Leaning Shanty Farm

A Recap

2009-10-01T03:00:00.000-07:00

The Dream...

...a pumpkin patch by the sea.

Not a bad dream to have.

Holiday Hours Only

2009-07-24T15:12:00.001-07:00

As much as I love this blog, I think I'm going to keep it saved for the Holidays...

Check by in October!

2008-12-25T08:26:00.000-08:00

Christmas Time Is Here...Isn't It?

2008-12-20T14:03:00.000-08:00

The Leaning Shanty Dream all started because once October 1st hits, I'm in the Holiday Spirit. As I've probably said before, I love Halloween and Thanksgiving, but they are really just build up to Christmas.

But for some reason I have really been lacking in Christmas Spirit this year...and that makes me really, really sad. But I couldn't for the life of me figure out just WHY I was feeling that way...or really NOT feeling that way. And then it hit me...No one seems to actually be celebrating Christmas. Towns are bare of holiday decor; I never hear "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Holidays"; TV is almost completely void of holiday shows or movies.

I've complained about this before, which prompted Drew to buy me a few holiday DVDs to add to my collection. So far, here's what I have:

A Christmas Story
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Frosty the Snowman
Santa Claus is Coming to Town
A Charlie Brown Christmas
The Santa Claus
Elf
A Muppet Christmas Carol
Disney Holiday Classics, Vol. 9
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (cartoon & movie)
Meet Me in St. Louis

And while I love these very, very much, I'm still missing a few classic cartoons that used to make my holidays feel special. So today, I decided to try and find a way to purchase them on DVD. No such luck. BUT! YouTube (God Bless You, YouTube!) did come through for me. And now I have a few more of those missing cartoons.

I hope you enjoy them as much as I always have...

Snowfall...Sleighbells...

2008-12-16T08:29:00.000-08:00

There's nothing like a little snowfall when you're out picking a Christmas Tree! If we live in a place where snow falls freely, we want to get a sleigh and some Clydesdale horses to escort our visitors around Leaning Shanty to pick and transport their tree.

And speaking of snow... We've got a forecast of a little bit of snow and freeze here on the central coast. It certainly won't happen at my house, but maybe as I drive over 17 today I'll see a few flakes. It's been known to happen, so you never know...

Here's what we saw a few years ago...

...And Speaking of Christmas Trees

2008-12-15T17:13:00.000-08:00

Green Shanty: Solar Panels

2008-12-14T08:56:00.000-08:00

One of the most important things I want to do when Leaning Shanty becomes a reality is make it as eco-friendly as possible. And I've been getting some fantastic ideas as I watch Season 1 & Season 2 of Living with Ed.

It really is a fantastic show. Ed is obsessed with saving the planet and Rachelle, his wife, puts up with him. Their banter is hilarious, and I feel like I'm really learning some great earth-saving tips while laughing at their hilarity.

The latest episode I watched had Monica Horan, from Everybody Loves Raymond, and all of the green goodness she has added to her own house. And it gave me some great ideas for my own little shanty...

Solar Roof Tile: I'm a big stickler for things being asthetically pleasing, so when I saw that Monica Horan used Solar Roof Tiles instead of just plain ole ugly solar panels, I was very excited!

[from premierpower.com] The secret behind the sleek, streamlined design are interlocking solar tiles fit to the exact shape of your roof. This exclusive interlocking technique blends with the style and architecture of your home.
The solar panel is a deep blue color that blends well with the brown and gray tiles of roofing.
The solar panels are light; they weigh about 2.5 lbs per sqft.
They are seamlessly constructed.
These solar panels are very low maintenance and very durable.

Besides these things being much, much, much better looking, they seem to cover all sides of your roof. That way they don't have to move to find the sun like some traditional solar panels.

Solar Panel Patio Cover: Now you can turn that patio out in your backyard into a solar panel AND block the sun when you're barbecuing. Now, granted, it's not as pretty as the "hidden" roof panels, but it's pretty multi-functional.

[from premierpower.com] Using the same panels we install on our solar roof mounted systems, Premier Power is able to create functional structure for your garden enjoyment. A solar design has many benefits:
Offers shade for your garden patio.
Produces up to 200-300 kwh of clean, green, and FREE electricity.
Requires a small 250-450 square feet for installation.
Looks great to everyone, even the Homeowner Associations!

You can even use this for small sheds/buildings throughout your land! Genius!

Now if I had my way, the entire roof and front porch would be covered in the Solar Roof Tiles and my back patio would be topped off with the Panel Patio Cover System.

I know that they are expensive, and that's what's always stopped me from ever even thinking of using them for my real houses...well, that and the fact that I'm still renting. But at some point you just have to suck it up and bite the bullet. They last about 30 years, so they'll eventually pay for themselves.

It's really time to stop thinking about my wallet and start thinking about saving our planet.

Buildings of Leaning Shanty

2008-12-11T15:54:00.000-08:00

I've had my dream house picked out for years. It's what I image Green Gables looks like... It has that "old house" feeling without all that "old house" crap you have to deal with. No leaky pipes. No single pane windows. No little critters living in the attic or basement. It's all nice and new, but with a slight vintage patina...

Then there's the garage... It's no ordinary garage. It would, of course, hold the cars, but also the little gift shoppe, Drew's office (so he can get away from my chatter to do some work), and a guest house for any of our friends or family that comes to visit.

And finally...The Bed & Breakfast. Now, I'm someone who likes her privacy. So if we're going to have a B&B, they aren't staying In My House! Heck No! I'm going to have a few cottages on the property so they can stay in a "home-y" environment and have as much privacy as they need, and then I will have as much privacy as I need, too!

Opps! Almost forgot...here's what I imagine the actual farm layout to be:

I drew this in my journal back in 2006. As you can see, we are surrounded by Christmas trees with a few pumpkin patches, a little lake with a dock, b&b cottages and a big ole barn.

As I look at this a little closer now, I'm realizing that, because of the way I drew it, the wrap-around porch has as much square footage as the house itself. Opps. Oh well. Who doesn't want a big porch??

The Dream Begins...

2008-12-10T15:54:00.000-08:00

Leaning Shanty Farm is my dream.

It's taken me many years to figure out what that dream even was. For years, it was to be on Broadway. For a tiny bit of time I thought it was to become a teacher. And, honestly, I have had a new "dream" at least once a day since I was 20. But the passion for those things just wasn't there.

Finally, one day I began to think about the things in my life that really made me happy...excited even .

Christmas
Halloween
People
A Shop
Living Green
Living Simple

So why not combine all of those things together - along with the hubby's dream of having a farm again. Thus began Leaning Shanty.

I say "began," but in all reality I am many, many years away from actually having this farm. I'm currently living on the central coast of California (though I'm a native Kentuckian), with only a little bit of a backyard, but a gorgeous view of the ocean.

But because I don't really have another passion in my life...besides Hubby, of course...I've decided to start planning and dreaming away about Leaning Shanty Farm and what it will be one day.

So if you'll indulge me, I'd like to share this with you...

Welcome to Leaning Shanty...Can I get you a cup of coffee?