As Our Life Goes On

These nests were picked up off the ground last Fall after strong winds went through our area. I kept them on the breezeway all Winter as decorative items. It was time to clean the breezeway so they are now being returned to nature. The mud holding the robin nest will soften in the rain and wind and animals may carry them off or tear them apart for recycling. The large nest is a robin's nest. Not sure what bird made the small nest. It could have been a mourning dove but it seems almost too well made.  It is time for newly made nests to appear. It was surprising to find the shells from a robin egg on the ground under the pine trees last week. I suppose the robin nest got raided and the bird or animal that ate the egg dropped the shell where I found it.

Russ had no idea that he would get to sit on this monster of a bulldozer when he left the house this morning. Lakeside Sand and Gravel in Mantua was having a free show of large construction equipment. It was somewhat of a thrill for him when the operator of this machine told him to climb on. Russ's dad  was in the Navy Seabees  during WWII and he used a similar bulldozer to construct airstrips on Taipan and Tinian in the Northern Mariana Islands.  Russ looks happy sitting on there as he talks to the operator about his dad's service. The day started with rain but the sun did show through for a while while he visited this show. Russ found the equipment much more interesting than he thought it would be and stayed most of the afternoon along with some friends. There was free admission and free food with donations accepted for the Hattie Larlham Foundation.

May Apples are popping out of their sheath like bases. They unfold in a circular pattern to form little umbrella-like plants on the hill over the bike trail. A profusion of dandelions and spring beauties dot the front yard near the road. I like these colorful flowers in my yard. Plants are only weeds if you consider them to be out of place from where you wish them to be. Grass can be a weed if it grows in your flower garden. The cool weather has extended the blooms on the daffodils. Buds and leaves have popped out on the trees and shrubs overnight and it seems that many have arrived just since dawn. Geese and ducks fill the air with squawks and the little frogs and toads seem to have energy to sing their songs non-stop. It is a season of new life and renewal.

It has been a little over 3 months since some major renovations have taken place in our home. We are loving all these changes. The rooms seem brighter and more pleasant to use. The main floor bath is now done. The floors are actually black and white ceramic tiles but that does not show well in the pictures. The subway tiles on the walls are white and the walls are a medium dark gray. The glass tile trim has black an white ribbons through the slightly bluish tint clear glass. The trim is all shiny chrome.  There are a lot of reflections in the pictures which were taken late in the day under less than ideal lighting circumstances. There are a lot of reflections on the walls.   I think it shows the style that might have been original in our 1952 home. We are glad to have this work finished.  See bathroom before picture below. Glad to get rid of the old vinyl floor for sure.

Many of the daffodil plants are blooming on the hill over the bike trail. Tiny Spring beauties and vinca blooms give extra violet and purple colors to the yard. Dandelion-like yellow coltsfoot plants are in bloom.  The Spring peepers sing every night  and the sounds of geese and ducks in the wetlands behind the house are like a sweet song. The air is warm and this all contributes to a great Spring day. 

It is just amazing to me to find out how far airborne dust will travel. It seems to flow under the bedroom doors that were kept closed just to stop this problem. There is a light layer dust everywhere in the house. More dust will be made this week when the bathroom floor tiles are laid and as the walls are sanded and prepared for wall tile and painting. I just could not help myself though as I attacked this dust this weekend. It made me feel better even though the process will begin again on Monday.  The work in the bathroom is going fast. It really won't be long before we are using it again. The old sink and toilet are sitting in the front yard. It is just to slippery and wet for a truck to come in and get them and we don't want the contractor to slip and fall trying to carry it across the slimy mud in the yard. 

Snow is still scattered in mounds around the property. The white stuff has the texture of the ice in a snow cone but dirt is the topping. Two months of snow cover has reduced the frequency of the outside exercise that we like to do.  The ground is now visible in many spots. There are sprouts on the chives in the little garden behind the house and daffodil leaves are peeking up along the bank above the hike and bike trail. The hiking trail remains partially snow covered but warmer weather should melt most of this snow soon. 

Updated bathroom above Old bathroom below We are really pleased with the look of the basement bathroom. It reminds me of some of the bathrooms that a person would find if they worked in a place where a fancy utilitarian bathroom would not be needed. We don't need a fancy room in our old basement. The contractor and his helper constructed the fancy door, shelf behind the toilet and even the mirror so that they would match. Old style hardware finishes the doors and a toilet roll holder and towel rack are made from pipe fittings. This is just the style that I like. 

It's no secret to those who know us. We have one of the ugliest basement bathrooms around. The toilet water tank broke years ago and it became a bucket flusher. The fixtures were from the 20s or 30s even though the house was built in 1952. The porcelain on the sink was worn through but the sink worked well. The exposed shower pipes leaked from time to time but we were able to fix them. Epoxy did not work to fix the long crack on the toilet tank. Bucket flushing is a real chore. The several people that we had asked about fixing it ran away from this job without giving an estimate.  It will finally be fixed.  Our basement is utilitarian only. It is not a beautiful place but it will be nice to have a functional bathroom again. Jayz Construction just finished our kitchen they agreed to tackle this awful job. Keep posted for updates. 

There is a stream of blood leading from the top of the angel to the angel. A squirrel was attacked in the tulip poplar tree that is to the East of our garage. It bled as it scampered down the tree to the ground but the hawk was so much quicker than the wounded squirrel. The wide wing span made a feathered angel pattern in the snow as it attacked the bleeding squirrel. The snow is very deep so it is probably tough hunting for the larger birds. We did not see this drama unfold but the story seems to be told by the image in the snow. 

This weekend we were able to start returning pots, pans and food to the newly renovated kitchen cupboards. The vintage self lowering toaster was an old thrift store or flea market find. It works just great. The yellow sunflower pattern tile is by emutile and it is a retired color and clay. It sure brightens the work space. The little fridge magnets are very early unmarked emutile made by my daughter in law. Many pots and pans have been put in boxes and marked for donation to cut down on the clutter.  It is a good feeling to have everything clean and more open. 

The kitchen is nearly finished and we are quite pleased with the changes. Extra lighting under the counters, over the stove and in the ceiling make it a cheery pleasant place to do the cooking. The plumbing to the dishwasher and sink will have to be hooked up. The dishes will go back into the cupboards this weekend. Careful sorting may help to eliminate the overcrowding of the cupboards. Some dishes have been given away already but there will certainly be more.  It will be nice to get rid of the temporary, almost 6 week, kitchen set up in the dining room. Cupboard drawers are scattered around the living room and food supplies are under the card tables set up all around the dining room. Dishes are still being done in the bathroom. Water supply to the sink will be hooked up early next week. It was a good feeling to cook on the stove in the kitchen again.  The old basement bathroom is next on the schedule. It has been a bucket flusher for a few years. It has blo...

The blue sky and bright sunshine were very deceiving. It was my intention to take a long walk around the yard but I really did not get that far. There is a thick crunchy crust on top of the snow. In places one can step on top of this and not go through that crust but in most places each step broke through the crust and let my foot sink into the deep snow below. Extracting each foot with almost each step and  then lifting the other foot for the next step seemed like quite an effort. I cut the walk short and decided any energy that I had left should be put into another project. Though it was pleasant to see sunshine most of the day Spring seems far away. 

Two weeks or 10 work days have gone by quickly. Great progress has been made in kitchen. The existing cabinets have been smoothed and painted, A microwave shelf and some cupboards over the range have been added. Electrical and plumbing has been added to, upgraded and replaced with new parts and pieces. Next week the counter tops will be added. Some more modifications on the cupboards has to be made and the new doors will be added soon. The dust from this project seems unending. We are still cooking in the dining room and washing dishes in plastic dishpans in the bathroom.  It is starting to look very light and bright. Looking forward to the finish.

It has been about 35 years since any updates have been done in our 1950s kitchen other than painting. At that time the original flooring was replaced with linoleum. That floor has darkened and suffered through the wear that that happens during life.  The counter tops were replaced at that same time along with the back splash. It was a minimal update. I think the picture makes the kitchen look nicer than it actually is. We will be cooking in the dining room for the next month or so. A hot plate, microwave and crock pot should serve that purpose well.  Dishes will be done in plastic dishpans. I don't like using a lot of disposable items but in this case the fewer dishes the better. Water will have to be drawn from the bathroom. The kitchen will be out of order for at least 4 weeks and maybe longer. New cupboard fronts and drawers, new flooring, counter tops, back splash and sink will replace the things that are still usable but somewhat compromised by age. Other things to ...

On and on it goes Old year leaves new year arrives New hopes new wishes -Caroline

Ho Ho Ho! Merry Christmas I think the the thing to remember during the holidays is that many people will be alone. Loved ones may be deployed in different countries. There may have been deaths in the family or have family health issues to deal with all year long. There could be fractured family or friend ties causing great stress to all involved. Financial stress and homelessness may cause many to have no celebration at all. It is time to think about those who may not have the joy that many people share. The reason for the season seems to have been lost by many. It is a time for love, togetherness and reunions with friends and family. Merry Christmas

I'm not sure that the toads involved in the two tales are represented accurately by the above picture but it reminds me of the diversity of the toads and frogs in the world. There are just so many.  The first toad tale has a happy ending. Many years ago my husband was taking a bath and he saw a movement near the bathtub overflow. It was just a momentary move that caught his eye. During the next week he saw it another time. Then one evening a tiny leg with little padded extensions hung down through the hole in the chrome cover for the overflow. He finished his bath before removing the cover and there was a tiny toad or frog. It was still alive so he took it back to the wet areas at the bottom of the big hill on the West side of the property. We figured that it may have gotten into the basement drain and kept climbing up until it ended up in the bathtub drain. The holes in the drain are much to tiny and the slot in the overflow was also too narrow for the poor trapped animal...

Bird feed prices have risen again this year but we have decided that the pleasure from watching the birds outweighs the price of the seed. After a trip to Brimfield to buy sunflower seed and shell corn at a farm store Russ dug out the hanging feeders and larger post feeder and filled them. It did not take long before the birds arrived.  Blue jays, red bellied woodpeckers, chickadees, juncos, tufted titmice and a variety of small sparrows zoomed in to enjoy the feast. The squirrels must have heard the commotion that the birds were making and soon at least half a dozen were scampering around under the feeders picking off the overflow. This morning one of the black squirrels remembered how to climb the metal post to get into the larger feeder. I'm sure that the squirrels will be hanging upside down on the tube feeders by the end of the day. 

Dried leaves on the snow Pine needles, small cones and twigs  Chilly air pervades -Caroline

Right of way from bottom of hill. There is a right away for a buried pipeline that runs through the back of our property. The yellow maker is one of many along the line that shows where it is located. Nothing can be planted or erected within 25 feet of either side of the line.  It had been used for transporting different grades of oil and gas when we moved here but now it is being used by Dominion Gas for natural gas. It is a large size major distribution pipeline. It seems that someday we could go out with a real bang. We really have never sat around worrying about that. Having lived here for 45 years there is always enough to worry about without thinking about what could happen.  Right of way from top of hill.

Thankgiving and Christmas are coming. Here is that old pie recipe from a Crisco can. You will need 2 pie crusts of your choice.  HONEY PUMPKIN PIE 1     29 oz can pumpkin (large can) 2/3 cup honey  2/3 cup brown sugar (dark brown is good) 1 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons cinnamon 1 teaspoon ginger 1/2 teaspoon cloves 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg 4 eggs 1     12 oz can evaporated milk (not the sweetened kind) Mix together in order listed until well blended. Put into 2 pie crusts (purchased or your favorite crust) Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes then turn oven down to 350 degrees and cook until set. Baking time will vary slightly because  of differences  in ovens.

This great Cushman Truckster is both old and new. It is over 40 years old but new to the our fleet of vintage vehicles. Actually we bought 2 of these. One will be used for parts. Parts for these old golf course work horses are hard to find. It is being used to transport firewood to the house, take leaves to the back of the property, carry stuff from the barn to the house and other general yard work. The messy workbench in the background is a sign of a busy person.  Love is old! Friday Russ and I will celebrate our 55th wedding anniversary. We have been together for 57 years. Who needs holiday gifts.   Good eyesight is what is new. What a gift it is to be able to see so clearly. My cataracts have been removed and the newly implanted lenses have given me better eyesight than I have had for the last 50 or more years. My brain is having a hard time adjusting to this wonderful gift. 

The day was perfect again for a short Fall color tour. Many leaves have fallen but many maples have retained their colorful leaves. Today the colors seemed to be more bright and colorful. A lens implant in one eye done last week has taken away the haze that made vision somewhat muddled and unclear. The trees will be bare by the time that my next implant takes place but all things will be seen with new and brighter vision. I am thankful for good doctors and modern innovations for better eyesight. 

Red and golden leaves It is Fall in Ohio Bountiful harvest -Caroline

The International Travelall on the truck has been behind our barn for many years. It was great transportation during the years when the boys were in college. Our friend Jim owns the big red International vehicle which he modified to be a car hauler. The vehicle will be stored in his International parts collection at his home. If a part is needed by any of our friends for their vintage International it may be available. We still have two of these old vehicles that are working and road ready. They give a smooth ride and the visibility when driving is hard to beat. The back of the barn can be seen easily now. I wonder what else we could put there. 

Above: Button Bush This evening we went for a round trip drive through Twin Lakes and around the Lake  Pippen and Rockwell Lake area. One goal was to get a few common milkweed pods so that these plants could be introduced to the swampy weedy areas in the yard. I resisted jumping out of the car in front of houses so as not to attract unwanted attention.  I was able to find about 6 large pods on a secluded road that runs between the 2 lakes in the reservoir. We already have the swamp milkweed growing in the yard on the hill and on the edges of the wetlands. Isolated maple trees have turned bright red and the trees should be ablaze with color in a few weeks. The plants and weeds along the road reminded me of the Weeds and Seeds show at Fishcreek Elementary School. It was held each Fall. The show featured decorations and other things made by students from weeds, seeds, pods and dried stuff from fields. There were animals made with all kinds of materials and wonderful c...

The blooms on the hydrangea shrub in the garden have turned from creamy colors to rosy colors. Most of the flowers in that garden have faded and only seed heads remain. A bit of yellow here and there from late blooming daisies breaks up the dullness.  The paths in the wild areas of the yard are abloom with purple asters, goldenrod and little white daisies. Honeybees seem to be favoring these wild flowers.  Cool mornings and warm days are making cleaning the yard and garden pleasant but towards evening the mosquitoes are a big problem. Their bites make us itch all over.  Individual trees and the poison ivy leaves are turning bright red and the golds and oranges are only beginning. Most trees are still a shade of green. 

The first day of Fall can bring forth some beautiful sights. The colorful Sugar Maple leaves are scattered on the ground at the foot of the tall trees and beyond. The seldom seen honeybees are working around the goldenrod, purple asters and other blooming plants in the wild flower areas in the yard. I can just taste the dark wildflower honey in my mind as I watch the busy bees. Ants and other types of bees are working in the same areas. The sun is shining and it gives me a calm peaceful feeling as I walk through the paths cut through the wild areas in the yard. 

Earlier in the year I bought a few perennial flower plants at a flea market. Helen's Flower turned out to be my favorite of those plants. It grows to a height of about 36" on very sturdy stems that do not bend over like many of the tall flower plants do. The formerly red blooms are turning a soft brown-orange before the petals fall leaving a colorful conical seed head. There was only a picture on a card to show what these might look like when I purchased the plant. These late bloomers are adding nice Fall colors to the garden. 

I find it amazing that the small rose colored blossoms that were seen on this plant in the Spring turned into the spiked milkweed pods shown above. These plants attracted butterflies and they seem to be establishing themselves in the wetlands at the bottom on the hill on the West side of the property. 

This large hornet's nest must have exceeded the weight limit for the little branches of the maple tree that it was built on. These nests are sometimes difficult to see when they are built high in the branches and leaves of the tall silver maple trees. This one landed near the back of the house near the outside water faucet. It is just a few feet from the house and the large hornets are furiously flying about the huge nest. It would be quite dangerous to venture behind the house until the threat is eliminated. 

The old wooden windows on our 1950s home need attention. Many  windows on the house have been finished but Russ just checked out the window at the upper back of the garage and it is flaking and peeling. Our garage has 3 metal framed windows on the ground level and two wood windows that are on the upper sides. One on the front and one on the back. The front upper window has been painted recently but the back window needs some attention. The weather is very hot and humid so not much may be accomplished today. 

Iron Weed The iron weed and golden rod lend a nice contrast to the plants blooming in the wild areas of the yard. Bees and butterflies keep busy visiting the blooms. The large neighborhood turkey vultures make shadows on the ground as they circle overhead. The warm days and blue skies seem like they will last for a while but the leaves falling from the trees let us know that Fall is approaching very fast. Many things need to be done before the cold weather arrives. 

Dragonflies look fierce Should I be afraid of them Really don't think so -Caroline