2023 - JUNE - What Did You Do To Prep This Week/Month?

Sorry for the late start. Been a busy couple days around here!

Husband and I acquired a 10' x 10' x 6' dog kennel from our local FB Marketplace. We put it together, and then I moved almost all my potted plants from our back deck to the kennel. 3 tomatoes, 2 cucumbers, 1 bell pepper, 4 jalepenos, 1 olive tree, 1 banana tree, 1 forsythia bush, 1 lemon tree, 1 lime tree, basil, oregano, 2 types of mint, rosemary, and a watermelon. So far the wild animals haven't attempted to get in (the big dog staying outside all night might have something to do with that, even though she's in a different fenced-in yard 5 feet away). On the deck, the plants were shaded for most of the morning. Now they don't get shade until early evening when the sun drops behind the trees. They seem to be thriving better with more sunlight. I did leave the large orange tree and the large lemon tree on the deck for now - they're tall enough to get more sun than the others. The orange tree is blooming - late - but blooming.

Our neighbor gave us a porch swing that needed a bit of TLC. We scrubbed it, pressure washed it, and painted the frame. I will make new cushion covers later.

We are in the midst of cleaning out closets and cupboards. Still evaluating, decluttering, and downsizing. Late spring cleaning, so to speak. That said, I'm using the now empty china hutch upper cabinets for dried herbs, tinctures, and salves/balms.

Looking forward to fruits and veggies this year from the garden.

The cherry tomato plant has tomatoes! Everything else is growing like mad due to the last 4 rainy days.

Husband has finished pressure washing the back deck. Sealing starts tomorrow.

I'm purging closets and rearranging furniture in anticipation of the family visit. I'm actually getting rid of some furniture as the pieces have served their purpose and I no longer need them.

The egg lady dropped off eleven cartons of eggs - the 18-hole cartons! I gave some to the neighbors, but I still have 7 cartons. I'm not sure if I'll freeze, dehydrate and grind, or what...we won't eat all of them.

How is everyone else's gardens doing?

We finished pressure-washing and sealing the back deck.

We then pressure washed the front deck on Saturday. Will probably start sealing it today.

I managed to score a small, portable A/C at a yard sale for $60. It works beautifully, and I can download the manual from the internet. I wanted one on hand for emergencies should we need to house people in the camper.

Yesterday I purged the pantry. We didn't have a lot of food loss, but some things had expired, so into the garden compost they went.

The dog kennel is working out great for my potted garden. Tomatoes are already on the vine, watermelon, too. I have some tiny cucumbers. No peppers yet, but the bushes are sturdy and strong with flowers. The other plants are doing great, too.

We are prepping for multiple things here - family reunion in a few weeks, possible grid down, and hot weather.

Husband and I have made it a point that if either of us goes to town, we top off the gas tanks on the way out.

The maintenance that was neglected during all the illness in the family for the past few years is catching up with us. We're 4 years older, and with Husband's illness, he cannot work as he used to. We're having to take things slow and do a little at a time. I'm trying to help as much as I can, but I'm not skilled on some of the outdoor stuff...having to learn, though.

That said, the Spring days have been absolutely beautiful and being outside in God's creation restores my soul.

Husband made a matching portable fence with a gate that goes cross-ways on our porch so we can have a safe space for the cats away from the dogs. They all get along but the young dog plays rough and the cats don't like it. They needed a space to go to when they got tired of the dog.

My garden is producing! I've harvested 2 cucumbers, but the tomatoes are still green. The watermelon is now the size of a softball.

I finally cleaned out the fridge and the little freezer. We didn't lose much, just some veggies and a package of meat - freezer burned, so I cooked it up for the dogs for future treats.

This was a necessary chore, because while everyone was having chemo/radiation/doctors' appointments, I didn't rotate food as well as I should have.

I thank the good Lord every day that my Dad and Husband are both holding steady.

We're still doing routine maintenance about the property, repairing, repainting, and making things look nice. Still have a few smaller projects, but it's coming along nicely.