April Showers of Blessing
Historically in Rogersville, April is the month with the most rain, receiving 3.5 inches of rainfall on average. Considering the time of year, and that it rained every day the week before our visit, we were graced with fair weather. There were a few sporadic bouts of rain when we arrived on Friday evening, Saturday afternoon, and Wednesday afternoon; temperatures reached the low 40s at night and ranged from the low 60s to high 70s throughout the day.
Dave’s oldest son, Taylor, and his wife, Dakota, and their two dogs, Remington, and Silo, met us at the property Friday night and stayed through Sunday afternoon. Words can’t express how much Dave and I appreciate their extra hands and remarkable work ethic. They are always a huge help and, of course, we love and enjoy their company!
Cooler temperatures were much preferred because hanging insulation was one of the first tasks on Dave’s to-do list; if you’ve ever hung insulation, you understand long sleeves/pants and face mask are a necessity, and not fun to wear, especially in the heat.
The majority of Saturday and Sunday was spent hanging insulation and getting a start on the drywall. While the guys kept busy inside the house, we gals earned our blisters outside, plowing the ground and planting several blueberry bushes amidst other outdoor activities.
Tree Swallows!
I am incredibly happy to report that the birdhouse I mounted back in October is inhabited by Tree Swallows, there were 5 eggs in the nest.
It is hard to see in the photos, but their white undersides are cloaked with beautiful shimmering blue feathers on their head and back, with black wings and tail, and a thin black eye mask.
Their diet consists of aerial insects like damselflies, mayflies, moths, beetles, and flies; I am thrilled to have them nearby as an integrated pest management strategy for our farm and garden!
Faux Stained Glass
I used gallery glass acrylic paint to dress up an old window from the house. It made for a fun and relaxing Saturday/Sunday art project. I have one more to finish, it will likely be a picture of a hen and her chicks. These will become hinged windows on our chicken coop; I think the chickens will enjoy my version of color therapy!
Birthday Boy!
Monday evening, April 15th, Dave and I took a drive to Knoxville for a visit with Taylor and Dakota. We got to take a shower, see their adorable home, and most importantly, celebrate Taylor's 28th birthday!
Dakota picked the perfect restaurant for dinner, A Dopo; we shared a most delicious selection of wood-fired sourdough pizzas, wine, and gelato. It was a super fun evening!
The remainder of our work week (a.k.a. vacation) was consumed with numerous activities: hanging insulation and drywall, installing electrical switches and outlets, mounting some of the light fixtures, building the pergola, getting a start on the porch railings, a little more work on the driveway, and the installation of three Mini Splits.
Special thanks to our good neighbor Jay Carbutt and his helper, Jack, who made the trek down from Pennsylvania to complete the installation of the Mini Splits! I am ecstatic to say we now have heating and air conditioning, WOOT!
While we dislike leaving “incomplete projects,” we have learned to embrace our journey, to be pleased with what we can plan and accomplish on each trip, and we often need to remind ourselves to pause, take a look back, and appreciate how far we have come since the beginning.
We remain humbly grateful and ever excited about what our future holds for our family, friends, and new acquaintances!
As always, to those who are cheering for us along the way, your continuous encouragement does not go unnoticed. Thank you all!
Lots of Love,
Rachel and Dave
