PBnJ5 Adventures

They say times files when you are having fun, and I guess I would have to agree with that statement. I am so sorry it has been almost 5 weeks since I have updated you last!! I am not even sure where to begin so many things have happened here on the farm, so I will do my best to give you a glimpse.

Our main project we have been working on, and by we I pretty much mean Luke, is the kitchen in the Lodge. We are so close to finishing, it is 93.5% done! It is fully functional so I have started cooking and enjoying the fruits of Luke’s labor. But of course there are the little things that just seem to take forever to get completed. Luke has been to our local Menards more times than he would like to remember in the last month. But he is a handy one to have around and it looks great. So far the trend has been to have breakfast and lunch in the lodge and then dinner up at Mimi and Pop’s house.

Mimi and I have a very symbiotic relationship. I love to cook, she does not enjoy it as much. She enjoys washing dishes, I would rather not. So, I cook – she cleans, and everybody wins in the end! That is just one perk living next to Mimi. She is also a magical laundry fairy. I can leave my basket of dirty laundry in her house and it magically appears clean, folded, and waiting by the back door ready to head down to the RV. It is AMAZING! A huge step up from the dreaded laundry day on the road, paying a bloody fortune to use questionable laundry facilities at RV parks along the way. If you ever happen to stumble on a laundry fairy, DON’T LET IT GO!

One of the other big changes that has happened while we have been here is my sweet husband. Not sure where the city slicker that I showed up here with went to, but he has fully embraced his country roots. To start he smells different. His new cologne that he fully embraces is eau de Tractor sometimes interspersed with eau de Chainsaw. His new wardrobe includes his Carhart Overalls and flannel shirt topped with the classic John Deere hat. And for some reason he just can’t seem to get that smile off of his face. He really is the best version of himself on the farm. He has been working on clearing several large trees blocking a road to a hay field that got blocked from a massive storm last summer. My new favorite nickname for him is Lumberjack Luke. He is also a proud new owner of a John Deere Gator. He says it was my Mother’s Day present but I think we can all see through that one, (ssshhhh don’t tell but I do love to drive it). He has also taken up hunting, a regular Elmer Fudd. Except he only hunts red squirrels in the morning, in his pajamas and flip flops. Those nasty little guys have a habit of chewing up very import and expensive items on the farm, so it is time for them to meet their maker. Luke is happy to usher them to the pearly gates. Pops and Luke have decide to (again) become hay farmers this summer as well. There were many days and evenings with the two of them scouring online auctions for all the necessary equipment needed to make this little dream a reality. And then driving all over the countryside picking up their treasures. So look for an update on how our (mine) first haying experience goes.

The boys are loving life on the farm. They love playing in the lodge, and I love have a big place for them to run and play inside. They set up their tractors and play farming, they shoot hoops in the little basketball hoop, and make forts out of all of the boxes that we got gotten from kitchen cabinets and new appliances. When they aren’t playing in the lodge they can usually be found in the sandbox doing some very important heavy machinery business. That is until they hear a tractor or the gator start. Then you better watch out, because they will come running from every direction as fast as they can to make sure they get a ride. They have unbelievable hearing for an engine starting, I wish they they were that good at listening to me ?. They love riding their bikes, and even Zac is getting better and faster on his little strider. Maybe we will get him riding a real bike by the end of summer. Riding a bike before potty training? Well if anyone could it would be my Zac. He also has recently informed me that I no longer can call him Baby or Zacy he is just Zac ? Why does my baby have to grow up so fast? Speaking of growing up, Tucker is learning to read with the wonderful help of Mimi. She was a first grade teacher for many years and a fantastic teacher for Tuck. Just one more perk of living on the farm ?.

Another project we have been working on is our garden. Pops built us some raised beds and Mimi and I have loaded them up. We have everything from Zucchini, Cucumbers, Watermelon, Beans, Peas, Carrots, Lettuce, Kale, Tomatoes, Radish, Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, Ground Cherries, Onions, Corn, Potatoes, Butternut, Peppers, and my favorite, a wide variety of herbs. We will see how it all goes, we are experimenting with the square foot garden technique this year. Mimi and I both are a little apprehensive with the actual results that may come out of this concept. Time will tell.

Yes, life on the farm is good. It is quiet and peaceful and spring has finally sprung . There are cute Amish horse and buggies that drive by on a daily basis, and the big tractors that drive by with planters and sprayers are a huge added bonus. Mimi is teaching me about all of the different birds that come visit the feeders and the different wild flowers growing on the farm. Luke tells me that my transformation from city girl to county girl is almost complete ? It is never boring here, there are tons of projects to work on and these dang kids seems to want to eat at least 3 meals a day. They seem to be able to find some mischief to get into on a daily basis. And if you think that you might be on the verge of boredom they will happily encourage you to take them for a gator ride. On our last gator ride we actually saw a yearling Black Bear run from the woods all the way across the property to the road. It was pretty awesome to see him close, but not to close, and running through the fields.

If “The Corona” (as Tuck calls it) had not happened and cancelled our plans we would have been driving this weekend from Kansas to Denver. Instead we are currently heading from Wisconsin to Denver. We are heading back to pick up some of our stuff and our Jeep to take back to Wisconsin with us since we will be there for a few more months. It worked out that we dropped the 5th wheel off to get fixed while we are in Denver and then can be back in time to for the first hay cutting of the summer. Or at least that is what we are saying. But really I have had a hair appointment scheduled for months for this coming week in Denver, and there is no way I am missing that. So as we are driving across Iowa I am once again incredibly thankful for WiFi in our truck. I get to work on my blog and the boys are quiet watching documentaries on animals. I would say it is a win for everyone.

Life is a funny thing. If you would have told me 9 months ago that we would be living in a 5th wheel on the farm for 6 months I would have retorted with a very sarcastic comment or something about flying pigs. But here we are, God is good and life is good. When we hold onto the known things in our life too tight and don’t let God move and push us in unknown directions, we miss a new world of things we never thought possible. I continue to discover things about myself that I didn’t know and see life through a different lens. Yes it is hard but so far the benefits far outweigh the adversities. I hope and pray that you are finding ways in your own life to not hold on so tight to the known and let God surprise you in the unknown.

Live Your Adventure,

Julie