Christmas Preperations!

With Christmas right upon us we have gotten a tree and decorated the house!  This year we decided to get a tree from the Moose Hill Tree Farm. 

After much deliberation we decided on a tree.  One that was nice but not too fancy! It did take a while picking a tree because Allyssia wanted a big full tree and I have always been partial to the Charlie Brown style tree! 

The abominable snowman, I mean Roland even approved of the tree!!  For me this was the first time going to a tree farm and I had a great time!  Roland is sitting on the tarp that they give you to drag the tree and let me tell you it was so much easier than dragging it through the snow all willy nilly. 

When all was said and done we had a seven foot Christmas tree all wrapped up and thrown on the roof of my work truck!  Since nobody wants to see us struggling to get a tree in the door and setup we are going to move right onto the cat contemplating what ornaments to take down first!

In all reality Parker only bothers the bottom ornaments on the tree and never tries to climb the tree.  On the same note he loves the tree skirt.  He likes to push it around the living room in a big bunch and then lay on top of it. 

Don't be fooled here he was just waiting for the right time to take the skirt out!!  The other one that loves the tree and bright lights is Roland.  When we first put it up he sat watching the lights twinkle for half the night. 

Roland even got to help decorate the tree! Mostly he wanted to eat the ornaments but we figured that was as close to helping that we were going to get. 

Believe it or not that mouse is one of my favorite ornaments and I was trying to get Roland to throw it on the tree but as I said he was more interested in trying to eat the mouse.

Allyssia made sure to hang Roland's first ornament so he didn't eat it or throw it! (Thank you Alexa for sending it! <3 )  His ornament got clumped in with our first ornament as a couple!

Our Christmas Village is another one of our favorite Christmas traditions.  Our first year we only had four or five village items but as we shop sales and yard sales we have grown our village so big my village stand has become too small.  I have already started a plan to hang a temporary shelf above the stand for more village houses. 

From our family to yours we wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.  May it be filled with family and friends.  Stay tuned everyone and check back after Christmas.

It Will Get Done!

I know that it has seems like we forget about projects that we have started but that is not 100% true.  Last night Allyssia, Roland and I picked up where we left off on the mud room.  With a final coat of paint on the ceiling we were able to put down the floor we have had sitting around for a few weeks.

We will still have some spot painting left to do on the logs but the main walls and ceiling are done.  The floor is also checked off the list. 

We ran the flooring as you can see the length of the room starting on the outside wall.  The first row I ran just the single then after that I ran two at once.  We picked out the lighter colored flooring so it would not show the sand and dirt as bad. 

The flooring is a pvc based flooring that is 100% waterproof and to top it off super easy to install.  We have the same brand of flooring in the kitchen and it has held up superbly. 

Around the log edge I an running some brown pvc quarter round.  It covers up the gap and holds that end of the flooring down for now.  Around the other walls I will have some four inch mop board. 

Next step is going to be the wainscotting up to the bottom of the windows, then the crown molding around the ceiling and lastly will be cubbies, coat hangers and a little bench

We are moving along with the room slowly but surely.  We probably wont move onto the paneling and mop board until after Christmas but we will get it done eventually!
Until next time stay tuned and check back often. 

Black Friday

The day after Thanksgiving I did something I swore I never would do.  I went Black Friday shopping!!  No I did not leave at midnight and wait in line for hours, I waited until the evening and I went to Harbor Freight.  I did not need much for tools but there were a few things that were necessary while there was a sale. 

The first order of business was a new 3lb sledge hammer.  This old one got mowed over somehow...I will say that it did make quite a noise. 

As well as a hammer I acquired a new creeper and a really nice adjustable rolling seat.  I do already have a rolling seat in my shop but then again the only thing better than one rolling seat is two rolling seats.  After I did my shopping Allyssia bought me some more lights for my shop. 

The picture does it no justice because it is rather hard to take a picture of a light and have it look great.  I have three more of them to put up in various places and then my shop will be completely lit!  That sums up my Black Friday shopping and even that was to much for me.  This week I will have a poll up on the farm Facebook page in regards to my next tool purchase, make sure to check it out and let me know what you think.  Until next time stay tuned and check back often. 

Second Thanksgiving?

Today we had a second Thanksgiving at Grammy and Grampa's.  This Thanksgiving celebration as well had no turkey!!  I am not a fan of turkey if you can't tell.  For lunch we had pizza and calzones!  At the Timberlake side thanksgiving it is usually a small turnout consisting of Grammy and Grampa, my parents, my sister and her boyfriend Kevin, my brother, his wife and three kids, aunt Cheryl, uncle Cliff and their daughter Finn, then of course Allyssia, Roland, and I. 

In typical Timberlake fashion, along with not having turkey we also had a heck of a bonfire for Thanksgiving. 

The whole family got to come out and play with the fire, but nobody has as much fun as Grampa does playing in a bonfire.

We started with two piles of brush and only one lit.  Once the first burnt down Grampa pushed the second pile on top.

We of course couldn't only work around the brush pile before pushing them together, we had to climb to the top of the brush pile.  We Timberlake's like a good bon fire. 








Mostly when working up a fire like this we kind of fly by the seat of our pants but Grampa and I made it look like we knew what we were doing and were making a plan.  In reality we were talking engines!

It did not take any time at all for the fire to burn down to a massive pile of coals that Grampa is going to keep a close eye on tonight!  With the fire burnt down we all went in for a few minutes for dessert.  While inside Baby Roland just had to spend some time with his Great Grampa!

On that note our second of three thanksgivings is come and gone.  We had a wonderful time with family, food, and fire!  On to the third Thanksgiving at Pepere's tomorrow!  Until next time stay tuned and check back often. 

A Happy Thanksgiving

I have been typing this blog for almost two years now and over that time everyone reading has "met" our family and watched it expand.  As we have expanded our family we have started our own family traditions.  This year and last year Allyssia and I decided to have a small Thanksgiving meal at our house.  This year my parents, Pepere, Grammie and Grampa joined us.  I don't have to much to say today except that I am thankful that we got to spend a wonderful day surrounded by family.  I am also super thankful that Allyssia can cook an amazing feast for everyone to enjoy.  She worked on the food last night and then started back in this morning finishing everything up. 

Our kitchen table was crowded but as every table should be it was big enough for everyone to enjoy the meal!

Roland got to visit with everyone especially his Memere! He had a wonderful time playing and talking to everyone.

He is always so happy and ready to play!  He played right through his nap time but once everyone left he took a well needed nap and so did I!!

While we were all there; Baby Roland, Myself, my father and Grampa got together for a four generations of Timberlake's family picture!  As you can imagine we had a great family filled Thanksgiving and would not trade it for anything!

 Four Generations on one side of the family is great but four generations on both sides is even cooler!

We hope that your Thanksgiving was just as fun filled and exciting.  Until next time stay tuned and check back often. 

I Need a Bookshelf!

Since I was younger I have loved to read.  Over time my reading interests have changed but it still stands that when I start a book I usually don't set it down much or do anything other than read until it is done.  A short while back I was at a customers house and they were showing me a book they found at a yard sale and it just happened to peak my interest.  The book was called "The Maine Two Footers."

Trains have never been of a huge interest to me but my interest was piqued when I saw that it had a lot to do with the Sandy River line that came through Farmington!  Off to amazon I went and ordered the book that came from a third party seller as it is no longer published. It arrived Friday and I have had a hectic weekend and havent set down to read yet but I am impatiently waiting to start it.  Another few books I have gotten recently are a few engine related books from Grampa.

The first two books are of just about every hit and miss engine manufacture with a short write up and a picture or illustration.  The third is by the same author and is a history of everything International Harvester.  It is so complete of a history that it starts with the horse drawn mowing machines to the engines, trucks, and even their baling twine.  The next book by the author C.H. Wendel will be his "150 Years of J.I. Case". Before I can do that though I need a bookshelf to store all of these books as well as my Snoopy books and many others.  Until next time stay tuned and check back often. 

A Family Vacation

It has been over three weeks since Allyssia and I headed to North Conway for vacation.  Since getting home our life has been a zoo but we are persisting and pushing forward!  As for our vacation, it was for our three year wedding anniversary!  For our honeymoon and for our anniversary every year we have gone to North Conway and the Fryeburg fair.  We have gone every year for woodsman day on Monday and then again on Tuesday. 

For those of you that have never been the the Fryeburg fair is quite large!  It is more than likely that someone could see the fair to 100% satisfaction in one day but we like to have two days.  On Monday we go for Wood Man's day. I am especially fond of watching the spring board chop competition.  Monday was a bit cool but not to worry, we all kept warm especially baby Roland!!

With his favorite hat and snuggled against his mom Roland stayed warm and contented all day!  Our second day at the fair was spent wandering around and eating all of the fair food plus we watched the draft horse show.  After the fair in the evening we entertained ourselves in North Conway.

We went to my favorite kind of store! Allyssia and I both bought books and even baby Roland got one!!  I also learned to play Yahtzee at the hotel, I had never played before and I beat Allyssia all three games!  I think it was just beginners luck but we bought the game so that we can play more at home.  Wednesday we headed home and even though it was a fun time at the fair it was a relief to get home and back to the animals!  For now our vacation is over but next year we will be right back to the fair for another round!!

As always bear with me and check back often for more fun and updates!!

An Odd New Toy

As you all know I have this great love for my antique equipment but sometimes just owning it is not enough, sometimes I want to be able to do something useful with it.  While on Facebook Marketplace I came across just the thing that was useful and fun!  I came across a 4 quart White Mountain ice cream churn hooked up to a Maytag twin cylinder washing machine engine. 

At the moment it is not the prettiest set up but I am going to pretty it up with some better skids and wheels.  Even though it isn't pretty it is the sweetest running little engine!  I drove down to Salisbury Mass and squeezed it into the back of Allyssia's Ford Focus. After picking it up my buddy Spenser helped me get it running well as he is a bit of a Maytag nut!

Another picture for reference.  Someday I want to get a bigger churn and run it on a bigger hit and miss engine but for now this little gem is so much fun.  I have made two batches of ice cream so far and both have come out amazing!  Both have been vanilla but we are going to try many other flavors soon.  But enough of my talking on about it and time to see it running and making some ice cream!
                                                           Maytag Ice Cream Maker
My hope is that at engine shows I can get more people interested in the engines by seeing how fun they are. 

Until next time I will be working hard but will be can not wait to share more with you all.  Until next time stay tuned and check back often. 

Fall Fun

 Disclaimer, this post was supposed to be uploaded Sunday but Blogger did its own thing and well here we are on Wednesday just getting it up here.  Tomorrow I will post again about our vacation trip!!

This past week has been an exciting week with lots going on.  Last Friday Grampa's brother John flew up from South Carolina to visit.  While he was up Uncle John celebrated his 91st birthday. He and Grampa also came up to visit us in Farmington to see the farm and see all of my projects.

Aside from visiting family and friends they also came and visited Allyssia and I at the Apple Pumpkin Festival. 

They showed up at the festival while I had gone to sell a tractor but they had my engine running and were sitting watching it when I showed up.  The engine used to belong to Grampa so it was in more than capable hands and I was glad to see it running when I got there.  Allyssia was also set up at the Festival with her LuLaRoe!  Events like this are great for her being out in the fresh air and not inside like some of the craft fairs are. 

On a bittersweet side note, I finally ended up selling my Farmall Super A. After months of it sitting next to the road it finally has a new home. 

The gentleman that bought it is going to take care of it and fix it up like it deserves.  Hopefully I will see him and the Super A in next year's parade in Turner on the Fourth of July.  The tractor sold just in time though as I delivered it on Saturday and today Allyssia Roland and I headed out for our Vacation.  We are spending a few nights in North Conway and going to the Fryeburg Fair. This is our third Anniversary and we have come to Fryeberg fair every year.  So stay tuned and check back later this week to see how our trip is going. 

Where Have The Timberlake's Been?

Many of you that follow the farms blog have probably been wondering for the past three weeks, "where have the Timberlake's been?".  That is a great question my friends because we have been on the go doing all the things especially enjoying our new baby.

I must say that having a now two and a half month old has changed our lives so much.  I haven't been working these crazy late hours as much and have been coming home and spending time with little Roland.  He is such a happy, agreeable baby and he is super hard not to like - just ask anybody that meets him.

Besides having loads of family time there has been quite a bit happening here on the farm.  the biggest and most notable is that our road has finally been tarred.  The town tore up our tar last summer and had left us with dirt and the promise of a new road soon.  We are super excited to be able to drive on the road and not feel like the vehicle is going to fall apart. We are also able to go on walks with the stroller and not have it thrash about. 

When we have all of the dogs with us we look a lot like a theatrical troupe walking down Webster road.  Another huge project that we have been working late on has been our mudroom.  We put it off for long enough and now want to finish it off before winter!

To refresh memories this it the inside of the mud room.  Since this picture it has undergone a grand transformation.

From bleak brown insulation to bright white crisp Sheetrock.  We were ever so amazed that just the Sheetrock would brighten the room so much.  Once the Sheetrock was hung and I had watched many YouTube videos on how to tape and mud I started that multi step process.  The taping and mudding is not to bad but the sanding is terrible.  The only good part about sanding is being done with it and moving on to painting.

Picking a paint color is the hardest part I think but I didn't pick the color.  Allyssia picked the paint and picked a perfect shade of green to liven up the walls.

This is just coat one of paint and we have the trim to add as well as a layer of wainscotting along the lower part of the room. 

I still have lots and lots of trim work and finished carpentry to do as well as flooring but if you ask me it is going really well!!I feel the need to mention the electrical because like I have forgotten it while typing this post I forgot the wiring while I was sheet rocking.  Luckily Trevor was willing to come over and help me wire a 3 way switch, an outlet and an outdoor light.   With the new wiring I also added lights in the ceiling so that there were no shadowy spots. 

I leave you all with this picture that Allyssia took of Little Roland and I enjoying a campfire We have a lot more going on and will have lots more happening in the coming weeks.  The mud room is progressing fast so we will have updated sooner than you know! Until next time stay tuned and check back often.