Family Reunion 2005 ~Part 2

Here are some shots from my great grandparents farm.


See barns and Victorian farm houses are in my blood :)

Family Reunion 2005 ~Part 1

I've always wanted to be named after someone. I don't know why. My little sister Mary got to be named after someone cool. Not me.

But guess what! Yesterday I discovered I have a great-great-great-great-grandmother Becky

I wish I had inherited her chair.

She can keep that dress.

My uncle Bob brought this great notebook with all of these copies of old family photos done up by the wife of a cousin of his (wow confusing).

But from now on I'm going to say I was named after her.

Landscaping with Vegetables

Yesterday mom came over for a chat with cinnamon rolls from the bakery (thanks again mom!). On her way out she noticed this little guy by the steps.

"Is that a cucumber?"

I of course had never noticed it, always paying more attention to the rotting siding above it.

So stay tuned...
In a few weeks we'll learn the identity of the mystery plant!

Call for Advise II

Con #1
Ok, since the siding did not come in our current width the lumber yard guy said buy twice as big and cut it in half. I'm guessing from everyone's comments that's not going to be possible.

Pro #1
This lumber yard is the same place that we get our cedar siding and the price of the cement board is about half of the price of the wood.

Pro #2
Yes it is paintable. You can get it in colors, but the lumber yard guy said that it is much more expensive that way and not really worth it because the factory color only lasts about 15 years.

The painting isn't really an issue for us we just want something that won't leak anymore and further destroy what we have done. We've bought all new cedar shingles for the peaks (they don't have all of our shake styles in cement so that wasn't even an option) so hopefully that will help some what.

And for me to purchase the product it would have to be smooth. I've seen the wood grain boards and don't really care for them.

And good idea Stuccohouse about asking the lumber yard about other homes. That way maybe we could find a contractor who is experienced in putting them up too if they tend to be a little bendy and hard to work with.

Any other thoughts/suggestions?

We're a Long Ways From...

Sometimes it just seems like talking to people about the house is like a long car ride with small children.

"Are you done yet?"
"No."
"Are you done yet?"
"No."
"Are you done yet?"
"No."
"Are you done yet?"
"No!"

Call for Advise

So what does everyone think about cement board siding? We've got replacing to do and we're considering this alternative. Tim talked to the owner of the local lumber company and he has it on his house and loves it. He's also the one that recommended our windows and we've been so happy with them.

So what have you all heard about the product? Anyone out there have any experience with the stuff?

Another Barn Shot

So I'm thinking now I should have parked a car next to her so you get an idea of her size, like Gary's level. That's a lot of reason why it's been so hard to make the decision to fix it up, it's going to take a LOT of materials.

This photo was taken from the back bedroom on the second story of the house.

I guess if you have a big house you need a big barn to match. Does that mean I have to eat lotsa chocolate so I'm a big lady? Cause I would enjoy that :)
Under the tree is the old pump house. We're just choosing not to deal with that for right now. Between that and the barn is the outhouse (it's flipped on it's side). That was going to by my summer project. Guess I should get started on it huh...

Feeling Artistic 2

Meet Our Barn

"Scooped the hay out of the barn," is Tim's reply of the last few nights when asked what he did that evening. So I decided this morning to head out there for a look see.

The pile was pretty impressive.

As I walked into the lower level of the barn I remembered how much this looks like a salvage shop. I am instantly depressed by the amount of stuff there is to contend with.I know Tim will want to get rid of some of it. Nooooooooo....

A shot of one of the pegs that hold this barn together. "Look ma, no nails."

Heading up the ladder to the haymow I am shocked by how much the roof had deteriorated in the last two years.




There were small holes in it at the time of purchase, but now we have big open sections in places. It's a reality check.

When I reach the haymow I am greeted with what I am assuming is Tim's weapon of choice.

Off to my right I can make out the area that has been cleared.

Here's a shot of the floor in an area where he has cleared.

Note to self: Forbid him to work up here unless I am home to rush him to the hospital.

So I carefully make my way over to the window that holds one of my favorite views of the house.

Wow, that back door looks crappy. We really need to get that painted!

I take one final look...

and head back down the ladder.

Park Inn Update

The Park Inn has changed hands again. Here's the article.

Spent A Little Quality Time with the House Plants Yesterday

First the Linda plant got a larger home to accommodate her ever growing roots. She had gotten pretty cramped in that little plastic container she was in.

My mom figures she'll go crazy and grow to the ceiling. I have a plan for just that event. I'll just get a couple of song birds to set up house in her branches and spend my evenings soaking in the tub under the Linda plant listening to the music.










This huge planter was from my grandfather's funeral. I was the one that ended up with it because I was the only one with a house large enough to keep the beast.

Originally it had the two types of ivy, the Lilly below, and a couple of outdoor flowers. The flowers died last fall and slowly the ivy had taken over. It's incredible... I've never had luck with ivy before and I can't keep up with the stuff in this pot.

So instead of letting it lay in a dejected heap on the floor I bought this obelisk to train it up on. Eventually I'll move it downstairs to one of the bigger rooms.

I just didn't know what else to do with it.




This Lilly was originally in with the ivy. Isn't the pot the cutest thing ever! It was painted by Tim's aunt Mary and she gave it to me for a shower present. It's just one of those things that makes you smile every time you see it.

Master Bath Fixtures, Finally!

As some of you know, I've had my eye on these brass fixtures since about the moment I first set eyes on my future master bathroom. Well, my dream is finally realized!

And yes Martha, my hand and bath towels do not match. Someday though...

By the way, that toilet paper holder put an end to our days of buying cheap toilet paper. The rod for the fixture doesn't fit into our "economy" toilet paper. It's nothing but Charmin for Mr. and Mrs. Farm-house now on out.

But can you imagine how worried I was before I discovered that pricier papers fit. But by yinga I was going to use that fixture to hold my TP even if I had to make and roll it myself.

Thank goodness I didn't have to go to such extremes. We discovered the joys of Charmin by "borrowing" a roll from my mother-in-law. Thanks Ronnie!

But don't you think there should be a Surgeon General Type warning Restoration Hardware has to put on this product...

-Warning it has been shown that users of

this product have been forced to switch

to expensive toilet paper. -

If All of Your Friends Jumped Off a Cliff Would You?

YES!Since trim work seems to be the "in thing" right now Tim dusted off the saw horses and got to work on the trim for the bead board room.

And yes, I plan to do a write up on our woodworking techniques as asked by Aaron and Jeannie. I just want to get the up-dates out of the way first.

Attention Potential Guests

The guest bathroom now had its very own curtain. Yes. It doesn't not yet have a door, but this lovely window covering provides piece of mind for the more modest of guests. It really doesn't show up very well in the photo, but the curtain is actually I waffle-weave shower curtain. It's hung on a regular old curtain rod using those nifty roller-ball shower curtain holders. It would probably look a little nicer if we actually had the window itself finished to match the woodwork. All in good time.

The window in the office also got a pretty little "outfit" of its own. Now I won't have a glare on my computer screen, yea!
I can't decide if I like how the curtain and rod cover the woodwork. I'm thinking I might buy a tension rod and try that out once. I'm just not a curtain type of girl. I've got an eye for color, but the actual art of hanging them I often struggle with. -sigh-

A Trash Can in Its Natural Habitat

Oliver Sends His Apologies

Dear Patron of this Web page,

I am so sorry my owner has been neglecting her posting duties. She's so ridiculously picky she wouldn't use the free photo program that came with the new computer because it was slightly harder to use than her beloved Photoshop. So she had to wait until she had a free day and drive all the way to the big city to pick up a copy of the program.

Well I tell you, she's back now and she's downloading all of those stored up photos from the last week of house happenings. So thank you for you patience, and stay tuned the dry spell is about to end.

It's a good thing feeding me isn't too difficult or I wouldn't be able to keep up my lovely figure.

I promise she'll do better from here on out.

Your friend,

Oliver the House Cat

P.S. send tuna

Are There Barns In Heaven?

Greg's comment on yesterdays post on saving the barn made me remember what I thought heaven was as a little girl. I pictured everyone having a cloud, and you had on that cloud everything you loved. You were surrounded by the clouds of the people you loved and could look over and see what they were doing and talk to them across the little expanse of sky that separated each one. I think I would like a barn on my cloud.

One of my earliest memories is connected to the old barn at our house. My cousin Mike would stay with our family while going to college. I remember tagging along with him, holding a flashlight, while he checked the barn for pigeons (he liked to hunt).

When I was a little older, probably in the junior high, I imagined myself living in a barn when I moved out from mom and dad's. I would live in the big city in a barn that I converted into a house. I would have half the haymow taken down so my bedroom would be a kind of loft. And I could lay on my couch and look up at the huge beams on the ceiling above me. I had that floor plan all laid out.

It wasn't until I graduated from high school and had an internship in Washington DC that I realized that there are not barns everywhere. In fact, some of the people who interned with me had never even seen a barn in real life let alone been inside one. That just blew my mind.

Thanks Greg for sparking the memories!

Cool Barn Re-Use

So we still are questioning the barn.

I think we've both come to the conclusion that we are going to do what we can to save it. Tim made a good point in that what it would cost would be about the same as a new truck and we'd enjoy it a lot longer than we ever would a new truck (chances of the barn still standing when we are dead=good, chances of the truck still running=slim).

He's been the typical Tim and is now having visions of rodding the barn himself. It scares me, but then again he's never failed at any project he's taken on. His often one track mind has started to shift. The other night I came home to find that he hadn't worked on the woodwork for the mudroom, but instead spent the evening shoveling the pile of hay that is currently rotting the haymow out onto the cattle yard.

But if we're going to spend all this money and do all this work wouldn't it be nice to adapt it some how like the following story I found in the paper.

Barn Attracts Performers and Music Lovers

Our Future Garage

We finally found a garage plan that we both like.

We love the tall roof line on it. It should match the house quite well. We'll just do a regular window, not a curved top one, to match the house also. I think I'll add a couple more windows upstairs too.

Vacation Photos

Tim was taking a trip with the jet to Hyannis, MA. His family and I caught a ride on Tuesday to visit his sister who has been in Portsmouth, NH with her boyfriend who was working at the ship yard.

Our first night there we had supper in Portsmouth and then did a little walking tour of the near by area. Unfortunately it was dark by the time we were done eating so here are the photos that showed up the best.


I really liked this fence.


I didn't notice until after I had downloaded this picture the Home Depot special on the other side of the door.


On the second day we went whale watching which was AMAZING! The tour guides said you only see activity like this maybe twice a year. We saw a pod of white sided dolphins,

and a humpback whale calf put on a 45 minuet show of jumping, splashing, and twirling for us while its mother stayed by its side.


The third day (our last in Portsmouth) we drove out to some beaches and toured this fort.


We saw this light house.


And then visited a local museum that had this lighthouse top.

That same museum also had this great old tool chest. Isn't it cool!


On our final day we visited an aquarium in Hyannis where we saw this little frog.

Wouldn't you love it if your house consisted of a piece of food 20x's your size. No wonder he looks so happy.

A Little Rain Cloud Over Date Night

We had a late afternoon/early evening date night today to make-up for spending last week apart.

We attened a local play and then had supper at the Brandenburg, our favorite restrunt where we used to live. On the way there we passed this old barn that was kind of a landmark of almost being home when we were doing the almost daily drive to work on the house two years ago. She don't look good.

Mudroom Floor Completed

The final coats were put on the beadboard room and the last of the tiles were laid on our weather inducted vacation from the blog. Here's the finished product!
Next on the list is finding the rest of the trim pieces in the pile/pit and making the threshold for the kitchen (photo to left).

Before the Storm

I took this photo Saturday night (the night before the storm that wiped out the old computer). Doesn't it look like the sky is on fire?

Did yah Miss Me?

Hi everyone,

We're back on-line with the new computer (which as an evil marketing ploy has the slowest modem ever developed to entice me to purchase their high-speed package). I guess it's my fault for being in such a hurry to be back in action, I just didn't check out what the packages included. Sometimes internet shopping gets a little too easy. Click, click, buy.

So as soon as I weed through the 5 days of posts I've missed I'll get working on my own posts of what's been going on at the farm house and of my trip to Boston which actually ended up being a drive through on the interstate.