So today I went walking up to the northwest corner. I have been looking for the second well that I was told was there.  I think I found it, it is covered with plywood......but the pvc casing id
s pulled out of the top and in the bushes.  I also found another foundation.....all stone.....that apparently is still solid since it s holding water tha shows no sign of draining anytime soon!  It also has a long cement slab......

What an interesting time these past couple months have been.  First so much rain it set new records (21" in May alone!).  It finally dried enough for the first time on 6 weeks to mow around the cabin.  There are mushrooms everywhere, and wildflowes abundantly.  I have begun work on a small patio for the cabin.  It will reduce mowing, yes, but also give me an area to sit in the shade, and enjoy the evening air when I am home.  The garden is producing abundantly, tomatos, and even the cornand eggplant are doing well.  I found some sand plum trees with ripe fruit.  Had never seen these trees before!

Ialso recently acquired more acreage, and with it came an older cabin, two more gates, one with a finished driveway directly off the county road, and an electric pole.  It is said to have a well, but it is very overgrown (again all that rain), and I have not found it yet.  

After not being able to get home for two weeks due toall the high water, and flooding in Oklahoma, I was able to be home this weekend.  I had visions of a flooded out garden, and while the corn seems a bit overrwatered, reallyall this rainfall seems to have helped. I have berries galore ripening, tomatoes growing g. Strikes me as fitting how much better the garden does when you put it in at the correct time, and not a month late!  Next week, is rhe one year anniversary of my arrival to livw full time on aSilver Moon Homested!

The pond really is overflowing now, and either I have oil below the surfce that is being pushed up with the water, or someone above me has dumped oil or chemicals and it has come down on my place, as runoff- neither is a good prospect?

The ravine that two weeks ago was a  raging stream bed has slowed to a trickle. That and evidence that flood waters are receding makes me think we have weathered (pun intended) this rain crisis.

Silver Moon Homestead is growing!  Recently a parcel with almost 13.5 acres came available directly across the dirt road from the cabin.  Due to the change in occupation, I was able to pick up this parcel, and add to mynholdings.  It has a small pond, that until recently was pretty much dried up.  That pond is manmade, and holds rainwater.  Right now it has water, but we have been blesssed with rainlately.  I plan to excavate it deeper, and enlarge its back boundary.  Pictures will come later.

I am nearly finished my refresher training, and preparing to go out in my own truck here in another week and a half.  Right now that means I am not home as much, but I get in regularly.  Neighbors watch over Ms. Boo in my absence, and  she is always happy to see me again.

I will need to either hire someone to mow the lawn, or get it done.  The past two times have been too wet and rainy to mow.  Fencing the home place is scheduled for a couple weeks from now. Eventually I will need to fence the new property, but that will be mostly. pasture, with the barn on that acreage.

While this is not exactly the journey I dreamed of, being flexible and continuing to follow the dream is important.  There are many positive things that have happened since I left teaching, and returned to trucking.  The sacrifices I make now to secure the dream are worth it to me.

Planting is done for this week.  It rained most of today, so I took time to get countertops fitted to my cabinets.

I made it!  Passed my testing on Tuesday, and am now the proud owner of an Oklahoma CDL.  They are yellow in color and are referred to as the Golden Ticket!  Two days later, and I am still thrilled that it is over.  I leave Monday to go to Dallas for Orientation at Schneider National.  I ended up staying in Tulsa through Wednesday because the closest Pre-Employment screening for my new job was in Tulsa!  So yesterday Ingot that done, now just need to get through Orientation, get into a pumpkin truck,  and enjoy my new career.
Since I have a few days at home ( wont be home for three weeks once I leave for orientation) , I am getting things planted, and organized.  A friend has offered to watch over Ms. Boo for the orientation/training time, so she is going to be loved and cared for!  Once I am done with the training phase, I will be home two days a week, and she and I will be good for that!
So far, we have planted tomato plants, eggplants, seeded more peas, carrots, and radishes. I have also planted lilies up by the pond, and columbine by the back of the cabin.   I will plant early corn and cukes right before I Leave.  I am blessed to be living in an area that gets abundant rain, so with mulch my garden will survive through this.
 I am excited because I will be making enough to not only pay bills, but also put up fencing in sections during home times.  I will also need to have a concrete pad poured  that will support my bobtail ( truck without the trailer).  I will be able to bring it home as long as it is not too wet between now and when I get it poured.
Lots of things are happening at the Silvere Moon.  Keep up!

What a change a month makes!  While I continue to blog on the facebook page weekly, under the same name-silvermoonhomestead- I have had seveal requests to continue this blog as well.  I will honor those requests as I realize even with the popularity of Facebook, not everyone has made the leap onto Facebook.
Due to unique circumstances, I am no longer employed as a teacher.  Nope, I never touched a child to harm them. This is more of family issues that dictated this change.  In any case, I am in a truck driving school regaining my Class A CDL and returning to trucking in the near future.  It is a sad commentary that the majority of jobs other than teachers pay much better than teaching.  In my case, after being off the road for more than 10 years, I can step back into a job and double my pay.
I should be going to orientation for the company of my choice in the next couple of weeks.  I just have to pass my Pre-Trip, Backing, and Road test and head out from there.
What does this mean for my single female run homestead?  It means that projects will be done when I get home, it means I will be on the lookout for supplies needed as I wander the area I drive in.  I intend to get a job driving regional ( normally run within 5-10 states of home) . It means I hope to be home at least two days a week, and work on the homestead for those days.  It does put animals on hold, but as mentioned before without fencing, I would not be able to keep the neighbors livestock out or mine in.  I will work on getting fencing done, the barn built, and the cabin totally done for this year.  I am also going to ramp up becoming debt free.  On a teaching salary, this would have taken over 10 years, but now I anticipate less than five years.
You never know who is reading this blog!  A lady in the class ahead of me graduated yesterday.  She is the second female to complete the road test in one try.  I anticipate being the third!  Anyway, while talking with her husband, I discovered they have been reading my blog!  Congrats to Lisa Cerda and her husband, Rick!  She will start driving in the next couple of weeks, then he is thinking of following in her footsteps, and joining her on the road.  Sometimes you have to be flexible and adjust plans to follow your dream.  I am adapting to ensure I keep following my dream.  I love coming back home after time away.