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