One Decade Down

Happy Birthday, noTTafarm!

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. 

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...

Stay Tuned for Our Next Adventure!

Happy Birthday, noTTafarm! 🎂🍻

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. 

What's your favorite memory of noTTafarm? I hope it's a happy one.

As always . . . 

Stay Tuned for Our Next Adventure!

Summer Has Arrived

We've got more than flowers blooming at noTTafarm . . . check out this big spider web!

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.)

Speaking of flowers . . . the weather has been favorable for some fantastic blooms:

Stay Tuned for Our Next Adventure!

Hello, 2019 - Where Have You Been?

I know that you 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. 

I've Got Good News! 

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 can describe our efforts:

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.

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. 

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. 

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. 

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.

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.

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.

 A little stompin' does the trick to level and position a block.

We made quick progress the first evening. 

 It was amazing to see the transformation after just 17 blocks were in place. Onward!

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. 

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.  

  We loaded the ties onto the trailer for disposal. 

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.

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."

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. 

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.

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. 

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.

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.

The east side.

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.
Stay Tuned for Our Next Adventure!

Last Blast for 2*0*1*8

Remember 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!

My end-of-the-year gift to you is a brief review of the last five months of life at noTTafarm. Enjoy!

Benson Days ~ St. Paul Pie Stand ~ July 27

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.

Vacation ~ Santa Fe, New Mexico ~ August 4-6

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!

Wet Basement ~ August 10

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.)

Garden

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.

Karli's Bridal Shower ~ August 25

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!"

Kate's Baby Shower ~ September 8

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! (Spoiler alert:  Luca Camp De Cesare was born on November 28 and is just the sweetest!)

Junk Jaunt ~ September 28/29

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.)

Wedding Prep ~ September & October

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. :)

The Big Day ~ Karli's Wedding ~ October 6

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!

Kappa Delta Reunion ~ October 14

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!

Wilson ~ October 18

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.

Sweet Water Outfitters ~ November 23

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 (@ShopSWOCozad) and Instagram(@sweetwatercozad) and shop online: www.shopsweetwateroutfitters.com)

Cookie Baking ~ December 16

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!

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 . . .

🎉Happy New Year!🎉

Stay Tuned for Our Next Adventure!

Happy Birthday, noTTafarm!

Eight is Great

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!

Stay Tuned for Our Next Adventure!

East Porch Re-Do Underway

You 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.

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.

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.

First step, of course, was demolition. Scott used a hammer and chisel to loosen the glue and remove the nails.

With the trim stripped away, we were left with a blank slate. 

After some pondering, Scott decided to build boxes around the support posts, using 1x8 pine from good ol' Home Depot.

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.

To give Scott something to nail each side of the box to, he installed some furring strips to each face of the post.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Two weeks after its start, the project was about 90% complete. This is when the aforementioned period of distraction began.

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.

Ta Da!

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. 

Stay Tuned for Our Next Adventure!