Demolition, Day the First

This is how our bathroom looks after one day of work. No wonder the room was so cold--NO insulation! It's fun to imagine the transformation that will take place over the next two weeks.

Is that a sink on our back deck?

I came home to find our sink outside. Safe to say the work has begun!

Farewell, pink bathroom

Here are the "before" pictures. I won't be sad to see it gone.

Bright Shiny Appliances

The washer and dryer have arrived! They are resting quietly in their new home and we await the day that running the dryer doesn't cause the whole house fuse to pop. For now, though, we get our exercise going up and down the steps many many times in the course of a load. They are energy-efficient and every little bit helps.

Happy 1st!

For our first anniversary, I had one of the sunset photos we took at Peggy's Cove mounted on a canvas triptych. I think it is perfect for over the fireplace and we get to be reminded of that wonderful honeymoon whenever we look at it.

Fat Woodchuck

He refuses to be trapped and today we spotted him by the driveway. He's much bigger than when I dismantled the deck steps--I wonder if he'd even fit in the trap now!

New Fixtures

Here's a sneak peek of the lighting that will soon be installed: pendant for stairwell and exterior fixtures that better suit the style of the house.

Porch Progress

The sides of the porch are all painted and look great. Next up: trim, ceiling, and floor.

Not My Critter

Good news! The trap works and I successfully baited and set it. Bad news! I did not catch the evil woodchuck. This little possum was in the trap this morning. He's uninvited, so I let him go.

Entrapment

I broke down and bought a trap. It's quite an investment at $47 but the guy at Home Depot says it worked for him--he's caught 4 raccoons with his this summer. I put some fresh beans (with jam on them), mozzarella cheese, and summer squash in there. Tasty! I also covered the trap with a rug so it feels more like a cave. Now we wait.

Home Under the Deck

I looked out the back window this evening and saw that our neighborhood woodchuck is back. I ran out there and he was so shocked to see me, that he ran over to the back of the garage (where he used to dig), back through the plants, and under the deck. I dismantled the steps to find the entrance to his home. Now what?

Swallowtail

Look who joined us at the butterfly bush today!

One is the Loneliest

I started about 20 sunflower seeds inside in May and carefully transplanted them along the back fence with visions of a row of brightness waving in the wind. They were eaten to stubs. I directly sowed three more packets of seeds in June, hoping for better results. The sad truth of the matter is that a single plant grew and blossomed. She's a beauty.

Susans

A took this bouquet to work today. The black-eyed susans are going crazy!

Wings of Beauty

There was a different butterfly at the bush tonight. I haven't identified it yet but it has very distinct coloring, so it shouldn't be too difficult.

Patiens is a Virtue

This spring I relocated all of the ferns and hostas that had outgrown their space by the garage (not an easy task!). We bought impatiens for that shady spot and I thought we were planting them too sparingly, but A assured me that they'd fill out. He was very right! I no longer have to fight my way past all those leaves and fronds and the flowers brighten up that spot perfectly.

Feeding Frenzy

Tonight I was taking some photographs of the many flowers in the garden and three monarchs were swooping around the butterfly bushes. I couldn't tell if they were flirting or fighting (or is that the same thing?) but as they fluttered about, I saw this dragonfly sitting so quietly, I hardly noticed it. Obviously this is the place to be for the delicately winged.

More Bouquets

Things are really popping in the garden now. Here are two big bunches that I harvested this afternoon. They will have to come to work with me to make my desk there happy. Even more to come, and more, and more, I hope!

Empty Nest

The 2 baby robins left the nest today--it seems like it went really fast. They couldn't fly yet but they flapped around and hopped off the porch into the bushes. The father robin called to them and led them away to find their way in the world. Now my hanging basket can flourish unhindered!

Double the Trouble

No wonder our plants are being eaten at a startling rate--we have two hungry diners roaming the yard freely. I managed to look out the window at just the wrong time to see them both filling their gaping yawps with all our tasty greens. UGH! You see the fat woodchuck next to the deck and the rabbit behind him next to the middle bed.

Blooming Butterfly

This Monarch landed right next to me as I was photographing in the garden. She stayed still for a remarkably long time so I got this close-up of her.

First Bouquet

Tonight I cut a variety of blooms from our flourishing gardens. They make quite a statement with their bold colors! (Please pardon the amateurish arrangement--I'm still learning.)

The Culprit

This morning I saw a flash of movement by the cauliflower plants. The mysterious case of the garden snacker is now solved. He's small but he has a big appetite, based on the size of the missing chunks of plant we see in the garden.

A Trio of Blue

Last year, the mother robin made a nest atop our corner porch post and swooped at us every time we opened the front door. We cleaned up the remains of the nest and put in a make-shift block to prevent it from happening again. This year, she returned and (despite my best efforts to stop her) made a nest in the hanging basket my mom gave us. She's getting used to me peering in the nest each day to look at her perfect blue eggs.

Let It Rain

We had the gutter guys shorten this corner downspout on the garage in preparation for our rain barrel. Now we'll have lots of water for all of the flowers we're expecting this summer.

Well-Stocked

The trim in the pantry is finally finished! There's no trace of that Pepto pink remaining and it feels a lot brighter than before. We also installed the chrome racks, allowing us to pile in the provisions. It might look chaotic to you, but it's a big improvement for us!