We have a roof!

Yes - it took me Sunday afternoon and today after work to get the roof panels on. I had the wrong screws, I had the wrong drill heads, I had split wood that I had to replace and I needed "mending plates" to join the wood into long enough pieces - but VICTORY!! The roof is on. It looks like a metal roof in this picture, but it is actually a clear gray polycarbonate roof (like what they use on greenhouses. I got help putting the roof panels up from my dad - but mostly he held the ladder so I wouldn't break my neck and I did the actual assembly. He also helped me get the right attachment for my drill to drive "hex head" screws - I didn't have the right equipment for that so he made a quick trip to Home depot to get me a set of hex driver attachments for the drill. My dad is in his late seventies and I have to say I don't think there are a lot of men his age that still are as active as he is - and without his help I'm sure the roof would have gone even slower, so thanks Dad!!

The garden is doing well too - I had to cover everything the last My mesculin salad mix is coming up nicely - in a few weeks hopefully I will have baby greens enough to make salad! I think I need to plant more though - these three little rows will probably only make a few salads worth and we eat salad almost daily so I really need tot plant some more lettuces. I'm not sure how long into the season I will be able to keep harvesting lettuce though, it gets pretty hot here and lettuce is a cooler weather veggie but I will see how long I can keep it going.

My peppers that have been under the grow lights in my living room are about ready to go outside too. I am hoping to get them in one night this week if I can. If not they can wait until this weekend. It is supposed to be rainy Wednesday and Thursday - so it would be perfect if I can get them in tomorrow evening.

Tomorrow I am also signing the contract to have the gate put across my driveway which will finally fully enclose my yard and keep the deer from finding my garden. I just hope I can get it in before they find it! Last year everything was growing well and one morning it was all mowed down. Unfortunately, even though I am only two blocks off the main street of my small town, there is a herd of deer that is land-locked into the area. Right now I see them on the property of a local nunnery - so hopefully they will stay there and now venture out and find my garden before the fence goes in!

This weekend I also moved the chicks into a new bigger brooder. It is made out of a large plastic storage box with a top made out of wire. It allowed me to put the water up on a block so they don't get quite as many shavings in the water quite as fast. Now that they have more space, they are trying out their wings and actually able to fly short distances in the brooder. It is amazing how quickly they act like big chickens and not like chicks. They are two weeks old today and they are taking "dust" baths in the shavings, preening and cleaning their feathers and working out who is in charge. Right now I think maybe Pouf is in the lead to be the lead/alpha hen (I don't think you call it an alpha hen - I need to look up the right term - but you get the picture).

The St Patties day party was a lot of fun and even though it reduced my productivity for the weekend, I think it was well worth it - after all - you know what they say about all coop and no play!! ;)