trim

 The staining is almost done. We just have the 2 very most high peaks of the house to do. I cannot reach them, even with the highest ladder, so Darren is going to finish the job. I haven't minded doing the work up until this point. It was hard, balancing on the top of a ladder and on peaks of the roof, contorting myself into inhuman positions, pinching my neck and back up as I went, but in the end I feel such a sense of accomplishment. Not in a prideful way. The entire time, as I would look around to see just how many more shingles I had to go and began to believe I would never finish, I changed my thinking and began to be grateful for a body that would allow me to work long and hard.
This morning we woke up early to add the trim to the windows. The windows never had trim around them, ever. It has always looked unfinished. I have been looking forward to this for a long time, but the staining had to come first, yet another motivator.

 You can see in this picture below the dark water and weather stains on the shingles between the windows. 

These did not get stained, because we knew we were covering them up anyhow.

That is what the whole house used to look like despite a good power washing.

Still more to do, but for now we are off to Walmart to get supplies, of the school variety that is - it starts today!

cabbage patch and kids

We have been purging like mad around here, attempting to regain some order. We have never lived in a house for more than 2 years, upgrading to this house. We have been here for 6 years now! I know that is not long in the grand scheme of things, but for us that is enough time to have filled every corner, every closet, and each square inch of storage space with stuff. Things are beginning to spill and spread....everywhere. I was dejunking the backyard, and I was able to get rid of all the broken, unused, and out-grown kids toys (that felt SO good!). I also went through all my old garden pots and ended up giving most of them away. I only kept a couple. I haven't filled pots in years. But since we are fixing up the front of the house -staining and painting and adding trim, I thought I would buy plants for my pots to put on the front porch.
So off I went to the Nursery today. I had some specific flowers in mind - which they didn't have. And then I saw these -

 Ornamental cabbage. 

I remember the first time I ever saw these plants. I was NOT a fan.
Why would one put vegetables (even ornamental) in pots at their front door?

But today.... today I kind of liked them.

I thought that they would be just the thing.

Now the real test - if they are still there in the morning!

Those deer, I may kick myself for buying them, while they thank me for the tasty treat.

 I am finished this front area - staining, and repainting the trim. 

So much house to go yet.

But shingle by shingle we must finish before the wet weather comes. 

Oh, and this. 

This is my door bell. 

It was one of the very first things I noticed when we came to view this house 

and I have loved it every day since. 

Can one actually be in love with their door bell? 

Well I am.

I am sure you don't care, but there it is, nevertheless.

And while I worked away on the house, the boys did this:

 Over and over, down the hill. 

It made me laugh.

Reminded me a very large amount of a biker and his babe.

(I love Bergen's face in the first picture)

a fresh coat of stain

 Saturday was spent power washing the cedar shingles on the front of the house. 

They are in desperate need of a new coat of stain. 

 It was quite a hot day and when Darren was finished the most heavenly scent of cedar filled the air. 

If you like that smell - I, for one, happen to love it. 

{during}

 Next, the staining. 

The smell involved here was much less appealing. I didn't wear a respirator and I ended with the the most wicked headache. 

Lesson learned. I will be wearing a mask when I resume. 

Also, I have done more than my share of painting, but I have not often used stain. It is quite a different experince. 

It is like painting with water - smelly, messy water. 

It runs EVERYWHERE - it drips off the brush, down my arm and onto my feet, and whatever else happens to be below. 

I have realized that this project is going to take a LONG time, but that is okay. 

I plan to take it one section at a time, and Darren will help with the high bits. When it is done it will look so much better. 

We will then be able to add the trim around the windows that never was added. 

The hard work will pay off. That is what I must keep reminding myself!

 {after - my first section done}

"In the spring, at the end of the day you should smell like dirt." ~ Margaret Atwood

We have had big plans for the past 6 year of planting a vegetable garden. For one reason or another we never have. But this year the kids begged and begged for a garden of their own. So Darren took those interested, built grow boxes, wheeled barrow after barrow full of soil, and finally the beds were ready. Off we went to the store, and an hour later we were home with enough seeds for 5 families, I'm sure. The children planted the seeds, and have faithfully been checking their boxes daily. 

We waited.....

and Mother Nature did her thing...........

The backyard is one of my most favorite places to be. I love gardening like I am 60.
(If you are 60 and love to garden, that is a compliment, by the way!)

Nothing is more rewarding to me than when spring finally arrives and everything begins to grow. 

"I cannot go to school today,"

Said little Peggy Ann Mckay.

"I have the measles and the mumps,

A gash, a rash and purple bumps.

My mouth is wet, my throat is dry,

I'm going blind in my right eye.

My tonsils are as big as rocks,

I've counted sixteen chicken pox

And there's one more--that's seventeen,

And don't you think my face looks green?

My leg is cut--my eyes are blue--

It might be instamatic flu.

I cough and sneeze and gasp and choke,

I'm sure that my left leg is broke--

My hip hurts when I move my chin,

My belly button's caving in,

My back is wrenched, my ankle's sprained,

My 'pendix pains each time it rains.

My nose is cold, my toes are numb.

I have a sliver in my thumb.

My neck is stiff, my voice is weak,

I hardly whisper when I speak.

My tongue is filling up my mouth,

I think my hair is falling out.

My elbow's bent, my spine ain't straight,

My temperature is one-o-eight.

My brain is shrunk, I cannot hear,

There is a hole inside my ear.

I have a hangnail, and my heart is--what?

What's that? What's that you say?

You say today is . . . Saturday?

G'bye, I'm going out to play!"

~ Shel Silverstein