Xmas Sunshine

Details, details...

We are close to being "done," even though we fully realize the work on the house will never end...

This week Russell worked on tidying up the areas just outside where house meets the ground.  He added gravel as edging on the north side of the house and cleaned up some corners with stacked stone, succulents, and even some hedges that he salvaged from a job in Olivenhain.

the northwest corner of the garage

the back door into the laundry room

Blossom enjoying some sun by the herb garden on the porch

the yard in bloom; new driveway gates in the background

the lemon tree

cherimoyas

bougainvillea

dog tired after a hike

L.L.Bean wreath - thanks, Mom & Dad!

Don't Fence Me In

The final big piece of the puzzle is coming together slowly.  The deck is tedious work: it requires screwing down the boards two times at every foot, removing and sanding the railings, waterproofing everything, drilling holes in the posts, and stringing the cables.  We still have to rent a sander and smooth down the decking before the big coat of waterproofing.

an army of screws ready for installation

Russell strings the cables

the finished railings

Russell has embarked on another tedious project: building a stone wall to connect the driveway with the front yard.  The upper tier created by the wall should be a nice spot for bocce or ladder ball...

We had a surprise nature spectacle two weeks ago when it rained (twice) and then a double rainbow appeared at dusk.  We climbed on the roof to get a better look...

Paved

On Friday we got the long-awaited driveway fix.  With the addition of the asphalt, the dust factor has diminished a great deal and we don't have to clear tiny pebbles from our shoes every time we walk in the house.  Widening the lower drive for the fire department was expensive, but it should be worth it in the long run.

The paving crew worked for a solid day and finished up just in time for our potluck dinner party!  Chefs Dahl and Le orchestrated a tasty feast.

The very next day, we welcomed Blossom to our home.  She is a rescue who will stay with us as a foster until she finds her forever home.  For info about how to adopt her, go to www.pbrsd.com

Tidying Up

In anticipation of some guests, we have been tying up loose ends inside and starting on some outdoor projects.  Actually, Russell has been doing most of it... I just remind him about what to do and occasionally hoist a shovel to fill in the trenches.

new rugs and the final few cabinets

finishing touches on the cabinets

making sense out of the garage clutter

the new built-in workbench and shelves!

a temporary fix for the front walkway

salvaged flagstones do the job

Entrenched

Russell is working away on the driveway, digging trenches and running some pipes underground for gas lines and future electric and water hookups for a possible workshop near the lower gate.  We hope to start paving the driveway next week...

Kitty has not been working quite as hard; she prefers lounging on the deck and begging for food when she smells dinner on the stove.

fun with the Bobcat

adding pipes for electrical to the future workshop

Color Combo

We were happy to find that on the fourth of July, our deck provided a great view of nearby fireworks shows-- probably in San Marcos.

The elusive peacock still has not shown his face, although we can hear him screeching all the time, but the peahen stopped by our yard one evening to look for a snack.

Kitty is back to 100% after her surgery, and she continues to deliver various dead and dying creatures to the garage.  First, we received half a gopher; this time, it was most of a lizard.

After several weeks of painting and fussing over corners and trim, the interior walls are done!  Russell took the plunge with the first color selections, and I filled in the rest.  We used only Behr paint, of course.

the laundry room is a slightly lighter shade of "plum shadow" than the kitchen

a far cry from the bee fiasco two weeks ago

some great storage for linens and cleaning supplies

double vanity in the master bath with "crisp celery" walls

still need to find some vanity light fixtures...

green onyx tiles in the master shower

the study with "pale honey" walls

the guest room with "raffia ribbon" walls

the master bedroom with "harmonious" blue walls

the kitchen/living room with "raffia ribbon" and "plum shadow" accent