That's a start ...

Our Melba apple tree has 4 apples growing.

I just took 2 cassis fruit in our cassis bush.

And I got all this in the black raspberry bush (this one was there when we arrived, so it might be around 10 years old). I will probably make berry mustard with it.

That's a start!

Surprise!

Husband was grilling on the barbecue this weekend when some round red thingy attracted him in a bush nearby.

Surprise! We have black raspberries on the front yard!

Yum!

Also, let me introduce you to a cat I've never been able to take in picture. Ladies and Gents, here's Auguste

He is the father of Isis and Moutarde. Unfortunately Isis and Moutarde's mother is ... gone :-( Though, strangely when he is there he takes care of the girls, he spent like 30 minutes grooming them yesterday. What a nice poppa!

To whom who think I don't ...

I think I will say it once, maybe twice, probably all my life.

The hardest part of what we are doing is the fact that people think we are one or all of the following:

- Crazy

- Stupid

- Uncounscious

It's like they think we never think.

Crazy:

Since my last writing, a lot of things have been done. We cleaned most of the land of the garbage that was left there by the former owner, we planted trees, we built a chicken coop, we started a garden ... We got animals.

That's where the "bitching machine" went crazy.

To most people, the fact that we are working on the land while our house is upside down is like an act of terrorism ... or something worst. I just don't get why people care so much about how our house (focus on the "our") looks like a dump. Is it hurting someone? To my knowledge they don't live here and Martin and I are both adults, no kids being involved. It's like, they couldn't live in that mess so it's impossible that we can live in that one without being a bit nuts. It's impossible that we left a clean, brand new house for this. It's impossible that we found happiness here but not there. It's impossible to them that I find more pleasure petting my 10 barn cats or walking in my 4 acres then planting begonias in a single row around my tiny porch in town. I must then be crazy.

I am buying stuff from garage sell, I recycle things when I could buy new, I have enough money for that. I must then be crazy.

Stupid:

I bought a house that has to be repaired completely. I've spent money to buy land ... LAND! 100K for a shack and trees? Oh god, I am stupid. I plan on doing it myself, out of recycled good? Omg! I am soooooo stupid! What? Composting toilets instead of real ones? Hahahahahaha ! Geez I am sooooooooo stupid. Bringing cats to my farm! They will reproduce, you'll soon have too much? What? They reproduced? I've always thought they lived 3 months and then turned into plush toys! Good Lord have mercy! I am super stupid!

Uncounsious:

Taking care of so many barn cats. Cats that were meant to be euthanized! Giving them another chance to live? Good lord what an careless person I am. All cats must be in a house or in heaven, that's a given! What? they don't all live with me in my house? The 10 of them! What a bad person I am.

And those rabbits I have outside? What will happen in winter? What you don't eat them? Why the hell do I have rabbit then? For fun!?! Animals aren't meant to be fun, they are meant to be in the house or eaten!

Well, I won't go on with all the judgemental comments I collected so far.

All I will tell you though, is that the house is still upside down, we are planning on going on with it during late fall. 

Yes, we have now 12 hens, 3 roosters, 4 rabbits, 10 barn cats (and that a variable number - some come and go ---- what come and go? What a loosy person you are ... not organizing a massive search for each and every single cat not soundly sleeping in the barn after midnight) and a wonderful dog (what a dog with cats ! --- she loves them for Pete's sake!!!) and I am super happy. I am selling eggs and some veggies and I love my life.

And to those who think I am not thinking ... Here's what I am thinking : Go to hell ! 

Trees up ... trees down

The last two weekends were crazy.

We planted trees, fruit ones mainly. We also chopped down some. The two birches that were in front of the house were a bit dangerous. So cutting down and replanting ... We have around 15 fruit trees now but those won't be producing any this year as we have to take off the flowers to give them a chance.

We also get a chicken coop. It was in another village and it's nice 'cause it's a recycled one.

We have to take care of it and as soon as it will be ready we will bring chicken in it. Well, more hens than chicken, for the eggs.

And that's the latest ! :)