Sod & Gutters

After one attempt at seeding the areas in the lawn where the Juniper bushes & the wheelchair ramp had been, we decided to spend the $200 on sod. SO WORTH IT!! It's so nice not to have the mud to contend with & the instant green, lush grass is wonderful. I thought we would notice the loss of privacy that the Juniper provided, but we don't.

These pics also provide a good look at the new gutters and rain spouts that were installed earlier this week. We are looking forward to our first big thunderstorm to test them out!

If you are wondering, yes, we plan on painting the outside soon. We wanted to get the inside up and running first, but the outside makeover is coming so stay tuned!

Moldings

We have seriously neglected the 2nd floor to concentrate on the main level and it is coming together beautifully. This week we are getting light fixtures and I DIY'd these window moldings myself. The raw wood versions were less than 1/3 of the cost of the ready-made, non-wood moldings so I'm painting, cutting and installing my own; one window at a time.

One of the complications of our home (that I didn't fully appreciate until this project) was the fact that nothing in this house is truly square. It's all crooked, which is one of the things we love about this place and it definitely adds to the character. But it does make things like moldings and baseboards difficult. I still want to add another coat of bright white, fill in the gaps with silicone and finish the touch-up paint but what do you think about how they are turning out?

This is the raw wood that I am starting with...3/4" x 3.5" x 10'. Using this real wood instead of that expensive fake stuff keeps costs down and also keeps it a little rustic.

The Circle of Life

I have decided that I was in a little bit of denial about how much death occurs on a farm. From the mouse in the barn who met a horrible demise many years ago to the fallen baby birds that I could not save, to the pretty Robins that our cat catches to our beautiful Lady Diana, who was killed by a fox on Sat night. It sounds silly but we were a little sad. She was our buddy and we didn't do enough to protect her. But where there's death.......

there's also life.

We bought 3 new chickens yesterday and they are adjusting to life at the Dye Farm.:) These chickens won't be getting named!

Up Close Flooring Pics

Paint & Flooring!!!

I am so thrilled to announce that we now have paint, wood floor, and carpet on the stairs and lower level!! Thanks to all of my paint helpers. (& you know who you are!) The difference is amazing! Sorry the pictures are a bit dark. It is getting ready to rain, rain, rain!

The floor guy says I am one of the first in the state to have these particular floors. They are brand new and look like a warm barn wood. I'll take a close-up picture soon so you can see.

 We did a textured carpet on the stairs to prevent matting.

Texture

tex·ture

[teks-cher] noun  

1. the visual and especially tactile quality of a surface

 

Who would have thought that some white mud smeared on a wall could bring so much joy?

 

We are another step closer to our final goal! Take a peek and let me know what you think...

 

Guess what we will be doing all weekend? PAINTING! :)

 

 

 

Thanks again to Ivan, Francisco and Gerardo from Alanis Drywall for bringing me joy today!

A "Real" House

Do you remember the story of The Velveteen Rabbit when the old horse talks about what it's like to become "real"?

'It doesn't happen all at once,' said the Skin Horse. 'You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand.”
― Margery Williams, The Velveteen Rabbit

 

Well, I feel like this house had become real long before we came along, but as we put our heart and souls into it and watch it take shape, it's finally starting to feel real to us. The drywall stage is one of the most dramatic & really gives us a clear picture of what the house will ultimately look like. It is so beautiful! The angles in the upstairs ceiling are especially wonderful. Have a look at the pictures, but it would be better to come see it in person because the pictures don't do it justice.