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Fosters Road house

Today’s Activities

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This has been another busy day. We started out butchering roosters and making tomato juice, and while I cut up the roosters the boys worked on their projects. We also picked apples and made applesauce, and the boys helped their daddy cut off the rest of the cornstalks from the garden and bring them home; we’ll husk the corn tomorrow.

Now it is tomorrow; I didn’t get this finished last night. So, I’ll add the pictures and try to get it posted today!

Boy # 2 is working on building a workshop to store his tools in, in this picture.
Boy # 2 is working on building a workshop to store his tools in, in this picture.
The base for boy #2's sleepout.
The base for boy #2’s sleepout.
Boy #4 working on his sleepout--a defunct freezer that served as a swimming pool for a couple of years.
Boy #4 working on his sleepout–a defunct freezer that served as a swimming pool for a couple of years.
And this is what the kitchen looked like!
And this is what the kitchen looked like!
Applesauce,
Applesauce,
dehydrated onions,
dehydrated onions,
tomato juice, applesauce and a jar of lentils to fill the canner,
tomato juice, applesauce and a jar of lentils to fill the canner,
vinegar, I hope,
vinegar, I hope,
and corn being cooked!
and corn being cooked!
Gayle and the boys brought home all the corn, then picked it off the stalks and husked it.
Gayle and the boys brought home all the corn, then picked it off the stalks and husked it.
The cows enjoyed the stalks, husks, and cobs. They would have enjoyed the corn, too, but we didn't share.
The cows enjoyed the stalks, husks, and cobs. They would have enjoyed the corn, too, but we didn’t share.

Drying Laundry

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My solar-powered dryer isn’t working today…DSCF2069

…but the wood-fired one is!DSCF2068

I will be back soon with more posts! We finally moved two and a half weeks ago, and I’m almost done unpacking. We started school last week; today is our sixth day. I’m finally feeling like we’re getting into a routine again. We’re on our third day of rain and cold, so very thankful for that good woodstove in the living room. We also love this coal range (wood cook stove) in the kitchen. We run it for a couple of hours in the morning and have all the hot water we want for the day, plus can cook breakfast on it. This picture shows the boys cleaning out a shelf of honeycomb that the professional chimney sweep missed. They checked into it when the stove smoked badly the first couple of times we used it. It works great now!DSCF2052

More Pictures from the New House

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Esther walked home from the new house one afternoon a few weeks ago, with her camera. I love some of these pictures she took!DSCF1469 DSCF1470 DSCF1473 DSCF1474

This little guy accompanied his sister on her walk home. He got to carry the snack!
This little guy accompanied his sister on her walk home. He got to carry the snack!

DSCF1479

The railroad tracks are about half a mile from our house. This is taken from a road bridge over them.
The railroad tracks are about half a mile from our house. This is taken from a road bridge over them.
Naptime for the toddler.
Naptime for the toddler.
The new part of the kitchen is progressing!
The new part of the kitchen is progressing!

More of the New House

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If you’re interested, here are more pictures from our new house.

"Rabbit Hill"--this is what we see when we look out the north living room window.
“Rabbit Hill”–this is what we see when we look out the north living room window.
Panoramic view from the top of "Rabbit Hill". Our house is down at the extreme left of the picture.
Panoramic view from the top of “Rabbit Hill”. Our house is down at the extreme left of the picture.
That's me, in the van, coming with lunch for those who went earlier.
That’s me, in the van, coming with lunch for those who went earlier.
Looking from the top of the hill, past our house, to the hills beyond.
Looking from the top of the hill, past our house, to the hills beyond.
The progress in the kitchen so far.
The progress in the kitchen so far.
I'm working up a bed along the front of the house to plant tomatoes and basil in.
I’m working up a bed along the front of the house to plant tomatoes and basil in.
A row of old chicken houses.
A row of old chicken houses.
The house, our van, and the container. The container will be moving; the permanent site is not ready yet.
The house, our van, and the container. The container will be moving; the permanent site is not ready yet.
We can see the train from our new house! This passenger train goes from Christchurch to Picton and back every day.
We can see the train from our new house! This passenger train goes from Christchurch to Picton and back every day.
The story goes that he was pretending to be asleep!
The story goes that he was pretending to be asleep!
The owner came while we were there yesterday, to start taking out the trees in the paddock we'll use for a garden. I liked seeing the boys all lined up on the water tank to watch!
The owner came while we were there yesterday, to start taking out the trees in the paddock we’ll use for a garden. I liked seeing the boys all lined up on the water tank to watch!
He pushed the trees over, then pulled them out and around to a burn pile.
He pushed the trees over, then pulled them out and around to a burn pile.
The trees are all down in the garden now!
The trees are all down in the garden now!

Work Begins at the New House

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I knew I’ve been neglecting this, but didn’t realize it’s already been nearly a month! Can you tell we’ve been working at the house? That’s where we go when we can spare some time at home (which isn’t often, as it turns out). We’ve been over there two days a week, so far. It’s a good thing we can’t move in for a few weeks yet–it will take that long to get the place cleaned up! Here are a few pictures of what’s happening so far. Click to enlarge them.

This is the driveway.
This is the driveway.
The cattle stop has a big plum tree growing through it!
The cattle stop has a big plum tree growing through it!
Our shipping container/sleepout.
Our shipping container/sleepout.
The audience watching the container being unloaded included these curious girls.
The audience watching the container being unloaded included these curious girls.
The overgrown house, from the north.
The overgrown house, from the north.
Looking toward the house from the gate at the road--south side.
Looking toward the house from the gate at the road–south side.
Inside the container.
Inside the container.
Some trees have been taken out.
Some trees have been taken out.
Now we can actually see the back of the house!
Now we can actually see the back of the house!
The path from back of the house to the road. The footpath is totally over grown, so we're working on uncovering it.
The path from back of the house to the road. The footpath is totally over grown, so we’re working on uncovering it.
My favorite feature in the kitchen--a wood cook stove!
My favorite feature in the kitchen–a wood cook stove!
View from the kitchen window. This is the only countertop space so far.
View from the kitchen window. This is the only countertop space so far.
Gayle is remodeling this area to make more countertop space. There was a space here for a frig and chest freezer, but it was too short for modern fridges.
Gayle is remodeling this area to make more countertop space. There was a space here for a frig and chest freezer, but it was too short for modern fridges.
One whole wall of the kitchen is cupboards!
One whole wall of the kitchen is cupboards!