your living space things do get a little tricky.

And so we bounce back and forth, in-and-out, for baby girl naps and night times and Daddy-helping. It’s the best kind of chaos.

We’re putting the wood stove fairly close to the front door for easy access to hauled wood and all. Having found a good deal on tile at the restore center, we decided to put it down beneath the wood stove and right in front of the door for muddy shoe removal.

As usual it seems there are a lot of things that need doing all at once – planting the fall garden, readying the cabin for the wood stove, harvesting all of those beans. And of course, the day-to-day business of balancing self-employment with caring for these little helpers of ours.

But golly, if you know of a cuter work crew then I’d be in for a surprise.

Happy weekend, friends!