The Garage Door

We painted the original garage door last fall because leaving it the way it was took away from the face lift. The opener suffered from electrical problems and didn't work, the spring was broken and the door was extremely heavy to open. Not to mention, it was pretty unattractive. So, we sprung for a new door.

After the old door was removed, the racks were replaced and new springs installed.

The panels of the doors were put in place one by one. We ordered the door to match the colors of the siding job that was installed last fall

Once the door was in place a new door lifter was installed. The old one was chain driven, we purchased a belt driven lifter. Its as quiet as a whisper, well, almost

We picked a carriage house style door. The square windows compliment the 6/1 design on the rest of the house. The decorative hinges were not shipped but are on the way.

Now that the front of the house has been restored, lets look at before and after shots. It doesn't seem possible.

We took this picture the first time we saw the house on January 4, 2009. We had visions, but completion seemed a long time off

A year and a half later we are quite settled in and the transformation on the face of the house is almost complete.

Taking Claim to the Property

After we cleaned up the brush and weeds beneath the pine trees on the north side of the property, we added at least 60 feet of usable space beneath the trees

The afternoon shade was broken by dabs of filtered light beneath the trees, the cleared ground now green with ground cover and sprouting ferns will offer tranquility and relief from heat for the approaching summer.

As we worked up the slope of the property we considered where we would place a hammock on which we could relax in the shade on a given hot summer afternoon.

Looking up the slope toward the east we have not quite cleared all the space under the pines, nor have we cleared the meadow up above.

On the south lawn we see some cleared patches that had previously been covered with wild prickers, vines and other weeds. Even though we have planted areas, only sprouts and seedlings are growing now. We expect the arrival of summer will bring with it a burst of life in the areas we carefully cleared.

The wall along side the pool will require some more TLC. Atop the wall we have cleared the grass and planted various plants and shrubs that will provide an abundance of color and fragrance. Beneath the wall, we have begun planting ground cover that will be difficult to grow on the gravelly surface.

As the sun sets behind the pine trees, it looks so open and peaceful compared to the mess we cleared. There is plenty left for us to do, we have not even started on the far reaches of the property.

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.