Past, Present, Future - Where are your thoughts?

We all go through cycles where we become skewed temporarily; overwhelmed by something in our past or worrying about something in the future. If we are at a high school reunion or looking through a book of old family photographs our thoughts are probably dominated by the past. If we are checking on our retirement savings or planning a wedding anniversary party for our parents we are thinking of the future.

Normally the present dominates.

Is that true through all of life? That may be counter to the traditional ideas 

• Of the young being more focused on the future - growing up fast and making a place for themselves in the world.
• Of the old thinking more about the past because they have more life that is past than ahead. 

Having past the mid-point in my life (assuming I might be lucky enough be healthy at 100) - I have been thinking about how my thoughts have shifted over the years. I enjoy history in the broad sense but tend to enjoy only brief sojourns into my own. It is true that now there are more pictures of my past and more opportunities for reconnecting with people from years past. But I remember enjoying looking at the baby book my mother had created of my early years even before I was 20 years old. Seeking to savor our personal past is not just for people past mid-life.

I’ve always enjoyed planning which is clearly a future oriented activity. Thinking of things that might happen and developing contingency plans…playing with ‘what if’ scenarios…has always been part of the way I set out to accomplish the goals I set for myself. Earlier in my life my planning was oriented to career and young family goals; now my planning is focused on goals for an older family and the next generation (i.e. grandchildren) when and if they arrive. While all along the way I’ve had an overarching desire to leave the world a better place; now I am thinking more about that more frequently as well.

So - what about today? Between the foundation of the past and the potential of the future - the present is always where the action is.

Bush Trimming Think Time

Bush trimming is one of those activities that can be done almost on autopilot (as long as you are not using an electric trimmer) and thoughts can go in just about any direction - i.e. bush trimming does not require a lot of brain power. The activity is an opportunity for thinking.

There is a bush growing beside my garage that I call my ‘therapy bush’ because trimming it always ends with the satisfaction of a job done and improved perspective on other aspects of my life. That hour or so of thinking time while trimming the bush always works its magic. Its ‘before trimming’ state from a few days ago is to the left.

Small hand pruners are always my preference. They are quiet (compared to anything with a motor) and I can easily cut with one hand and catch the branches with the other to pile neatly on the side. I’m always surprised that some of the branches grow so much in a relatively short period of time and also notice that the large ones have thorns while the smaller ones do not.

Some of my discoveries about the bush during this trimming: 

• Last time I trimmed the bush - there were at least two other bushes growing with it. I trimmed both of them as close to the soil as I could and this time discovered one had not come back but the other one had…and it was the one that may have caused some skin irritation last time (the plant didn’t look like poison ivy but my skin certainly reacted like it was a close kin). Hopefully I was more successful in keeping it from my skin this time.
• A pleasant find under the bush - wild strawberry plants. One had a red berry. They are too small to be edible but the red color against the carpet of green leaves was pleasant. It’s made a nice ground cover under the bush.
• There was a white spider that was hanging on an invisible silk from one of the branches. I waited until he regained the branch and then trimmed the other side of the bush.
• Trimming the bush when it still had droplets on it from a rain or heavy dew is a plus on a hot day. Getting a little wet is a good thing. 

While I was trimming I thought about the little things that happen that are unplanned triggers for memories - good or bad, about losing respect for people (mostly politicians) that I’d rather be able to respect, and about how it seemed to take longer to trim the bush last time.

And the ‘after trimming’ state of the bush is to the right. The pile on the ground does not seem as big as it did when it was on the bush. I hauled the clippings off to the woods behind our house. The task was done and it only took about 1,000 steps (based on what my Fitbit counted)!

Grocery Store Strategies

Eating at home - and eating exactly what you intend - is one of the pleasures of life. Of course - savvy shopping at the grocery store makes it a lot easier. Here are a few strategies for achieving the most bang for your time (one trip to the grocery store a week should be the goal) and your money (no wasted food, coupons when applicable, bulk items when possible): 

• Make a list of meals for the week. This is required unless you want to make multiple trips to the grocery store to get ingredients you don’t have on hand. Base your list on the meals you plan.
• Always go to the store with a list. I use an app called OurGroceries that makes it easy for both my husband and I to add items to the list from a PC, iPad, Android phones, and Kindle. When I’m in the store, I use the Kindle to mark items off as I shop.
• Take your own bags. Reusable bags are sturdier and can be loaded with more items (see my bag of bags at right). You’ll make fewer trips to get your groceries unloaded when you get home. And it is much better for the environment. Some stores are even giving cents back for using your own bags.
• Group items for the checker so that items are bagged together that will end up stored together. I usually group items into the following bags: veggies/fruit, meat, other refrigerator, pantry, and other.
• Coupons. Take advantage of coupons for things you are going to buy anyway or an item you want to try. The down side with coupons is they are often for poor food choices (highly processed, very sweet, or non-food masquerading as food) so never buy something simply because there is a coupon.
• Familiarize yourself with the store. Larger stores have a lot of choices and may have similar items in two different places. For example - many times stores separate organic products from nonorganic ones. Make sure you understand what you are buying.
• Freeze produce before it goes bad (i.e. if you find you cannot us it up before it spoils). Use it later to make smoothies, muffins, or soup. A banana that is about to be overripe can be peeled and frozen…and become an excellent addition to a smoothie or make banana muffins later! A frozen tomato will split but that is fine for use in a soup or smoothie. You should always strive to eat all the food you buy rather than throwing it away and buying more.
• Educate yourself on the most important produce to buy organic. Get the Environmental Working Group’s guide.
• Whole grains in the refrigerator. Whole grains can become rancid. Store them in the refrigerator rather than the pantry.
• Buy in bulk only if:
  • It costs less (most of the time sit does…but not always)
  • You will use all of it in a reasonable period of time
  • There is storage space in your home

And enjoy your grocery shopping.

Mushrooms on an Oak Stump

One of the outdoor discoveries from our days without electricity was some mushrooms growing on the stump of an oak tree our neighbor cut down several years ago. I decided to take some pictures of them for as long as they lasted. On July 1st they looked creamy white at the margins. Notice the brown filament in the center of the one on the left; that will be a way to orient yourself in the upcoming pictures.

On 7/7, the white had flattened and enlarged. There were rings that began to appear.

On 7/11, the rings had become even more apparent and the rusty gold color was quite appealing. I also took another picture to show how they were oriented on the stump.

Finally, this morning - on 7/19, the mushrooms have browned more with time and the pelting of rain yesterday afternoon. They are looking a little battered at this point. I'll do a follow up post to document what happens to them in upcoming weeks.

Summer Living

July is the middle of summer. The top 10 things I like in summer are: 

1. Watermelon
2. Cherries
3. Grilled corn on the cob
4. Gardening on the deck - basil, sweet potato, stevia, mint, parsley, rosemary
5. Walks around Brookside Gardens
6. Reading a good book in the cool indoors on a hot afternoon
7. Going barefoot
8. Waking up at dawn
9. Meeting a longtime friend for lunch
10. Photographing flowers

Many of these depend upon being about to stay comfortable even when it is very hot. By July - we all have implemented strategies to stay cool. Here are a few of mine (over and above being in an air conditioned house/building): 

• Do any outdoor activity as early in the day as possible. I like to get out and about and done by 9. Yes - this means getting up at dawn or maybe a little before. Being a morning person is quite an advantage in the summer.
• Drink plenty and lots of cold drinks. Lemon water with chia seeds (almost always my first breakfast), herbal tea, and smoothies made with frozen fruit.
• Close drapes and blinds to keep the sun from shining into a room. Outside light is wonderful but there is a down side if the sun is actually shining through the glass - wonderful as it may be in winter, it is thwarting the air conditioning in the summer.
• Minimize heat sources such as lamps and computers. Even relatively cool fluorescent bulbs put out some heat. Put the computer into sleep mode when not in use and turn off printers and other equipment except when they are needed.
• Cook on the grill rather than using an indoor broiler or skillet. If you do cook indoors, minimize the heat added to the kitchen:
  • Select foods with minimal cook time like stir fry
  • Use the microwave to heat veggies
  • Use a crock pot rather than the stove top to make soup or chili
• Turn off the dry cycle of the dishwasher and run the dishwasher at a time when you will not be in the kitchen (maybe as you are on your way to bed if it isn’t too noisy) 

So - the overarching strategy is to stay indoors during the hottest part of the day and be conscious of actions that minimize what the air conditioning has to overcome. With these strategies in place - I can enjoy all my top 10 activities…and more! 

Favorite Smells of Summer

What are your favorite smells of summer?

The smells I most strongly associate with summer are:

Fresh herbs from the garden - either outdoors while I am gardening or indoors when I am preparing a meal that includes them. Mint, rosemary, and basil are my favorites.

I like the smell at the beginning of rain. In the summer - there is so much vegetation where I live that the smells are rich and vary considerably…but they always remind me of crisp greenery and warmth.

Citrus. Somehow citrus is a summer sun smell to me. I like orange and lemon. There are a lot of products that include the scent. I love to have orange zest drying in my kitchen giving the whole kitchen its smell (and then using it in a stir fry or baking….and getting the smell again).

Cucumber. It has a very light scent…but certainly one that is cool in the midst summer heat and brightness.

What are your favorite smells of summer?

Treat Yourself to a Facial

A facial is quite a treat and something I am going to start doing more frequently now that I’ve honed my ideas about how to do it myself at home. 

• There are lots of over the counter masks. My current favorite is one with kaolin, avocado and oatmeal. A homemade mask of honey, oatmeal and green tea could be worth a try too…maybe with some vanilla added to give it a warm aroma. Don’t skimp on the thickness of the mask you put all over your face and neck; it should thoroughly cover the skin. Plan a shampoo afterwards so you don’t have to worry about some of the mask getting in your hair.
• Cucumber slices for the eyes always feel refreshingly cool. Alternatively - some moist tea bags (left over from the morning pot of tea) could be used for the eyes.
• The best part of the facial is the relaxing part - lay on your back with your knees elevated with pillows and a comfortable pillow under your head and neck…on a neat bed…with a light blanket…music you love playing (it was raining when I did my facial so I just listened to the rain). The time can vary. Fifteen to twenty minutes seems about right. I set a timer so I don’t have to move at all until it goes off.
• Afterwards - shower, cleaning off the mask thoroughly using a clean wash cloth.
• To tighten the pores, splash your face with cold water.
• Moisturize with your favorite commercial moisturizer or raid your kitchen. My current preference is Sweet Almond Oil with a few drops of Sweet Orange essential oil. 

At one time, I thought the best facials were at a spa but not anymore. I love taking an hour at home to get my skin feeling great without the bother of acquiescing to an environment I don’t control (and is never quite perfect for me).

See also - 10 Cosmetics from the Kitchen posted last December

Life without Electricity

We were without power from Friday, June 29 about 11 PM to Wednesday, July 4 about 4 PM - that’s 4 days and 17 hours or 113 hours. This posting is a first installment about the experience.

This is the longest time I’ve ever been without electricity at home and the first time to have a prolonged outage when the temperature was getting above 90 degrees Farenheit every day. The first few days were quite difficult because the outage was widespread. On Saturday morning we bought ice at a grocery store that was running a small part of the store on generators and bringing out pallets of ice. The next morning they didn’t have ice so we went to another store that seemed to be fully operational but they must have been on generators since all the stores around them were without power. We settled into a rhythm to go out to buy ice every morning before 7:30 getting more frustrated with our situation every morning; by Wednesday we knew that we were in the last 10% to be restored. The refrigerator items went into ice chests on Saturday morning and the freezer items (minus ice cream which had to be trashed) went into ice chests on Sunday. We managed to save everything except 3 eggs that broke (out of a dozen), the tortillas that got waterlogged from ice melt, and the cherries that absorbed water and cracked/burst. I’m in the process of cooking all the meat. Yesterday I cooked a brisket in the crockpot, barbequed pork chops in a casserole dish in the oven, and a meat loaf. Today I have to do something with the chicken. The ice chests have dried out and I’ll put them away today.

There were some things I came to be grateful for: 

• We have a finished basement. It never got above 78 degrees Farenheit although it was humid and the air was very still.
• We are on city water and never had a problem with water pressure. People with wells had quite a challenge.
• We have a gas hot water heater. It was so hot, cold showers would have been tolerable but it was nice to have the heat.
• The grocery stores made a valiant (and successful) effort to make ice available.
• I had a good supply of physical books to read. 

I always go into some level of self-analysis during and after an abrupt change like this. How resilient was I? In some areas I did well: switching my reading to physical books rather than e-books, staying still and drinking more water and herbal tea in an attempt to stay cool, and doing what had to be done to preserve our food. My daily sleep/wake cycle was almost unchanged.

So - looking back to the outage days - the two things I can point to as ‘accomplishments’ are 

• 9 books read (and 2 partials)
• Majority of food from refrigerator/freezer saved 

Around our (Maryland) Yard in July 2012

I got up early on the 1st to take a walk around our yard. We had been without electricity for about 18 hours and were going to go on our quest for ice shortly. A hot day was forecast but it was comfortable in the morning. The grass was heavy with dew. There were only small branches and leaves strewn across the yard from the storm that caused the electrical outage….no sign nearby of why the power was out since our neighborhood lines are underground. Our young sycamore tree with two trunks was bent over when we first got up yesterday but had righted itself in the past 24 hours.

The day lilies blooming last month have spent themselves; there are large buds on some others that should add color later in July.

The dahlia bulbs I planted in the spring have buds that are just beginning to open. I need to remember to water them.

The hydrangea that was just budding last month now has large beautiful pink blooms. I cut some to take into the house.

We have gotten enough rain recently that some large mushrooms have come up next to an oak stump.

Previous Months:

June 2012, May 2012, April 2012, March 2012, January 2012 

Blog Note

My blog went silent while we were without electricity from Friday, 6/29 about 11 PM to Wednesday, 7/4 about 4 PM. The storm only lasted a couple of hours but its impact was pretty horrendous.  I’ll be catching up over the next few days and will include more about our adventure without electricity once I can be a little objective about it.

Making a House into a Home - Part 3

Today’s topic is home improvements that just about anyone can make.

Adding shelves to rooms where more storage is needed is very easy with the systems of strips, supports, and shelves available at most hardware stores. Wall space over furniture or even higher can add a lot of storage just where it is needed. Consider decorative boxes or bins for smaller items. Bedrooms/offices, garages, and even kitchens can benefit from this type of improvement.

Fresh paint always makes a room seem clean and bright. Choose colors you like but don’t go overboard. Sometimes having a white room with color on only one wall is more effective than having the whole room that color. Or consider using fabric on one wall.

What about the yard? Do you have plants that mean a lot to you? I moved miniature daffodil and day lily bulbs with me. They had originally been purchased and planted by my mother-in-law; I’ve enjoyed them in their original and current locations (dug up and separated and enlarging the bed every few years) for over 25 years now! One of my grandmothers always thought of planting fruit trees when she moved somewhere new.

Making a house into a home is a continuing activity. It doesn’t have to be done immediately but the sooner you start taking the small steps to meld where you live into the space you feel at home…the better.

Making a House into a Home - Part 2

Today’s topic is walls, windows, and floors.

Walls can be covered by lots of small pictures, left mostly blank and bright, showcase a color that highlights the rooms purpose or furnishings, or be a giant canvas. Whatever is on them is a statement. Some people like lots of family pictures - some like posters - paintings - macramé. Things you like to look at should be on the walls. Even large swaths of fabric can be used to make a statement. My family went through a time when we liked having flags for each season outdoors but I not prefer to keep them inside and hang them from a stair banister instead (I got tired of worn our raggedy flags after one season of outdoor use).

Window treatments are for privacy and visual appeal. They can also help improve energy efficiency. Privacy and energy efficiency are for security and comfort….one of the primary requirements for the feeling of ‘home’ but the aesthetics are needed too. My favorite window treatment is one in my office - sheers with patch pockets for keepsakes over blinds to close when the sun shines in too brightly.

Of course - floors should feel clean and add to the overall comfort of the room. Are the welcome mats at the entrances to your house in good shape? These provide a useful function (wiping feet) and are the impression a person gets just before entering your home.

Tomorrow I’ll post about permanent improvements to a house that make is more of a home.

Making a House into a Home - Part 1

What is the difference between a house and a home? A house is an empty shell. A home: 

• Reflects the uniqueness of the people that life there
• Meets their needs
• Makes them feel comfortable and secure 

The objective of this blog post - and the two others in the days to come - is to provide some starting points for  thinking about refinements you might want to make to wherever you are living. I know that my home benefits from periodic tweaks because my needs and wants change; the beginning of summer is a great time to do a little reflection and take action to enhance those good feelings you want your home to evoke.

First let’s consider rooms - the floor plan of the house. Consider that static. What does not have to be held constant is how the rooms are actually used. Getting the most from every room may involve some non-traditional usage.

A dining room does not have to be used as a dining room if you never use it for that purpose. It could become a home office. 

• Use an S hook to raise the light fixture
• Decide what furniture will provide storage you will need in the office (since there is not a closet) 

It’s an easy conversion.

 Using a bedroom for a home office is even easier. Add some attached shelves or assemble some standalone metal shelves inside the closet and the office in the room itself can be very streamlined.

 A room intended to be a formal living room may not be needed for that purpose. In fact, any room you don’t use every day should be considered for additional use(s). What about the living room as a music room?

The contents of the built-ins in the rooms - particularly in the kitchen - should be arranged for the way you do things in the room. Spices you use at the stovetop should be near the stove top. Glasses and dishes should be convenient to where you retrieve them when you eat and to put away when you unload the dishwasher. Mixing bowls and containers for left overs should be put away in the cabinets near the place you would use need them. The top shelves that you will need a step stool to reach should  be used for items not needed very frequently.

What about drawer liners or shelf paper? That is one of the first things I do to turn a new-to-me house into my home: thoroughly clean the kitchen cabinets and then put down fresh shelf paper. There is a similar idea for bathroom cabinets.

Sunday I’ll post about walls, windows, and floors.

Avoid - Reuse - Recycle - Trash

When considering the disposition of ‘stuff’ - think ARTT:

A is for Avoid

R is for Reuse

R is for Recycle

T is for Trash

The higher on the list you can be the better for planet and most of the time for you too.

Let’s start with avoid. Think about things that you can simply not acquire or use. Is that plastic bag the cashier is going to put your purchase in needed? If you are only buying one item that you can just as easily carry without a bag, the answer is “no.” What about using cloth or other reusable bags each week for your groceries? Putting leftovers or items for your lunch bag in reusable plastic or glass containers is a good way to avoid sandwich plastic bags.

Another big potential for avoiding ‘stuff’ is paper. There are great mechanisms to avoid paper by getting the same content electronically. A little thought before subscribing or buying can make quite a difference in the amount of paper to deal with later.

Keep in mind that one key to avoidance is knowing what you already have. That opened package of cup hooks needs to be organized in a way that you can find it rather than buying another package!

Next comes reuse. Repurpose packaging - particularly glass - as often as you can. A salsa jar is the perfect size for my sourdough starter when I have it in the refrigerator. The packets of stevia I keep on the table are in a jar that originally held a candle. If I can’t find a new purpose for something - then I donate it. Right now I have a pile I’m accumulating of old clothes, books and a bulletin board. They may not all go to the same charity --- I give preference to ones that will pick up from my front porch. Odd things that may not be eligible for donating for some reason can be often be freecycled (check out http://www.freecycle.org/). I’ve successfully freecycled an open package of shingles, an old folding table, and a box of used interior house painting supplies. On the other end of the equation - you can reuse something someone else no longer needs; thrift stores and yard sales are great places to find bargains. I go to one thrift store that is convenient enough to check periodically for clothing. Sometimes I find nothing…sometimes I have to make some hard choices. Recently I got 3 tops and a skirt for $27! Last but not least - reuse bags for your shopping. These can be cloth bags or re-enforced paper shopping bags that can be used many times. The bags that work best for me are ones I accumulated by contributing to various charities.

Recycle is getting into the realm that the item is not usable in its current form. Most municipalities have programs for recycling paper, glass and plastic although there may be restrictions. Recently milk cartons were added to the list of ‘recycle’ where I live - which was good since the almond milk I like does not come in plastic milk cartons (that have been recyclable for some time). On the other hand - the plastic clamshells that many of the grocery stores are using in their produce sections are not on the recycle list so have to go in the trash. My response has been to avoid that kind of packaging as much as I can. It’s also important that plastic be clean so my municipality suggests that it is better to return plastic bags to the grocery store for recycling rather than putting them in the curbside bin with other recyclables (where they may get something on them that will make them instantly into ‘trash’). Some municipalities are handling compostable material similarly to recycle; if not, you have a decision to make about whether you will commit the effort for a ‘do it yourself’ form of recycle from food waste to garden soil enhancer. Finally, electronics are accepted by some municipalities or check out the program at Best Buy. For computers - clean off the hard drives beforehand; there are programs to do that.

Finally - there is trash. It shouldn’t be a lot if avoid-reuse-recycle is fully implemented. It’s useful to take a look at what is in your trash occasionally and decide if you are willing to make changes so that it will no longer be there. For example - if used tissues are a significant component of your trash, are you willing to use handkerchiefs and launder them (reuse)? If napkins and paper towels are more than half the kitchen trash - should you buy some wash clothes to use instead or the paper products?

So - the more you can avoid the less you will reuse the less you will recycle the less you will trash. The objective is to live well yourself while preserving more for future generations.

Around our (Maryland) Yard in June

We have had some hot days and then some rains. Everything is very green so the day lilies are conspicuous with their golden color. They are doing much better this year and last year when the deer nibbled them to the ground.

The dahlia bulbs I planted in the spring are up but not blooming yet. The blazing stars are still just green too. Both will provide some color after the day lilies are done for the year.

The mint is back and looking robust enough that I’ll start trimming it to add to iced tea.

The hydrangea next to the house has a lot of potential blooms. They’ll probably be a profusion of pink by the end of June.

As I walked around I noticed some delicate mushrooms in the newly mowed grass. They must have sprung up since the mowing.   

And finally - the maple is settled into its summer state - lots of green leaves. Some are old enough to already have evidence of munching by insects!

Previous Months: 

May 2012, April 2012, March 2012, January 2012 

Botanical Print Fabrics

Botanical images come in many forms - books of prints that began their popularity as the printing press and journeys of exploration changed the world, photographs, and views from windows….and fabrics. I recently took a look through my closet and was surprised at how many I found. A slide show of my favorites is shown below. Some are stylized and some are pretty realistic (image 6 is a hibiscus, for example).

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June Celebrations

June begins today. What is there to celebrate in June? Here are some ideas.

Flag Day. The day commemorates the adoption of the flag of the US in June 1777. It has been a celebration for a long time in some places but I didn’t become aware of it until one year when there had been a lot of snow days and my daughter’s elementary school was still in session in mid-June! They gathered the children around the flag pole in the front of the school for a short ceremony which parents were invited to attend as well.

Father’s Day. It’s Sunday, June 17th. Take the opportunity to show your appreciation to the men in your life - particularly your fathers and grandfathers (and help your children think of something their Dad would enjoy from them).

First Day of Summer….the day of longest daylight in the Northern Hemisphere…is June 20th.

Strawberries and blueberries. These are the early fruits of summer across much of the US. They are tasty by themselves, in salads or desserts, or in smoothies. June is probably the easiest month of the year to eat healthy!

Recipe of the Week: Barbequed Pork Chops in the Crock Pot

My Crock Pot (slow cooker) is over 35 years old! It is a very dated style (the crock does not separate from the base to go into the dishwasher) and color (gold). I still use it a couple of times a month at least. One of my favorite recipes is for pork chops.

~~~~~

Bottle of your favorite barbeque sauce

Pork chops (1-2 per person, I like the boneless ones that are cut thin)

Crock pot liner (to make clean up easy)

Place liner in crock pot. Layer pork chops and barbeque sauce. Cover. Cook on high for 1-2 hours and low for 6-8 hours.

The pork chops will always come out very tender and full of flavor from the barbeque sauce. 

Garden Weeds

I feel a lot like Kate Greenway - “I can really boast with truth that we have larger and more varied weeds in our garden than you have in yours - in fact, our garden has forgotten that it is a garden and is trying to be a field again.” The garden patch at the corner of our house is totally overgrown. I took a picture of it a month ago to use as a ‘before’ because I was going to start working on it (photo on left). I made a valiant start but got busy preparing for our house painting so the ‘after’ picture is not much improved (photo below). I’ll start work again this coming week.

This garden started out quite well with large flat pavers outlining it and bricks making squares for herbs. Some of the herbs survive - the chives, the mint, and the lemon balm (particularly the lemon balm). The day lilies have not done so well the past few years because there is too much competition from other plants. The hydrangeas are holding their own but could be tremendously more vigorous if they didn’t have so much growing into them.

The biggest culprits (weeds) that I can name are the honey suckle and blackberries. I dislike the blackberries the most because they have thorns. They could redeem themselves if they had substantially sized berries but they don’t. There are a lot of other things growing in the bed that I don’t know what they are but I know that I didn’t plant them. I am going to be quite ruthless about cleaning it out and then plant some other things there. When the mint was vigorous it kept out a lot of the other plants and I like to have the mint to cut up for making herbal tea. This year I’m going to cut the lemon balm more often to eat in salads so perhaps it won’t be so out of control. If it isn't allowed go to seed, it may not be quite so thick next year.

There is a sycamore tree at the edge of the garden furthest from the house. When it first came up, I kept cutting it off at ground level but then decided to let it grow. It is becoming a nice tree and should get tall enough to shade the west facing dining room window; it's a full story above ground so it will take a few more years of growth to shade the full window. I'll have to move the day lilies that like full sun but the hydrangeas should thrive in the shady space under the tree. Some gardening is all about control over plants; other gardening is about appreciating the serendipity of a tree coming up in a good place for a tree!

Interior House Painting - Part II

Our house is getting a much needed fresh coat of paint on its interior. It’s about 20 years old and most of the paint was original so it was time. A few days ago I posted about what I did ‘before the painters’; today I’ll follow up to report what actually happened during the painting. This is part II of our painting saga!

~~~~~

After several weeks of prep work, the big day came. There would be 4-5 people painting for 4 days and then 2 people the last day to finish up painting the entire interior of the house.

On the first day everything I could do had been done for the master bedroom/bath/closets and the upstairs rooms. Curtains were down, furniture was in the center of the room, the walls were empty, and everything electric was unplugged and moved to the center or elsewhere. I used our loft area for lamps and overflow furniture from the other rooms; it would be painted on a later day (day 4). That strategy allowed me to minimize the rearranging required between rooms as the painters worked. I merely moved lamps and furniture back where they belonged after those rooms were painted.

On day 2 the upstairs was finished except for the hall and the loft. In addition the living room and dining room was completed. That was the one day five people worked. The surprise for me was how hard custom drapes can be to take down (and get hung again) in the living room and dining room. I had made an attempt to take them down but ended up having the painters do it with their ladders on day 2 before those areas were painted and they went back up on day 5. We ended up vacuuming them. If I had planned ahead, I might have been able to rush them to the dry cleaners.

Day 3 was when the most substantial surprise occurred. There was some water damage in an upstairs ceiling from a roof problem. The initial plan was to replace the drywall in that area - about a 2x2’ area. When they started doing the repair they realized it was a bigger area and insulation began falling out of the ceiling as they made the hole large enough to repair the damage. Insulation had to be replaced. They worked some extra hours to get the repair made so they could get the first coat of paint on it during day 4.

Day 3 was also the day the kitchen was painted. I had not been able to get the curtains over the sink down and the painters couldn’t either - so they wrapped plastic around them and painted with the curtains in place!

Day 4 was a huge catch up day. The larger repair of drywall was sanded and painted. The upstairs hall, foyer, and loft were painted. That left some baseboards, window frames, doors and the laundry room for day 5. The rehanging of the custom curtains took a significant amount of time.

Now that the job is complete - I’m very grateful that the painting crew I hired was committed to cleaning up each and every day and vacuuming while they worked if dust was being created. When the insulation started falling out of the ceiling I had visions of the mess extending far beyond the actual work area and that I would be working on the clean up after they left for the evening. It was a pleasant surprise to find everything cleaned up and in a large plastic trash bag. They made a pile of their materials each day in an out-of-the-way place - usually in the room/rooms they would be working on the next day.

When they left the last day everything was cleaned up - all the outlet and switch plates were back in place - and most of the tape was off the door knobs (they missed three door knobs…but that was easy for me to do myself).

The house seems very clean…like new. There are some walls that look better than they looked when we moved into the house when it was as few years old. This fresh coat of paint is my extreme form of ‘spring cleaning’ for 2012.