Update on the House

We're waiting for windows, doors and siding to be delivered this week. The electric company switched on the power to the house this morning - so there will be lights! All of the work being done right now isn't very visible, so there's no new pictures to post. They're working on the wiring, the air conditioning ducts, a little plumbing, etc. Gary's working on the closet in our bedroom today, or at least measuring it out and getting the closet and bathroom walls laid out up there. The downstairs closets and walls are already done.

Garden Grief & Ginseng Joy

Disappointing news on the garden front. Something got in and ate all of the sweet potatoes down to the ground (100 ft. row), ate both watermelons without leaving a trace behind, ate the tops off all the sunflowers that were getting ready to bloom finally, and ate all the bean vines from the lower level of the trellis down to the ground. Plus, it ate the cucumber vines. But it left the bell peppers untouched. I don't get time to go into the garden during the week, so it could have happened any day during the middle of the week. It must have happened before the rain started, because when I did get out there Saturday, I didn't see any tracks or signs that the horses had been in there...and they do get in from time to time. Usually, they don't just eat it all, though!

On the ginseng front, I went out looking in my patch that I seeded over winter last year. Previously I had not seen any wild ginseng growing there, but this weekend I found a 3 pronger with berries! It must be a wild one that survived the logging and pillage over the years out there. I was so happy to see it, it gives hope that there are more I don't know of yet out there.

House Progress

My mom and dad have been here a while, helping us get the framing finished. Mom's been cooking meals and daddy's been out there sweating a lot! Our friends Steven and Deb Hawkins came in to help for a week and the rain stopped and we finally got the roof on. Thanks for all the help, y'all!! It's been so hot now, though, that the work is going to stop while everyone takes a much needed break. Here are some pics to show where we are now.

Here's daddy in the bulldozer scoop, and Steve and Gary on the roof: here's the view so far from the back, looking southward:
and from the front: