Afternoon diversion

Porch Project keeps us busy.

Installing this new Window was easier with the help of
our brother-in-law and the truck.

After insulating the exterior wall, the vapor barrier went on.

The windows are trimmed with simple pine.
4 inch pine bead board tongue & grove went on the wall.
The ceiling has 4 inch tongue & grove cedar planks.

Charlie & Nick ran new wiring and lights were attached inside and out.

This view is from the kitchen.
The old entry door and frame have been removed.
(We took it out to the street and put a free sign on it
and a few hours later it was gone.)

This view is from the porch to the kitchen with the new window
installed where the old door was.
The guys installed cedar shakes on what would have been the
exterior of the house before the porch.

Now it's my turn: Paint and Stain.
White wash on the bead board, exterior paint color on the shakes.
The cedar ceiling we are going to leave for now and see if it will gray naturally.
When I'm done spilling paint, the guys will come back and install oak flooring.

Morning walk with Maui

New door and window on porch.

New door location.

Mountain Laurel and Rhododendron in the side yard.

Maui takes a walk every morning before I head off to work.
One of his favorite stops is the cat-mint for a quick nibble.

The Muzzey Rose Bush in all her glory!

Roses and Renovations

This rose bush planted long ago by the former owners; the Muzzeys, is like a gift from the past. Last year I think it had one or two blooms. I cut it back hard in the fall and gave her a new trellis and a little food. She has thanked us by providing 50 plus blooms this year.


The renovations are in full swing. The new screen door above goes into the basement. Another place for the indoor kitties to view the chippys and now much easier to bring out the laundry to hang on the line. We customized the size; 10 inches off the top and fit the cross piece back in and restrung the screening. I added heavy wire cloth to the bottom in case one of the cats tried to scratch their way out.
Something is missing!? We are making the back-porch into more than just a hallway. Down came the ceiling, off came the paneling on the walls, up came the rug and tiles on the floor and lastly the door and storm windows gone.

The plan: put in insulated windows and door, rewire this whole end of the house (that includes part of the kitchen, the garage and out-door lights), new beadboard ceiling and walls and then lay down hardwood floors. Oh yes, we'll be building new temporary stairs because we are moving the door location. (The deck is next year.)

Bits of Boston

Where did the month of May go?

Cats like to hang out too......on the porch!

Welcome to the porch!
We've made the decision to have in-door cats.
There is just too much traffic.

Orion and Stella watch the squirrels race around the yard.
Buddy has his spot too!

The squirrels love to take peanuts from the pitcher. I just couldn't part with the pitcher after I broke the bottom out of it. I seems to keep the peanuts well.

Is he dancing for the cats?

A Male & Female cardinal visit the feeding station.

She is in the shade by the blue pitcher.

I like to hang out......I'm talking laundry

Growing up my mom hung out our laundry and I remember helping take it down and folding the items into her large split wood basket. I love to hang out my laundry when the weather is good.

Clothes smell wonderfully fresh .

The sun brightens and bleaches whites.

I like my towels course and a bit scratchy. (some don't)

It's therapeutic.

It's fun.

It's FREE!

Sometimes it is hard to tell what the weather will be like at the other end of the day. I got home just in time to take in the laundry before the showers arrived.

Vinca minor also small periwinkle grows under our flowering crab apple tree.

These daffodils popped up in the vacant lot next door to where I work.

If you want to view the teeny spider you'll need to click on the last photo.

Azalea

Springs seems to be here early.....

they say it is 25 degrees warmer than usual. I am enjoying the warmer temps.
It's a great time to get out and stroll the neighborhood and enjoy everyone's flowering shrubs.

It's also great to get out into the yard. Part of the lawn has been raked, the twigs and leaves removed from the flower beds and inventory has been taken. This is a new yard and I can't quite remember where or what things are in the garden. We planted some giant allium bulbs last fall and they are starting up through the earth. Our newly planted clematis also came through the winter cold and has started to creep up the trellis.

Spring thaw

The ice is melting quickly on the pond.
This barn and pond are on the farm where I grew up.
The farm house and barn belong to another family now.
The pond and the 60 acre woodlot are still family owned.

The water flows over the spill way on its journey downstream.