Projects Summer 2013

bwa ha ha!!!

Five days without my laptop, finally back online--whew!

Here are a couple photos of my sad Rose of Sharon. :-(

I stopped in to see what everyone is working on. Holly and Ric you have been busy! Did anyone else catch the post "Our oldest hen Sally lays fewer and smaller eggs ..."? Had to do a double take and re-read LOL.

My three year kitchen remodel project hit another major milestone this week - I now have quartz countertops on the baking center area and on the sink counter area. Much nicer than the thin warped plywood that has been there for two years! Who knows, maybe I'll actally get the sink plumbed up soon now that it is mounted with the countertop installation. Mike's brother Lowell also hooked up the pendant lights over the island last week. The kitchen looks so nice with each and every thing that gets finished.

Woohoo!!!

Teri, I remember your gutted kitchen from the swap. How wonder you have counter tops. I love the fact that you are much like us working towards a goal but taking your good old time getting it done. LOL

Yep, when you build your own house and always have ideas for additional projects, you have to have patience or else you'll go crazy. Makes for fun stories and lots of memories.

Yes, some of my rooms have been redone several times and I still have a section of upstairs hallway that has never in 30 years been painted. Now that we mostly stay down stairs it is even less of a issue. LOL I have a new idea for a Trash to Treasure wall art for the Grands bedroom. Old window with a touch of paint and stained glass pieces,shells and other beachy finds glued on. I have a ton of that stuff collected over the years. It will be a nice winter project.

Holly, I think every room in the house has something that never got done during the building process. Trim mouldings, sections of unfinished wall paper, patched over nail pops that have never been sanded or repainted, stair hand rail, closet door staining, etc... Every new year I re-visit "the list" and most of the items are still on it after 20 years LOL. I guess that old punch out list looks pretty boring compared to all the new ideas filling my head.

That Trash to Treasure project sounds pretty neat.

Finishing details are such a pain! But they're like the little mistakes in a quilt- they always say other people never notice them. Aspen you'd never notice the un-done details after all the beautiful things in your house. Ok you can blush now!

I didn't notice anything undone other than the kitchen remodel and new conservatory. Really can't wait to come again and see it all finished. A more lovely home and property I don't think I have ever seen.

Amen to that--Holly! Teri's house is the most amazing place.

Talking about unfinished (not even started) projects...
They are ALL in my head where NOTHING gets finished...

Anyway--in the earlier years of our marriage--we took several trips.
Went to Seattle (my DH home town) and explored the rivers and the parks.
And--brought back a bunch or rocks from Steven's Pass as souvenirs.
Was going to glue them all on a plaque to keep on his desk.

Went to AK to visit my sister--and took manyside-trips. She is such a great guide!
Hiked up a mountain to an abandoned, crumbling Gold Mining station.
Brought home a lot off rocks and a big, rusty nail my DH pulled out of the
train tracks. I was going to make a big paper-weight memento from these.
Lugged all these home in our suit case. ...I could barely lift it..

Went on a 2 week tour of Europe--(early 80's) the kind where you "live" on a bus.
Brought home some rocks and an asst. of empty beer bottles...
Was going to make a nice bottle collection display...
They all still live in a cubby-hole, little cabinet under my laundry chute.

In 2008 went to Latvia--and our cousins took us to see many amazing places.
We walked many beaches and I collected a pile of driftwood pieces--
some small--some bigger. Worn smooth bu the timeless waves...
Even bought a small bag full of amber pieces and some very interesting
artifacts from a gift shops as we visited old castles and gift shops.
I was going to make a large Mobile with the driftwood pieces, with little bits of
Amber hanging from them, like tears--by fish-line--to represent the tears we all have
shed over the years to lose our beloved Homeland. Picked up other small
decorations...as we toured the old, crumbling places.
All this still sits in a wicker basket in my bedroom. etc....etc...etc....

Lots of ROCKS.... Empty beer bottles from across the world.....Cute little souvenirs...
Lots of memories that now live in bags and boxes down in my basement
gathering dust.....and forever in my heart.

Seems all my projects live ONLY in my mind....
G.

The basket of memory rocks sounds fine to me.

Another option might be a huge glass jar, so you can see more of them.

Or a really big, wide-mouthed crystal vase? That would be quite attractive to display your collection. And if the collection is quite large, then you could use more than one, in various sizes perhaps. A lovely collection of displays... to display your collection... as it were. ;)

Me wanting to make something out of these rocks is because they are all
from such different places...
These are not small rocks--each alone would make a serious paper weight.
The thing is--that once years have passed from any particular trip, it no longer
has the excitement and value in making something out of it.

On my last trip to AK, I picked up a box-full of the neatest, smooth , dark gray
beach rocks. Yes! Homer has a beach! All the rocks are so smooth---
Since that is the trip our cousin and her DH came as well--I chose a particularly
suitable rock and painted the beach, the outcrop, the two of them and mu sister's
dog on the rock and took it to them when we went there in 2008.

I said I would--and she was so excited to actually get it...

Here........

Should have added these above---

Here are the real photos of what I painted on the rock.

Bishop's Beach in Homer, AK
and my Cousin, Nata, and her hubby--Indrikis.

We had hoped to gather some clams--but there were none.
Instead--I gathered about 25lbs of rocks and sent them home in a flat rate box.
G.

Oh my goodness Gita, what a beautiful job you did painting that rock!! I bet they LOVED it!!

And yes, I see what you mean about the "shine" of the meaning of the rocks wearing thin after time passes. **deep sigh**. What's one to do, eh?

((applause!))

Thanks......blush......

That rock is about 6" wide.
Perfect for the scenery I wanted to put on it.
I apologize--as this is slowly drifting off-topic! Please don't mind?

Yes! She was totally surprised that I actually did it....

--Here is a picture of my Sister, Valda, and my cousin and her DH.
Does this give you an idea of how big this dog is????
It is an Anatolian--an ancient Turkish herding dog. They are beautiful,
and love to look after whomever--or whatever is in their family to look after.
Including young children.
They HAVE TO herd....shepherd...

--The actual height a full grown Moose would be if you stood near it...Brrrrrrrr..

Gita

I don't mind if no one else does, I enjoy ALL the stuff you do Gita! :) That dog is absolutely beautiful, and looks so sweet!!! Clearly, in that photo, he is enjoying herding all "his people" onto the couches and making sure they are all seated together. ;) heeheeheee

That moose and its height is just... YIPES!! < =0

My current project (if we want to try to stay on topic here, heh) has been reviewing the stuff that's on the test I'll be taking at school today. I ended up the last go-around with this math class by taking, and failing, that Progress Exam 5. It covers chapters 18 & 20. (for some reason this curriculum does not acknowledge chapter 19, don't know why). So, I have been reviewing, and re-reviewing, and re-re-reviewing (etc etc), ALL the content, over and over, and DARNIT, today I shall take and WHIZZZ by that test with flying colours!!
... And that's been the "Project" that I have currently been working on.
...That, and getting a new subscription for McAfee working on my "new" laptop. ;)
...And getting the new modem/router combo set up so I can have wi-fi at my house so I can USE my laptop LIKE a laptop. < =D (was nice to snuggle down into the couch yesterday to do my studying, and not have to do it here at the desk). =)

good luck on that exam, Speedie! And also on the computer projects. Wireless is great!

My "project" today was to start re-potting my AV's.

At the Swap--I mentioned to Jill that none of my many AV's have bloomed
in over 2 years. That's pretty weird....also pretty sad....All the space they take up!

After running down the obvious list of reasons, Jill asked me if I have ever
re-potted them. I was like--HUH??? NO! I never have! Is that a good thing to do?
To me re-potting means potting up to bigger pots...not just the same pots.
Seems it is--So, I started today with the smaller AV's that had been
grown from a single leaf. Some were decent size already.

Re-potted 26 smaller AV's into Chobani Yogurt containers. Perfect size!
22 to go.....:o(.....Thee 22 are the regular, bigger AV's in 4" pots.
I will pot these back in the same pots (cleaned)--just clean them up a bit--pull off some
lower leaves--remove a lot of the soil from around the roots--and put it in the new,
fluffy, heavenly Mix.

I got this awesome, AV soil today at "The Greenhouses" when I took down
my BIG pot of "Inky Fingers" to them. We yakked for a long time...
I saw a few forlorn bags of this soil still sitting on the rack (they were already
there in the spring"--I bought 2 then--besides, they don't grow AV's)--
so i asked Mike if I could buy two of the bags. He just said--Take them ALL!
Can't wait to get rid of them! So--I took them all--5 small bags and one bigger one.

This soil feels like velvet....like fluffy peat moss--with Perlite in it.
It absorbs water immediately, w/o dripping out the bottom.
It is made by "Lambert Peat moss, Inc. " Wonderful stuff!!! Makes the AV soil
sold at box stores look like cr--. Anyone ever hear of this company?
They sell other soil mixes as well.

Will try to finish this project in the next 2 days...it is VERY slow going!
Now--THEY BETTER BLOOM!!! All other factors are there...
Gita

I am no AV expert -- but mine like to be fertilized. Your re-potting sounds like AV nirvana!

Happy--
Donner says that too--she fertilizes her AV's regularly and they all bloom.
That is what has been so frustrating to me--as I do fertilize now and then--
but far from regularly. I use the purple bottle of MG AV food--7 drops to the quart.

I also know that, in the winter, when they are on that shelf by my LR window--
they are just inches away from the double glass--too cold for them.
Not great light either. I just don't have it! The patio roof cuts off a lot of light.
And--there are no other places for all these AV's. Maybe on the little hanging shelves
by my DR window--but they are close to the cold panes as well--and NO great light.

All summer--I have had all my AV's under my seed lights. You would think some of them
would have bloomed. NOPE!
I can overlook the baby AV's not blooming--but the full-sized ones should have.

SO--if this re-potting does not work--I am giving them all away.
After all--last count--looking after 48 pots of AV's is a challenge.
These are ALL fruits of my obsessive propagation from single leaves...
Fun to do--but then you have to find places for them all--which is a challenge.

Gita

Here is one tray of the smaller, re-potted AV's in Chobani Greek Yogurt cups.
Done VERY carefully and with a lot of TLC.
The "Queen of recycling" makes everything useful--sooner or later....:o)


This message was edited Sep 13, 2013 4:50 PM

Okay, so what is AV? I keep thinking 'audiovisual club' but I'm sure that's not what you guys are talking about! ;-)

Cat---just look at the picture....

AV is short for African Violets.
HB is short for hanging basket
CC is short for X-mas cactus
AW Begonia--is short for Angel Wing...

Sorry if this is confusing..but you will, probably, encounter these and many
more in our Posts. Feel free to ask for an explanation.

There are many abbreviations i do not "get" either. I am not ashamed to ask...
You DO know--LOL and LMAO? Kind of the same.....use your imagination...

I think most of us like to use these abbreviations so w don't have to type out
the full names...less key strokes...the digital age.....;o)

Gita

Thank you Cat for asking, and thank you Gita for explaining AV. (I was gonna post that very same question, but Cat took good care of me!) =)

Thanks for the explanation of AV etc! :-)

My own project for today needs to be planting all my new plants from last weekend! yippee!! I did get the peanut butter shrub planted yesterday evening after work because it was flopping over--a place of honor in the sunny middle of the back yard with a big stake to keep it upright.

Of course, they will all get places of honor! :-) I just finished potting up all of Gita's lovely coleus into a huge container, along with my own two coleus--honeycrisp and my Officially Unnamed Cultivar.

This message was edited Sep 14, 2013 10:15 AM

I spent the morning planting some plants I got from Santa Rosa nursery, still have more to plant tomorrow before I leave for vacation. Love this cooler weather.

Vacation! Now there is a project to get into for sure.

Good job Catmint. Bet the PB shrub will like its new spot and home.

Mike plumbed up the kitchen sink a few nights ago. Progress, progress, progress....

Next step is to finish the faux tin ceiling tiles so we can get the rest of the lighting up.

Aspen, Ooooooh, got pictures, PUH-LEEEEEEZE?? Pretty Please??? < =D Start talkin' ceiling tiles and lighting and I get all yipee and skippee... that's what happens when you're married to an electrician! :)

Cat, and do YOU have pics too, Young Lady?? No, you're not exempt from the begging either! < =P

Robin, I hope you get all your planting goals met before you head out; then you can heave a great sigh of relief and rest easy (not to mention, play easy) while you're vacationing! < =) Yippeee for you!!! You are in my prayers for a safe, restful, FUNful vacation!! Don't forget to put the spit-shine on your halo!! < =D

Brrrrr....I was freezing this AM under my nothing, summer blanket!
So unusual--different from sweating.
The thermometer by my front door read 48* at 8:30AM.

I think today's project will be to go outside and take Coleus cuttings
and plant them up. A bit early (September??) but they will be no good if
an early frost gets them. Just gonna do a couple of each of the ones I really like....
...so she says.....

Might be time to put up my big Bird Feeder too...don't see any birds otherwise...
Pictures of all my seeds collected so far. Pretty much done.
The big plate (dinner size) is full of bulbils from my Frans Hals Day Lilies.
MAN! Did they make a lot of seed-heads this year!!! Pic. #3

Have to finish re-potting the rest of the AV's as well... NO huge hurry on that.
Just want to get it done.

Enough projects to keep me busy for a while... Gita

Some of our rooms that have been redone are actually "done" now. Having the finish work finally completely, like base board moldings and such. Since I make most of my own moldings, they're usually one of the last things done. LOL One of the rooms that had been done years ago got a full compliment of more feminine or intricate moldings because I'd had a balance on an old construction account, so there was not out of pocket expense. ROTF

Woohoo!!!

No Jan, we caught drum, spot, croaker, pin fish, perch, flounder, but no trout or wahoo. LOL

Hehehe

will start Fall Projects thread

GO TO
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1337916/

This message was edited Oct 15, 2013 8:56 AM