Smoke and spice and everything nice!

A first...smoking a rabbit along with the whole chickens.

We brined overnight again.

Dry rub and smoking...

Smells sooooo good!

I mixed up a fresh batch of the Amish elixir that is supposed to deal with wasps...we have the start of a little nest!  EEK!  We noticed the addition while sitting on the deck with morning coffee.

5 or 6 flying devils

I got stung on my arm while I was in the pool!  That hurt...and when I brushed the bee away...the stinger was still in my arm.  Poor guy lost his stinger and his life, while I got a nasty lump!

The dogs enjoyed the cool of the shade.  They like having us both home and outside.

Our yard smelled delicious all afternoon.  Finally, the smoking was complete!  Ted broke it all down.

He does a great job doing this!

I am his helper girl!

Most excited about his first rabbit!

"Tastes like chicken!"

I made jalapeno cheddar cornbread with honeybutter!

It was soooo good!  Except...it was a little spicy...next time I won't use a whole jalapeno.

 

What is he doing out there?

Finally taking time to burn the nasty bed left by the sellers!  This guy likes to burn stuff.

He soaked the ground...but he also dumped old fuel on the mattress.

He walked back and forth with the hose...often looking up...and hoping not to draw too much attention.  I brought him more water to drink and surveyed the pile, noticing his boots.  I had been watching from the window as he walked around...looking down and all around!  Did you find any critters?  "Nope!" I am still not sure if he was being forth-with any or all information.  However, I did not see him do a jig and run.

The job is half done.  "Maybe waiting till dark would be better...and next time...I am going to put the sprinkler down to soak the ground a little longer...those flames got super hot and started toward those weeds."

 

Saturday is one our favorite days of the week!

We have time put things on the grill or smoker for yummy meals!

We get to have fun company!  This weekend, Teddy and Sloan came for the day.  The guys worked outside with the new tractor.  Sloan and I worked inside on various card projects.

We came up with a thank note idea for upcoming baby gifts.  It was fun to be creative!

The guys came down to hang out with us after they were in the pool.

Another trip to the garden showed these stragglers...there are a couple other things, but the plants are showing the stress of the heat.

 

Many hands make light work!

Saturday, we met up at the house to finish up odds and ends jobs.  Sloan and I painted.  The guys put in a new front door, outlet covers, and trim.  Velle wandered in and out and all about not sure what was going on and why we were here doing all the things.  I wonder if she was wondering where Chica was too.  Ugh...it still hits the heart!

Oakley threw a fit most of the time...she was fine when she was being held or in the same room with Dad...sitting on his lap while he tried to do outlets.  She finally passed out on the way home!

 

Saturday's job...replacing the side door

Ted prepped...

Teddy came with more supplies and tools...

and they both are glad that the door fits and is not going as badly as they were expecting.  "Nothing is square about this!"  Ted measured the door, and there was about 3/4 inch to work with..."We can shim it!"  We are finding that former workers of projects on this house liked to use caulk!  "Not gonna lie...that is what I would use too!"  We would joke about duct tape and wire in the past...but now...Gorilla glue, Liquid Nails, and caulk are preferences!

And I laugh...because I have gone and bought both to help me do what I have had to do in the last couple of months!

 

A Week In Pictures

We are doing lots of research as we get ready to move onto a new property.  One of the things we would like to try our hand at is raising chickens.  We have Teddy and Sloan's experience to draw from, as well as, various people from work and church. Of course, we are also watching various videos.  Ted started an experiment of growing azolla and duckweed as part of an extra protein source.

We started it here and laid it out to dry.

We had two dates in a row...both with BBQ each from a different place.  This was Friday night's plate!

Saturday was for projects again!  More drywall and patching...

Foggy Sunday morning drive...

Now that we have more warm weather...more bugs are visiting...and they are impressive in size!

I stopped at the From the Ground Up market, and they had gallon buckets of fresh-picked strawberries!

Oh my are they good!  I added some vanilla Greek yogurt for an afternoon treat.

And then made a strawberry dessert...with fresh whipped cream!  Ted was not interested...so I get to enjoy it all by myself.  Oh well!

It hit me how grown in everything has gotten!  Teddy replaced some deck boards on Saturday.

Making beef jerky for my love!

Every day is filled with different activities and opportunities.  I am enjoying the variety!  We continue to wait with expectation on God's timing for the new house!  We are now counting down the days.