Hopefully in the next week or two I’ll install garden fencing in the back around that garden and will also make some really good progress towards finishing our retaining wall in the front yard, which will allow us to possibly get that garden under way this season too.

Also still working on fences and our big retaining wall, among other things, but those are taking a back seat right now to some of these more practical projects.

Wish us luck…

Update…got 5 more panels done today and hope to get at least 5 more done tomorrow – maybe this won’t be so terrible after all…

Too bad there are so many other projects on the list too, but this is a start. Then I’ve got to look at grinding stumps, otherwise I’m not going to get to plant our apple trees until next year – not the end of the world, but not ideal either. Oh, and have to try to convince my village and my wife to let me keep a handful of chickens/ducks – any suggestions would certainly be welcome.

There are so many projects to do around the house & yard, I have absolutely no idea how we’re going to even make a dent in them over the couse of the year, but we’re going to give it a shot…

Here’s a partial list of planned projects for this year:
-Plant (obviously)
-Replace fencing around back yard
-Add fencing around garden and front garden
-Paint front & back decks
-Complete overhaul of vintage Winnebago
-many more things that I probably can’t think of right this minute…

And in the midst of it all, even with snow still on the ground, I have to very seriously think about starting some seeds or we’re not going to have anything to plant – the catch is that I haven’t even ORDERED most of them yet. I have a feeling that this is going to be a haphazard mess of a growing season for us, but the primary goal is to get the structure & systems in place to have very strong growing seasons in the future, and hopefully at least get most of our perennials (blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, etc) and trees (4-6 different apple varieties) all done this year, as they are a 1-time project.

I can’t believe the season is almost here already – definitely excited for local & homegrown produce and excited for warmer weather and longer days as well!

I typically fall into the category of people who love all animals – while allergic to cats, we still have 2 of them, and I’ve always enjoyed small animals as well (as of this writing, we have 8 rats and 2 fire-bellied toads).  But truly, my first and primary passion is, has been, and always will be dogs.

In a previous life I’ve been part of the management team at 2 different pet stores, and was offered the job of director of a small animal shelter almost a decade ago (which I did not take).  Ever since my childhood we have had dogs – a Golden Retriever when I was a child & a Clumber Spaniel when I was a teenager.  As an adult, I have rescued various dogs, including both of our current dogs.  Earlier this year, Jen & I determined that we would no longer adopt mixed breeds from shelters, but would only adopt dogs from rescues who foster animals – for a variety of reasons that I will write about in the future.

This meant that when we were ready to make our most recent adoption, we were only considering pure-breed rescues – for me that meant that we only had one type of dog to consider, and that was the giant of the dog world, the English Mastiff.

When people talk about “big dogs” or “large breed dogs” most everyone is talking about Labrador Retrievers, German Shepherds, maybe even Rottweilers – all of which are big dogs.  Very people people even have the giant breeds enter their consciousness.  Mastiffs, Great Danes, and Saint Bernards are like shadows in the mind of most dog enthusiasts.  Everyone knows that they exist, but few people ever actually encounter them, and even fewer ever form a relationship with them.  Mastiffs in particular look more like small ponies than large dogs, and most people are awe-struck when they encounter them.  But when it all comes down to it, they are ALL DOG.  Many people have “their breed”, and after being owned by many breeds (both pure & mixed) throughout my life, I’ve definitely found my breed.

If you’re wondering what it’s like to own a mastiff, I guess I would say that I’m the wrong person to ask – this is still new to us as well, but I can say that you’re certainly in for a ride.  Mastiffs are amazing animals, and Sarge is the most personable dog that I have ever met.  It takes some time to get used to the slobber & their size, but if you’re looking for a dog that just wants to hang out and relax with their family, there’s nothing like a mastiff cuddling with you on the floor.

This doesn’t mean that you should run out and adopt a mastiff if it sounds ideal, or take the decision to adopt a giant breed dog lightly – there are giant expenses to match their size.  Everything costs more – vet visits, medications, collars, toys & of course food, just to name a few.  With any animal you need to make sure that you have the financial means to provide for them, and this is especially important with this gentle giants who will require more of your finances than most breeds.  The key to finding the perfect dog for your family is to research – read everything you can on the internet, talk to rescues, talk to breeders – and meet as many dogs as possible of any breed that sounds appealing to you.  Find your perfect dog – but for us, mastiffs will be our chosen breed going forward.

As we have new experiences with Sarge, I will document them in an attempt to help you to understand the different aspects of mastiff ownership – the joys as well as the problems…stay tuned…

Our modern marketing geniuses have flooded the market with so many new eco-terms that you may feel that the only way to be green is to buy things that are marked green, or that the only way to move towards sustainability is to undertake massive projects like solar or wind power, but nothing could be further from the truth.  I think it’s important that we all remember that, just like anything in life, the path towards sustainability starts with the little things.

But how, you say?  Well let’s look at a few examples.  You want to reduce your reliance on fossil fuels?  Of course you can move off-grid and power your life with solar and/or wind – it’s a great goal, and if you can do it now, by all means do – but it is very expensive and an extremely daunting task for most.  How about paying a premium to make sure that your electric company is sourcing enough energy to cover your needs from sustainable sources?  While not free, this was an easy undertaking for us to do – a 5 minute phone call and we were done.  Wisconsin Electric is now obligated to cover our energy usage in renewable energy generation.  The cost to us?  A 5-10% increase in our energy bill.  Don’t want to increase your energy bill?  Turn off the lights and unplug electronics – if you are vigilant doing this you could easily save enough to let you take advantage of your electric company’s sustainable option without seeing any increase to your bill at all.  And there is so much more:

• Set your A/C 2 degrees warmer and your heat 2 degrees cooler

• Replace your incandescent light bulbs with fluorescent or LED light bulbs – while they cost a little more, I can regularly find bulbs for under $1 each – they last MUCH longer than standard bulbs and draw significantly less energy as well.  In the life of my $1 fluorescent bulb, I estimate that I save more than 100 times that in electricity and replacement bulbs…

• Don’t forget your blinds/shades/curtains – whether they are open or closed can also make a significant impact in your electric usage.  In the winter keep them open during the day to let in as much heating sunlight as possible, but make sure to close them at night to prevent that heat from escaping faster.  During the summer, leave them closed during the day to prevent sunlight from heating up your rooms – if possible, leave them open just far enough to not need lights, but not enough to let in lots of excess sunlight.

• Never underestimate the power of fans!  For the majority of the summer, most of the country can use fans instead of A/C, which makes for a huge reduction in your summer electric bills.

I don’t know about you, but I never want to replace my appliances – it’s sure to be costly, and I’m often quite attached to the appliances that I already own.  While I don’t recommend going out to purchase new appliances without putting a lot of thought into it, if you have appliances that are more than 15 years old, upgrading to newer models will often save a lot of resources, which usually equates to lower monthly energy bills as well.  Make sure to look for the most energy efficient models that fit your needs and that you can afford, and go from there.  Always remember that if you’re replacing working appliances, even if they are old, someone else in need can generally make very good use of them – find somewhere local to donate your used appliances to someone in need – you’ll make their day too.  If the appliances are dead, you can evaluate if that appliance is one that you truly need (do you really need or even want that third refrigerator in your basement/garage?  Do you even have anything in it, or is it sitting empty, waiting just in case?).  If so, follow the same guidance as above when purchasing a replacement.  As for the non-working ones, they can still be recycled for scrap steel – often times you can find someone willing to pick them up and recycle them free of charge.

The options out there to conserve energy and increase your sustainability are as endless as your imagination and creativity – it’s average people with a drive to improve their footprint that develop new methods every day.  Above are just a few of the suggestions for saving electricity – most of which cost little or no money to implement and are a great start on the path to sustainability.  In the future I will discuss further options, as well as options for saving in other places – food & water, just to name a few.

Through a chronicle of my family’s experiences, you will gain an understanding and appreciation of both life with large dogs, as well as the process of going “green”.  Altering your living to become more green and sustainable is not a destination, but rather a journey that takes each individual down a slightly different path.  Make sure you’re not just racing to the finish, but enjoy the ride – learning, growing, and changing is half the fun.

Please stick around for a while, and check back often to see what has changed and been added – just like life, this is certainly a work-in-progress.

God Bless!