Monday, May 16, 2011
Chickens and No Eggs!
We expanded our chicken coop/run a few weeks ago, in an effort to get the ladies back into egg-laying mode....only two eggs from the older hens since then. What gives? We switched back to Feed Depot's egg layer crumble (Shells did not have the grit and calcium FD's does), and gave them a nice sized area to peck around in....sounds like we need a chicken whisperer...
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Hot Again!!
I won't go into how long it has been since I have posted....I have been quite preoccupied with work, failing banks, regulators, dog rescues, chickens, smart-mouthed teenagers, job searching and driving to my new job - not necessarily in that order.
We haven't done much around to house due to time and money resources. We did have the air handler in the attic (bad idea) overflow it's pan from condensation, with no shut off switch, for MONTHS before the ceiling in our bedroom finally came down on us at 4am one fine morning...so THAT is fixed. Finally painted that ceiling!
We have our deck maybe 80-90% taken down; I never thought it fit well with our 1915 house; I would prefer some patio area off the two back doors, and some "floating decks" around the yard, where we will reuse the Trex boards from the deck. Our backyard is a huge mess....lots of die off from the two previous winter's hard freezes, lots of building materials scattered around, lots of attention needed there. The one thing which is new and complete back there is the CHICKEN COOP. We have 2 2nd season hens (a white leghorn and a NH Red) and 2 pullets(a barred rock and a buff orphington). When they are totally happy, we will get as many as one egg each, every day. They are not always happy. We are learning.
The siding and windows continue to deteriorate; we replace what is in most need. that will never be done, it is forever ongoing. We will need to do some windows VERY SOON. I honestly don't know what is keeping some of them attached to the house. The front porch will need to be rebuilt too. The floors need refinishing. Regardless, this house is our home, not a museum, or a showroom. I hope someday that the "finished project" fairy will visit us in our sleep, and we will wake up to gleaming floors, painted trim, rebuilt windows and new, smooth siding.
We haven't done much around to house due to time and money resources. We did have the air handler in the attic (bad idea) overflow it's pan from condensation, with no shut off switch, for MONTHS before the ceiling in our bedroom finally came down on us at 4am one fine morning...so THAT is fixed. Finally painted that ceiling!
We have our deck maybe 80-90% taken down; I never thought it fit well with our 1915 house; I would prefer some patio area off the two back doors, and some "floating decks" around the yard, where we will reuse the Trex boards from the deck. Our backyard is a huge mess....lots of die off from the two previous winter's hard freezes, lots of building materials scattered around, lots of attention needed there. The one thing which is new and complete back there is the CHICKEN COOP. We have 2 2nd season hens (a white leghorn and a NH Red) and 2 pullets(a barred rock and a buff orphington). When they are totally happy, we will get as many as one egg each, every day. They are not always happy. We are learning.
The siding and windows continue to deteriorate; we replace what is in most need. that will never be done, it is forever ongoing. We will need to do some windows VERY SOON. I honestly don't know what is keeping some of them attached to the house. The front porch will need to be rebuilt too. The floors need refinishing. Regardless, this house is our home, not a museum, or a showroom. I hope someday that the "finished project" fairy will visit us in our sleep, and we will wake up to gleaming floors, painted trim, rebuilt windows and new, smooth siding.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
A Little Publicity - Thanks Kim at V.M. Ybor Neighborhood Association!
From their newsletter....
Tampa Old House Exchange
Old Seminole Heights resident Cara Davis has started a great new blog for owners of historic properties, preservation enthusiasts, and dedicated DIYers: Tampa Old House Exchange. This is conceived of as a clearinghouse of sorts for everything old house related: A place to trade or barter or sell old house parts like doors, windows, trim, flooring….anything. It is also a clearinghouse for ideas and experiences. Advice and projects you just won’t find on HGTV -
especially for Tampa. Neighbors helping neighbors. Ms. Davis is just starting this as a blog to get a feel for the response and need, but would like to develop this into a website complete with sections for different types of items, advice, referrals and even a plant exchange. Visit the blog, post a topic or two, and share some goods or experiences!
Tampa Old House Exchange
Old Seminole Heights resident Cara Davis has started a great new blog for owners of historic properties, preservation enthusiasts, and dedicated DIYers: Tampa Old House Exchange. This is conceived of as a clearinghouse of sorts for everything old house related: A place to trade or barter or sell old house parts like doors, windows, trim, flooring….anything. It is also a clearinghouse for ideas and experiences. Advice and projects you just won’t find on HGTV -
especially for Tampa. Neighbors helping neighbors. Ms. Davis is just starting this as a blog to get a feel for the response and need, but would like to develop this into a website complete with sections for different types of items, advice, referrals and even a plant exchange. Visit the blog, post a topic or two, and share some goods or experiences!
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Happy Holidays! Brrrrrrrrr!
Happy New Year! I have high hopes for 2010...2009 kind of stunk. I will be healthier and happier this year if it kills me.
It is now 43 degrees outside here in sunny Tampa....and our house temperature is 55. I have given in and turned the heat on (just for a little bit, to take the bite off). My thoughts go once again to the argument for getting a new air/heat system...if $600 electric bills in the summer is the norm for us, there has to be room for improvement in the energy efficiency dept. I know the house is big, and not insulated, but that is still high. My fantasy of replacing all 41 windows and insulating the entire house is just not reality, but if the proposed "cash for calkers" bill gets passed, we can get a 50% rebate on the purchase of energy efficient equipment, so a new system might make sense, especially if we can get our summer electric bills under $500. I am currently in the coldest/hottest (depending on which season it is) room of the house, the home office, formerly part of a wraparound porch or a porte cachere. Not sure why it is so much worse than the rest of the house...perhaps poor construction. I can't feel my fingers much right now, and the forecast is for highs in the 50s next week. So much for a break in electric bills....snuggie, anyone?
It is now 43 degrees outside here in sunny Tampa....and our house temperature is 55. I have given in and turned the heat on (just for a little bit, to take the bite off). My thoughts go once again to the argument for getting a new air/heat system...if $600 electric bills in the summer is the norm for us, there has to be room for improvement in the energy efficiency dept. I know the house is big, and not insulated, but that is still high. My fantasy of replacing all 41 windows and insulating the entire house is just not reality, but if the proposed "cash for calkers" bill gets passed, we can get a 50% rebate on the purchase of energy efficient equipment, so a new system might make sense, especially if we can get our summer electric bills under $500. I am currently in the coldest/hottest (depending on which season it is) room of the house, the home office, formerly part of a wraparound porch or a porte cachere. Not sure why it is so much worse than the rest of the house...perhaps poor construction. I can't feel my fingers much right now, and the forecast is for highs in the 50s next week. So much for a break in electric bills....snuggie, anyone?
Friday, December 18, 2009
Our Pretty Tree!!
Just after we had done a hard pruning to allow traffic to pass without having to swing out around it (and manged to keep the gorgeous shape intact) a utility truck has clipped a major branch (more like half of the tree) and there it lies in the street.....I think we are going to have to cut it down now....:-( It had to stay closer than usual to the curb becasue there was a UPS truck parked on the other side of the street.
I remember thinking how pretty a shape the tree had when we were looking at the house and what a nice vista it provided out through the front door......
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