Tuesday, May 30, 2023

The Plumber Drama: part two

Well we have had our success!

In the outdoor faucets!



Having a long plot of land, requires a lot of hoses when you are building garden beds!

But we had other things to inquire about...

Things that had been on our chacklist of priorities for a long while...


Our well water comes in (if you are not familiar) & gets stored in a bladder.

Well water is never truly known for its grand water pressure.

So we asked if there were a larger version we could upgrade to.


The theory was to have more water in storage to create more pressure, especially if one were watering the garden and someone else were to be washing up indoors, etc...


Of course the Plumber said he would take a look.

Luckily, even though, we had thought he was just there to give estimates, he had a schedule open enough, to do more than just chit chat.


He inspected the small bladder & said that there was not enough air left in it to create much pressure to begin with.

Ok, so we are making this a priority today then.


I would get you a pick of our set up...

All I focus on when I look in the cellar is cobwebs & dust. Yuck!

I won't put you all through that... 


He also said something about algae, & honestly, I just sped passed how that could be super gross...

And we agreed, let's just take care of this today!


Now, when we lived in apartments, having no knowledge of any real inner workings of wherever we lived, or, how much it might cost... Spending a couple grand on anything but fun, food, or experiences would have just blown our minds.


But, now, watching all of the rents in our area surpass what we pay monthly to live where we do, & knowing how our property value has gone up as we have owned... The investment, sits front & center when we make these repairs and changes. 

That purchase doesn't just go away... It grows with your home, and you, and if/when you plan to live somewhere else... Rent or sell, you benefit. Not to mention your everyday life can be enhanced by fixing/improving. 

Now, if we can get a contractor here to do the bulkhead, and the trim around the windows...

These are not things that I am well versed in...

Sure, I've watched a few videos...

I have read about, and I can understand how to do those things...

I would be more apt to try taking down our pony wall between the kitchen and front room, than I would ever be willing to try heavier chop and water proof, check for other signs of damage & know what to do about that, etc... Not to mention, I still do not have the tools...

Anyway,

The faucets work great, the bladder has been working great...

Glad we had them out to do it, some of the piping by the front spigot in the basement had all sorts of areas that would be at the end of their life soon, and needed upgrading as well... would have been interesting if something had gone leaky there, because they hover over the current laundey situation... Eek!

Can we make more plans though please!

An Electric Hot Water Heater for the elimination of using the furnace during the warmer months?

Or get the new laundry set up in the old linen closet upstairs...?

New back door?

Finish painting the inside?

Maybe once the summer heat prevents me from building the garden beds? 

And Mother nature is providing me with so many volunteer plants, I am really just scrambling to get things in the ground/raised beds asap!


Yellow Paintbrush or Meadow Hawkweed has sprung up and I am here for it!


The False Lily of the Valley is so charming... The real Lily of the Valley is having a moment in the backyard... I should really take some time to take more pics...

I have been trying to work as efficiantly as possible, but I have put up a few shorts on the YouTubes...

I have been wearing a pedometer while working on the garden:


There's a lot of movement happening!

Ive been waiting for this level of vitality to come back.


Let's get all the things done this year, yes?

Was this more about gardening than plumbing? Maybe, but who's arguing with that?


K, I'm going for a walk lol

x~J 








Monday, May 29, 2023

I Spoke To Trees: 21~ The Day I Spilt The Pepper

 


21: The Day I Spilt The Pepper



I ran to you 


I saw your branches 


From 


A distance 


In a dream


Your wings 


Beat softly


Hovering 


From Above 


The hilt


The brandishing 


Barefoot 


In cool grass


The safety 


In The Cove


Of Trees


Even 


From The Hill


I could spill


And 


Come out 


Unscathed 


As 


The new Life


Untethered 


Free 


Trying


To Unsee


The day 


I Spilt The Pepper 



Sunday, May 28, 2023

I Spoke To Trees: 20~ In Order

 

20: In Order 



In Order


To draw


Down 


On the self


You 


Must


Reach


For Paper 


Seek 


A Pen


Dammit 


Do Something 


Before 


The Great Extinguish 


Gets your goat


For 


All the Living


And 


All the Trying 


Oblivion 


Awaits 


How 


Will you 


Greet it


Saturday, May 27, 2023

I Spoke To Trees: 19~Separated

 



19: Separated 



Separated


By 


Space and Time

 

Underground 


Layers


Chanels


Growing  


Only


Communication 


Feeling


This network 


A


True


Antennae 


Calculating 


New 


Nutrition 


Direction


For all


Surviving 


Future


Generations 


Friday, May 26, 2023

The Woods Have Come Alive (with Baby Foxes!)

 

What a surprise this week!!!



We have Babies!

These wee ones
are using our yard as a training/playground

sent an email to all the neighbors
to keep an eye out

Just in case they happen to pop down to the road etc...

So far they have stayed up near and behind the house

They are a painfully adorable thing to watch from the kitchen
whist I am making my Three Beverages to go with
my breks...

More about them later...


The false Lilly of The Valley is blooming...


So are the Lady Slippers...


Some grand stramash...

Spotted on one of my walks 
on the road...

If I weren't so Germ Minded...

I might have 

Maybe...

picked these up...

Back to the yard tho...


The Bittersweet was already leafy
and 
ready to conquer...

So, I suited up
put the tape to catch the ticks
around me ankles

and got stuck in...
3 hours of cutting
and
4 fifteen minute breaks later

90% done...

all of the harder woody stems
and
the bits that had climbed the trees I cut out

I can definitely
consider this a win...

next step is the weed block fabric
gravel
and stone for the new 
backyard patio...

plan is to have a nice place to sit
gather
eat
fire pit
lounge
and just rest ones eyes
from all of the wild foliage...

because 
unless you already knew this
nature will creep in 
unless you give it 
boundaries

&

We are 
all about the 
boundaries!



One of the plants I hope to add to the garden
that the new patio will look down into...

there will be a fountain as well...

Cannot wait!!!

We are going hunting for stone this week...



One of my Top of the Driveway patio views
while
taking the breaks

I really do understand 
now
why so many gardens have seating areas
like
lil rooms
here and there
why would you ever need more than one 
lil area to sit in?

Because gardening is so physically 
taxing
you need to sit
not only to 
enjoy
bit
to contemplate 
the space 
&
what to do next...

while you are in the building 
or maintanence
phase

you need 
to rest
take in the view
prevent injury
so you can keep gardening!
(and buying or propogating more plants!)

lol

Anyway
back to Fox Pups! 


Catching the big bugs that fly around the front porch light...


So adorable


Two nights in a row so far


They are just so small


Such lil hunters

This morning watching them
stalk each other
and
go after butterflies
it's like a 
Disney movie 
for Pete's sake!

Anyone grow up with
the movie
The Fox & The Hound

yeah I'm just living 
my dream here!


They were
Eating the wild strawberries
that I refuse to mow or pull
they multiply every year

along with the blueberries 
and 
raspberries

I bet they would love a few apple trees as well...

And just when we thought 
that the 
horrible amounts of ticks
this year 
with the cool Spring
that we 
are having
was turning us off
from living in the woods

These wee ones show up
and
make us fall in love 
with where we live 
all over again.


Hope you are all well
and finding 
your moments
and
things 
that make you 
fall in love
with 
your life again