Barn wood, afterall

A co-worker bought some property in Kooskia that had some old barn wood on it and she offered it to us for FREE if we'd come get it. We ended up with almost 2 pick-up loads!

Although we talked about doing much of the interior with it, I decided that would be too dark, too messy, and too time-consuming (all varying lengths and thickness). So we're still planning to paint the 3 walls on the north end of the house and we'll have barn wood accents. Bookshelves, window sills, etc.

See: crude mock-up.
A shelf will run at the same height on all the 3 walls on that end of the house. For books, plants, etc. With barn wood above it, cut out for the rafters. Keith assures me this won't be a pain in the ass. ?? That's a bookshelf on the left, still in the R&D stage.

The barn wood pile included some gems like this.

Bonus find: some baby mice we under the first pile of wood we sorted. We relocated them to a safe place where they wouldn't get squished or stepped on but they didn't look like they would make it on their own. A little bit later we found their mama and tried to catch her but she ran under the new pile we'd made. So I retrieved the baby mice and stuck them under the edge of the new pile. When we came back for the second load of wood they were gone so I am filling in the ending where the mouse family is living together happily ever after.

They were trying very hard not to be noticed.

Keith found a local place that sells rainwater barrels for less than $30 each, so he was supposed to get two of those today. I am inspired by Missoula blogger, Dig This Chick, and her fancy set-up. Our former Portland neighbors have a good set-up in their new place, too. Plenty of ideas floating around out there.

Last night Keith asked me about the next "outside project" and I answered, predictably: "chicken coop." I've been begging him for one since I got the go-ahead from the homeowners (mom and dad) and today he surprised me by telling me he decided to get me chickens for my birthday!!!

Of course, not exactly on my birthday (Saturday) since we still have to build the coop, but it's in the works. He talked to the guy at Kooskia Feed and he buys his chicks from a family farm in southern Idaho (I was worried they came from a factory farm) and they're getting a shipment of chicks that will lay green eggs! So, the word is I will have about half a dozen chickens as soon as next month! I am so excited I can barely contain myself.

In other news: the stone path is laid, but Keith's not satisfied.
He says they're too uneven.
I say it's got character.
Also, I was tired of digging.

Pear and apple trees are blooming now and the flowers are out all over the place. Show me someone who doesn't like spring and I'll show you a cold, shriveled, black heart.

The veggie sprouts got wilted in the greenhouse last week, but we moved them onto the inside back porch of my parents' and they seem to be doing well there. Peppers are still late coming up, but everything else is growing. Still too much of a threat of frost to be planting in the garden.