tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27425942887423886132024-03-13T00:47:11.939-05:00Our Adventures in noTTafarm ForestKristin and Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13548161482968062179noreply@blogger.comBlogger671125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2742594288742388613.post-52143666859981546792020-07-30T09:38:00.002-05:002020-07-30T09:38:51.146-05:00One Decade Down<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>Happy Birthday, noTTafarm!</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">July 30 marks the tenth anniversary of our purchase of the acreage now commonly referred to as "noTTafarm." It's been a FAST ten years - no doubt - but years full of fun, hard work, and lots of love shared with family and friends. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;">Today also marks one year since I've posted on the blog. I'm not sure if I just got bored with it or thought nothing happening around here was worth posting or what. Maybe I'm just lazy. However - we do have some projects in the works that I would love to share, so I've made a goal of getting back to blogging. In the meantime, as always...</span></div>
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Stay Tuned for Our Next Adventure!</i></b></span></div>
Kristin and Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13548161482968062179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2742594288742388613.post-74523217762417907692019-07-30T08:47:00.002-05:002019-07-30T08:50:38.085-05:00Happy Birthday, noTTafarm! 🎂🍻<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVOz4-CxEI-7GIC_2qbFmDKLCRMIejrHhQc5af5_8ZqSrKyHw3OmMwzX3O0y4KvCfGz31vamnvfsFnE8YRMXBvLOEfzTHdN65BNJOslm0aHOKzD5dxnGmUJ8Z6cRtlq2tUHAW0b3ilKIbC/s1600/Nine+cake+topper.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="357" data-original-width="356" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVOz4-CxEI-7GIC_2qbFmDKLCRMIejrHhQc5af5_8ZqSrKyHw3OmMwzX3O0y4KvCfGz31vamnvfsFnE8YRMXBvLOEfzTHdN65BNJOslm0aHOKzD5dxnGmUJ8Z6cRtlq2tUHAW0b3ilKIbC/s320/Nine+cake+topper.JPG" width="319" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The noTTafarm era began on this date (7/30) way back in 2010. We've still got things on the to-do list but we're pretty happy with what we've accomplished. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">What's your favorite memory of noTTafarm? I hope it's a happy one.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As always . . .</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i><b>Stay Tuned for Our Next Adventure!</b></i></span></div>
Kristin and Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13548161482968062179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2742594288742388613.post-87342313159124184342019-06-24T19:24:00.003-05:002019-06-24T19:24:57.289-05:00Summer Has ArrivedWe've got more than flowers blooming at noTTafarm . . . check out this big spider web!<br />
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The web is hanging from a branch of the cottonwood and is visible because of some attached cotton fluff. The trick will be remembering that it's there and not walking into it, straight-on (luckily, it's not face-high.)</div>
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Speaking of flowers . . . the weather has been favorable for some fantastic blooms:</div>
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<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>Stay Tuned for Our Next Adventure!</i></b></span></div>
Kristin and Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13548161482968062179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2742594288742388613.post-49531972682443690172019-06-24T19:01:00.001-05:002019-06-24T19:01:34.971-05:00Hello, 2019 - Where Have You Been? <div style="text-align: justify;">
I know that <i>you </i>know that we are both fine and just living it up here in the northern hills. Happily, we have no tragedies to report. My lack of blogging can be blamed on a little laziness and lack of motivation. </div>
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><b>I've Got Good News! </b></i></span></div>
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I'm here to tell you about a big project that has been the keeping us busy. The railroad ties surrounding the cottonwood flower garden have (finally!) been replaced with a proper retaining wall! I can't tell you how happy I am with the result but I <i>can</i> describe our efforts:</div>
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In case you don't remember my whining over the last nearly nine years, the photos below show some of the challenges. I have struggled trying to tame this area which is one of the first things visitors encounter. It has been difficult not only because of a variety of aggressive weeds but also because of the garden's structure. No matter what I did, I couldn't get it to look good.</div>
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Earlier this spring, I was finally able to convince Scott that paying a little attention to this garden would be a good thing for my sanity. After an estimate from a professional landscaper came in (waayyyy) over budget, we opted for a DIY effort. </div>
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These tumbled concrete stones at Menards fit the bill. They have a good mix of color and some characteristics of the limestone we love. Scott determined the quantity that was needed and ordered online. </div>
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Three days later, the pallets of block were delivered. The Menards crew was kind enough to figure out what we were doing, and placed the pallets strategically along the driveway. Each stone weighs 40 pounds so the fewer steps needed to transport each, the better. </div>
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That night after work we got busy, starting on the north end. This "before" photo shows that the lack of structure was making it hard to tell where the flower bed ended and the weedy gravel began.</div>
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The first step: cutting a trench to hold the block. Scott did a lot of similar work at Grant Street so the work of this project came back pretty quickly.</div>
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The lower row of the two-block-high wall was set so it is level with the concrete curb of the driveway. A bed of sand gave the block a good foundation.</div>
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A little stompin' does the trick to level and position a block.</div>
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We made quick progress the first evening. </div>
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It was amazing to see the transformation after just 17 blocks were in place. Onward!</div>
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We began the project in mid-May and then Mother Nature decided it should rain, and rain, and rain. It took us a while to get back in the swing. The photo above shows the next section before we dismantled the railroad tie wall. </div>
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Amazing what time and moisture does to a solid piece of timber. Many of the ties crumbled with just a little nudge of a shovel. </div>
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<span style="text-align: center;"> We loaded the ties onto the trailer for disposal. </span></div>
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A few of the railroad ties were still pretty solid so Scott used the Ranger's winch to pull them out of the way. He took them down to the east pond area where they can stop some erosion.</div>
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Progress continued from north to south along the east side. The height of the wall stepped up to three rows and back down to two as needed. It's always interesting to realize that the property isn't just "flat."</div>
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Notice the kitty litter bucket? When Scott built the brick walkway from the driveway to the barn in 2014, a large pile of sand was left over. Our never-ending supply of buckets became handy storage containers, stacked nearly to the ceiling in the barn. This project has nearly depleted that sand supply. </div>
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At the end of a long day, we had another good chunk of the project done. The process was repeated over the next few weeks, the block winding around to the west side and ending at the edge of the concrete driveway.<br />
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The "end of the trail" on the west side...the blocks end where the concrete begins. A whole block was too wide and a half block was too short so a few scoops of river rock fill the gaps. <br />
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The noTTafarm sign looks great with its new accent. We will soon add a secondary curve of block behind the sign to create a small river rock garden to keep this area neat and tidy.<br />
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I removed the bricks from the former walkway mid-garden and stacked them in the barn for future use. We'll need to get a small load of top soil to fill a few areas, and then determine what needs to be planted.<br />
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The east side.<br />
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This project gave us opportunities to sweat, lift heavy things, pull weeds and use a every tool in the barn. Plus, it was super fun to work together and achieve a great result.<br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>Stay Tuned for Our Next Adventure!</i></b></span></div>
Kristin and Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13548161482968062179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2742594288742388613.post-21012509043122672202018-12-31T21:59:00.000-06:002018-12-31T22:46:30.784-06:00Last Blast for 2*0*1*8Remember back in the good ol' days of the mid-2010s? Back then, you could count on regular, weekly blog updates. Admittedly, I've dropped the ball in 2018. Blame it on the "late-'10s blahs" (a new condition I just coined) or blame it on Trump (my favorite orange scapegoat) but we all know it's my fault . . . too lazy, too boring, too too!<br />
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My end-of-the-year gift to you is a brief review of the last five months of life at noTTafarm. Enjoy!<br />
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<i><b><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Benson Days ~ St. Paul Pie Stand ~ July 27</span></b></i></div>
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In my capacity as an up-and-coming Church Lady, I helped lead a team of St. Paul ladies in the creation of our first-ever pie stand for Benson Days, an annual summertime celebration in our church's neighborhood. We baked apple and cherry pies, selling individual slices for $1. I had a lot of fun branding the event - and we sold out of pie in just a few hours.<br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i>Vacation ~ Santa Fe, New Mexico ~ August 4-6</i></b></span></div>
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The only reason to leave noTTafarm is if you can visit Santa Fe - so off we went, the first week of August to "The City Different" for short but sweet R 'n' R. We walked everywhere, drank margaritas every day, and enjoyed the incredible weather. I hope we don't wait another eight years to return!<br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i>Wet Basement ~ August 10</i></b></span></div>
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A thunderstorm brought two days of rain and all sorts of mischief. We lost power on August 10 for a short while - long enough for us to really miss the (temporarily-disabled) sump pump. As rain continued to fall, the water level in the 2012 section of the basement continued to rise. Scott hurriedly moved all of his "important tools and lumber" up or out so no damage was done - except for the hours spent fretting about "the next time" Omaha gets a near-record rainfall and the power goes out. (And, of course, Bibbers had to walk all around the wet floor.)<br />
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<b><i><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Garden</span></i></b></div>
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Our vegetable garden was sort of a bust this year. The tomatoes turned black and fell of the vine before I could get to them, the basil never grew, the beans were tough as nails, and the peppers never quite made it to bright red. Even the ornamental corn was taken by marauding raccoon the night before I was going to harvest it for my fall decorating. The saving graces were the zinnias and sunflowers we planted from seeds near the corn crib and Scott's gourds.<br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i>Karli's Bridal Shower ~ August 25</i></b></span></div>
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One of the most highly-anticipated family events this year was my niece Karli's wedding and the fun activities surrounding it. noTTafarm hosted 24 ladies (both bride and groom's families were well-represented) for an afternoon of dessert, games and presents. Karli's cousin Chelsie came up with the brilliant "Fiesta" theme (based on the bride's love of Fiestaware) and we were off and running with a profusion of color. Highlights included the 50-or-so tissue flowers displayed on the fireplace, the mound of Fiesta that Karli was gifted with, and getting to meet my two newest great nieces, Charlee and Kree (cousins born two days apart in May.) "A good time was had by all!"<br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i>Kate's Baby Shower ~ September 8</i></b></span></div>
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noTTafarm volunteered (OK, it was me) to help host a baby shower for Scott's niece Kate and her fiance Alessio. They traveled back to Omaha from their home in Portland, OR for a warm and wonderful get-together with friends and family. The weather was picture perfect so we gathered on the patio for snacks, dessert, games and presents. Such a joy to welcome a new little Camp into the world! (<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Spoiler alert</span></i>: Luca Camp De Cesare was born on November 28 and is just the sweetest!)<br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i>Junk Jaunt ~ September 28/29</i></b></span></div>
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Is there anything better in Nebraska in late September than driving around the central part of the state looking for junk? Ok, sure - there's Cornhusker Football and I hate to miss it but we made up for it by visiting Wood River (childhood home of our new head coach.) This year's weather was C-O-L-D and damp! A steady mist and temps in the 40s and 50s made for an interesting two days. On Friday, Chelsie and I ventured out with my mom, Jolene; the three of us sported matching floral sweatshirts. Found lots of great things for Chelsie to use in her new store -- that's right! The store I alluded to way back in May came to fruition; Sweet Water Outfitters is now open in Cozad (more on that later.)<br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i>Wedding Prep ~ September & October</i></b></span></div>
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I was thrilled to be able to help niece Karli with her wedding decor! She had a clear vision of the "rustic elegance" theme with accents of navy and pale pink. We added lots of sparkle with crystals and rhinestones, and adorned frames and lanterns with pale pink roses. The best part was getting to spend time with Karli at noTTafarm! She is a truly special young lady and I'm so proud to be her very favorite aunt. :)<br />
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<b><i><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Big Day ~ Karli's Wedding ~ October 6</span></i></b></div>
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Karli and David had a beautiful wedding and reception at The Hills, an event center at Cherry Hills in northwest Omaha. The outdoor ceremony was tempered a little by the cold and cloudy weather, but the archway we festooned with rhinestones, silk roses and sheer drapery made the day less gloomy. I was pleased that the happy couple selected one of St. Paul's pastors, Rev. Jerry Brabec, as the officiant. The dinner and reception was full of music, laughter and dancing - a truly lovely event!<br />
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<b><i><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Kappa Delta Reunion ~ October 14</span></i></b></div>
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noTTafarm was voted "the place" to have another reunion of my college sorority. (This is what happens when you post a note on Facebook about how much you miss your sisters...you get volunteered.) The weather turned nasty the morning of our party and most of the out-of-towners had white-knuckle drives up or down the interstate. By the time we made it through the potluck line, the power was out. We sat in the near-dark, watching the snow fall and singing old chapter songs. Tracy ventured outside for a photo-op with a handful of snow. Of course, the power came back as the last guest departed. Despite the difficulties, it was still the best way to spend a Sunday afternoon!<br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i>Wilson ~ October 18</i></b></span></div>
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noTTafarm suffered quite a blow when we lost Wilson. Our big ol' kitty was diagnosed with anemia steadily declined over the next year. It's always painful to lose a pet but we are so thankful that we were able to give Wilson nearly six years of adventures and mice and long afternoons spent outdoors. He was a great cat and a good friend.<br />
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<b><i><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Sweet Water Outfitters ~ November 23</span></i></b></div>
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As mentioned above, niece Chelsie earned the opportunity to begin a new enterprise in Cozad, Nebraska. Her vision of retail comprising Western wear, stylish accessories, home decor and a sprinkling of vintage furniture came to fruition after months of work to ready the space. Scott and I are excited to pitch in where we can; the pipes and fittings in the photo at left were used to create two dressing room frames which Scott designed to fit easily together and support plywood walls. Sweet Water Outfitters opened for the first time on "Black Friday" and enjoyed welcoming customers throughout the holiday season. Chelsie is pleased with the community's support - and her whole family is bursting with pride. (Follow Sweet Water on Facebook (<a href="https://www.facebook.com/ShopSWOCozad/" target="_blank">@ShopSWOCozad</a>) and Instagram(<a href="https://www.instagram.com/sweetwatercozad/" target="_blank">@sweetwatercozad</a>) and shop online: <a href="http://www.shopsweetwateroutfitters.com/">www.shopsweetwateroutfitters.com</a>)<br />
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<b><i><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Cookie Baking ~ December 16</span></i></b></div>
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The Christmas holiday just wouldn't be the same without me roping a few unsuspecting friends into helping me frost sugar cookies. This year's victims were The Kupzyks (formerly known as The New People) and The Robinsons (Hank and Susie are our 60th Street neighbors.) We had a great afternoon (that's 3 year old Elliot with the frosting-colored smile) and Kevin, Hank and Scott joined us for a delicious brisket dinner. A holly-jolly time was had by all!<br />
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Tomorrow is January 1, and I plan to begin the new year "as usual" - in my pajamas until all of the Christmas decorations are boxed and stored. I'll take some photos before I begin dismantling (not of me in my pj's...but of the decor) and then have something to post before the day is done. I really do want to make a better effort of blogging in 2019. Help me out by leaving a comment or sending me words of encouragement. Until then . . .<br />
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<b style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><i>🎉</i></b><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i>Happy New Year!🎉</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>Stay Tuned for Our Next Adventure!</i></b></span></div>
Kristin and Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13548161482968062179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2742594288742388613.post-46269179942669366362018-07-29T23:30:00.003-05:002018-07-29T23:30:39.686-05:00Happy Birthday, noTTafarm!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i><b>Eight is Great</b></i></span></div>
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Everyone's favorite acreage turns eight years old on July 30. Even though the blog isn't updated as frequently as it was back when projects were coming at us "fast and furious," we still love and enjoy every minute of our noTTafarm life. Thanks for being part of the journey!</div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>Stay Tuned for Our Next Adventure!</i></b></span></div>
Kristin and Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13548161482968062179noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2742594288742388613.post-46523351630395884632018-07-29T23:25:00.000-05:002018-07-29T23:31:47.190-05:00East Porch Re-Do UnderwayYou know how you get excited about a project and get after it for a couple of weeks . . . and then you sort of drift away from it to go do other stuff like mow or watch TV? Such is the way of a project we started Memorial Day weekend: a redo of the east porch off the 1972 entry. Read on to catch up on this somewhat pokey project.<br />
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For the last six years, this is what you've seen if you approached the 1972 front door. We haven't used this door since the 2012 courtyard door was installed so it's been a bit misleading to strangers, guests and the occasional delivery man.<br />
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When the construction crew added the brick to the courtyard, they created two brick pillars and added simple 4x4 posts to support the existing eave over the door. They nailed on some hastily prepared trim, added the old corbels, and sent us a bill for a day's work. We've been looking forward to doing something to spiff it up since then.<br />
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First step, of course, was demolition. Scott used a hammer and chisel to loosen the glue and remove the nails.<br />
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With the trim stripped away, we were left with a blank slate. </div>
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After some pondering, Scott decided to build boxes around the support posts, using 1x8 pine from good ol' Home Depot.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsNgXVSuwZLaXi2LP4iSrpAWFLXCzWfPiFJlQAT6UibwvYWK9-oSV9J16cZlgaFfZTmtQdX52N19j5gY1zOjF09CxbkCvA5X1HiHbmBWQXsOncbGl0ZIQZOLwkGSSub-agK6hWEMglymkd/s1600/East+Porch+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="857" data-original-width="1000" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsNgXVSuwZLaXi2LP4iSrpAWFLXCzWfPiFJlQAT6UibwvYWK9-oSV9J16cZlgaFfZTmtQdX52N19j5gY1zOjF09CxbkCvA5X1HiHbmBWQXsOncbGl0ZIQZOLwkGSSub-agK6hWEMglymkd/s320/East+Porch+6.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
I didn't take many photos of the wood being trimmed the correct length. Nor did I get any photos of each edge being mitered so the corners of the box fit together snugly. Please use your imagination. Also, pretend I took photos of myself giving two coats of primer to each side of each board.<br />
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To give Scott something to nail each side of the box to, he installed some furring strips to each face of the post.<br />
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As you know, there is one hard and fast rule for noTTafarm home improvement projects: a new power tool is necessary. This time, Scott was happy to finally justify the need for a biscuit joiner. He found a suitable Porter-Cable model at Menard's, and used it to cut intermittent slots along each of the mitered edges of the box pieces. When glued into the slots, the wood biscuits are received into a second board, therefore joining two boards together.<br />
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This photo shows the south post half-way clad with the box. You can see the slots along the edges which will receive biscuits to complete the box.<br />
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Once the four boards were connected, Scott used strap clamps to hold them together while the glue dried. He used the pneumatic nailer pretty liberally, too.<br />
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Once the boxes were up, the railing was temporarily placed (resting on chunks of wood.) We found the railing during an excursion Memorial Day weekend at Omaha's A&R Salvage. This panel - one of several they had in stock - happened to be the exact width needed to span the space between the two brick pillars. We were told that this railing was salvaged from the old Witherspoon mansion, a landmark of the Regency neighborhood until it was destroyed by fire in 2009.<br />
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Using leftover pieces of the 1x8 pine, Scott crafted some chunky trim for the base and top of each post. He then painted the finished boxes with two coats of SW 6203 Spare White. We were lucky enough to have leftovers from the original 2013 paint job; I just had to take it in and have the nice lady at Sherwin Williams remove a thick layer of congealed paint from the surface and give it a spin on the can shaker.<br />
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Two weeks after its start, the project was about 90% complete. This is when the aforementioned period of distraction began.<br />
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Finally, today (July 29) the railing was permanently attached to the brick pillars. Scott did have to fix one of the railing brackets but it just took a little searching in the basement for bolts and a little work from the hammer drill to get the job done.<br />
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<b><i><span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Ta Da!</span></i></b></div>
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I may be ta-da-ing a little too soon. We still need to power wash the railing and perhaps give it a coat of black spray paint. I also have plans to add a little color (stay tuned for that!) And, hopefully next year, we'll have a larger project to replace that 1972 door with a spiffy new window. </div>
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<span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>Stay Tuned for Our Next Adventure!</i></b></span></div>
Kristin and Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13548161482968062179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2742594288742388613.post-61162483962292741392018-06-10T20:43:00.001-05:002018-06-10T20:43:55.974-05:00One Step Closer to RealityMost of you know that my vision for our dining area is to have one, long table where as many as 16 can be seated. We've made do for the past (almost!) eight years by setting two or three tables in a row but it's never been my ideal. Scott and I have had many discussions about how he simply must build me the perfect table with lumber harvested from noTTafarm's own trees and a base that he designed. This table has taken its first step toward reality with the purchase of . . .<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivWbhfqWjl82iqSCuT8JvWMLWt8ZRIK9_99UIthXgsx08KXcseOdsoYOUrmDnE-I5TGoopjRdd8RZdhUyAZy_8V2uWodgt7jhDV9cuZlT_k0yuwtOAW6GRTZSTcgfmFnvQswPRHL_oAA4D/s1600/Table+Leg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="927" data-original-width="1000" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivWbhfqWjl82iqSCuT8JvWMLWt8ZRIK9_99UIthXgsx08KXcseOdsoYOUrmDnE-I5TGoopjRdd8RZdhUyAZy_8V2uWodgt7jhDV9cuZlT_k0yuwtOAW6GRTZSTcgfmFnvQswPRHL_oAA4D/s320/Table+Leg.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>. . . two vintage, steel industrial table legs!</i></b></span></div>
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We were at A&R Salvage on Friday, in search of something else (story to come) when we saw a selection of industrial table legs. We couldn't resist this set. Even though they are solid steel and heavy as heck, the thin profile and elegant curves are going to add a lot of style to our dining room.<br />
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Now we just need to figure out how to make the whole thing go together. We may use some of the planks milled from the locust tree we removed to build the great room addition, and Scott may figure out a way to make the table expandable. I'm just hopeful that it won't take (almost!) eight more years to complete.<br />
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<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>Stay Tuned for Our Next Adventure!</i></b></span></div>
Kristin and Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13548161482968062179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2742594288742388613.post-26566135148086885862018-06-10T20:25:00.002-05:002018-06-10T20:25:24.688-05:00Special Visitors for Uncle Scott's BirthdayOn June 4, we celebrated Scott's birthday with help from a whole bunch of Camps. Andrew and Kate traveled up from Stuttgart, Arkansas and Katie and Alessio flew in from Portland, Oregon to join the rest of the Omaha-based family for a big dinner at noTTafarm. We had such a great time, catching up and spending a few (too brief!) hours together.<br />
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The only thing that could have made this photo better was if Pat & Kathleen could have been with us, too! (From left, Kate & Alessio, Pete, and Andrew & Kate)<br />
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The BIG news from our Portland kids is there's a baby on the way! Kate and Alessio made the announcement at a gathering they organized on Saturday with Alessio's dad and sister. We are over-the-moon excited to have a great niece or nephew arriving around December 1st. Kate and Alessio aren't going to find out the gender until the birth so it will be a true surprise!<br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>We love you, Katie & Alessio!</i></b></span></div>
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Kristin and Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13548161482968062179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2742594288742388613.post-21961170056131412222018-05-30T15:02:00.004-05:002018-05-30T15:02:43.790-05:00Words for WednesdaynoTTafarmers have an affinity for cottonwood trees; there are several huge specimens around the acreage in varying stages of life. They continue to whisper to us as we go about the business of yard work and tending the garden. Be sure to listen during your next visit.<br />
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>Stay Tuned for Our Next Adventure!</i></b></span></div>
Kristin and Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13548161482968062179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2742594288742388613.post-86382303003472687362018-05-29T21:37:00.000-05:002018-05-29T21:37:01.108-05:00Garden Gets Goin' The vegetables were finally planted on May 22 - just in time for our first heat wave of the summer. This year, we are looking forward to eating and sharing: red bell peppers, tomatoes, broccoli, green beans, and rhubarb. Plus, we'll have decorative gourds and Indian corn for autumn decorating.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Scott added a bag of top soil to each of the four raised beds to replenish some of the volume lost over the last two years. This will be our third year of gardening!<br />
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We planted one bed with three rows of Triomphe de Farcy beans (aka skinny green beans). The gourd seeds were planted outside the east wall of the fence. Scott is hoping they climb the fence like they did last year. (I still need to get out there and get the Indian corn seeds planted.)<br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>The beds were ready to go and awaiting our helpers (Carl & Marita.) </i></span></div>
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Speaking of helpers...you just can't complete a task at noTTafarm without some help from a cat! Bibbers checked out the newly-planted tomatoes while Wilson patrolled the east fenceline. There are 8 total plants; 4 cherry and 4 standard size. I am anxious for my first BLT of the season!<br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Wilson checks on Dad and gets a bonus head-pat. Teamwork! </i></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Planting the gourd seeds.</span></i></div>
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By Memorial Day Weekend, the beans had sprouted. This shot was taken May 28 on day two of our 100-degree heatwave.<br />
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Marita decided to try broccoli this year instead of eggplant, a move I whole-heartedly agreed with! We've got six healthy plants, soaking up the sun. Yummy!</div>
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<b><i><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Stay Tuned for More Garden Progress!</span></i></b></div>
Kristin and Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13548161482968062179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2742594288742388613.post-78969376058964327562018-05-29T18:49:00.001-05:002018-05-29T18:49:40.999-05:00Girl PowerThe month of May has been quite spectacular for the noTTafarm family, particularly for the girls. We have celebrated the births of two baby girls, a Masters degree and a new business opportunity.<br />
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<b><i><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Our Niece, Chelsie . . . </span></i></b></div>
. . . has been selected as one of five finalists in a contest sponsored by Cozad (Nebr.) Economic Development and could soon be the proprietor of a new shop. The winner of the contest gets free rent in a downtown building and all sorts of professional assistance to get the first year of the business up and running. This photo is a still from a video describing her business idea that she produced and submitted. A final presentation will occur in a couple of weeks. I hope I soon get to post that "Sweet Water Outfitters" is open for business!<br />
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<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Our Niece, Karli . . .</i></b></span></div>
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. . . graduated on May 5 with a Masters degree in accounting from the University of South Dakota. She accepted a position with Lutz and moved lock, stock and kitties to Lincoln, Nebr. the day after graduation. Her new employer is giving her the summer to study for the CPA exam and will then start working in September. And on top of all this success, she and David are getting married in October!</div>
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<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Our Great Niece, Kree Julene . . .</i></b></span></div>
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. . . was born on May 16 at 4:44 pm, weighing 6 lbs., 14 oz. and measuring 20 inches long. She is the perfect little replica of big sister, Kitra. Her middle name was created by combining the names of Tyler's grandmother (my mommy) Jolene and Monica's grandmother, Judith. A wonderful tribute!</div>
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<b><i><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> Our Great Niece, Charlee Samantha . . . </span></i></b></div>
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. . . was born on May 19 at 11:50 am, weighing 7 lbs., 4 oz. and measuring 21 inches long. She is going to have a great life as the youngest of four girls (and as the cousin of baby Kree!) Big sisters (from L to R in this picture) are Bailee, Allie and Maggie. Nick and Brooke picked the name Charlee to reflect generations of Wards named "Charles." We can't wait to see these six little girls in action!</div>
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<b><i><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Congratulations, Girls!</span></i></b></div>
Kristin and Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13548161482968062179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2742594288742388613.post-13725939703786246622018-05-21T14:42:00.000-05:002018-05-21T14:42:12.534-05:00Won't You Be Our Neighbor?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="text-align: start;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Have we got a deal for you.</i></b></span></span></div>
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Actually, it's not our deal to offer but we do hope something good happens when our neighbors to the south sell their 22-acre pasture. It's been recently listed for sale and the realtor's description suggests that the land could be divided into multiple home sites. We are holding out hope that a single buyer will come forward to build their own dream acreage, maybe with a sweet horse or herd of mini donkeys. A suburban development including streets and all the associated traffic would definitely take some of the charm out of our quiet country living. So, if you know someone nice that wants to build in the beautiful rolling hills north of the metro, be sure to pass along this info. Or don't. We're not in any hurry. 😉<br />
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>Stay Tuned for Our Next Adventure!</i></b></span></div>
Kristin and Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13548161482968062179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2742594288742388613.post-31691243334004641912018-05-20T18:54:00.001-05:002018-05-20T19:03:17.740-05:00"Some" Assembly Required<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The first tool purchase of the new season has been made. Scott decided it would be a good idea to have a fertilizer/seed spreader to pull behind the mower. It would make spreading fertilizer much easier than walking a standard spreader around our multi-acre yard. He did his research and placed an order through Northern Tool. A few days later, assembly began. </div>
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The Agri-Fab spreader has a 175-pound capacity (which is great) but it was delivered in a big box of loose parts. Scott sorted all of the nuts and bolts on the garage floor and carefully followed the 15-page assembly manual.<br />
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<b><i><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Assembly was a slow and steady process. </span></i></b></div>
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The spreader also has a row of spiked wheels to aerate as it gets pulled along.<br />
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This is one of the diagrams included in the assembly manual. You can see why it took over 5 hours to assemble! Scott spent one entire Sunday, sitting on the driveway, putting this thing together. Once it was all together, he discovered that the hitch would not align with the back of the mower.<br />
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It took Scott another afternoon to hewn an adapter that would help the tongue of the spreader line up with the back of the mower. Luckily, he has a stash of steel in the barn. He found an appropriate piece, cut it to the right size and shape, grind off the sharp edges, drill bolt holes in the mower deck and the steel, add two coats of spray paint, and then bolt the whole thing together. Perfection in fabrication and utilization!<br />
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He was finally able to hook it up and spread 4 big bags of weed-and-feed around the property.<br />
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After all that work, it was a relief to have it operating correctly. Our yard should be dandelion free and lush and green. Get ready to run around barefooted! </div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzKYSIl32GLWpxvazCuBSS7EBURaIdxoFNsJEwqpoyjb4AyaWUGGHwq91gLemqkhRkVXouRHRPvhqF3LOWGJA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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Check out this short video clip of the spreader in action! Good job, Scotty!</div>
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>Stay Tuned for Our Next Adventure!</i></b></span></div>
Kristin and Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13548161482968062179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2742594288742388613.post-14790875659943692822018-05-20T18:10:00.000-05:002018-05-20T18:10:13.215-05:00Spring's First Flowers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5jLKVzN6aQEdubQP5suREcUZGj12j9WQp-2_kBZhqDTDuAahmv43qTTpDcReZvqTZT9DQzyUO7MfDRZ-fNog-3_gUldAtsDKrBxNL5ZaKKloT1fhAxniS6bB51uNIWvEqUQ_WCSIvqEvw/s1600/Tree+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="750" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5jLKVzN6aQEdubQP5suREcUZGj12j9WQp-2_kBZhqDTDuAahmv43qTTpDcReZvqTZT9DQzyUO7MfDRZ-fNog-3_gUldAtsDKrBxNL5ZaKKloT1fhAxniS6bB51uNIWvEqUQ_WCSIvqEvw/s320/Tree+1.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
Don't you just love the first blossoms of Spring? We are lucky to have a beautiful crab apple tree in the east yard that puts on a great show.<br />
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It's just too bad that the blossoms are so short-lived. We should invest in more flowering trees so we can enjoy bigger bursts of color each Spring.<br />
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Even the wild plum bushes along the driveway are briefly beautiful. Happily, it won't be too much longer and I'll be able to share photos of peonies, poppies and other blooming posies.<br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i><b>Stay Tuned for Our Next Adventure!</b></i></span></div>
Kristin and Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13548161482968062179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2742594288742388613.post-72747975880796881132018-05-20T17:51:00.002-05:002018-05-20T17:51:45.869-05:00Finally - a Sunny Spring SaturdayIt was late April by the time the weekend coincided with warm weather. Naturally, we chose to celebrate the beauty of Spring by working in the yard.<br />
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To reduce stress on the mower, we raked the pinecones and needles in the south yard. Literally tons of pinecones had fallen over the fall and winter.<br />
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We scooped them all up and put them on a tarp in the back of the trailer. (Of course, we had to get the Ranger and trailer out; it wouldn't be a fun noTTafarm work day without them!)<br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Full trailer = proof of work produced </i></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">One of the neat things about pinecones is how fast they burn. </span></i></div>
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Wilson has been so happy to welcome warm weather back to noTTafarm. He's back to his usual full-day-outside schedule and patrols the yard regularly.<br />
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<i><b><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Stay Tuned for Our Next Adventure!</span></b></i></div>
Kristin and Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13548161482968062179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2742594288742388613.post-18049080962290155002018-05-20T17:28:00.001-05:002018-05-20T17:28:52.716-05:00Draft DodgerSpring took its time getting to the Omaha area this year so we tried to break up our TV-watching time by doing tasks inside the house. One gloomy day, Scott chose to add some insulation to the tippy-toppy peak of the great room ceiling. It's one of those tasks that he wanted to do for years but just needed the incentive of feeling cold air streaming above his head to kick him into gear.<br />
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<i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This pipe insulation was just the ticket to fill the gap along the peak. </span></i></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>The big extension ladder was called in for the job. I was in charge of watching from below, poised to dial 9-1-1, if needed.</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhZLYX7z-dP9reClBeZly8tM35UZcL0qxpOFpwjIWsaE9mrQ6fjQDZ_FoZTRlwQJRd0poOjrhO7HhVebgExf21XCScbI70N-2ox1MhlS2uto0MBV1b4JTMoHOPonnrSYPHcEgGmGTl23ca/s1600/March+10+-+3+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #444444;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="750" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhZLYX7z-dP9reClBeZly8tM35UZcL0qxpOFpwjIWsaE9mrQ6fjQDZ_FoZTRlwQJRd0poOjrhO7HhVebgExf21XCScbI70N-2ox1MhlS2uto0MBV1b4JTMoHOPonnrSYPHcEgGmGTl23ca/s320/March+10+-+3+.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><a href="http://nottafarm.blogspot.com/2012/08/staining-in-rain-is-pain.html" target="_blank">Remember</a> way back when, when we stained all of those boards out in the yard to get them ready for installation? I miss those good ol' days (sometimes.)</i></span> </span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The task was short in duration but gave Scott piece of mind. Hopefully, we will keep a bit warmer next winter.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Stay Tuned for Our Next Adventure!</b></span></i></div>
Kristin and Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13548161482968062179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2742594288742388613.post-48229600692247533342018-02-28T20:17:00.001-06:002018-02-28T20:17:22.554-06:00Just Under the WireIt's the final day of February - my last chance to update the blog this month. Since I began writing in August, 2010 (yes - nearly eight years ago!) I've published 650 posts. While that seems like a lot, it's still disappointing when I don't have any news to share.<br />
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Basically, it's like this: we are unmotivated lumps.<br />
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It's cold outside and there's not much sunshine. It's much easier to sit on the couch, cover up with an afghan, cuddle with a cat or two and turn on the TV. I am hopeful that with the turn of the calendar tomorrow, we will be able to find some much-needed motivation. I still have plans to remodel the basement bathroom and transform the 1972 basement room into a craft/guest room. Of course, I need Scott to do most of the work to make my plans come to life (and to help create content for the blog.)<br />
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But not everything is bleak here at noTTafarm. We did manage to do one small project. There are finally shelves in the closet on the connector landing, nearly five years after the completion of the addition.<br />
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Before the connector was built this closet on the north side of the bathroom opened into the 1920 hallway. The window was replaced with a door.<br />
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Since then, the closet has held our suitcases and whatever we could stack on top of them (usually just toilet paper, tissues and paper towels.)<br />
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I did the research and found a chrome wire shelving unit in the perfect size. A week or so after ordering, it was ready for pick-up at Home Depot.<br />
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We've assembled plenty of these over our time together but we somehow managed to get snippy with each other. I stood back and let Scott do the work, busying myself by taking photos.<br />
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With a few final taps of the rubber mallet, the shelf was ready.<br />
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<i><b><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Ta Da!</span></b></i></div>
Our suitcases fit perfectly below the bottom shelf, and now we have plenty of room to stock up on household necessities. Good job, us!<br />
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>Stay Tuned for Our Next Adventure!</i></b></span></div>
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I promise we'll do something this month.</div>
Kristin and Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13548161482968062179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2742594288742388613.post-8232996955448752302018-01-14T16:05:00.004-06:002018-01-14T16:27:39.178-06:00'twas the Season for Sparkle & ShineMaybe someday, I'll be one of those people that thinks putting a tree up means you're done decorating for Christmas. Until then, I'll continue to carry the tubs out of the basement and thoughtfully add fake pine and felt mistletoe and yards of ribbon to every nook and cranny. Here are some of this year's highlights:<br />
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<ul>
<li>Picture frame with chicken wire to which our Christmas cards were clipped</li>
<li>Entry hall table with lumberjack theme </li>
<li>Christmas Pfaltgraff blended with red and green-toned Fiesta on the kitchen shelves</li>
</ul>
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<ul>
<li>Mantel dressed with lighted pine garland, galvanized-shaded lights. Deer ready for Christmas with red pom nose and wreath headdress</li>
<li>Library fireplace dressed with a fruit-and-gold theme</li>
<li>Library buffet and table</li>
<li>Parlor and kitchen entry (with kitchen-theme ornaments on lighted garland)</li>
</ul>
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And, of course, the tree:<br />
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This year's beauty was from Earl May - a 9 ft. Frasier fir. Did you know that they will deliver your tree if it's bigger than 6 ft. tall -- for free!? Helped relieve the typical stress of hauling an oversized tree all the way to noTTafarm.<br />
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As if decorating noTTafarm wasn't enough fun, I was also responsible for decorating my church's sanctuary (under the direction of our Minister of Worship, Rev. Jerry Brabec.) We were especially proud of this year's effort!<br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><i><span style="color: #666666;"> I hope you had a</span><span style="color: #990000;"> sparkly, </span><span style="color: #f1c232;">bright</span><span style="color: #990000;">, </span><span style="color: #3d85c6;">glittery</span><span style="color: #990000;">, </span><span style="color: #cc0000;">velvety</span><span style="color: #990000;">, </span><span style="color: #38761d;">beaded </span><span style="color: #990000;">Christmas!</span></i></b></span></div>
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Kristin and Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13548161482968062179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2742594288742388613.post-23305059105558353932018-01-14T15:23:00.001-06:002018-01-14T15:23:34.458-06:00Cookie TraditionMy buddy Leigh Anne and I have been baking and frosting Christmas sugar cookies every year for close to (or over?) 20 years. It's always an enjoyable day when we get together and this year was no exception.<br />
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Leigh Anne's daughter, Meredith, brought along her friend, Mia for her first cookie-decorating adventure. They are both 7th graders and fans of YouTube and Stranger Things and all sorts of other stuff unrecognizable to old ladies like me. They both did a great job!<br />
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Thanks, Leigh Anne, Meredith and Mia for a wonderful afternoon!</div>
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>Stay Tuned for Our Next (Baking) Adventure!</i></b></span></div>
Kristin and Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13548161482968062179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2742594288742388613.post-82769780972653022552018-01-14T14:48:00.000-06:002018-01-14T14:48:36.129-06:00Christmas Day Filled with FamilyIt's not often that we've had both Camps and Wards visit on the same day so Christmas Day was extra special. Our family-filled day began with the Camps desending upon noTTafarm for brunch followed by a visit from nephew Nick, Brooke and their three girls in the afternoon. It was such a wonderful day!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Christmas Eve, we were still prepping. Scott was a super good helper and even dipped the pretzels with a smile. They were delicious!<br />
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After we got home from church late on Christmas Eve, I still had many presents to wrap. Luckily, I was inspired by my retro-styled scottie dog wrapping paper and plaid ribbon. So cute!<br />
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It wouldn't be a great Christmas day without our great niece, Sophie.<br />
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Sophie created a personalized painting for us as her gift. Featured on the canvas are four kitties with nametags on their collars (Wilson, Bibbers, Leo and Rocket) plus a Scotty dog - all wearing colorful Christmas sweaters. We are proud of this "Sophie Original" and have displayed it upstairs near the guest rooms.<br />
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Our nephew, Andrew, and his girlfriend, Kate, were home from Arkansas. They are both teaching high school in Stuttgart and considering beginning a Masters' program soon.<br />
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<i><b><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The newest Mr. & Mrs. Camp (Jeff and Tanya) </span></b></i></div>
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Pat & Kathleen were in Portland and Kate & Alessio were in Italy - but we were able to chat with them all via the miracle of Facetime (and nephew Pete's technological know-how.)<br />
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Just when you think you don't need a thing . . . presents! So many lovely gifts were exchanged, including:<br />
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Carl took this photo of our barn and then had it placed in a lovely mat and frame. It now graces a wall in the great room. Beautiful!<br />
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Miss Sophie counted all the change that was in the unicorn bank we gave her (upwards of $16!)<br />
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Kate and Andrew gave Sophie a robot. She had alot of fun figuring out how to make it do tricks.<br />
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i> Sophie & Kristin Selfie</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Batten down the hatches! </i></b></span></div>
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The Ward girls arrived at about 2 o'clock (along with their mommy and daddy.) How fun to have these three little balls of energy join us for the afternoon. (That's one-year-old Bailee making a run for it with big sisters Allie and Maggie.)</div>
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Maggie and Allie "posing" for me.</div>
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Allie got a really cute kid-sized Polaroid camera from Santa. Here she takes a snap of Leo who was trying to avoid all the ruckus by hiding under the tree.<br />
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Allie joined in a rowdy card game of Spoons with many of the Camps. Kate taught everyone how to play and Pete, Sophie and Andrew helped Allie catch on. It was great to see both sides of the family represented in the competition. After the Camps departed, Allie challenged Brooke and I to a few rounds; she tried every trick she could to win every hand.<br />
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i style="font-weight: bold;"> The Wards will add Baby Girl #4 to the family in May. </i>💜</span></div>
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After everyone left and the house was quiet, Scott built a fire and we were able to relax. A wonderful end to a wonderful day.</div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>We Hope You Enjoyed Your Christmas! </i></b></span></div>
Kristin and Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13548161482968062179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2742594288742388613.post-69515903173658035342017-12-28T23:15:00.000-06:002017-12-28T23:15:15.211-06:00Graduation Gathering Subs for Christmas in KearneyRather than the traditional trip to Kearney for dinner and gifts, the Ward family gathered in Lincoln on December 15/16 to celebrate the graduation of our nephew, Joe. He earned his bachelor of science in ag econ from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Before he crossed the stage Saturday morning at the Pinnacle Bank Arena, we kicked-off the fun with a party Friday night. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Niece Chelsie helped organize the party at the Embassy Suites in downtown Lincoln. We had our own private party room and could goof around without annoying other restaurant patrons. It was so good to see nephew Clark! He is busy with his sophomore year (also at UNL) and is enjoying his Geology/Biology coursework.<br />
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Mother-of-the-Grad, my sister Karolyn (<i>right</i>) invited her bestie and husband to Lincoln for the festivities. Julie and Hal are super people so it was great to have them with us.<br />
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Our sister-in-law LuAnn got a chance to catch up with niece Karli. She will earn a master's degree in May from the University of South Dakota. (Go, Yotes!) AND get married on October 7. Lots of fun coming up in 2018!<br />
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i> My brothers and uncles-of-the-grad, Tim & Mark.</i></span></div>
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Joe invited several of his brothers from Acacia Fraternity to the party. (This was Scott's fraternity, too, so it brought back many memories of the fun he used to have.)<br />
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Kitra and her gramma enjoyed the party. </i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i> She's got style, that cutie pie.</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i> The original Ward kids (Kristin, Karolyn, Tim and Mark) looking cute!</i></span></div>
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Karli gave her little brother Clark lots of attention. They were antipating the semester break with their parents (Tim and Teresa) and Karli's fiance (David) in sunny & warm Phoenix.<br />
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We were all up and at 'em early Saturday morning since graduation started at 9:30. With nearly 2,000 graduates, there were a lot of faces to scan - but Chelsie caught Joe's face on the big screen.<br />
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Post-graduation photo session with Joe's dad, Alan. </i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>The proud graduate!</i></span></div>
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I apologize for missing photo opportunities with the rest of the family, including both sets of Joe's grandparents. I took lots of photos with everyone's cameras but mine. Typical!</div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>Stay Tuned for Joe's Great Adventure!</i></b></span></div>
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Kristin and Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13548161482968062179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2742594288742388613.post-15559758214758969842017-12-28T22:12:00.000-06:002017-12-28T22:12:06.445-06:00Mile High B'sWhen the opportunity arose to see both my buddy (noTTafarm SuperFriend Amy B.) and one of our mutual heroes (Joe Biden) in one swoop, I packed a bag and jumped on a plane for a quick trip to Denver. Since moving from Omaha in May, I had been looking for an excuse to visit the Brummet family's new home so this trip was a "win" all-around. <div>
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On tour to promote his book, "Promise Me Dad," Mr. Biden made an appearance on Saturday evening, December 2nd, at downtown Denver's Paramount Theatre. But since my flight arrived early in the morning, Amy had an activity planned - namely baking and frosting sugar cookies with Tripp and Brenna. It was fun to keep our tradition of baking Christmas cookies going!</div>
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<span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i> Amy gave Brenna a quick pep talk with pup Tank listening in for good measure.</i></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The Brummets' new neighborhood is great, and Tripp (now in Kindergarten) & Brenna have made many new friends.</span></i><br />
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Brenna did a great job of rolling out the dough and Tripp was an excellent cutter. Amy and I completed the frosting portion of the fun while the kids played outside in the 60+-degree sunshine.<br />
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Our plans for dinner before the show were thwarted by a massive traffic jam downtown. Many activities, including a ball at the convention center and a holiday lights parade, closed city streets and brought hoards of people. It took us over an hour to find a parking place within a mile of the theatre. Luckily, we found our seats and had a moment to catch our breath before Mr. Biden was introduced. His 90-minute presentation was inspirational and entertaining. Afterward, we (finally!) ate dinner at a great Italian restaurant where I enjoyed a ridiculously delicious butternut squash pizza.<br />
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Before I left for the airport Sunday early afternoon, we all huddled around the iPad to watch the formal press conference from the University, announcing the hire of Scott Frost as the new head coach of the football team. Pretty exciting for us Cornhuskers!<br />
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<span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Brenna and Tripp were not as impressed with the press conference.</i></span></div>
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Thank you, Amy and Monte, Tripp and Brenna, for your warm hospitality!</div>
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<span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>Stay Tuned for Our Next Adventure!</i></b></span></div>
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Kristin and Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13548161482968062179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2742594288742388613.post-9405057774914318002017-11-12T23:05:00.002-06:002017-11-12T23:05:54.258-06:00Two Saws Are Better Than OneYou know your husband really loves you when he buys you a chainsaw for your birthday. What girl wouldn't want her very own 14" cordless chainsaw, powered by a 40V lithium battery?<br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Expertly adorned with a single red bow, of course!</i></span></div>
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Following a week of gray, cold weather, today (November 12) was 54 degrees and sunny - the perfect opportunity to test out my new toy. </div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Scott loaded the Ranger with his Stihl Farm Boss and my new Ryobi for an afternoon of fun. </i></span></div>
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Our first subject tree was a long-dead tree of unidentified species near the east end of the driveway, just one of several that should be culled.<br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>My cheesy smile tells you that I was excited to give the new saw a try! </i></span></div>
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For the last few years, the green leaves on this tree were actually part of a huge grapevine. The vine was twisted all over and around the tree which made removing the whole thing a tangled, unwieldy mess. <br />
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Scott used the Ranger's winch to drag several big bundles of gnarly branches to the east burn pile - plus we pulled four loads on the trailer. Trees always seem to be bigger once they're on the ground! In addition to this tree, we took out a couple along the fencerow facing the street and four cedars on the north side of the east pasture. We certainly got a good day's work done before quitting time.<br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>All that's left is that little stump...</i></span></div>
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As weather permits, we'll continue to clean up dead and otherwise undesireable trees. My new saw worked great, and I'm really happy that I've been promoted from my previous position of branch-picker-upper. Of course, the best part was just getting to hang out in the sunshine with my Scotty.</div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i><b>Stay Tuned for Our Next Adventure!</b></i></span></div>
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Kristin and Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13548161482968062179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2742594288742388613.post-35251952191280048942017-11-12T18:54:00.001-06:002017-11-12T18:54:18.715-06:00noTTafarm Visitors Keep Us Hoppin'While we haven't had any big projects to work on of late, we have kept busy with visits by friends and family. I would be remiss if I didn't notify our vast readership and remind each of you that We Love Visitors!<br />
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Since moving to Denver in May, we have missed noTTafarm Super Friends, the Brummets. What a treat to have Monte, Amy, Brenna and Tripp visit for a few hours on Sunday, October 22nd. It was a perfectly beautiful autumn afternoon so we had a small bonfire and roasted hot dogs and s'mores.<br />
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<i><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Bibbers just had to climb all over everyone, even Monte. Silly cat.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Amy helping Brenna with her marshmallows. I can't believe our little buddy just turned 9 years old! </span></i></div>
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Tripp was happiest when taking rides in the Ranger. Scott was happy to oblige! Tripp is really enjoying kindergarten.</i></span></div>
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My buddy, Amy, and I will be together the first weekend of December. I'm heading to Denver so we can go to an appearance by Joe Biden. While I'm there, we're going to bake some sugar cookies and blueberry pancakes. It will be awesome!<br />
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<i><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Never leave your phone unattended . . . </span></i></div>
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Brenna and Tripp took plenty of entertaining selfies.</div>
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Shortly after the Brummets left, my baby brother Tim stopped by. He was in Omaha with Teresa for a few days and since she needed to get some work done, he came over to sit and watch me do housework and entertain me with stories of his exciting life in Sioux Falls.</div>
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Hi, Timmy!</i></span></div>
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Tim was supposed to bring me two pieces of Fiesta that he bought at my behest. . .but since he left it at the house, Karli and DJ were kind enough to drop it off on their way out of town. <span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Bonus!</i> </span>I got to chat with them for a few minutes before they hit the road for Vermillion. It's just under a year until their "Big Day!"<br />
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Speaking of Big Days. . .Jeff & Tanya chose to tie the knot on Saturday, October 21. The thunderstorms threatened but stayed clear of their front yard nuptials. It was a lovely ceremony and we're glad to have an "official" sister-in-law.<br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Congratulations, Jeff & Tanya!</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">All hands were on deck to get noTTafarm in order for a rather impromptu reunion of my sorority. I responded to a post with a casual "we can do it at my house" comment on Facebook -- and the next thing I knew, 15 alumni of Kappa Delta (Pi Chapter) made plans to meet two weeks later on Sunday, October 29. </span></div>
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Many of us hadn't seen each other for over 30 years but when each girl walked in the door, it was like time had never moved past 1986. What a joy to welcome these amazing women to noTTafarm! (And of course, Bibbers had to get in the group photo.)<br />
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I had this vision of a facsimile of our sorority crest, created of twigs, and serving as a "welcome wreath" at the front door. Scott went above and beyond the call and not only helped me harvest appropriate branches but figured out the orientation of each section and used the chop saw to trim to just the right size. I served as the glue-gunner and overall stylist. It was a big hit with the girls - and now Scott and I are going to go into the fake Greek crest business. Probably be millionaires in a year or so.<br />
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Whew! That's a lot of activities for one month! Now as we gear up for the holidays . . .you should<br />
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<b><i><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Stay Tuned for Our Next Adventure!</span></i></b></div>
Kristin and Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13548161482968062179noreply@blogger.com0