Landscaping is Hard Work

So, when I set out a few months ago to start this landscaping project, I thought to myself "this will just take a day or two". Well, that was not the case. It took so long! And so much work! But look how beautiful it turned out!
At first I started with my little tool that breaks up dirt, but it was clear it would take forever to do the whole section like that. In addition we had a huge dirt pile from the egress excavation and I didn't want to add to it (Kyle hated that pile of dirt already!). So, we rented a rototiller- and we found the earth was hard as rock and it was still super hard to get the dirt out. So, together we rototilled and shoveled a truck load of dirt out of there. Then we leveled it and I began the edging and landscape fabric portion of the project. I don't recommend using that black plastic edging -ever. In the future I'll be using the aluminum edging that you just hammer in (had I known that made this I would have got it from the start). When I went to Murdoch's Ranch and Home Supply this past weekend to get a couple of shrubs and more edging, I ran into a big sale- 30% off all trees, shrubs and perennials-just what I needed. So I bought a few things and headed home to start work. After working all day Saturday and for 3 hours on Sunday, here's the completed project:






I'm so happy with the finished product. We're going to add another potentilla shrub towards the end by the garage and then maybe a plant or two each year. I'd also like so more little rock temples and maybe a gnome or two... But this is what we wanted for now and it looks so nice compared to the compacted dirt landscape that was there before.

Note: In addition to the landscaping, I also had to spend time tamping in all the dirt around the egress window this past weekend. We got hurricane-style storms last week and our egress window well filled up with water and went right into our new bedroom downstairs...twice...ugh. It's all dried out now and we think we have solved the problem of the well filling up, but only time will tell. Our wool carpet is okay for now, but probably needs to be replaced sooner then later....

Hiking and Hang Out

We headed out to Swan Creek 2 weekends ago. We hiked for a few hours and then hung out and made dinner at a campsite near the trailhead. It was nice not to have the pressure of packing everything for camping, but to get to be outdoors all day and relax around a picnic table and read books, drink a beer, look at bugs, collect rocks, etc. A month ago or so, we camped with another family and Madigan tried to sit in Hayden's folding camp chair the whole time. So when I found this pink camp chair for $1 at a garage sale I was so excited for her. We put it in the Eurovan with our chairs so it would be there the next time we were out. When we set it up for her this day, she was very excited as you can see in the photo. The three of us each sat in our own folding camp chairs and relaxed in the shade of the campground, reading Birds N Blooms magazine and taking in the surroundings.

Gallatin County Fair

We took Madigan to the County Fair last weekend and she LOVED it! I took her one morning to the petting zoo, knowing we would visit again. She's a very sensitive and observing child- the 1st trip anywhere is always a "scoping" visit for her. And once we return she's totally more confident and ready to jump into whatever it is. So, when we went back to the petting zoo and all on Saturday night she was so excited and wanted to tough all of the animals. She loves the chickens best I think. (I find that humorous since I want to get chickens at home and Kyle's not quite on board yet..)
We also got to take a ride on the carousel, which was very fun for Madi. We ate some carnival food and looked at all the animal barns-pigs, chickens, bunnies, horses, cows--Madigan loves them all.

Jam with Mom

While my parents were here a couple of weeks ago, my Mom and I made jam. I like to make jam with her because she knows so much more than me about sugar and proportions and the canning process etc. (Really I like that she helps prepare the fruit, i.e. chopping, peeling, cooking, whatever-haha.) So, we made strawberry rhubarb and blubarb (blueberry rhubarb) together. And after she left I made raspberry jalapeno. All three turned out fabulous and I love being able to give a jar of homemade jam as a gift.

As you'll see the picture at the end: the last time we made jam I was expecting Madigan any minute....Wow, how different life is today....and for the better!

Magnet Inventory

I was do for a magnet inventory restock at Tart this month. Some of you may have gotten a set of small magnets for Christmas this past year. After the holidays I started doing larger ones too (quarter sized). The magnet pictures are from everything and anything I find in the free magazines at the library. A friend saw them and thought that Tart would be a good fit. It's a place in the Emerson Cultural Center that sells all different things from local artists- handmade skirts and bags, lots of jewelry, some artwork, paper goods, etc. I make my small and large magnets sets that come in little metal tins. And I also make oilcloth lunch sacks. It's been a nice local venue and allows me to have quality craft time. But it's also a lot of work sometimes, especially if I get a custom order....I think sometimes Kyle thinks I'm crazy for adding yet another thing to do, but I do truly enjoy doing it.

Outdoor Finger Painting with the Neighbors

So, somebody with little fingers was trying to type as I posted these photos.... Our neighbors who just moved back to California this past weekend (we're so bummed) invited us over for a little outdoor fingerpainting. Madigan and I biked some errands that morning and she fell asleep in the bike trailer. So, when she woke up we headed right over. For some reason waking up and playing with fingerpaint did not sound fun to her. She didn't touch the stuff at all. Her paint markings are all my attempt to get her interested. However, she did love the watermelon we got to have afterward.

First Rodeo

We ate a delicious dinner at the Rob and Chop House in Livingston before heading to the Livingston Roundup Rodeo. The rodeo was quite entertaining and Madigan happened to love it. When there was a "lull" or downtime between cowboys, she'd clap her hands and say "more, more!". She's such an animal lover. This weekend we'll be taking her to the Gallatin County Fair where there's a petting zoo! I can't wait to see her happiness over that!
I was thinking as we sat at the rodeo about Madigan's love of animals and what she may do when she's older. When I thought about her taking up rodeo, I had to giggle thinking about Kyle and I being the most unlikely candidates for rodeo parents.