The Kitchen Is Open

The kitchen is open for business!! I am so happy to be open and operating on this side of the house. Now to get in and get comfortable. The bar top will be behind about a month.

Just pictures

Adventures In Twisted Fern Forest

Captain Mesa

"Duke Huckleberry, Duke Banjo, Lady Lucy! There's trouble in the east, we need to go investigate right away! Follow me I know a secret passage!"

Duke Banjo, Duke Huckleberry, Lady Lucy having morning snack.

Duke Banjo, "Trouble, what trouble?"

Lady Lucy, "Is it urgent, Captain Mesa, could we finish eating?"

Captain Mesa, the Dukes and Lady Lucy following stealthily behind the biped.

Captain Mesa, "Quiet! Follow the biped this way and make sure it doesn't hear you!

Duke Banjo, "Isn't that the direction of Twisted Fern Forest?"
Duke Huckleberry, "Gasp! Twisted Fern FOREST? No one goes there and comes out again!"
Lady Lucy, "Shhhhh I think it heard us, quiet!"

Duke Banjo hiding in the brier patch beckoning his companions

 Duke Banjo, "Hurry, hide in here so the biped doesn't see us!"

Duke Huckleberry checking to see if the coast is clear

Duke Huckleberry, "It's gone lets get on the move again!"

Captain Mesa scouting the route

Captain Mesa, "This way, I know a secret passage under this waterfall!"

The Dukes tracking trouble

Duke Banjo, "I'm pretty sure there's trouble over here the leaves have been disturbed!"
Duke Huckleberry, "Don't worry, Brother, I've got your back!"

The Dukes and Lady Lucy investigating suspicious black berries

Lady Lucy, "This one had definitely been nibbled on! There's trouble here for sure!"
Duke Banjo, "This one too and it smells fresh!"

Duke Banjo and Captain Mesa discussing the next move

Duke Banjo, "Captain, I don't think its a good idea to proceed that direction, it may not be safe!"
Captain Mesa, "Agreed, we will travel another way!"

Treacherous Falls

Giant Mystical Cedar Tree

Duke Huckleberry, "This way past the Magic Cedar Tree, I think I see something!"

Lady Lucy see's trouble!

Lady Lucy, "I see it! Follow me and we'll slay this "trouble" together once and for all!"

TROUBLE'S A BREWING

Duke Huckleberry, "It's mine, I'll show it who has the real goat power!"
Duke Banjo, "Move aside, Brother, let me get my licks in too!"

More Trouble

Mysterious Biped, "Alright kids, fun time is over. Let's head back now!"

Dad leads the way

Lucy, "Come on boys, stop messing around!"
Huck, "Can you jump over this tree like this?"

Back at the ranch

Captain Mesa, "It was a good day for an adventure!"

Somebody Put A Fork In Me Cause I'm Done!

... I'm get'in old!

Crack! Some things never change!!!

By the time I got here I had already passed the "I'm over it!" phase... I'd already passed the "Can I quit?" phase... I'd already passed the "My F'in knees are killing me!!! GRRRR!" phase... I'd already passed the "Somebody call the WHAAAAMBULANCE!" phase... I even passed the "Deer in Headlights" phase. I was at the "La la la la la, I know you are taking a picture of my ass-crack and I will kill you later when I've regained my strength!" phase.

My Husband, Fabio!

Here is Arlen, looking Sauve with his Carharts, measuring tape and glasses laying tile.

Spotty but Done!

The tile is down and drying. Tomorrow is sealing and the next day is grout. Seven days later is Grand Opening.

The Big Picture

A peak at the future kitchen, bath and living-room. Tonight I will sleep well!

Progress

*Frames in and puttied
*Stones tacked down waiting for grout

Life Styles of the Rich and Famous

Illinois 1972

A great photo isn't one that needs narration or description, it speaks for itself. Like an oracle (or a  good painting) it speaks to the individual. I almost don't want to share message that this photograph speaks to me in case I influence the one it speaks to you. However, I can't help at least point out the major message I get when I look at this photo... RICH! ....But, don't forget to notice the many nuances this photo breathes.

Washington 2012

Forty years later... my own RICH castle. Hehehehehehehhehehehe.... feels good.

Free Bird

Over The Fence Gang

Here at Armageddon Acres... I mean Twisted Fern Farm we have chickens. They live in a nice chicken yard with lots of free range space and have a nice chicken coop. Its fenced so four legged predators will not invite themselves to dinner. For the most part its quite luxurious. Even so, there are some chickens that just don't like to be told where they can go and where they can't go. Can you blame them! Those chickens fly over the fence and wander freely about the property. Some like the woods to the north, some like the woods the the east and some like to hang with the goats. The hay box makes a great nesting box and it's sheltered from the elements. The chickens like the goats company and the goats like the chickens company. Everyone is happy.

Chicken Trax

Obviously, we're remodeling and at this point in time we are working on the windows. Arlen acquired some wood to make window trim but it wasn't right... he didn't like it. Arlen went to the RE Store and found re-purposed old growth Douglas Fir from Miller Hall at Western Washington University. It is attractive and brings us joy! Arlen spent hours cutting and sanding our future window trim. We laid all the wood out on the shop floor and applied the first layer of stain. The next morning Arlen was annoyed to find chicken tracks, flies and news paper stuck to the still tacky finish.

Dry run

Breath deep.... exhale deep!!! Solve the problems you can and accept the ones you can't. Part of the solution involved giving "Goat House Gang" chicken a new place to lay her eggs. SHE LOVES IT!

Do you mind!

Kid Games

I was bored doing errands the other day so I decided to learn how to use the voice app. on my phone to send messages. I suckered Mom into a chat conversation and told her a story via voice text.

The story as I spoke into my phone:

Once upon a time there were two little goats named Huckleberry and Banjo. Huckleberry liked to play Red Rover Red Rover and Banjo liked to play Ring Around the Rosie. One day they couldn't decide which game to play so the decided to run at each other as fast as they could and butt heads. The End!

"Dude, you let her through!!"

The story it typed back:

Once upon a time there were 2 little girls name Taco Berry and Bandshell. Huckleberry like to play Red Rover Red Rover the Band You like to play Wing Around the Rosie. And 1 day they couldn't decide which game to play so they decided to run a each other as fast as they couldn't get each other in the head... And!

I'm Taco Berry.... and I'm Bandshell