Getting the Roof Fixed

A while back I wrote about how the roof shingles were torn from our house during a wind storm.  We bought enough tin roofing material to fix the roof in the section that was stripped down to the tar paper.  We decided to go with a tin roof this time, instead of replacing shingles, since the whole roof isn't right after the wind storm.  But we can only afford to do one section at a time.   It seemed like the weather wouldn't cooperate - it was either raining or too windy or too cold (and windy).  But yesterday, we finally were able to get the job done.   No one was available to help us, so we just did it ourselves.  I worked on the ground dragging sheets of roofing material in position to haul up the roof, and marked places where screws needed to go with a magic marker.  Harold was up on the roof maneuvering the tin sheets and screwing them down with special screws we had to buy.   Before we could do this, Harold also had to put down a thin layer of padding to bring the bare spot of the roof up to the same level as the shingles, because we put the tin roof right over the existing roof.  Anyway, it is done!  And wouldn't you know - it's supposed to rain later this weekend and into next.   Just in time!  Here's what things looked like:

Harold attached himself to a rope, and dragged the tin sheets up to the roof on a ladder with another rope and vice grip (after he got up there). I was on the bottom helping to guide the metal sheet up the ladder.

Then Harold had to turn the metal sheet around and into position. The sheet is 4 ft wide and 21 ft long.

This was on the steep, unfinished side of the house. The sheets interlock and are screwed down. 

The finished repair. 

Cutting Up 'Taters

This weekend I will begin planting some things in the garden!  We tilled up the soil last Saturday, and this weekend is supposed to be about 80 degrees.  So I'll plant onions, potatoes, and corn to begin with.  On the traditional Memorial Day (the 30th) I'll plant everything else.  It seems like every year we always have a frost or freeze at the end of May, and last year we even had frost on June 6!  So I never trust the weather guys.   But it's safe to plant potatoes.
     I begin by cutting up the sprouted potatoes into chunks that have one or two or more eyes (or sprouts) per piece.   Then I let them dry in trays for a couple days before planting.  There are two schools of thought on cutting up seed potatoes.  Some say, just cut them up and plant them.  Others say cut them up and let the cut surfaces dry, so the pieces won't rot when planted.   You DO want the potato pieces to be a source of food for the growing plant, not just to rot away.  But do the pieces really rot before the plant gets started?  I have tried it both ways with varying results.  I have read that in warm dry soil, you can plant potato pieces without drying because they won't rot quickly.  I have heard that in cooler, moist soil potato pieces can rot before the plants get going.  Since it's been a cool year I am going to assume that the soil is cool also, and so this year I am drying the pieces before planting.
     I bought Red Pontiac potatoes and Nordland potatoes, and I am also planting some red Russets from the grocery store that got a little old.   They will all grow.   I usually plant red potatoes because they do very well in Minnesota growing conditions, and they don't turn green as quickly as white potatoes do.   White potatoes have a tendency to grow too close to the surface and get green quickly if you aren't diligent about covering the rows with plenty of soil. 
     I should end up with about 5 sixty foot rows - about 300 feet - of potato plants.  Hopefully I will get somewhere around 250 to 300 lbs of potatoes to harvest this fall.   I like to can potatoes in wide mouth quart jars because they are a wonderful convenience food in the winter!   After canning, the potatoes are almost cooked, so you just open up a jar and fry them up a little for breakfast.   To make quick hash browns, I shred the canned potatoes and fry them in a cast iron skillet to crisp up.  With the free range eggs from our hens, we always have a great breakfast!

Red Nordland seed potatoes ready to cut up

Some of the seed potatoes look like they came from another planet!

Five trays of cut up 'taters drying until Friday or Saturday's planting time

Farm Girl Fun

Today was a nice sunny, warm, (but windy) day, so Harold and I worked outside trying to clean up the garden and yard from the winter.  We aren't used to hard work after the long winter, so we just about wore ourselves out!  We need to get in shape!   I cleaned up the garden from the big vegetation and made several piles for burning like this:

On a calm evening, we will burn these piles in the garden. 

Then I filled up the back of the pick-up with stuff and garden junk:

A little bit of everything to haul somewhere.......

Then, since "selfies" are all the rage now, this tired old gal decided to take a selfie of her grungy self:

Don't laugh too hard - I was overheated and tired!

I always wear a straw hat and this one is new.   I wore my old one out.   However, I bought a really fancy straw hat last weekend at a thrift shop in Becker MN to wear while cutting grass with my new mower:

My stylish new garden/yard hat!

Plant update and more.....

A while back I posted a photo of tiny little seedlings I started.   Well, now I have 16 and a half trays of plants growing in my living room under grow lights by the window.  So, look at them now!   Hopefully the weather will warm up soon, so the 2014 garden season can begin.   We need a good garden season, too, to help pay for the roof and also a root canal and crown for me. (Bummer, I found out yesterday I have a cracked tooth and need a root canal and possible crown.  Never had one of those, so I guess after 66 years of living I will get to have a new experience). Yuck - I hate dentists!  We still haven't been able to get the roof section on that we bought, because it's been raining and super windy.  We're supposed to get 6 more days of rain, followed by one precious sunny day, then 3 more days of rain.  IF you can believe those weather guys!  Sure hope that tar paper holds out on the roof with no shingles up there......

Looking one way, towards Lake Harold

Looking the other way towards Two Squaw Lake