Moving right along.....!

Ridding out, packing the RV, advertising the main high-dollar things to sell from the house, furniture and such.
Decisions, decisions!

Meanwhile, I had ordered a Berkey water filter, and the Nature's Head composting toilet. I had seen reviews on both over the last several months and studied up on them. The composting toilet would enable me to stay out in some highly desirable scenic painting areas without have to pull up camp and go empty my black water tank every ten days or so. I watched you-tube videos on how this works until I could practically recite them word for word!I thought my friend Kent would be just the person to properly remove the RV toilet and install the composting one,  as well as a couple other things I wanted to change in my RV to make it my "home".

                           

I still have plenty of room to get into my shower.

He also installed my best painting easel!

This was placed where the large dog crate had been which was no longer needed. I had room to set up my folding chair in front of the easel for days I need to paint inside.

Then a little extra touch was added, making it even more homey. I was going to be able to have a window shelf! The dinette would be transformed into a day bed/couch type fixture that would allow me to keep my under-bench storage areas as well as creating my space under where the lowered table is. Maybe Miss Izzy will want that for her hide-a-way place. She was always crawling under my bed in the house to go to sleep.

So I picked up some 4" foam to use for under the shelf, by which cutting the pieces in half lengthwise, gave the perfect fit 

In this next photo you can see the nice wavy edge piece that Kent made and attached to the shelf.

(He is very meticulous, and the changes he made for me could easily be switched back to the way it was if I decided down the road to sell.)

And this is what the finished couch area will look like....  I'm loving it!!

Back to packing and minimizing! 

Thanks for stopping to read my blog. Have a blessed day!

Switching Blogs For a Time

As I won't be traveling til sometime next year, I decided to switch back to my former blog,

"Just Plain Country Living"

Just click on the name to go there.

I hope to record my adventures of making a go of it on 1 and 1/3 acres. I have some catching up to do, but it has been an exciting summer so far for me.

Thank you all for following along as I went through my adjustment to widowhood and learning about RV'ing.

Hope you all have happy travels and sunny days ahead!

May the Lord bless your journeys!

My Latest (finished) Project

As My home in PA is much smaller than where I lived in Kentucky, I have been having to swap out larger furniture for some smaller pieces. I am not real fond of putting alot on $$'s into furniture at my age, and going for a "cottage" look, I came across an ad in craigs*list that was a used furniture barn. These are the pieces I came away with.

This old dark green dresser fit the bill for me. In fact it was a perfect twin of one my parents had when I was growing up. It is very sturdy and all the drawers worked. A little paint and it wou;d be like new!

I also found this little night stand someone had put a gray-green coat of paint on. It also was sturdy and 3" narrower than the one I had been using (which made it nearly impossible to make the bed properly). The 2 little drawers would work just fine.

AND

This little piece I had picked up an antique place several yrs ago in KY and had painted it white but never had found the perfect place for it there, so it came with me during the move.

I plan on finding an oval mirror, attaching it to the inside, and then painting a vining flower on the louvered doors.

So ...... This is my "NEW" bedroom furniture.



...... and the dresser topped with a scarf I had made from women's hankerchiefs.

Estimated cost for all ...... $140.

On to the next unfinished project, although I am not sure which one. I won't be going anywhere in my new RV yet. Still waiting to see what happens with my son. Oh Yes, my gypsy heart is to wander, but the biggest part of my heart belongs to my family for this present time.

You all be safe out there and be thankful for each and every blessing life brings your way.

Some Raised-bed Garden Photos

So far so good. We shall see if they produce......

which I was told they would do better the

2nd and 3rd years.

Here is my asparagus bed which has rhubarb at the near end and a couple winter squash plants at the other. I expect the bed to fill in to all asparagus by the third year and I'll need to move the rhubarb plants to another location. Love asparagus!!

Looking across the other 2 beds. Lots of lush growth. Yes, my tomato cages are upside down. Something I learned about on the "web" and thought I'd try it.

Left to right; pole beans starting, basil, zucchini and sumer squash (one of each), Roma Italian(flat) beans, and 2 kinds of lettuce with marigold seperating them.

Middle bed (L to R) has 4 Roma tomato plants, 2 Grape tomato plants (lots of these tiny salad tomatoes), green onions, celery, swisschard, carrots, and 4 different peppersplants, oh and beets in between the tomato plants.

This is my lettuce and behind it are the Roma beans ....

Celery in the middle between the swisschard and onions...

See those little carrots coming up?

... and 1 each Green, Red, Yellow, and Sweet Banana pepper plants, with purple curly (I forget the name of) basil in front.

So this is how my garden grows.

I hope you also take advantage of all the fresh, local produce this summer. It'll do your body good!!

Annie.... Git Yer Gun!

Don't know if I posted about this before or not but I have a groundhog problem here....

Now I love watching the critters but when it comes to them backing me in a corner, I'll come out shooting (literally). They live (or supposed to live) in the woods behind the houses all along this road, and we all have long back yards. But because my house sat empty for a year before I bought it, they probably figured it was their playground.

Hole #1

Hole #2

They have been known to even ruin a foundation.

They have been digging under my deck,

coming up ON my deck in broad daylight.....

I had been hearing noises under my house from time to time

and didn't know what it was until I saw one run under.

Hole#3

and now have burrowed under my garage.....

the small section that has a wooden floor .....

not a good situation.

Hole #4

They have also ruined (eaten and broken down) several of my coneflowers plants.

So I nailed one last week and 2 on Monday . Then because of the circumstances, which I will not go into, my son came over and sited the gun in for me and we did some target practising.

~~~~~~~~

Another scenario........ Izzy would not come out to the main living room area all the next day, just layed in where she does in my bedroom at night. I was beginning to wonder if she was sick. I tried to coax her with food but all she would only come as far as the kitchen to get a doggy biscuit, and carried that back into my room before she would eat it.

Finally yesterday morning, July 4th, she ventured out.and was almost acting herself.... until the evening when the fireworks started. It seems I have a gun-shy dog. Or any loud abrupt noise for that matter. She's never been around either noise before so I had no idea. I really pampered her lately for putting up with all that noise.

Learn something new everyday.

Back to the subject at hand...

Traps would never work as there are so many "hogs". I do know of another "solution" but hate to use it. I will block off the holes best I can to the house and garage. Hopefully there's no more hogs under there. I really hope I don't get any flack from this post as I already have it from the highest authority that I am in charge of what is mine to take care of (Gen 1:28) NASB

You all take care and thanks for stopping by.

Going to miss Mayberry's sheriff, Andy. How about you?

Some Yard-sale Purchases

I posted earlier about the neat folding chairs I found to go in my rv, and here are the rest of the purchases from that day. Most very useful ...... some not so much.

First, this beautiful knit cotton patch-work sweater, for this coming fall or cool summer nights. I just love the colors in it!

As I am doing what I can to give my new home a "cottage" feel to it, I found this ceiling light shade to relace one of the ones in the main room. ( shoo, I don't know what to call the room as it contains my dining area, a sitting area, and my paint studio. A great room?? a gathering room?? a living room is so boring of a 'name' for it.... ) But hopefully the shade will add some character and charm. It needs cleaned up .....badly .... the shade. My room is clean...

I also found this shelf for under my window in the bathroom. It is brand new! I hope I can figure out how to put it up. I know ..... if all else fails, read the instructions!

and here is wher I get a little frivilous. Yes, JoJo, I did go a little overboard and break my rule for myself :) Well, most of these are useable, some are just cute!

I had always wanted to collect teapots, and I did have an empty cupboard that needed something in it....

At this one yardsale a woman had brought her whole teapot collection. WOW, I was in teapot heaven!! Three of these were originally mine, but the rest I bought that day. Sixteen teapots! The price was right and I got a discount for buying so many.

and the last purchase was a popouri burner, just because it had pansies on it and it reminds me of my grandma...... :)

I am still looking for an old dresser and a tiny nightstand for in my bedroom.

What do you look for at yardsales?

Bye for now, I am going outside and create something....

Have a wonderful day!

This or That....Decisions (Long post to catch up)

There is a new meaning for me of the Bible verse that talks about "you cannot serve 2 masters, for you will love the one and despise the other" (paraphrased, of course). the two of which I speak are gardening and painting. I have been having so much time tied up in setting up my little gardens and trying to catch up with flower beds..... it has been a little exasperating. My real love is painting. However I am a person who has not (very often) allowed myself to fulfill my pleasure until my work is done. Talk about in-grained habits...... but this one habit I am going to work on breaking....

I almost wish I hadn't started the raised -bed gardens this year, with all the existing perennial beds to get into shape, but now that they are set up I am kinda glad I did. I will not have the major work involved each and every year.

So come take a walk with me.....

This is out the back, and the beds that surround the driveway. I daren't pull anything unless I know it is a weed until I can recognize the perrenials that have been planted here, so yeh, its going to look a little messy this year. There is quite a variety of colors, shapes and sizes, and some have seeded into other areas. Lots of work to do here.....

Sometimes I think I'd rather sit on my swing and watch the garden grow, or the bees coming and going....

Someone else likes watching for the garden to grow!

But, Ha! You wascally wabbits! Not going to get my garden....

Grandson Tim put the fence up for me! as well as helped me get the third bed built, filled with all the soil mix, and pathways mulched.

Sweet! Daughter Tina and sister Rose helped finish planting and spreading mulch.I got the soaker hoses in place. They just need connected with regular hose and we're all set! But it rained good and steady last night.

If you look REAL close you might see my asparagus poking their heads up. That bed has rhubarb at the end and the rest is purple and super-male asparagus.

Yuck! See that L-O-N-G snail on the board???

We don't want them in here! Beer is only good for one purpose.... it attracks snails and kills 'em dead! See? don't want that to happen to me so I stay away from it.

That middle bed has 6 tomato plants, 4 pepper plants, onions, marigolds, carrots beets, and swisschard.

The last one has a few peas I started indoors, Roma beans (love them!!) lettuces, and a space to plant some pole beans, which I will, I hope.... I still need to screw the boards together. Right now they are held together with re-bar.

Peas with bamboo support, and more marigolds

Leaving the garden, here is another birdhouse I put up, however nothing has nested in it yet but it looks nice .

And out around the back of the barn, I mowed down the weeds in preparation for a possible chicken fence. Yes, still looking for some guinea hens, and maybe a couple egg hens.

This is the front side of the chicken coop.... Oh yes, flowers here too :)

And on around to the back side of the garage/workshop. The hostas are full out, the primroses have finished their bloom and the foxglovesand now presenting themselves.

Back around to the bridge going to the house, there is a creamy-yellow foxglove that has taken center stage, so much so that the little clematis beyond it is struggling to be seen. But it has buds and will be seen a little later on.

And back to the deck where my hens and chicks are being good little girls and not poo-ing on my deck.

Now ....... back to my delema.... You can see I am a quadruple-minded woman and unstable in all my ways. So I need to ask the Lord each night, to go ahead of me for tomorrow, and make my path straight. I have been doing that of late, and I even got to paint some yesterday!!! You can check it out on my painter blog if you like.

Have a wonderful blessed day and thanks for stopping by!