A couple of small projects...

While I have been crocheting and knitting some simple things in the background, there's nothing in that regard that seems worthy of a post. Instead, I thought I'd share of couple of projects I've finished recently to show I haven't been doing nothing.

Since moving into this house in the fall of 2021, I have wanted to replace the laundry room curtains.  Now hold on.  Lest you are thinking, "Laundry room curtains are worthy of a post and photos?!?"  I assure you...  to me, they are.

Truly, the curtains left behind by the previous owners were so sad, replacing them was among my earliest thoughts. But there were more important things to do, or I was too lazy, so that didn't happen until...

Three and a half years later (i.e. a few weeks ago), I stumbled upon some linen (might be a blend) fabric at Hobby Lobby, and I thought it would be good for the job.  I wish I had taken a before picture so you could appreciate the improvement, but I am happier, and (in this room, especially) that is truly all that matters.  

I decided since the door curtain never needs to be pulled back, I would make that one a single panel.  So much easier and quicker than the two panels for the window.

This window gets opened on comfortable days, so two panels was a must.  They weren't difficult at all, just a bit more time consuming to make sure they matched in the middle.

While now I want to paint the walls (or at least the doors to match the walls), these little cafe curtains that have been on my to-do list for several years make me feel like I've accomplished something every time I go into this room.  The laundry room holds a pantry, and is the pathway to the garage and sunroom, so we are in and out of this room many times in a day.  Such a simple thing, but it lifts my mood when I see crisp, fresh curtains hanging there.

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And this next project, I can't get a decent picture of hanging where it is, but I finally got doilies in a shadow box frame:

The picture above has the frame hanging on a wall that is painted in a (I call it pepto bismol terra cotta) color that inspired me to make a collection of doilies in the colors I did.  To be honest, it looks better in the photo, than I think it does in real life - I think because of the lighting, and how the wall color comes through in a photo.  

Trying to get a better lit picture, I moved the frame to the other side of the room and leaned the frame against a lighter (beige-ish) wall:

While I've manipulated the brightness a bit in my photo editing app, just to get these pictures to show some detail, I think I like the whole thing on the lighter wall the best.  But I've driven nails in the terra cotta wall, and I have nothing else to hang there presently, so there it stays until I either come up with something else to hang there, or I patch the holes and touch up the wall up with the same paint - which I'm hoping we have in the garage.  Nevermind that whatever paint is in the garage is at least 3 1/2 years old. 🙄  Coming up with something else to hang on the pepto bismol terra cotta wall may be the easier solution.

So...  I'm open to hearing opinions.  Which wall color do you think works best with this combination of doily colors?  Let me know if you want to drop by and see what this wall color really looks like.  And the second question is...  am I ridiculously late to the "doilies in a frame" party?

Progress...

I want to start with a huge thank you to all of you who left such beautiful comments on my last post.  I was overwelmed by your kindness and lovely words.  I appreciate you all so much.  I didn't even think to ask for your prayers when I was writing, so I was touched that you pray-ers just volunteered for the job.  You are the best!   

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In April I shared some pictures of a large weedy bed on the south side of our house.   I dubbed it the "bed of doom".   Working over Memorial weekend we got that bed whipped into shape, and also brought mulch around to the front of the house.    

Also this spring we tilled and planted to grass a compacted and bare space under a tree in front of our house.  It's not exactly lush with grass, but it does look a bit better.   Hopefully, with a little more tending and prodding, we can persuade grass to keep filling in.  

And lastly, a year ago, I trimmed some Knockout Rose bushes in a bed on the north side of the house, but I decided after all that work I just wasn't a fan of these rose bushes with a gazillion tiny thorns.  It only took one pruning job to convince me I don't need these in my life.  Greg was happy when I said I didn't want them, as that meant we could dig them up (we gave them to friends who wanted them), and he could plant the area to grass and have a simpler mowing job.  And if I want a rose fix, I can just look out a side window and enjoy my neighbor's gorgeous Knockout Roses he has trellised up the whole side of his house.  He is a pro at these roses.  I don't need to be.  

While it didn't seem so obvious to us when we first bought this house in the fall of 2021, after moving in, the outside upkeep became apparent.  We decided early on that one of our goals would be simplifying the landscaping.  It's been a multi-step process of first removing what was just too much, and now this spring neatening those areas up.  We will, undoubtedly add new plantings in the future, but they will be easy care perennials and not too many.  A future buyer can't be unhappy about that.  If someone in the future wants to plant their hearts out, we will be leaving them a cleaner slate than what we started with. 

There's more to do, but we are enjoying the property more and more with each finished project.  Below are progress pictures of these different spots.  I even power washed the gutters on the back of the house last weekend.  It feels good as I head into surgery soon that these things are done.  It will be nice to spend some time outside on pretty days relaxing and enjoying the cleaner landscaping while I'm healing up.  

So... here's the progression:

Knocking out the Knockout Roses:

Fixing the front:

A Do-over for the Bed of Doom:

Youngest son, Ben, was a great help for most of a day that Memorial weekend.

And that, dear reader, is it for today.  I'll be back sometime after my surgery this week.  

I hope you have a beautiful day!

More spring...

The backside of April is upon us, and I'm feeling behinder and behinder.  Or maybe I'm just being impatient. I've been wanting to plant some seeds in the garden for weeks now.  

While the cool weather and spring rains are welcome, they have made it difficult to get outside much and take care of things.  The weeds are flourishing!  Maybe I'll make some serious progress on them this weekend as it's supposed to be sunny and in the 80's.  A little hot for my liking in April, but there's a promise of more cool weather next week, so I'm not going to complain.  Much.  

I've been busy and distracted the last couple of weeks, but most of it isn't really blog fodder. We did celebrate four birthdays earlier this month (for which I have no pictures - I get so little cooperation when I try, I've all but given up).  Our birthday celebrations anymore generally include eating out at a restaurant of the birthday kid's choice, followed by games at someone's home.  It was a couple of weeks ago already that we went to a Sushi Club for all-you-can-eat sushi, and then back to two sons' apartment to play the new-to-us game WAVELENGTH.  A fun game that gives lots of opportunity for making conversation.  

While it's more interesting than it may appear, here's a demo of WAVELENGTH in case anyone is curious:

And now I hope I don't bore you with more pictures of spring. Though I must warn you, this surely won't be the last such post.  This week we turned a corner into it being downright beautiful here.  While there are spots on this property that need some serious attention to landscaping, I'll share the areas that I'm taking special pleasure in right now.  

It was in the 60's and gorgeous on Wednesday.  Between doing some weeding and cleaning up most of the straw mulch from the strawberry bed above, and rain storms later in the evening, I visited my friends Jack and Ruth (Ruth, some will recall, is a woman I provided companion care for for several years.  She is in a nursing home now).  I don't think Ruth knows who I am anymore, but she is just as sweet and welcoming as ever.  Visits these days give me opportunity to get to know Jack more.  These two are a treasure.

But back to the strawberries.  Caring for a strawberry bed is a totally new experience for me.   So far, it's not been hard, and best of all -  they're surviving!  Looking forward to having some to share.

Our Asparagus patch is in the foreground above.   Notice some spears tall enough to harvest?  They'll show up again later.   The larger garden area is in the background.  I plan to remove those onions by sometime next week, and plant some vining things that (hopefully) will make use of the trellis.  I have plans to try pickling some cucumbers this summer.

My plant ID app tells me that irises are growing in this mess of weeds beside the detached garage above.  I started weeding this area late Wednesday afternoon, and now I have visions of some additional flowers planted in this bed.  Maybe some old fashioned zinnias or sunflowers.  Or both!

These rose bushes are in serious need of some trimming, I think.  They were beautiful when we moved in last November.  Figuring these out will be a new experience, too.   YouTube is getting me brave enough to start making some cuts soon.   

It's impossible for me to tire of watching the birds play in the Redbud tree in bloom just outside our den window. 

They all take turns flitting from the Redbud tree to the birdfeeders.

And this Japanese Quince Shrub came into glorious full bloom this week:

I don't know why my cell phone wants to turn it into something that looks like an impressionist painting, but it's all I have for now.  Hopefully, I can get some better pictures of the sweet flowers on this bush with my DSLR before they've finished their run.

And, I was almost giddy when my plant ID app identified two smallish dogwood trees flanking this Japanese Quince bush.  They are just beginning to bud out.  Pictures of those will follow in a week or two, I imagine.  Edited to add:  Turns out the trees that flank this Japanese Quince are not dogwood, but one is a peach and the other a sour cherry.  No complaints about either!

My heart just swells with how pretty things are looking right now.  Even the weeds can't diminish the pleasure all these flowering trees and bushes are bringing this spring.

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Continuing with the spirit of "New Things",  I must continue just a bit more discussing asparagus. 

I had my first harvest!  

And now I know mid-late April is when they are likely to make their appearance in our backyard.

There were only about eight or nine spears tall enough to harvest, but that was just enough to enjoy them one evening earlier this week.  They are definitely better than anything I've bought in the grocery.  Brighter tasting, very crisp.  I even ate one fresh, rinsed off, but without cooking.  I prefer them cooked a tad, but raw was totally edible.

Stirred in some olive or avocado oil (I don't remember), sprinkled with sea salt and roasted in the air fryer/toaster oven for just a few minutes, these were delish!  And now I can't wait for more to grow tall enough to cut.

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I don't think I'm going to keep tallying all my New Things, but I'm still taking note of them.  And gratefully so. I'm finding that noting new things really is something of an act of gratitude.  Especially when all the new things are so lovely...

I hope you have a beautiful weekend!

The den...

We've been settling in - busy with unpacking, then Christmas with our boys home and sister-in-law visiting (celebrated on Christmas Eve), and then a lovely meal at just about the only restaurant in Indianapolis open on Christmas Day (with brother-in-law and sister-in-law).  And then with the holiday behind us, more unpacking.  

It's all been complicated (and slowed down a bit) by a sore knee (that started the weekend after we were totally moved in) and a sore thumb joint that's plagued me off and on for a few years, but it got much worse with all the packing and unpacking.  They both get to feeling better with ibuprofen and ice and braces, so I keep hoping they'll heal up on their own, and then I do something to strain them again and I feel like I'm back to square one.  If they don't start to get to noticeably better soon, I suppose I should have them looked at.  Sigh.  I really didn't want to start a new year with new reasons to see doctors. 

Anyway...  now that some of the rooms here are looking presentable, I feel better about sharing some pictures of our new place.  At least spaces here that inspire me, delight me, or maybe even need some help.    

To bring anyone who might be in dark up to speed, here's the background...  Hubs and I had been talking for several years about looking for a one-story home that would be easier to grow old in than our tri-level of 23 years would be.  A fire was lit this summer when I was visiting a friend and she told me there were two houses behind her that were for sale.  They were lovely homes, in a quiet neighborhood, and we did go to see them, but as much fun as it might have been to have a built-in friend as a backdoor neighbor, we just weren't ready to jump at that point.  

But the fire was lit.  We got our heads into the game, figured out the financial part, started talking about what we wanted in our next home, and the search began.  Last summer I didn't write much at all about the search, but we often joked that meeting our realtors (they were a couple team) at new houses every weekend, was some of the best socialization we had during those four months.  

We really liked our realtors - both professionally, and as people.  Never pushy, they knew we wouldn't jump to make an offer unless we were both confident in buying a house, and that house needed to check some important boxes we both had.  They seemed perfectly content with that arrangement.

Near the end of October, we bought (closed on) a 30 year-old house in a small country neighborhood just a couple miles outside the town we've lived in for the past 23 years.  Thirty year-old houses come with issues (some we knew from the outset), but overall, it's a very pleasant house and property.  

My decorating style is pretty simple, and it could be many months before we start hanging anything on walls, but today let me invite you into our favorite room at the moment - our den:  

Pictures were taken on different mornings - just to see if I could get better pictures in different light:

It's challenging to get both the window and it's view, and the inside of the room to show well together, so your first glimpse of this room, unfortunately, makes it look very dark in here.   But it's actually the lightest/brightest room of the house when the shades are open on those three large east-facing windows.  

The reason this is our favorite room is, any time of the day, but especially in the morning, we enjoy sitting in the recliner (we take turns) sipping a cup of coffee (hubs) or tea (me) and watching the birds flitter around eating up birdseed like it's their last meal.  

Even on a drizzly cold day, the birds need to eat!

The previous owners left behind this large bird feeder hanger thing, and some of the bird feeders.  It is proving to be great entertainment - as long as we can afford to buy bird seed.  You can't tell from these pictures, but normally each feeder has multiple birds on it, and the birds go through the buffet of seeds like crazy.

While there are at least two downy woodpeckers who like to regularly visit the suet feeder, I think we may have either a red-bellied woodpecker or a yellow-bellied sap sucker, too.  It's more elusive, and I haven't had long to look at it when it's shown up, but it has a distinctly different red cap than the downy woodpeckers.  Honestly, when looking in a bird book, I thought it looked like a ladder-back woodpecker, but Indiana doesn't appear to be in their range.  So I have to just wait patiently and get a few more good looks at him to be more certain.   I only know it's a couple inches larger than the downy, has a beautiful red cap, and black and white wings.  And has shown up exactly twice for me.  

I look forward to removing the window screens this upcoming weekend when it warms up a tad, so hopefully, there will be some clearer bird pictures in the future.  We also have some beautiful blue jays, cardinals, nuthatches and finches of various colors - along with a mob of sparrows.  Who knows what spring and summer will bring.

The past owners called this room a sunroom - which the room probably was originally, but once upon a time someone enclosed the back patio/porch, and with two walls of windows we're calling that the sunroom.  Perhaps a nice picture of that room will come closer to spring time.  At the moment, what we're calling the sunroom is serving as overflow space as we still try to figure out where everything goes.  

Oh, okay..  since I imagine you'll appreciate me keepin' it real, here's a peek into the sunroom: 

That view, at the moment, isn't very pretty, so usually the blinds are closed.  One of these days we'll either figure out where the stuff in those boxes go, or maybe decide we don't actually need that stuff.  Sad to think we had to move it here to realize that, but such is life.

Back to the den before we leave:

That couch above, we brought home (in 2020) after hub's mother passed.  It was his parents' formal living room sofa for years - hardly ever sat upon, though we have pictures of us (pre-children) sitting on it nearly 40 years ago - it's that old.  After bringing it home, I said, "that would look great in a sunroom", but it sat in our living room for over a year, looking very old-fashioned and too small, hoping against hope we'd someday live in a house with a sunroom so it could prove me right.  It may make its way out to the sunroom come spring, but for the winter it makes a nice cozy spot to take a nap on.   And that blue crocheted blanket looks like it was made for it!

Ceramic wolf's head painted by middle son when he was a teen.  Gorgeous dry-brushing.

And that, dear reader is our den.  I can't believe I made a whole post about one room.   Little by little, I'll show you around more.  Some rooms still are in process.  I do hope to soon be crafting again.  In fact, I'm thinking about inviting you into my craft room for some organizing and maybe downsizing of supplies.  But as for actual crafting, I need to give my hand a bit of a rest - not sure when crocheting or knitting or stitching will resume.  Crafting is beginning to feel like something I used to do - a long time ago.  'Till I get back in that saddle, I'm enjoying crafts vicariously through other's blogs.

Thank you for visiting! And please come back again for another visit.  Now that life has resumed some normalcy, I'm going to try to find ways to not be so scarce.  😊

Happy New Year to you, and I hope you have a healthy and happy 2022.