Planting, Grinding and Fire

This last week has been pretty busy around here. We have had some goofy weather and it continues, but we got a lot of different things accomplished.

On the planting front, I got my peas and some of my carrots planted in the garden. More of my asparagus are coming up. I am so excited. I also started some basil in the house. I should have done that a long time ago.  Now with the nice rain that we are having they should get a good start. 

This weekend Scott bought a stump grinder that he found on Craig's List.  It is a nice one and boy does it run smoothly.  I am astounded that it cuts hardwoods much better than soft.  Give me a big old oak over a pine any day.  This afternoon when the rain stopped for a while I tackled 3 stumps.  We have tons to go as we are no longer going to rent a dozer to pull them out.  The stumps behind the barn that need to be removed so we can add on are just going to be dug out by hand.  I know, lots of digging and more physical work, but a lot less money and a great work out. 

Last weekend we did a couple of small controlled burns down by the barn to get rid of a lot of leaves and brush.  Seeing as both of us are fire fighters we were prepared and actually they were the best behaved fires that I have seen.  The project went the exact way that we wanted it to go.  It is great when a plan comes together. 

Today I helped Scott do some of the building projects in the barn to construct the walls to form his shop and installing the door that will lead into the hallway between the green house and chicken coop in the future.  I love working with wood and doing construction. 

Now I have to wait out a week of rain and jump back into the garden as soon as I can.  I am hoping that we are past our last killing frost here, but you never know about Wisconsin in May.  On a final note, I was able to find my Grandmother's Presto Pressure Cooker/Canner circa 1947.  All parts found and she even found the instruction book.  It is a smaller one and can only hold 4 pint jars, but that is ok.  We'll see how it works later in the summer.  Very excited to try it out.