Oh, it is so good to be back here!  It was difficult to leave Instagram, but now that I have, I feel peaceful and content with that decision.  

Here we are four days from Christmas and I am no where near to being ready...I hope to decorate our tree tonight, I did manage to get three types of Christmas cookies made (nothing fancy!) as well as some Oreo Cookie Bark, some orange slices were dried, and almost all my Christmas cards are mailed.  Maybe someday I will be one of those organized people who mail theirs out right after Thanksgiving.

I did fit in some knitting for my new granddaughter Aurora ~ the Small and Clever hat and mittens from Pickles.  They actually knit up very quickly and are perfect for this holiday season.  Soon I will post a picture of the sweater I knit for her also.

Just a quick post here as now I must get decorating that tree!

Take care,

Deb

summer news

It is difficult to acknowledge that summer is beginning to wind down. Parts of the garden are looking a bit forlorn; it has been a great year for pests--bad for the plants.  I have been busy in the kitchen eating/cooking/preserving what is good -- tomatoes, cucumbers, green beans, many eggplant, zucchini, peppers, basil, and raspberries.  Delicious red haven peaches found at the Amish store have been frozen and baked into pie.  I planted two Red Haven trees this spring and can't wait to be able to pick my own! 

This is our third summer at our new-built home, and we continue to work on finishing things inside as well as adding to the outside landscape.  The limelight hydrangea are thriving and perfect for indoor arrangements.  This year we added a snowball bush, rugosa roses, a Zephirine Drouhin climbing rose, oakleaf hydrangea, bleeding heart, white pine trees, clematis, and more...  Inside, the pantry was finished and wall planks & a range hood were added in the kitchen.  A hundred year old beam from a corncrib was used to trim out the hood...still need to add crown molding.


We were happy to get away to the woods one weekend with our camper--we haven't camped since selling our previous home.  It was very relaxing, except for the night a large black bear decided to visit!  I've also been enjoying time spent with my first grandchild, a boy born to my son & his wife, and looking forward to another grandbaby my daughter and son-in-law are expecting in January.  Life is so good!

Whenever I could, I have squeezed in some knitting and sewing.  A sweater started for grandbaby no.2 and a dishcloth is always on the needles.  I sewed 4 tops for myself and a pair of pants, all out linen I had on hand--I was actually happy with how all turned out and have loved the coolness and comfort of wearing linen this summer. And most recently, I finished up a few zipper pouches for the shop.

It feels so good to be back here on the blog--please let me know what is new with you!!

Deb

2 May 2017

Looking back on April, it is a bit of a blur...so much happening both inside and outdoors. The month started with a snowstorm, but as it progressed, we had some very nice sunny days here and there.  
Inside, I painted lots of trim and closet doors which Mike installed.  Then the weather got nice, meaning that there are pieces of baseboard sitting in the laundry room still waiting to be nailed into place.  We changed gears and headed outside--me to the gardens & planting and he to start work on a fence for the back yard.  
In the raised beds I planted radish, collard, and kale seeds...so far the radishes are coming up.  For cutting, I planted some glads and dahlias also.  In the flower beds, I planted peony bushes, hostas, lilies, lily of the valley, a clematis vine, as well as an Angel Face floribunda rose bush and a bridal wreath spirea.  This past weekend I went to a 49 cent perennial sale and picked up coral bells, delphinium, coneflower, saxifraga, rock cress, english lavender, and carpathian bellflower.  The plants were a very generous size for the price and I had to restrain myself from buying more.  
Last year we planted a lot of trees, so this year we have only added a Kousa dogwood.  I would love some fruit trees {the two we planted last year died}, but am not sure I will get to it this year.  
On the snowy/rainy/cold days I enjoyed time at the sewing machine.  I made up some drawstring project bags and zippered pouches for my firefly farm goods shop   as well as a vintage army canvas tote.  Also started reading Onward and Upward in the Garden by Katherine White.  I am continuously knitting dishcloths and am working sporadically on the cable knit throw for my daughter.  Once in a while I pull out a sweater that I started for myself, and which will probably not be finished for some time at the rate I am going. 
My next major project will be outside...if it ever stops raining...All the fence boards and posts need to be stained, as does the Amish-built shed we had put up last year.  I just finished painting the antique gate and will be back soon with some pictures.
Thanks for stopping by--I hope you are enjoying warm weather---are you working on any projects?

Deb

slowly making progress...

It's been a whirlwind two months since the last post.  January 31st was our last day at the parsonage, and we were moving things over to the new house right to the bitter end.  We still have belongings in two different storage units ~ lots of purging yet to be done.
There is so much finish work yet to be done in our new little house.  We have been working on the pantry so that we would have somewhere other than the bathroom sink to do dishes...

This pantry is one of my favorite parts of the house.  We are downsizing and have an eat-in kitchen, no dining room.  The pantry will hold much of our food storage and supplies, and it will help me to keep the kitchen/dining area uncluttered.  I am happy we chose to go with the large drawers--I am loving them so much already.
We still have to decide on what we are doing on the wall behind the sink, which will probably include some shelving.  All the trim work is yet to be done, and the free door I refinished will go on the laundry room closet.
As you can see, no big farmhouse sink.  After receiving, in pieces, the one we ordered, it was decided to go with a Zuhne stainless steel drop-in sink instead.  It's roomy and deep--perfect for hiding a stack of dirty dishes if necessary...

I did get curtains made for the bedroom and hung them on bamboo poles from the garden center.  We still need a door, closet doors, and trim.  

The kitchen won't be finished until after we get the living room done.  Mike will be installing a hearth and the Jotul gas stove, laying the oak flooring, and finishing the trim work in there and will then move to the kitchen to install the soapstone countertops and sink.
Below is a view from the kitchen to a small entry hall and the pantry.  Eventually the hallway will get a tile floor...

My next goal is to get the kitchen cabinets all painted...

Thanks for stopping,

Deb

a long overdue update on the new house adventure...

It's been just over 4 months since breaking ground.  The exterior of the house is about complete except for porch steps and the yard has been graded and grass seed planted in the front.  At that point, winter weather finally arrived and the landscaper was unable to seed the back.

At the parsonage I have been packing up whatever we don't absolutely need and we have been gradually moving things over.  There is still a lot of finish work to be done inside, which we will be doing ourselves.  It will be much easier once we get moved in, as the daily driving back and forth from the rental is wearing thin.  One thing we wanted done first, was to have the Belle Foret apron front sink installed in the pantry so that it could be used while we finish the kitchen.  I was really excited about this sink and eagerly awaiting its arrival yesterday; I was severely disappointed when I opened the box to this...

 
All the rooms have at least one coat of paint and some are finished, except for the living room which is storing the white oak flooring...

This is how the flooring looks in our bedroom.  Our 25 year old son installed it himself, having never put down wood flooring before.  After a few pointers from Mike, he got started and did a fabulous job.  He went on to do the spare room and the kitchen as well for which we are so grateful!...

This is looking through the pantry to the laundry room, before the appliances and pantry cupboard were moved in.  Mike rented a buffer to apply the finish--we used Rubio Monocoat Oil, which is a natural and non VOC product.  I love the natural look it gives...

Below are some of the kitchen and pantry cabinets that I started priming.  The flooring in this room was just sealed with Rubio yesterday, so I can't wait to get down there and see how it came out...

It's been a crazy whirlwind few months, and I can't wait to get moved in and get everything completed.  Christmas just didn't seem quite the same this year, as I didn't decorate--other than this little live tree, which will later be added to our landscape.  Right now it sits in a corner of our new bedroom, surrounded by moving boxes just out of view.  

I hope your holidays were good and wish all of you the best in the New Year.  Thank you, as always, for visiting and for your comments.  One of my New Year's resolutions is to get back to this space much more often!

Deb

making a rental a home...

It's hard to believe it's already been 7 months since we sold our home and farm and moved into a rental.  Reader Melissa inquired about the kitchen here, so today is the tour.  

The parsonage we are renting was built around the 1930's--though much of the house is original, the kitchen was updated at some point.  The appliances were all included and there is a lot of cupboard space.

Though many of our things are still packed up in storage, I did bring some of my favorites, like my ironstone and vintage silver, to make it seem more like home.

There is a sunroom adjoining the kitchen, which receives lots of light from the wall of windows and skylights.  My plants love it in there...as does Fluffy, who always manages to find the most comfortable spot for a nap...

The chimney cupboard holds all my cookbooks, the bread board hanging was made by my late father-in-law, and the two copper pots were recently found at a yard sale for a few dollars...

The chalk board was a flea market find, and I rely on it for keeping my shopping list.  My father-in-law found the butcher block long ago beside the road; it was cleaned up and eventually passed on to us...

Through the archway is the dining room, and the door on the right leads upstairs...

So there you have it! Though I can't wait to get our new house built, I am so thankful for this temporary home.

 Our building plans are moving along and we hope to have a starting date very soon.  Weekends now are busy spent looking for some unique materials, and I am having a lot of fun poking around the salvage store warehouse.  

I do hope you'll stop back as I document our adventure,

Deb