Possible Next Project...

But it may not be what it seems...

I've been looking for a kitchen island.  We need an island that's 10 ft long and 5 ft wide.  I saw this today and guess what, it's 9' 6" long and 5' 3" wide.  The best part, it's only $1,300 and an island the size we want will be about $3,500 - $4,000.  I'm in the process now of trying to find someone who could put a top on it.  Even with the top it should be way less than $3,000. 

See how flat it is on top?

I can picture this with a few pots and pans hanging off the front.  The front pulls up even with the rails on top (see last picture).

It's a gypsy wagon, circa 1920.

I know - crazy.  But if it's feasable we're going for it.  If not, the search goes on.

Oh My. What a Playhouse...

Can you believe this?  I must have it - for the grandkids.  Maybe next summers project...

and isn't this pretty...

Look at this pantry - who on earth is this organized?  I want mine to look like that!

Hahahaha! - Only in Idaho!

My sister and I were returning from Costco and saw this in a front yard.  We had to turn around and take pictures it was so funny.  We decided we need to buy this, mount in on the new front porch and shoot cars off of Cartwright Rd. with melons.

You can see by the size of the car on the street how big this thing is.  Only in Idaho!

Jacob Springs, Day 43...

Every day it looks more like our house.   The east side of the porch is just about done...

The north side has the trusses up...

This is looking out the front windows from the kitchen...

Who would have thought that this beautiful little red barn would be the inspiration for our simple little home.  But, I love it.

and here it is today.  Close to half way through the building process...

The Walking Box is Coming Home...

Dad had a brand.  At one point while living in Garden Valley, dad decided to become a rancher.  I think he bought 15 or 20 head of livestock and put them on the property we owned down in the valley.  As with his tree farming idea, it never worked out.  But he still had the branding iron.

His brand was the Walking Box.  Similar to this one...

Only this one kind of reminds me of an old tv.  When dad died his brother Ed who collects western memorabilia ended up with the brand - and I know he appreciates it for what it is.  Here's a little Youtube clip about his collection.  Oh how I'd love to have some of that!

My brother Steve contacted him recently to see if he'd send the brand back home for a time so that we can brand our new house with dad's Walking Box.  I think I'm going to have to make a big deal of it when it's time to do it.  Some sort of ceremony.  We have to decide if we want it on the door or above it, but it's going to mean a lot to me when it's time.  I can't wait.

Jacob Springs, Day 40...

We have trusses!

You can see the pictures better if you double click on them.

My sister Linda, happy to have her home!

A Unique Area Rug, Or Just Plain Weird?

Thankfully, the handful of you who read my blog understand my weirdness "uniqueness."  Since we're having laminate wood flooring throughout the house due to it's durability, I've been looking for area rugs.  I wanted to find a beautiful shag that would look like grass.  Don't ask me why, I've just pretty much set my mind to it.

I haven't been able to find anything locally, and I hate to buy something like that over the internet for fear it won't be exactly what I want.  So, a few weeks ago I think I found what I'm looking for at Home Depot.  It's called Newgrass.

It's designed for use outdoors, but it looks and almost feels like real grass!  A nice area rug will cost close to $1,000 and a 7 x 9 roll of Newgrass is around $300. 




They had some samples out, so right there in Home Depot, I took my shoes off and walked on it, just to see what it would feel like.  It's actually quite soft for the grandkids to play on and I'm seriously considering using this.  What do you think - am I crazy or what?

Jacob Springs, Day 38...

This morning we had Joe, Rick, Adam, Ival, me, George, Tyler and Ben finish the two largest sides of the deck.  The builders put in a few screws on each board and we put in the rest today.  It makes it go so much faster for the builders to do it that way and thankfully, we have such wonderful friends and family that were willing to help finish it.

Here's what we did.  See all those little screws down there?  We pounded them lightly into the pre-drilled holes, then someone came behind and screwed them in.  Someday when we have nothing better to do, we'll have to count the screws in this deck.

We got a boyfriend for our chickens.  The chickens came from our friends Tad and Denise (he's also our builder).  We just turned them loose up under a big bush and to be real honest, I thought they'd become coyote food in the first few days, but all 5 hens have survived and Ival's niece Jennifer brought this Goliath rooster up (he chased her kids) and the girls seem to think he's pretty awesome.  He really is beautiful.  He chased Adam today.

Monday they bring up the crane.  Can't wait to have a roof.  Speaking of which, this is exactly what our roof will look like...

It's a little building they've put up out at Harris Ranch.  It's 22 gauge raw steel roof with something like a 100-year warranty.  I think that will do.  It rusts naturally which I really like the idea of.  What do you think?

I think I like it!



Jacob Springs Days 19-36...

Well, we had a new granddaughter and I went to Portland and helped my sister, niece and grand-niece move back HOME.  I'm so glad to have them here and the granddaughter, well, she's awesome.  I'll post some pictures in the next day or two because I have to steal them from my Jacki's Facebook.

But, here's the progress on the house.  It's getting pretty darned exciting I must say.  This was before they built the deck frame...

And starting the wrap-around porch is 12 ft. deep.  We've so far gone through 6 35-lb buckets of deck screws.  I just went and picked up 3 and it was $300 for just 3 buckets of screws!  Eeeeek!

But I think it will be worth it!  Don't you?

I actually went and helped with the deck yesterday - until it got too hot.  Today, I can barely move.  I know, pathetic.



Yep, I think we'll use that porch!

I found a gal who tears down old houses and barns.  She's got a butt load of stuff but I scored a few fun things.

We have baby hummers in the tree in front of the house.  This picture was a few weeks ago...



My how they've grown!

More pictures on Monday when they lay the logs on top and put the roof trusses up.

Have a wonderful weekend!

This n' That and a Little Story...

Here's a picture of the kitchen from the front door.  Impressive, huh?

A hawk I saw on the way home (notice the mouse in his talon)

and the beautiful sunset last night from the fire in Elmore County

I have a little story.  Rather embarrassing really as I usually tell these stories about Elmer.  I went to help him water this morning.  He asks me often but it's usually too hot, too cold, or I just don't wanna.  But, this morning I helped.  He took off in the buggy with buckets to water some of the plants in odd places and asked me to take the truck with the big barrels of water up past the house to water some of those things.  I've seen him park next to the house and hand water a lot of things and thought "well that's dumb.  I'll just drive up and park in the flat spot (that will soon be the barn) ABOVE the plants and let the water run down.  I have NO idea why he's never thought of that.

So I drive up and notice he's parked above me in the buggy and waving madly.  I stopped and turned off the engine to hear him yell "I don't drive up there because the barrels will fall out the back of the truck!"  Psssshhhht.  I started the truck up and went about 15 feet and damned if one of the barrels didn't fall out the back.  Pssssshhhht. 

It was too heavy to get back in so we had to empty it.  As we picked it up he noticed that I had broken the spigot when the barrel fell out.  Sorry!  I shut the tailgate so the other barrel wouldn't fall out and drove to my destination about 20 feet further up the hill.  As I started to water, I noticed a big hole in the hose.

"How can you water with this big hole in the hose?"

"What hole?"

Oops.  I had run over the hose and ruined it.  So, I shut the tailgate again and went back down the hill and went home.  When Ival got home, he said, "I'm never asking you to help water again.  When you shut the tailgate you broke the spigot off the other barrel."

So let this be a lesson to you.  If you're asked to do something you don't want to do, do it poorly.  I'm fairly certain I won't be asked to help with this nasty job again. 

Parasites for the 4th...

Ival's boss went sturgeon fishing on the Columbia a few days ago and brought us back some steaks. .  We've never had sturgeon so I got online to see how to cook them.  Naturally, the first site I looked at mentioned that you need to cook them really well because 75% of the sturgeon from the Columbia have parasites.  More commonly know as "freshwater ick." 

How am I supposed to take a bite of that and pretend I like it?  There is entirely too much information on the Internet.  If I get a friggin' parasite I am NOT going to be happy.



ICK!

Days 15 and 18...

Things are moving along.  This is from last Friday (June 29th), day 15...

And what a difference a day makes, day 18 (we had a weekend)...

I had to throw in this mangy coyote I saw on my way home.  Cute little thing.