Sunday, January 23, 2011

FROM THE INSIDE OUT

Taken from the kitchen area to make note of the lovely morning light. If you look carefully you'll see just a bit of paint on the wall below the cross braces and ceiling above. How delightful to anticipate living in a light filled space.

And here we have a glimpse down the entry hall
from the kitchen looking toward the back porch door. I really do love the wall color and the ceiling color is just perfection. I do admit feeling a bit 'trepidare' about the ceiling paint but I shouldn't have given it a second thought.




















Cicero and Syd are having a game of 'how high'. A
very athletic hound, that Cicero!

Thursday, January 13, 2011

THE DAY AFTER



Well over two feet of snow fell here over the last thirty six hours. This morning I dug my way to the bird feeder, cleared an area and scattered some millet. My next stop was the barn. Dale had been to plow this morning leaving me to clear the snow away from the barn doors and clear out around the generator. Good thing that the snow is dry else my back would be shot!

The view from the loft door was spectacular; nothing like blue sky, brilliant sunshine and fresh snow. The horses were gathered around the feeder as I threw down their morning ration of hay. It takes so little to make them happy!



This afternoon I tackled the stalls and now all is ready for tonight. Am still on the fence as to whether or not to keep them in overnight. Guess that remains to be seen.

The debate continues regarding the fireplace surround but I do think that the one below comes closest to what I envision. One thing for certain, it won't be blue! The alternatives are oiled cherry or poplar, painted the same color as the living room trim. The other conundrum that I am facing is the depth of the mantle. My instincts tell me that it should be 6.5 inches.

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

BLIZZARD II

No pictures of the storm as it was impossible to take any due to the blowing snow. Tomorrow!
The painters have been busy painting the bedrooms and in these pictures there is but one coat on the walls and ceilings and therefor a bit difficult to see the contrast between the wall and ceiling paint colors.
I really like the colors in our bedroom and the smaller front bedroom, not shown. The small back bedroom is a 'room of different color'. I adore the apricot walls but the ceiling just doesn't work so I have asked that the color be changed to Putty.
The snow started well before 4:00 this morning, in fact I looked out the window at around 4:00 and there was already significant accumulation. By the time we rolled out of bed there was at least a foot on the ground and no indication that it was letting up.

The painters arrived around 7:30 and applied a final coat to the upstairs bedroom walls and ceiling except of course the back bedroom which is waiting for the putty color to be delivered. This afternoon they primed the ceilings on the main floor and have told me that they will be applying 'color' to the ceilings tomorrow. Be still my heart !!!
Gary is sanding dry wall mud in the basement tonight. He wears a respirator but it still can't be good for him.
The second pair of mittens that I started for the two 'red head brothers' in the village has been frogged.....it would have been way too small. I know that I could have found someone for that pair but these kiddos need mittens NOW. I cast on for a much larger size and have spent most of the afternoon finishing up the ribbing and starting the thumb gusset. Pictures tomorrow.

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

OUT WITH THE OLD

Here we are, well into 2011 and a very good thing it is. Sad to say, 2010 wasn't my favorite year. We had much angst over Jack's lack of attention to creating the plans for our house. Couple that with the packing up and dispersal of our worldly goods and we have a recipe for turmoil. The frosting on the cake was 'himself' being scheduled for hip replacement surgery on the 29th of June, the very same day that we had to be out of the old farm, leaving it broom clean. Somehow I managed to pull it all off. Phew! I spent the several days that 'himself' was at New England Baptist sick-a-bed with bronchitis finally ending up with a prescription for some mega antibiotics. Cured!


This trailer being a mere 12 X 60 meant that we'd be forgoing Christmas this year and instead elected to take the kids out for Chinese/Japanese at 5:00 on the 25th. GENIUS!!! All nine of us had heaps of fun and nobody had to cook or wash up!!


Yesterday I spent a couple of hours going over the paint colors that I had chosen for the interior. I made a few minor changes and then wrote up specification sheet organized by room.


The house is chugging right along. Gary is finished with sheetrock on the main and second floor and is now working in the basement. Eric the painter was here today and primed the back bedroom. I gave him the paint specifications for the first & second floor and I understand that he has ordered the paint and it will be delivered subito.

The photo commemorates the trip to Charlemont ( Hall Tavern Farm)taken by our contractor and our son in law to collect the wide board pine for the second floor and rustic cherry
for the main floor. Our driveway was just a bit slick when they drove in. Hence the rig in the ditch! All was put to rights thanks to chain and a second pickup. The boards are lovely. Can't wait for them to be laid in place!
Brady Rose was here this morning to burn the brush pile in the lower pasture. When I arrived home this afternoon I could see a bit of smoke rising over the trees.