I was so proud of the work I got done this sunny Saturday (to be duly noted in coming days), and so proud that I had all that wood dried out and ready to go, and so proud of my kids’ hard work loading up the old woodshed, that I didn’t notice their woodpile starting …

We actually pay our bills automatically online, but I did a double take when I saw this bill-payment notice. It’s a good thing it wouldn’t be boasting to say that’s a decent power bill for nine people during the entire month of August, because if it were I’d be boasting. We’re part of a rural …

I got home late last night, and was relaxing in my cushy chair with Fast Company, possibly my favorite magazine (tech, innovation, business, great graphics, what’s not to love?) when here came Abby in her jammies. Sometimes the kids have trouble staying in their beds at night so I was preparing to respond when she …

I just can’t stand it. I withstood posting all day long, saying, No, I said I’ve already posted thrice this week and I have to be as good as my word. But I enjoy writing about our wacky lives, and since I’m the king of my own domain I can change my decrees on a …

Adam and Jen posted a note Sunday at church: Help! Come pick beans and I’ll give you half of what you pick! So on Monday evening, we went. Their garden must be half an acre in size. String beans, corn, tomatoes, and I don’t know what all. The beans apparently came on too late for …

(I said I’d only post thrice weekly, but I didn’t say which days those would be. Did I?) So we have this Stir Crazy popcorn machine that you dump the oil and popcorn into and it heats up and stirs the kernels with two wire thingies, only we’ve had it for several years and the …

And here is the new wood shed alongside the old. Together they’re about 50% full. The new woodshed is on the right side of this picture. On Saturday while the kids were hauling wood to the old shed, I was finishing up the new one, complete with tin roofing that’s full o’holes and needs patching. …

Well, I’ve decided to post three days a week for now, instead of posting every day I’m at work. There still seems to be plenty of material to write about, and I’ve gone far past the July deadline when I thought I’d run out of interesting projects. But my life is pretty busy, and I …

Some of my immediate family gathered last week to spend some time together in the mountains. On Thursday evening we hiked up Rock Canyon past the old beaver farm, up past the abandoned mine with its cascading waterfall, and in the darkening twilight we ascended the switchbacks to Rock Lake in what became the darkest …

With the help of some visiting family members we doubled the size of the wood shed on Saturday. I’ve nailed in some additional framing (it needs some more, plus a roof) but it’s good enough to start putting in the firewood. So on Monday morning we tossed down a bunch of bark to keep the …