2014 To-Do List Update

We are halfway through 2014!! So just like in past years, I'm taking a moment to review our to-do list and see what we've accomplished vs what is left on the list!

1. whole house water filter - we have an artisan well and while we love it, we're starting to see some serious mineral build-up in sink faucets, shower heads and appliances. (May)
2. new bulkhead - finishing the basement showed us how truly leaky and unsealed the current bulkhead is and since we've just finished the basement, we want to protect it!
3. fix the granite bar - it has been shifting down for the last few years and is no longer level. We had it looked at to make sure it won't fall off - that would be awful! - but it needs to be fixed.
4. furniture: new living room couch (current couch will be going into the basement) and ottoman, coffee table and media center (with new TV) for the basement. (Feb/March)
5. yard: fill in raised beds in back with big plants (hydrangeas or butterfly bushes), fill-in oak tree flower bed and continue living hedge. (May/June)
6. go on vacation! - we've been very bad at this in recent years but 2013 summer with weekend adventures and camping showed us how much we love to travel and how much we NEED that downtime (April)

All in all - NOT bad!! not bad at all :-D

And just in time for family to arrive for July 4th.... A new wooden flag for above the mantle :-) The stars hanging off the ends of the mantle is the red, white and blue table runner for the dining room table that I threw up there before I crashed on the sofa. Hey, at least it won't get dog hair on it up there!

The metal star painted with the flag is on the front door, but true to form, I don't have a picture for you. Maybe I'll grab one tonight and update the post :-)

Garden Beds

So last time I showed pictures of the back raised garden bed and the triangle garden bed, they looked like this:

 Still a bit low on dirt/mulch and maybe needing another plant or two!

Last night I put in a few more plants and a TON of mulch so that now all the beds are full!

 I know some of the plants look a bit droopy - we've had some really hot days this week, hence the soaker hoses which I've been turning on at night for a few hours to help the new plants establish themselves.

 I bought 8 bags of mulch and used all but one bag!! 

I might use this bag to fill in some areas in the yard/other garden beds.

 So much better, right? :-)

Don't worry about all the open space, these plants will fill in and it leaves me a bit of space to maybe add something around the edges next year.... but for this year, they are fini! :-)

A Lesson in Caulking

I started this project back in April..... ah well, life happens!
The guestroom tub needed to be caulked along the bottom where it joins with the tile floor. After cleaning the area I have my doubts that it was ever caulked at all! :-(

Dad showed me how to cut the edge and had me practice

 on a folded piece of paper before I started on the real floor. 

However, caulk is easily wiped up with a damp paper towel

See what I mean? I don't see any old caulk here.....

I started in the corner

and went up over the edge of the molding

Since I wasn't really sure I wanted a white line between the 

tub and the tile, I went back and got clear caulk.

this was after I applied it the first time

it goes on white but dries clear

As I was applying the caulk I started thinking about going over it again

to make a stronger edge/seal between the tub and the tile.

 So I let it dry for 3 days. You don't have to wait that long, but once again

life got in the way :-)

And this is the final edge - with 2 lines of clear/dry caulk. You have to look hard for it but it sometimes shines a bit if you get the light to hit it the right way.
Next up is the master bath shower because after finishing this, I went looking for the caulk along the floor seam and couldn't find any there either!!

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day! 

As my hilarious Aunt Lisa said today: if you have a Dad, make sure you call him! 

If not, you have the day off! 

:-)

Whole House Water Filter/Softener

We finally bit the bullet and had a whole house water filtration system installed! It hasn't been installed for that long but I can tell you, the appliances (as well as my hair and skin!) are thanking us!! 

It took a whole day to be put in and it adds more pipes to our utility room but it stands right next to the well (see the blue tank to the left?). I'm so glad we have a utility room to put this sort of stuff in rather than try and figure out where it could go inside our finished basement! I think every house should have one as it makes it easier for work to be done and consolidates everything into one area :-)

We're checking things off our 2014 To Do List! How are you doing with yours?

Happy June! & plantings

Over the years, I've done some serious yard work to not just expand the yard/grassy area but also clean up the edges and put in some gardens beds. Matt and my parents have helped plant bushes and trees :-)
We've discovered some hidden gems (wild blueberry bushes) along with some problem areas - the yard isn't even close to being level and has flooding issues in the spring, it's soil is very sandy, etc. BUT! I haven't really spent time on filling in the newly created garden beds. I basically threw some bulbs and maybe a plant or two and left them. The good news is that since I added more dirt and mulch to the new garden beds as I went along, the dirt in them is getting pretty good!! :-)

 Starting point this spring of what I call the Triangle Bed. 

It sits in the middle of the side yard and is visible from almost all angles of the yard.

 My favorite maple tree sits in the middle

 Starting point for the raised garden beds along the back of the house

 the green 'twigs' are new hydrangea shoots given to me by a co-worker

looking pretty bare :(

 enter 8 bags of dirt, 6 hydrangeas

 after putting them out there..... not going to be enough

 round 2!! plants for the raised beds in back, the triangle bed and another 8 bags of dirt

 love that my CR-V carries it all plus us and Reese - no sweat!

 This is after I put in the 16 bags of dirt. 40pds a piece.

I know. Still not enough dirt!

But the plantings are looking better.

 I have to remember that the 2 center hydrangeas will grow to be 6 ft tall

the smaller ones will be 4 ft tall - ie, must leave growing room even if it still looks a bit sparse.

 love my soaker hoses!!

 I will be adding more dirt and a heavy layer of fresh mulch on the top of everything

I might pick up 2 more astors for the far left lower bed too

 The Triangle bed received all the iris from the raised beds as well as 4 new plants. 

I'm thinking the iris may move again in future, but I'm not sure where to yet, so they'll stay here for now.

I love the idea of this garden bed being a bit more carefree/wildflower like since that's what it was when we moved in - a field of flowers and 'stuff' before I weed whacked the whole thing and made it part of the yard.

Have you been working in your garden(s) lately?