On the Ground Floor

Installing the flooring around our peeled poles left a bit of an awkward gap, which Gerald addressed with a strip of composition ornaments of the type he uses in manufacturing art frames.

But the main objective was to get a floor down in the utility room. We weren't able to find the colors of linoleum tile we wanted and we had quite a bit of oak flooring left, so we decided to install the oak there. Gerald started with the moisture guard.

With that in place, he began installing the oak.

The final step was to install the base moulding.

Birds, Pests and a Prize

The small generator had been hissing a lot, which meant the regulator was going. It eventually gave way entirely.

We weren't worried, though, because we still had the large generator in the garage. The only problem was that a pack rack had gotten to it and chewed a wire. But it was a while before we were able to figure that out because you needed a special tool to get into the darn thing.

Fortunately for us our neighbor, John, was working in the Valley and picked up the right tool to open it up for us. We were able to get a new regulator on our next trip to town and Gerald got them both working again.

Meanwhile, our hummingbird feeders were in high demand. The birds made an awesome sight in the morning and early evening, but we hoped it was just the fall migration that brought them in such numbers because they were going through nectar (and we were going through sugar) at an alarming rate.

As we often do, we met our good friends Kathy and Swayze McCrain of the 7Up Ranch when we were in Prescott on Sunday. Their cattle operation is officially called the Camp Wood Cattle Company. Gerald had seen Swayze wearing a denim shirt with that embroidered above the pocket and the brand embroidered across the back.






On our way out, we noticed this sunflower, which delighted us. We had planted a bunch of seeds and thought none of them had taken. Looking around, we saw another that hadn't yet bloomed, but looked like it had a couple of flowers ready to open any day. Unfortunately, we returned to find that some creature had found them tasty. Nothing was left but the broken stalks and a few yellow pedals.

  

Yarnell Community Garden Project

All summer long, we'd been buying fresh produce from the Community Garden Farmers Market. We learned that a guy named Frank Ryan came up with the idea three years ago after reading Barbara Kingsolver's Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. It's entirely supported by volunteers and donations.

Every Friday, they pick whatever is ripe and "sell" it at the farmer's market for donations. You simply pick what you want and put whatever you want to or can afford to in the jar. Gerald and I finally decided to go down to the garden and check it out. We found it charming.

We ran across these guinea hens bedded down in the squash. Turns out they keep the grasshoppers in check.

Visiting Day

One afternoon, Gerald and I decided to check on the construction progress of our neighboors. Bjorn and Rachel's house was well underway.

Meanwhile, John Hussen had finished his stem walls and installed the under-floor plumbing. Gerald teased him about the shade of his "canopy." He didn't really explain the purpose of the unshaded structure.

John was doing most of the work himself. It was plenty hot and I'm guessing a little shade would have been nice.

On the way back, we saw lots of cows at the stock pond.

Bjorn and Rachel's house was visible from a distance.

Things Were Bugging Us

It was that season when the wasps were getting pesky. So Gerald picked this up at the Yarnell Senior Center Thrift Store. He called it his wasp killer.

After the scorpion incidents, we had been using the services of a local bug guy and hadn't seen a lot of activity on the bug front inside the house. Though mice seemed to have taken over our garage. When we took our van in for servicing, they dismantled the beginnings of a mouse house built with scraps of insulation near the air filter. So when I heard scratching over my head while I was looking for something in the garage, I expected to see a mouse. Instead, I saw this centipede. The last time we saw a centipede in the house, it escaped while I was trying to get a picture. Since centipedes are quite poisonous, this time we didn't take chances. Gerald whacked it with the Willert ENOZ fly swatter several times, but it was still moving, so he finally had to smash its head with a piece of lumber.

Meanwhile, Gerald had been wanting to stain the barn doors red for some time. I decided to reward his valor after the battle of the centipede by obliging.

It made quite a bit of difference. Here's the "before" and "after" affect.

Turkey Shoot

 Gerald and I agreed to host a 4th of July barbecue and Gerald wanted to put up our entrance sign. In the past, the wind had blown it down, but Gerald had the idea that we could avoid that problem by shooting it full of holes. So we invited the neighbors in residence, who included Angie (above, with Robert), Kathleen and the Hussens for a "turkey shoot." We would shoot up the sign and retire to the house for Gerald's first attempt at a smoked turkey.

 Kathleen and I both had equipment malfunctions.

For J.T. and Robert, it was second nature. We had a great time and the turkey was delicious. Unfortunately, our plan didn't work. The sign stayed up for the 4th of July, but by the next weekend, it was dangling by one end. One more week and the whole thing was on the ground. Plan B is to affix it to  the barn.

Doors and More Doors

 We had much consternation about the closet doors in our "stealth" guest room. Our original idea was to make bookcases that would open to reveal the closet, but we couldn't figure out the design obstacles economically. Our second idea was to make the doors blend in with the wall. Gerald got two sets of double hung doors at Stardust to use as a base.

 Then he covered them up with the same material we used on the walls, attaching it vertically so the edges wouldn't be noticeable. We weren't able to completely cover up the hinges, but I thought it an elegant solution. It changed the look of the whole room. 

 Our retractable screen on the back door was proving not a good choice for up here. Dirt and rocks kept getting into the track and the screen kept getting stuck. So Gerald decided to go with an old-fashioned wooden screen door. The kind that slaps when you shut it. He painted it green to match the trim and added pushbars we bought way back in the beginning.

He also painted a flying red horse on the screen. A shop employee wanted to know if that was to keep out the horseflies. Get it? Horse flies?

Progress on the Utility Room

 

Once we sealed up the wall in the utility room, we got busy finishing it up. After I installed the beadboard on the south wall, Gerald bought the cabinets to finish the south side and installed them.

 We were tempted by a Memorial Day sale at Home Depot on a washer and dryer set. It seemed like a good deal at $1,000 for the pair, but it seemed too fast. Even after comparing prices at Lowes, we decided to wait. Gerald wanted to see what we could do at the Scratch and Dent store. We got an apartment-size stackable for $325 for the pair. And, really, they were plenty big for the little bit of laundry we do. This was a big moment for me. It meant no more dragging clothes and towels and sheets back and forth! No more spending my whole first day at home doing laundry! I was psyched!

 Gerald found this pantry with roll-out shelves at the Habitat store for $40.

 Once all the cabinets were installed and painted, Gerald got to work finishing the countertops.

Don't they look great? 

Memorial Day Weekend

We had a number of commitments on Memorial Day weekend that

kept us away. But Gerald did manage to prepare all the cabinets for new toe kicks

Then, he installed a second layer of OSB board on the floor of the utility room

so that when we went to install the VCT we planned for the room, it would be flush.

Meanwhile, I worked on grouting the remaining tile leading into it.

There was time, however, for a little Memorial Day tradition: a barbecue.

Gerald smoked three types of ribs on his new smoker.

We found this chair at the Yarnell Senior Center Thrift store for $15

We put it in the "bird room," which is what we've been calling the guest room because all the feeders outside the windows makes it a great place to watch birds. It's hard to see in this picture, but the $200 sofa bed Gerald found at the Habitat store has little flecks of color that went perfectly.

Utility Room

When we got back to the land, I got busy installing 

the rest of the beadboard in the utility room.

Meanwhile, the east end of the porch had gotten so cluttered

you couldn't even walk on it. So Gerald got busy sorting

and restacking lumber he didn't have immediate plans for on the ground.

It wasn't long before you could see the porch again.

Preparing for the Parade

The next day was the Yarnell Days Parade. Kathleen had planned

and organized a Blackhawk POA entry. When we got to the staging

area, Kathleen was painting her horse.

The Hussen kids were to walk behind the horses and be "pooper scoopers." 

Here's Diane and John fixing up their vehicle.

Here's Linda, with Don and Valerie Burton. Valerie had a little

different take on the prescribed uniform of vest, boots and cowboy hat.

She called it her hippy look.

We were to supposed to ride in the bed of an antique truck Mike Yakos was bringing. 

At the last minute, he decided to bring a convertible, but didn't want to attach the banner to it. 

So we pressed Linda's truck and trailer into service. Here's Gerald affixing the banner.

Meanwhile, Charlie and Judy's daughter was to stand in the trailer holding the flag.

Here she is practicing her wave.

Yarnell Daze

After the parade, we stopped at the historical society stand

for a hot dog and some ice cream

Lots of folks were still milling about

There was even a band.

When we returned to the land, we encountered some new moms

and their babies on the road. We interrupted this little one's nap. 

Doesn't this pair make a pretty picture?