Trailer Trash...

It's early May on Windy Hill...and just for the record, we've not always been "Trailer Trash".

Yes, it may be accurate to say we live in an 8' x 30' trailer - but it started life as a swanky "RV" and it does have 3 slide outs!

OK, yes it does have an ugly, sea foam green  skirt around it...but it still has the wheels on underneath - it could RV again!

And Yes, it may be true that one of us likes to decorate with blue plastic tarps...

But it's mainly for when we're having parties!

And it may be true that we had a refrigerator in the front yard...

But it was only for a few days - until we could get it moved...now it's working in the shed!

OK, OK, so we have a vehicle under a tarp in the hedge row...

But it's a Dune Buggy, so it's not your common "Chevy in the hedge row"...and it's not like it's up on cinder blocks!

And OK, Yes, we have been known to hold extended day-long Corn Hole competitions...but we don't have matching team shirts with our names on the front and "Johnsonville Brauts" embroidered on the back.

But hmmm...that WAS before Judy got her embroidery machine...so MAYBE we could???

Nah, we'll just add our names to the front of our matching orange and neon green shirts.

And Yes, we do feed the local stray feral cats, but at least not on the porch.

Course there's not really room for the cat food bowl on the pallet we use for a porch, but still, we have standards...

OK...so maybe we are just a wee little bit Trailer Trash...

But we won't always be!

The house plans are done...the red lines complete...the structural engineers are finished...the blueprints are stamped...

And the race has officially started.

The Builder is on board, a well respected local, known for building tight well-built homes, and he only lives half a mile away.

And we attended our first Nelson Township monthly Board meeting -  with all 8 people in attendance.  Although it was just me and one other local busy body who were not part of the Town Board or Committee members!

But we endured the entire meeting...and we now have our officially approved - - - Land Use Permit - - - and received a formal "Welcome to the Community" from the Town Supervisor!

It only cost $25 dollars to be a respected member of Nelson Township (but we'll always be "flat-landers" to them!)

The local Building Inspector has a copy of the stamped plans, along with our formal request for a Build Permit, so another check for $3000 (Dad was never paid that kind of money when he was the Building Code Enforcement Officer!)

So three more items on the 'Must Do' list are complete - only 9,997 more to go...

Unfortunately, these may have been the easiest tasks in the house building process!

Remember the post about what you can learn by going through hell?

Well, we're getting a full education as we go through Construction Cost Quote hell with Joe Biden's inflation running rampant...

Life sure was easier when we were happy with just being Trailer Trash!

Let the adventure continue...

May the Fourth Be With You...

Spring is happening at Windy Hill...finally!

Saturday was a spectacular 65 degree, bright sunny day with a slight breeze from the North, keeping humidity low.

A welcomed day for working outside with long sleeves and not breaking a sweat.

And a great day to walk Windy Hill...

         ...to take comfort in what has been completed...

                      ...and to review what still needs to be done!

Last fall we planted about 500 flower bulbs...seriously it was 500.  We are now seeing the results, and since Daffodils self propagate...there should be lots more over time.

Though listed as not touched by deer...ours were nibbled when they first emerged.

But not too badly!

And a few more.

We planted the 500 in groups of 30 to 40 bulbs.  So color has been scattered about in lots of spots across the property.

And remember the Fire Breathing Dragon post that highlighted the destruction and carnage from over a year ago? 

Below is one of the areas since cleaned up with 50 hours of landscape raking, slash cleanup...and about 60 stumps ground down into sawdust.

We're just waiting for the leaves to emerge and the grass to grow in the Windy Hill Park...

Oh, and the bird houses were built mostly by the Windy Hillers, and the rest were Amish built.

Twelve so far...but we've only just begun!

The entrance to Windy Hill has had some significant transformation.  Originally there were a set of 4' deep - say good-bye to your car - drainage ditches that ran along the drive, with two culverts under the drive for drainage.

The ditches have been replaced with culverts, then back filled and leveled.  The grass seed is down and hay added to keeping the birds away.

We are just waiting for the mystery of new growth to happen...

With still a bit of work planned for the down stream side of the driveway.

One of the ditches was not needed and filled in.

The other is waiting a 20' x 18 inch culvert which will connect to the existing under the drive culvert at the base of the Poplar tree. 

Then some backfill and raise the grade for the rest of the ditch to make it all mowable...

But - first the new house...then the ditch! 

The reclaimed field on the west side of the property ended up much better than expected! 

What originally looked like this... 

Now looks like this...

The brush has been cleared along with about (50) 10 to 15 inch diameter trees pushed over and roots removed, plus a few larger trees cut and stumps ground away.

Also the 4 foot high by 6 foot wide top soil berm surrounding the field was relocated for planting fruit trees and berry bushes.

This area was so thick and over grown with invasives that you could not walk through it...totally unusable. 

So that's another 2 acres reclaimed from scrub and now mowable with the finish mower!

Plus it opened up a grand view to the West!!!

Fruit trees are planned for the built up topsoil berm starting on the right, then Raspberries and Blackberries in the center section, and you can see the fenced garden in the upper section.

All work in progress...

And the 250 garlic cloves started last fall - are now fenced in.

We discovered that Windy Hill deer are fond of garlic...but we caught it early enough to prevent damage to our first crop!

We suspect our venison may be more garlicky than gamey!

And the harvested wood pile...trees cleared from the reclaimed fields.  I just need to find time to morph from lumberjack to wood splitter! 

We are looking forward to the first fire in the new house fireplace using seasoned Windy Hill wood.

But...the most important project on Windy Hill...

Transforming the Fox into a modern farmhouse - with a view!

More to follow on this work in progress...

Let the adventure continue...