I try to live a life of love and joy. It isn’t always easy. All of us have things in our lives that are difficult. That makes it even more important that we work for love and joy.
This holiday season, I wish you love and joy.
I will be back in 2025.
I’m trying to focus on wins. It’s easy to get caught up in everything that’s not done or things that didn’t go according to plan. December has arrived, and I’m feeling behind. But as I look back over the fall, I can see the progress I’ve made, and I realize I am moving forward.
Everything on my fall to-do list is done.
Outdoor furniture is in the barn. Eavestroughs are clean (I’m not as confident in the downspouts, but I hope they’re good enough for the winter). Septic tank is pumped. Chimney is swept (and we’ve been enjoying some lovely fires). Heat pump filter is clean. Outdoor water is off and hoses are hanging in the driveshed.
I completed my final task, chipping two piles of brush, last week. Then I moved the tractor up to the garage where it’s more convenient if we need it for snow .
My major focus for the fall was the barn: cleaning out more of Matt’s stuff and building the coop. Matt’s stuff is done. The coop, not so much. But I am aiming to get back to it between now and the end of the year, so I’m hopeful that I will see more progress soon.
I’m also starting to look ahead to some of the projects I want to do next year, and I’m very excited by what’s coming. With DIY there are always frustrations and delays. But there are also wins, whether it’s the fun of planning, the satisfaction of figuring out how to do something, or finally crossing a project off your list and enjoying the results of your work.
So today I’m celebrating the simple accomplishment of finishing my fall to-do list, and the bonus of a few more weeks to tackle a project that is important and interesting to me.
As we end the month, I am still reflecting on Remembrance Day, the US election, the state of the world, the future and my place in it.
“Voting can not be the only way we engage in our democracy… Real change demands ongoing engagement in our democracy–not just casing a ballot every four years.” – On Canada Project
Dear Mr. President – Jensen McRae
“If something horrible was happening to you and your people how would you want other people to respond?” – Viet Thanh Nguyen
Microdosing hope – Brené Brown
“The working poor are like the ultimate philanthropists. They are giving us their safety, their security, their time so that the rest of us can get stuff that’s cheap. There are a lot of costs to that kind of cheapness and we all bear them.” – Peter Goodman paraphrasing Barbara Ehrenreich
“You are awakening to the same country you fell asleep to.” – Venice Williams
“Black, Indigenous, Queer, Disabled Peoples are all still here, still doing the work that helps us all survive.” – Allen Salway
I want to write a message of hope this Remembrance Day. But for the last year, I have watched Israel’s war against Palestine and then last week the American election. It’s hard to find hope.
Self-interest. Power. Capitalism. Racism. They seem to be winning.
Over the past year, I have felt like public opinion has shifted. More people seem to recognize the wrong of Israel’s attacks. But our governments have not changed course. And watching the election last week, nothing has changed. I feel like people voted to maintain the status quo. To maintain their own status. I worry that Canada is on the same path.
No one wants to be inconvenienced.
More than 80 years ago, during World War 2, my grandfather left his family here in Canada. His wife. His three children. His home. He went to Europe and fought a war. His life was deeply affected for people he didn’t know, but for a cause he—and our government—believed in. I think about my grandfather.
I think about Indigenous peoples, Black people, Palestinian people whose lives are impacted everyday by injustice and inequality. I cannot speak for them, but I believe that for some it doesn’t matter who’s in charge. Liberal, PC, NDP, Democrat, Republican, they’re all the same. Perpetuating the same systems and the same injustices.
I think about myself. War, racism, discrimination, inequality, poverty–the evils of our world don’t impact me (so far). I get up in the morning. Get my daughter ready for school and go about my day. What reason do I have to disrupt my comfortable life?
In the aftermath of last week’s election, I have seen messages that we need community. We need to not rely on our governments and instead rely on each other. Not ourselves. Each other. We need to come together and work to change the world. I am feeling that strongly this Remembrance Day.
I think about my grandfather, World War 2 and Remembrance Day. I think about Ellie and her future in a world where people care most about themselves and are not willing to help others, to stop injustice, to change the world. What type of world do I want to be part of? How can I disrupt my comfortable life to help make that world happen?
The coop has reached another milestone. It has a door.
For a reminder, this spot in the barn foundation used to be a window. Part of the wall under the window collapsed in 2018, so anticipating the coop I had our mason reconstruct the wall into a door. He tacked some plywood over the opening, and that’s how it stayed for the past 6 years. Bananas that it’s been that long.
Now that the coop is finally on track, I needed a proper door. Especially now that new coop wall is up, I don’t have an easy way to get into this part of the barn.
I wanted to reuse the door of the old coop. The wood is amazing. This beautiful weathered grey. And huuuuuuge boards. Just two boards make the whole door. One is about 16 inches wide. The door was close to the size we needed and relatively sturdy. Plus you know I love the symbolism of using a piece of the old coop in the new one.
But after thinking it over (and lifting it in and out of the doorway multiple times), I decided it wasn’t close or sturdy enough. A lot of the nail holes have expanded over the years, so it has a wiggle that would have needed reinforcing. I also would have had to extend the height. All of that felt like it would take away from the character of the old door–which is what I loved.
The deciding factor was the hinges. From the wear patterns on the wood, the hinges have been on there for a long time. But they were crooked, and I didn’t feel like dealing with that on top of the other issues.
So I took some of the leftover siding and built a new door. (The old door will find a spot some day.)
I was a bit intimidated about framing the opening and building the door. Growing up with my Dad, a professional contractor, he had two types of projects that always required extra figuring: stairs and doors. So I had that in my mind as I was working.
I framed the opening and the door at the same time, so I made everything to the exact dimensions I wanted. It took me a couple of tries to figure out how I wanted to build the jamb, but now it is sturdy and plumb. I made the door bigger than the opening and then carefully cut it down–after measuring many more times than twice.
I installed the hinges so they’re square and when it came time to hang the door, everything went together smoothly.
Ellie selected the best spot for the handle and latch and she screwed them into place. Then she modeled the new door in action for photos. I’m glad I’ve been able to include her in so many parts of this project.
I also did a little more clean up around the outside. I had one spot covered with a tarp for most of the summer. This is my preferred method to kill the weeds and grass so that I can then see what’s lying on the ground.
As you can see below, the tarp revealed mostly rocks and sticks. But there were also 5 1/2 fence posts (one wrapped in wire), a hunk of metal and a length of wire fence. None of this I want to mow, so in a mystery area, clearing the weeds, picking up the mess and leveling the ground is my preferred technique.
I have now slid the tarp over to cover a new spot.
While I had my rake, shovel and tractor, I laid some patio slabs in front of the door to make a little landing area. I spread some dirt around the stones to hold them in place and even sprinkled some grass seed. I might be a little late on the seed, but I’m hoping to keep this spot from getting too muddy as I continue to work on the coop.
Every step on this project feels like another milestone and gives me more motivation to keep building. I’m very proud of the door. Proud of the coop. Proud of myself.
Fall has come to the farm. The colours on the trees are spectacular, and it’s been lovely to hike around the farm and spend time outside.
The fall fair is an important tradition in rural communities. Ellie planned for the past year to enter a cake in the baking competition. We baked. We decorated. We competed… We won! (Ours was the only cake entered.) Our girl was so, so excited to see the first-prize ribbon on her cake, and she now has the ribbon proudly displayed in her room.
“There comes a time in every chicken coop’s life when you’ve got to be finished.” Good wisdom from Beau Miles. (I also have plans to use some scrap metal we have hanging around.)
This ranch home is so full of personality. I love the powder room vanity and living room fabrics
“Every day we get to make a choice between trying to do something for what might be the last time or not trying at all. That’s what it is to age. I might never be able to do again what I did yesterday, but I’m going to keep trying… Time matters most when time is running out.”
Outsider by Brett Popplewell
We are finishing off the month with, of course, Halloween. Ellie is going to be a witch and she is very, very excited.
Over the last week, there have been three car accidents around the farm. We’ve come home to flashing lights and closed roads. Less than a week ago, we watched from the dining room window as a helicopter landed on the road to airlift someone to the hospital.
Today, Thanksgiving, I am thankful to be here. To be healthy. To be with my family.
This is what matters.
Hold your loved ones close. Take time to be with them. Take care as you go through the world. Care for yourself and for others. Care for your physical well-being as well as your mental and emotional wellness.
Be kind. Careful. Polite. Patient. Respectful. In the store, at work, around the dinner table, on the road and online.
Be thankful. Life is precious.
I am back with another coop update. This is becoming a monthly thing. It feels so good to be making progress.
The progress this time has been happening outside the barn.
We have runs! I hired out the fencing, and I’m very glad I did. Our ground is quite stony and making sure all the posts were secure was not something I wanted to tackle myself. Plus pulling the actual fence taut did not feel like a one-woman job.
The contractor I hired was exactly the right man for the job. I had picked up some used fencing from my Mom’s neighbour, so I needed someone who was willing to deal with that. He was not only willing. He went through his own yard to see what other leftover materials he had, so he could make things as affordable as possible for us. He found most of the gates, top rails and a few other pieces, which was a huge help.
We have three runs, which will correspond with three pens inside the barn. Each run has a gate to the outside. There are also gates between each section, so I have the option of giving one group of birds double the outdoor space if the neighbouring area is vacant.
I plan to add mesh over the top and around the bottom edge, so the runs are as secure as possible.
I popped the plywood off the doorway, started to frame in the opening (it’s taken a couple of tries, and I’m not quite happy with it yet) and am working on building the door. These handprints are on the doorsill. Anyone remember when we made these? (The 2018 might give it away. I’ve obviously been planning this coop for a long time.) I love that Matt is part of it.
My cousin helped me move the leftover siding into the barn, and I added battens to the wood siding. This covers the gaps and eliminates the drafts.
The final progress is courtesy of Matt’s Dad who came out last week and trimmed a few trees for us. There were two small dead trees between the coop and the row of pines. Getting rid of them is another step on my quest to tidy the ground around the coop and mow through here.
I will be shifting the blue tarp over and picking up the rocks and rubble that are underneath it.
Progress is happening faster now, but this coop is a journey not just of this year, but of most of my life.
I look back to 2018 when Matt’s Dad cleared the brush from this side of the barn, and I’m so grateful that he’s still hauling his chainsaws around and helping us. I think about building that doorway, mashing our hands in cement, and how Matt, Ellie and I are together still.
I go back to (I think) 1988 when I went on my first real job with my Dad. We installed a chainlink fence just like this one. Working with my Dad gave me the knowledge, skills and confidence to do things like build a coop (even if I didn’t feel like doing the fencing this time). Or I think of 1985 when my Dad got our first flock of chickens and gave me such memorable experiences that I now want to share with Ellie.
I love looking for the meaning within moments. This project, this place, the people. They come together in such a special way.
September has felt like a really long month to me. As I’m writing this update, I’m amazed with everything that has happened.
Ellie started school (a new school with a bus ride and lots of new experiences, including an awesome ice cream shop up the road, which means we’ve become regulars on Friday afternoons). I started school (second year teaching, so I’m enjoying making the courses more my own and seeing if the changes I’ve made are working for the students. First assignments came in last week, and I’m impressed with what they’ve done. So far, so good).
Cigo met a porcupine and a skunk. Ellie fell off her bike and broke her arm (2 1/2 weeks to go until the cast comes off).
I celebrated my birthday (met up with some friends, had a lunch with Matt’s Dad, two of his aunts and one cousin, and had a dinner with my family too). We went to Ellie’s first concert, a local cider house, our favourite playground and a treetop adventure course.
I’m also working away on the coop and the barn cleanout (donned a mask and tackled a big squirrel nest last week, which is as much fun as you might guess… and smells like you might guess too).
Whew.
Life is very full. But life is good. Ellie is enjoying school, thriving with the lessons, and has made friends. She has done so well with her arm and multiple visits to the hospital. She is a confident, capable, caring person, and it’s so special to see her grow. I feel confident in what I’m doing (teaching, parenting, DIYing, householding). Cigo rolls with it all and makes things fun (mostly). It’s a juggle, but we do our best to find the balance that works for us and take time to just be, just us.
This barn/house blew me away. The reclaimed elements, the space, the nooks, the balconies, the beams. What an amazing space.
I’ve done a good amount of sewing this summer, including two skirts based on my go-to skirt pattern. I’ve probably sewed this pattern at least a dozen times. It’s easily customizable with lining, pockets, side zipper, bias fabric, wider waistband, pegged skirt, gathers… pretty much whatever you can dream up.
Julia Turshen is a new-to-me chef. I checked every one of her cookbooks out of the library and made something from each of them. My Mom bought me this one for my birthday, so I can have it in my own collection. I love cookbooks. I love Julia’s messages around social justice and consciousness. Bonus points for her name.
Ellie became obsessed with playing cards this summer, and she shows no signs of stopping. Bicycle cards has been a great source of new games for us to try. (And for playing cards with kids, the skills of one game build for another. Ellie is now up to Euchre and Blackjack. Great lessons for strategy, memory, math, winning, losing and so much more. Plus a great way to fill the time during long waits at the hospital. Thank goodness for kind staff who will track down a deck of cards late on a Friday night.)
I don’t know much about Emily Carr, so this book was illuminating (and I want to see more of her art). The Indigenous peoples’ experience described was an even more powerful story than Emily’s journey.
“It’s a dying culture anyway.” He spit over the rail, as if to dismiss her and her purpose and the poles.
The Forest Lover by Susan Vreeland
“No, it’s being killed. Hacked to pieces. There’s a difference,” she retorted.
We have one day left of September, and I’m hoping to max it out with Matt’s Dad, his chainsaw, some more coop work and maybe even check a couple of things off my fall to-do list.
Fall officially arrived yesterday morning. That means I’m thinking about the things I have to do to prepare for winter.
Most of my fall to-do list is the usual maintenance things. I’m not adding any big tasks or special projects. My priorities for the last few months have been the coop and the barn cleanout, and I really want to continue with them. If I can wrap them up by the end of the year, I will be very happy.
But along with the coop and the cleanout, there are a few things I have to do. Sharing them here is a good way to get them out of my head and hold myself accountable.
Put away outdoor furniture – Warm weather is hanging around, and Ellie and I had breakfast, lunch, dinner and Monopoly outside over the weekend. We’ll max out the patio as long as we can, but if someone shows up who can give me a lift our big table is going into the barn. (Friends and family are used to being recruited to help with various tasks when they come to visit.)
Clean eavestroughs – I clean the gutters several times a year due to the number of trees around our house. Once the leaves are off the trees, I will do it again.
Pump out septic tank – We have the septic pumped every 2-3 years. It’s been 3 years since our last pump out, so it’s time to have it done again.
Sweep the chimney – Never mind. I did this on the weekend.
Clean heat pump filter – Like most HVAC, our heat pump is happier with a clean filter. I like to power wash it twice a year to make sure it’s really clean and then I’ll vacuum it through the winter. The power washing should happen before I turn on the heat–and before I turn off the outdoor water.
Turn off outdoor water – Turn off the water, drain the pipes, put the hoses away.
Mulch brush – I’ll be putting our chipper to work again to clean up two brush piles so that they don’t become multi-year mountains, like we’ve had in the past.
Little tasks (including one already done), but they are all important and they all take time. I will be tackling each of these throughout the next few months, and hopefully by the time colder temperatures arrive we’ll be ready to light the fire and relax (a bit) in our cozy house.
Home on 129 Acres 