The Funkbeds

The girls have been growing.  Which is a good thing, generally, but it also means that they OUTgrow things.  Things like clothes, shoes, and eventually, furniture.  Pandi was, until this week, still sleeping in a crib.  Since she is newly two, it has been convenient for her to be there. For instance, it is incredibly nice to put your toddler somewhere and know that they will still be there in the morning.  But, she had finally reached critical mass for the crib and it was time for something new.  Enter the FUNKBEDS.

I'm not entirely sure why Sephie latched onto "funkbed."  Maybe because the word "bunk" doesn't mean anything to her at three.  But, thus christened, Preston took on the project.

Doesn't he look like a man on a mission?

Working from a design of his own, Preston put together a pretty adorable pair of toddler-sized bunkbeds.  Better still, he only used lumber we already had around the house that was scrap, so the project was totally free!  It took a little trial and error (for instance, we didn't measure the door to their bedroom ahead of time and had to undo a little of our progress to get them in the room!), but they came out nicely.  The girls love them and the only problem so far is the fighting over who gets to sleep "arriba" (up) or "abajo" (down).

It's hard to tell from the pictures because you can't really get an idea of scale, but the bottom of Sephie's bed is only about waist high.

Diggin' the crazy carpet?  That's a project for another day.

A nifty, homemade set of beds, just their size!

New Additions

We have had some new additions to Unseemly Manor since I posted last.  The first has been our chickens.  They are funny, cute, busy, and useful.  They have been not only eating all the bugs they can scratch out of the yard, but also contributing to our compost that has been feeding my rosebushes.  We got four Red Comet chickens, and each picked a name.  Meet Henny Penny, Paprika, Steve, and Boo-boo Chicken!

Baby chick!

Helping build the chicken coop.

All done!

They're getting so big!   The chickens AND Pandi!

We are eagerly awaiting that first egg that should be coming in the next month or so.  It's really hard to describe what a good feeling it is for me to be taking charge of our food supply, even if it isn't a very big part.  With the chickens in their coop and the veggies in the garden, I feel like we have a connection to our place in the world and a connection to the little patch of Earth we are tending to.

The last new addition to the family is Appa.  He is our Great Pyrenees puppy.  He is fluffy and white and enormous and gentle.  We adopted him from the Humane Society.  He has been wonderful with the girls and the chickens.  If we can only tame the shedding, we will be a match made in heaven! 

"That was funny.  Tell it again, tiny human!"

We're coming up on the fullness of summer and are looking forward to the bounty around us.  It was great to bring Appa to the farmers' market today and visit with everyone and look at all the wonderful things to eat, sample the goods, smell all the yummy things, and see all the smiles.  Preston and the girls picked cherries this afternoon and brought them up the hill in a bucket.  It's nice to feel the warmth in the air and the warmth in our hearts.