vestibule: an update

Dear readers, did you again think I gave up on blogging?

I am sorry, but I cannot promise this long pause will not repeat. September is proving to be a busy, busy month for this family. I have a backlog of posts, some started and some still in my head, and I have
decided that the easiest posts for me (right now) are those about old house projects.

We are currently working on smallish projects at the old house. Remember this previous post about the vestibule? Let me be the first to tell you:  if you can figure out a way to work a shoe closet into your entry way, do it. No shoes strewn about the house. No, "mom, where are my shoes?" The one problem, that I cannot believe did not cross my mind, is a little bit of an odor. You know, kid shoe stink. It wasn't a problem last fall and winter, but consistently hot days brought consistently smelly shoes.

I am getting way off subject... Please know, we have tackled the problem with regular shoe cleaning, airing out of the shoe closet (never when people are over), and lots of baking soda.

So, all of that to say, that the rest of the vestibule is finally getting a make over. We pulled up the faux brick linoleum and hauled the heavy, original french doors up from the basement. The doors, by the way,
we noticed when we first looked at the old house last summer. While in the basement, we peeked into the dark and a little creepy coal room. Along, with many other treasures,we found the vestibule doors!

progress pictures:

- last july -

- fresh out of the basement with decades of storage dust and grime -

- cleaned up, but in need of repair and replacement hardware before they can be installed -
- white tile sample is leftover from the bathroom, i had it there to help me visualize -

- under the linoleum - the condition looks much better in this picture -

- $9 vintage mirror from local thrift store -

here's the plan:

There is a guy here in the new city who has an architectural antiques business. We bought our vintage

door and windows for the new garage from him. We have enlisted his help again for glass replacement (one of the small, lower panes on each door is broken), as well as repair. Wood is splitting at the bottom of

each door- expected for their age, but sad. We will also need new door knobs and hinges.

No problem, right? Ha. I will save those paragraphs for a later post.

The vestibule will also get a fresh coat of paint and a tile floor. I promise we will do it right and protect the original wood floors. We intend to install vintage-style, hex tile, which is appropriate to the era in which

the old house was built. Check it out here.

Sounds good, right?!

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 in the details:

thank you, hubby

the market

I feel fall fast approaching. In fact, I have been told by many new-city-natives that
the cicadas' hum is an early warning of frost- a siren, perhaps. And, while I love the fall season for cardigans, crunching leaves under my feet, football games, wide open windows and a new menu, there are things of summer I struggle to let go. The Saturday morning, local farmers' market will soon end and so will their fresh, beautiful produce savored by our family in the old house, all summer.

The early hours of Saturday mornings I reserve for my own time.

This summer, I've spent these early morning hours with my friend, Jessica. We are running and training for
a half-marathon and like to hit the trail before the sun is up. I know I am deviating a bit from topic,
but running at this hour, witnessing the sun's rays reaching out over the fields of corn and beans and prairie land, has presented powerful and humbling moments. It is me and the Lord.

Our post-sunrise run routine is local coffee and a stroll through the farmers' market, chatting and
filling our bags with goodies for the week ahead. There is nothing better than warm sun shining on your face, coffee in hand, and the perfect medley of market sounds and smells. And, of course, those feelings of a day started before most, complete with a sunrise blessing and His shining grace.

 * * * * *

We are regulars to our favorite farmers. Father, Lord thank you for their worn hands and their devotion to cultivating, harvesting and sharing the riches of the earth.

* * * * *

a few images from the market-

- don't you just want to buy the whole bin! -

- best eggs ever - we stood in a long line for the strawberries! -

- the best watermelon we've ever had came from the back of this truck -

- tomatillos and poblano before i turned them into salsa verde -
- and there's that best-ever watermelon! -

- here i purchased a beautiful hanging basket and many succulents -

- another morning haul - the peaches were amazing! -

- purple chinese long, green, and dragon tongue beans -

- all from the market, including edible flowers and goat cheese -

- my rustic rhubarb (rhubarb from the market) pie -

- all fresh from the market, including the ingredients in my pico de gallo! -

- weekend cooking and baking with my farmers' market goodies -

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in the details:

i am happy to share recipes - send me a message

(salsa verde, market salad, rustic rhubarb pie, pico de gallo, cucumber vinegar salad)

plant friday: moss rose, part deux

- on the front walk - i believe this to be a scarlet variety -

Portulaca oleracea = purslane.

Did you just read that out loud, slowly trying to figure out the pronunciations? Well, I did.

This is a sequel to my original post about moss rose. I would like to tell you that I knew this other drought-
hardy, annual succulent I have planted at the old house was in the moss rose family, but alas, I did not. And so, I felt compelled to do a little research and provide for you, the nitty gritty on these two plants.

I feel a little silly because the two varieties I have look fairly similar. Moss rose is a common name for a variety of plant in the portulaca family (species). Portulaca grandiflora = moss rose. Portulaca oleracea = purslane. These are the two varieties here at the old house.

Their stems are different, but both have small, vibrant flowers that only open for the sun.

In fact, they both love the sun. You can plant portulaca in just about any soil. The moss rose I have on the front porch is planted in clay pots and takes a full day of sun; it is thriving. I stuck my purslane plant in a small section of landscaping that I had no idea what to do with. The four inch plant went crazy this summer! It has sprawled out onto the front walk, which I just love.

Now that I know what this family of plants is capable of, I can (and will) better use it in my landscaping
next season. Do you have portulaca in your landscaping? Please share your pictures!

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in the details:

this link is a seed website- i like it for pictures of different portulaca colors and varieties

i also think bhg.com is always a great source for so many things, including plants!

plant friday: shrub roses

- sunrise sunset variety, in vintage ball jars -

 Okay, I know I should not technically be pruning in late summer, but my three shrub roses were

getting a bit leggy. The few branches that needed to be cut had large clusters of blooms. I did not have the heart to just toss them in the yard waste, so I trimmed them up and put them in the house.

Not only are they beautiful, but they were super fragrant and lasted over a week.

There are almost endless varieties of shrub roses. Many do well in most climates or zones (click here to

find out which zone you're in). The sunrise-sunset variety I have is low maintenance, and mine have been

full of the vibrant blooms they are known for since June.

 I purchased and planted the roses last fall. Late summer to fall is the best time to buy shrubs like this.

You will get a great deal, and next spring your work is already done. They did look dead in the ground

when planted, but it was so great to watch them green up and bloom this summer.

One last thing, get out in your yard and clip what you think is beautiful. You don't have to have garden beds full of cutting flowers to make fresh, floral displays for your house. You might be surprised at how much cheer a small vase or jar full of one or many clippings can bring to your day.

* * * * *

 some of my summer clippings:

- from our lilac shrub -

- confession:  this is from AZ last summer -

- peonies clipped from my friend's back yard -

 

in the details:

this site has good information for pruning and fertilizing your shrub roses

something about summer

I realized today, that without thinking, I move through the old house in the mornings,

pulling open window coverings on half of our 42 windows. This summer when we had nothing but time,
I allowed myself to linger in front of certain windows, coffee in hand.

The kids went back to school last week. I dreaded that day.

You don't think about it as much at the beginning of summer; that day is still far enough away. You are

not saying to yourself with a pit in your stomach, we only have three more weeks. You say with relief,

we have a lot of days together.

I did not get tired of my children this summer, and I was not ready for them to be away from home.

We enjoyed our time together. We savored the moments we did not have last summer. Our season, our time, our opportunity for summer rejuvenation last year was consumed with packing and saying goodbye.

I think the children understood this. I think they felt it.

I wish I could tell you we have easily adjusted to our school year routine. I wish I could tell you
the first day of school this year was easier than last. This day marked one year. It has been a tough and exhausting year for all of us. I feel like I should explain, but you dear readers know the stories.

What I can tell you- I love my kids. They are strong and beautiful and full of life. I love my husband.
We have all needed to lean on each other this year, more than before. I do not know what our second year in the new city will be. And so, until the leaves turn and the air is too cool to keep shoulders bare,
we will live summer.

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garage & backyard project: thank you

We love our new backyard. We feel so blessed to have this extended, outdoor-living space.

When we looked at the house last summer this is what we envisioned. I really didn't think it was possible, but with help and a nice, hard-working contractor, we got it done. We offer thanks everyday for this space in the old house; it truly is our own. This backyard is where we spend most of our time. This is where we play, cook, eat, sit, ponder, drink coffee and beer. This is where Truman is happy, where the kids watch fire flies and where they feel secure, in their own fun and welcoming space. This is where, for me, our first
genuinely happy, new city family memories were made.

* * * * *

garage & backyard project: the patio

Here are the patio pictures. This part of the project was long awaited and so interesting to watch.
First let me say that the concrete guys were awesome. Working with concrete is hard labor and concrete is a perishable product. Once you start, there are no breaks until it's done; from what I can tell, concrete is not super forgiving. I was pretty excited for this day because my patio sketch came to life. Pretty cool stuff.

- before - such a muddy mess! -

- all formed out and ready for concrete -

- ahh yes, the bobcat... again -

- just another morning -

Okay, see the long board? That is what they use to smooth it out. You can see the concrete is tan-ish.
We chose this color (also called integral concrete colorant), and it is added to the concrete in the big mixer on the truck- it comes out of the truck like that. These guys wear heavy duty boots, labor all hunched over and work their way backwards until it's done.

Once the patio was smoothed out, they were ready to apply the powder stain (also called release agent).
We chose a brown-ish color. The release agent powder is applied to the large, rubber concrete stamps. The stamps are laid out and stepped on to set the pattern. We used Orchard Stone.

So this (see above) is what it looked like when the concrete guys left. The process took several hours.
It had to cure for a few days and then they just sprayed the surface with water. The powder stain darkens and settles into the crevices of the stone pattern. Cool, right? Then a few days later, a sealant was applied. We chose and prefer more of a matte finish.

- after - we love it! -

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in the details:

stamped concrete materials - Butterfield Color

patio shape and design - me!