July 24, 2015

outside || our home

July 24, 2015/ Darci Haney

Oh I know it's been a while since I last posted! Since summer is upon us in all of it's sunny, warm glory, I thought I would post a few pictures of little projects I have been working on outside. Matt has been so busy with work (like he wakes up at 3:30am to start working, comes home for dinner around 6/6:30, and then some evenings even goes back to work in the barn!) that we haven't done any projects around our house. But our 'to-do' list continues to grow, so hopefully this winter we can start back up on some of our own projects!

Our 'back yard' is were the girls play ride bikes and kick the soccer ball around. We had this long stretch of artificial turf from when the previous owners had a batting cage. I have been stumped as to what to do with this space! We thought about a big play structure, but we couldn't find one that would fit right. We thought about a soccer field, trampoline, the list goes on and on. I finally figured an herb garden could be great there and go with our overall outdoor plan! Plus, with artificial turf, I wouldn't have to mow the grass or worry about weeds ;-)

We measured and laid out the beds. I started cutting holes into the artificial turf and filling it with compost and soil, it took a while!

I still have a lot of work to do, and eventually Matt will build a fence around it. But for now, I enjoy having my herbs so close and a pretty view out my kitchen window.

We still have a lot of work to do on the barn this Fall! Matt needs to build a barn door for the front entrance.

He also needs to build a large barn door for the bottom entrance. You can also see we need to get the retaining walls and gravel in before the rain starts!

The girls and I have been enjoying the garden this year! The girls wanted their own cutting garden so they could have fresh flowers in their bedrooms. These girls crack me up! Anyways, the zinnias and sunflowers are just starting to bloom...

The girls and I just made our first batch of home made cucumbers! Can't wait to try them!! Have a lovely weekend!

August 25, 2014

BEING THANKFUL AMONG THE MESSINESS

August 25, 2014/ Darci Haney

I am learning to embrace the way I am 'wired'. Creative, orderly, energetic, hard working, sympathetic and a lover of beauty. But, I also struggle with not letting these things demand how I will live each day. Living with people is messy, both physically and emotionally. I can choose to love on the people around me or get frustrated because they don't allow me the time or the ability to keep things orderly, clean, organized, etc. I can easily loose perspective!

Everywhere I look we have un-finished and half finished projects. The chickens are crammed into a little pen with a shanty of a home. The excavator will break ground this week for Matt's barn. The basement looks like somebody started construction and then walked away. And those are all such trivial complaints! All around me friends are hearing hard medical diagnoses, family and friend's marriages are falling apart, people are loosing jobs, and I can hardly even think of the heartache happening in the Middle East.

But, I am learning to embrace the messiness of life and enjoy the beauty in the little moments. Life is hard and when I start to feel overwhelmed by it all, I kiss my babies and thank God for the goodness around me!

May 14, 2014

THE GARDEN IS PLANTED || and some garden fresh recipes

May 14, 2014/ Darci Haney

The weather has been gorgeous for the last 4-5 days! Oh it makes me super excited for summer!! On Mother's Day, my sweet hubby and girls treated me to a trip to the garden center {Kreamers-for you local ladies. They are soooo helpful and knowledgable and the girls love it there because of the fish.} And after a day of being spoiled, Matt spent all afternoon roto-tilling the garden for me….such a gem!

At our old house, I had an entire raised bed full of strawberries. We will miss those this year! But, my mom gave me a box of strawberry starts and I got those planted a few weeks ago.

The terraced and fence garden {that was already built when we bought the property} is A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. And, it has automatic sparklers! For 11 summers of my married life, I have hand watered my gardens. This little gardener was doing the happy dance the first morning the sprinklers turned on-by themselves-while I was still sleeping!

I planted most of our favorite summer fruits and vegetables. Below I will link to some of my favorite 'garden fresh' recipes.

Last summer, Matt welded together these great tomato cages. He used rebar so they are super sturdy, and I love the way they look.

And, as soon as you walk out of the garden, you see this. I am trying to tackle the blackberries. I never understood how crazy blackberries were until I have now clipped and sprayed them, only to see them still grow back in a matter of weeks! Next summer we are getting some goats for sure!