Author Archives: Julia at Home on 129 Acres

Bathroom renovation has begun

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Our bathroom renovation is underway.

(If you want to check out some before photos, check out this post or this one. If you want a refresher on what my plans are for this space, this post has a moodboard, floorplan and more details.)

I started taking the bathroom apart at the end of April. I took down the tile and panelling. I pulled out the tubs (there were two, one layered over the other), vanity, floor and linen closet. Everything came out fairly easily, and I am really proud that I was able to do it myself.

Demo is where you find all of the dirty secrets–dirty being both a literal and figurative term. I confirmed that some water had been leaking at the edge of the tub. I had expected that and the damage fortunately was very minor (one moldy stud). I discovered squirrels or other critters had set up a clubhouse under the tub at some point. There were walnut shells, bones, candies, a cigarette pack and all kinds of disgustingness under there.

Everything cleaned up and I had a blank canvas to begin to put it all back together.

I put in new insulation and vapour barrier on the exterior wall. I adjusted the framing around the tub, as I’m adding a ledge for shampoo and soap all the way along the wall.

The plumber came and roughed in all the pipes and drains. He had to shift the taps and drain for the tub slightly, as the ledge pushes everything out a few inches. The plumbing under the sink was very tangled. Now it’s tidy and tucked between the studs. We installed the tub and removed the toilet.

I chose the deepest alcove tub I could find. I wasn’t able to make space for a longer tub, but baths should be a bit more comfortable with the new tub.

The electricians came and roughed in all our new wiring. One vanity light became two, one plug became two. They wired the floor for heat. We also got a new circuit panel, as our old one was maxed out.

Then the project came back to me for a few days. I installed tile backer and drywall.

The tilers came and they brought our beautiful new tile with them. It was exciting to see the first pretty things go in the bathroom. They installed the heated floor membrane, tiled the tub walls and then the floor.

I chose a very large tile (32 inches by 32 inches) to minimize the amount of grout I have to clean. Just two tiles covered the full length of the tub. Nine tiles did the whole floor.

Then the project came back to me again for the wall paneling. I’m installing pine V-groove paneling. It’s similar to what we used in the mudroom and a big step up from the fake 1970s era paneling that was in the bathroom before.

And that’s where the project is at currently. I’m slowly working my way around the room putting up the walls.

For the past month, I’ve been trying to stay ahead of my trades and have everything they need ready to go. Now the pressure has eased a bit, and I’m working at my own pace. Though I definitely want to keep moving and complete most of the work before Ellie finishes school for the summer.

Despite the pressure–and a few disgusting moments–I’ve been having fun with the renovation. I’ve waited a long time for this project, so to finally be underway is very satisfying. It’s also fun to see the elements I’ve chosen (tile, tub, taps, vanity) arrive and (slowly) be installed. So far, I’m loving my choices and it’s so exciting to see this project coming together.

I’m documenting the bathroom reno and sharing it in a series of videos on Instagram. Follow me at juliaon129acres, and catch up on all the construction in the bathroom highlight.

Odds & sods

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I feel like May disappeared. When our days are full, time flies, and our days are very full right now.

Turkeys, chickens, cats, birthdays, celebrations, family, friends, a new term of teaching, renovations, mowing the grass… again. There’s a lot going on. I achieved a very high level of productivity this month.

There were also special moments that can only happen here on the farm.

Ellie and I walked out to the trillium grove and took our annual pictures with the flowers. Flipping back over our years of photos brings up so many memories. She launched her kayak on the pond for the first time. I love seeing her confidence and capability–and being able to have such a cool experience at our own property.

On the weekend, I took a moment to look around me as Ellie swung on her swing set. I’m so proud of what we’ve created and grateful that we get to experience this special place.

In between the busy-ness, here are some of the things that caught my attention this month.

The power of places to create who we are and how we view the world

“She, an autonomous human being, made a choice. My apology would, in a way, accuse her of making the wrong one. In that moment, I chose to thank her instead.” 11 powerful phrases to stop over apologizing.

The cats are here to help manage rodents in the barn (and they’re fulfilling their end of the deal already). I’d like to protect the swallows and other birds. I’m trying to figure out if one of these bibs or collars would help.

On the topic of cats, anyone have experience with compostable kitty litter? I found some at the pet store but it is expen$ive. I hate adding kitty litter to my garbage every week.

This book is a very cool way to present ancient civilizations for kids.

We’re going to end the month as we went through the rest of it–full speed ahead. Temperatures are supposed to warm up, and hopefully this means the birds can move to the coop. This also means coop construction will finally be done. The cats got free range of the barn last week, so we have officially moved them out of the coop (although Maple was missing yesterday and we’re pretty worried). I’m also planning to be back in our bathroom, where the renovation is well underway (I’m so excited to share an update soon).

What special moments has May held for you? Anyone else achieving high productivity levels these days? What places shaped you and how you see the world?

The coop run is done

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When we last visited the coop, the interior was in good shape. As the weather warmed this spring, I shifted my attention back outside to finish the run. You may recall I had a contractor install fencing for three outdoor pens back in the fall. I was very glad to hire that job out. But there were still things for me to do.

In my quest to make the coop as secure as possible, I wanted to cover the top of the run so no hawks, possums or other predators can get in.

I still had chainlink left over from the pen construction, so I planned to stretch that over the top. I added top rails over each of the gates to attach the fencing to and then I started to lay out the roof.

I quickly discovered it was not a one-woman job. Attaching the roof to the barn or the existing fence while pulling it tight was not fun. So I called Matt’s Dad, and he came and helped.

We laid strips of fencing over the top of the runs, stapling it to the barn wall, attaching it to each vertical section and then wiring each strip to the one beside it. Unless a predator brings plyers I don’t think they’re getting in.

We also laid more mesh around the ground. This will hopefully stop anyone from digging in. All of the mesh is wired to the fence along the bottom and then buried in dirt.

I adjusted all of the gates to make sure they swung easily and latched securely. Between installing the roof and frost this winter, some of the posts had shifted slightly.

Then I blocked any little gaps around gates or corners that looked big enough for a creature to crawl through. This involved an old fence post and stepping stones as thresholds, metal posts, rocks, wood corner blocks… whatever worked.

I also cut little doors in the wall of the barn. This will allow the birds (and currently the cats) access to the runs. Hatches can swing down to close the doors.

(Cedar figured out how to unlock the little button that kept the door closed, so for now the cats are enjoying going outside whenever they want. I’m hoping the birds aren’t quite as dexterous.)

Then I built ramps to make it easy for everyone to get in and out. I expect the hens will be able to hop or flap, but a full grown turkey may not be so acrobatic.

And with that, the runs are done.

The birds are hopping and flapping in their brooders. While they’re not full grown, they are definitely growing.

It is time for them to move out. As soon as the temperatures are consistently warm (and they have all their feathers), they will be moving into the coop.

Yay!

It’s exciting to be so close to having birds in the barn, as I’ve dreamed of and been working towards for so long.

I’ve still been sharing video updates of the coop construction on Instagram. Follow me at juliaon129acres, and catch up on all the construction in the coop highlights (part 1, part 2, part 3).

More new additions

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Our little family of 3 has grown a lot recently. As you saw last week, we added 4 turkeys and 10 chicks. We also added 2 cats. Yep. We are now a family of 19.

Meet Maple and Cedar, our new barn cats.

I knew we’d have another barn cat someday. While I’m not a cat person, I do like a barn cat. We had fun with Ralph and I’ve missed having a cat at the farm. Plus, with the birds, I knew we’d need some help with rodents and pests.

So I mentioned to a few people I was looking for a barn cat. One person knew of a litter at her brothers’ dairy farm that had been born in September. She had brought 3 of the kittens to her barn and there were 2 left. Did I want them?

I said yes and quickly began planning how we would handle them.

Another friend recently adopted a barn cat from the SPCA. They had recommended she keep the cat contained in a section of the barn for a few weeks until it got used to her and her farm. That sounded like a good strategy to me, but our barn is pretty open. Where could I keep the cats?

Then I had a brainwave. Cedar and Maple could stay in the coop. I’ve worked very hard to make it secure. They would be contained and safe. The birds would be in the house for a few weeks, so the cats could acclimatize in the meantime.

So Ellie and I got kibble and litter, we set up one of the pens in the coop with beds and food dishes, we dug out the cat carrier and made an appointment with the vet. And the kittens came home with us.

At first Cedar and Maple were pretty shy. We gave them time to settle in, visited with them every day, fed them lots (and lots) of treats.

Now they’re super affectionate. They come running when we come into the barn, looking for pets and treats. For now, they are still in the coop. They go to be neutered this week, so we’re keeping them contained for the next while. Once they’re recovered they’ll move into the rest of the barn and the birds will take over the coop.

This time has actually been a good test of the security of the coop. The cats have climbed all over, so if there was a way to escape, they would have found it. I’m hoping that means predators won’t be able to find a way in.

Cedar is the brave one (also a bit of the pushy one) who is always exploring and loves treats and toys. Maple is more cautious, though he’s better at catching the toy, so he may be the better hunter of the pair. They’ve both become super affectionate and love to be pet.

They already caught their first mouse. I’m not sure who gets the credit. (This is Cedar with it after I threw it outside.)

Cigo has been extremely excited that there are cats in the barn. He’s been sniffing around the coop everyday since Cedar and Maple arrived. We finally introduced everyone this weekend, using the run to separate dog and cats. Cedar is pretty unconcerned. Maple is, as expected, more hesitant. Cigo did very well, but he was very excited. We’re going to keep working on making cats boring, and we’ve made inside the barn a dog-free zone.

This getting to know you time has been really fun. It’s been neat to learn Cedar’s and Maple’s personalities and see their trust in us grow. It’s been special to add them to our family.

Now I’m curious. Are you a cat or a dog person?

The birds are here

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Two weeks ago, our family expanded by 14 fluffballs–and we’ve been having a lot of fun ever since.

After years of imagining, planning and working (I owe you an update on the coop), the birds arrived. We have 10 chicks and 4 turkeys. For breeds, we have 3 barred rocks (brown eggs), 2 azure blues (blue eggs) and 5 olives (green eggs). I had ordered three of each breed, but numbers apparently shifted at the hatchery. The turkeys are large white and wow are they living up to their name. They empty their food bowl every day and are growing so fast. With their little combs, they look like turkey-corns.

The brooders are set up in the house, so it’s easy to keep an eye on them and take care of them. Ellie and I built big plywood boxes, which have been working really well. I found some heat lamps in the barn, so I hung them from the ceiling and have been slowly raising them as the birds grow.

We didn’t put a lid on the boxes, but we may need to. Everyone is testing their wings and the turkeys have had some impressive vertical leaps.

Cigo is tolerating being a bird brother. He is interested in the birds–loud peeps attract his attention. But he’s not been a problem so far. We’re working on making the birds very boring.

The best part of it all is seeing how much Ellie likes the birds. The turkeys are her favourite. When she unloaded them from the hatchery box for the first time, they all crawled right into her lap. They’ve gotten a little more independent, but they’re still the ones she spends the most time with. (She is still very committed to these birds being dinner this fall.)

Everyone seems to be healthy and growing. Their adult feathers are coming in and they’re approaching the awkward dinosaur stage. My plan is to keep them inside for another few weeks hopefully until temperatures warm up enough for them to go to the coop.

This little flock is a long-held dream. I am so happy we’re making this happen finally.

Odds & sods

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Today is election day in Canada. Please vote. Please do it with kindness and consideration for our planet and for the people who most need help.

This month, I’ve been collecting quotes and links about humanity and the earth. Here are some that touched me the most.

“The plain fact is that the planet does not need more successful people. But it does desperately need more peacemakers, healers, restorers, storytellers, and lovers of every kind. It needs people who live well in their places. It needs people of moral courage willing to join the fight to make the world habitable and humane. And these qualities have little to do with success as we have defined it.”

Ecological Literacy: Educating Our Children for a Sustainable World by David W. Orr

We are alive for the briefest moment. But that time is a gift from the universe… What’s important with the time you have?

A beautiful poem of loss and hope by Frederick Joseph.

More mourning and hope from another beautiful writer, John Green.

A couple of these links include powerful examples of humanity’s “temporal range,” the amount of time humans have existed. The Overstory by Richard Powers (one of the best books I’ve read), includes another, which I’ve copied below. I hope you’ll read this passage and think about our place in the world and the impact we have.

“Say the planet is born at midnight and it runs for one day.

First there is nothing. Two hours are lost to lava and meteors. Life doesn’t show up until three or four a.m. Even then, it’s just the barest self-copying bits and pieces. From dawn to late morning–a million million years of branching–nothing more exists than lean simple cells.

Then there is everything. Something wild happens, not long after noon. One kind of simple cell enslaves a couple of others. Nuclei get membrances. Cells evolve organelles. What was once a solo campsite grows into a town.

The day is two-thirds done when animals and plants part ways. And still life is only single cells. Dusk falls before compound life takes hold. Every large living thing is a latecomer, showing up after dark. Nine p.m. brings jellyfish and worms. Later that hour comes the breakout–backbones, cartilage, an explosion of body forms. From one instant to the next, countless new stems and twigs in the spreading crown burst open and run.

Plants make it up on land just before ten. Then insects, who instantly take to the air. Moments later, tetrapods crawl up from the tidal muck, carrying around on their skin and in their guts whole worlds of earlier creatures. By eleven, dinosaurs have shot their bolt, leaving the mammals and birds in charge for an hour.

Somewhere in that last sixty minutes, high up in the phylogenetic canopy, life grows aware. Creatures start to speculate. Animals start teaching their children about the past and the future. Animals learn to hold rituals.

Anatomically modern man shows up four seconds before midnight. The first cave paintings appear three seconds later. And in a thousandth of a click of the second hand, life solves the mystery of DNA and starts to map the tree of life itself.

By midnight, most of the globe is converted to row crops for the care and feeding of one species. And that’s when the tree of life becomes something else again. That’s when the giant trunk starts to teeter.”

What kind of person are you?

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Canada flag

What kind of person are you? What do you care about? What is important?

This week is Earth Day. Next week is the election.

For me, these two events are linked. The way we treat each other. The way we treat our Earth. The choices we make.

I want a world where my child can live safely. Where she has clean air and water, food, equal rights and opportunities. What I want for her, I want for everyone.

Pierre Poilievre and the Conservatives do not. His statements on minorities, the environment, and human rights represent a future that I do not want for my daughter. His voting record shows he repeatedly refuses to help those who need it most.

He is following a path laid by Donald Trump.

Every so often you hear people say, “If I was in Germany in the 1930s, I would have spoken up. I wouldn’t have gone along.” This is the moment to not go along. To ensure we do not put self-interest, fear, the economy ahead of human rights and the well-being of our fellow humans. This is not about taxes or tariffs. It is about how we exist in the world and who we are.

Government is flawed. However, government holds a lot of power. The officials we elect decide about drilling, pipelines, mining, logging, damming and how we treat our environment. They decide how we treat each other, particularly those who are different than us or in the minority.

It can feel like we are powerless to affect any change. Voting is one way to exercise some power.

In answering the questions at the start of this post, I think most people would say that they are kind, considerate, helpful. Now is the time to prove it. Vote with kindness and consideration. Vote to help those who need it.

Picking the perfect green paint for my office

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I was unsure what colour I wanted to paint the office for a long time. Back when we first set up the room, Matt picked a forest green (Benjamin Moore Manor Green). It was not my favourite colour, but it was his room, so I didn’t say anything.

Once I decided the office was going to be mine, I was more than ready to repaint.

I liked the idea of sticking with some shade of green. I like green and it would be another memory of Matt. I knew I wanted dark olive green a few places in the room (namely the vintage metal drawers I found years ago at an auction). Did I want it on the walls too?

I finally decided to go for it. But then I had to figure out what green. I sampled several: High Park, Rosepine, Cushing Green, Peale Green. They were too light, too grey or too brown.

Ellie’s comment was, “So you’re painting the office garbage can green.”

Thanks, girl.

I returned to the paint store in search of my goldilocks–not garbage can–green.

I bought two more samples: the oh so popular Vintage Vogue and a custom shade matched to a flowerpot my sister gave me for Mother’s Day.

Back at home, I put them on the walls… and Flowerpot Green was the winner. It’s dark, but not black, not brown, not grey. It is definitely green, and it picks up the tones of so many of the things I used in this room.

I had a few moments of hesitation as I was painting the first coat, but then I decided I liked it. When I moved my vintage slipper chair in just to see, I loved it.

My Mom’s reaction gave me another reason to love it. Her comment the first time she saw the room was, “Oh, this is the colour we had in the living room and dining room at home!” She was remembering a time that my grandmother (a frequent redecorator) got new furniture, painted the living room dark green, and then sewed curtains to match.

So from my grandmother to Matt to my sister taking care of me on Mother’s Day, my new office paint is full of history and meaning and family. That feels like a good choice to me.

Do you have a favourite colour? Have you ever had a custom paint colour mixed for you (this was my first time)? Are you a fan of neutrals? Or do you go for colour? Who prefers light shades over dark?

Office and sewing room reveal

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My Mom taught me to sew when I was young, as her Mom had taught her. As my great-grandmother taught my grandmother. Now I have a new space for sewing, crafting, writing, working, creating. A space filled with heritage and history from these women and so many other special people in my life.

Welcome to my new office.

Spread around the room, you will see my collection of vintage hats. Most of these are my grandmother’s. One was made by my great-grandmother. I remember finding a scrap of material in my Grandma’s stash and recognizing it from the hat. I was blown away that someone could simply make a hat. This legacy of creativity and ability is something that I’m very proud of and try to live up to.

As I was decorating the room and styling the shelves, I realized that the hats needed some support. They didn’t look right just sitting on the shelves and I couldn’t see their details clearly. Of course, my initial thought was, “I need some heads.” But I quickly came up with another solution. I chopped up a broken pipe we had left over from redoing our sump pump outflow. I sprayed the pipes gold and voila. Cheap, simple, fancy hat stands. Creativity and ability, check.

The rest of the shelves are filled with books, photos, sewing patterns, mementos. There’s a pickle bottle Matt’s Dad found that is made by Matt and Steve–their names. There’s a football my Dad bought me when I was a baby. There’s a collection of buttons in a powder box that smells just like my Grandma when I open it. So many precious, special things that I can see and enjoy now that they have a home.

Matt and I installed the cabinets when we set up this room as his office. They provide such great storage for all of my sewing, knitting, wrapping and other supplies. I would like to update the doors and give everything a coat of paint some day, but for now I am enjoying their storage and ignoring their style. This is the first time I have ever had all of my sewing and knitting materials in one spot, and it’s so helpful for projects.

The backsplash is a very long bulletin board. This corkboard is full of things that I find inspiring, beautiful, fun. Cards from friends, crafts from Ellie, even a few notes from Matt. I will be sharing more details about this project in a future post.

The biggest function is the huge corner desk. I have two workstations here, one for my computer and one for my sewing machine. Each zone comes with its own drawers for office supplies or sewing materials. There are also four large file drawers that hold all of our paperwork and even some extra crafting supplies. Above the desk, I have some open shelves for more storage and display. I’ll be going into more details of how I built this desk in an upcoming post because I am very proud of how it turned out (more creativity and ability).

As part of the sewing zone, I have a valet stand that my Dad built for me. When he took up woodturning, he had some signature things he liked to make. One was valets like this. It is perfect for holding in progress sewing projects. Behind the valet I hung Matt’s and my diplomas. They fit perfectly in this space, and I like that Matt and my Dad are both part of this room. So many legacies in this one corner.

A gallery wall on the other side of the room holds more pictures and things that are special to me. The window sill holds a collection of thimbles from Matt’s Mom and other small trinkets. Ellie needle felted a goose to look like my long ago pet Bill and I hung it from the ceiling so it flies over my sewing machine.

The two sets of green metal drawers came from an auction we went to years ago. They’ve been in the driveshed ever since waiting for the right spot. Now, one sits on the counter and the other on my desk. They give great extra storage, and I love their rustic green patina.

There are so many details in this room, I feel like I could keep going forever. There are a few things I’m still hoping to add (Matt chose the cheapest light fixture possible, and it’s terrible), but I love how this room turned out right now. It is functional. It is pretty. And, like all my spaces, it is personal.

Odds & sods

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March Break was always a highlight for me when I was growing up. A whole week off school. This year, it was a highlight again. Ellie and I didn’t do anything extravagant. We rested, played outside, puttered around and enjoyed the time. Ellie returned to her bike and learned to skip. The power of simple things, being together and enjoying this special place always amazes me. We had such a special week.

The highlight of the week was ordering our birds! Thank goodness the coop is close to being done.

I’ve also made progress on some other projects. The office is nearly finished, and I’ve made most of my selections for the bathroom. I’ll be sharing some updates soon.

Here are some other highlights from March.

I got to visit this special home and reconnect with some special people. Every detail was so carefully considered.

I took my Dad’s air compressor and my chop saw to a “dare to repair” workshop. The services were free, and the volunteers got both tools working again. I’m so glad to be able to reuse rather than replace.

Climate change is happening, and our homes, cities and towns are not built for this.

Canada is in an election campaign. The Conservatives are following Donald Trump in their strategy, philosophies and policies. This is not the direction I want for Canada. I encourage you to vote and vote strategically.

Book of the month is The Overstory. It was devastating and beautiful. The writing is amazing.

“But people have no idea what time is. They think it’s a line, spinning out from three seconds behind them, then vanishing just as fast into the three seconds of fog just ahead. They can’t see that time is one spreading ring wrapped around another, outward and outward until the thinnest skin of Now depends for its being on the enormous mass of everything that has already died.”

The Overstory by Richard Powers

With only one day left in March, I’m looking ahead to April. This week has four (!) family birthdays. I’m also meeting with a cabinet maker who will hopefully be a good fit for our bathroom. Then there’s the coop, the office, teaching… life is full.

What was the highlight of March for you? Have you heard of repair clinics like the one I went to? I encourage you to seek them out in your area. Anyone else feeling anxious about this election? Who else is wrapping up projects? Or looking ahead to new arrivals!