This Really Is Cosmetic

Finally, a job that was cosmetic. The room did need a paint job badly. We had already fixed the guestroom and many have spent the night in this room already.
We put it off a while, but a rainy weekend afforded us the chance to do it. We had already purchased the paint and new beddings, which is really all this room required.
After cleaning up we painted the room blue. The convector covers had been cut, we suspect there had been shag carpeting in the house at one point.
We set the room up the same as it was before, though the desk chair got a coat of paint and we included some details that had been stored away since we moved in.
The new paint brightens the place up substantially and the blue will blend with view of the pool right outside the window.

Spring Cleanup

With all the focus last year on the structure and the inside of the house, Spring 2010 brought with it the chance to focus on the grounds outside.
The forsythia in front of the house had grown so thick the bottoms were only a thick mass of dead branches. We had to drastically cut them back so we could get the dead debris out revealing a stone wall that with some work will dramatically improve the driveway entrance.
Years of rambles and prickers had grown up around the edges of the property and up in back was almost grown over. The pine trees on the north side were covered in grape vines and wild berries and other pricker bushes blanketed the area around and beneath the trees.
As we began pulling the branches and vines from beneath the trees we added usable land to the property. This was going to take more time than we anticipated since several years of neglect could not be cleared up in a day.
We ended up chipping most of the smaller branches that we would use for mulch in the gardens we planned. The old stone barbeque came in handy for burning some of the larger branches we pulled. Sitting by the fire in the evening was also a relaxing way to unwind from a long day of work.
The maple tree near the pool had to be pruned back as well. Towards the end of last summer the branches had grown so long they were hovering over the table and keeping light from the pool. Even thought the tree is beautiful, we chose the branches that needed to be removed and carefully climbed up with a chainsaw to remove them.

Lee has big plans for the back of the property, but there is a lot of cleanup needed here. Even with the old tires and junk left behind by the previous owner, there is a sense of charm around our old barn. We will need to get back here with the truck to haul away all of the debris, junk and old rusted lawn equipment that was abandoned here.

The power of mother nature is still a predominant force in Spring. The crab apple tree we pruned last fall blossomed brightly for us. The daffodils and tulips that were admittedly planted by the previous occupant sprouted up to our delight. We've also begun planting all sorts of shrubs and flowers around the property we expect to enjoy this summer.

Amidst the spring flowers we noticed plants growing that we put down in the fall and will brighten this area later in the year.

We decided to eliminate some mowing by putting some new plants and shrubs in front. Its a pretty small dent in our chores.

Time for Some Celebration

Winter brought with it some obstacles that slowed renovations on the house. Paul was diagnosed with cancer and had to undergo weeks of radiation and chemotherapy treatment.
When Spring arrived, Karen flew in from Seattle to assist Lee with Paul's recovery.

Since Paul's 50th birthday fell at the end of March, Karen commandeered the kitchen and plans were made to have a small dinner party in celebration. Here she is with Lee... she's just one of the boys!

Guests included Karen's friend Terry, who came up from South Carolina seen here on the sofa just as Annie happens to have a starry idea coming from her head.
A party ot our house would not be complete without Jack and Annie, or the chance to see Jack pull a slice of pepperoni from his eye. He did this without the use of his cell phone, mind you.

Donald and Anthony came by as well. Donald made Chicken and Beef Stroganoff for the occassion. On top of the vegetarian lasagna that Karen made, there was something for everyone.
Rarely do they attend a party of any kind that Annie and Paul don't seize the opportunity to dance, and this birthday was no exception. The house is looking pretty good these days, but we still have plans to get outside this spring to make it even better.

The Livingroom

Our livingroom was decorated in a random fashion, combining new purchases with furniture from each house. The woodburning insert kept us warm and added a finished look to the fire place.
We decided on a leather sofa that we ordered in January. The dark burgundy color was a nice contrast to the marzipan walls, yet blended with our new area rug and Lee's re-upholstered chair.

A bookcase was harder to find than we thought. We searched various furniture stores trying to find something that fit. We hemmed and hawed over style and size, we knew it needed to hold the fish tank and old books and the clock Karen gave us for Christmas. We finally had this custom built at Patterson Woodbench. It held everything we needed and it fit the wall perfectly.

Once complete, the living room was comfortable and inviting. The picture window offers plenty of light during the day and because of the location and position of the house it can remain uncovered at night.
It's the first room you see when you walk in, it was one of the last to be completed. The attention we gave it was sporadic but we ended up pleased with the results.

Winter's Chill

We got a bit of snow in January, but more than that, Old Man Winter hit us with some frigid temperatures in Holmes, and the rest of the country for that matter.
We were lucky to have thought of getting a snow blower last summer which speeds up clearing snow from the driveway, but keeping the driveway clear of ice is not nearly as easy.
Just shuffling the cars around the driveway, Pitoune is ready for a ride. Simply walking towards the car sends her dancing and jumping in circles of anticipation, and once in, getting her out of a car is a challenge.

Boy, on the other hand, prefers the warmth of a soft chair located close to the fireplace. "This cold weather is for the dogs", he thinks as he rests warmly.

Busy at Christmastime

Christmas arrived before we knew it and we hemmed and hawed about putting up a tree. We knew the new bay window called for one, so we got a real tree.

That did not stop us from continuing work on the house. Our wood burning stove finally arrived and we installed it immediately. With winter upon us, we knew that the wood stove would help keep us warm.

Unfortunately the fan did not work but we later found out it was just a loose connection and Lee fixed it. The fireplace looks great, even if it wasn't working yet.

We decided to upgrade the one room we thought we wouldn't have to work on. After the cousins left at Thanksgiving, we realized that the TV room did not fit everyone comfortably. We decided to remove one of the closets and install built in bookcases with room for a big screen television and the video equipment. The rest of the room could be opened up for more seating.

After we ripped out the closet, we were up against what used to be the outside of the house, and we had to match new tongue & groove panelling with the existing stuff.

Getting the matching wood was easy, Paul toiled to match the ten year old stain by mixing various tints until he got it right.

Once the panelling was up and stained, we built a stand that was sturdy enough for a big screen TV and also as a home for our many books, which remained stored in boxes.

After the bookcase was stained and finished we bought a new TV. The hook up was easier than we thought. We cleaned up the bookshelves and displayed some of our long lost books. This was unexpected but we are ready for anyone who wants to watch a movie. Also, Keith Olbermann is huge now. Pitoune is still more interested in what is out in the snow than what is on television.

We got a lot done over our Holiday vacation but still took a few moments to appreciate our blessings and look back on a very eventful and busy year. There is still more work to do in 2010, which we will try hard to capture on this blog.

Our First Snow

Okay it was no blizzard, but we had a beautiful snowfall this weekend, our first significant covering since we moved into the house. Even though we only got about 4 inches, the blanket of white was enough to brighten up the property substantially.

In the driveway the vehicles were all covered, since we have yet to clear enough room in the garage to fit any of the cars. Early in the morning, the snow began to slip from the warming metal of the truck, but even so, at day's end there was still plenty of snow stuck to the trees. The snow fell during the night, but Sunday morning offered up clear blue skies that gleamed brightly off the snow covered trees.

The line of pines along the side of the house acted as snow capped guards that protected us from the chilly winds.
Beneath the pines, close to the house a cluster of birch trees in the front yard caught just enough snow to bend their flexible branches and form what appeared to be a giant snowflake sitting on top of the stone wall.

Out back the sun was just beginning to peak over the hill to lighten the maple tree near the pool fence. The stone barbecue looked abandoned under winter's blanket and the chain links in the fence were covered in white.

From inside, Boy sat on his perch in the bay window and considered the possibilities of leaving the warm house and venturing out in the snow. Looking very comfortable with the insulated glass barrier, the chances of him getting his paws wet grew small.

Looking out the picture window and out over the road offered a view of trees glistening in the sun under a clear blue winter sky.