Plans That’ll Make Your Head Spin

I’ve been talking about history for quite a while now – and for a very simple reason. To be honest, winter chores aren’t exactly thrilling enough to turn into blog posts... with the exception, of course, of one particularly big and awesome project! I’ve gathered heaps of material on it, and Heiko has been busy drawing up plans and writing down explanations on the "what, why, and how." But we’ll get to that soon enough.

Luckily, spring arrived in our neck of the woods ages ago, and we’ve been charging ahead with this year’s plans. Because if there’s one thing we have plenty of, it’s thoughts and ideas we want to check off before the next snow falls.

The other day, I saw a cool reel on a renovation account where they listed all the jobs that needed doing. If I started doing that, it would turn into a production of "Lord of the Rings: The Director’s Cut" proportions. So, I’ll stick to a quick blog post about what’s going to be happening here over the coming months.

From the Orchard to the Manor Park

The first major task Heiko is taking on is pruning the apple trees. We’ve seen new theories suggesting that the "small umbrella" shape might not be the best way to care for trees, but our "old guardians" have been pruned that way for decades and continue to bear fruit with pride. We have no shortage of apple trees – Leon once made a map of our orchard with Grandma’s help, and they counted 22 trees. Add to that the pears, plums, damsons, and cherries, and it’s no wonder Heiko hasn't finished them all yet, even after a month of working on them alongside everything else. Also, I did see a damson gin in an episode of Miss Marple, so that is on the list of things to do also!

Secondly, there’s our manor park. We became the owners of it almost by accident. We wanted to buy a plot of land between our house and the road, but since it couldn't be subdivided, half of the manor park came with it. We’ve spent a long time thinking about what to do with the area: we’ve mowed the whole lot, we’ve left it unmowed (only to watch a dignified area fill with thistles instead of wildflowers), and we’ve made trails for riding the horses.

But something was always missing. During the cold, crisp winter days, when the only real contribution to fixing the house was brainstorming new plans, Heiko had a brilliant idea. He’s already started bringing that project to life – still proudly wielding his shovel. The only difference now is that he no longer has to wheel the soil around by hand; our little square electric tractor, with Leon at the wheel, is there to help.

The Big Summer Projects

Our main project this summer, however, is the riding arena (manège). Most of the beams are up, but we’re waiting for one replacement beam from Luxembourg before we can move forward. Naturally, we had to change the color of the beams – silver metal just didn't sit right with our aesthetic, and the factory's color palette was a bit too "raw." The rainy start to last summer pushed the project back by a good two months, and the hope of getting the roof on by autumn remained just that – a hope. But this summer, it has to happen: the roof, the boards, and the footing must be ready to face the winter alongside the horses.

Following that, we need to finalize the interior of the stable – half of the ceiling is currently missing, and one stall is still unplastered. These tasks will be saved for rainy days. We also need to get the ventilation sorted and seal the stable for winter so the water pipes don’t freeze.

Grill Area, Fences, and the Pony Café

Our grill area and the surroundings of the greenhouse should also reach a point this summer where we can enjoy peaceful evenings after long workdays – watching the sunset and admiring the beautifully weeded herbs in the freshly renovated beds. (I don’t quite know yet who’s taking on that weeding project, of course...)

The wooden fences also need a refresh – rotting boards must be replaced before the dogs find their way to freedom - especially with a new addition to family coming soon. Some gates need updating too; hopefully, that’s a project where Marti can put his welding skills to the test.

Also on the list:

• Expanding the horse paddock (which fell through last year due to poor ground conditions and a temperamental tractor).
• Finishing the Pony Café – Leon’s "treehouse" above the shelter for the big ponies.
• Taming the area in front of the stable door so it’s not just a mud pit every time it rains and moving the mane gate closer to the stable door.
• Clearing the bottom of the ditch around the house.
• Tidying up the manure storage and erecting the frame for the hay shed.

So, things won't be getting boring around this house anytime soon. From now on, I’ll be able to write about ongoing projects... provided I have the time, of course!

-Liidia