Our New Home

It took us 4 months to get the final papers signed, but we got the keys on October 1st.  There was a renter in the house so it took a couple of weeks for him to move out and us to start moving our stuff in.  We won't be completely moved in until the other house sells, but until then, I'm staying and doing a lot of painting in the kitchen.

This is a Craftsman home built  in 1916.  We are the fourth owners.  The kitchen must have been updated sometime around the 1950s but not much had been changed about the house since them.  A carport, new roof, and an exterior paint job.  The paint job was just a lot of paint slapped on.  The clapboard siding needed to be stripped down because the old paint had peeled and revealed bare boards, but that's something we will have to face in the future.

About the kitchen.  When we first saw it, it was painted what was probably supposed to be mint green originally, but it hadn't been cleaned for years, so was very dirty.  The inside of the cupboards that were painted at all were a dark forest green.  Very dark and depressing.  I have been painting on the cupboards for a couple of weeks--on and off--and it is now looking like a cheery yellow and white kitchen.  The yellow is a heritage color that would have been original to a Craftsman house from that era, so we aren't changing the character of the house.  Just the coloring.  I am painting the cupboards and drawers inside and out, and I'm on my second gallon of Homestead Resort Tea Room Yellow from Valspar.

Back to work...

About a month ago, I was quietly sitting in a lounge chair under our ancient apple tree taking in the beauty of the landscape,  when I heard a racket.  A large bird swooped in and landed on a high branch of the tree, right above my head.  It was making a lot of noise, and I didn't recognize his voice.  When I finally zoomed in on him, I saw the most wonderful Piliated Woodpecker (think Woody Woodpecker).  I had never seen one in real life and I was thrilled.  I watched him for several minutes between his noisy call and his eating on a large apple.  After awhile, he flew off.  What a gorgeous bird!  I hope I see him again sometime.

I'm new to blogging, so please be kind.  :-). I've got a lot on my mind, but mostly just ramble on, so join me once in awhile to see what I'm up to now.

I'd like you all to meet the newest addition to my hug.  I don't have him, yet, so he hasn't told me his name, but isn't he sweet?  I'll be restoring his paw pads and cleaning him up a bit.  He'll also need a big red bow for his neck.  Oh, I can't wait to see him in person!