Joy in the Little Things

[Phaedra]

Finally a piece of roof (for the chicken run)! In the beginning, I have so hesitated to even think about it. The coops and runs I saw on BYC are always so amazing. DH and I had no experience (we are both city kids, especially me), and the uneven ground in our garden is such a pain in the ass.

However, we started anyway. If we didn't start, we would never learn anything. This version should be done in another week. I am so happy to see the progress.

 

[ducks4you]

I think you have a Great eye for engineering, and you see where a roof needs support.
When I watch "This Old House", often the homeowners want to tear out an existing supporting wall!
Their solution is to use a jack to hold up the wall, and then insert a steel beam with steel supports to transfer the weight.
When the electricians were working on DD's house last year they tried very hard to NOT cut into walls, and made sure to NOT AT ALL cut into the main supporting beam, in the middle of the house.
I can tell even upstairs where the supporting wall is surrounded by doormers, and what walls are up to separate between rooms and to form a closet.
You could have a HORRIBLE mess on your hands without proper support!!
When I read "A Vineyard in Tuscany," they did the same thing, put in a steel support, when they wanted to install a fireplace in the kitchen at the BOTTOM of the main supporting wall for the whole house, AFTER they had the rebuild.
This guy who rented me space for my horses, inherited a farm with a chicken business. His father, at one time, supplied the whole town, now 115K with eggs.
This guy must have built cages and crammed in baby chicks NEVER thinking that their weight would change.
His lost the birds and ran the business into the ground
I really like your lightweight roof panels!
What is the material?

 

[baymule]

If you never try, you never learn. I do things that I don’t know how to do, all the time. I got this in a fortune cookie at a Ciinese restaurant a couple of weeks ago. It nailed me! That’s how I do things! I’ll loan it to you!

 

[Phaedra]

What is the material?

They are transparent PC roofing sheets.

 

[Phaedra]

If you never try, you never learn. I do things that I don’t know how to do, all the time. I got this in a fortune cookie at a Ciinese restaurant a couple of weeks ago. It nailed me! That’s how I do things! I’ll loan it to you!

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Bay, do you know when we started building this run with pallets, what DH told me? He said "Bay would say - No matter what you have to try! Fight!"
You are absolutely our role model!

 

[baymule]

That is the highest compliment!! Thank you!

 

[Phaedra]

Pink hyacinth - above them are the green-colored daffodils, which will blossom soon.

 

[baymule]

I love bulb flowers. Here, they just stay in the ground. They come out the next year and bloom before anything else does. So cheerful! Your pink hyacinths are so pretty.

 

[ducks4you]

I gave middle DD 2 Birthday presents this year. (All 3 DD's are May babies.)
1) 10 lovely ornate and romantic tulip bulbs, shipped in September
2) 6 heirloom tomatoes, now 1mo
I Warned her that it's really easy to forgot to put the bulbs in the ground and suggested that she scope out a spot this month, put a pot of annuals over it, and when the annuals get frosted, move the pot and plant the bulbs.
I told her that she could be but doesn't have to be fussy about the planting, just GET THEM IN THE GROUND.
I Love that you plant Spring bulbs in the Fall and forget about them and then they come up and bloom and shower you with love.

 

[Phaedra]

Our neighbor used this bucket to bring a lot of dandelions to our hens, and I refilled it with the divided sedum, dwarf sunflowers, and blossoming hyacinths (I planted some in the raised bed and could dig out for repotting any time.)