• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

    Mobile Menu Widgets

    Connect

    Search

Brambleberry Meadow

Farmstead Living, Good Stewardship, Home Comforts

  • Home
  • Blog
  • About
  • Podcast
  • The Bluestocking Bower

Plans and a driveway

February 5, 2019 · In: House Design, Uncategorized

We finally got our finished plans from the architect. He’s a pencil and paper sort of guy, so there are no fancy 3D renderings. But I’ll share the elevations, because they’re still kind of fun.

Things will change, slightly, because they always do. But for now, we have a start on the project.

Speaking of changes, the excavators were out to do some preliminary work. They dug out the existing culvert, which was collapsed, and put in a new one. Then they did some clearing. So, we have a usable driveway, for the moment.

And there were the typical small snags. That power line? Super low. Too low to get cement trucks under. So we’ll have to see if we can get the power company to come out and put a pole. The excavators also permitted the septic system. That will, somewhat unfortunately, need to be 2 feet above the current grade. Which means the house will have to come up somewhat more than expected to allow a gravity feed to the septic. It should still all work out, but we’ll likely end up with a small pond toward the back of the property where all that extra dirt will need to come from.

Either way, everyone is pretty sure it can get done and still spare my apple tree. I marked it so the excavators would know to avoid it. I might have gone overboard just a wee bit.

I doubt much more will get done until Spring, now that the polar vortex has everything frozen solid. But it’s nice to get a little bit of a start on things.

Share this post:

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share on Pinterest Share on LinkedIn Share on Email

By: Holly · In: House Design, Uncategorized

you’ll also love

My Favorite Homestead Podcasts
Restoration
Laying Plans

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Next Post >

Toward an Independent Farmstead

Primary Sidebar

Meet Holly

Meet Holly
hello!

Welcome to the Brambleberry Meadow. I'm Holly, here to offer you my thoughts on what it means to be a good steward, and practical suggestions for finding satisfaction in making your place better.

Read More

Connect

Search

Archives

Follow Along

 

brambleberrymeadow

Drop by the blog to try my recipe for Sweet Corn I Drop by the blog to try my recipe for Sweet Corn Ice Cream.  This salty-sweet treat is summer in a bowl.⁠
⁠
#icecreamflavors #homemadeicecream #summerflavors
I apologize, but the website is currently a bit of I apologize, but the website is currently a bit of a mess.  I acquired a back-door malware virus, and suffered an ongoing attack.  I've got it cleaned up, and managed to "mostly" restore the site.  But the abuse it took has my hosting "throttled" by my service provider.  I've got the main structure mostly back up.  But the images are missing from all the posts.  I HAVE them.  I just have to go put them back.  Post by post. ⁠
⁠
I'll do my best to get things back up and running as soon as may be.  Until then, have a cup of tea and read a good book with me!  I'm currently working my way back through the later books in the Anne of Green Gables series.  I've gotten up to "Anne of Ingleside." And when I need a break, I have a small sewing projcct.  I'm working on tucks (and shark's teeth!) by hand.  More on that later.
I don't actually mind these rainy afternoons, when I don't actually mind these rainy afternoons, when my husband has taken my oldest daughter out to the bookstore and left me and the little one at home.  I can sit quietly and weep over "Anne's House of Dreams" without having to try to explain why I would re-read the tale of Anne and Gilbert's firstborn.  Or why I feel so much like Leslie Moore, prior to Dick's reveal.  Even if he did get me the whole series as leather-bound volumes from Easton Press for Christmas.  A very Gilbert-esque gift of itself. 

I have "Anne of Ingleside" queued up next. "Green Gables" gets all the attention,  but some of the later books are honestly better, as both character and writer mature.

I wonder if Easton Press has "Emily of New Moon"....

#anneofgreengables
Back on the wagon! I took a brief break to do sum Back on the wagon!  I took a brief break to do summery things with my kids.  Now, with some of my favorite local events coming up (notably the Michigan Fiber Festival and AQS Grand Rapids), I'm getting ready to lay in supplies to try my hand at doll making.⁠
⁠
Plus, I suddenly have a use for small bits of fabric, vintage trims, and buttons from Grandma's button box.⁠
⁠
Come along on the adventure?
Sketching some ideas while trying to get up the ne Sketching some ideas while trying to get up the nerve to needlefelt a doll face.  I ought not to have inked in the eyes, so I could try out eye colors, too.

#dollmakingprocess #dollmaking
There is a tender joy in coming home, even if that There is a tender joy in coming home, even if that wasn't your intent when you left.
Slow food means more than a garden and backyard la Slow food means more than a garden and backyard layers.  It means being ready when berries are ready to forage.  Taking the time to let things rise, or culture.  And making sure you also leave time to use the byproducts from one food to make another.  Maybe I'll even use my next batch of whey left over from skyr to make some brunost.⁠
⁠
#heritagebaking #slowfood #americanacore #fermentedfoods
The smell of sweetgrass as the sun warms the meado The smell of sweetgrass as the sun warms the meadow is something that fires my memories of a place that once felt like "home."
Today's blog post is about local flavor. Why and Today's blog post is about local flavor.  Why and how to preserve the things that make your place your place, and how to avoid getting sucked into the sameness of the National over-culture.⁠
⁠
#localculture #localism #americanacore
The really amazing thing is that what we find is o The really amazing thing is that what we find is often better and more satisfying than what we were looking for.
Visit the blog this week for tips and tricks to ma Visit the blog this week for tips and tricks to make sure your homemade jellies are sparkling and gem-like.⁠
⁠
#homemadejelly #homesteadlife #countyfair
It was a slightly dreary Sunday afternoon, but a g It was a slightly dreary Sunday afternoon, but a good day to take in the Ottawa County Historic Schoolhouse Tour. Several of the schools were staffed by former students. And all were either restored, or in process. 

I can't help but think that we might be missing the very thing these old schools provided.

#americanacore #historicschoolhouse #oneroomschoolhouse #localhistory
We think we understand so much - but we've got onl We think we understand so much - but we've got only what we can see through a little peephole.  There is so much more to the world than our little corner of it.⁠
⁠
Which doesn't mean we're insignificant.  Sometimes, it just means we're here to take care of our little corner of it - and not to try to fix everything everywhere.
Springtime flavors are ephemeral. I may have miss Springtime flavors are ephemeral.  I may have missed the violets,  but I did manage to capture a bit of springtime with this rhubarb jelly.  Visit the blog for the recipe.

#homemadejelly #springpreserves #homesteadlife #foodinjars #rhubarb #rhubarbseason #rhubarbjelly #americacacore
I took the dogs for a walk on the meadow this morn I took the dogs for a walk on the meadow this morning, looking for something to bring in for preserving.  Since I was rebatching my rhubarb jelly, it seemed like a good idea to try to do two things at once.  But the violets were done, and the elder flowers aren't in bloom yet.  So we just enjoyed the non-edible flowers and came home.
The local library has installed a Seed Library. T The local library has installed a Seed Library.  Take some seed to plant... donate some.after harvest.  What a great use for an old card catalog!
Even if it sometimes feels thankless and lonely Even if it sometimes feels thankless and lonely
Stop by the blog for my Cream Biscuits recipe.⁠ Stop by the blog for my Cream Biscuits recipe.⁠
⁠
I don't know about you, but I got run a little ragged this weekend, trying to make use of and preserve the start of Summer's bounty.  Before I knew it, it was late afternoon.  But I had plenty of time to make these biscuits, cut up some fruit, and have an easy, fresh dessert.⁠
⁠
#seasonalbaking #heritagebaking #americanacore
Sometimes you have to close your eyes, screw your Sometimes you have to close your eyes, screw your courage to the sticking point and just DO.
Geographical snobbery is a thing. I don't have an Geographical snobbery is a thing.  I don't have any recipes or projects for you today.  Just some thoughts on why urbanocentric ideas about rural America miss the mark.⁠
⁠
#localism #americanacore #homesteading
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Copyright © 2022 · Theme by 17th Avenue