Deluxe Chicken Coop, the Pioneer Lifestyle

Our goals of country life continue…

Of course, you can not live in the country and have a pioneer life without a chicken coop!

We decided we needed one to add to our farm life, so the family got supplies together around the farm and started working on a deluxe chicken coop, I call it my Martha Stewart Chicken Coop Imitation!

We brought the chicken house from our old property, I found it on Craigslist over 10 years ago for $100.00. The other supplies we used mostly from around the Ranch. The wood from the fence we took down and we bought the wire. We are so excited about the way it turned out and saved a ton of money!

We had chickens years ago, and I always knew I wanted more once we bought more land, so this is so exciting to me.

This time I wanted different color eggs, blues, greens, browns, and white, so I ordered a bunch of different chickens. Of course, they won’t be ready for another month, this will give us time to finish the chicken coop and run the water. I am also going with these hanging feeders this time to keep everything cleaner!

Meanwhile, on the farm, the pool got a waterfall and the house plat is framed, we are expecting the foundation to be poured this week!!

For the pool, we are still waiting on the slide and the cool decking to be complete. It is so exciting to watch it come together.

The closer we get to our Pioneer Life the more excited I get. Stay tuned to see what adventures we have in store next!!

Dreams coming true… Our Pioneer Life on the Ranch!!

We are getting closer to our dream life and I couldn’t be happier. Right before Christmas our pool was started. We also signed the contract to start on our home on February 1st. We decided to go with a fiberglass pool since we wanted a saltwater pool.

Each of our three grandsons picked out a must-have they wanted. One wanted a slide, the other a waterfall and our youngest wanted a jacuzzi, the pool we picked will have all of these.

We are getting so close to our dreams coming true, we knew when we sold both of our homes and moved out to the ranch we would need patience, we love this life and have enjoyed every step along the way.

Stay tuned for the next steps as every day our pioneer life is coming true!

Here is a sneak peek at our future home!

My Pioneer Life… Or midlife crisis!!

I would have never imagined after our kids moved out and we started to become grandparents we would do something crazy. After all my husband has been with the same company for 30+ years. We have owned our beautiful 4 bedrooms, 3 bath brick home for over 13+ years and in 2016 bought a condo in Rockport, Texas on the water. We had it made, then Covid happened…..

My husband nor I lost our jobs during covid, fortunately, nor did our income suffer due to Covid, but what it did do was make us realize we wanted land and to be away from people. So our adventure started.

Our Outhouse

We loaded up everything we owned and bought an 82-acre ranch….. Well sorta! This ranch consisted of a bunkhouse, barn kitchen, and an outhouse. Nothing like the comforts we were used to and everything like a pioneer life. We intended to sell both homes and build on our property in the middle of nowhere.

Swimming Pool Site

Then Covid continued to happen and prices of lumber began to rise. We then decided, to save money, to self-build so this is the beginning of our new chapter. We ordered an inground pool that will be installed in the next couple of months and will begin the process of building our dream home.

Our Dream Home Site

Our first step is to find an architect that can take our plans and make them the blueprints needed to begin building. We were told this cost usually around $3500.00, so of course, we want to find the best deal we can and still get everything we need.

I will be sharing the process and pictures along the way!

Tips for the Borderline Hoarder

We get it: it’s hard to get rid of things that have that nostalgia factor or bring back treasured memories. Especially if you’ve lost a loved one, or are especially attached to a certain period in your life. Getting rid of things that have sentimental value is just hard. Add to that a desire to be frugal, to make things last and not to waste, and you have a person who just can’t seem to get rid of anything. We’ve all been there.

Photo Credit: Lucas França

However, there comes a point when saving things goes from simply keeping memories alive to outright hoarding. Real-life hoarding is often symptomatic of trauma or mental health issues, and something that should never be made light of. If you think your reluctance to get rid of anything may be bordering on a problem, there are ways to get yourself back in order, save space and get rid of things you don’t need. It’s just a matter of following a few steps to get back on track.

We’ve listed our ideas below.

Enlist a Friend

Asking a trusted person to assist you in purging items can be a big help. Someone who knows you well enough to know which items are truly important, but who is also unbiased enough to tell you when you’re hanging on to things you genuinely don’t need. They can be the voice of reason, a clear-headed person who will help you sort through your stuff and organize it accordingly.

Sometimes it’s just as simple as having someone who will take your junk to Goodwill for you, so you don’t have to. Just having a person there who is willing to take a few steps on your behalf can make all the difference.

“Sparking Joy” and other Trendy Ideas

We’ve all seen the Netflix show, or at least heard about it. The thing is, Marie Kondo’s philosophy became so popular because there is wisdom in the idea.

When going through your hoarded items, pause with each one and ask yourself the hard question. “Do I really love this item, or am I just clinging to it out of fear/frugality/habit?” If the answer isn’t “Yes, I love this!”, chuck it.

If you want to go a step further, ask yourself, even of the items you LOVE, “Do I use this? Is it of use to me?” If not, consider donating it to someone who will benefit from the item even more than you can.

Storage Facilities

Even after purging items, you may still find yourself in possession of a lot of stuff. For collectors, those who sell online, or just have a lot of memories to safeguard, using your house to store this stuff is what begins the hoarding mentality. Better to protect these items by keeping them in a private space denoted just for them. Whether that’s a special room in the basement or attic, or Custom Storage Solutions, such as a rented unit or purchased storage building, is up to you.

Delegating a private space to your treasured item will protect them for years to come and keep your living space free of clutter, which will help your mental health and discourage any future hoarding behaviors.

Try these tips and see if perhaps you can’t curb the hoarding before it begins. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with keeping items that mean a lot to you; it’s all about balance and knowing the difference between what’s important and what is junk.

Living Independently For The First Time: What You Need to Know

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Thinking of living alone for the first time? Chances are it will be one of the best experiences of your life, it won’t always be easy but you’ll learn so much about yourself and your abilities and it can help you to become a better person. Here’s what you need to know before taking the plunge.

Get your finances right

The first thing you’ll need to do when you’re considering living alone works out if you can afford it. Living independently always costs more than living with others, so sit down and figure out exactly what you have coming in, and what is likely to go out. Things like gas and electricity, rent, water charges, phone and broadband, shopping, and a vehicle if you own one will all need to be taken into account. Find out if you’re entitled to any help from the government, depending on what you earn and your situation you could get some help with benefits or reduced bill costs. Anyone that lives alone for example is entitled to a single person’s discount with council tax which will at least reduce that large expense a little.

Find a suitable place to live

Living alone and independently, especially if it’s for the first time in your life will require you to find the right place to live. Maybe you’d feel comfortable living close to family and friends, but the size of the property is important too. If you have any additional needs such as mobility problems, you’ll need to ensure the home is on the ground floor and if there are any steps and things that a handicap ramp can be installed. One of the main concerns lots of people have when they live on their own for the first time is safety and security, so finding an area and a building that is safe and low in crime will probably be a top priority. You can run postcode checks of any home you plan on moving into which will tell you things like crime rates and other statistics which can help you to make your mind up.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help

Just because you’re living independently doesn’t mean you can’t ask for help if you need it. Whether it helps to move, helps with decorating, setting up furniture, or anything else, don’t feel as though you need to muddle through. Ask for help and advice if needed, in many cases, you might just need someone to show you how to do something once and you’re able to go it alone after that. Living alone is all about standing on your own two feet, but that doesn’t mean you’re expected to be a super human that suddenly knows how to do everything.

Don’t Let The Lemons Of Life Bring you Down

When it comes to our lives, we can all find that we hit bumpy parts of the road. Obstacles that stand in our way, bad turns or decisions we regret to have taken. The truth is, we all go through these difficult moments. We all have worries, plans that don’t go our way, and events that take place that are simply out of our control. It is how we deal with these things that can define us, and also change the course of our lives for the better. Here are some of the most common life obstacles that any of us could face at some stage in our lives. Some will give you more hardship than others, but they all don’t necessarily need to hold you back in a way that can be hard to navigate past at the time.

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Accidents that are not your fault

Sometimes in life, things will happen that you don’t expect. This could be in the workplace, it could be while you are driving on the road, and you end up in an accident that was not your fault. It can be disheartening to suffer from injuries from this, and with no real reason on your actions, it can be a difficult time to go through. This is when seeking the advice from specialist law firms such as www.braininjurylawofseattle.com/ can help. While these things are not necessarily your fault, they can give you a new perspective on life moving forward.

Bad financial decisions in the past

There may have been times in your past where you have made some risky moves financially, and now you are finding that you are struggling with the consequences of those actions. This could be a house you bought that has lost value, it could be that you make some risky investments and have lost some money. Instead of dwelling on these mistakes, you need to learn from them and continue to move forward with your life.

Friendships fading away

Losing your friendships can be just as devastating as a failed relationship. Friendships are different. You confide in friends, you spend time with them, and they get to know you. They are there throughout different stages of your life, and often when these friendships fizzle out it can be devastating. The best approach to this is to not dwell on it. You need to be aware that having negative influences in your life, even if they are friends, is not going to have the right impact on you. Friends will come and go, but the ones that matter will stay in your life.

Thinking about your mental well being

Finally, your mental health is one of the biggest things that you need to consider, and at times, when you feel at your lowest points, possibly because of one of the vents above that have been shared, your mental health can be impacted. You can feel down, depressed and anxious, and this can be a big stumbling block and obstacle that at times doesn’t feel like you can get over. But, you can and you will. You need to ensure that you make positive a priority in your life. From feeling grateful for the things you have, or just making a conscious effort to think more positively is a good place to start.

Let’s hope highlighting these things helps you in the future.

Good Vibes Only: Habits For More Happiness

Wouldn’t it be amazing if we only did things that generated good vibes in our lives? If we cut out all the habits that made us feel yucky, and most of the people that harmed our well being as well. Of course, completely doing this isn’t usually possible, but taking steps toward a more positive life is. Something that the post below discusses in more detail.

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Mood management

We don’t get taught it at school, but knowing how to evaluate your mood and what to do to regulate it is a vital skill. Unfortunately, some people can find doing things with the sole purpose of improving their mood quite tricky. Perhaps because they have been brought up to focus solely on external achievements such as their career or looks.

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Happily, with a little guidance and effort on your part, you can reprogram yourself to value acts that help to healthy regulate your mood. In fact, many people begin to enjoy and get such benefit from these that they start to incorporate them into daily life, no matter how they are feeling.

Healthy habits

Basically, we all know that creating healthy habits will result in positive benefits in our lives. However, sometimes to clear space for these, we need to give up negative patterns of behavior as well. Of course, this can be tough, especially as negative patterns of behavior such as addiction can be manipulative coping mechanisms that we have used for a long time.

That is why, for those that have an addiction, treatment options such as going into sober living for women can be the best choice. In fact, it can really help them to give up their harmful habits and focus on the positive one wants to create. Something that in turn can create the mental, physical and emotional space for newer more positive habits and coping mechanisms to form.

Surround yourself with positivity

They say we become like the people we spend the most time with. Ergo, if you spend your days around positive, enthusiastic people that are motivated to make a real change, this is bound to rub off on you.

Of course, that may mean making some pretty significant changes in your life. You may even need to re-evaluate your friendships and other relationships to see if they are really serving your well being in the long run. Although, as this can help you be happier and more successful, many people believe it to be worth it.

Spread kindness

It has long been known that by being kind to others, we can also have a positive effect on our own mood. Of course, social media can present a real challenge to this, especially when we come across people whose views or behavior we disagree with.

Although such encounters could be framed as an opportunity. The chance to spread a little love and kindness in the world if you will. Why not try this the next time you come across online negativity, instead of getting sucked down into the mire? It may just work wonders!

Old Media, New Tech: Using Gadgets To Enjoy A Good Book

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There are few things which can stand up to curling up and getting lost in a book you love. The twists and turns of a well written story, the stresses and strains of each character’s relationships, and the satisfaction you feel when you’ve read the whole thing are all elements which have made this form of entertainment popular for thousands of years. Of course, though, in the modern day, it makes sense to use modern tools to help with your reading. There are loads on the market, and this post will be exploring a range of them to give you some ideas.

Smartphones

Modern smartphones can handle a huge range of different tasks, from giving you the ability to call and text, to being able to handle a whole day of work without breaking a sweat. Of course, though, they can also be an awful lot of fun. There are a few different options available when it comes to using a smartphone to help you to enjoy the books you like. Audio books can be found on each smartphone app store, along with applications which make it very easy to read various eBook formats. This enables you to choose between reading and listening, while also making it far easier to search for books when you’re on the go.

E-Readers

E-Readers have been becoming increasingly popular over the years, with people looking for ways to simulate the act of reading a book more accurately. Using special screens which have white background and use black pixels, these products can make your time using a digital display feel like you’re working with paper. Amazon Kindles are the most popular example of this, though you can find cheaper versions of the same devices which will be able to run more formats of eBook. These devices are usually powered by Android, and this makes it possible to have a lot of fun with them.

Borrowing Books

In the past, if you wanted to start reading a new book, you’d either have to go to the bookstore or library to get your hands on what you want. Nowadays, though, it’s possible to borrow real books without having to leave the comfort of your computer desk. There are loads of sites around the web which make this easier, giving you the chance to order from a huge range of classics, while still getting the chance to use paper books. It’s worth being careful here, as some of the sites you find will be renting out digital copies of the books they have on offer, and this isn’t quite as nice as getting a real one.

Lighting

Trying to read in poor light can make the whole experience very unpleasant. Not only will it be hard to see the pages, but your eyes will start to feel the strain very quickly, and this is something which most readers will want to avoid. Having proper lighting can be hard, though, and you need to have an option which can give you a variety of different modes or settings. LED smart bulbs are perfect for this. Going in a lamp or ceiling fixture, these products can be changed to shine in different colors, while also being dim. Of course, though, the real benefit is being able to control them with your phone.

Magnification

This next area is one which a lot of people see as something for older people, though most can benefit from having the words they’re reading a little bigger. Magnifying glasses have been on the market for hundreds of years, with people using these tools long into the past, but they’ve gotten a lot more tech. A magnifying glass with light features won’t cost a huge amount, but can make your reading experience far easier, especially if you’re trying to read a book with very fine printing. There are countless products like this on the market, and they can all make your reading experience a lot more pleasant.

Digital Bookmarks

There are few things worse than stumbling upon words which you don’t understand and having no way to figure them out when you’re reading something. While this problem may not occur in every session, a lot of readers find themselves tiring of this very quickly, and this can lead to skipping the words entirely. Modern digital bookmarks can help you with this. Among many other features, these devices can serve as an excellent dictionary. With the ability to be updated and changed after they are made, new words can be added to them, making them far more accurate than paper options. This should make it just about impossible to find yourself confused about the words you’re trying to read.

Books On The TV

When some people find themselves with a book which has small print, they will find themselves reaching for a magnifying glass. Others, though, will want something a little more advanced for this job, and this is where page to TV scanners come in. These small devices can be dragged around the pages of your books, using a small camera to display the text on the television you like to use. This can make it incredibly easy to read books together, while also making it possible to enjoy a book on the big screen. Some people find that reading like this is far more comfortable than reading conventionally.

Prism Glasses

Finally, as the last gadget to consider, it’s time to look at something which is a little more fun than functional. Prism glasses operate similarly to a periscope, using mirrors and small lenses to shift your field of vision by 90 degrees. If you were standing upright and looking forward, these glasses would make you see the floor. They are designed to make it possible to read while lying down, without having to bend your neck and leave yourself uncomfortable, and they do their job very well. Of course, though, some people will find themselves falling asleep if they read like this.

With all of this in mind, you should be feeling ready to take on the challenge of using gadgets to get more out of your books. A lot of people struggle with this sort of work, finding it hard to know what needs to be done to improve their reading experience, though this can easily be handled with a few clever gadgets.

4 Signs Your Job Is Damaging Your Health

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Some jobs may not seem particularly hazardous on the surface – but whilst there may be few immediate dangers, there could still be long-term health hazards to look out for. Here are just a few signs that your job could be slowly damaging your health and what you can do to prevent this.

You’ve developed aches and pains that won’t go away

Repeated actions, poor posture and poor ergonomics at work can all lead to aches and pains. Sometimes this pain may disappear after a few hours, but sometimes this pain can become chronic. Back pain is a common example – this could be the result of bad form when lifting heavy objects or it could be the result of poor posture when sitting at a desk. A back doctor may be able to help with solutions ranging from medication to exercise recommendations to surgery. RSIs (repetitive strain injuries) cannot always be cured, but can usually always be reduced. It’s worth talking to your employer about this injury as health and safety measures may be able to be introduced into the workplace.

You’re gaining weight from inactivity

Many modern jobs such as desk jobs and driving jobs are largely sedentary. A lack of physical activity throughout the day can lead to weight gain, which can have its own health risks ranging from diabetes to joint problems. Weight gain is something that can be reversed by exercising more and introducing a better diet. Even if your work requires you to stay sat down, make sure to take advantage of your breaks as a chance to be active or try to compensate by exercising more out of office hours.

Your ears are ringing at the end of each day

Ringing in the ears is often caused by exposure to loud noises and can eventually lead to permanent ringing (tinnitus) or hearing loss. If your job is causing your ears to ring, it could be a sign you need to wear ear protection of some kind. Most employers are legally required to supply this if their work environment reaches a certain decibel level – you should talk to your employer if this equipment isn’t supplied. Construction sites and nightclubs are common examples of such workplaces.

You’re constantly stressed from work

Work-related stress can have serious negative health effects. As well as being linked to mental illness such as anxiety and depression, increased blood pressure can cause physical health problems in the long run such as strokes and even heart attacks. Whilst many jobs have their moments of stress, no job should be constantly stressful and may want to consider ways of relieving responsibility at work or taking up a new job. Alternatively, you may be able to reduce the health risks of stress by taking time to distress – exercising, listening to music and having a hot bath are all effective ways to distress at the end of the day, whilst taking holiday away from work is also important.

The Pressure Of A Healthy Lifestyle

Now this is something that you really just want to say eurgh to. Eurgh is the perfect word for a healthy lifestyle, especially if you’ve never really maintained one before. But we’re guessing that if you’re thinking about living your lifestyle the right way now, it’s that something has prompted you. There are a couple of common reasons, with one of the main being all of the years of bad actions towards your body catching up on you. Or another one that is spurring people on at the minute, is the jealousy of other people and some serious body envy. But still, it doesn’t help the fact that you can’t help but feel ‘eurgh’ about the whole situation. So the aim of this article is going to be to try and get that eurgh out of your system. We know the pressure of living a healthy lifestyle can be a lot, but we think with these simple tips it’s going to become so much easier! Because even though you’ve got those eurgh feelings inside of you, you still have that goal that you want to reach, and we’re going to help you do just that! So let’s kick you into action, and see how much you can change!

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Don’t Feel The Pressure

Feeling the pressure of any lifestyle is hard, and you can usually feel it all around you. If you’re surrounded by people who are getting their lives together, trying to live a healthy lifestyle, and posting it anywhere they can possibly get some attention, you start to feel like the odd one out. Everyone is talking about the healthy food they ate, the gym class they did, and you just can’t join in! So you feel the pressure from the people around you, but you also feel the pressure from yourself. It grows from your own insecurities, and the jealousy that everyone else seems to be better than you are. So when all of this mounts up, it can often feel like the pressure is overwhelming, and you just feel like you don’t want to do anything at all. So our tip and our first tip is to let all of the pressure mount away. Everyone will be at different stages in their fitness journey, so you should never compare your progress to theirs. What you should do, is take your time to start your own journey, and do it all at your own pace. As long as you’re making some sort of progress, you should feel no pressure at all to speed anything up!

Set Your Own Goals

This is something that you’re going to have to do early on. You don’t have to set goals that mean you lose or gain a ton in a couple of months because then we’re going to circle right back around to feeling that pressure again. So what you need to do, is think about goals that are actually going to suit you, not other people. So when thinking of what goals you want to go for, you’re going to have to think about the short term and the long term. The short term is really going to guide the long term. So think about things like joining a gym, going twice a week and eating healthy other than the odd snack. Just having the latter goal is hard enough, but once you get into a routine, eating healthy is actually really easy. As for the long term, you need to think about things like weight loss or weight gain if that’s what you’re going for. But even if you set yourself targets, it’s often hard to see the progress, even if the numbers are trying to tell you. So one thing you can do so that you’re really able to tell the difference is taking progress pictures. This is the perfect way of getting the motivation you need to stick at it because if you follow a routine you really will be able to notice the difference!

Do It Through A Hobby

A hobby is something that everyone needs to have, but that hardly anyone seems to have. So much can be achieved both mentally, and physically, through finding a hobby to become addicted to. But don’t worry, this is a healthy kind of addiction, and we’re going to delve more into that in the next section. In this section, we want to talk about how sporting hobbies could help you to feel amazing, take the pressure off your fitness journey, and put some actual fun into it. One sport that can really help you to enjoy life, and one that takes the pressure off of everything, is golfing. It’s such a relaxed sport, there’s no denying that. All you would need to do is visit websites such as rockbottomgolf.com, and you’d find all the equipment needed to get yourself started. Then, all you’d need to do is find someone who could teach you the ropes for a while, and before you know it you’d be on your way. But if golfing doesn’t suit you, then there are so many others that you could choose from!

Find That Addiction

As we said, when you get addicted to trying to improve yourself, the addiction is nearly always healthy. Some people do take it to the extreme, putting their bodies through things they shouldn’t be put through, just to try and protect that perfect image. But when you find a healthy addiction to changing your image, it becomes the best thing for you. It usually comes in around 4 to 6 weeks into a working regime. By working, we mean you’re sticking to it all days of the week, and have really started to find a liking for the gym. This is the sort of healthy addiction you need in your life, and it can be so good for you if you play it the right way. Hopefully, you should start noticing small changes after 6 weeks, and that should drive you on even more to carry on doing what you’re doing!

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