We have a well!

Our well went in this week and finally we got some good news. The well company only had to drill down 101 feet before they hit an abundance of very clean water. We are so excited! The water is not connected to the house yet, but this is a major item that we no longer have to worry about.

Look at my pearly whites!

When Tillie wants to play and she thinks you are ignoring her, she will slowly start growling. She usually does this with her head down on the carpet and her tail wagging like crazy. If she really gets desperate she will open her mouth and start barking. It is really funny to watch her antics while she is trying to get your attention.

Skirting in Place

Another step has been completed on the house. The skirting is in place. The next step involves back filling all the soil around the house and then work will begin on the septic system.

It is exciting to see the changes every time we go out to the property!

Spring Flowers

Earlier in the week, Susan took this picture of the beautiful flowers at the base of the tree in our front yard. Spring is definitely here!

Protecting Crops

During the last few months, farmers have been using water to freeze their crops in order to prevent radiant heat loss. You can see the water spray over the tops of these trees.

There are different methods used to prevent radiant heat loss in crops. Farmers utilize heaters, irrigation, wind machines and fog. Each method has advantages and disadvantages.

Irrigation costs are high and there is a risk of crop damage if the rate is incorrect; if there is too much ice buildup on the limbs resulting in breakage; if the soil is too saturated and if the wind is too strong. This process works because heat lost from the crop to the environment is replaced by heat release as the applied water changes to ice. When 1 gram of water freezes, 80 calories of heat energy are released.

Picture acres and acres of frozen trees and imagine how beautiful it looks, especially on a bright summer morning.

Tillie had a bath today, and this is how she likes to stay warm while her hair dries. She will let me use the hair dryer for a while, but not nearly long enought to get her dry. She likes this even better when someone will sit with her on their lap.

Contest Awards

Since I have a lot of free time on my hands lately, I have spent some of it entering contests online. During the Olympics, our local TV station sponsored a Question of the Day contest. During the late night news, after the Olympic coverage ended, they asked a question about the Olympics. You could then log in and post your answer. During the competition I won $50.00 worth of gift certificates to local restaurants.

For the Oscars, there was another contest where you had to identify winners in 11 categories prior to the award show on TV. I was able to correctly identify 10 out of the 11 winners, which turned out to be the highest score in Washington State. The sponsoring station here in town is working on my prize. The national winner got 11 out of 11 correct and won an 18 DVD set of classic films.

Right now, we are entered in four different sweep-stake contests and I have my fingers crossed!

Hummingbird Cake

There is a recipe in the April 2010 issue of the Food Network Magazine for Hummingbird Cake. Susan made this cake and took it to work this week. It was very popular. She took the cake inside in the morning and it was gone before noon. This is a great magazine for anyone who likes to cook and experiment with new recipes.



YUM!

Kem's in Yakima

Last evening Susan and I went to dinner at Kem's. This restaurant is located in the new Holiday Inn in downtown Yakima. We had heard nice things about the food on the radio and I was able to purchase a $50.00 gift certificate for $25.00 from the station during their half-price Friday giveaway.

The restaurant is quite small, but has quality furnishings as you can see in the photo. Unfortunately, we went on a night where the only employee working was obviously new and didn't seem happy to have a job. She did not know the menu, nor did she know how to make a Smith & Kerns or a White Russian. Why would a new business leave someone in charge of the bar who doesn't know how to mix drinks? Aside from the service the food was good and we would go back again, just not on Sunday evening.

First Time in the House

The crew from Color Tile needed to get into the house on April 8 to complete measurements and Kasandra was kind enough to give me a ride so I could see the inside for the first time. This picture was taken in the kitchen. There remains a great deal of work to be finished on the home before Susan and I get the keys. The crews are projecting that they will be done by Monday, April 19.