The Beginnings of a DIY Trellis

Today was a wonderfully productive day.  After spending a large amount of time stalking DIY websites, looking at photographs of what seemed like every type of trellis known to mankind, and then doodling my own ideas, I thought I know what I wanted.  Armed with lumber, hardware, rebar, and a knowledgeable roommate, my trellis project began.

It took about half of the day to assemble the heavy-duty trellis.  We put it together with lag screws and carriage bolts.  I will disassemble it when I'm ready to haul it up to The Shack. 

Of course, I will share the finished and planted project with you. But here is a peek at part of the process.

One of the "ends" -- looking top to bottom

I learned how to drill holes correctly for lag screws and carriage bolts.  I saw that cutting rebar isn't impossible - just A LOT of elbow grease.  I already knew how to use a circular saw. (thank you Dad).

A slight angle at the top/front

One of our many supervisors

I have the site for it chosen. Unless I change my mind yet again, I will place it at the end of my mowed yard. In the photo, it is in front of the Jeep - near the small dark bush.  I think that will be a great spot for a trellis, roses, and grape vines. 

And someday in the distant future, a carved stone bench.

BULLSEYES Pit Beef and Catering Review

I do not consider myself a foodie. While I write about products that I love and recommend, I have never written about a restaurant. But I MUST share my thoughts about BullsEyes Pit Beef.  The sandwich and fries were so delicious that I'm a bit angry I can't drive over and treat myself to some delicious pit beef today.

BullsEyes Pit Beef and Catering

BullsEyes is located on BelAir Road, Nottingham, Maryland just north of 695 (near Giant).  I had previously lived in that area, and was back in the area two days ago for an appointment. Since I was a bit early and had time for a bite to eat, I zipped over to a sandwich shop that I used to eat at regularly.  I was surprised and delighted to find a Pit Beef spot instead. 

I love good pit beef.

I have not had extremely good pit beef since visiting one of my sons when they were deployed down south.  So I wasn't expecting a great sandwich but gave it a try. I'm so glad I did!

Amazingly Delicious Pit Beef

As I said, I'm not foodie. Nor am a I restaurant reviewer. But my medium pit beef sandwich was incredibly delicious. I'm not sure if I've ever had better. As I said, I'm not a foodie, so I'll just let you see what the sandwich looked like and you'll have to trust my judgement about how good it tasted.

Courteous and Happy Staff

I can't tell you how tired I am of grumpy waitstaff (customer service folks, cashiers, etc).  Yes, we are all human and have bad days. But if you can't even lift your hand to take my dollar, perhaps you should have just stayed home. This was not the case at BullsEyes. There was not a single malcontent on duty. Despite being extremely busy while I was there, they were all polite, hard-working, and visibly happy.

In fact, I enjoyed listening to one of the guys at the grill, who whistled while he worked. I was given a free, gigantic (also delicious) pickle because they thought they had kept me waiting. In fact, I hadn't felt like I had waited long at all.

I sat for a few minutes at the high top at the front window.  The very small restaurant was neat and clean. The soda bar was clean and tidy.  As was the condiment bar.  I had chosen a hickory sauce and it too was delicious. Perfect for the sandwich.

As I said, I can't wait to go back.  In the meantime, here's a copy of the menu (one side of the menu).  You should look them up on facebook for current contact and menu information.  

Hopefully, it won't be many more years until I live at my Shack, on that mountain ridge. And I'll have to learn to cook my own pit beef. But until then, you'll be able to find me ordering at BullsEyes on a regular basis. 

12 Bones Smokehouse: A Mountain BB! Cookbook

My Sun Nurseries Discovery and Review

Cherry Blossoms

I have discovered a nursery and garden center that I had never visited previously. While I always enjoy visits to garden centers, I had such a great experience in this green wonderland that I have to spread the word and recommend it to you. If you are local and have any landscaping or gardening needs, large or small scale, I suggest you head to Sun Nurseries, Woodbine, Maryland.

My first visit was on a chilly and drizzling day in April.  But it was still the most productive and fun nursery visit I've experienced.

My Search for an Old Fragrant Rose

My search for new-to-me nurseries began with my purchase of my retirement home and land.  With that land, and room to plant my own plants, I have realized how much I miss a rose bush that resided in my yard many, many years ago.  I am searching for a very specific plant but since I'm not knowlegeable about roses, I'm having a hard time finding someone who can help me.

It goes something like this; 

I'm looking for a rose bush... it had glossy, thick leaves. The flowers were about 2-3" across, deep crimson, and bloomed continuously through summer and into the fall.  The buds looked like typical rosebuds, but the flowers opened and looked a lot like zinnias. 

The smell was wonderful and I could smell it across the yard and into the house.  It may have started with a "trunk" of sorts, but spread quickly with long canes.  Oh yes, it was full of thorns. 

Another bit of information is that I owned the house many years ago.  The women who sold the house to me had been born there, and lived there into their 60s and 70s. The plants there had been planted many years prior to me owning the home.  

Do you know what type of rose this may have been? 

I know, I know. Almost impossible to identify a plant with this description. (By the way, my last trip home to my home state, I swung by that old house and had planned to ask to take some cuttings.  Alas, the rose bush is long gone). Folks at garden centers usually attempt to be kind and attentive, but then give me an answer that isn't very thoughtful.  I can tell.

At Sun Nurseries, I quickly went through my spiel.  Really, I wanted to just keep looking at rose plants and see if I can find something similar on my own.

Rosa Hybrida "Golden Showers" Climbing Rose

The Sun Nursery employee, I wish I could recall her name, did not know what I was referring to. But, she gave me great advice; check with the Rose Society, consider that it was a climbing rose without a support, etc. And she went and found every information card they had that would be similar. That way I could at least research the roses that will be in stock as the days warm.  

I will research the roses they have coming and continue to be hopeful that I'll find my fragrant, thorny red rose. In the meantime, I wandered around and adopted this sweet little rose. 

Trees and Shrubs: Planning for The Shack

Currently, I live in an apartment and have a very small container garden on the balcony each year. But, I am excited to be able to plan "landscaping" for the land at my Shack. I am hoping to plant both beautiful and useful plants. I am not an organized gardener. I am currently wandering nurseries to see what is available and researching on the internet to be as informed as I can.  

Sun Nurseries has every sort of tree and shrub I can imagine.  And so many varieties of each.  Outside of a Japaneese Maple, I am hoping to stay fairly close to plants that would be native to West Virginia (the location of my land).

I wish I could find information about how many acres of plants are on display at Sun Nurseries.  The rows continued, often, for as far as I could see. I tried to remain focused on only the plants I may want to plant on my land and I wandered for hours looking at their endless selections of:

• Paw Paw
• Persimmon
• Mountain laurel
• Rhododendron
• Azalea 
• Lilac
• Evergreens 

Items for my Budget Balcony

I write elsewhere about my balcony and container gardening.  My visit at Sun Nurseries was meant to remain focused on researching plants for my property. But I have to say that I did purchase a small mint plant that has been added to my balcony garden.  I also made mental note of many plants and items that would be perfect for a container garden. Including wonderful small hen and chick or strawberry planters!

Wish List: Amazing Stone Items 

Sun Nurseries carries carved stone items from Stone Age Creations.  Many of these items were displayed and included; Boulder Owls, bird baths, and benches. I've added some of the big ticket items to my "maybe someday" wish list.  There were also many sculptures and garden ornaments by a variety of artists. I will not ramble on trying to describe these beauties. Instead, I'll just include a couple of photographs.

Stone Age Boulder Owls

How to Find Sun Nurseries, Woodbine, Maryland

Their physical address is:

    14790 Bushy Park Road

    Woodbine, MD 21797

     Phone: (410) 442-2090  *  (301) 854-6107  *  (310) 820-3000

Sun Nurseries on Facebook  

Sun Nurseries, Inc Website

Summary of Reasons to Visit Sun Nurseries

• HUGE selections - many species of plants and trees & many varieties of the species 
• Helpful staff -  Not overbearing - they are willing to allow you to wander for hours.  Knowledgeable - they are able to answer questions.  Honest - I was talked out of a potential sale because it wasn't known to do well in my area.  
• Prices are inline with prices at every other nursery I've visited. Frankly, as soon as I parked, everything was so attractive that I expected inflated prices. However, all of the plants that I've been pricing online and at local nurseries were similarly priced.
• Many gorgeous stone items
• A nice place to visit

And Lovin Every Day

Have you ever been driving and a song comes on the radio and it fits your mood, or what is going on around you, so perfectly that it almost seems planned?  A musical synchronicity.  That is what happened to me on the drive home yesterday. It was the first time I had heard Luke Bryan's Huntin' Fishin and Lovin Everyday.  It was a perfect end to a 500 mile drive. So perfect that I want to share the song with you.

For spring break, I drove from Maryland to Indiana to visit my son and family. There is nothing better than visiting family; especially when that family includes your grandbaby.  As I drove back to Baltimore, from Indiana, I thought that I might stop for an overnight rest at my newly acquired hunting cabin.

Even though I was tired from the drive, and a bit sad about leaving family behind, I felt my spirits picking up as I drove the curving and scenic roads of West Virginia.  The sun was low and I'd be arriving at The Shack just at sunset.  I was looking forward to starting a fire in the wood stove and snuggling in a sleeping bag and relaxing for a night before finishing the long drive to Baltimore.  Then this new-to-me song started to play and I cranked it up.

The music and lyrics are not complex. In fact, they are a bit more repetitive than I usually like. But there is something moving about the song. I think because it speaks to country living and not just loving each day, but loving... every day. I look forward to when I'm able to replace the words with rockin' on my porch, pullin' weeds, and diggin' in the garden. Or milkin' goats and feedin' chickens.

Luke Bryan and Kill The Lights Tour

As soon as I returned home, I looked up the song.  I found that it is a track from the Kill The Lights album.  There are other songs on the album I am familiar with and love.  This is one of those rare albums that I'd buy for the entire album, not just one song. 

AND more good news, the Kill the Lights Tour begins in April 2016 and comes to areas near me - Charleston, West Virginia and Baltimore, Maryland!

Kill The Lights album

Related Music Site:

I tend to find my new country music Heart of Country Music.  The song reviews are really helpful and much of the music is sorted into very helpful categories. 

How I Stay Warm at Night

Bass Pro Oversized

One of the biggest challenges of sleeping in an off-grid cabin is staying warm. At least it is for me.  I get cold easily.  Over the years I've used many different blankets and sleeping bags for camping. But I  always end up being the one who is bothered most by cold nights. There is good news. I have found a sleeping bag that is comfortable and warm. And works great for a chilly, off-grid cabin.

Sleeping in The Shack

So far, I have a solar panel set up that is sufficient for charging my cell phone, lighting a string of Christmas lights for light, and running a portable radio.  No running water and no utilities.  I have a wood stove for heat.  But even a wood stove in a Shack made of 2x4s and plywood isn't able to provide adequate heat in the cold nights.

I suppose I should mention that my shack sits just below a ridge in the beautiful Appalachians, in West Virginia.  It gets chilly and very windy there. The previous owners left a huge wall thermometer inside the shack. From where I sleep, in front of the wood stove, I can see it on the wall in the other room.  It has been between 20-30 degrees at times when I've been camping up there.

I'd be lying if I said I was completely toasty and slept through that entire night.  It wasn't toasty and I woke every couple of hours to refill the wood stove. I must learn to bank the embers a bit better than I do. But that will be a different story. Even though I wasn't toasty, I was comfortable.  And that was due to my sleeping bag. Well, the sleeping bag and the four-legged foot warmers.

In the Shack, I use a Bass Pro Shops Oversized Duckcloth sleeping bag.  The inside of the sleeping bag is flannel. Yes, flannel. I really like sleeping on flannel. The outside is "Duckcloth".  The heavy-duty zipper is clearly going to last for a long time.  One of the things I like the most about this sleeping bag is the wide area at the feet.  I hadn't realized how much I missed having room to move my feet in a mummy-style sleeping bag.

I only see two drawbacks for this sleeping bag.  One, it is so large that when it comes time to wash it, I will have to go to a laundromat with a super-sized machine.  Two, I would not want to use this bag on the ground - as I do other bags - because of my concern about washing it.  Otherwise, in a situation where there is some protection from the ground, this bag is an excellent choice.

A Sleeping Bag for Adventures Outside of the Protection of The Shack

As I mentioned above, I would not want to use my Bass Pro oversized bag on the ground.  I will continue to use my army surplus bag for outdoor activities where I'm sleeping directly on the ground.

Of all of the other sleeping bags I've owned over the years, this is my favorite bag for sleeping outside, directly on the ground. It is rated at 10 degrees below 0 farenheit.  There is a hood of the bag that draws shut to help keep the cold out.  And a "collar" or flap inside that also helps to keep the cold out.  The BEST part of this bag is that it is extremely washable and very quick to dry.  And stores easily in a small army bag.  I just stuff it into the bag. No bothering with folding or rolling.  Of course, as you know from the reason I love the first bag so much, you can guess that I feel confined in this bag. The mummy-style isn't my favorite thing.  I need room for my feet. And for my barking foot warmers to be able to get inside also.  But, that is just my personal preference.  Otherwise, this bag is also a great choice. 

Military Intermediate Cold Weather Sleeping Bag

There are many, many styles of sleeping bags to choose from. These are the two that fit my needs. For many years, I made the mistake of buying a certain sleeping bag just because someone told me to. Now I've come to the realization that it is better if I buy and use the bags that feel right to me.


Related Link: 

The Best Hiking, Camping, and Tiny House Pillow Ever Made. Does that sound strange? A tiny house pillow? If you have needed space-saving items, then you understand completely. This compressible pillow is perfect for small spaces and travel.

  

Do You See What I See?

Look closely, and tell me what you see. Take your time. And be honest.

Does this idea of living thrill you or traumatize you? 

This is a photo of almost half of The Shack. It is an off-grid, dry cabin. And I use the word "cabin" very loosely.  As you can see, it is little more than a frame and plywood.  I believe it was built in two sections. The top section (on the other side of the blanket curtain) appears to have been built first.  And appears to be more solid - as solid as 2x4s and plywood can be. The bottom section, the section you see, seems to have been thrown together.  There is not one thing that is square or level.  Not one section of the frame is "on center" and goodness, I won't even point out the so-called rafters.

What do you see?

I camp here now, when I can.  And I'll have to decide how to build or remodel.  I plan to retire here and homestead; living off-grid if possible.  I will eventually put a sewer in. But hope to never hook up to county electricity.  

What do you see?

I have friends who make a face while they ask questions about bathroom facilities, cooking, cutting wood, and etc.  I have other friends who excitedly ask when they can come along.  They see it differently.

I see hope  And a future.  

It is definitely along the lines of trash versus treasure. And beauty in the eye of the beholder.  Some of my friends are a bit horrified about my camping adventures.  About how quickly I'd live there if I could.  With the Shack in that condition, if I had local employment. 

I see hard work and happiness.

Speaking of hard work, I need to get busy and start that list like Tracey and Craig have for their simple living homestead.  I recently found their blog and was excited to see that A) someone has a list very similar to mine and B) it's possible to check things off that list as complete! 

I see a long to-do list and a sense of pride as I check off things as simple as adding to the wood pile all by myself. I see a dream slowly coming true. 


Related Links:

Wednesday With Words - The big changes that occurred in 2015 - which had something to do with my decision to purchase the land and The Shack.

My Renogy Solar Panel Review - I found that one of my first needs, during my trips to The Shack, was just a little bit of electricity. One of my Christmas gifts was this wonderful solar panel kit. I am not a solar power expert, but this panel works great for my needs. 

My blog is a mish-mash of personal things (from my dogs, to product reviews, to rambling stories).  But my homesteading-related adventures  and photographs can be found under the label: The Shack.

Wordless Wednesday