Good Bye Old House

It has been a while since the last post and in that time we finished all the details and staged the old house.  It was on the market for eight days when we reviewed the four offers we had received.  Settlement was supposed to be on October 8th but was pushed back, not with any input from us, until the 17th.  But the whole saga is over.  Buying a house is a whole lot more fun! Selling a house is not something I want to do again any time soon. It was definitely one of the most stressful things I have ever done. Too many sleepless nights worrying about the house, choosing the right realtor (I don't think we did), getting the house looking good for showings, having my gallbladder out in the middle of all this, and trying to pick the right offer.

But when we moved everything out on what we thought would be our last time in the old house, it was very bittersweet.  So many emotions going through my head, and then the tears started to flow.
Ahh, the memories.  Camping out and freezing our first winter as the water line from the well kept breaking under the driveway.  Cleaning out bags and bags of bat shit mixed with loose insulation from the attic. Huge plastic walls to keep kids out of construction areas.  Our oldest falling face first off his trike into the newly poured concrete for the chimney foundation. So many holidays.  Bringing our three youngest home from the birth center. First days of school, home schooling, back to school, my office for my schooling-a bachelor's and master's degrees.  So much music! It was a great house acoustically.

But we are on to a new project.  The grounds at our new house are my therapy.  Whenever I question why we moved I just walk around outside and the answer is all around me.
So back to the blog to continue chronicling  everything we are doing here.

The new septic system at the old house

One of the things that has been holding us back from putting the old house on the market, besides finishing up multitudes of projects, is the need for a new septic system.  The old one was limping along for years; fine for us but wouldn't have passed inspection.

Last fall we had the design, permits and contractor all lined up and ready to go.  The only thing holding us up was permission from the Department of Health to actually break ground.  Apparently the soil conditions at that time were not right, so the waiting game began.

Tuesday night Alan got a call from the contractor that they would be starting the next day.  Alan went over Thursday night to check on the progress and take some pictures:

We were working around the new house on Friday when Alan got a phone call from the contractor (who also is the engineer who designed the system) with the news they had hit rock. (we were afraid that would be a problem as there is a huge amount of rock in the area.) In three attempts to dig the holes for the tank and the pump tank they kept hitting the same granite ledge.  They were in the process of getting another, very expensive, piece of equipment to drill out the rock, adding many more dollars to the project.  We decided to head on over there to see how things were going.  Luckily, in the meantime, while they were waiting for the equipment they tried digging in one more location and had success.  We arrived to dump trucks, backhoes and skid steer working away like crazy. But by the end of the day the line from the house was hooked up to the new 1500 gallon tank and we could use the plumbing again in the house.

The engineer says they should be finished on Monday.  Now we can no longer say the septic system is holding us back from selling our old house.  Time to get this place finished!

Forgotten memories

There is so much to go through that I have forgotten about.  Boxes stuck in the attic 20 years ago are like a buried time capsule, bringing back memories long forgotten.  More that 20 years ago I went to an auction with my mother-in-law for her aunt and uncle. At the end of the auction I bought about 8 boxes of canning jars, many antiques, for about a dollar, if I remember correctly.  Some of the jars were new enough to use, but most were just cool old shapes and sizes.  I know I made 2 jar lamps for my mother-in-law out of 2 quart blue canning jars.

 There are so many interesting lids.  I had forgotten about the lids on the right side of the picture.  There is a glass lid under the metal top that holds the glass down.  And I have always loved the zinc lids. 

 I also pulled out, what I had thought was, a quilting rack only to discover after all these years that it is really a curtain stretcher.  It was used to dry fragile lace curtains so they wouldn't need to be ironed.  Oh well, I never quilt anyway.  Anyone want a curtain stretcher from the 30s or 40s?

One of the best parts of moving is going through all the old pictures, letters, and cards the kids made me.  As I was packing up the file cabinet I was surrounded by images, memories, forgotten patients, and emotions.  Seeing all the birth announcements from couples whose baby I had delivered and reading all the wonderful words of thanks made me remember why I became a midwife.

I found a great mother's day card from my now 25 year old son.  He drew up coupons I could use for " a free care wash", "one hour of not bugging my brother and sister", and my personal favorite "one flea bath for brother"!  I think I may need to redeem one of those.  I also found a similar card from my 21 year old daughter which also had coupons, I could sure use a massage about now!

The saddest memory came from an old letter I found written by my father.  He was writing to tell me about the birth of my youngest half brother, and I think it was the only natural delivery he ever saw.  You could hear the sheer delight in his words as he described the pushing and then seeing the head.  And then "out popped Adam. Time 8:10 p.m."  I must have written to him about natural childbirth because he wrote "I think if we expect people to be 'sick' when delivering, they probably will carry out their role and be 'sick'.  That's just the effect of social pressure, the unhealthy expectations, you know.... So, we see what you were talking about.  Thanks."  This was in 1985.  My father died in 2010 and Adam died a few months ago.  So many memories came back from this one letter, and so many thoughts of lost promise and wasted time. 

Just 7 more days (minus a few hours)!

Things seem to be going along well with the purchase of the new house.  Settlement is 7 days minus 3 hours away and is coming up quickly.  All the finances are in order and everyone has all the paperwork they want/need.

I still have more things to take to the charity store, probably 5 more boxes, and I always seem to find more as I am packing.  I'm also taking 8 boxes of books to the newly opened used book store in Kutztown this afternoon.  What could be better than getting store credit in a book store for later while getting rid of books we no longer want now?

As I walk around outside I keep seeing plants I want to bring to the new house.  Even though there are tons of plantings and the current owners have done an amazing job with all the gardens, some of my favorite perennials are missing.  Like the dahlia's above.  While not really a perennial, I have had them in my backyard for years. They will be easy to transport as their tubers need to be dug up every fall after the first frost.

I have had purple coneflower (echinacea) for more years than I can remember, so a clump definitely needs to get dug up and transported.

Years ago I dug up a Rose of Sharon shrub/tree from my in-laws and it has made multiple offspring.  I definitely need to bring along a white one.

I can't recall if there are any phlox at the new place.  Mine are doing very well this year.  And had a cool visitor this morning.

And of course the goats are saying "please bring some of our rocks along!"

Thought I would update on how the chicks and turkeys are growing. I'm pretty sure we have one tom turkey and one hen, but the other turkey looks like a tom some days and a hen on others.  Looks like we'll just need to wait a little longer to figure out the sex of the third turkey.

Our older chicks, born early May, are getting big.  We definitely have  a rooster among that bunch.  If he makes himself useful protecting the hens he may get to stick around.  My husband heard him crow a few days ago, but I haven't heard anything yet.

The littlest chicks I got for our broody hen are also getting bigger.  Now all the chicks, and mama hen, sleep in a big heap.  And the turkeys are starting to roost at night in a tree.  Now I just have to get some new pens set up at the new place and move their houses.

13 days!!! (Or how the chickens can help with the move)

Time is going by so quickly now.  Between work, packing, painting, and working on the outside of our old house we are keeping very busy.  And still the requests for paper work keep coming from the mortgage company.  Really, you want a paper trail from the deposit from May 17th?  Well, I didn't think I would need a copy of my income tax refund check, and, by the way, you have a copy of our 2011 income tax return with the refund amount.  Isn't that enough??? No, they want a copy of the check, and documentation of the cash as well and where it came from!!!  Can I say how much I hate banks right now?

Packing, packing and more packing.  And another pile of boxes of things to donate.  But it is finally getting to the fun part where you start to see a difference.  My youngest and I stripped wallpaper from the walk-in closet in the master bedroom (long story how  it ended up with wallpaper) then I painted that closet and the other one in the master bedroom.  Looks so much better.  My brain is churning with designs for closet organizers.

The front porch is almost done.  We just need to wash the ceiling and see if it needs a touch up paint job.    The back porch/breezeway is done as well.  Although, we do want to paint the steps there but that won't be done until we move out as they will stay nicer it we aren't using them all the time to go out to the animals.

I am starting to finalize moving plans for the animals.  I need a temporary pen for the chickens and realized I can build that where I want to expand the vegetable garden next spring. The chickens will do a nice job digging up all the grass and tilling the soil a little.  And the manure they will leave won't hurt either.  I am considering leaving my oldest hens at the old house to till up the current vegetable garden once the harvest is over.  They already sleep in a different, and smaller, hen house from the other hens and aren't laying many eggs any more.  This can be their last job before the stew pot.

Well, off to the bank to get the "paper trail."

20 days and counting

Whirlwind here of packing, purging, yard sales, donating, etc.  We were fortunate to spend 4 hours last Saturday evening with the current owners of our new house.  They wanted to get together to talk about gardens and house information, give us the book with all the info on the maintenance and gardens, and ask us about a few things they thought we might like them to leave behind.  Yes, of course I want the frame for the cage that covers the blueberries and keeps the birds away!  They are the nicest people and have taken such great care of the property for the last 27 years.  I only hope we can do the same.

Our youngest was happy she finally got to see inside the house and was able to walk the grounds.  She loves the little bridge over the stream.  I was hoping there was an area where I would be able to plant milkweed for a butterfly habitat; but I don't need to.  The upper end of the stream has a nice stand of milkweed and other plants for butterflies!  The soil in the current veggie garden is beautiful black loam.  But I need to remove/move some raspberry bushes.  I already have a barter arrangement to get some elderberries for some fall gold raspberries.

We met the neighbors across the street also.  The wife was born in our new house before it was moved to its current location in 1939.  She confirmed that the front room with the corner cupboard was the original cabin that was moved from down the road.  She was 8 years old when it was moved so I am hoping she knows where it stood before the move.  The neighbors built their house across the street from her parents.  And when her parents died the house was sold to the current owners.  We will only be the third owners since 1939.

The paperwork is progressing as well.  Insurances have been confirmed, appointments made, and forms getting faxed and emailed.  So much paperwork to buy a house.  Things sure have changed in 29 years!

Purging and cleaning

Wow, how much stuff can one family of 6 accumulate in 29 years?  TONS!!!  I feel like I have been going through stuff for ages.  We have already donated a bunch and taken a van load to our friends' barn, where we will be having a yard sale.  And I have another pile of boxes and multiple chairs to take over as well, with more to go through.  This month we'll be going to an 18th century event and I will be bringing along 10 boxes and 3 large bags of 18th c. clothing, asst fabric, books, magazines, etc of interest to the 18th c. crowd.  I go through an area and box up a bunch of things to get rid of then go back again in a few days and whittle the remaining items down even further.  I am starting to see some progress.  Just don't come over and expect to see the living room floor.

We need to look for a realtor (anyone know a good one or have tips on how to find a good one?) so I need to get some order to this chaos.  In the midst of going through all our stuff cleaning has taken a back seat, not that I cared that much about cleaning anyway ;)  But I figure I should at least clean the bathrooms.  The downstairs bathroom was disgusting!  My husband and son are the only ones who use that bathroom and I think they are both shedding!  There was hair everywhere!  This bathroom has a tub/shower unit that I hate to clean.  The floor has a rough finish that is impossible to keep clean.  I have used many different products in an attempt to clean it all to no avail.  But I've finally found something that works great.  Vinegar and baking soda!  I infused my white vinegar with orange peels so the smell is quite pleasant, not vinegary at all.  A stiff scrub brush and I have removed scum and stains that have resisted my attempts for years.  And everything is so white!  And I don't need ventilation to clean the bathroom.  I put my infused vinegar in a spray bottle and baking soda in an old parmesan cheese container.  After the area to be cleaned is wet I sprinkle baking soda on it and go away for a few minutes.  Then I spray the area with vinegar and scrub with the brush.  It works especially well on the hard water deposits on my faucets.  It even works in the toilet, if it's not too dirty.  I wish I had known about this when my kids were little and they wanted to help clean, no harsh chemicals/fumes to harm them.

So now I keep my containers of baking soda and vinegar, along with an assortment of brushes in various sizes, in an old shower caddy and I'm ready to go.

Gardening with chickens

I loved my compost pile.  It's a great way to turn kitchen scraps, garden waste, weeds, grass clippings and leaves into valuable fertilizer for the garden.  The only problem was our dog at the time.  Maggie was a great dog, but she loved to dig through the compost.  Her favorite things to eat were whole corn cobs (looked great coming out the other side!) So the pile was fenced making it difficult to turn the pile so everything would break down into that black gold otherwise known as compost.

But then I got chickens.  Throw the kitchen scraps, even meat which is a no no in regular compost piles, into the chickens and they gobble it right up, and given you great eggs in return.  My chickens come running when I am carrying anything because I might have scraps for them. Chickens love to graze on grass but I am limited space wise in what sort of grazing I can give them.  I have 2 fenced areas that I can open and shut doors to allow them to graze.  But the spaces are small and the chickens only get about a week's worth of grazing on each area, then the area must rest for about 2-4 weeks depending on the weather so there is enough green for the chickens to graze again.  Here's one area that I have let them on for a day or two. My neighbor dumps his grass clippings on our property so I can feed them to the chickens.  They love them and I know he doesn't use any chemicals on his lawn so the clippings are safe.

Here is the other area that has been resting and regrowing.

My chickens also serve another purpose.  They are the protectors of my garden.  Including the grazing areas, about 90% of the garden is surrounded by chickens.  The chickens patrol this area eating bugs, keeping the weeds down, and keeping out the mice, voles, and bunnies.  I have seen the chickens kill a mouse that gets into their pen.  I am not sure what they would do to a rabbit, but I don't think the rabbit would stick around long enough to find out.  Here is the back side of the garden with its chicken run. 

In the fall the chickens get all the leaves raked into their pen.  Over the winter we sprinkle chicken scratch on top of the leaves and the chickens stay occupied for many hours scratching around for the grains and any bugs they may find.  In the spring I have a pretty nice compost ready for the garden.  And I didn't have to bag up my leaves for the trash or burn them or have to get them shredded and have to keep turning them to get compost.  And the compost is evenly mixed with rotted chicken manure.  My garden loves it!

Even the goats help out in the garden.  Their bedding is perfect for mulching and is premixed with a pelletized natural fertilizer AKA goat manure.  While we could milk our does if we bred them, they do a nice job in the brush control department and they are just plain entertaining.  And last fall when we had the snowstorm that brought  down all the branches the goats were in charge of cleaning up.  We put all the branches in the goat pen and they goats stripped all the leaves off and then the bark.  Kept the goats busy for weeks and we saved on hay. 

Blooming now

Summer is in full swing with all the flowers blooming.  The day lilies are coming on strong.

The blueberry harvest has begun.

We've been eating raw peas and the goats have discovered the joys of pea pods.

Even potato blossoms are pretty.

I had better get to harvesting the black currants this weekend. Love black currant jelly!

And for some reason we have many of these visitors this year.  And we haven't seen the neighbor's cats around, which is probably the reason for our visitors.  Also a great year for chipmunks.  But for whatever reason they haven't found a way into the vegetable garden yet.  Let's hope it stays that way.

And last, but not least, funky romanesco cauliflower.

58 days. but who's counting?

Last Friday, June 15th, was exactly 60 days before settlement, the first day we could apply for a mortgage.  So all the paperwork is in; now we wait for the particulars- title insurance, appraisal, will we need flood insurance with the new flood maps, etc.
I am amazed at the rates today.  When we bought our current home in 1983 we were thrilled to get owner financing at 10%.  Bank rates were above 15%.  One reason we are buying now is because of the low interest rates.  In years past it seemed as if interest rates went up when home prices went down and vice versa.  You could get a fabulous price on a house but rates on mortgages were up and when the rates came down the price of homes went up.  Then the influx from New Jersey to eastern Pennsylvania began, in tandem with the housing bubble, and prices around here began to sky rocket.  Luckily we owned a home so we were able to ride up and down with the change in property values.  While our home may have been worth more a few years ago we would have had to pay more for our new place.
The people who really have it bad are the ones who bought at the height of the market and now owe more than their home is worth.  There are probably too many people in this country in that boat.  We are lucky to have a tiny balance remaining on a home equity loan and no mortgage.
So packing continues (who knew we had sooooo many books!)  My living room is filled with boxes, empty and full, waiting for the next step.  We will have a yard sale, donate a bunch, and plan to sell a lot (hopefully) of reenacting stuff and history books at the next event we attend.

Ian, please make me a new bake oven!

 I started hearth cooking in the late 1990s and fell in love with cooking with fire.  The woodstove in the house is great for heating things up, but I can make a four course meal in a hearth.  The next step up from cooking in a hearth is baking in a bake oven.  When I found out about clay, or cob, ovens I wanted one.  My son, the artist, came home from Ohio and got my cob oven started.  He dug the hole for the foundation, built up the rock support, laid the base of fire brick, built the inner clay layer over a mound of sand (which is later scooped out), and built the fire brick arch.  The photo below shows the oven up to this point.  The fire is to help the clay dry in preparation for the next layers..

We followed the directions in Kiko Denzer's Build Your Own Earth Oven http://www.amazon.com/Build-Your-Earth-Oven-Edition/dp/096798467X/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1338681351&sr=8-4

and even made the "test" oven to gauge the mix of clay and sand.

 Here are more layers.

 We still needed a final coat at this point, but the oven was useable.

 The pizzas came out great once we placed the dough on parchment paper to make it easier to get the pizzas off the peel and into and out of the oven.

 Yum!

Bread comes out great as well.  The finished oven has a final smooth coat and a little decoration.  My husband built a roof over the oven to protect it from the rain (since it is only made of clay) and we cover it for the winter.  Unfortunately there is no way we can transport the oven to the new house.  Maybe it will help sell our old house.  So Ian I need a new oven, please come and make me one.  I think I would like a brick one this time.