AftenBrook

[aftenbrook]

The first picture is the rock wall I made in Bedford I loved that little level separator The next photos are the sad littleeffort I’m putting into some ‘using what I have’ terracing on our massive hill I only managed to place one piddily row of rocks along one level today, but hope to keep making slow progress to have some cute rock walls in front of my wood (I’m hoping the wood will slowly decompose and help bring our dirt back to life while it rots 🤷🏻‍♀️ our dirt needs a lot of microbes or something We have started a compost pile and I will be sprinkling this hill with its juices and such once it’s juicy enough… 🤢🥰 #hutrehab #dirtrehab https://www.instagram.com/p/CQH_ReSjBIF/?utm_medium=tumblr

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Yard work: fun for the whole family LOL Rutledge is that fluff under the trailer getting between people’s feet #hutrehab #hutrehabsaturday #hutrehabkids #yardwork https://www.instagram.com/p/CQBtb9Mt0sZ/?utm_medium=tumblr

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Rutledge is a major snorer and it’s the cutest—she’s laying on reading pillows (yes there is evidence that I tore off the ‘do not tear off’ tags—they drive me nuts) Hammy has claimed the outdoor rug as her own—once today Rutledge tried out Hammy’s spot and immediately looked guilty 😂💕🥰 Pets are the best #hutrehab #rutledge #rescuepup #hutrehabpup #hammycat #myspot https://www.instagram.com/p/CQAlj_TD5Td/?utm_medium=tumblr

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I’m not saying he’s the reincarnation of Ralphie from the Christmas Story, but yes. Yes, he is. Youngest got his tongue a UCB to a homemade mint infused ice pop in a very Christmas Story manner. It even stayed stuck long enough for mom to say, “wait! Let me video this! Can you pull on it more? This is awesome.” #hutrehabkids #therealralphieparker https://www.instagram.com/p/CP96atGjRf2/?utm_medium=tumblr

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When Rutledge is tired or has worn herself out from running all over our property until it’s hot, she is so sweet and lovey! That is my favorite! She will also chew anything in jaw reach, even when she is tired 🤦🏻‍♀️😂🥰 #Rutledgepup #reacuepuppy #bestfriend #hutrehabpup https://www.instagram.com/p/CP8wEY_NgZM/?utm_medium=tumblr

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Youngest plucked some mint from his very own plant this morning and made some lovely and energizing mint tea 🥰 It was so fresh and delicious, I wanted a leaf from the pot to enjoy when the yummy tea was gone and it was fantastic! https://www.instagram.com/p/CP8bBrbNpM0/?utm_medium=tumblr

[aftenbrook]

Today was much more chill than the day before Oldest made clothes/accessories from too heavy tree branches (including our crowns) Both girls helped with a painting service project at the pow-wow grounds at by the Fort Pretty good Wednesday https://www.instagram.com/p/CP7YlbojALi/?utm_medium=tumblr

[aftenbrook]

Another project I took on today started on accident The kids have been earning money for doing extra work outside, which is very helpful for me and I would hire them any day because they are great workers They wanted to spend their hard earned money at Sprouts (an awesome local nursery) So I took them. I let them pick whatever they wanted as long as it was in their budget They all did excellent math keeping track of their money available Oldest picked tomato plants and strawberries and a mint plant too Middlest picked a different kind of tomato plant (cherrie tomatoes) and strawberries Youngest picked a hot pepper plant 🤷🏻‍♀️ and strawberries too (Yes strawberries were very affordable—I said they could get whatever they wanted too) When we got home it turned out that the best place to plant them was on a terraced hill, which I hadn’t yet terraced... So I got to it—first level is for spill over and to walk on when the kids water and harvest their plants The middle terrace is for the plants The top level is to protect the plants from hill slide. I actually really like how it turned out. I will likely keep going and do another plant level above the third level, and another step above that too I also got to use our homemade mulch to make it look so nice! I really like it 🥰 #hutrehab #hutrehabyard #accidentallyawesome #loveit #hardworkforreals https://www.instagram.com/p/CP4r07YD9D9/?utm_medium=tumblr

[aftenbrook]

I have tried seeding every good thing in this area— Since it apparently hates seeds I have decided to make pretty gravel and rock borders and it is in fact pretty 😊💕 Not sure it’s visible in this picture, but there are flowering bushes/brushes in front of the porch with gravel and mulch around them so they look defined and pretty too I just want a pretty part of the house that feels done and complete (even on the outside) I will get back to chipping wood and clearing scrub and digging again tomorrow, I guess I just needed to see actual results and something pretty from all my efforts lately and this filled my bucket #hutrehab #hutrehabyard #workingonit https://www.instagram.com/p/CP4EYnvjgwf/?utm_medium=tumblr

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With all the dead wood chipping we have an abundance of mulch! So I have been adding mulch around some of our younger trees 😊 Yay mulch! Bummer I still have a ridiculous amount of trees to still chip—and my arms are scratched to smithereens from the dead twigs and thorns 😕 https://www.instagram.com/p/CPw6vgsj8Cn/?utm_medium=tumblr

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I want to slow down time so every moment can last longer Oldest chatting with the sweet Mule and Horse while Middlest waters the fruit trees Hiking in our ‘extended backyard’ of Sinks Canyon with the young women tonight And Rutledge outgrowing her cute blue blankie Meanwhile Devin taught Youngest how to ride his bike (we are all late bike riding bloomers in our house) #hutrehabsummer #everymomentcounts https://www.instagram.com/p/CPpZHawDvOh/?utm_medium=tumblr

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The moment you sit down to relax and take in some evening shade Rutledge will sit on you and lick you no matter how many times you say, “Eww! Thanks, love you too, but ewwww!” https://www.instagram.com/p/CPjxlIEDuKD/?utm_medium=tumblr

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See that mass of dead twig swatches? I got it in my head that I could easily clear that So I did It was not actually easy. My arms gave out before I was finished and I had to employ my thighs Suzanne Summers thigh-master style in conjunction with my pruning shears so that I could finish what I had set out to do It looks much better, but also balder And our silly cat is always in front of the chicken coop. He wants to eat them so badly, but the chicks think he’s their shade providing buddy 🤦🏻‍♀️ One more thing—our neighbors horses on our pasture area are amazing (though Rutledge thinks they are murderous thieves and won’t stop barking) I hope she will get over her need to bark. The horse and mule aren’t at all phases by her obnoxious noise making so that’s good 🥰 #hutrehab #hutrehabsummer #ourdogwontstopbarking #myarmsaredead https://www.instagram.com/p/CPjR88MDqkp/?utm_medium=tumblr

[aftenbrook]

Dev chainsawed the dead trees today (widowmakers) I tried to get a time lapse video but I kept wiping sweat from my brow, which made me drop my camera holding hand so the picture is really jumpy Also Rutledge was scared of the chainsaw and would sit on my feet (if I was holding still—she would just follow me around if I was moving) We made a huge wood mess today and it felt great #hutrehabyard #hutrehab #widowmakersout https://www.instagram.com/p/CPjCVccDN5T/?utm_medium=tumblr

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These pictures progress backward through daylight from dusk to afternoon My amazing neighbors have mechanically gifted sons who took a look at my smoking mower and discovered that I put twice as much oil in it as it should ever have 🤣 and it eventually burned off the excess oil smoking all over the hot motor so I managed to enjoy a good mowing I was proud of all the weeds I’d mowed today—our land looks less like a wild-abandon-badger-den and more like a newly uncovered ruins preserve, which is clearly what I’m going for 😂 I was so excited I ran up to Devin and said “doesn’t it look better?!” It’s weeds. You mowed weeds. I know it’s trash plants and noxious thistle (believe me I have tried to plant everything good and beautiful but these weeds are gang-banging up my land) I still like the look of cultivated weeds over potential skunk hide and seek on my way to the shed yard Also, do you see the circular corral in that one picture? That is where I hope to keep my future goats! It’s huge! I can probably keep fifty goats in there!!! #mowingtrashplants https://www.instagram.com/p/CPe2jGNjDWJ/?utm_medium=tumblr

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Still life memories from flying over Lander Our pilot—Captain Dick let mom hold the controls, which really freaked out the boys (I would have been freaking out too if I thought I was actually steering lol) We went for a smoothie after and my little buddy admitted that he thought he was going to die up there but he was trying to be all okay with it I tried to get a shot to show how high up we are compared to cool landmarks, but it mostly ends up being my nose for perspective/comparison... so that’s cool. https://www.instagram.com/p/CPeEzLaj0cr/?utm_medium=tumblr

[aftenbrook]

I am not mechanically inclined Our lawn mower has a real smoking problem I checked the oil, the gas... I don’t know what else to check It’s spitting oil out the front of it I didn’t get much done because I’m pretty sure this is not a good sign There weren’t clouds overhead in Lander last night—that was just me trying really hard to mow my weed yard 🤷🏻‍♀️😁 #hutrehab #whatswrongwithmymower #lotsofsmoke https://www.instagram.com/p/CPZzUdojZ_i/?utm_medium=tumblr