My Nirvana~

High Desert Summer . . .

 . . . less quilting, piecing and sewing . . .

more working on the farm . . .

Everything that is not a crop has to be mowed repeatedly all summer; because that is the best way to prevent fires.  Living 30 miles from the nearest volunteer fire department, means we are in charge!  Our closest neighbor is 2 miles away.

Come on down to the house and I will show you around.

Sitting under the apricot tree, here are a couple of views from the side door which faces all the farm buildings. Ripening wheat fields are peeking up over the hill behind the truck. Harvest is only 3 weeks away.

Wheat storage bins, cleaned, vacuumed and ready for harvest.

Looking back to the house under the apricot tree.

I didn't plant this tree, it just grew.  Back in the day, I used to home-can lots of fruit and my kiddos would sit on the fence (no longer here) and eat the fresh fruit I brought home from the Utah orchards.  I always blamed my youngest son for spitting out an apricot pit right here.

Apricot tree and dwarf apple.

I am certainly glad he did, we have really enjoyed this tree!

Almost everything in the yard are perennials.  I like to plant things that take care of themselves.

I decorate with old farm tools, implements and miscellaneous items.

This is a barbed wire wreath I made over 30 years ago.  Still looks brand new!  heh, heh....

Little ceramic birds sitting on an old broken down fence.

The old milk separator makes a great planter.

As we walk around the side of the house this rock path takes you to a little surprise as you go through the gate. 

Grape vines look at home on the old fence and beyond, you can see them hanging over the deck top.

 Grapes in the corner.

As the path curves around, you come to the "heart" of our yard.  

See how shady the deck is with grape vines? We have dappled shade all day long. There is too much snow in the winter to have a solid roof. The vines are bare in the winter and the lattice style roof allows the snow to fall through.  This way, we get the winter sunshine in the kitchen/dining room windows.

Then the rock path leads out to a fire pit. It is partially shaded by 2 cherry trees. Sometimes Idaho evenings are too cool to sit in the shade. I watched the shade pattern for about a week before I designed the rock patio. 

Incidentally, with the exception of one day when our daughter and son-in-law were here helping, I placed every rock, every stone, every bucket of sand and plant by myself.  It took me about 6 weeks in 2006.

Twenty years ago I planted these 2 trees with a hammock in mind.

This is the best part of the day . . .  

. . . this . . .  is my Nirvana.