Archive for the ‘Nature’ Category
Wednesday, March 31st, 2010
Well, it’s been a month since I set a few goals for the Spring. Following is the list:
- repair the “roof” of the gazebo which collapsed under the weight of the first snow we had in December. After assessing the damage, I’m confident that with some new wood arms, I can repair the ones that broke.
- replace any dead plants and bushes around the patio areas and in containers. Plant new plants in the pergola area to continue filling it in as a garden area.
- replace some rotting wood around the front porch roof and outside the bay window of the dining room.
- build a small 4X6 vegetable/fruit garden outside the kitchen on the edge of the pergola/garden area. I would like to start small with a few vegetables and fruits and expand from there.
- research the feasibility of building and stocking a small chicken coop enclosure to provide eggs for cooking. This may not end up being a goal, it’s just an idea right now and I want to look into whether this is even something the city of Asheville will allow me to do.
At this point, I’m about 95% complete with the first goal of fixing the gazebo roof. My father and stepmother visited for a few days and they did a lot to get it repaired (actually, they did most of the work). I replaced one broken wood arm and my dad was able to get all of the arms up and back into their holder. The one casualty of the damage was to the canvas. When the roof fell, the canvas ripped in several places so it did not go back into the holder along with the arms (see photo).
As such, I had to staple the canvas to the tops of each arm. Unfortunately, it does not look the same and there are some rips and gaps. However, being the creative person that I am :0), I am going to attach more fabric to the underside of the arms so that nobody has to see the damaged canvas. By the time my readers come visit, the inside canvas should be up and I’ll be sure to make it look decorative so that it will appear good as new.
One goal – check!
I have begun working on goal #2 of replacing dead bushes and plants around the patio and garden areas and in containers. Today was the first day of warm weather and a free afternoon. I have started by pulling out dead stumps, cutting back bushes, branches, and dead grasses around the patios, gazebo, and front porch. On Friday, my landscapers start again for the year and will be cleaning up debris and leaves so that I can fully assess what needs to be replaced. I am really surprised that most everything I planted last year is coming back, given the cold, snowy winter. Some plants that I thought for sure were dead are sprouting leaves and buds. I may not have to replace as much as I had thought, but I anticipate completing this goal (or being close to completion) by the end of April.
Goal #3 is getting looked at on Friday.
I have the materials list for goal #4 and hope to start building the bed by next week; and to start filling it in within the next 2-3 weeks. I plan to start with tomatoes, peppers, basil, and mint and will go from there.
I have not even begun to look into goal #5. That will definitely be last on my list.
The good thing about publishing goals is that it’s not enough just to post them on the wall for me to see. By showing them to my readers, I feel more motivated to work on them. Sharing goals with others means that more than one person is thinking about them, and not wanting to disappoint my readers, I am determined to accomplish them.
Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010
Asheville was “lucky” enough to get another 6-7 inches of snow yesterday, March 2nd. Here are a few photos taken with the Photo Booth Plus application on my iPhone. You will see Rocky wiggling his way through the snow as fast as he could across the parking lot to get to the Inn so he can get inside and get warm!
The good news is that temperatures for the next couple of days will get up into the 40s and by Saturday/Sunday, we should be in the 50s. While this snow was especially beautiful, I am ready for it to melt. I was out last night shoveling the walkway, a path to the walkway and the kitchen door and one parking spot. If the remaining snow doesn’t melt, I’ll be shoveling a few more spots for this weekend’s guests.
To date, the Asheville area has seen snow accumulations in December, January, February, & now March. All told, the Inn has had close to 3 feet of snow (not all at once like my family in Virginia), but over 4 different snows, all added together. That’s outrageous! We usually get 4-6″ a year. And I won’t even talk about the cold temperatures! Suffice it to say, our averages have been 10 – 15 degrees below average all winter.
On a lighter note, I have seen a few green sprouts coming up before yesterday’s snow, which means that the first spring bulbs are not far behind. I am quite excited to see some color on the ground within the next few weeks and will be snapping photos as soon as the daffodils, hyacinth, and tulips make their appearances.
Sunday, February 28th, 2010
Once this dratted winter is finally gone, there will be some projects that I plan to work on around the Inn. Until the days stay warmer (40s and above), I can’t assess the entire property, but there are some things that I know will need to be done. Over the Winter, my major project was repainting the downstairs and upstairs common hall areas and stairway. The previous color is what I call salmon. I changed it to a light vanilla on the first floor and one shade darker on the second floor. With the exception of a patch of wall going up the stairs which I cannot reach, this has been accomplished. The unpainted patch will have to be done by a professional who has the proper scaffolding. I am quite pleased with the results. You can see the salmon pink color still on the wall in the first photo as a reference.
Now, I’m compiling a list of goals to accomplish during the Spring season. So far, here is what I’ve got:
- repair the “roof” of the gazebo which collapsed under the weight of the first snow we had in December. After assessing the damage, I’m confident that with some new wood arms, I can repair the ones that broke.
- replace any dead plants and bushes around the patio areas and in containers. Plant new plants in the pergola area to continue filling it in as a garden area.
- replace some rotting wood around the front porch roof and outside the bay window of the dining room.
- build a small 4X6 vegetable/fruit garden outside the kitchen on the edge of the pergola/garden area. I would like to start small with a few vegetables and fruits and expand from there.
- research the feasibility of building and stocking a small chicken coop enclosure to provide eggs for cooking. This may not end up being a goal, it’s just an idea right now and I want to look into whether this is even something the city of Asheville will allow me to do.
Spring is a short 3 months so I think this list is a good start and should keep me busy. I will post updates and photos as I go along. I would love comments and advice from anyone with experience in any of these areas or things you experienced when working on a similar project yourself.
