Brook+Rhea Blain Wedding

We had such a good, busy time back home. Drove up to Edmonton one day, and then to FSJ the next day. We arrived on Friday, on Monday was the wedding rehearsal, Tuesday Wedding, Thursday was Jalena's grad ceremony, Friday was the grad with the friends, and the next Wednesday was convention! Super super busy. I"ll do another post not including wedding pictures. 

My mom (and dad) had done the flowers of the yard this year to co-ordinate with Rhea's wedding colours. (coral and teal). The yard was Gorgeous. As usual! Lots of weeding, watering and deadheading was done.  

With the cutest little button Ever! 

My Favourite

Cousin Christie!

signing

Gorgeous cake. My mom made the cakes, and a friend decorated it

Siblings, from oldest to youngest

My brother had found some young boys to decorate the going away vehicle. (lawn mower) Brook nor Rhea didn't know anything about it. This was Rhea's reaction when Brook came to pick her up!

Garden Is planted!

I've been itching to plant my garden this year, since last fall! I spent, and spend so much time on pinterest, getting ideas, and learning new things. Last year I basically just threw stuff in the ground. When my mom came, I had to point out that this row went this way, and that row went the other way, and that I wasn't sure what was in each hill. This year, all my rows are straight, with twine, and labelled! 

Bean teepee

All finished planting!

fresh rhubarb

Hauling a tree

Sassie the sheep sitter

Onions have all started popping up! (aside from the bigger ones I planted as is)

First water

The little welding truck! We were welding in the support beams for the corners of the garden fence. So happy the garden is fenced now!

I planted a section of corn, just when the one side of the garden was fenced. I was told it was 'safe' from being run over by the backhoe. However, it wasn't safe from dogs/sheep, so I've noticed my straight rows aren't so straight anymore!

That hen is Fredina. She is the master at escaping her run. I'll open the door to the coop for her and she walks right in. She has taught a few others to fly out. I now let them all be free throughout the day. So far they're all alive!

It's Summer!

The weeds are endless, the sheep are escape artists, a chicken is also an escape artist, the house is dirty, my skin is brown, it's summer time! The garden fence Still isn't done, but that doesn't stop me from being outside! I can't plant Anything because it seems that whatever I plant, in what I think is a "safe" place, ends up getting run over by the backhoe. Sigh. however, I did plant some peas and spinach in the shade, and barricaded it so the sheep and dog can't trample it down. The spinach is up!

cutting steel for my garden fence with our little helpers

 We spent a wknd in Billings a few weeks ago, and stocked up (went broke) at Costco, got some lumber, etc etc. Jed and I put together this little strawberry planter! So far they aren't up. The top tier is full of flowers which need to surface to reassure me that the dirt isn't a flop again.

 We had a wild storm here the other day. Turns out is was a mesocyclone (sp?) which could have potentially ended bad. We were watching the clouds from the window and they were moving soo fast. I manged to snap this shot right before my fil called telling us that it's a tornado cloud (gulp) and to get to the root cellar. I'm so ticked I didn't open the window, but that was not even a safe or doable option! That is Jed's brothers house in the left. The cloud just about ate the house for supper.  Luckily it just rained, winded, and hailed a bit and then disappeared but it was definitely a tornado cloud, or turned into one at one point!

Right before the rain dumped

You can kind of see the bad cloud forming

I convinced Jed to give this old crate a new side so I can plant things!

Picking wildflowers when we should be chasing cows

Testing the nesting box..I hope ha!

It's been fairly warm here (28 or so) and I've already gotten my first burns. I was reminded to not compete with Jed when it comes to tanning. He's got native in him which  makes him go practically black. My darkest is his normal colour! (well, not quite!)
We are HOPING to get this garden fenced asap. It's practically June and nothing is planted. My tomatoes are just about 3ft tall and they need OUT.  With the leftover fencing/panels we took down, we will fence an area for the sheep and chickens. Jed's brother+family are moving here and they have a dog. So 3 dogs and chickens isn't the best idea! Not until the chickens are full sized and can fight them! Also, I discovered I have a rooster. Only took like 4 months to discover that!
Fredina the hen has discovered that she can fly up on the edge of the panel and jump out. But not get back in. Dumb thing. She's going to get caught my bet is!
The sheeps have also discovered how to jump through the panels and be free. Which normally isn't a problem until they get into my mil's gardens and the shop. I was hoping that they would be too fat before they figured out their escape route! Stinkers.
We are heading up to Canada here in a few weeks. We are both quite excited to go to Canada. Jed loves Canada. And obviously I like Canada too! We also will be heading to Moscow for a quick trip to bring back a trailer full of Jake's stuff. We love Moscow!
Now to get my butt out the door and feed some lambs, and catch some chickens!

My little farm

I've spent nearly all day, everyday outside this week. I now understand how and why we almost starved to death as children in the summers!  Why waste time inside making meals when you can spend all day outside?! I'm soaking in this 'warm' (cooler) weather before the heat hits. I'm hoping that I am a lot more immune to the heat this summer!
My garden still isn't fenced. So therefore I really can't plant anything. I planted some gladiolas in a place which I thought would be a safe place. But turns out right where I planted them, will be the walkway to the one gate in! oops. I'm not complaining. I'll have my garden, and this whole big tree area all fenced hopefully within or by next week.  I have been pulling weeds and weeds and weeds. I give the weeds to my chickens and they love it! And they love the worms they may get too. I tore out a ton of grass clumps by a tree north of my garden. I tilled up my garden, and then that area and planted a TON of wildflower seeds there! Shasta daisies, zinnias, cosmos,bachelor buttons, marigolds, poppies, and likely a few more. I have high hopes and expectations of it becoming a wildflower patch!
I planted started a few more seeds. I'm hoping that it'll give them a week or two head start. Planted cukes, tomatillos, Brussels sprouts, blue corn, cauliflower and some tomatoes. It may be too late, but its worth a shot.
With two little lambs, and quite often a dog around, they don't make it easy to get stuff done. The lambs are like children. Constantly getting into things, picking up what you just put down, gnawing on garbage, but ignoring the field of fresh green grass behind them, climbing on your lap, butting you for food, etc. And then when you throw a dog in the mix, she has to be Right there with them. So if the lambs come near you, the dog is there, happy of course, so wagging her tail, knocking things over. But. It's cute. And it's teaching me to be consistent in pushing them away from the new plants, consistent in taking them to the grass. However, they are the cutest thing. To them, I am their momma. They see or hear me and start baaa-ing!

The cuddly one

Best time of day

Jed did good!

rain makes all things vibrant

Happy Mothers Day!

looove a clean house

She LOVES the sheep. So obse

All in all, I love this life and this place I've been given. I get to spend most of my day outside, with my little animals! I feel very lucky that I am able to be outside for as much as I want. I've come to absolutely LOVE being outside. Surprisingly, i'm not lonely, or bored. As crazy as I may sound, these animals keep me sane and normal ha!