HEY! It's Good...

...to be back home again, you know it is ...sometimes this old house feels like a long lost friend,   

Here at the homestead life is slow, sultry,  and laid back! After I was rid of that dreadful virus I slowly got back to my piddling around here.  Sis and I have been spending a lot of time in cemeteries! She has taken on a few big projects and I'm helping her.  We went to Lancaster County to a big cemetery ...

...with resident ducks and some non migratory Canada Geese. There is a pond in the middle of this cemetery.  They immediately waddled over for hand outs.  We had none. Later a policeman on his lunch break came with 3 boxes of Cheerios and fed them...one duck was attacked by a Turtle! The turtle had a hold of his foot and was trying to pull the duck under! We thought we'd have to jump in and save him he was about to go down, when finally the turtle let go...whew!

Tinker projects:  One of my porch box fans quit working...we were at the recycle center and I found this one...plugged it in and it works...so I cleaned it up, spray painted the grill and put some gloss poly on the  body and it works like a charm! You can't beat old for quality and it has a retro look.  

                                   Dennis MaGee's old fan made new again!  

                  

                                          ...it is in my "retro" styled laundry room 

                                       Annie and the slab before

The Slab Update:

Trying to spruce up the old "slab" where the shed was, brought the Found Deck chairs from last fall's beach trip off the deck. The deck is in full sun this time of year so basking is not good, prefer shade and sipping iced tea! I found some outdoor cushions cheaper than I could buy the fabric and make them, so a good deal.  You can see we planted some grass on the sides, and it came up pretty good. I think I should paint the slab.

 The space has come a long way from the old shed in the way to now a open and fun area to sit and enjoy my piece of the rock!  Got the firepit there so when it chills down I can sit by the fire. 

I am considering painting my vinyl siding? Has anyone had success with doing that?  I know when I've dripped paint on the vinyl it is STILL on there so I think it would stick. I'm tired of this washed out pale grey color. I'd like a more natural color. 

                                             the slab after

The camellia shrub/trees we did trim back and now they have started to fill in on the bare sides they were smack up against the old shed if you recall. I hope to keep them about this size. And if you compare the before photo to the after notice how much the plants in pots by the porch have grown!  I have a hummingbird feeder back here so we watch the ruby throated hummers fight and sip...and fight some more.

I've been pulling up wildflowers and grasses from the edges of plowed fields, and bringing them into the yard. I want native wildflowers in the beds if possible, so they won't need as much attention!  So far so good...

           

   

     from seed collected last yr                        transplants  this yr

The plan is to divide and reseed and multiply these and fill in bare areas, room for growth!  Native plants are being eradicated on roadsides here by the mowing and the spraying by the electric company so maybe I can save some by bringing them here. 

My van started to make a weird sound back before I left for TX...I took it in and the garage repaired both front wheel bearings...but the sound came back when I was on the road.  I figured I'd just keep going till it stopped...it didn't stop, the noise just got louder.  I took it in a couple weeks ago another BIG expensive repair, the rear wheels and differential bearings, it was a big job...so another $$chunk$$ bit the dust.  I don't think the front needed to be done at all.   So that was money spent that I didn't need to spend.  But now its smooth and quiet again... and I'm just glad it was not any more than that.  I had images of being told it can't be fixed, it is now 16 yrs old! *Knocking on good wood* It's actually worthless as far as book value, but to me it's priceless!

Looks like our trip to Colorado will happen the first week of July, we have only begun the planning so it will be quite an undertaking as we will be going  caravan style...we will be using our walkie-talkie radios again! It will be 1800 miles of travel, with all of us, (including mom) and the 4 dogs! 

PEACE

Eleanor Roosevelt: You must do the thing you think you can not.