Photo Dump

It's probably easier to just do a photo dump as a summary of life lately. So that's what this is. I'm also searching for a 52 item list of prompts to write about, which would give this blog a weekly boost. We'll see what I can find.

Disposable sherry glass at the hunter pace

It was a gorgeous day

I saw a rainbow on my way into work

And Gwyn used the setting sun to her photogenic advantage

Hazel is a cat, "If I fits, I sits" 

The fish and plants are doing well

Photographer from the Pace

My campsite at Oak Leaf Run. It rained. A lot. But I love my camping set up.

I stayed dry and warm!

My mom came to visit while I was off camping. Hazel wanted nothing to do with me for quite a bit.

Family photo

We deserve each other

School fashion for the fall

Kaylee's schoolwork

This may seem like an odd photo to post, but it needs some explanation. I gave the empty square tupperware to Hazel and told her to put it away. She went into the grain room and placed it on the metal grain bin all by herself. She is a year and a half and not only knows where things belong, she can interpret a vague instruction correctly. 

She is also insistent on helping out every night.

And she loves Velociraptor (and he seems to love her too)

Aquaponics system!

This is Piggy and Gerald. Kaylee brought them home for the weekend and had to write about what they did with her.

They went to the post office.

And came to my work to do SCIENCE!

And Kaylee got to try vortexing a sample. She thought it was hilarious.

We've had some very pretty sunsets.

Hazel also got in on the Piggy and Gerald action.

We went pumpkin picking on a ridiculously warm October day.

And got apple cider slushies.

Gwyn shares her dinner with Hazel.

We've had a skunk visiting the yard.

We got a new fish. A coworker was griping that her fish was getting too aggressive with the rest of her tank so I offered to take him so he wouldn't get flushed. We are up to 5 goldfish and one chinese algae eater now. They have lots of space roam. 

More kitty love.

The full system.

More future potential stuff... but will I follow through?

Sometimes I feel like I talk a lot about things I could do without ever truly following through, especially in regards to going back to school or doing something in regards to a career.  This is another one of those posts.

Eric and I have been looking into Aquaponics as a way to be more self sufficient. We love the idea of growing our own food, because we like knowing where things come from, and the more we can do in that regard on a small scale, the better.

In regards to aquaponics, we'd be trying to set up a small, closed system at first. Because of Michigan winters we'd likely keep this all indoors to better control temperature and light.  An aquaponics system is a hybrid of a hydroponics system and an aquaculture system. A merger of the two, it uses the wastewater from fish to fertilize plants. The plants in turn filter the water that then return to the fish.

Our system will be a recirculating system, so the water is contained and doesn't go back into the environment. At first we'll just be using goldfish so we can get the hang of growing the plants, and cycling the water appropriately. Once that's stable, we'll replace the goldfish with Tilapia!

And then we'll have fresh fish grown in our own basement. We could potentially sell the extra fish, since Tilapia breed ridiculously quickly and grow to maturity pretty fast as well. And we'll have fresh veggies through the year.

I hope it gets off the ground. I hope we find an interest in the community for purchasing the fish in order to turn this into a business. Firefly Ranch could incorporate as an aquaculture farm!

We're off to visit my parents tomorrow, so this won't be realized until the new year, but it is something that Eric wants to do. I think he was inspired by a small hydroponics aquarium I got from a kickstarter.

Catch up in pictures

I was a bridesmaid in my sister in law's wedding at the end of October. Observe my ridiculous bulbous bouffant and make up.  (macademia... gazebo!)

Kaylee was the most adorable flower girl ever.

I got a serger and my first project was making underwear for Kaylee

Since I reopened my right ear I decided to buy earrings to keep them open. Awesome funky purple earrings.

I voted in our local primary!

Kaylee demonstrated how good of a helper she is with feeding the critters.

She got her first ear infection. 

We had unseasonably warm November days to play outside.

I went for a hike at the local nature center and enjoyed myself immensely.

I worked on my adult coloring

On chilly weekend mornings I enjoyed a hot cup of coffee and watching my critters.

We totally jumped the gun and reassembled the crib for Babydos. Note the future nursery mess.

We cleaned and slightly rearranged Kaylee's room.

I started sanding a changing table for the nursery that I found on a facebook swap page.

More adult coloring from my mandala book.

Kaylee wanted me to draw our family.

The cats steal my snoogle. Also proof that they get along for when they don't.

Eric entombed Kaylee in wood blocks, much to her delight.

I've been making leotards for Kaylee.

Gwyn oversees Eric's work on some organizational modifications we're making to the barn.

Like a spot to store plastic t-posts that I don't need in the winter.

And new shelving to keep the feed room part of my tack room better organized.

I took Gwyn for a walk and just about died from the effort of hiking through sand. Gwyn enjoyed getting out with other horses for our trail 'ride' with friends.

I got a huge blister for my efforts. I suspect hiking boots that no longer fit.

I got awesome fabric to make more clothes that are all about girl empowerment in STEM fields.  This panel shown says "Experiment Like a Girl" and has a picture of Marie Curie. It will be for me. I have smaller ones for Kaylee as well as coordinating fabric.

The deer are cleaning up our windfall apples.

Kaylee fits in her locker at school.

She also insists on brushing her own hair after swimming in the 'inside pool'

We got our first snow storm of the season. Almost a foot of snow eventually fell!

Eric cleans my truck off for me.

Kaylee gives the baby hugs.

I enjoyed a cup of jesus hate (peppermint mocha, actually)

Selfies with Gwyn today

Kaylee wears her "Yeti Crab Sweater" 

Selfie with Saffron

Nommy lunch

More selfies with my fuzzy beast

New, WARM boots!

Christmas decorating today

Lights in the window