Dahlias and driving

After last year, I vowed I would not have a vegetable garden at DG again until I lived there. It's difficult to keep up with it when I have to drive 10-15 minutes, after work, every couple days. But then M set up a better watering system than last year's (mostly hand watering) system. So I gave in and started tomatoes in my windowsill in March. Or maybe April. But most of my seedlings didn't make it once transplanted them so I supplemented with purchased transplants. But there's something wrong with my beds--the tomatoes aren't thriving (again) and the peppers are tiny. The squash (the only vegetable planted directly in the ground) is exploding. So it's been a mixed bag. I love that it waters itself (thanks M!) but I can tell my beds need some serious work. Maybe when we live there, next year, it'll be better.

In addition to the veggie garden, we put in a mini-orchard (I can't remember whether I wrote about it here or not) last spring. We did major irrigation to make it successful (absolutely NO hand watering for this!), and it really has been. We put in 2 peaches (one grafted with 3 types), one apricot and one pear that were all new (used a nursery gift cert from last year's birthday). Then we transplanted 3 plums from MK (where we live now--ok, by transplant, I mean M dug them up, we moved them from one house to the other, and one went into the ground. All three were all small, and the other two are still in pots).

All this was added to our already-at-DG fig trees (2), Persimmon (we call him Percy) and Apple Tree (we call her Jane Appel--if you know Stanford basketball, it might ring a bell). But most high maintenance of all has been the Orange (Monsier L'Orange--what can I say, we like naming things!). He was given to us by a friend/neighbor of my moms about 2 years ago. He'd lived most of his life in a small, wooden pot, on her backyard, covered patio. He was difficult to move, completely root bound (like, really, no dirt at all) and kind of stunted when he came to DG to live. We placed him near the garden, hand watered him, and hoped for the best. He bloomed. He got new growth, then he went on strike. He got too hot. He got way too cold. He started losing leaves furiously. He was exposed to freezing temps. So we talked to the nursery fellow (very helpful and reassuring) and he told us how to best transplant him in the ground, and we did, when we put in the orchard. Then he lost more leaves. All of them in fact. We waited. We hoped, and miraculously, he overcame his shock and sprouted all new leaves. We rejoiced. Then it got hot here, and his leaves curled. He didn't drop any, but it was like he was hibernating. Then, just 2 weeks ago, he made a mad effort of putting on new growth. He's got at least 6" of new, tender, green growth. We're so proud of him. Now if we can just coax him to bloom so someday we get oranges!

Oh, but I meant to write about dahlias (I get excited about Monsier L'Orange and his growth!). The other major addition to the back yard (remember we're on 1/2 acre, and it not landscaped, so we're trying to define some areas) was M's dahlia garden. We saw beautiful ones in Petaluma last year, so M used her Christmas money to buy tubers, and we planted 70 of them. We were so proud. She's never grown flowers before. She rigged up the irrigation, so again, no hand watering. Then along came Dahlia Dan. He's one of our neighbors who just moved back to the neighborhood. He now has a dahlia garden. But he has over 200. Made what seemed like a really big accomplishment (to us) seem so small. But, for a first-time dahlia gardener, M is doing great. They're a riot of color now. They love this heat we're having.

Here's a bouquet M brought home to me today:

And here's my very favorite one, also just picked today. This one is at least 10 inches across:

With all the irrigation we do, I'm dreading the water bill. But how can you not want to grow something so beautiful!

Happy Weekend everyone. I get a day off Monday!

Trim update

We haven't done much (well, anything really) to DG since late last week as we've been working on another house project (it's a long story, but are about to be finished--and it's a good thing, we're both TIRED). So since I have had requests (yes, there are a couple of you fans (can I call you fans?) who read my blog (thank you!) and who've requested more house photos and more updates! You guys rock.

So, the downstairs window trim is nearly complete. Remember when I was painting, but not worrying about the whole walls, but doing a margin around all the windows and doors (what? I didn't actually write about that but meant to? Shame), well this is why: NO TAPING OFF THE TRIM TO PAINT THE WALLS. Brilliant idea on M's part. The only hitch was picking paint colors before flooring, furniture, etc etc is even in or finalized. But it was a great idea. Look how pretty:

My office (facing street) after windows and drywall, before trim and paint

Office window trim, being finished

Finished office window trim. We needed all 4 of our hands to move this into place

Office window trim, in position.

Well, I thought I had a finalized photo of the office window with the face trim, but they're so dark you can't see what they are. Will have to post one later.

In the meantime, here's a sampling of other downstairs windows. You get the gist. Looks pretty, right?

Living room, facing side yard

Living room, next to slider, facing back yard

Living room, facing side yard

Living room, facing side yard another angle

Kinda like Christmas

Can you guess what these are?

That's right--the kitchen cabinets! They even came early! It's been about 10 days since they arrived, and they're all moved inside (a good thing since we've had one freakishly unusual Summer thunderstorm!), unwrapped, and are about 70% installed! M and her dad whipped that much out in one day. Wow. I love them. I can't wait to unpack all that crap stuff that's still in my mom's garage (3+years now--oh the shame!) and see what to keep, what stays, and to get it all organized!

We took the day off (from all construction/home improvement projects) Sunday and went to Alameda to the big monthly flea market there. So fun. Found a couple things (a depression glass pitcher--a good buy) and a small retro light fixture (maybe for the laundry room?). But the score of the day came later, in Oakland where we went to a crazy antique store (a house with several outbuildings that makes you feel like you're peering into a hoarders stash). We got two bargain dressers that we'll turn into vanities for the master bathroom. We've been searching for something new that would work and had pretty much struck out on anything affordable. I'll post before pix another day so that we can see how they look now and then what they'll look like later. It was a fun (but exhausting) day.

The cabinets are coming! The cabinets are coming!

So, we ordered our kitchen cabinets online (saved quite a bit of $$), and so far, it's been a great experience. We got detailed renderings, a designer who was able to do a webex with us to show us her 3-D renderings, and samples ahead of time.

Yesterday, we got the email that they're on their way! They ship from Minnesota, and should be here in about a week. Yes, it's breath-holding time! We have every reason to believe they'll be GREAT, but it'll be exciting to see them. And once they're installed (M's doing that), then we can take delivery of our wood floor (it's waiting for us at the store) and then start installing it. Wow!

In the meantime, we've painted a few more rooms (mud room, living/kitchen, guest room in "house neutral"--what we're calling the light gray), the guest bath (green), and master bath (pale blue). We're having a hard time deciding on the master bedroom (another gray? A gray/blue? Light green? Pale purple?)

Meanwhile, M's been trimming out windows. They look great. We did discover yesterday that we'll (and by we I mean not me) have to move the powder room door by an inch or two so that our 5-1/2" door trim fits (we have a funny angled wall to the right of the door. Since it's right off the living room, it's one of the more noticeable spots, so it's probably worth the time. It's these little things that kill ya!

We've been working on some other non-DG related projects so our progress has been slow again. But we're chipping away at it, and M even told our 6 year old neighbor who asked us yesterday when we'll be moving in "November!" so (for now) my demand of being in by Thanksgiving stands. We shall see . . .

Drywall

Ok, so it may be a record. Two posts in one day. Heck, two posts in one hour! I realized the last major photos I shared were from when we were still just in studs. Knowing that drywall photos aren't the most inspiring, I'll share just a couple here for comparison.

Living room, with slider to back deck covered for spray painting walls

Laundry room looking toward back yard (sink will go under window)

Looking into living room from mudroom.

Door love

Yesterday, our interior doors were installed. A friend of M's came to help (he owed her some hours for some work she did for him) and after they were in he said, some thing to the effect of, 'you know, this won't be good for Karen to see. Once the doors go up, everyone thinks moving in imminent.' He's partially right. It feels like we're so close, yet still so far.

Powder room door, installed w/o knobs

Ok, not the best photo, but you get the idea. 5 paneled doors all around.

I've been "moonlighting" as a painter at the house after work. When 5 o'clock comes around, I drive over, change my clothes and get to work. It's been fun and the audio book on my iPod helps! Last night I painted around the windows and doors in the main living areas (so M can trim them and we won't have to tape off the trim). I didn't do the big expanses b/c she's still planning to spray paint the trim and the living area is the biggest place to do so. We think there'll be a bunch of overspray, so I just stuck to around the openings that will get trim.

Here's a status for this week:
Guest bath: painted, tile in. Needs grout, flooring, fixtures, wainscotting, and all accessories (lighting, towel bars, etc).
Master bath: painted. Tile plan in place. Needs everything else.
Powder room: painted. Needs flooring, wainscotting, fixtures, all accessories.
Office: partially painted. Needs window trim, flooring, accent wall color
Mudroom: partially painted. Needs flooring, cabinetry, window trim, flooring
Laundry room: painted. Needs flooring, cabinets, appliances, window trim, everything.
Kitchen: needs cabinets (due week of August 6), flooring, countertops (back to debating this one), window trim, appliances, backsplash to be laid (tile is in).
Livingroom: needs window trim, paint, flooring, furniture.

Wow, it feels like a lot more work when you look at it this way. That's ok. We're making progress every day, even if just little bits. M has some other-people's tile jobs to do soon, and we've got some other irons in the fire, so we just keep chipping away as best we can.

I still hope to be in by Thanksgiving. How many days is that?

Color!

We spent part of Saturday in the new house with our hundreds of paint samples, trying to figure out what colors we might want to paint the rooms that weren't going to be "house neutral" (the color we're calling the grayish taupe we're planning for many of the main living areas.

We decided on the color for the powder room (above the wainscotting), the master bath (a major accomplishment!) and the guest bath (again, above the wainscotting, and it's a small room, so not a ton of color.)

After going to a local orchard for a fruit festival (peaches are just coming into the peak of their season here) we trundled off to Home Depot, confirmed our colors, and bought paint. I spent the afternoon painting the master bath (pale blue) and the powder room (a bold, bold color, one I would've not thought I'd pick!). The powder room is ready for wainscoting and crown moulding (we have 9 foot ceilings there, so it makes sense). The master bath still needs to have the ceilings cut in (not my forte) but we like the color. The roof angles are tricky there so I'll leave it to M to do that finishing.

We're in the midst of a major fire here (well, close by--about 10 miles or so?) that is now 2400 acres. it started on Wednesday, and has grown each day. The smoke at night has been choking, even this far away. So far only one home has been burned, but many people are evacuated. We're not in any danger here (it has not jumped the north fork of the American River, and then there are two highways in between us, and it's traveling away from us due to prevailing winds. BUT, the smoke has been bad, there have been hundreds of fire fighters in town, and everyone's feeling badly for the folks affected.

On a brighter note, our trim and doors were delivered last week, and tomorrow the interior doors go in. They're really pretty sitting in the garage, and I can't wait to see them in place!