the side porch

Today's project: the side porch.

The "side porch" -as it is already affectionately known- is located off the kitchen and the family room.


It faces the river.


It will have removable screen panels. It will be a great place for eating, lounging, playing games, jamming on guitars and fiddle, late-night discussions about the meaning of life, and sleeping.

Back to the jamming on guitar part: this boy can really really play.
I'm telling you.

Why does #1 Son insist on holding his power tools in a threatening manner?
If he didn't know how to really really play the fiddle, we might relocate him.

Not really. Not by a long shot.
Who am I kidding.


We realized the other night as we were watching the Bluegrass Festival firework show that it will be THE prime location for viewing the fireworks over the water.

We have visitors living on our driveway this week. They actually live in their state-of-the-art camper, so it's not as bad as it sounds. Anyway, one of these visitors (the one who can really really play the gee-tar) has been sucked into the vortex of working with the LOTM.

Cookies, along with premier access to the side porch and all its amenities, will be his reward!

the process

The reason why I am inside posting on a blog instead of scraping & wire-brushing is....

because it hurts my arms to do it for more than twenty minutes at a time.

I am really not a baby, just a grown-up prone to tendonitus.

Bit by bit, the front porch will be prepped for a fresh coat of white paint. I don't mind the process; not with a cool summer-like breeze on my shoulders and this view.

around the yard

Can somebody say "a lot of work"?

I have a truckload of vision for this side yard, but can only live one day at a time.

When it gets overwhelming, I turn around to calm myself with this lovely view.

-and this lovely view.

I am so thankful for a friend's generosity. He brought over tubs & tubs of perennials yesterday. I gave him iced tea.
Over on the other side of the house, I putter in the vegetable garden.

Things seem to be growing slowly but surely. I have had to replant the beans, the cukes, and some butternut squash, owning to the clay in the soil and a few torrential rains.

It will take a few seasons for our soil to improve. Hubby already added many loads of sheep manure from behind the barn which was tilled in thoroughly. If we add mulch and manure every fall, I may even grow carrots here in years to come!
Along the stone wall, we transplanted hostas which we found around the yard. Next year they promise to be beautiful! The road crew planted two juneberry bushes along the road, which I hope will be pleasing to the eye.

They also seeded the lawn, but we had to re-do this little strip of lawn as weeds took over. We brought this to their attention and they agreed to weed & seed the front lawn again

This week, I begin the front porch makeover. I hope to enslave a few teens to wash and wire-brush the whole thing. Then we will give it a fresh coat of white paint. Zappy blue (the name of the front porch table) was painted a regal red yesterday, which was the kick-off for a new look!

Stay tuned for the results!