Moving On!

And the big news is...

We're moving...

 

(by now you probably realized I don't talk about things until the possibility is reality and the situation pretty much determined)

 

from this...

 

 

to this...

 

Which means new city, new state, new job...

Now you know why I haven't been talking about the furniture line.  Just when I decide I was completely prepared to move forward and show the line another opportunity came out of nowhere.  I guess that's how these things sometimes happen - just when you least expect it!  But, this one was just to good to pass up - even if it means moving from the house and property I love.  Sometimes its just time to move on. 

 

What I haven't previously mentioned is that we decided a year or so ago that we were ready to sell the house and return to city life.  20 years, one minor and one major renovation, a dozen farm cats, and more tomato plants than you can image has been great but its was time to check back in to civilization.  This was a decision which did not come lightly and took awhile to evolve.  Even then we thought it would be another five years or so before we actually put the house on the market and moved.  After all the part we hadn't decided was where we would move!  But, then fate entered the picture and made the decision for us. 

 

So now we go from one extreme to the other!

 

 

 

 

My first thought was to simply  close down the blog at this point.  After  all the blog name  is based one of the original owners of the house - not me.  And, its focus has been on southern style and all things plantation.  Also, I didn't want my blog to be one of those which just lies there in the internet waste land, never updated, never read. 

 

But, even with the life change about to happen I've decided that maybe I still have something to say.  So, before I close it down let's just see what happens next.  Who knows, maybe its just time to take a moment, regroup and retool and come back even better! But, bare with me.  I'm going to be busy so I want be around for awhile, but I will be back.

 

So for now I'm off to my high-rise adventure.  The long suffering 'C' will continue to be here on the farm until  it sells.  Saint Joseph has been planted in the backyard and I'll be coming back and forth - the grass still needs to be cut!

 

Oh...let me know if you want to buy a plantation.  I just happened to have one available!

 

 

 

The New Pool

Its taken awhile, but I'm pleased to report the pool is finally finished! Well, at least the interior is finished. The steps are done, liner is in and it's been refilled. The decking hasn't been refurbished yet, but all in due time. The pebble liner with no border was some what of a risk but, I'm really glad we did it (thanks Ron)! Its amazing how blue the water looks in a pool lined with a tan pebble pattern. In fact I really believe the water is bluer than before! It even looks a more natural Mediterranean blue. Very crisp! I love the wide steps in the shallow end and the 'party ledge' hanging just below the water level in the deep end. Now if it was only heated!

All I need is outdoor furniture, planters, and plants!

before...

during

after

during

after

during

after...finally!

New Year...New Hole...

...in the ground...

The poolman cometh...

Two days after Xmas I woke up to find this outside the backdoor.  Doesn't everyone want a cement mixer for Xmas?

The Pool Dudes were here most of that week...

...removing the old liner.

When the liner was installed years ago it was a very dark blue.  Once Pool Dudes drained the pool you could see that below the water line the liner had been bleached white!  Can you image what that shit would do to a bad dye job!  I may need to rethink my Miss Clairol color choice!

After the liner was removed...

...we were left with an ugly concrete shell...

they framed for the new steps in the shallow end of the pool.

Today they removed all the framing, including around the new party shelf we added in the deep end...

One will now be able to sit in the deep end and dangle your limbs in the water while sipping a summer cocktail. 

The shelf is large enough for two people or three if your closely aquainted...

The new entrance steps are SO much better...allowing me to gracefully glide into the water.

The dudes will be installing the liner soon...I hope...

Netherlands Pool & Garden

I received a lot of feedback on pool liner options when I asked that question several weeks ago.  Thanks for your comments and the many emails. 

One of the comments was from Ron who lives in the Netherlands.  He was promoting a sand colored liner.  He offered to send me photos of the one he used in his pool.  When I saw the images I knew I had to post them.  His pool and garden are beyond amazing and he’s used the limited amount of space perfectly!

Ron says…

“The garden is actually 8x7 meters. The pool is 3.5 meters diameter & 1.5 deep. I dive in it! Friends jump in from the roof of pool house.  Every night all the lights go on in the garden including the pool. You should have heard the comments from my friends and family when I told them I had planned to put in a pool in my small city garden!  They officially declared me 'ready to be committed'.  Now......all is ready and ALL come to my garden to cool off in the pool..."

Ron is former interior designer who now concentrates on his own lamp collection.  If you want to see more of his lamps and especially the inside of his house check out Cote de Texas.   

http://cotedetexas.blogspot.com/2009/03/this-is-story-of-little-redo.html. This was posted a couple of years ago but deserves to be revisited.

Thank you Ron.

Oh…by the way…we haven’t picked a liner for our pool yet.  We’ve narrowed down the options, including Ron’s suggestion of a sand color, but still no decision yet!

The Boxwood Garden

I want to show some pics of the Boxwood Garden.  Sometimes I forget how much things have really changed around here over the years.  Then I run across old photos and I’m reminded we do actually get off our asses and get things accomplished once in awhile. 

And related, I want to show you my favorite new yard toy.  If you have a man in your life this is the perfect Father’s Day gift - assuming you have foliage in your yard that needs attention.  Also, if your guy has a tendency to be a tad lazy sometimes, like yours truly – even better.  These are very lightweight and easy to use.  In fact, if he’s very lazy and you generally consider him to be useless around the house and your intent is not to live in a Grey Gardens environment, these are lightweight enough for anyone to handle with no problem.  They’re from Greenworks.  You can order them online @ greenworkstools.com 

There are a couple of different options, i.e. battery size etc… And the site will tell you if there's a dealer in your area.

I’m into hedges, so there’s lots of trimming that needs to take place here on the farm.  Early on we stopped buying basic run of the mill power tools.  The cheap stuff doesn’t last around here.  Like most guys I like power tools, especially the ones that cut and mow things down.  My problem isn’t being able to use them; it’s taking the time to do the required maintenance to ensure their continued use.  I generally treat power tools like I do automobiles.  I use it until it stops, then I go get another one similar to the one I just broke.  Sometimes I don’t know if I’m more of an Oliver Wendell Douglass or more Lisa!

We already had a pair of industrial strength hedge trimmers.  The kind with an eight foot extended pole, gas powered and with a giant strap-on harness.  After about 15 minutes of using them you felt like you were going to pass out! 

See this picture of the boxwood garden.  That was about 10 years ago.  I copied it after a friend’s in California.  He used traditional American Boxwoods, which are slow growing.  I don’t have that kind of patience so I used Korean Boxwoods, which grow like weeds.  The next photo is the Boxwood Garden today taken from the same spot.  It really should be trimmed back about 3 times a year.  With the big trimmers I could usually manage to do it about twice a year.  And I dreaded it so much; I would put it off way too long.  It usually took all weekend.  Every 30 minutes I’d have to rest or die.  Then it would take an hour to get the trimmers cranked again.  Afterwards I’d be overcome with gas fumes, unable to stand up straight and my body would vibrate uncontrollably for 2 days. 

So when C told me he was going to waste money order an environmentally conscience battery powered trimmer online, I assumed they would not cut anything and break in about a week.  Actually, I assumed they would show up broken straight out of the box. 

But I was wrong.  This sucker works great.  I cut the boxwood garden in a couple of hours over Memorial Day Weekend.  Actually I started on Saturday and finished on Sunday, because with continuous use the battery only last about 90 minutes.  But it recharges quick enough and I finished up the next morning. The whole thing took about less than 3 hours including cleaning the paths and raking up all the trimmings.  Besides, if you need to cut for longer than 90 minutes at a time, hire a gardener. 

I trimmed all kind of things last weekend.  I would show you before and after pics, but I was so eager to get outside and use my trimmers that I forgot to take before pics.  Maybe it will also work for your guy too.

Oh…here are more before and after shots of the Boxwood Garden.



This is the second fall season after planting all 250 plus plants. 
The white picket fence was replaced with a new brick and wood panel taller version.

And today.  The fence panels are now white and with no curved top.
There's a 3 car parking pad on the opposite side of the fence.
Gates have been added and the fence now extends into
the front garden.



This spot was a driveway when we firsted moved here.  I didn't
like how it was positioned and it was slightly lower than
the side yard, so the boxwood garden was born.

 

The same view today which is now from the side walkway.  You can see a bit of
of how the side and front gardens have been relandscaped.