Put put putting along......

With the whirlwind of hammers and saws now completed there is a slower pace around the homestead these days.  The blog took a little time off when a dreaded computer virus took down my computer!  But we're back writing again.  Dave and I have been methodically going around and putting our home back together.  It's going to be a long process of unpacking boxes and assessing the "house worthiness" of an item.  If it does not pass it will be a yard sale item.  We've become pretty efficient procrastinators about the painting.  It's summer after all and the need to be outside or in the boat in the evenings seems like a necessity for our mental health.  This fall we will get back to painting and finishing some trim work- promise!

Sea dog

 Our mission these days is to hang the paintings we have collected.  The house is so different that it's fun to see a familiar piece in a new location.  Everything looks completely different.  We found a perfect spot for the portrait of Dave's dad done when he was 14 years old.  The painting looks great on the real textural plaster. 

Red Smith- Age 14

Moody sea picture that was my Grandmother's looks amazing here

 The kitchen is looking lovely.

Cooking is such a pleasure now!

Many years ago we bought these nifty bronze rope knobs.  We always thought they would look great somewhere and here they are!

Our old bronze knobs from Maine look perfect on the new cabinets

Dave's magical patina looks wonderful with brass pot filler

Dave spent a lot of time on the still life on top of the hutch- the detail guy!

The outside of the house is coming along slowly.  Dave has become the master hosta transplanter.  He has them all over the place.  The landscaping will evolve over time.  The other side of the house is is sporting a profusion of crab grass and weeds. Now sure how that happened since there was all new grass seed put down.  At least it's green!  Anyone know how to get rid of it naturally?  We also have more poke weed than anyone should be entitled to have.

My brother gave us this sculpture as a house warming.  I LOVE IT!!!

Back inside- the nook is a favorite spot to sit with a book or magazine.  The entire house has such a calming effect.  I have to say we are watching far less TV than we ever did and reading a lot more!  What a bonus!

Everyone loves the nook- specially Coal.

We've gotten a lot of lighting up as well.  In the bathroom we put this antique pendant light that didn't work in the kitchen.  Got to love Brimfield- you can actually find cool things and with a little negotiating a good price as well.

Antique pendant in master bath

This old lantern we found at a local antique shop.  It was so cute I could not resist it.  I had the old carved sconce that I got really cheap at another antique shop.  I thought, why not marry the two for a unique lighting fixture at the top of the new stairs.  I think it looks pretty good!

My clever invention- yes or no?

We had seen this light new at a local shop.  It's a really well done reproduction that is pretty pricey.  But recently I was at a local antique shop (same as the above lantern) and saw the same light for a fraction of the price!  I even went back to look at the original and sure enough it's the same.  Good shopping on my part.

Great light found for a song at local antique shop

You've been wondering what Pip has been up to lately- right?  Well he took a nip at one of the baby turkeys and- well see for yourself.

Pip-manchu

Last week I was making a blueberry buckle for our lab picnic.  I went upstairs while it was baking and then heard the dogs going nuts.  I went down to see something flying around the kitchen.  I raced upstairs into the bedroom with Looey and Pip closing the door.  Dave was running around screaming- a bat- I love bats!  Well, I like them from a distance but not in my kitchen.  After a while Dave cornered it in the library and swooped a butterfly net over it. We use the net to catch chickens- you can see the feather still stuck in it.  Dave proudly brought it upstairs like a cat with a prize mouse.  So, here he is before the release to the outdoors.

Evening intruder