Rain, Rain, Rain

It sure does rain a lot here. It's like the Seattle of Georgia or something. I can't seem to get anything done outside. I've got my peppers, tomatoes, and broccoli started in some peat pods, but I have no place to put them outside. I don't think the large plot will be ready this year. The house has stolen all my money and attention over the winter. And spring snuck up on me like Jack the Ripper. It went from snows and ice storms right into mild blooming spring in a matter of 2 weeks. Wuh? Plus, being from the midwest, April always was, aways will be when you start planting. I just can't seem to adjust to the southern way.
Since I have not been able to get the large plot ready, I've decided on raised beds and grow bags. I've started hauling fallen cedar trees out of the woods to use for either the raised beds, or fence posts for the larger plot. So far it's slow going since I don't have any power tools, no truck, no gator, no mule. Just myself I guess. Kinda amish, without a horse. I would like to get a nice field horse for future plowing and manure production. But no matter what I do it all leads back to a basic problem, this house is too small. Could I add an addition? Should I even bother since the main house has a lot of major problems.

Rain and Drainage Problems, my Two Enemies

To say that the soil here is compacted clay with drainage issues, is well, just being polite. What I have  is a drainage nightmare. Though the sycamore tree, planted above the septic tank, and a little too near the house seems to love it. It sends out roots at an alarming rate, all heading under the house, where the moisture lives, sweats, and rots my house. I swear sycamores must be aggressive rooters. Why? Because I just dug up all the roots on the southwest side of the house and then haven't done anything out there for the past few weeks while I work on the walls in the bedroom. Today I went out to even the dirt out and grade it away from the house more evenly. When I dug I hit more roots. Where did these come from? Are they new? And the glass! Oh the glass! I've never seen so much glass! It's like people where throwing bottles at the house at one point. And nails, and all kinds of crap. Wow, can we say flip? What I need is a tiller, and mix in some sand and loam, to increase drainage. Hopefully this will help with the moisture issues with the house. Of course what the house needs is a dry crawl space. But with the vermiculite in the attic, we might not being staying here too much longer. Sad really.
Oh, so I was spray foaming a hole in the exterior wall where moisture and termites where getting in. I decided to check out the furnace house to see if it needed any ago sealing. Of course it does, all over. I got a closer look at where the duct work enters the crawl space. Looks like when they added the HVAC system 30 years ago, they just cut 2 rectangles out of the house and didn't seal those opening. OMG, this can't be good. There's a cold draft coming from under the cabinets on that side of the house where the furnace house butts up against the main house. As if having a separate house for a furnace isn't strange enough. I might need to get some foam board and close that up. But what is the draft? Is it from that opening? You'd think the furnace house would keep it warm. I can only imagine what critters have gained entry from those places. The cat goes right in when you open the door. She knows. There's lots of goodies to catch in the crawl space. Yuck. Lots of mouse poop on top of the furnace too. Great. But my kitty, she catches a mouse or rat or bird a day, so look out.
Also, another factor, which is good for farming, if I ever get to it, but not good for the house, it rains a lot here, it's one of the rainier spots in Georgia according to my USDA precipitation map.
I need to install some gutters, a rain barrel or two, maybe a drainage ditch with gravel around the house complete with drainage tubing, a real crawl space door, or maybe I'll open it up and let the kitty get in there and clean house, or crawl space if you will. I also need soffit vents, I really should have made the seller install them, now that I know what a mess it will be for me to do it. Vermiculite everywhere. Now I know why he didn't do or the mythical "roofer".
It's always something. Grandma was right, as always, renting is easier.

My Friend in the Attic

This is what vermiculite looks like, incase you're curious.

Rain Today

Well I guess my little winter blast is over. It's back up to 50 and rainy. This appears to be an area that receives more precipitation than than other areas, like Brunswick, and Kennesaw. I guess that's why it resembles Wisconsin with it's dairy, goat, beef, and agriculture. Lots of different agriculture going on around me. 

Rain

Woke up today to rain. I looked out the mud room window and saw a bird lying on the ground. It's neck broken from flying into the window. In the shrub above, his mate sat waiting for him to get up. I put him in a box and placed it under a holly bush to stay dry. Just incase he's only knocked out. I think he's dead. No rain while we we're gone. But torrential the day before we left and then of course rain the day after we get back. The nights are long and dark, no snow to reflect the light. When it rains or is dark, this house is suffocating my small. Perhaps literally suffocating, what with the vermiculite in the attic and all.