Let's Build a Picnic Table!

Scott thought it would be a nice idea to have a picnic table at NoTTafarm.  I thought it would be a nice break from "hard labor" for him and his dad to build one.  Of course, when two Camp men take on a project, there is a lot of measuring and thinking and pondering and re-measuring even before the first board is cut to size.  They spent a good portion of Saturday on the construction, working past dark with the trouble light illuminating the work area.  The seats were added Sunday afternoon.  After the wood dries out, we'll give it a good coat of stain or paint (after a proper sanding, of course).

Carl steadies the lumber as Scott adds the first screw to the table top.

Going over the blueprints (again).

Positioning the first table leg.

Hey!  It's really starting to look like something!

Meanwhile, Marita and I got dinner
ready; she made her famous baked beans.  Yum!

Smokey Joe called into service for Saturday supper.

The smell of the burgers cooking attracted our corn crib cat.

We previously thought he was wild but upon closer

 inspection (through the telephoto lens) we've decided he probably

lives next door.  Carl has named him "Bibbers" after everyone

poo-pooed my idea of "Santa Leo" (get it?  Because he looks

like our Leo wearing a Santa beard?  OK, maybe not).

Sunday was sunny and winnnnddddyyy!  The boys
had just a few final adjustments to complete.

The finished product!
Who's ready for dinner?

Phriday Photo Phun

We finally got smart and placed the camera on the tri-pod, set the self-timer, and let the shutter do all the work.  We're pretty proud of the way these turned out; the barn looks quite glamorous in the dark.

ISO was set on 200 and had a 25 second exposure.

Taken just after 9PM.

The yard light casts a green glow on everything.

Spooky Architect Lurking in the Doorway.

(He had to hold really still.)

A view of the barn's west side.
ISO 100 with a 30 second exposure.

Bonfire Friday No. 2

NoTTafarm's previous owners left us with a smattering of wood piles throughout the property. It seems that when a tree fell over, that's where the limbs were cut into logs and stacked. One such pile is adjacent to the driveway near the house so Scott set his sights on this particular pile as the fuel for tonight's bonfire. I helped a little by pulling a wagon full of logs (made easier by the state of the wood - not much meat left...mostly air).

Scott loads one of the half-rotten logs into the wagon.

Scott hauled some cinder blocks from the corn crib to
create at cinder-proof border around the fire pit.

Another Beautiful Bonfire!

All in the Details

The wonder that is NoTTafarm . . .

Clothespins wait for something to do.

The outhouse is surrounded by snake-friendly junk.  
Exploring will have to wait until snake hibernation season.

See the cicada on the branch?  What?  I can't hear you

above the buzzing of the cicadas!

The Windmill

Go, Scotty, Go!

Al Fresco

It was such a beautiful day in Omaha today! Even Bill Randby, my favorite TV weatherman, called it "spectacular" and he's rarely incorrect. Scott suggested we grill out dinner at NoTTafarm and enjoy an evening in the country. Nothing too fancy - just grilled chicken sandwiches and fruit - but oh so delicious when dining and watching the sun set over NoTTafarm Forest.

Smokey Joe gets called in to action.

This works pretty well until our "real" patio furniture moves out next year.

Scott heads out for a walk on the trail.

Checking out the trees on the trail.

Sun is beginning to set.

A gorgeous view!

Almost below the trees.

Who is this old lady and how did she get onto this blog?

Fall is definitely in the air!

Meet Our Neighbors

You might expect "southern neighbors" to speak with a drawl while serving sweet tea on the veranda. NoTTafarm's southern neighbors however offer a different breed of gentility. 

Good fences make good neighbors.

They're quick to swat away flies; they're loyal to their family; they know their boundaries and never stop by unannounced.  

Yes - they're Longhorns!

  

The neighbors are good listeners.

Have Barn, Will Store Stuff

Saturday was insufferably hot.  We had the trifecta of heat at noTTafarm:  temps in the high '90s, high humidity, and no breeze.

While Marita and I gave up and went inside to vacuum and pull up staples, Carl and Scott braved the heat to get some work done.  Carl spent the better part of the day tearing apart a homemade wheelchair ramp that had been discarded in the brush pile.  He harvested a bucket full of nails and brackets plus several perfectly usable 2x6s ("treated southern pine", says Scott.)  

The boys took advantage of the barn's loft storage, hoisting the lumber to its new home.

Good job, Camps!

Carl stacks his bounty from a day of hard work.

Hoisting the lumber up to the loft.

Gardening Tip #1

If you are looking for a way to block weeds from growing in your flower beds and for some reason think that nylon carpet squares will do the trick . . . they don't.

Please keep carpet remnants indoors where they belong.

This has been a message from NoTTafarm Forest's master gardener.

Who Needs a Tractor When a Tow Rope Will Do?

Scott is a genius!

Using the Tree Saw

To improve the view of NoTTafarm's forest, he trimmed a few lower branches off a pine tree in the yard west of the house.  He piled 'em up, wrapped the tow rope around, tied it to the Escape's bike rack, and drove the whole pile to the waste heap.

Getting the Tow Rope Ready

Pulling the Pile Around

Driving the Pile to Its New Home

Good Job!

The First of Many: Bonfire Friday!

One thing NoTTafarm has no shortage of is firewood.  It's available in every size, shape, and stage of deterioration.  Why not burn a little each week and try to get the inventory under control?  Today was humid, sunny, and about 88 degrees - the perfect weather for the beginning of a fun NoTTafarm Tradition! 

Getting started

He did a good job!

Bring Your Marshmallows!

Sights 'round NoTTafarm

The Barn, Looking from the East

View of the House from Under the Walnut Tree

The Corn Crib - needs a little foundation work (and maybe some siding)

The Western Slope

The House, Looking from the West

 The West Side of the House

The Gleaner Has a Home on the East Side