March 2014

                        Rainy day, Disney movie marathon sleepover.  Amy, Molly, Abby and Tigger.
                                                  (Tigger didn't watch, he just slept)

              Huge egg(turned out to be a double yolk) way bigger than our usually large eggs.

                                     Before pictures of the master bath and master bedroom.

                                                                   And now the after!

                                                 Still need doors and drawers on the vanity.

                                          The grapes and trimmed and tied to the new arbor.

                                                                   Seriously?

       On top of Max Patch and bald in the Pisgah National Forest between NC and Tenn.  You can see 360 degrees around you.  It was pretty neat and dogs are allowed!

                                                      Inside view of the old front door.

                                                       Outside view of the old front door.

New front door, needs finish and trim on the inside.  Looks great!  A new storm door will go on too.

October 2013

In the past few months, we have finished the porch renovation, the guest room and the dining room

                                                  Here a few pictures of the guest room. 

                    Here are some of the dining room.  Opening up the door way made a big difference.

 

                                               We get a lot more light in the living room now.

Here are some pictures of our trip to Minnesota to see Susan, Jim and Alison.  We got the see Jessica and Rick, too and meet the grandkids who were tons of fun.

                                                      Jaxson thought Dad was pretty funny.

                                                                 Ella and Uncle Jim

 Uncle Jim and Dad in by the Mississippi with the University of Minnesota in the back.

                                                           Me and Aunt Susan by the river.                                         

                                                           Merlin helps himself to a drink.

                                                                   Tigger gets a drink too.

August 12, 2013

                Butterfly on the coneflowers by the front porch.  We have had tons of butterflies this year.

Ed takes down the mirrored wall, sorry Tom.

We begin to make Amy's old room into our walk-in closet.  Carpet comes out, paneling comes off the ceiling and walls.

       Half of the new closet, with sheetrock, wood flooring and trim and shelving.  It is so nice!  The dogs love the new shoe racks,  makes it easy to make a selection!

                     Amy, Dawn and Lindsay at Emil's wedding in Virginia.(not a great photo)

                                                The hens are 5 1/2 months old--we want some eggs!!!!!

                               Pomegranate blossom on the dwarf tree, they are a beautiful color.

                                         One of the lemons growing on our dwarf lemon tree.

 Putting down the new porch flooring.  Goodbye to the ugly concrete.

The new tiles look great and have a very rough
surface, not slippery at all.

Grandma Gert turns 83.

Amy turns 21!!!!  We made a chocolate chip mint ice cream cake.

HUGE sunflower in the garden, eventually got a huge head on it about 18" across.  See the sweet corn in the background.  It was pretty good.

                              And finally, the Tigger picture, can you spot him way up in the tree?

Taryn, David, Dad, Mom, Gary and Dawn

 Disappearing waterfall at White Oak Sink in the the Smokies.  The water falls into an underground cavern.

                                        Green swallowtail butterflies on our walk in the Smokies.

                                             Mid march we got 12 laying hen chicks.

                                                 Out come the old front, bay windows.

                                  Gary and Ed lift the new casements in.  They are beautiful!!!!!

                        Tigger stalks the hens.  He is very excited until he realizes he can't get to them.

                                                              More window pictures.

                                Squaw's root, a plant with no chlorophyll that grows on oak tree roots.

                                 A look at the new windows--changes the whole look of the house.

 The garden is growing well.  The corn in the foreground is now as tall as me!  Zucchini plants are waist high. We have been eating fresh peas for two weeks!  Yum!  The potato plants are huge and I have been picking off potato bugs every day.  Grand'pa Carl says if I pick a hundred, I get an ice cream cone.  That was what Grandma Esther promised them when he was a kid.

                    Hens are now 3 1/2 months old.  Hope to get some eggs in a few months.                       

Expanded front garden with stone pathway.  Thanks to Matt for uncovering them.  They were heavy to move.  Planted the pomegranate tree, gardenia bush, peonies, iris, roses, catnip(which Tigger loves), lots of herbs and various other perennials.  Should be beautiful when it grows in.