Sunday, September 22, 2013

Comparitively Speaking

 Comparison.  Countless ways that word can be interpreted or used to prove a point.  Undoubtedly, the way I choose to use the words ya'll gave me will not line up with what you had in mind, or maybe it will.  Either way, it's my turn now! 
I think whenever you are feeling bummed or discouraged it usually helps a great deal to compare your "now" to your "then".  Of course, this doesn't always work; sometimes "now" sucks.  However, in my case, to see how things used to be is quite helpful at times.  I've come a long way, baby.  But I also have a long way to go.  In the following photos I tried to arrange the before and afters right after each other.  The first pair may be hard to discern but I believe you can easily detect the following pairs. 
This first photo is truly the way this land once was.  Almost impossible to navigate without a machete.  I believe it was actually taken on what is now the left hand side of the drive and the second photo is taken on the right side, but other than that they are basically the same location.


 I'm sure, unless you've read the absolute beginning of my blog, you are not familiar with this photo.  The land could not even be accessed by truck or 4-wheeler due to creeks, beaver dams and undergrowth.  You could walk onto it though.  The first time we went completely across it we used a compass to make sure we didn't end up down the road somewhere.


 A fairly nice yard now.  Or the chickens seem to like it anyway.  Ya'll know I have always advocated and preached for people to do so many things themselves and building a house is one thing I don't believe is out of reach for many people.  However.... I fully understand why so many folks don't want to.  It is Freaking. Hard.  Fortunately I had a naive brain when I started this adventure and didn't realize just how hard it would be.


 Of course, it's a lot like that old analogy of eating an elephant.  It's just one bite at a time and then it doesn't seem so bad.  Certainly there are things about the house I would do differently now but I think absolutely everybody says that.  I really enjoying pouring the concrete here and hope to get to do some more of that before the year is out, maybe. 


I also can't help but long to build the rest of the house on this side.  I know everybody thinks the house looks so odd now, and it does in a lot of ways, but when it's all there it will be quite cool.
I do have definite plans to extend the roof on this end before too long so that it covers most of the deck.  Since the rest of the house is taking far longer than I hoped I need to do this to protect the front door and create easier access.  With the roof extension will come a small deck extension with stairs down to the front of the house.



 One thing that always amazes me about these old photos, which really aren't all that old, are how small the trees are.  And yes, I should have cut a number of them down when they were that small.



 So now there is a sweet little house that sits here and I am still plugging along towards it's completion.  Comparatively speaking, I'm doing quite well.  There are not many folks who can afford to take some time off their jobs for illness or injury as I have had to do.  Not many folks that can afford to work at home.  My life does not compare to most anyone I know, but I like it and it works for me.

8 comments:

Frugal Canadian Hermit said...

You've done pretty dam good Annie. I do know exactly what your talking about in a lot of that post. It's a lot of work.

Ed said...

I've been reading your blog forevery... or at least it feels like it and yet I've never seen those pictures before. It is neat to see how far you have come.

I certainly hope to give building my own home a try before I cash out my chips. I was just discussing with the wife though that the sooner the better because I don't have as many chips these days as I used too if you know what I mean!

ErinFromIowa said...

Amazing comparison. I enjoyed reading this. The word request was a great idea!

MamaHen said...

Hey Mark! thanks man! yeah, i know you know! lol!

Hey Ed! It is neat to see isn't it? Oh, I know exactly what you mean; I'm running out of chips myself!

Hey Erin! thanks! yeah, I think the word request is great too! Glad I thought of it!

Beatrice P. Boyd said...

Great way to use one of the suggested words, Annie. I have seen a few of the house photos, but not the way back when ones. Comparatively speaking, you have come a very long way and great to read we will be seeing more to come one day. By the way, will you be sending the zinnia seeds?

MamaHen said...

Hey Bea! thanks! yes, I will send the seeds! I have been waiting on the flower heads to dry sufficiently and, of course, right after I said I'd send people seeds it started raining for a few days. Also wanted to make sure I had a mix of colors for everybody so I was drying a lot. It won't be long.

Bone said...

Chickens in the yard reminds me of going to my grandma's when I was a kid, of plum trees and pulling bitter grapes off the vine way too early.

This also made me think of that "Go build, Alabama" commercial they show all the time.

Rita said...

I'd like seeds if you have any left. : ) Box 29 Wabash Indiana 46992