tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80008194770612454242024-03-05T21:59:15.111-05:004032 Elder LaneMisadventures in basic home maintenance, repair, remodeling, yardwork, gardening, and other miscellaneous homemaking, by two transplants to north Floridabollockshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09780256545261312448noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8000819477061245424.post-55153699247549357902012-01-28T16:23:00.006-05:002012-01-28T17:38:00.363-05:00Bathroom re-designWe knew we wanted to remodel the bathrooms as soon as we moved into the house. They were functional, but that's about it. Outdated linoleum, rusty medicine cabinets, and cheap plastic sinks add up to one big "UGH." But other projects took priority and we're always busy, so it took us a long time to get around to this one. I am so glad we finally did, though. My mom and dad generously came down from North Carolina to show us the ropes. They're great teachers - it looks so good I kinda can't believe we did it ourselves!<br /><br />We forgot to take a before picture, but the fixtures, sink, floor, walls...everything was the same as in the master bathroom, here:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoDiCnMi_lOBfDheej-b9xeluqgcWJOGqgJcqNcGOYDl88456GR1YWyfTe7gz6ncw5ZlHFXBilkoIDnHD6Kdo3STw52j7avsQ5cV6x3e9LGkHrHUZP0ncLRLy2A37hxth6VQzf6khceKSb/s1600/DSC02542.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoDiCnMi_lOBfDheej-b9xeluqgcWJOGqgJcqNcGOYDl88456GR1YWyfTe7gz6ncw5ZlHFXBilkoIDnHD6Kdo3STw52j7avsQ5cV6x3e9LGkHrHUZP0ncLRLy2A37hxth6VQzf6khceKSb/s320/DSC02542.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5702802113673662706" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQCxSv12agOLBXkCg7M7-2V_WtxRki3BnAj2R9Fn0Snsy90Ow2GxklRR4PH7Bi3xoTBTYAP29cIfJmEZhZcBAJmwLxB5cQaQFpZMHJDSPTRsSTngnWBQG2XYkHf3tnj4RLOOLoZ2I0wqTl/s1600/DSC02544.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQCxSv12agOLBXkCg7M7-2V_WtxRki3BnAj2R9Fn0Snsy90Ow2GxklRR4PH7Bi3xoTBTYAP29cIfJmEZhZcBAJmwLxB5cQaQFpZMHJDSPTRsSTngnWBQG2XYkHf3tnj4RLOOLoZ2I0wqTl/s320/DSC02544.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5702802116608156498" border="0" /></a><br />Pretty uninspired. But here's the guest bath after - I think it's pretty darn inspired!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNcpRwAV1uk5kuWOliATIEikS3XGMS8wybENH2NwN7jkpw-AELx_LmOPwpgMj3Dj2bA13ORTSE-DtRr1DAKgHv5esFedkXa8YyeqLsv-ygmE7Ks6SAfXKfqC69z7vHEQPF9sygeFA8eiaR/s1600/DSC02537.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNcpRwAV1uk5kuWOliATIEikS3XGMS8wybENH2NwN7jkpw-AELx_LmOPwpgMj3Dj2bA13ORTSE-DtRr1DAKgHv5esFedkXa8YyeqLsv-ygmE7Ks6SAfXKfqC69z7vHEQPF9sygeFA8eiaR/s320/DSC02537.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5702800982718497666" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2vMOf5pdL1LQz9ucJAh0nOTeEW7VdO-CtSlEvAVdxjCh-LPtuL-XQyklU0zet26bGzxCx77sHfsCvJcJnaTwkXy6gIulM-BOvk3CByXruMyxyHL1OnYGwSuxKdwps-sTy4sDDEeHvKGXw/s1600/DSC02536.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2vMOf5pdL1LQz9ucJAh0nOTeEW7VdO-CtSlEvAVdxjCh-LPtuL-XQyklU0zet26bGzxCx77sHfsCvJcJnaTwkXy6gIulM-BOvk3CByXruMyxyHL1OnYGwSuxKdwps-sTy4sDDEeHvKGXw/s320/DSC02536.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5702800978272069698" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNGDhzsvcJnLnhECmLTKn4e-ki2rWPnSoTPrA0o-b2IvurLMYJrULZ8mpIgBkGw9Cy38qbNEln5e2n3Awlxp54X4w1-t4GV54KksLPJuWARNMtpWwv1_7p4X0n7Gw5lPWOoxEePvhgzOa2/s1600/DSC02535.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNGDhzsvcJnLnhECmLTKn4e-ki2rWPnSoTPrA0o-b2IvurLMYJrULZ8mpIgBkGw9Cy38qbNEln5e2n3Awlxp54X4w1-t4GV54KksLPJuWARNMtpWwv1_7p4X0n7Gw5lPWOoxEePvhgzOa2/s320/DSC02535.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5702800974808634370" border="0" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:78%;">Vasco's checking everything out...he's not quite sure he likes it.</span><br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeyB7z8K83t-4ydQk22aaJfp-1keLeI77mfW4cmIYQz8e7Ng5bho4wrkBsJYZpEx7lWoodhvrVcY7SIOz8gaYB6KMCYDZmSe5Il2hJvZT4t6c8CIcopBGBOtIX9hchE-84fd3Wx0DoRsxS/s1600/DSC02539.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeyB7z8K83t-4ydQk22aaJfp-1keLeI77mfW4cmIYQz8e7Ng5bho4wrkBsJYZpEx7lWoodhvrVcY7SIOz8gaYB6KMCYDZmSe5Il2hJvZT4t6c8CIcopBGBOtIX9hchE-84fd3Wx0DoRsxS/s320/DSC02539.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5702801003590178178" border="0" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">"Hey, I can see my own reflection. I'm a pretty handsome cat.<br />This bathroom is OK by me!"</span></span><br /></div><br />The centerpiece is the tile floor. I laid most of it myself! We're very happy with the results of the whole project. The problem is that the other bathroom looks even worse to us now - I don't think it'll be long before we tackle that one.<br /><br />Let us know what you think!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8000819477061245424.post-32512650679463238562011-11-16T13:16:00.006-05:002011-11-16T13:39:30.668-05:00Before and after<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Driveway beds before:<br />(click on pictures for larger images)<br /></span></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipk8EqbcVDeak44z4Im22wPpVo_xcZ0-_hTsJ-7gyNkitJYF_xExscrSazVn3AnJhTbO7236TXREGTHFZv-CVmUSM54W-nWOSGrvp6cbdsr2is2q6mqva5EWDR_7FgxXDjZsAV_5CjWEAS/s1600/Driveway+beds+before.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 138px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipk8EqbcVDeak44z4Im22wPpVo_xcZ0-_hTsJ-7gyNkitJYF_xExscrSazVn3AnJhTbO7236TXREGTHFZv-CVmUSM54W-nWOSGrvp6cbdsr2is2q6mqva5EWDR_7FgxXDjZsAV_5CjWEAS/s320/Driveway+beds+before.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5675659639977773298" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Driveway beds after:</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">(after three days of digging in clay and hacking<br />through roots, that is)</span><br /><br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5dNbPonWsraFTPsQc2OvIOH1mXCruH4piNLIPo6tND2BfoeS36MU4MkMCpSLe1OFEi4eq9y6cEr1sVZvOAnL-gnDXvTNsZ-SX67trHFyceRoOuU70kby2kyo4kKk3BX73O4Daj9JVYf_e/s1600/Driveway+beds+after+1.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5dNbPonWsraFTPsQc2OvIOH1mXCruH4piNLIPo6tND2BfoeS36MU4MkMCpSLe1OFEi4eq9y6cEr1sVZvOAnL-gnDXvTNsZ-SX67trHFyceRoOuU70kby2kyo4kKk3BX73O4Daj9JVYf_e/s320/Driveway+beds+after+1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5675660561822969506" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUG-Z0BJmhT_XApDGVyySfC5WYJ5TFrwU7TLOaNZkeAf81da9c4UjKmVLnqlgZPZCdtDZONt3kD7Ruj1ABz-SqA2R0yvVWqC7tOTxiA73MAqi7iPaNNBtllp8cVt3l29TMg5CXUXoO7OjC/s1600/Driveway+beds+after+close-up.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUG-Z0BJmhT_XApDGVyySfC5WYJ5TFrwU7TLOaNZkeAf81da9c4UjKmVLnqlgZPZCdtDZONt3kD7Ruj1ABz-SqA2R0yvVWqC7tOTxiA73MAqi7iPaNNBtllp8cVt3l29TMg5CXUXoO7OjC/s320/Driveway+beds+after+close-up.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5675660787426756258" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">I think they look much neater and healthier now (the new mailbox helps too).</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">The bushes I added are lorepetalum, which have pink blossoms in the spring and will eventually grow 3-5 feet tall. The leaves stay that purple/red color all year. I might add some annuals in front of them yet this year, but for now I'm letting my shoulders rest from all the digging.</span><br /><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8000819477061245424.post-92116176590968691822011-05-25T09:43:00.002-04:002011-05-25T09:52:13.656-04:00Doo, Doo, Doo, Lookin' Out My Back Door<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii0r4P2BXWC1h6rsiPtW14U_NQHTG1YjSQXumWBF8-SmnAt7So4DmU8oG81UrkYLiG8cn1QZ7xYoYt_dysEv61pA5lYKmFG04n1JtYVp09hneMrOPw7WSVU-BPvPOuuvuDFkNLdiCQMEfZ/s1600/DSC02479.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii0r4P2BXWC1h6rsiPtW14U_NQHTG1YjSQXumWBF8-SmnAt7So4DmU8oG81UrkYLiG8cn1QZ7xYoYt_dysEv61pA5lYKmFG04n1JtYVp09hneMrOPw7WSVU-BPvPOuuvuDFkNLdiCQMEfZ/s320/DSC02479.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610650681088096882" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOaKeQbgSZOER067s8UdqgYbhvsyWAf6QkSujtYYfJZvFv9Rn7yR3R57uLd73skSlrwKVugcTZ4k20VZ1kZ86frhpM0_lRRkgGZadDSvZLWGpA6D5AoPpOwMK3NM7o6tKxACLpus6vgYhY/s1600/DSC02481.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOaKeQbgSZOER067s8UdqgYbhvsyWAf6QkSujtYYfJZvFv9Rn7yR3R57uLd73skSlrwKVugcTZ4k20VZ1kZ86frhpM0_lRRkgGZadDSvZLWGpA6D5AoPpOwMK3NM7o6tKxACLpus6vgYhY/s320/DSC02481.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610650691466222114" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCMvl8O7haTcA68UbI7zChx1v-fmrmyTb930aNR-a7SxDGQRNNkSYsQKMuheWo7LEzyS9FLRJirJPJS3kgf0yghit2tLhkRk_JQltiqW2lBiuCwtwycpyLGx7u2prZNQ78sWjLwDMcB61q/s1600/DSC02483.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 238px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCMvl8O7haTcA68UbI7zChx1v-fmrmyTb930aNR-a7SxDGQRNNkSYsQKMuheWo7LEzyS9FLRJirJPJS3kgf0yghit2tLhkRk_JQltiqW2lBiuCwtwycpyLGx7u2prZNQ78sWjLwDMcB61q/s320/DSC02483.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610650703872749106" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">I always thought I had a black thumb, but I guess there's a bit of green in it after all : )<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8000819477061245424.post-84872078847669250622010-08-12T19:19:00.002-04:002010-08-12T19:32:00.757-04:00IcemakerUntil lately we've been using old fashioned ice trays to keep our Cuba Libres cold. We had some cheap plastic ones from Target, one of which cracked almost immediately, and the other had a couple little leaks that diminished the cubes to half size. Hence, I could only make about two cocktails (I'm passionate about my ice; it should fill the cup to the brim), a real bummer when we host dinner for friends. I finally got sick of it and headed to Lowes to get supplies to hook up the ice maker. Luckily there was a hookup behind the fridge already, and the previous owner had left behind a hose. The hose coupled to the back of the fridge no problem, but not to the wall, so that required standing aimlessly in the hardware/plumbing aisle with my hose and a fitting that was the same size as my wall hookup until someone useful enough to help came along (a non-employee usually). With a little phone tutorial from me dad I got it hooked up and turned on and now we're in all the ice we can handle.<br /><br />I know this isn't that impressive, but I'm pretty stoked about it. Now we're in all the ice we can handle. With the hot weather there is nothing so refreshing at the end of my sweaty workday like a chilly gin and tonic, or vodka cranberry, or rum and Coke, or rum and ginger ale, or screwdriver (with fresh squeezed OJ), or mojito, or vodka tonic.<br /><br />It's the little things.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8000819477061245424.post-14753637138802007092010-08-12T19:17:00.002-04:002010-08-12T20:54:20.407-04:00IndoorsThree big changes indoors:<br />1) A third cat<br />2) Paint on the walls<br />3) Deep freezer<br /><br />For those of you who might think I've turned into a crazy cat lady (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">ok</span>, maybe I already am, but that's beside the point), I have not adopted another cat. Instead, I've taken temporary custody of a cat that used to be mine. I'll explain. When I was still in high school, my parents allowed me to get a kitten after one of my favorite of our family cats died at the hands of an awful, awful veterinarian (that's another story for another day). <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Zoey, the new cat,</span> obviously couldn't come with me when I left for college a few years later, so she became mom and dad's charge. Parents do that kind of thing a lot : )<br /><br />Now I'm returning the favor. Mom and dad have retired and are off on a three - perhaps more like four - month road trip. I'm taking care of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Zoey</span> while they gallivant around the country (much deserved). Since <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Zoey</span> remembered me even though I only spent three or four weekends a year at mom and dad's house, I figured her adjustment here would be alright. For the most part it has been, but Bug, another female, seems pretty threatened by <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Zoey</span>. Don't say it! I know you're thinking "Oh, just like a woman." Even cats want to confirm traditional gender roles. Bah!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Anyway, here's <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Zoey</span>. She's twelve years old and a little arthritic, but she still plays a good bit and doesn't back down from a hissing-fit with either <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Vasco</span> or Bug (both of which are at least three pounds heavier). She is lovable and talkative and I like having her here.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmS574dIGKnvmNgyaoMVcBmbpDhAQ5PMYUtNnwEmTYikYcttsdNtD_D7Ig_IY6SWFmZA6tb460bzS0b16s9H3hsfj8v6meYyTdv4Z7PxamYDLqUI4ZBn7EYAG7wmewsqgYLZSvHvbDe1L6/s1600/Zoey.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmS574dIGKnvmNgyaoMVcBmbpDhAQ5PMYUtNnwEmTYikYcttsdNtD_D7Ig_IY6SWFmZA6tb460bzS0b16s9H3hsfj8v6meYyTdv4Z7PxamYDLqUI4ZBn7EYAG7wmewsqgYLZSvHvbDe1L6/s200/Zoey.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504656621449452594" border="0" /></a><br />2) Paint on the walls. Our living room is now a very pretty sage green and the kitchen is a great cross between tropical aqua and french country blue. The hallway is a slate gray, which isn't gloomy like it might sound. Because there are a lot of white doors and molding, the hallway is inviting and calming, instead.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkwV5xrphGCZFE9SnkLvBqP5e74K_s1F5znstOIiuMDeU7x4JQSuOVYgiql1NhmA0VnePviWvLgZMs9p-E7qVvSABjDv-8fSe5jKyRIV7GKp336Gq7OBdGl5ZqjiPBQvDVkhAkAnu8Hmkk/s1600/Hallway.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkwV5xrphGCZFE9SnkLvBqP5e74K_s1F5znstOIiuMDeU7x4JQSuOVYgiql1NhmA0VnePviWvLgZMs9p-E7qVvSABjDv-8fSe5jKyRIV7GKp336Gq7OBdGl5ZqjiPBQvDVkhAkAnu8Hmkk/s200/Hallway.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504658915746526450" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:85%;">Hallway</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5jopZ4PqJ2yBzu0LwYS5iN1opQXjUP3H6Tol4FioJX_IQBWWbSlVdNdC_7S9SgI_kV5Dc5pR4wN2YmBiAzRsPPkfEN5Dsrbp7mVD-Z7knVL8-036MKWJ8Oqnbbb_ugrsBQfxmVvqOpSIq/s1600/Living+room.JPG"><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxUANmLabN6qF0vbPZWW6vWoEeZww19RJdU-wYKuLlxkG1KtP-VokQiima2IjF5WZaxjkkU4XuaiLa9EJqEcF60fLDOOG-hhKWZh_jlXVC1HGVk9JFXN3e72cTXQqSg3Mr2lTBfboOrirx/s1600/Living+room.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxUANmLabN6qF0vbPZWW6vWoEeZww19RJdU-wYKuLlxkG1KtP-VokQiima2IjF5WZaxjkkU4XuaiLa9EJqEcF60fLDOOG-hhKWZh_jlXVC1HGVk9JFXN3e72cTXQqSg3Mr2lTBfboOrirx/s320/Living+room.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504690307228174034" border="0" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size:85%;">Living Room (the picture quality isn't great but it gives the best idea of the color of all the pictures I took - you can sorta tell a difference when you compare it to the white in the vase)</span></div><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVqEUc-8nQluU4EXVw5403pzza9vKbdB1FvM0AKr3rQ3feivXz8H97k9z6BMk-fVIBwCkjfaaIZbtadWYn40BfZ6G9Eh9_KuX4sEdoR_Sopm_xUFYzk7-cQOwH7Fgx5v645bvzqcQgfdG_/s1600/Kitchen+window.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVqEUc-8nQluU4EXVw5403pzza9vKbdB1FvM0AKr3rQ3feivXz8H97k9z6BMk-fVIBwCkjfaaIZbtadWYn40BfZ6G9Eh9_KuX4sEdoR_Sopm_xUFYzk7-cQOwH7Fgx5v645bvzqcQgfdG_/s200/Kitchen+window.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504658925563302178" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:85%;">Kitchen window with the new paint color and drying peppers from our garden</span><br /></div><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNW-muPfCvzLXnP3CII9QDHw5wt-FVMlhFEqNTuuVLXQ42QimzK5V58sQqutDV4_JEz_93eexf8sfd7kPf7389DvOuJgLsetd_-V_24VF4ZXmZTBSIhSRxSPDTuHdLUfkuHkbWBL0WhJhK/s1600/Kitchen+paint.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNW-muPfCvzLXnP3CII9QDHw5wt-FVMlhFEqNTuuVLXQ42QimzK5V58sQqutDV4_JEz_93eexf8sfd7kPf7389DvOuJgLsetd_-V_24VF4ZXmZTBSIhSRxSPDTuHdLUfkuHkbWBL0WhJhK/s200/Kitchen+paint.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504658930844832738" border="0" /></a>A wider-angle view of the kitchen color</span><br /></div><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /></span></span></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size:100%;">3) Deep freezer. Josh's parents generously got us a deep freezer. Josh and I refuse to eat mediocre food on a daily basis, but we are seriously poor (I would make more money on welfare!). I'm not complaining - I have a great lifestyle - but it does mean that a lot of planning goes into our meals. A big part of that planning involves buying lots of whatever meat, veggies, bread, etc. is on sale and freezing the majority of it. The sorry little freezer in our refrigerator just wasn't up to the task. So Tim and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Renay</span> took pity on us and got us this shiny new one:</span><br /><br /></div><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-size:78%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEDAbnbDnegpT6JVUOfYQy0xErtmlj3PaX6zP8sAFBnTRyMO6iJ5S9_Sm03wPdhLyS-Sc-0LYD-wdLE_oIXC_s0uzbZOkOhMmeVcriLmnEYhNGqZcUbxc45pZlqefsg8fN3kK4vetr8mI3/s1600/Freezer.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEDAbnbDnegpT6JVUOfYQy0xErtmlj3PaX6zP8sAFBnTRyMO6iJ5S9_Sm03wPdhLyS-Sc-0LYD-wdLE_oIXC_s0uzbZOkOhMmeVcriLmnEYhNGqZcUbxc45pZlqefsg8fN3kK4vetr8mI3/s200/Freezer.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504658901605132034" border="0" /></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />Chicken, ground beef, french onion soup, pesto, broccoli, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">pierogies</span> - we've got it all and the freezer still looks pitifully empty. What a nice problem to have.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8000819477061245424.post-88118568613722707132010-08-12T19:13:00.003-04:002010-08-12T19:36:09.745-04:00OutdoorsAugust in Florida is like February in Michigan. In other words, it's the time of year you put your outdoor hobbies on hold, hurry from your car into the nearest climate-controlled building, assume your clothes will be inadequate for keeping you comfortable outside (I don't care if it's North Face gear - it's still not gonna help), and just generally hunker down inside. Our neighbors even "warm up" their cars before leaving for work, only it's the AC instead of the heat that's blasting. We did, however, manage to get some plants in the garden before Tallahassee turned into Hades and we've been enjoying the benefits since.<br />.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU4_elaf3FsSVErvaY25OMXP0CIStVlqI5cAVhYpUFPDh5cZJJ5rIkMEd2NkjTpB9cFqXq9Sg5AqVvwyDRaDuo2FiWIQHEbFWr6xee-5yoPD6SsB4a9Anp5vkCPv-W_lKNMAVK3ZNYUL0s/s1600/Baby+eggplant.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU4_elaf3FsSVErvaY25OMXP0CIStVlqI5cAVhYpUFPDh5cZJJ5rIkMEd2NkjTpB9cFqXq9Sg5AqVvwyDRaDuo2FiWIQHEbFWr6xee-5yoPD6SsB4a9Anp5vkCPv-W_lKNMAVK3ZNYUL0s/s200/Baby+eggplant.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504647286339688242" border="0" /></a><br />We've harvested two eggplants already and have a few small ones (like this) coming along.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnvPSGyfyBcfwcscFWynJTN51GpMY4D23r3DGzYYg6BcCeHW4PCFePvx88DxAwp63aPPXfDC96T3QEuViGYL3_pJh80lQ9hJSR7A16yBmo_QkcAMHC1k3-D4BBt3YfUEg2i3D86UA9CEP5/s1600/Beans.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnvPSGyfyBcfwcscFWynJTN51GpMY4D23r3DGzYYg6BcCeHW4PCFePvx88DxAwp63aPPXfDC96T3QEuViGYL3_pJh80lQ9hJSR7A16yBmo_QkcAMHC1k3-D4BBt3YfUEg2i3D86UA9CEP5/s200/Beans.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504643757933644946" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br />We've only gotten a handful </span><span style="font-size:100%;">of green beans so far, but they seem to like this god-forsaken weather so I think there are many more on the way. </span><br /><br /></div><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLbFRsOJuKAr8EKM7zzSsp_Di1wkhEza7cXZPEvPbatH0LhzV9ahag1hHIwOLKM4HAbSOi2lTkBK0gax6qB-AXGpXGtHfN7Z6qsNWD2y2aOL4dA28ZSLp_fpIazntCuUFdambzGukUFOSA/s1600/DSC02368.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLbFRsOJuKAr8EKM7zzSsp_Di1wkhEza7cXZPEvPbatH0LhzV9ahag1hHIwOLKM4HAbSOi2lTkBK0gax6qB-AXGpXGtHfN7Z6qsNWD2y2aOL4dA28ZSLp_fpIazntCuUFdambzGukUFOSA/s200/DSC02368.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504644586046615250" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br />We can't eat the okra fast enough (and it doesn't help our waistlines that the only way we like to eat it is fried).<br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggVDOYY5k1E1Cm9yUizxrnGR0TwS6bPQ32GRiV1eiOqsbkwCjPlJrm3V-8CfB4OFZ84XXDVPrr78kIdTJyQjB3O2yxFLQW9LfLfH7-SxZM9MlwgeloWeEpTaqeXLKDGZcHUQ3irsGI8Maz/s1600/Banana+tree.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggVDOYY5k1E1Cm9yUizxrnGR0TwS6bPQ32GRiV1eiOqsbkwCjPlJrm3V-8CfB4OFZ84XXDVPrr78kIdTJyQjB3O2yxFLQW9LfLfH7-SxZM9MlwgeloWeEpTaqeXLKDGZcHUQ3irsGI8Maz/s200/Banana+tree.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504647299551071842" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br />You can see </span><span style="font-size:100%;">here </span><span style="font-size:100%;">how much our banana tree has grown since last fall. It struggled with our hard winter - we chalked it up for dead when it was still a brown husk in April. I don't even like bananas but I was pretty bummed thinking it had died. I think I just like the idea of a banana tree in my yard.</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf0G8cFgNpoVf4sZuartDR9bNTVAst5TYRimWNRaKIgaP8Dvp1TWBRtkBXpxHcSK1AMoQ1hSjiR0nIVi_t3E8GAEeEAbUsx7ciFG8qLZ0RwmkLNoLurkkQPCkolZylZY3pDfUdEiNkBWYZ/s1600/Hot+peppers.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf0G8cFgNpoVf4sZuartDR9bNTVAst5TYRimWNRaKIgaP8Dvp1TWBRtkBXpxHcSK1AMoQ1hSjiR0nIVi_t3E8GAEeEAbUsx7ciFG8qLZ0RwmkLNoLurkkQPCkolZylZY3pDfUdEiNkBWYZ/s200/Hot+peppers.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504644600647576434" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br />You'll see these hot peppers drying in our kitchen window in the next post. Last Christmas my Uncle Bill gave us dried hot pepper flakes in a shaker jar (the peppers were from grandpa's garden). We blew through that in no time, so we're planning on making more with our own peppers.</span><br /><br /></div><span style="font-size:100%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggXCzG2Pf6nE6b0TDr2J0EqsSsan2oxf6bC0HI1mfPOlCwFI-oAV-tMywwQb56-6KM_l0De3bMVyQd065-uK655bRZ6B2ANebc-qeZ6ELWqdbdHBbheaYOuKlMIQCMSin_OBk5ZVCuRilr/s1600/Mandevilla.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggXCzG2Pf6nE6b0TDr2J0EqsSsan2oxf6bC0HI1mfPOlCwFI-oAV-tMywwQb56-6KM_l0De3bMVyQd065-uK655bRZ6B2ANebc-qeZ6ELWqdbdHBbheaYOuKlMIQCMSin_OBk5ZVCuRilr/s200/Mandevilla.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504647305412773938" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;">This is the first bloom on our mandevilla. It's a pretty, tropical-looking vine; we have it growing up the metal stand for our herb garden.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGZolQTy10utvHk8BTdIuqKC3jB5ocqkK7wsxMqkp2ttI_P18reifIX6g5L82ra7aOvmnJHM5ESncCPTPBk8OhAOHcnO4UzWBUN7-V3SnII8vFZ7UTQDnbaoQ0jMOBTL6LOOqt2E5OU8mK/s1600/Butterfly+garden+2.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGZolQTy10utvHk8BTdIuqKC3jB5ocqkK7wsxMqkp2ttI_P18reifIX6g5L82ra7aOvmnJHM5ESncCPTPBk8OhAOHcnO4UzWBUN7-V3SnII8vFZ7UTQDnbaoQ0jMOBTL6LOOqt2E5OU8mK/s200/Butterfly+garden+2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504644585742213794" border="0" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br />Finally, this is our butterfly garden. Black swallowtails are the most common, though we've had a few monarchs and a giant swallowtail, too. Earlier this year we had around 30 swallowtail caterpillars on our fennel. This is one of them:<br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ21QqcuRAVqtnCFo__70KSKLAKHQTtrPMbRuNHHAHdz0EEV9cdETZcRp-ozQAQwnej36Z0RsrJ8VzBqyO16gPVM3Ll04rSPZD3Plz7bVj97lrJ6AiUiD4HRlJqKhPbQ50I1ZyLQOh-8Vs/s1600/Caterpillar.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ21QqcuRAVqtnCFo__70KSKLAKHQTtrPMbRuNHHAHdz0EEV9cdETZcRp-ozQAQwnej36Z0RsrJ8VzBqyO16gPVM3Ll04rSPZD3Plz7bVj97lrJ6AiUiD4HRlJqKhPbQ50I1ZyLQOh-8Vs/s200/Caterpillar.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504647295061311026" border="0" /></a><br />A couple days after this picture was taken, all the caterpillars were gone. We think a bird ate them. You may think it's sad, but just think how happy those birdies were when mama or dadda brought back these juicy guys.</span></span></span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8000819477061245424.post-73418473023398633492010-04-27T21:17:00.002-04:002010-04-27T21:31:50.925-04:00Paint<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNlGH-HTbpCd-E_1Qourb9OksNt42p8u4ohJoQriYDygc2udDmz8nDnTQQdciFmwQAtYjfQFLneiHl3paLiSQH9pVYdMh4D5L-HpdAX3ClKj8tbGglmp_qBYMezRUTx9m3rbsXn7gHIcs/s1600/DSC02273.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464991758687799186" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNlGH-HTbpCd-E_1Qourb9OksNt42p8u4ohJoQriYDygc2udDmz8nDnTQQdciFmwQAtYjfQFLneiHl3paLiSQH9pVYdMh4D5L-HpdAX3ClKj8tbGglmp_qBYMezRUTx9m3rbsXn7gHIcs/s400/DSC02273.JPG" border="0" /></a> So we've got a first coat up on the back of the house and this is what it looks like. After a lot of thought and no small amount of paint samples, we settled on a very light grey with dark purple trim. We think it looks pretty awesome. From the road it almost looks black and white, but when you get close enough you realize it's sort of an eggplant color. Doing the work isn't so bad but it's quickly getting warmer out and soon it'll be pretty miserable to work in the sun, so we better get the rest of it done soon.</div><div><span style="color:#ccccff;">.</span></div><div>We also finally got a fourth bed in the garden, today.<br /><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464991765344084354" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXw8N0TYKi_8Bt5tzVmE1SHRMQvebmQ1Tk-f4vLrxsZc3MY2yXfDtNyyOoaPFJADHwQ1DG0dPVT_LPKOs8hsJJ_Y64xCjarAzBAUifsjM309aPIBIh_adz75Hak3OMoGcidfSg5t0iUYM/s400/DSC02274.JPG" border="0" /></div></div><br /><p>There's still a fair bit left over from the winter, like the salad greens (the best part of the winter garden), some peas, scallions, chard, and spinach. I just pulled up all the mustard greens and filled about three quarts for freezing. The spinach wasn't as productive as I'd like given the space it needs and how long it takes, so I'll probably skip it next year. Peas and carrots both went off well enough to justify doing again. Chard finally filled it, but I'm not sure we'll do it again either. Scallions definitely. So far for the spring/summer plants we've got about 22 peppers going, from bells to sweet to very hot. I'm hopeful that we'll get enough bells for eating fresh around here, sweets for eating fresh and pickling, and hots for pickling and drying for soups and other dishes. We've got two tomatoes in a bed, and a few more in a sunny spot in the front yard, so we'll see how they turn out. Otherwise there's one okra plant and some basil until the greens quit giving us all the salad we can eat. Then I'd like to get in some squash and eggplant and cukes. And there's probably space for some more herbs out there now too rather than keeping them all in pots on the slab. Cheers.</p>bollockshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09780256545261312448noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8000819477061245424.post-9121263125477923862010-04-21T23:09:00.001-04:002010-04-21T23:10:41.951-04:00Carrots<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtdX8WRCSS3mYCsYN0mx7QmH_RLlBHMOhyphenhyphenDxQmQ3fM39CvgDvgwjyyKgGbZdlNM_eJ6v14lkMOaoaKtgFiKBPH7_O8M76-58zWrvW89Nu4Ia_nQ05vx79IpAX0Xet6ORzE3onA_ZyaTG0/s1600/DSC02259.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462793955985320210" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtdX8WRCSS3mYCsYN0mx7QmH_RLlBHMOhyphenhyphenDxQmQ3fM39CvgDvgwjyyKgGbZdlNM_eJ6v14lkMOaoaKtgFiKBPH7_O8M76-58zWrvW89Nu4Ia_nQ05vx79IpAX0Xet6ORzE3onA_ZyaTG0/s400/DSC02259.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div>bollockshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09780256545261312448noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8000819477061245424.post-58668692408350158282010-03-27T15:24:00.004-04:002010-03-27T15:54:19.234-04:00Plumbing and Snap Peas<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbUNugdlfkGPoyY_UEj5bmMNTYqIuRc1UVcz_LxYDn7zJanOiG4UbpaRh27qthyphenhyphenQp8fzmM0KietTSoOzMYIOFU1SeYqPAsxGmc649S61MUQRBQVzYhqvApA6icKXmRJGH0QFFx7dvF0gU2/s1600/Phlox+in+bloom.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbUNugdlfkGPoyY_UEj5bmMNTYqIuRc1UVcz_LxYDn7zJanOiG4UbpaRh27qthyphenhyphenQp8fzmM0KietTSoOzMYIOFU1SeYqPAsxGmc649S61MUQRBQVzYhqvApA6icKXmRJGH0QFFx7dvF0gU2/s320/Phlox+in+bloom.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453403036705190962" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">Phlox blossoms in the front yard (totally unrelated to the rest of the post)<br /></span></div><br />Plumbing and snap peas: improbable combination, I know, but that's what I want to write about this time. I'll do the not-so-pretty first (the plumbing), though I'm sure for our brothers and other schadenfreude-ists out there, it will be the more interesting of the two topics. After all, the subtitle of the blog is "<span style="font-style: italic;">misadventures </span>in home maintenance" and so far it seems like we've only blogged about gardening. So, last month I noticed a black spot on the caulking around the base of the toilet that seemed new or at least bigger than I remembered. When I followed the bead of caulk around to the back of the toilet, I found a giganto black spot and squishy linoleum. I had no idea what that meant, but I knew it wasn't going to be good. Turned out to be a leaky wax ring, which, to repair, involved taking the toilet off the floor (bolts were rusty and one had to be broken off), dealing with the maggot-like squigglers throwing a party beneath the toilet (just under our feet! yay!), scraping the old squiggler-infested wax ring off, positioning the toilet juuusssst-right over the new bolts (had to buy a second set because the first set was too short), and then cutting the bolts off to make them short enough to fit the cap over (yes, you read that right: we had to buy long bolts just to go and cut them short). This whole process was made much more fun by virtue of the fact that the area we had to work in was maybe two feet wide between the tub and the sink. But, we got it done and it hasn't leaked since. I consider that a success.<br /><br />On to snap peas: we got 'em. Lots of 'em. We're freezing some and eating the rest sauteed over high heat in soy sauce. Yum. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFbyQwW8PnLUhbjgNX0SF1MJJATWlIGTq0IsOmWBB9ou2RoGEwN_1vAoCz_9Ed3Jh4JGwSOK2aCfPpFMEFSOM9iRskdS5XFtqpKP2Ri7gb-wVOZGO_VSCwMpA0tMx6VzMylxY7LubTsg70/s1600/Sugar+Snap+Peas.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFbyQwW8PnLUhbjgNX0SF1MJJATWlIGTq0IsOmWBB9ou2RoGEwN_1vAoCz_9Ed3Jh4JGwSOK2aCfPpFMEFSOM9iRskdS5XFtqpKP2Ri7gb-wVOZGO_VSCwMpA0tMx6VzMylxY7LubTsg70/s320/Sugar+Snap+Peas.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453402784541585986" border="0" /></a>Otherwise, the greens are getting big, the carrots are about as big around as my thumb, and we ate our first green top onion just the other day. We're thinking now is about the right time to put in a fourth bed for tomatoes and peppers.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzX-mBIPNMQ7JCaRo0EKOdF4HVTNAw0oosjlBGI6yQyJ4_7L4Mh4Pu5-k6B7r10uiaRWy-XJSp-YwuAzvBoeuU48W70SGLHGgjhre2d8Yn_AU2lwWrSWRmNKhiCwWtIJUmUcmbs68uHNF7/s1600/Two+Kinds+of+Greens.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzX-mBIPNMQ7JCaRo0EKOdF4HVTNAw0oosjlBGI6yQyJ4_7L4Mh4Pu5-k6B7r10uiaRWy-XJSp-YwuAzvBoeuU48W70SGLHGgjhre2d8Yn_AU2lwWrSWRmNKhiCwWtIJUmUcmbs68uHNF7/s320/Two+Kinds+of+Greens.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453403032705578450" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8000819477061245424.post-46365738698790689642010-01-22T21:06:00.002-05:002010-01-22T21:26:20.689-05:00Thaw!The freezing temps are finally over - for two weeks it was no colder in Michigan than it was in Florida. We both got pretty sick of covering the plants every night, but it seems to have been worth it since most are alright. Not great, mind you. And the peas are in sad shape. But, all things considered, I think the garden weathered the worst winter in 25 years fairly well. Today was back to sunshine and 70 degrees. Next project - straightening the edgers (small job) and painting the house (huge job).Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8000819477061245424.post-24694131227949740232010-01-04T13:48:00.003-05:002010-01-04T13:53:55.874-05:00Hard Freeze WarningBad news. The cold snap that's affecting 2/3 of the country reaches down to the Florida panhandle, too. So we've been covering the plants every night - amazing that a thin little tarp can make that much difference - and keeping our fingers crossed. We might have lost the banana tree entirely. It was so brown and withered we decided to hack it off and let the plant concentrate on generating new growth rather than trying to revive dying limbs. That's right, ladies and gentlemen, it's a war zone in our back yard and the fight is on for our winter garden.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8000819477061245424.post-60520483678592762122009-12-28T13:02:00.003-05:002009-12-28T13:19:22.302-05:00After getting thoroughly lambasted by all our family at Christmas for not posting since October, we're finally back to it. Part of the reason for the lapse was due to end of semester and holiday craziness, and part was due to the lack of things to post. I mean, is it really that exciting to read that our carrots have grown a quarter inch? Happily we now have some garden news worth writing home about: our first harvest. The salad greens needed thinning so we grabbed up some of the baby greens, added parsley, cilantro, chives, and fennel from our herb garden, and had a nice little salad, made all the more tasty because we grew it.<br /><br />Gardening seems somewhat magical to me; I marvel at the fact that I can throw some ten-cent seeds into the ground and weeks later pull up vegetables that I'd pay ten dollars for at the grocery store. It makes me realize how far removed I am from the daily existence of just a couple generations past. Our grocery stores would seem (and, indeed, are) far more magical to my great-grandma than a simple vegetable garden would, and yet it's the garden that amazes me.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEvIYFvRJVwzXufljGnQ0ZQyFOwuNhSWbL2YXxf8CDCDyQ2RwyTWucVLJ23pAG-7uPfypLMzBCq7sXaYYQbPooz9TLvmzFZo4VqGQZevPSyUnqqTHctGZx4N8Vde13zPkrBF3Z8VeNasbC/s1600-h/DSC02108.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEvIYFvRJVwzXufljGnQ0ZQyFOwuNhSWbL2YXxf8CDCDyQ2RwyTWucVLJ23pAG-7uPfypLMzBCq7sXaYYQbPooz9TLvmzFZo4VqGQZevPSyUnqqTHctGZx4N8Vde13zPkrBF3Z8VeNasbC/s320/DSC02108.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420352953475228050" border="0" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8000819477061245424.post-41305190393806500812009-10-25T18:14:00.005-04:002009-10-25T19:02:39.228-04:00Camelias in October?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXBkFKaiqWrCtT-g5enQ0ucORk_vrdjQzSNmREbgC2jl3Orw5OAmJew-ql4aeadXxdwVuquQzwSZ2tPaD7U0E5KaAx8jz50Ly3z_YRMc6zqwvYaUH75qfpDu7YlVo_eG8HfDn2Uj6i3Lj1/s1600-h/Camelias+in+October.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396669083607148546" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXBkFKaiqWrCtT-g5enQ0ucORk_vrdjQzSNmREbgC2jl3Orw5OAmJew-ql4aeadXxdwVuquQzwSZ2tPaD7U0E5KaAx8jz50Ly3z_YRMc6zqwvYaUH75qfpDu7YlVo_eG8HfDn2Uj6i3Lj1/s320/Camelias+in+October.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Okay, so I heard a million times that the weather in Florida was going to be different. Everyone warned us, but we were dubious. Sure, it might stay warmer longer (which it did) and there might not be as many cold(ish) days as in Wilmington, but how different can it really be? We were still in the South after all, and at the beach, no less. </div><br /><div></div><div>Last week convinced me. Camelias are in bloom. Azaleas are in bloom. Wilmington's Azalea Festival is in April, not October. It seems that the combination of several 90 degree days (yep, in mid-October) and clearing off the vines and ferns that had been choking them off was enough to set the bushes into full bloom. My Pedagogy professor swears her azaleas bloom twice every year, so apparently this isn't a fluke. </div><br /><div></div><div>Now, however, we've got the best of both worlds. The temps have dipped into the 60s and 70s and flowers are gorgeous. </div><br /><div></div><div>On another note, now that the tree is <em>finally </em>out of the back yard we've started on the butterfly garden which we've planned to grow up around, on, and in the remaining stump. Of course, we won't get too many butterflies this time of year, but we can work on the area in preparation for spring. Y'all know how I love my planning : ) </div><div></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396669293855512930" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH7JGKpmTB27Tkk2o39rYHdkGzbTv8Ne0-gNrLKyH5fRUGE_6NXPV0wn0rR4cnE9bE1VGRyCAKKD6RPn_ZPggO77mq4I1IcjaRt-kFgFQmXQwuDfoWp8MLuRRYc-7lRC3Ars7bJ8d3WibF/s320/Tree+Stump+and+Butterfly+Bush.JPG" border="0" /><br /><div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8000819477061245424.post-54646730064165577662009-10-20T21:19:00.003-04:002009-10-25T18:14:34.892-04:00The Garden!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK715CxbUKls71paKWCjhLv2ubBu6mFuus8cdnz8FTcUP_L3Kv6Y2lKFd12A-1uJyg33sbgR6XNhNevduU2MbYkjyqrBLSbtVkYhAeJ7eF0yXSCXopccuS_euDOaUKaffMqZFTApBmxdam/s1600-h/Garden+bed+1.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396664450434350978" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK715CxbUKls71paKWCjhLv2ubBu6mFuus8cdnz8FTcUP_L3Kv6Y2lKFd12A-1uJyg33sbgR6XNhNevduU2MbYkjyqrBLSbtVkYhAeJ7eF0yXSCXopccuS_euDOaUKaffMqZFTApBmxdam/s320/Garden+bed+1.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>We finally have the beginnings of a proper garden in place. We were waiting on a big water oak to come out, and it has, so today I looked at the area we have available and settled on a plan. The total space amounts to a rectangle that's 16 x 12 (with options for a couple more small beds outside this). Eventually there will be 6 raised beds that are 3' x 7' with paths of 18" between. The dimensions are the result of the total area and practicality. I could have done fewer and larger beds, but working them would be a problem without stepping into them, which we don't want to do. Three feet is easy to work with from both sides, and is probably more than enough space for just two people to grow veggies to augment our grocery shopping. Today I got in one of the beds and marked off and prepared the soil for the second. I used available materials for the borders of the beds (cedar beams that were laying around and leftovers from the herb garden border) and 5 bags of gardening soil to fill in. All of the beds will be mulched with pine needles. I'm not sure what we'll mulch the paths with. Pea gravel would be nice, but once it's in, it's a pain to take out. I think we'll be able to mulch and plant it this weekend. It actually works out nicely to stagger them, both financially and from a planting point of view. If we can plant a bed every two weeks we should be eating well all winter, right from the garden, and we'll be totally set up for spring to do heavy plantings of peppers, tomatoes, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">cukes</span>, and <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">miscellaneous</span> other veggies. In the meantime, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">arugula</span>, here we come.</div>bollockshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09780256545261312448noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8000819477061245424.post-58841394366328385102009-09-30T20:54:00.004-04:002009-09-30T21:04:55.039-04:00House Color Help<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3D3zu21UvdbhorsFCxG7dA2XpLQ9vhJULOgIyWiW-PpTPVJWl_kq-_YN10mdpjP10u1FaDpwZWn-pMu7D1Ze6Yq0AMBpdN2hwy-q1f-GQusxw5Pn_bSb98nc2CkeIiqMq4ukJVTNd4Jdb/s1600-h/Japanese+Maple+after+%27limbing+up%27.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387430762562664290" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3D3zu21UvdbhorsFCxG7dA2XpLQ9vhJULOgIyWiW-PpTPVJWl_kq-_YN10mdpjP10u1FaDpwZWn-pMu7D1Ze6Yq0AMBpdN2hwy-q1f-GQusxw5Pn_bSb98nc2CkeIiqMq4ukJVTNd4Jdb/s320/Japanese+Maple+after+%27limbing+up%27.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Now that the weather has finally broken (highs in the 80s instead of 90s), we're thinking about tackling our next big project: painting the house. Something about the current two-tone blue feels a bit dated. We're not averse to adventurous colors - after living downtown across the street from a sage green house, a pink house, and a purple house we've come to like bright house colors - but since we don't live in a historic downtown and we want to sell the house in four or five years, we need something a bit tamer. We've thought about yellow, red, green, white, until we're blue in the face. Anyone got any suggestions? </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8000819477061245424.post-82692962904435039142009-09-20T16:13:00.005-04:002009-09-25T19:31:35.302-04:00Jalapeno!!!<div align="left">Guess my thumb might have a little green in it after all:</div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffff;">.</span></div><div align="center"></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD_b6_VB4bHk7MSEuydHQGEIvs5CHT2CPMJOxOVl-oNRVAI4N21alTbecmJwvh54-wakqdtTPNNUSt4MSmCgPq_FBNjb9-e-6uj465vaYOeDIGz6N3lxtZOETAr8YhM5ALKKU6GShw28tV/s1600-h/Jalapeno+Plant+2.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383646533711186546" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD_b6_VB4bHk7MSEuydHQGEIvs5CHT2CPMJOxOVl-oNRVAI4N21alTbecmJwvh54-wakqdtTPNNUSt4MSmCgPq_FBNjb9-e-6uj465vaYOeDIGz6N3lxtZOETAr8YhM5ALKKU6GShw28tV/s320/Jalapeno+Plant+2.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div align="left">Or, maybe Josh has a green thumb and I just want to take credit for it. All of you who know my history with indoor plants can be the judge.<br /><br /><br /></div><div align="center"></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8000819477061245424.post-6440352602282426702009-09-15T20:17:00.004-04:002009-09-15T21:07:52.015-04:00Interesting Caterpillars<div align="left">Yards in Florida are strange places. I've noticed that we have a number of scary looking caterpillars in the yard. The top one I found near the herb garden today. As luck would have it, there was a guy here to look at a tree that's got to come out. He said it was a "<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">fireworm</span>." I haven't been able to ID it further online yet (all the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">fireworms</span> appear to be aquatic and feed on coral), but he said that the sting is very very painful. It certainly looked threatening enough. The lower photo is a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">saddleback</span> caterpillar that I came across while weeding on Sunday. It's quite striking, and also very painful. We're going to have to be careful when we're handing plants out there so as not to get stung. In my research to figure out what these guys are, I found out that I had gotten rid of some caterpillars that would become black swallowtail that were munching on our parsley. That's too bad. Next time I'll let them be and lose the parsley just to watch them and see what happens. Ah, well. We've plans for a butterfly garden, which seems like a weird thing for me to be into, but what the hell. I like bugs. I like gardening. I must therefore like bugs that are good for gardens. And besides, butterflies look cool. </div><div align="left"><span style="color:#99ff99;">.</span></div><div align="left">I added Greek Oregano, English Thyme, and Spanish Lavender to the herb garden today. I also finished mulching it and made a border by laying down cedar rails (the kind that serve as rails in a split-rail fence). Cheers.<br /><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyP-PYibCfqkqJ5WmMyUBRZWUAK_3vJlIja5A-dVs0OTAWeceZR4Q5_teBvH6dYddIW-d89cZa4TXnhzaRUgotyxFvqo98t9VKhLqjLjpdNAjbs75Jh2Imh1lCyUbhpY2gLTsXEAoUKQ0/s1600-h/DSC01895.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381853325375964306" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyP-PYibCfqkqJ5WmMyUBRZWUAK_3vJlIja5A-dVs0OTAWeceZR4Q5_teBvH6dYddIW-d89cZa4TXnhzaRUgotyxFvqo98t9VKhLqjLjpdNAjbs75Jh2Imh1lCyUbhpY2gLTsXEAoUKQ0/s400/DSC01895.JPG" border="0" /> <p align="center"></a> <span style="font-size:78%;">Fireworm</span></p><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLIOFS7qVuZbg1IHz0om75Jk6fv9ZDEdSdKDrR0ybCTXEua4CKT1CK-xYiYolFaZZ36p5sBOM463Dt94aRroaTvTLK5IH0Nt9mVH2dORk8eTuTPtoeSqLB5EEfG2LS2r2c-bFULusPy3c/s1600-h/DSC01891.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381853314938488418" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLIOFS7qVuZbg1IHz0om75Jk6fv9ZDEdSdKDrR0ybCTXEua4CKT1CK-xYiYolFaZZ36p5sBOM463Dt94aRroaTvTLK5IH0Nt9mVH2dORk8eTuTPtoeSqLB5EEfG2LS2r2c-bFULusPy3c/s400/DSC01891.JPG" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-size:78%;">Saddleback Moth Caterpillar</span><br /><br /></p>bollockshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09780256545261312448noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8000819477061245424.post-20359436449887608972009-09-13T20:45:00.002-04:002009-09-13T20:58:53.066-04:00Yard WorkWe spent the afternoon working in the yard today. Pulling up all the vines that are choking off the azaleas and <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">camellias</span> and miscellaneous other plants could well take weeks. Luckily, among the things left by the old owner were an electric lawn mower, which I used for the first time today, and a really good set of gardening shears that are sharp enough to cut through 1" thick branches on the crepe myrtles like butter.<br /><br />We've got two hummingbird feeders up, and both are regularly visited. There seems to be one bird that's staking a claim though. He often perches nearby and chases off any other hummingbirds that swoop in for chow.<br /><br />The herb garden has expanded to now include silver thyme, garlic, and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">tricolored</span> sage. We also had some cuttings from the African Blue basil that sprouted roots and will make nice trans-plants to the beds in the front yard. Aimee got a banana tree, which we haven't put in the ground yet, as we're still figuring on the best place to put it. The jalapenos are coming along very well (two obvious peppers and about 14 more budding, it's amazing how fast they grow). No tomatoes yet, but we're keeping our fingers crossed that we didn't plant too late and that they're getting enough sun. We'll see. We started clearing the area that will become the vegetable garden today. It's going to take some work, but we'll get there. In addition to the hummingbirds we have woodpeckers (red bellied and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">pileated</span>), and lots of frogs and lizards, and cardinals, and wrens, and crazy looking caterpillars with thorns. It's an interesting yard. Cheers. Photos of plants to come as soon as I can get some decent shots.bollockshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09780256545261312448noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8000819477061245424.post-60212985163986513172009-09-01T19:48:00.003-04:002009-09-01T20:39:27.655-04:00Lemongrass and ThymeToday I added some plants to the herb garden. I also got the kayak rack up, finally. I've read a book by Lee Reich called <em>Weedless Gardening</em>, which gives us a conceptual framework to work with. Such things are important for cerebral people with little to no gardening experience. There seem to be thousands of <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">mosquito's</span> living in our yard. The lemongrass will hopefully help with that, as it's called citronella in french. Cheers.bollockshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09780256545261312448noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8000819477061245424.post-84564017174390412362009-08-22T11:25:00.010-04:002009-08-27T22:47:15.580-04:00Updates<div align="left">I've never been so excited about a washing machine. We went two weeks without a washer and dryer, and in that short span I developed a hearty appreciation for a good old spin cycle. I have been told by various family members that my grandma never wanted a washer and dryer because she preferred going to a laundromat and filling seven machines at a time instead of taking all day at home with just one washer and one dryer. (I'm guessing that the unsaid part of this equation had something to do with the socializing potential afforded by the laundromat, but that's another story.) In any case, I did not inherit the laundromat-loving gene. I could live without a dryer - there's something very romantic and nostalgic about clothes outside on a line - but the washer is essential. But we don't have to live without either anymore; a set of brand-new Whirlpools were delivered yesterday. Yipee! </div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left">[Amendment: those brand-new Whirlpools would not be gracing our utility room if it weren't for my brother, Brian, who gets an amazing discount and felt slighted by my not mentioning him. Alas, I am happy.) <br /><br />On other fronts, I had three days of orientation last week. I'm genuinely excited. The classes I'm taking sound fascinating - Caribbean Women Writers, Teaching Theory, Gender and Disease in the Victorian Novel, and a Speakers Colloquium - and I'm trying a new approach to the class I'm teaching. Classes start Monday, so this is my last weekend of relative ease for a long, long time.<br /><br />I really want to bike to campus, but I'm afraid I'm going to have to work up to it. The best route for me has some killer hills. Actually, anywhere you go in Tallahassee has killer hills. The minimum elevation on my route is 75 feet. The max is 279. I don't know how much longer this will be "my" route - I'm going to keep my eyes and ears open for another one.<br /><br />Finally, as promised, more pictures of the house.<br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">.</span></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372822670559056530" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBAMuL5Ft_jw64eXlD0ClR6Y4NllHcFWsXqkL603WouR9AvCx0kSHeT9Tc4jBzdAkIEnmuj6Iz5a76VKRkgN0RJBFvJdpdVp0MK5N02nlvm9-lkQyTAwrZo-nS-MRMch7z0GXwgkJ04ny0/s320/Dining+and+Living+Rooms.JPG" border="0" /> <p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;">Living and Dining Rooms</span></p><div align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372823048760808130" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifk7NGzVbcBjTBsCjV8_zV2heM3sWIpiVeWooBoFrs6YTQVM9prpogVHw46Zkgo0mKqcJ6h8xZYvkZx2Is7QVzJZRR_MH6rQI4jjT35mniZigPW3MN1da0K__T3AWNGDectwcLxzzUHiRE/s320/Guest+Room.JPG" border="0" /> <span style="font-size:78%;">Guest Room (makes you want to visit, right?)</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ffffff;">.</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;"></span></div><div align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372823525988714642" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinNKFixN1w8SNSy_q7VbjCfz-6ZhGiUIR-5v_5ewhgxnubKgK6VBRz4bhIDRZHlnc3IlnSaZMa3tdJ482OPRScuJGertUud4lHiusszbz3_wP_ADY3HO83qoSx3mRDZ4tR03aUEXb73syM/s320/Master.JPG" border="0" /><span style="font-size:78%;">Master Bedroom - with Bug</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffff;">.</span></div><p>And, just because it's funny, this is what we found under the couch when we moved: </p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372824041892065074" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8lRazyzTQieOyWN3bv4cE9PdF_wsO8XA-ytpiPEWrkYHImVXNUKQW7BL9zqwv05VfjIvQVw3sxMmK_RmoWRoHJWJMsSM8aAbJcFhC17CYJ24kFVxmPAqRYcOLnPBe6WRc3gPkaGUo8m87/s320/Surprises+under+the+couch.JPG" border="0" /></p><p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;">Cat Toys</span> </p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8000819477061245424.post-81904259451843561982009-08-20T22:03:00.002-04:002009-08-20T22:14:40.328-04:00LandscapingWe had Kathy from the Tallahassee Nurseries out to advise us on our landscaping this morning. TN is 70 years old this year and did the original plan over ten years ago. The previous owner was nice enough to leave the landscape drawing on the counter for us, so we had an inkling of what was there, but no idea of how to take care of it. Furthermore, things are a little overgrown right now. There's a lot of work to do, but it's mostly pruning and cleaning things up. We'll be pulling up weeds and vines and trimming back trees and bushes for a couple of weeks. There's a big oak that's got to come out. But after that happens we'll have enough sun to plant a real garden rather than the small facsimile we're tending now. The area beside the back slab will be a full-time herb garden with a huge lemongrass bush to fill in the corner, and the area across the way will become a veggie garden. Equally awesome is that there's an open area on the back right part of the property where we can put a blackberry bramble, blueberry bushes, a pomegranate, and even some banana trees! We're stoked. The more interesting things that are already on the property are lots of azaleas and <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">camellias</span> (both will remind us of Wilmington). We're going to learn a lot about plants and maintaining them.bollockshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09780256545261312448noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8000819477061245424.post-45969415290970626892009-08-13T18:25:00.003-04:002009-08-13T19:29:26.252-04:00Welcome to FloridaIt was a long time coming, but the day finally came and we've moved into our new home in Tallahassee. It's pretty hot and muggy, and there's a storm almost every day, but that's not altogether unfamiliar. The house is pretty amazing. Here are some photos: <div><span style="color:#ffffff;">.</span></div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369579713779537650" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbT-XQxsnQblBUcOb4-rUO9e2Z1jYaVdpj887GUUReFFwJGSqqu2ZIZTlXK_f_ykwpbr9lMcH8Hy3iB9qFtN6TKd8P8mi2eXGDvTenQoZJIbXUlO9UD38Z1LqdcatX-hgUMJS_ts9Pygw/s400/DSC01808.JPG" border="0" /></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;">The House, Yard, and Driveway</span></div><div><span style="color:#ffffff;">.</span></div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369579744184064642" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuVBtlbatm1lludz2GAfXuKNql2GFolCgpTTJDQw86JSlU3I77J0vL4vlzIRSl8A1uZ1fh2nSvaFS8RBTdZLn67B6n7q4RnKLmDFzJGj5G7v163lTqt3PlCHifjt04y8Oi_CG4EgGXc0Y/s400/DSC01813.JPG" border="0" /></div><br /><p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;">Backyard, Facing the House</span></p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369579719637345090" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJc6p4VwEITWlEZzP3e1YW-KcWE0mdopBg-ZNXlqawU18IaxFwOlGzUBRSeAlzs6ue9P3DmgZsXP1lcMeTav5Y3fjJ9KSs3cxP_vy9gzoP5rTH7rTnrZz14LAzt8BjSvcfzn_TJAJZwdQ/s400/DSC01804.JPG" border="0" /></p><p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;">Backyard, From the House</span></p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369579731146204402" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyXyuRjO4PLZA1cgk6UF2ncTjwePUkKuLK1sT1FZRPeQU67v_1PWV7Oc1B7TBdodTmsHR2py7btsSPRNRQlL-J5n48NJAY1JBokxIH1d_erNADpbmUmrlFPhyphenhyphenb6xnzb3MN6J998xRsMFA/s400/DSC01798.JPG" border="0" /></p><p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;">Living Room</span></p><p>We haven't been here a week yet. It went roughly like this: Friday started at 3 am, on the road by 4, long drive to Tallahassee, in town at 2. Aimee and her folks went to closing so Dad and I started unloading a truck. We actually got all of one trailer and most of another in the house that night, which was pretty fast. For the first time in a week, we got to sleep in our own bed. Saturday was spent unloading and unpacking. Both of our folks headed back to NC. Sunday more of the same. We got a bedroom, a bathroom, and kitchen/dining area set up pretty quickly so we could live in some modicum of comfort. Monday I called the bike shop I hoped to work at, and the owner wanted me to come in that afternoon and talk to him, which I did, and which worked out great, so I started work on Tuesday, which was perhaps a little too soon (due to the amount of work at home I still need to do). Since then we've been getting settled in, hanging stuff on walls, getting cable and internet rigged, and just trying to orient ourselves to a new place. We'll post more as it occurs. Right now we're just happy to be reasonably comfortable and settled. I'm thrilled to be working (I was out of work for less than one week, which is pretty fantastic in this economy). Aimee is getting ready to start school. We've put some plants in the ground and in pots, included basil, spearmint, chives, parsley, rosemary, tomatoes, and some hot peppers. It's our first real gardening experience, and we hope it'll be a big part of our new life here.</p><p>We both own a huge debt of gratitude to our families and friends, who housed us, fed us, and helped us get down here. Without all of you, this move would have been so much more difficult and less fun. Thank you. Stay tuned for more.</p>bollockshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09780256545261312448noreply@blogger.com0