tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89360532855715505112024-03-14T02:21:13.861-07:00Hermione's HouseDIYing, renovating, and mama-ing on a PNW island homesteadHermione's Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07918668936918441912noreply@blogger.comBlogger164125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8936053285571550511.post-70201079647730339592018-06-27T18:12:00.000-07:002018-06-27T18:12:52.195-07:00Have You Seen this Strawberry?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Y0D0OqUQmx5khwPTM8J42fI60gM2LOfGHTZkJ7h5rs3nIj-Mpof1NNCxrjNdamQ98LyFzgTxAxuHf8dtidyhChe64mQ-qT8HcSIqTwmK-z_cQFgNeaUJ25F5ZJOrYCLLi7fqMwXM_p4/s1600/Have+you+seen+this+strawberry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Y0D0OqUQmx5khwPTM8J42fI60gM2LOfGHTZkJ7h5rs3nIj-Mpof1NNCxrjNdamQ98LyFzgTxAxuHf8dtidyhChe64mQ-qT8HcSIqTwmK-z_cQFgNeaUJ25F5ZJOrYCLLi7fqMwXM_p4/s640/Have+you+seen+this+strawberry.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Can you identify this strawberry?<br />
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Many of the strawberries in our patch are cuttings from other people's gardens. Since we didn't buy them originally, and they're all mixed together anyway, we don't know what variety they are. Well, we ADORE this one particular type of strawberry that is thriving in one corner of our patch. We want to get more, so we need to identify them. Can you help?<br />
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Description: Small berry. June-bearing. Distinctive "hip" shape at the top. Pure snow-white inside. Highly flavorful and extra sweet!<br />
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REWARD OFFERED: STRAWBERRY JAM<br />
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<br />Hermione's Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07918668936918441912noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8936053285571550511.post-22055854484785149452018-06-17T11:47:00.000-07:002018-06-17T11:51:45.768-07:00Junuary?Spring is springing, the blooms are blooming, the greens are greening, the peas are... well, nevermind.<br />
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June in the PNW is often referred to (somewhat fondly, but mostly with thinly-masked annoyance) as "Junuary". After months of short days, gray skies, and cool weather, we feel that we've earned the summer that is surely, surely just about to dawn. Late May and early June tease sunset times approaching 9pm and our first tastes of warmth.<br />
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Then June hits its stride... and it's horrible. One day the cold damp of the worst days of winter drips on us relentlessly. The next day, it's unexpectedly 83 degrees and everybody melts. Every once in a while, we experience one of those moderate summer days so sublime that we all remember why we live here - which then casts us into the deep emotional pit of knowing we have to wait a month for another one.<br />
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So you might understand my mixed feelings about the fact that this year, June has been stunning. Gorgeous. Gardening weather almost since Day One. I mean obviously, I love it. The garden is exploding, we build a new area for sitting and campfires (more on that in a future post), and we're spending every second outside. On the other hand, I have to assume this is a sign of the coming climate change apocalypse.<br />
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As long as we're all going to roast ourselves alive, slowly but inexorably marching towards a complete collapse of all human civilization that definitely could have been avoided if we'd paid half as much to science as to reality TV, at least I'm going to have a nice garden for a few years first.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj12rFuaIiWGcdDfzjFiWxWsJDS6k7ZTuI-87tTPZDhV1qDaVW_Q_E_B0GmFZoj5PJItbkkh9dSSb4SJpl62JwRxtUTdDlb43AjzWVobafWXokYLjFpp8kh4s0xiTiabLH63vrROpPOqRg/s1600/IMG_0287.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj12rFuaIiWGcdDfzjFiWxWsJDS6k7ZTuI-87tTPZDhV1qDaVW_Q_E_B0GmFZoj5PJItbkkh9dSSb4SJpl62JwRxtUTdDlb43AjzWVobafWXokYLjFpp8kh4s0xiTiabLH63vrROpPOqRg/s400/IMG_0287.JPG" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu-EFOUG3lv_sU9_k4K1xv1ZJ2Uq9ThXpKaoeYKUpIsGSiYGmOEsJnWVdhcdj6bxmjpRKLBEth40VpHFwFeFylXYVp7yFqHv2hbQ-kOqfUo8aUM_zSxHoGanS3z6EKuQ66fUZEjTOn68c/s1600/35283684_10105483528921148_5276410788205035520_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu-EFOUG3lv_sU9_k4K1xv1ZJ2Uq9ThXpKaoeYKUpIsGSiYGmOEsJnWVdhcdj6bxmjpRKLBEth40VpHFwFeFylXYVp7yFqHv2hbQ-kOqfUo8aUM_zSxHoGanS3z6EKuQ66fUZEjTOn68c/s400/35283684_10105483528921148_5276410788205035520_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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A strawberry in the hand .... and a whole lot more soon to be in our hands.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiITfL0kX7iQG-SIW-kolEw06WDEUU0kRjQV-DU9lYc4eP4lwWba-uYdsMQa-DJR42qTbcYscyc2r5iDZ5cFbXfSns7pxXd92T9WqERE39p_IUY-qr8jGwDXi9q3mwy219jOwC2R0qxoe0/s1600/IMG_0289.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiITfL0kX7iQG-SIW-kolEw06WDEUU0kRjQV-DU9lYc4eP4lwWba-uYdsMQa-DJR42qTbcYscyc2r5iDZ5cFbXfSns7pxXd92T9WqERE39p_IUY-qr8jGwDXi9q3mwy219jOwC2R0qxoe0/s640/IMG_0289.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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The peas may have ever so slightly outgrown their supports....</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZtL-byfhOxrIVBtCQuN4St9wO69vQmH2BwMof86zobbyZiVGRNgGIsgKLTQnruVL6J2XjeE3YcAMdKopfq6jcKcf72arVxshR5Z7GGYpQ8wMGDfyAQYJHwUhzEHnB6iR-_0OYy0z-J-8/s1600/IMG_0295.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZtL-byfhOxrIVBtCQuN4St9wO69vQmH2BwMof86zobbyZiVGRNgGIsgKLTQnruVL6J2XjeE3YcAMdKopfq6jcKcf72arVxshR5Z7GGYpQ8wMGDfyAQYJHwUhzEHnB6iR-_0OYy0z-J-8/s640/IMG_0295.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Potatoes!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK11E9exV5wvrBusJXgCOlGsAPKPn_4HzrZOAgxb1R-gLqqB1d8rasgoXJi7rGAi_6VwsC7bdV6x2jktk_CouxuyyT-i6qrsjZnYtIUzB5GbgoDVKG-xCRVRFd1WQyaFFWvWQ6d-G0P0s/s1600/IMG_0284.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK11E9exV5wvrBusJXgCOlGsAPKPn_4HzrZOAgxb1R-gLqqB1d8rasgoXJi7rGAi_6VwsC7bdV6x2jktk_CouxuyyT-i6qrsjZnYtIUzB5GbgoDVKG-xCRVRFd1WQyaFFWvWQ6d-G0P0s/s640/IMG_0284.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The lavender is easily twice as big as last year already.</td></tr>
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Does anyone have suggestions for what to do with radishes? I planted SO MANY RADISHES. So far, I've roasted, pickled, sliced in salads, made coleslaw... and the bed is still 3/4 full.<br />
<br />Hermione's Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07918668936918441912noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8936053285571550511.post-74659300922299141042018-05-19T16:18:00.000-07:002018-05-19T16:18:24.075-07:00Berried AliveIt's a long-awaited dream come true. We have a berry patch!<br />
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Since we first terraced the hillside into raised beds years ago, I've known that they were destined to house a host of perennials. This year, we finally had the right setup and no other more-pressing projects in the way. So I went berry crazy!<br />
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The bed closest to the house holds blueberries. They're pretty all year, so we put them in the most visible place. We picked highbush varieties because we have the space for the larger plants, and they generally have the most vibrant fall foliage. We're starting with 3-4 plants each of early, mid, and late season varieties, for a total of 10 bushes. That will extend our harvest of sweet-tart juicy berries for as long as possible! The types we planted are:<br />
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Early: Spartan, Patriot<br />
Mid: Bluecrop, Chandler<br />
Late: Legacy<br />
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We have room for another row of plants, so we'll see which one we like best this year, and then add more next time around.<br />
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Across from the blueberries is our future strawberry patch. I gave it a kick-start with about 25 Shuksan and a few Albion, but it's still mostly empty awaiting the end of this strawberry season. We have a patch of strawberry plants currently, which I'll move into their new home after they finish fruiting this year. Strawberries are heavy feeders, so I'm sure they'll appreciate a fresh, well-nourished new bed. And I'll appreciate having a whole additional bed for my annual veggies!<br />
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Both of the back beds are full of one of my all-time favorite foods - raspberries. We have a mix of Meeker, Tulameen, and some kind of golden raspberry I wasn't planning to buy but couldn't pass up. There are also a few canes someone shared with me from their garden (plus one lone gooseberry they had on hand.) The canes look so small now that it's hard to imagine they'll ever become the giant tangle I know most raspberry patches to be. I'm so excited to see them grow!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH37t2u12cGLN4VXNDE1baKAISwtfhZp3WZN2CnBvXicKCVHhfv4nOS6ckS8VFBRBmHZnftbAUcXPLa5gbtAPc2vd1_Ki_drI7-ZHxt950LdJGN86LU1yPORyowqX47_7fdjwmZUhclP8/s1600/32150808_10105405010677338_5335459188296384512_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH37t2u12cGLN4VXNDE1baKAISwtfhZp3WZN2CnBvXicKCVHhfv4nOS6ckS8VFBRBmHZnftbAUcXPLa5gbtAPc2vd1_Ki_drI7-ZHxt950LdJGN86LU1yPORyowqX47_7fdjwmZUhclP8/s640/32150808_10105405010677338_5335459188296384512_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Does anybody know how to separate out raspberry canes that were sold planted together in one big pot? <br />Because obviously I don't. </td></tr>
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In the rest of the garden, we currently have:<br />
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<ul>
<li>Half a bed of lettuce (mixed varieties) - I always intend to succession-plant this so we don't end up with it all ripe at once, but then I can never resist planting every available inch at the first possible second.</li>
<li>Half a bed of radishes (mixed varieties) - little red crowns are already peeking out! </li>
<li>Half a bed of sugar snap and snow peas - holy cow do those things grow fast! Every year I plant a couple different varieties to see what I like best, and then every year I forget what I put where, and anyway the vines are so entangled by that point it's impossible to tell what's coming from where anyway. But I've never had one I didn't love, so it doesn't really matter.</li>
<li>Half a bed of broccolini! It's my first time growing this, because I get cranky about how much space each individual plant takes up. But I have to say, they're very nice plants. And as a bonus, some volunteer lettuce that sprang back up from last year is loving the shade underneath the broccolini leaves. </li>
<li>A bed of garlic, which I'm hoping can come out soon - we plant our garlic in late fall and let it overwinter, so it's the first thing to pop up in spring. </li>
<li>Oodles of potato hills. I had no idea before I started growing potatoes myself how much fun they are! Once the plants take off, I swear you can actually hear them growing. It happens that fast. Every day feels like a little victory, and yet they barely take any work at all. </li>
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The lavender has also, as promised, nearly doubled in size this year. I'm hoping to have some bundles or sachets available in early fall, so keep your eyes (nose?) peeled for that. </div>
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Up next: the pumpkin and squash patch! Although we grew these plants in previous years, this is the first time they'll be in what we've always intended to be their main growing area. Lesson from last year: I'll be putting hardware cloth down underneath the soil, so those digging barbarian voles can't upend my precious babies. </div>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj64DXBMkMNBHf-3gdeX_Bi7KXuVguQVYlETqbaxtipMI7cFVzSp1Ofb7XTXc-gyXAblf-IcqkgDcTvLYIZD8pz2x2AmVlIDbWW9asEjQTgHVp4cc8hrz97VaO6LarkeNgJvde1VmkGDM/s1600/IMG_0177.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj64DXBMkMNBHf-3gdeX_Bi7KXuVguQVYlETqbaxtipMI7cFVzSp1Ofb7XTXc-gyXAblf-IcqkgDcTvLYIZD8pz2x2AmVlIDbWW9asEjQTgHVp4cc8hrz97VaO6LarkeNgJvde1VmkGDM/s640/IMG_0177.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.800000190734863px;">The Garden Guardian, hard at work and in hardcore need of a bath.<br /></td></tr>
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<br />Hermione's Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07918668936918441912noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8936053285571550511.post-71302219562276202018-05-13T12:57:00.001-07:002018-05-13T13:05:13.880-07:00The Amazing Race: Chicken EditionIf you think being the new kid in high school is tough, you've never seen me try to introduce new chickens into a well-established flock. Imagine that the entire school is one giant clique of Mean Girls (tm) and instead of cutting words, they have literal pointy beaks.<br />
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It's surprising to lots of people that chickens don't lay eggs their entire lives. Egg production peaks after a few years, then slows for a few, and then often stops entirely. (Shower thought: does that mean chickens go through henopause?) Our ladies are now three years old. So to grow our flock and plan for a steady flow of eggs in the future, it was time to introduce a few new girls.<br />
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I've known from the very beginning that we would eventually need to do this. I was excited to re-live the adorable baby stage, get to know some new breeds, and introduce different egg colors. But I was very, very worried about the well-documented difficulty of introducing new chickens into your flock.<br />
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The phrase "pecking order"? Yeah, that's a real thing. Chickens establish a social order, and they don't like to have their places threatened by newcomers. When new chickens are introduced, the existing flock can bully them, sometimes violently. While some amount of jockeying is to be expected, there is a lot of guidance out there on how to integrate new girls as seamlessly as possible.<br />
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So here's what we did:<br />
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1. We purchased chickens that were already a couple of months old. While this meant missing out on the incredibly adorable fluffy-chick-down phase, it meant several weeks less of keeping them totally separate and under a heat lamp. (They're still tiny and adorable.) We did keep them separate until they were big enough to defend themselves. And we got three so they could help each other out - it can be much harder to introduce just one or two.<br />
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2. When we did put them into the coop, we set up a large wire cage/playpen just for the little ones. The two groups could see and hear each other, but with a barrier between them. That way, they could start safely getting used to each other.<br />
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3. After a couple weeks, we opened the door! The little girls can still get in and out of the playpen, but the big ones can't. And there's food inside, reducing competition at the feeder. So they're together, but with some refuge. We did the initial introduction in the evening, when the older chickens would be groggy, and we gave them some treats to distract them at the same time.<br />
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Sounds easy, right?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYO87jmQhmxh1FBk8BJbQJ0ecGOH11RfjGsroQ8lM4hob4nJgQLd8_dGtKxuocq9TMCVK_69xeuG_Kv3PfnciOSciRQMtxi8_Q6cYbjrab0A0RLJlbFKAdX3-jSCbr3iChyVDGghy5Wnc/s1600/32116843_10105405091400568_3526662066960072704_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYO87jmQhmxh1FBk8BJbQJ0ecGOH11RfjGsroQ8lM4hob4nJgQLd8_dGtKxuocq9TMCVK_69xeuG_Kv3PfnciOSciRQMtxi8_Q6cYbjrab0A0RLJlbFKAdX3-jSCbr3iChyVDGghy5Wnc/s640/32116843_10105405091400568_3526662066960072704_n.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I know why the caged bird squawks.</td></tr>
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Welllllll....<br />
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We were starting Step 2. The playpen was set up. We brought the three new ladies into the run, in a box. Preparing to put them into the playpen, we opened the box.<br />
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All hell broke loose.<br />
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A tornado of flapping and squawking whirled through the coop as the existing flock erupted into a complete uproar. Henry, our rooster, was so perturbed that he busted right out of the coop! He yanked open a small hole in the chicken wire and ran out into the yard, hollering his head off.<br />
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Since we weren't planning on any loose chickens, we hadn't locked the dog inside the house. Our little predator took one look at the running, flapping, yodeling chicken dinner drawing all sorts of attention to itself. Then she looked at me.<br />
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Then, still making full eye contact with me, she <i>licked her chops. </i><br />
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And took off running after the chicken.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwZhyphenhyphenidS_GgHxv0EHpwKX7xLA6IfYyYcJm1dzdejFRl0PgRJo3NN7KqOXxEwl4k8HGgJHqncpRrkVnMkdyQaUoFLScGeCjkOM2mvoA7uh8ZMU30UoBxVE0UJtzzd2HOF6avHZjIWKAXaY/s1600/canvas.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="930" data-original-width="1240" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwZhyphenhyphenidS_GgHxv0EHpwKX7xLA6IfYyYcJm1dzdejFRl0PgRJo3NN7KqOXxEwl4k8HGgJHqncpRrkVnMkdyQaUoFLScGeCjkOM2mvoA7uh8ZMU30UoBxVE0UJtzzd2HOF6avHZjIWKAXaY/s640/canvas.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Y0NH2b CLPzrc" style="text-align: start;">Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? </span></td></tr>
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Imagine the ensuing scene. I'm yelling and running after the dog. Brett is hollering and chasing around a chicken. All the remaining chickens in the coop are screaming like spectators at a WWE match. Based on the noise alone, I assume all our neighbors now believe we've joined some kind of ritual murder cult.<br />
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Miraculously, no actual murder occurred that day. I caught the dog, Brett made a wild dive and snatched up the rooster, and the new little chickens eventually made it into their playpen. Ten minutes later, everyone was happily going about their business, cooing and scratching in the dirt like nothing had ever happened.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl5Zbrz-rPVBscaDLd6M_WNwDmPiiafrChdDZtg72vtukFHLzO3u7SHtZ75I6v2BTkPez24tFu6euLqHEcMBzOhUeJlz20tBxPD6rduAs-ucj-kWNOEvfIpWmI7B_5Yp9uTgiwar8lsaM/s1600/32105522_10105405091635098_3896214474880712704_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl5Zbrz-rPVBscaDLd6M_WNwDmPiiafrChdDZtg72vtukFHLzO3u7SHtZ75I6v2BTkPez24tFu6euLqHEcMBzOhUeJlz20tBxPD6rduAs-ucj-kWNOEvfIpWmI7B_5Yp9uTgiwar8lsaM/s640/32105522_10105405091635098_3896214474880712704_n.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Victory crowing.</td></tr>
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When I tell this story to people, invariably someone says "Wow, I wish you had recorded that!" I mean, yes, I totally wish we had that on film, but we'll all have to settle for the magic of the imagination here. Like THANKS BUT WE WERE KINDA PREOCCUPIED.<br />
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Anyways, the door-open playpen phase is going okay. The big ones definitely still rule the roost, and any little chicken getting in their way gets a big peck on the back. But there's no serious harm and it gets a little better every day. Our little high schoolers are growing up fast!<br />
<br />Hermione's Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07918668936918441912noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8936053285571550511.post-75695195033581094522018-04-14T19:12:00.000-07:002018-04-14T19:12:08.763-07:00Feathering our NestSince we finished the upstairs, I've stopped posting (or being productive in basically any other way at all) because I've been spending every free moment basking in the amazingness of my bedroom.<br />
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But even as the interior work on the house slows down - for now anyway, there's still plenty to do - spring is springing, and the homestead is calling.<br />
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Which brings me to today's big news! Meet the newest members of our feathered family.<br />
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<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/v5dDm1_HEKM/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/v5dDm1_HEKM?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
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The <b>Speckled Sussex</b> is named <b>Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge (aka Duchess)</b>. Her eggs will be light brown. Fun fact: apparently this breed gets more speckled as they age. So although she's mostly brown and black now with just a few white spots on her head, she'll get more white spots every year.<br />
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The <b>Cuckoo Maran </b>is named <b>Hennifer Lopez. </b>Marans lay gorgeous deep, dark brown eggs. I'm really excited to have her! <br />
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And we couldn't resist one more <b>Ameraucana</b>, colloquially called an "easter egger" because they lay blue or green eggs. We named her <b>Blanche </b>to complete our trio of golden girls. (The two easter eggers we already have are Rose and Dorothy. Originally there was supposed to be a Blanche too, but she promptly revealed herself to be a Stanley.)<br />
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The new girls are two months old, so they'll hang out in our downstairs bathtub for a few weeks (which we can do! Because we have two bathrooms now! You build a country girl a new bathroom, and she fills the old one up with chickens.) Then we'll put them out in the coop with the others, but separated by a wire barrier for the first month, so that they can see and hear but not touch each other. The purpose of that is to avoid the older girls bullying the smaller ones. I'm a little nervous about the introduction process, so we'll see how it goes. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHb7X7GNjLcyNaDsM9KbH4YPPhr7qwBEVMd7tP0FSTJmwG20NnjbFVkoOYF_ynTGWKaw_vE-HyT1ugZJJ57aNx2U0w1HFLJzy0AUf4lVnIvsRttb8RGxLVH3y8HGcZe3zOR62c4lQpxbQ/s1600/IMG-0109.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHb7X7GNjLcyNaDsM9KbH4YPPhr7qwBEVMd7tP0FSTJmwG20NnjbFVkoOYF_ynTGWKaw_vE-HyT1ugZJJ57aNx2U0w1HFLJzy0AUf4lVnIvsRttb8RGxLVH3y8HGcZe3zOR62c4lQpxbQ/s640/IMG-0109.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Love under the heat lamp. <br />Front left: Hennifer Lopez. Back left: Duchess. Back right: Blanche.</td></tr>
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Welcome to the family, ladies!Hermione's Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07918668936918441912noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8936053285571550511.post-49425174453106235212018-01-15T12:32:00.000-08:002018-01-15T13:04:30.248-08:00The Fantastic FloorIt's been a while since our last update, because honestly it's been a while since we got anything done around the house. Between the holidays, travel, new jobs, and spending a month trying to find an electrician who isn't booked until April 2030, progress has been slow. It's been nice to experience what a weekend feels like for people who aren't constantly running behind and covered in dust.A little taste of the future to come for us! (Eventually. Probably. Maybe.) Who am I kidding, as soon as we finish one project we'll decide to start another.<br />
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But new year, new motivation... and we're back on track in a big way! Because we have FINISHED THE UPSTAIRS FLOOR. Folks, this one has been years in the making. We knew right when we bought the house we'd need to re-do this floor. It was gross old wall-to-wall carpet full of cat hair, aka Audrey Kryptonite. Ripping that out was literally the first thing we did, the same day we bought the house. We purchased the heated floor mats and all the wood not long after. (The boxes for the flooring are stamped "made in 2013", which made my soul die a little bit yesterday.)<br />
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And then it sat.<br />
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Until last weekend.<br />
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We did lay out the heated floor mats about a month ago, but we had to wait for an electrician to do the final hookup. That took a whole lot of phone calls and waiting. Our original electrician doesn't work on small projects anymore, so he just refused to come back and finish the project he'd started. The new electrician didn't like some of what the first guy had done, so we had to rip out some drywall (again), replace conduit, etc. Sigh. Plus he did such a sloppy job of laying out the lead wires that we had to spend a weekend reorganizing everything. But he did what we absolutely needed him to do, and we were able to work around the rest and get it done.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcb6W94xl-nxcJAYT22Q3WqR2v7wX4_ACAOAxeT9sJCbmhGuonFZ080YcDbp4a2HxwizZsxCMLGEhx6A0KEISxXwDB3L2Ng7Sl9BRO7Ac8VVOl5Mm0WlywXvyl5_KwT4-wkEs965O0s9U/s1600/IMG_20180101_205603687.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcb6W94xl-nxcJAYT22Q3WqR2v7wX4_ACAOAxeT9sJCbmhGuonFZ080YcDbp4a2HxwizZsxCMLGEhx6A0KEISxXwDB3L2Ng7Sl9BRO7Ac8VVOl5Mm0WlywXvyl5_KwT4-wkEs965O0s9U/s640/IMG_20180101_205603687.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heating mats and floor pad laid out, plus a giant stack of flooring and trim in the corner. We're going to have to figure out where that goes soon... </td></tr>
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Then it was time to lay the flooring! It's click-and-lock floating floor, which we've installed once before in this house. I was dreading it because the mudroom floor took a lot of brute force to shove into place tightly, and this is a lot more area to cover. But happily, this particular product works a little bit differently, and it goes together easily. This was a good two-person project. We got into a nice rhythm - usually
Brett measuring and me cutting, or when there were two different areas
to work on, each of us taking a side. <br />
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So once we got cooking, it started to go pretty quickly. That means that we also pretty quickly ran into the stuff we'd been keeping on the subfloor - the boxes of unused flooring, the saws, the built-ins that were temporarily pulled out of the closet. So as we worked, we kept having to pause and move our tools onto the finished floor behind us. If you like both jigsaw puzzles and manual labor, this project is for you!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipl0pNa1JK1w7xmT4WT0At8OI5Za77zVbOnZsPjJsRWLWEn3xFmEbdbZoxq_jC9ZwAwoFqYVF46MiwWNAiRzHWykHxPV5YfgERGow71kbwL2dCAhAoDsdMZAaQgCr1KNj_Qs94W4MEUbA/s1600/IMG_20180107_203255455_LL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipl0pNa1JK1w7xmT4WT0At8OI5Za77zVbOnZsPjJsRWLWEn3xFmEbdbZoxq_jC9ZwAwoFqYVF46MiwWNAiRzHWykHxPV5YfgERGow71kbwL2dCAhAoDsdMZAaQgCr1KNj_Qs94W4MEUbA/s640/IMG_20180107_203255455_LL.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Floor in progress. Note that all the crap has moved to the other side of the room. Not pictured: giant bottle of Advil.</td></tr>
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We definitely made things a little harder on ourselves because of the way we chose to lay out the boards. It's a funky-shaped room in a funky-shaped house, so there probably wasn't really an easy way anyway.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZtGU7pBxsprmtJIxSVgT7B9wuwo2T9a820b1XcTfHpsLMjAGzPf_A15-8_NPlBhxe91_iceZu23h8YCvlLiuo8cs2CSDMeXEJOYLSUqmQQXFmO0JUfaCl36A_bPrApsYDypdgKZqoRNI/s1600/IMG_20180107_195420498.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZtGU7pBxsprmtJIxSVgT7B9wuwo2T9a820b1XcTfHpsLMjAGzPf_A15-8_NPlBhxe91_iceZu23h8YCvlLiuo8cs2CSDMeXEJOYLSUqmQQXFmO0JUfaCl36A_bPrApsYDypdgKZqoRNI/s640/IMG_20180107_195420498.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not standard.</td></tr>
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To me, this is the hard part of doing your own flooring. The actual installation isn't really difficult. It's thinking through all the details to minimize your waste and weird-sized corners before you even put down your first board. Once you've laid a couple of rows, you've set the pattern that you'll have to follow come hell or high water for the rest of the room. I'm not a great spatial thinker - I'm your girl if you want an essay, but I hereby issue a heartfelt apology to anyone who has ever tried to follow me somewhere in a car - so thankfully Brett has this department covered for us. <br />
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We decided to start at the top of the stairs - the first thing you see when you enter the room, and also the most complicated area because of the transitions between multiple rooms and corners.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGxz1ButfINvJ5wWuKSk4ElsMm8EA8H-omxYnAp3SUB85lOaSeKE4EOhEk1lw19WsSza6Go9XYD1K1aS4bj1N2XaF0-DdBEW6xlYFLQ_7-cjZYlp7gYFso2UwK6vszoVs6oaQGI9U6pqw/s1600/IMG_20180107_203432437.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGxz1ButfINvJ5wWuKSk4ElsMm8EA8H-omxYnAp3SUB85lOaSeKE4EOhEk1lw19WsSza6Go9XYD1K1aS4bj1N2XaF0-DdBEW6xlYFLQ_7-cjZYlp7gYFso2UwK6vszoVs6oaQGI9U6pqw/s640/IMG_20180107_203432437.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brett says: "This is my art! Someday I will show this photograph to my grandchildren." <br />
We are going to have some really bored grandchildren.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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Two weekends and two extremely sore backs later, the floor is in! And it heats up! Now please excuse me while I go lay down on the lovely new warm floor and moan.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Sk2-oPajkGRlCuQm15TF-oZRukdrVHjXIWyrNNQXmGjh7Ig5bzbitg20ltyPh7zpS0AnDMxlQuixSvu26bIaWqfo40PDGwWQ_XWGVtBrQWVR9JHlMUvu_6acj_fK3ww63ekqsIeHjQc/s1600/IMG_20180115_125829697.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Sk2-oPajkGRlCuQm15TF-oZRukdrVHjXIWyrNNQXmGjh7Ig5bzbitg20ltyPh7zpS0AnDMxlQuixSvu26bIaWqfo40PDGwWQ_XWGVtBrQWVR9JHlMUvu_6acj_fK3ww63ekqsIeHjQc/s640/IMG_20180115_125829697.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I think she likes it! It took her 9.2 seconds to locate the warmest, sunniest spot and plunk herself down. </td></tr>
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<br />Hermione's Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07918668936918441912noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8936053285571550511.post-17134931399313607702017-11-06T22:07:00.003-08:002017-11-06T22:07:29.698-08:00Fencing the GoodsAs a birthday present, I asked for us to hire some help finishing up the stonework and the fence. Yes, my birthday is in July. Yes, it's now November. That one got away from us a little bit.<br />
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Anyway, it's so much fun to see it finally coming together! And it's even more fun to have someone else do the work for a while... <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf4im1eQIXPD0dXHcrICPDhKGr-4W5vhaXAoi0ZLJcuZIIQhknSE_vLosFaR3w3Zw5nf7iLFrAsk46g3tfMtUYpA7xCyfSWpznXWjWPHRPKVzUz27-U4ikDFqXFiUgbhq8XtupibZnjzQ/s1600/IMG_20170930_133550517_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf4im1eQIXPD0dXHcrICPDhKGr-4W5vhaXAoi0ZLJcuZIIQhknSE_vLosFaR3w3Zw5nf7iLFrAsk46g3tfMtUYpA7xCyfSWpznXWjWPHRPKVzUz27-U4ikDFqXFiUgbhq8XtupibZnjzQ/s640/IMG_20170930_133550517_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fence in late summer</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fence in fall<br /></td></tr>
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Okay, we may have taken a lot of photos of this scene through the seasons. Monet had his haystacks, I have my fence.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIqfR6b0mTHwDY2uJ46RoKyZkEp1utIpUWaag24H959He2_iT4wWQW8HjhzNfGxasmAWCNyM0UoaEpu_SBWr-aj1w5Ifh2msLx0gjhH2zNHlzh1Hg1EtdUjJb9gLXZj6BBT2SAuQYVFgo/s1600/IMG_20171028_174805097.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIqfR6b0mTHwDY2uJ46RoKyZkEp1utIpUWaag24H959He2_iT4wWQW8HjhzNfGxasmAWCNyM0UoaEpu_SBWr-aj1w5Ifh2msLx0gjhH2zNHlzh1Hg1EtdUjJb9gLXZj6BBT2SAuQYVFgo/s640/IMG_20171028_174805097.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flagstone pathway</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRke7sEwhPXx13gzTl0XVK3qeFXxlc85bdNo5zkKq7paYmA0XKPGtX8CeedBIwO8D6SC_l3Tend7zB3cCVUJ4z_YHw7P6ToTXAfIeVdzkxrzlNx5e3b8tbkmePIEdhCd3RUDM-REAEv60/s1600/IMG_20171104_172049973.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRke7sEwhPXx13gzTl0XVK3qeFXxlc85bdNo5zkKq7paYmA0XKPGtX8CeedBIwO8D6SC_l3Tend7zB3cCVUJ4z_YHw7P6ToTXAfIeVdzkxrzlNx5e3b8tbkmePIEdhCd3RUDM-REAEv60/s640/IMG_20171104_172049973.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And flagstone stairs!</td></tr>
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There are still a million things I want to do in the yard that aren't finished yet, but this visible progress is really nice. And so is being able to walk out of the house without getting mud up to my knees! <br />
<br />Hermione's Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07918668936918441912noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8936053285571550511.post-11037375897004787192017-09-24T23:12:00.001-07:002017-09-24T23:14:26.112-07:00What it All Boils Down ToShana tovah u'metukah! Wishing everyone a good and sweet new year.<br />
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The Jewish new year is traditionally celebrated with sweet foods, especially apples and honey. Combine that with my overwhelming urge to celebrate fall by apple-slash-pumpkin-spicing everything in a three mile radius, and you get my annual habit of making a bit batch of something apple-y to share. This year: apple cider caramels!<br />
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Somewhere along the line I stumbled across <a href="http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/apple-cider-caramels-recipe" target="_blank">this recipe</a> from King Arthur Flour. Making candy can sound intimidating, but this really is easy. Basically, you dump most of the ingredients into a pot, heat them up to a specific temperature, toss in a couple of spices, and then pour the whole mixture into a pan to set up overnight. The next day, cut it into individual pieces and wrap them in wax paper.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNxnSooK6BRwJwmiqwJmZTV42ZLgBWrCpbAINPPX8PxLGMt9qr90o1wWLUceYKWFv9UC_yE4oA0-mymP0uJa5U_TXlEfgHAhfUPGyIuXDuVmW_Y0XxdBqFYiyOfnAM36BsDxOj5i7Lu2o/s1600/IMG_4022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNxnSooK6BRwJwmiqwJmZTV42ZLgBWrCpbAINPPX8PxLGMt9qr90o1wWLUceYKWFv9UC_yE4oA0-mymP0uJa5U_TXlEfgHAhfUPGyIuXDuVmW_Y0XxdBqFYiyOfnAM36BsDxOj5i7Lu2o/s640/IMG_4022.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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But this recipe also has - wait for it - a secret ingredient! And that ingredient is <i>boiled cider. </i></div>
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The recipe just lists boiled cider along with the other ingredients, like this is something everyone has a) heard of, and b) has on hand in their pantry. I had no idea what it was, although it sounded charmingly old-timey. Of course, King Arthur sells a little bottle for some astronomical sum of money. But I'm impatient and cheap, so waiting two weeks for a bottle of liquid gold wasn't gonna happen. I wondered if there was a way to make a substitute on my own.</div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8936053285571550511" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a>So I did a little digging, and lo and behold, boiled cider is ... apple cider that's been boiled. Go figure. Basically, it's a gallon of cider that's been boiled down to a pint. It takes several hours on the stovetop over medium heat, but it doesn't take much attention and it makes your house smell amazing. The result is a dark, viscous liquid, almost reminiscent of molasses, that tastes of pure concentrated apple. It's intense and delicious, and I'm already completely obsessed.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5uButM9Z9EydM8HDO6SNJMYNkOpUA-B-AKZ2rpiofok0jTts3_84J1BbMzhy_MQHMIduBE3e_QqriHKncPdqMuERI5Nx7cXCan2FsuxFhr-UCaHG-6IQCuZU97IJo07Vbd9zZBkMOwYs/s1600/IMG_4006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5uButM9Z9EydM8HDO6SNJMYNkOpUA-B-AKZ2rpiofok0jTts3_84J1BbMzhy_MQHMIduBE3e_QqriHKncPdqMuERI5Nx7cXCan2FsuxFhr-UCaHG-6IQCuZU97IJo07Vbd9zZBkMOwYs/s640/IMG_4006.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Get a gallon of apple cider. Pour two cups into a large stockpot. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVKTw-63FDCGTPtTWEGqwUSoQQyrEAy08R0g9ZLC9RuOg4Pn6PxucA6gjyZUOUWiqkHQVtwpA3XHLrK81vMakM7Rj6bWLL2PvFk0_z5OJDOAgQzwtCTZB5xnJP6EO_vFTngTGcSvjBMuA/s1600/IMG_4007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVKTw-63FDCGTPtTWEGqwUSoQQyrEAy08R0g9ZLC9RuOg4Pn6PxucA6gjyZUOUWiqkHQVtwpA3XHLrK81vMakM7Rj6bWLL2PvFk0_z5OJDOAgQzwtCTZB5xnJP6EO_vFTngTGcSvjBMuA/s640/IMG_4007.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dip in a wooden chopstick, and mark the level of the top of the liquid. Then pour in the rest of the gallon and start boiling.<br />
When the level of liquid is back down to the mark on your chopstick, you're done.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtYPIO4DFmQouv-9FrRMV1u6Rkjmz9NDluD7zr3Wtda-6IuCvxYJs731ERnItzjfiJmWrROp-v8hC0Bf_6-4R61frNG2gQCI0gm1jnHeFbfY4ddPRo23vZQp72d-NkmQMU9FxGgBxf_JQ/s1600/IMG_0153.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1196" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtYPIO4DFmQouv-9FrRMV1u6Rkjmz9NDluD7zr3Wtda-6IuCvxYJs731ERnItzjfiJmWrROp-v8hC0Bf_6-4R61frNG2gQCI0gm1jnHeFbfY4ddPRo23vZQp72d-NkmQMU9FxGgBxf_JQ/s640/IMG_0153.JPG" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Boiled cider!</td></tr>
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Used as the main flavoring in the caramels, boiled cider makes them taste like a slice of apple pie. You can put it in baked goods like cider donuts or apple cake to amp up the apple flavor, or just straight up as a topping on ice cream or pancakes. It keeps for ages in the fridge. I'm pretty convinced it's fall's perfect food.<br />
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We used a good-quality store-bought cider for this batch. But this weekend we did some apple pressing, and I'm looking forward to trying it again with some really fresh juice.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsvsk7Ml9DNN0FNx2TGeW4OkDTDMpQJnPjboc_iD5mjvGrWVQiCqxW7kpVq7Y3Varvpsvk9wFZYk6UZ9HmGVmmYzk23tULFuAtc1A6y0ge5HJnGCUGuCmS1GnumkRO3-nUjR6dYGcZsjk/s1600/IMG_20170924_113041303_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsvsk7Ml9DNN0FNx2TGeW4OkDTDMpQJnPjboc_iD5mjvGrWVQiCqxW7kpVq7Y3Varvpsvk9wFZYk6UZ9HmGVmmYzk23tULFuAtc1A6y0ge5HJnGCUGuCmS1GnumkRO3-nUjR6dYGcZsjk/s640/IMG_20170924_113041303_HDR.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hermione guards the apples.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFfohBTZJ-vcx_hW5h5ckXSMcVxBdhU-qY8_ZgangINc64MEDBu63iqPpV_HM2DzMuRwYJGN6yPi97sSnoYheje_a_M_T-vE8kLX0Ret_A6AtwyjnrniSyKmKLhH5HX6VykneNjriD9DE/s1600/IMG_20170924_170407905_LL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1592" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFfohBTZJ-vcx_hW5h5ckXSMcVxBdhU-qY8_ZgangINc64MEDBu63iqPpV_HM2DzMuRwYJGN6yPi97sSnoYheje_a_M_T-vE8kLX0Ret_A6AtwyjnrniSyKmKLhH5HX6VykneNjriD9DE/s400/IMG_20170924_170407905_LL.jpg" width="397" /></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.800000190734863px;">When transporting your cider home in the car, remember to buckle up for safety!</td></tr>
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What a delicious way to start the new year! </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT01qUgcolrDdhbjhzTTaJWLutAIuGNr6nKTLeeRHl5qFLu-QWMyglREJapmefjYDTpZermJ2yn-TtoJ-MB6pErNhU_VxCducj-volTe8YZjCcpYZB6JVGgAJe8Gx5HE7TOGbcZhT_LzU/s1600/IMG_3949.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT01qUgcolrDdhbjhzTTaJWLutAIuGNr6nKTLeeRHl5qFLu-QWMyglREJapmefjYDTpZermJ2yn-TtoJ-MB6pErNhU_VxCducj-volTe8YZjCcpYZB6JVGgAJe8Gx5HE7TOGbcZhT_LzU/s640/IMG_3949.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hermie says: Happy 5778!</td></tr>
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Hermione's Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07918668936918441912noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8936053285571550511.post-90905566247927875532017-09-16T22:36:00.001-07:002017-09-16T22:36:10.234-07:00Dry Humor<span style="font-family: inherit;">Bonjour! This week we are feeling <span style="color: #212121; white-space: pre-wrap;">très français, because the house is perfumed with huge bunches freshly-harvested lavender hanging up to dry.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #212121; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #212121; font-family: inherit;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">As the last of the warm, dry weather slips away, we need to wrap up our summer outdoor tasks. One of the </span></span><span style="color: #212121;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">most pleasant has been pruning and harvesting the lavender border. This was a truly surprising joy for me! </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #212121; white-space: pre-wrap;">Commerically-grown lavender is usually harvested in early summer, just before the flowers bloom, when the color and scent of the cut flowers will be strongest. However, we planted ours primarily to attract pollinators to the vegetable garden. So we didn't really intend to "harvest" the flowers - just to let them grow and bloom in the garden, enjoying them right alongside the bees. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #212121; white-space: pre-wrap;">Since I've mostly grown vegetables, and moved pretty frequently to boot, I'm not that familiar with how to care for perennials. That's changed a little bit this year as I've learned to tend our strawberries and fennel. (And I'm hoping soon, some raspberries!) But I still had to do some research on how to prepare our lavender plants for fall.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #212121;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">What I learned is that the flowers should be cut off, allowing the plants to invest their energy into developing the healthy roots and leaves that will see it through the rest of the year. And if you do that before the rainy season, you can still preserve the flowers! Basically, if you didn't harvest in summer, pruning for the health of the plant is also a fall harvest. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #212121;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #212121; white-space: pre-wrap;">Actually doing this "chore" makes me feel like some kind of seed-catalog cover model. First of all, it's easy. You just bundle up flowers in your hand and snip the stems off above the leaves. Harvesting the entire plant only takes a few cuts, and every touch releases a wave of gorgeous lavender scent. Up close, I can watch fat, fuzzy bees flitting between the flowers. I left a few of the smaller, late-blooming stems in place for them. (Pro tip: This particular aspect is only idyllic if you watch really, really carefully to make sure you don't harvest a bee. I may have had a few near misses in this area.)</span><br />
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<span style="color: #212121;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Our plants are still young and fairly small, so I hadn't realized just how many flowers there would be.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgocM3yJqMHFhwtZKmDGtkduo3QW3FLsokr08k4K97pNf7EnDt4htpTC8LSdIHv1iBlEMEBD_c3kk1bj__JsHA8OOKa7yikl4F-4OCUJ7km1TcA0AeI3HzZOlhu1i-_Pj93lSAxEX-6JlY/s1600/IMG_3992-2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgocM3yJqMHFhwtZKmDGtkduo3QW3FLsokr08k4K97pNf7EnDt4htpTC8LSdIHv1iBlEMEBD_c3kk1bj__JsHA8OOKa7yikl4F-4OCUJ7km1TcA0AeI3HzZOlhu1i-_Pj93lSAxEX-6JlY/s640/IMG_3992-2.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This isn't even half! Waiting to be sorted, bunched, and hung.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOayw7pkcgbnv5qKWybybHPs044W2xRojdl2Csf3F5nnwMzINSrn5_jn1Irz891-gqiX4n-hY7X8t2JBMqLBeDk6PgJzf4IWJ02b4nbz5N6B3G6fARymhmuM13ilQJjv9202RctqhsyFA/s1600/IMG_3993.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOayw7pkcgbnv5qKWybybHPs044W2xRojdl2Csf3F5nnwMzINSrn5_jn1Irz891-gqiX4n-hY7X8t2JBMqLBeDk6PgJzf4IWJ02b4nbz5N6B3G6fARymhmuM13ilQJjv9202RctqhsyFA/s640/IMG_3993.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">French lavender, sorted on a marble counter, with the sunshine pouring in ... are you sure I'm not in Provence? </td></tr>
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<span style="color: #212121;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Sorting and bunching actually took quite a bit of time and effort. And then I had to figure out where and how to hang it to dry for a couple of weeks. Inner MacGyver, activate!</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #212121;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Most sources recommend drying lavender in a dark place to preserve the purple color. Since this was late harvest, however, the color is already somewhat faded and mold and rot are bigger concerns. I decided to hang the bunches in a sunny spot to remove as much moisture as possible. What sunny indoor spot can I take over completely for a few weeks? Ah-ha - the laundry room window. (Wear those socks sparingly, hubby...) </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja5A7e20_YX5HJixKB54qsInVXnGiKxpnC0ajrCKOHer_o4bXA0LJKhmTBe7huUX6pzd2t_CgHWuTFU-076Jf86MBHfwgq8kxBH2Mz8ZqsAu-7gXdc8e8KIoLE_jcdxb0G3i_smzK_fno/s1600/IMG_3997.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja5A7e20_YX5HJixKB54qsInVXnGiKxpnC0ajrCKOHer_o4bXA0LJKhmTBe7huUX6pzd2t_CgHWuTFU-076Jf86MBHfwgq8kxBH2Mz8ZqsAu-7gXdc8e8KIoLE_jcdxb0G3i_smzK_fno/s640/IMG_3997.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One laundry rack, one basket, one roll of paper towel, and a lot of rubber bands and binder clips later...</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #212121;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Now I have a little time to think about what I want to do with all that dried lavender! I know for sure that I want to make some sachets for clothing drawers. Other than that... lavender bath salts? Selling a few bunches? Suggestions welcome!</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWtPINC_O9Q8Bnpvj8gUnXdASfa3-FUryTcT-QtmpnPpDbANGDsRKmYgKHZh7VcKIwIwML1gCsukkj_VM0E0fOuxsb_wVa4RHq_O3pxTuF_t-Fq7YVloinZsfubEK04Fyjw-yKu1Ukzk0/s1600/IMG_20170904_154749627_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWtPINC_O9Q8Bnpvj8gUnXdASfa3-FUryTcT-QtmpnPpDbANGDsRKmYgKHZh7VcKIwIwML1gCsukkj_VM0E0fOuxsb_wVa4RHq_O3pxTuF_t-Fq7YVloinZsfubEK04Fyjw-yKu1Ukzk0/s640/IMG_20170904_154749627_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A pensive Hermione, probably considering what to make with dried lavender. </td></tr>
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Hermione's Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07918668936918441912noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8936053285571550511.post-13548808739200910802017-09-05T20:16:00.002-07:002017-09-05T20:16:35.338-07:00Paint the Town WhiteNow that the bathroom is done, we're working on the rest of the upstairs. We're making a lot fewer changes, so this should be (comparatively) simple.<br />
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First up - paint! We're painting before laying the floor so that we don't have to worry about accidental spills or drips. It feels a little odd to be painting an unfinished room, but it is convenient. At least, it's convenient when I'm not stepping over piles of lumber or squeezing around a table saw.<br />
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We're not making any more significant changes to the walls, but they did need some minor patching before we got going. The spackling and sanding were fairly painless... with one big exception.<br />
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You may remember that we removed a wainscot-height wallpaper border <a href="http://www.hermioneshouse.com/2016/10/im-in-love-with-stripper.html" target="_blank">a few months back</a>. Underneath where that wallpaper had been, you can see an older coat of paint in a different color. That's the darker blue strip in the photo below.<br />
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I've been dyyyyyyiiiiiiing to paint this over. It makes the space feel really unfinished, and I knew a coat of paint would completely transform the feeling of the room. But when I got up close to the wall for the repairs, I realized it wasn't going to be quite that straightforward.<br />
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The appliqué had been applied, and then the entire wall was painted over. So where you see that strip, there was actually a small raised bead of paint along the top and bottom edges. It was just large enough that it would cause a visible line even after a new coat of paint.<br />
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I was worried about damaging the drywall, so I started gently with a drywall sanding block. When that wasn't effective, I moved to 150 grit sandpaper... then 80... and half an hour later I was shoving my entire body weight behind the orbital sander. I even had to do it a second time, when the first pass still showed a line through a test area of new paint.<br />
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Naturally, it was 80+ degrees outside, which is exactly when you want to be stuck in a face mask, goggles, and hair covering. I am officially sick of the orbital sander.<br />
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But the result is so worth it! Our walls and ceiling are painted. We still have to do the closet ceiling and the stairwell, but the real transformation has already happened - suddenly we can feel what this room will be like when it's done.<br />
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And now, for no reason other than pure happiness, enjoy this video of Hermione rolling around in the sand.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/BF8pcBK5mko" width="560"></iframe>Hermione's Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07918668936918441912noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8936053285571550511.post-76656638338995114422017-09-01T11:38:00.003-07:002017-09-01T11:41:23.843-07:00In Praise of BlackberriesSince I love homegrown food, you might think I would also do a fair amount of wild foraging. Unfortunately, my plant identification game is just not that on point. I'm fairly convinced that given even the slightest opportunity, I would pull a Chris McCandless and promptly poison myself on some ersatz potatoes. But there is one plant I forage with absolute confidence and wild impunity. I'm referring, of course, to the blackberry.<br />
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If you've spent more than about ten minutes in the Pacific Northwest, you've seen blackberries growing wild in every forgotten corner. They're unmistakable. Most of the year, they're a terrible pest. The invasive, thorny vines grow like you neglected to invite a wicked fairy to your christening, forming a tangled mass that wends its way under and over and around and straight through anything that holds still.<br />
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But then late summer arrives. The berries bloom. And for a few brief weeks, you lay down your flamethrower and your enmity, and just enjoy the incredible bounty of shining ripe purple-black jewels. <br />
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Every summer, I say I'm going to pick enough blackberries to keep us in jam, pies, and smoothies all year. And every summer, the time gets away from me. So this week when I get home, I'm pulling out the kitchen colander, walking out to the corner, and filling it up with berries to freeze for later. My legs are scratched, my hands are full of thorny splinters, and my fingers and teeth are going to be stained purple for days. And I couldn't be happier. <br />
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I'm sure there's a life lesson somewhere in all of this. I'm just too busy eating wild, juicy berries to think about it. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_YOa_XBeyR2zzhgXL5MdiQiWKRhJrpOWm6bgfzmLx0rtw8pfymUt5A2xtXSipDwRdW8XukARYAjY3UV8i9IHAiKAKXt8k1-KHZDt_VEf1PXIjkEsGWI9bDAmHkAYNc0AJG8jUXQOJUrI/s1600/11913392_10102863878601388_5254687644301737492_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_YOa_XBeyR2zzhgXL5MdiQiWKRhJrpOWm6bgfzmLx0rtw8pfymUt5A2xtXSipDwRdW8XukARYAjY3UV8i9IHAiKAKXt8k1-KHZDt_VEf1PXIjkEsGWI9bDAmHkAYNc0AJG8jUXQOJUrI/s640/11913392_10102863878601388_5254687644301737492_n.jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of my favorite berry-picking buddies.</td></tr>
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Hermione's Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07918668936918441912noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8936053285571550511.post-71342504999589547282017-08-22T20:09:00.001-07:002017-08-22T20:15:37.763-07:00May this House be Safe from VampiresWe LOVE garlic, and we use it in pretty much every meal we cook. It's also fun to grow, because you can plant it in late fall and it's one of the first things that comes up in the spring. This year, we tried a few new ways to preserve our garlic harvest. Let's just say the house is very safe from vampires now - and probably from any visitors at all, for at least the next 24 hours. <br />
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For some reason, the hardneck garlic failed completely; only the softneck grew. I was initially planning to cure it in a garlic braid. However, once we pulled it up we saw that we'd left it in the ground too long, and the outer skins were damaged. That doesn't hurt the fresh garlic, but it does mean that curing it whole wasn't a good option. Time to get creative! I present: garlic preserved two ways, pickled and frozen. <br />
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First order of business for both: clean, separate, and peel a bazillion heads of garlic.<br />
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I don't have a shortcut for pulling the cloves apart apart, but I do have one for peeling.<br />
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Cut the ends of the cloves, and put them in a metal mixing bowl.<br />
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Put another bowl on top. (Preferably the same size; we just didn't have one. You're going for more "basketball" than "UFO". )<br />
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Now hold the two together and SHAKE! Vigorously. For a while.<br />
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When you're done, the skins should slip off easily.<br />
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Ta-da!<br />
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Okay, now we're ready for an actual recipe.<br />
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<b>Preservation Method 1: Pickled Garlic</b><br />
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I love the clove or two of garlic you sometimes find in the bottom of a pickle jar. So why not make a whole batch of them? <br />
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Recipe adapted from <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1612125786/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER" target="_blank">Homegrown Pantry by Barbara Pleasant</a><br />
Makes 3-4 half-pint jars<br />
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2c white vinegar<br />
2/3c sugar<br />
1/2 tsp mustard seeds<br />
3c peeled garlic<br />
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Mix the vinegar and sugar together, bringing to a simmer over medium
heat. Add the mustard seeds. Pack garlic into clean, hot jars; fill with
brine. Process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes.<br />
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We cut the recipe in half, since we didn't want to make that much. As a reminder, NEVER mess around with the basic proportions or ingredients when you're pickling or preserving. The acidity, sugar, salt, etc all contribute to maintaining a safe environment for food storage. However, you can play with the seasonings. The original recipe called for some hot peppers, which we left out because we don't like them.<br />
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I'm going to let it sit in the fridge for a few days, so the brine can mellow the heat and bite of the garlic. I can't wait to eat some!<br />
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<b>Preservation Method 2: Freezing</b><br />
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For most of the garlic, we wanted to preserve it in a form we could use for cooking.Since we weren't curing whole heads, freezing seemed like the next best way to hang on to the original fresh flavor.<br />
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Apparently you can just peel and freeze individual cloves. But I decided against that, since it meant more prep when we were making meals later on. We wanted a method that would make it easy to throw some garlic into a recipe in a month.<br />
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A little research revealed that this was another handy use for my favorite preserving tool: the ice cube tray! We minced the garlic, packed it into an ice cube tray, and then filled each cube in with olive oil to hold it together. Once it was frozen, we popped the cubes out of the tray and into a freezer bag to store.<br />
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Important: garlic packed in oil should NEVER be kept at room temperature
or even in the refrigerator. It's a botulism risk. This method is for
freezing only, and garlic preserved this way should go straight from the
freezer into your cooking pan. <br />
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We've already used part of a cube in a recipe, and it came out wonderfully. Since a lot of dishes that have garlic also use olive oil anyway, having a bit of oil in with the frozen garlic doesn't hurt anything. In fact, the flavor is even a bit more intense because the garlic infuses the oil. <br />
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So those are the two ways we're saving our homegrown garlic. Looks like this house will be safe from vampires for a long time to come! Hermione's Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07918668936918441912noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8936053285571550511.post-18424023527060417192017-07-22T08:30:00.000-07:002017-08-01T21:55:42.862-07:00Garden StateOver the past few weeks, the garden has endured a bit of benign neglect. On the bright side, being away even for a few days let me really see and appreciate how quickly things are growing. The contrast is just amazing. I'd spend every waking moment outside if I could!<br />
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I'm going to try to do a better job of writing down what I'm observing
and when in the garden. I always think "Oh, I'll remember where I
planted the lettuce last year" or "Of course I'll be able to keep track
of which variety of tomato did the best last summer." Considering that most mornings
I have trouble remembering where I took off my shoes the night before,
I'm not sure why I persist in this utterly ridiculous belief.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Little pumpkin seedlings emerging in June...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBaffY9dl8r_01o0jN__ze_TmmP7acwkWiXV998DQ8jPVhczxRCwXkAx4zexuYWRODBbO2CWFWdaDPlXOriyv1zZ3dDYbF_CPfmvjq_eQXeyas3rBAYvrOKKNtkycvkP4_EqEDdzXEJG8/s1600/IMG_3805.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBaffY9dl8r_01o0jN__ze_TmmP7acwkWiXV998DQ8jPVhczxRCwXkAx4zexuYWRODBbO2CWFWdaDPlXOriyv1zZ3dDYbF_CPfmvjq_eQXeyas3rBAYvrOKKNtkycvkP4_EqEDdzXEJG8/s400/IMG_3805.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One month later! And still growing like mad. The tendrils are now starting to take over the pathway.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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All the pumpkins and squash are doing well in their patch. The
Cinderella pumpkins were the first to come up and get established. But
the one that's really bowling me over is something new to me: Sweet Mama
squash. The plants are ENORMOUS and already covered in little green baby squash. I got a few starts on a whim, and I can't wait to see what the
fruit tastes like! (And I hope it's really really great, because it
looks like we're going to have one whole heck of a lot of it.)<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3fsU2CYfvRfHJFV9XQ5G6JynxG_E6QKWiC4YjFncu-6wzJeATbRcxiyQI3SnAlS1hyLjvjdaUfXjwkR3V9kGyKhyphenhyphen1pUHoeq6gFFWJaeZo9oM_6s0brH-9sTgLWzJUw_BSBnh0XH1x5iI/s1600/IMG_3720.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1594" data-original-width="1600" height="397" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3fsU2CYfvRfHJFV9XQ5G6JynxG_E6QKWiC4YjFncu-6wzJeATbRcxiyQI3SnAlS1hyLjvjdaUfXjwkR3V9kGyKhyphenhyphen1pUHoeq6gFFWJaeZo9oM_6s0brH-9sTgLWzJUw_BSBnh0XH1x5iI/s400/IMG_3720.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We got a couple pints of strawberries a week from early June until a week or so into July.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBx75uuPjTRn2XH2DvjrqMQqTsXpD11gMJWxJ6g3SDxw5qWNgcrJDXdnuM-rq27-UdU6ewD4oiEjitu1oiYNhdZecmYPK1SPSGq2rT0IjE34p3TukXqWlHcLH8LTDmI6daUpOQIMlN3qA/s1600/IMG_3826.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBx75uuPjTRn2XH2DvjrqMQqTsXpD11gMJWxJ6g3SDxw5qWNgcrJDXdnuM-rq27-UdU6ewD4oiEjitu1oiYNhdZecmYPK1SPSGq2rT0IjE34p3TukXqWlHcLH8LTDmI6daUpOQIMlN3qA/s400/IMG_3826.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
This year, I planted two types of peas - standard sugar snaps (right) and sugar sprints (left). The difference is INSANE. It's even more noticeable now than it was in this photo from a week or so ago. The sugar sprints are three times the size, heavier yielding, and the pods are more tender. I'm definitely going all in with them next year. And as the saying goes, we're gonna need a bigger trellis.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqxbZI-afSLxyh_I2HEiK-hzH9e87LPOQBPRZkoA_z7-l2CZjPdupdvet0pHSRZ-x708Hc2pWmb9l9k0CpdpBx3Cj1DY604PUt3dtShQ736XaebHqyKLy-TJQxORWOpMFLDMTsBprl5ks/s1600/IMG_3828.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqxbZI-afSLxyh_I2HEiK-hzH9e87LPOQBPRZkoA_z7-l2CZjPdupdvet0pHSRZ-x708Hc2pWmb9l9k0CpdpBx3Cj1DY604PUt3dtShQ736XaebHqyKLy-TJQxORWOpMFLDMTsBprl5ks/s640/IMG_3828.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One afternoon's harvest - snap peas, lavender, strawberries, lettuce, eggs.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The lavender also seems very happy now, but I have to say this is the one plant that did not cope well with the lack of attention. I came back after two weeks away, and although Brett was home for a week of that, he didn't have a chance to keep an eye on these plants or do any weeding. The entire border had transformed into a post-apocalyptic hellscape in which all mankind (or at least husband-kind) had died out, leaving morning glories as the dominant species on earth. The vines were twined all through the stems of the lavender, and had to be not just pulled up, but unwrapped by hand. <br />
<br />
The tomatoes are just starting up now, and I have to say (knock on wood) that they're looking a lot better than I hoped. Tomatoes are hard in our damp, temperate climate, and I never seem to have much luck. This year I got all cherry varieties, which appear to be a little less fussy. The Sweet Millions plants look the best overall, but the first ripe tomato came from the Sungold. I'm so excited for garden-fresh tomatoes, but I'm trying to reign it in just in case it doesn't go that well. <br />
<br />
Now time to get back out there for more weeding!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYolTFNOJ4h6pRMwV_qFphnwWkD3xOCdc2ri-oshYzyZjzmfAMZuzCKqy7raS98QJsj8VehUgDseFvCewGXYie4VcIPpqeb04tzFJo4ufntSlk65VE0iwn24GS-MCzrHOUf_URMAKBPiI/s1600/IMG_3781.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1418" data-original-width="1418" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYolTFNOJ4h6pRMwV_qFphnwWkD3xOCdc2ri-oshYzyZjzmfAMZuzCKqy7raS98QJsj8VehUgDseFvCewGXYie4VcIPpqeb04tzFJo4ufntSlk65VE0iwn24GS-MCzrHOUf_URMAKBPiI/s640/IMG_3781.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Well, some of us will weed. Others prefer to watch and sunbathe.</td></tr>
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Hermione's Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07918668936918441912noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8936053285571550511.post-90047826660285456982017-07-15T20:48:00.001-07:002017-07-15T20:48:47.328-07:00We're Back!Whew! It's been ages since the last post, and it's been a wild ride around here. Between new jobs (both of us within a month or so of each other), travel, gardening, and trying to squeeze in a little time to do some actual work in the house, I haven't had much time to do anything but collapse in an exhausted heap. <br />
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Thankfully, we've been able to enjoy some much-needed spa-like relaxation in our finished new bathroom!<br />
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We put on a few finishing touches: <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4UbJnWS35EJ1s_xW6IVxmg9U0VT3FTMZYIi5zfpARoxLMIlX4_FCzcGyvWNn7fQ9GTOpB65FQufLSnTeoFUzxWRmcLq-v18HdspVokc4bU48AfoDlowKJp51ypMVYf1cSuu8SA3MMbnM/s1600/IMG_3732.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4UbJnWS35EJ1s_xW6IVxmg9U0VT3FTMZYIi5zfpARoxLMIlX4_FCzcGyvWNn7fQ9GTOpB65FQufLSnTeoFUzxWRmcLq-v18HdspVokc4bU48AfoDlowKJp51ypMVYf1cSuu8SA3MMbnM/s640/IMG_3732.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brett practicing his contortionist act while trying to caulk around the back of the bathtub. He made it!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi87-mnx67UP3thSQqkLKq-Sh1y1_xtQWEygPBIqXd6oKuSmDNjKGWv_aPNOTkwc8PyoE6G1J85qKypftvIh2ai1vDA0snJHHGkR6ZCjGCATj-SYwO2pLYYz6Syku2whsaw4ybfD_HRcoA/s1600/IMG_3748.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi87-mnx67UP3thSQqkLKq-Sh1y1_xtQWEygPBIqXd6oKuSmDNjKGWv_aPNOTkwc8PyoE6G1J85qKypftvIh2ai1vDA0snJHHGkR6ZCjGCATj-SYwO2pLYYz6Syku2whsaw4ybfD_HRcoA/s640/IMG_3748.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just after the shower enclosure glass install. Since we had to wait a couple of days before getting it wet, it's imaginary shower time!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
In what feels like an incredibly significant home-renovation milestone, I have officially moved my toothbrush upstairs. WOOHOO! Also, I may occasionally be showering/bathing twice a day now out of pure happiness. (Please send moisturizer.)<br />
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Here it is, all finished: <br />
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Of course, if you look the other direction, you'll see that we still have a ways to go on the rest of the upstairs... but that's for the next few weeks!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAjBSrAJBGjRSLxIm5pBc7IotmehkNBaQOr3c24sohdKGM5H0-EpqicYOuxARGSbDAG_EKRFBCzbzgL6jT5GxREbTWPMze7yUJlTNtKC0odrQQHMqJLoKGQNYHxzKYrRmBfTP9hyphenhyphenQsbSk/s1600/IMG_3817.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAjBSrAJBGjRSLxIm5pBc7IotmehkNBaQOr3c24sohdKGM5H0-EpqicYOuxARGSbDAG_EKRFBCzbzgL6jT5GxREbTWPMze7yUJlTNtKC0odrQQHMqJLoKGQNYHxzKYrRmBfTP9hyphenhyphenQsbSk/s640/IMG_3817.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />Hermione's Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07918668936918441912noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8936053285571550511.post-43993916547509353582017-06-10T23:43:00.002-07:002017-06-10T23:43:47.485-07:00A Spoonful of Sugar Helps the Medicine Cabinets Go UpEvery new step at this point just feels completely amazing, and adds a whole new level of functionality to the bathroom. I can't get over how fast it comes together now, especially know that literally years of work went into getting here.<br />
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So, we mounted the medicine cabinets. Because of the angled framing in our wall, we decided to go with externally mounted ones instead of inset. We bought them ages ago, and HOLY COW I had forgotten how heavy these things are.<br />
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Installation sounded simple. It uses a french cleat. Basically, you mount a bracket on the wall, and then just slide the cabinet down on top of it, so a matching bracket on the back slots in. Easy, right?<br />
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Well, first, you have to get the bracket into EXACTLY the right spot on the wall. And of course it doesn't come with a template, so you have to figure out just where the cabinet will actually sit. And it must be perfectly level (making it probably the only level thing in the entire house). And then you have to get the second one even with the first. And then you have to heft the ten million pound cabinets over your head and into place.<br />
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What could go wrong?<br />
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Long story short, we only had to re-mount the brackets a couple of times, and a cabinet only came crashing down on us once. So I'm calling that a win.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_1DsG94JBPE7bPEbyHMXcgltqcgOHSUJJpoB75Ub5LzvvTwmgn_0L8ul9raJNyr6XLQXDquyxgvyGx_rZlPBZMPiRWcXDyaXC0ky3XgOmaQfBsmSiJaOkSMuJge6ItSvmYDefPbkXiWg/s1600/IMG_20170529_204430412_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_1DsG94JBPE7bPEbyHMXcgltqcgOHSUJJpoB75Ub5LzvvTwmgn_0L8ul9raJNyr6XLQXDquyxgvyGx_rZlPBZMPiRWcXDyaXC0ky3XgOmaQfBsmSiJaOkSMuJge6ItSvmYDefPbkXiWg/s640/IMG_20170529_204430412_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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So although there are still some small things to take care of, all the main pieces are in and the look is basically finished.<br />
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Here's the original Pinterest picture that was our main design inspiration for the sink area:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8YVc7uTyYNcQSInXULFKsq5T6PavjE45Ivf5WlD6xAobnGw351uTmtAbRFTuxjjOCI-Rm_1xWNZl7tStbNmOkQJdwh5X30yXJT1RfzCAV-cIpE9AotvDvARzhjYEggOzI-Ds-HroL41M/s1600/2b663b72863bf32ffb09aaefe969bcfe.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="575" data-original-width="388" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8YVc7uTyYNcQSInXULFKsq5T6PavjE45Ivf5WlD6xAobnGw351uTmtAbRFTuxjjOCI-Rm_1xWNZl7tStbNmOkQJdwh5X30yXJT1RfzCAV-cIpE9AotvDvARzhjYEggOzI-Ds-HroL41M/s400/2b663b72863bf32ffb09aaefe969bcfe.jpeg" width="268" /></a></div>
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And here's our finished product!<br />
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I love how it turned out. It's just what I hoped for, and best of all, it's full of natural light. I can't wait to move upstairs! Hermione's Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07918668936918441912noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8936053285571550511.post-55568446861940885082017-05-25T21:12:00.000-07:002017-05-25T21:12:33.612-07:00Bath Mitzvah!Today, our bathroom became a grown-up. I took my first bath in the new bathtub!!!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO-dIjsPS1otzLAznjWnvnzA0x6E3k_yo837ECUK3uISwe9Bih2Zuvh_SrwmQv8qlQu764CRDbF9q93WAPoDtVdJ6Z2iYg5HFJj0_5VrrSYj0DRFL2DCqRAogd-QXFyV226sDpaMNV-6k/s1600/IMG_3678.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO-dIjsPS1otzLAznjWnvnzA0x6E3k_yo837ECUK3uISwe9Bih2Zuvh_SrwmQv8qlQu764CRDbF9q93WAPoDtVdJ6Z2iYg5HFJj0_5VrrSYj0DRFL2DCqRAogd-QXFyV226sDpaMNV-6k/s640/IMG_3678.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />Sadly, my spoilsport husband says I'm not allowed to shower before the glass enclosure is installed, even though the water works. I promised to stand up really straight and not to accidentally turn on the sprayer or body jets AT ALL. He was not convinced.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWxlGQ59W9GnbmDAWiGrL_Fdc0lAxBCpCE08qOs8GP4_Z35Ug-FmkjVgtcbF5RiqVxb7hhUW6rvQtKoF2JsyvmYoG5ZN6Zs93_ocS8ocYtExxaRKiQmEYLTbAxXF2-1EXl_8uyMC0GYF0/s1600/IMG_3670.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWxlGQ59W9GnbmDAWiGrL_Fdc0lAxBCpCE08qOs8GP4_Z35Ug-FmkjVgtcbF5RiqVxb7hhUW6rvQtKoF2JsyvmYoG5ZN6Zs93_ocS8ocYtExxaRKiQmEYLTbAxXF2-1EXl_8uyMC0GYF0/s640/IMG_3670.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not that I have any experience with accidentally turning on the sprayer instead of the rain shower head.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4sxaCPKL04kwGHrujCI8xWHAB-YtG04xHPu8nrOyFmu5xsW7-dHnh7yA3rbc44nG7BzIUTldtKXxqE_IiPJa7ukDXBQcHNyMwnNvd9E6-JeqX20upORqvnbFeo5R3oPAGN2OUuWuj_tw/s1600/IMG_3666.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4sxaCPKL04kwGHrujCI8xWHAB-YtG04xHPu8nrOyFmu5xsW7-dHnh7yA3rbc44nG7BzIUTldtKXxqE_IiPJa7ukDXBQcHNyMwnNvd9E6-JeqX20upORqvnbFeo5R3oPAGN2OUuWuj_tw/s640/IMG_3666.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It looks so innocent.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We're not 100% done yet. We still need to hang the medicine cabinets,
install the vanity hardware and towel hooks, caulk the sink and tub base, and touch up
some drywall and paint. And of course there are a few minor issues to
resolve. We turned on the chandelier and the breaker immediately blew.
The tub filler is kind of wobbly. But these seem like small things with
easy fixes. More importantly, the tub didn't leak into our bed
in the room underneath or just fall straight through the floor. (As you can see, our
standards are very high.)<br />
<br />
But that said, all the big pieces are really in place now. Check it out!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCy_9qqEoAztvc2HkKrQh4nVbwJIwNQ9b1QzpgVpbSAY_fy-2LleToUhuJD9D_uiNSWX4lq-wF6PfmFIVAWm4Fru7_PCYtk002faSC9EiJidngeF4mGe7DoX0Tmh7yeyfE_7JUguEs8OE/s1600/IMG_3664.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCy_9qqEoAztvc2HkKrQh4nVbwJIwNQ9b1QzpgVpbSAY_fy-2LleToUhuJD9D_uiNSWX4lq-wF6PfmFIVAWm4Fru7_PCYtk002faSC9EiJidngeF4mGe7DoX0Tmh7yeyfE_7JUguEs8OE/s640/IMG_3664.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
I'm hoping to take care of a lot of the remaining details over the long weekend.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrRaB5eFVesra46EqCS-Wa5m8nORh_c1c7E78rGN4gdEpgSJX6cwv_sWLoFGyS4SeKmMUdY95HO0TelC3MPfqaxQ82bddHj5ky3VOdygU3Mk1u_IY5D6q50RVh_OFieby9Gon-3I4f020/s1600/IMG_3653.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrRaB5eFVesra46EqCS-Wa5m8nORh_c1c7E78rGN4gdEpgSJX6cwv_sWLoFGyS4SeKmMUdY95HO0TelC3MPfqaxQ82bddHj5ky3VOdygU3Mk1u_IY5D6q50RVh_OFieby9Gon-3I4f020/s640/IMG_3653.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Because a finished project means more time to relax in the sun with our pupper!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Hermione's Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07918668936918441912noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8936053285571550511.post-50605465075266449172017-05-22T21:28:00.001-07:002017-05-22T21:30:18.458-07:00The Unbearable Lightness of SeeingEvery light in our house is on.<br />
<br />
I repeat.<br />
<br />
Every. Light.<br />
<br />
Not just every light that happens to work at the moment. Not just every light that isn't on one of the many breakers we've had turned off for a year. Not just every light that's plugged into that one outlet that still works for no apparent reason.<br />
<br />
Every light.<br />
<br />
Today, the electrician turned all the wires that have been dangling in the upstairs bathroom for months into lovely lights, power, fan, and heat. So not only does that mean the electrical work in our new bathroom is basically done(!!!!!), it means the breakers that they connect to are back on too. And those breakers also control our kitchen vent hood, hallway light, and bedroom light. It's like we got half our house back overnight!<br />
<br />
Brett and I spent half an hour running around the house, flipping switches and cackling like movie super-villains.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjKcGfO8WvSrZCA9vXMnVHDGxaWs8IHBLwkuCUi_Q5pTK4snCaFRWL6ifd9pdRQ3HJ5i5hpzuNEb1v-hVoKuWIS-vuoUeCvGjm8ovNgyBkr5U3gbEfETFXQa4tC7HWKg2lnJY6Wv6T1vo/s1600/IMG_20170522_194357363.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjKcGfO8WvSrZCA9vXMnVHDGxaWs8IHBLwkuCUi_Q5pTK4snCaFRWL6ifd9pdRQ3HJ5i5hpzuNEb1v-hVoKuWIS-vuoUeCvGjm8ovNgyBkr5U3gbEfETFXQa4tC7HWKg2lnJY6Wv6T1vo/s640/IMG_20170522_194357363.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sconces! Outlets! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVK_ZUeB9sq8-WGHOqzJi8EmrA2f9hodD0JCcRwc8rQZc_vmaukEAgMwSf3GusaQzV_JyWzyp5WPqFjrFR6XqzRHhUTTz6PJ0szkv1sByMIAEH58Sce75tuGyGaTNlak3X6hfj_J3GSkc/s1600/IMG_3654.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVK_ZUeB9sq8-WGHOqzJi8EmrA2f9hodD0JCcRwc8rQZc_vmaukEAgMwSf3GusaQzV_JyWzyp5WPqFjrFR6XqzRHhUTTz6PJ0szkv1sByMIAEH58Sce75tuGyGaTNlak3X6hfj_J3GSkc/s640/IMG_3654.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Light switches, fan timer, THERMOSTAT! (Er, and a little drywall patching to do. I didn't say we were done with that part.) </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
And finally, thrillingly, we had confirmation that the heated floor works!! It was terrifying to cement in something before being able to really test it. I needed to feel it turn on to really believe we hadn't screwed it up. But then I didn't expect this conundrum... it was 80 degrees out today. How do you test a heater in that?<br />
<br />
Obviously, I cranked it up to 90, and then splayed out face-down like a sea star for maximum skin exposure to the floor. That's clearly the logical response. <br />
<br />
Since it heats up really gradually, this led to a lot of weird mind games as I tried to differentiate between the effect of my own body heat and the radiant floor. It's heating up! No wait, it's just warm from my arm. No wait, it's really working! No wait, it isn't and we broke it and my life is over! Oh no, actually, it's definitely working now.<br />
<br />
So, long story short, it works. And now I need therapy.<br />
<br />
Now please excuse, me, I need to go flip some more lights on and off and giggle maniacally. Hermione's Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07918668936918441912noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8936053285571550511.post-73013402216005261092017-05-20T11:52:00.004-07:002017-05-20T11:52:57.090-07:00A Brush with JoyThis morning, Brett turned to me and asked "Want to do something naughty?"<br />
Me: Ooooh.... yes please.<br />
Brett: Let's go brush our teeth in the new sink! <br />
<br />
When people tell you about major life milestones, they usually focus on things like getting married, buying a house, having kids. Nobody ever told me about the intense joy of the first-teeth-brushing-in-a-new-sink milestone. <br />
<br />
I can't imagine why this has been left out of the standard literature.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfb70I-45-hWNADonPVrp8XoMLqB3RZ9c1OSf3j5LItWEGt9aQxJmPLxgDcJqJ0upbf4GKqsfktHQgoRnjR7BnPtRMVVovhXh-ylHeyI5K5kuVlV5idLjMyF0ZHsqjSJXewmK6P_Bd_ao/s1600/IMG_3635.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfb70I-45-hWNADonPVrp8XoMLqB3RZ9c1OSf3j5LItWEGt9aQxJmPLxgDcJqJ0upbf4GKqsfktHQgoRnjR7BnPtRMVVovhXh-ylHeyI5K5kuVlV5idLjMyF0ZHsqjSJXewmK6P_Bd_ao/s640/IMG_3635.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A truly life-changing moment. Look at those (very hygienic) smiles!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
And because I still need to keep repeatedly going upstairs to make sure I didn't just dream this - I give you proof!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhSXbNEkGjfjnez8amE-0GS6r_Sc6n0MaSNXQpuw3afoiFCGFMpGtd-1D8A3qmSCW8llzTOzEGP-aqgYWLThx699VHR09uZmLPDbxnB15h_tf7Im_D_FPPyJ32D7qmNKA4qPehOHGTpy4/s1600/IMG_3634.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhSXbNEkGjfjnez8amE-0GS6r_Sc6n0MaSNXQpuw3afoiFCGFMpGtd-1D8A3qmSCW8llzTOzEGP-aqgYWLThx699VHR09uZmLPDbxnB15h_tf7Im_D_FPPyJ32D7qmNKA4qPehOHGTpy4/s640/IMG_3634.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's aliiiiiiiiive!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Hermione's Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07918668936918441912noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8936053285571550511.post-78635850447397691132017-05-19T19:52:00.002-07:002017-05-19T19:52:20.743-07:00More Plumbing Progress!Every day is a new present! It's amazing that it took us three years to get to this point, and now it's only taking about a week to go from empty room to fully functioning bathroom.<br />
<br />
First - running water!<br />
<br />
The sink and toilet are in and ACTUALLY HAVE RUNNING WATER. And the electrician even got started with a couple of fixtures.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxG0ZcKD27eAKo9oXVZkbfWP6ZzbnWfHfg-g2LRW8AUFqEpuGSdqExZo4gpbdKjLWQB3GqaY2v8LtbEbbEEiIlbq_tI0Stji-X46_fXE8aiIOCF3oOMMgYQ8oPO_j1VXKMsQS6jRbOPuI/s1600/IMG_3632.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxG0ZcKD27eAKo9oXVZkbfWP6ZzbnWfHfg-g2LRW8AUFqEpuGSdqExZo4gpbdKjLWQB3GqaY2v8LtbEbbEEiIlbq_tI0Stji-X46_fXE8aiIOCF3oOMMgYQ8oPO_j1VXKMsQS6jRbOPuI/s640/IMG_3632.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I've never wanted to pee so badly in my life. Should probably wait until it's not up on shims, though... </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaxgbiLo7YGWiWy5RHzxRaOHW4DMxy30Zkx931CyVPovkYS34fMJVWYpPBVSvw-Efi5rvnEgdjq-N8QLUC2A8sjsizBfz2f03qmVH_NuR-V8KGXCONlBk8fofeqJGPCSN_Rxau1VMeO40/s1600/IMG_3630.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaxgbiLo7YGWiWy5RHzxRaOHW4DMxy30Zkx931CyVPovkYS34fMJVWYpPBVSvw-Efi5rvnEgdjq-N8QLUC2A8sjsizBfz2f03qmVH_NuR-V8KGXCONlBk8fofeqJGPCSN_Rxau1VMeO40/s640/IMG_3630.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A sconce over the vanity. Not sure why the electrician only hung one of the two today, but... okay?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt5oAdCyDAw9ggTM0UkHAG3lzAmhmNx6jeYNbxBfme5fk_eloDc7Ir1G-QK7fHkJ_QfPN0U3BtkREHl-vtJQwVm2Aj57ZB6c9g_lAsGwmfjtJZoG6pegD4i-DYczOlZJNNBQx9t486hn0/s1600/IMG_3631.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt5oAdCyDAw9ggTM0UkHAG3lzAmhmNx6jeYNbxBfme5fk_eloDc7Ir1G-QK7fHkJ_QfPN0U3BtkREHl-vtJQwVm2Aj57ZB6c9g_lAsGwmfjtJZoG6pegD4i-DYczOlZJNNBQx9t486hn0/s640/IMG_3631.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shut up, it's really hard to take a picture of a light fixture that doesn't light up yet, in front of a window in full daylight. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Pretty soon the whole house will have running water and electricity! A girl could get spoiled with all these frivolous modern conveniences.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG4ZzbegnOp3_wQwQ9QMn2oAq22Kgltjpi3PZOZGd34sSDYSY2s-t2Sbervp-llRe-pa2Ys1IfCLe0PRePHdMk4zf6ndfVr3hxd2HV-coUqFoWmA9baXEZn5j5ZxYsbUKsqOXHZSxIcsY/s1600/IMG_3624.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="566" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG4ZzbegnOp3_wQwQ9QMn2oAq22Kgltjpi3PZOZGd34sSDYSY2s-t2Sbervp-llRe-pa2Ys1IfCLe0PRePHdMk4zf6ndfVr3hxd2HV-coUqFoWmA9baXEZn5j5ZxYsbUKsqOXHZSxIcsY/s640/IMG_3624.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Of course, some of us are already spoiled rotten. But who could resist those puppy eyes?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Hermione's Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07918668936918441912noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8936053285571550511.post-15525679964792699832017-05-16T21:36:00.002-07:002017-05-16T21:36:24.123-07:00Sink your Teeth into This!SINK SINK SINK OH MY GOD WE HAVE A SINK<br />
<br />
Is this even real life? Am I experiencing hallucinations brought on by three years of breathing drywall dust? Did I manifest this mirage out of sheer desperation? <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB0mrYzQcS4TFm6KEg8EV6uTXHHYZ7NQTcRS4ikxuzHVvPCLn-yJWKpjoxqKAqOBTE0eOqzKR8r9pcgBR6Pws8WfHfzLbNAD-8FtB7GS9KXnTuPAP5CNSeu7Tjkn77R2ShIaaxSn_ixHU/s1600/IMG_20170516_190447189.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB0mrYzQcS4TFm6KEg8EV6uTXHHYZ7NQTcRS4ikxuzHVvPCLn-yJWKpjoxqKAqOBTE0eOqzKR8r9pcgBR6Pws8WfHfzLbNAD-8FtB7GS9KXnTuPAP5CNSeu7Tjkn77R2ShIaaxSn_ixHU/s640/IMG_20170516_190447189.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /> No, it's still there! I double checked. <br />
<br />
So it's not 100% installed yet - there's some caulking to do and the water is still turned off until we also get the rest of the fixtures in. But that is going to take literally just a few days! In one mere week, we will have functional running water upstairs for THE VERY FIRST TIME EVER.<br />
<br />
Can you tell I am a wee little bitty bit happy? Having our first bathroom fixture installed is an enormous milestone. <br />
<br />
PS - you know you are officially an adult when Grownup You is more excited about the plumber than Little Kid You was about Santa.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOd-LRQKzSReaO6VVDvd-FhJTlwZdg4gn_RvBpN7BSM_FgswNagwZFD_L_Q5nGh2UKU7PJt6pv4p9rF70M-nobqnKCLFaRvc6Grax5RzctCdaBptawQP3Y7jHWYxwE0eEPCBdgHPF9kE4/s1600/IMG_20170514_001347262.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOd-LRQKzSReaO6VVDvd-FhJTlwZdg4gn_RvBpN7BSM_FgswNagwZFD_L_Q5nGh2UKU7PJt6pv4p9rF70M-nobqnKCLFaRvc6Grax5RzctCdaBptawQP3Y7jHWYxwE0eEPCBdgHPF9kE4/s640/IMG_20170514_001347262.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
I guess I need to tone down the hyperactive celebrations, because even the dog is looking at me like I'm nuts.<br />
<br />
More close-ups of the fixtures and shots of the whole room to come. I just couldn't wait to post the first photo! It's going to be an amazing week. Yesterday we had an empty room with a bunch of holes in the floor and walls; by next week, it will look like a bathroom. Squee!Hermione's Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07918668936918441912noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8936053285571550511.post-21859302388783960542017-05-06T11:38:00.001-07:002017-05-06T11:38:42.323-07:00Spring Vegetable Gardening in the Pacific Northwest: A Step by Step GuideIt's been an unusually long, dreary winter. Climate scientists (like my beloved gravelly-voiced weather siren Cliff Mass) say that spring weather generally starts to roll in around the third week of February. Conventional wisdom says that March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb. Well, this year it waddled in like a platypus and came out screeching like a wet cat.<br />
<br />
Thankfully, after an incredibly long wait, it finally feels like spring. The dandelions, tansy ragwort, and scotch broom are blooming happily. It's time for spring veggie gardening!<br />
<br />
I'm always looking for local planting guides that tell me exactly what to plant and when in my local climate. So I've decided to create my own, and share it for your gardening convenience. Here we go! <br />
<br />
Vegetable Gardening in the Pacific Northwest, Step-by-Step:<br />
<br />
March:<br />
<ol>
<li>Weed beds and work in fresh compost. Your vegetable beds and pathways have started growing all manner of invasive whatnots while you hid in the nice dry house all winter, no matter how diligently you mulched them. </li>
<li>Realize you got over-excited on the first nice day, and you have to wait three weeks until you can actually plant anything. </li>
</ol>
April: <br />
<ol>
<li>Weed. Since you made such nice, healthy, empty beds, a whole new crop of blackberries has moved in. Good job. </li>
<li>Go to the store and buy fresh vegetables.</li>
</ol>
May: <br />
<ol>
<li>Purchase the most rot, damp, and mildew-resistant varieties of seeds you can find. </li>
<ul>
<li>If your selection is green and leafy, start looking up spinach and zucchini recipes right now. You're going to need a lot of them.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>If your selection has any kind of colorful fruit on it, pick a god and start praying. You may also want to make a sacrifice at the altar of Amazon (or preferably your friendly local garden store) and order a whole lot of mini-greenhouse and irrigation supplies. </li>
</ul>
<li>Weed again. In the hour it took you to get to the garden store and back, every weed you struck down earlier has sprung back, Jedi-like, more powerful than you can possibly imagine. Clearly, weeds are just flowers that have turned to the dark side of the Force. </li>
<li>Plant! Feel satisfied.</li>
<li>Realize that you planted seeds, not starts, and so your freshly planted bed still looks an empty box full of dirt. Feel unsatisfied.</li>
</ol>
June:<br />
<ol>
<li> Spend every waking moment trying to tamp down the weeds without accidentally yanking out your young plants. </li>
<li>Engage in a battle of the wits with your local slug and vole populations. Lose.</li>
<li>Let the dog into the vegetable garden to deter the slugs and voles. Immediately regret this decision. Evict the dog and fill in the terrier-dug holes. </li>
<li>Wonder why it isn't summer yet. </li>
</ol>
July-September:<br />
<ol>
<li>Enjoy! Your garden is going to give you incredibly bounty and beauty. Bask in the warm-but-not-too-hot sun, feast on fresh organic veggies and eggs from right outside your door, and soak up the unparalleled lushness and beauty of this part of the world. Remember that you wouldn't trade living here for anything! </li>
<li>Weed. </li>
</ol>
So as you can see, we have a lot to look forward to this season!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEGSi923vy3O5MZ13wggPgePXEIRl6gfOmPC8Uq11v_9SRXoWTM2kx3LbYSE1pHdT8B-b4ezgJvzi2nkDyBMco5fHFeYxqPjDpid1eYdiXETIo4Q8WhpqX31B8MivaYBazn5nvVxkoDz4/s1600/IMG_3611.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEGSi923vy3O5MZ13wggPgePXEIRl6gfOmPC8Uq11v_9SRXoWTM2kx3LbYSE1pHdT8B-b4ezgJvzi2nkDyBMco5fHFeYxqPjDpid1eYdiXETIo4Q8WhpqX31B8MivaYBazn5nvVxkoDz4/s640/IMG_3611.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Front left: strawberries. Back left: garlic and onions. Front right: peas, empty space for tomatoes. Back right: lettuce, carrots.<br />
Far small boxes: fennel, mint. Back border: lavender. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Hermione's Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07918668936918441912noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8936053285571550511.post-44148831274990766982017-05-04T22:38:00.000-07:002017-05-04T22:38:18.516-07:00Inching Closer...We dragged the vanity into place!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgho_FR7z0-AiIXOHQmssLFOm0gQlu8apvplXKSYA9y6bQefaEjCqO2JVKUVrXTRrH0-HU6EODB3TSPi1BvIrnJctX0sG6j7SzZJDT4XQdkdpmfBJAu_5UJnZWLyc7QPZLQGT2butovKSc/s1600/IMG_20170429_222932917.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgho_FR7z0-AiIXOHQmssLFOm0gQlu8apvplXKSYA9y6bQefaEjCqO2JVKUVrXTRrH0-HU6EODB3TSPi1BvIrnJctX0sG6j7SzZJDT4XQdkdpmfBJAu_5UJnZWLyc7QPZLQGT2butovKSc/s640/IMG_20170429_222932917.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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You can almost get an idea of what it's going to look like when it's fully installed. The plumber is supposed to come this week to take a look...<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgyK6oFzgtreqrSY88KMoOGU3wYFxLcfIuyNAmDnRurlU3WE19dGwK22xd-DJ261TwzPLYCHFiTM_7NK0zEBBa16L7SDSw7hVdRX9H-p-e8MWOObLJtWh6nO1XStT46_BSwfWAgocxe1E/s1600/IMG_20170418_184337389_HDR%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgyK6oFzgtreqrSY88KMoOGU3wYFxLcfIuyNAmDnRurlU3WE19dGwK22xd-DJ261TwzPLYCHFiTM_7NK0zEBBa16L7SDSw7hVdRX9H-p-e8MWOObLJtWh6nO1XStT46_BSwfWAgocxe1E/s640/IMG_20170418_184337389_HDR%25281%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is a photograph of my soul on the day the plumber hooks everything up.</td></tr>
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Hermione's Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07918668936918441912noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8936053285571550511.post-4720074515233565972017-04-25T23:49:00.000-07:002017-04-25T23:49:16.296-07:00Shiplap DanceIt's been a while since I've posted, in part because life has been bananas, and in part because my weekends have been busy with house projects. So now I'm ready to do my happy shiplap dance!<br />
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And yes, I've obviously watched too much Fixer Upper. But come on... if you could do anything you wanted in your house, wouldn't you channel a little Chip and Joanna gorgeous farmhouse shiplap? Of course you would. And of course I did. We chose the wall behind the vanity since it's the one we'll be facing most of the time, and because I think the oil-rubbed bronze fixtures and wood vanity will look amazing against that backdrop. <br />
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Like most decorative shiplap, ours is totally faked. It's not the main wall material at all - it's just laid on top of drywall. This is for fire safety, and in this case also for moisture resistance since we're in a bathroom.<br />
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That wet environment raised another issue that we wouldn't have faced in another room. Most Pinterest tutorials on adding shiplap to a wall don't use real tongue-and-groove paneling. They use straight boards, and create the look of a tongue by leaving a small gap that exposes the drywall behind. However, we were worried that water would get between the wood and the drywall, resulting in mold, mildew, and rot. So we sprang for the real thing, which completely covers the wall in wood.<br />
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We sanded and primed the wood first for easy painting later. Then we just cut it to length and nailed the boards up!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj51IYGbe85V_MY4VKEbUdrQHMKtcHfVTo6qHFZ7Qh8T6en6p2Biv3pLrn5qEU8-DeBMmhNqeWwBtB20jIt0ml5n4hNUyUgc6NegxGsiLeonCP6JbQ0Va82Poi4jDvFoOGbVZFxtqNhp5k/s1600/IMG_3504.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj51IYGbe85V_MY4VKEbUdrQHMKtcHfVTo6qHFZ7Qh8T6en6p2Biv3pLrn5qEU8-DeBMmhNqeWwBtB20jIt0ml5n4hNUyUgc6NegxGsiLeonCP6JbQ0Va82Poi4jDvFoOGbVZFxtqNhp5k/s640/IMG_3504.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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This would have been a lot easier if the studs were in any kind of reasonable places. But since this wall originally had a niche cut out of it, there's a weird angle running through the inside. Plus, the bottom half of the wall is full of pipes and electrical wires. Thankfully, my brilliant husband thought to take a photograph of the inside of the wall before we put up the drywall. That little inspiration has been a lifesaver!<br />
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Also, see those perfectly-placed holes near the ceiling? Those are where the j-boxes for the sconces will go. The electrician refused to install them until the vanity was in place. Unfortunately, we realized when we were ready to start the shiplap that the wires were poking through the drywall in completely the wrong place. So the entire project was delayed for a week while we measured (and measured, and measured again), drilled the holes, and pulled the wire through. Which was further complicated by the wonky framing inside the wall.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoN2E3_ZHzCBPHuSU_a8t8VCXXz17ZzVcw1V68bdKN0rNDJud8NaEOKhuIiSpws1gTV5RK4LKATsA0CKlNnBNmNDVltouh9QuGeOpt2qgflXGAk3zFs0SaJPDxyTsTlQwtoM4SuvcOsxk/s1600/IMG_3458.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoN2E3_ZHzCBPHuSU_a8t8VCXXz17ZzVcw1V68bdKN0rNDJud8NaEOKhuIiSpws1gTV5RK4LKATsA0CKlNnBNmNDVltouh9QuGeOpt2qgflXGAk3zFs0SaJPDxyTsTlQwtoM4SuvcOsxk/s640/IMG_3458.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This part was not fun.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Then my darling husband unleashed his inner perfectionist and caulked the living daylights out of everything. He said he was going upstairs to fill in the gaps. Six hours later I found him carefully smoothing every single joint with his pinky finger. We're still going to be renovating this house when we're 104, but at least it will look amazing.<br />
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Then finally... paint! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5ifxv1Dygdzu6DMm65rM7w4ZO82kfjXg8qEFiSp9Kwd0tY7zyX-sEq_xodTMrifxgzpwoEtyZRXr3R7XBMvGTeER_x6rijuS1SmLc7xiYqqTZselKhOyiZWLTwHK0IPaBEyVI6cH6q78/s1600/IMG_20170412_184952510.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5ifxv1Dygdzu6DMm65rM7w4ZO82kfjXg8qEFiSp9Kwd0tY7zyX-sEq_xodTMrifxgzpwoEtyZRXr3R7XBMvGTeER_x6rijuS1SmLc7xiYqqTZselKhOyiZWLTwHK0IPaBEyVI6cH6q78/s640/IMG_20170412_184952510.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Now all we have to do is install the window trim, then call the pros (the plumber, electrician and shower-door installers) to hook everything up, and sit back while our bathroom materializes! So exciting!!!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnB-Q6cMD24Ao2lPUhBGziFk9fiCDEPl74zMR4IMzjzOKJ96W8PBDyKKXE8MBlCOPabrwF5iV3UKnX6qOaecdQLAY08AJFXZ_seGLkz02gB7uNf14AImH-XU4xbgZ1p_YBoGiXBfxbdlc/s1600/IMG_3538.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnB-Q6cMD24Ao2lPUhBGziFk9fiCDEPl74zMR4IMzjzOKJ96W8PBDyKKXE8MBlCOPabrwF5iV3UKnX6qOaecdQLAY08AJFXZ_seGLkz02gB7uNf14AImH-XU4xbgZ1p_YBoGiXBfxbdlc/s640/IMG_3538.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's almost time to stop and smell the flowers!</td></tr>
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<br />Hermione's Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07918668936918441912noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8936053285571550511.post-74696536947410468072017-03-26T13:51:00.000-07:002017-03-26T13:51:39.686-07:00Paper Face-OffIt's amazing how quickly projects are moving at this point. I think my very favorite thing about tile is that installation MUST get done in one sitting (unless you want a bucket full of hardened mortar.) So pretty much no matter what, at the end of the day, you're done. It's extremely satisfying, especially after months of sloooooow progress and projects that will be hidden under floors and behind walls.<br />
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That said... we may have gotten a little overconfident on the tile. After we did the shower floor, we were feeling like mosaic ninjas. We knew our next project would be the much more expensive, fragile, and complex tile for the shower wall, but we were feeling ready.<br />
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What's that saying... something like "man makes plans and God laughs"?<br />
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So now, just like I have a favorite thing about tile, I also have a least favorite thing about tile. Or at least, one type of tile. I introduce you to my newest nemesis ... paper-faced mosaic.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhljTANSvG-I6cWUtIqX28KivrnjLOIGOb1t1T7dgpkK-C895skb1LM7hR0Io8Zi4lJbbcodUvfFry59h0NQjt3SBn9Cq_V_mLvErD9T7UYiJacqDoaBzZuwY3VLPnOIEV-WTf-JxV2XqU/s1600/IMG_3396.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhljTANSvG-I6cWUtIqX28KivrnjLOIGOb1t1T7dgpkK-C895skb1LM7hR0Io8Zi4lJbbcodUvfFry59h0NQjt3SBn9Cq_V_mLvErD9T7UYiJacqDoaBzZuwY3VLPnOIEV-WTf-JxV2XqU/s640/IMG_3396.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Paper facing is used for clear mosaic tile. Normal mosaic is mounted on a webbed mat backing, but since this contains tiles that are clear or translucent, that webbing would show through. So instead of putting a mat on the back, these sheets are held together by a piece of paper glued to the front. The glue is water-soluble, so you install the tile and then wipe it all down with water to remove the paper. <br />
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Going in, we knew this meant that the mortar would have to be perfect, because you can see it through the tiles. We also knew the paper mounted sheets would probably be a little more brittle and harder to work with than the flexible webbing. We thought we were ready for all of this. We were not.<br />
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Some glass tiles come with a white paper backing instead of a removable paper facing, which eliminates all of these problems. But did we get that kind? Nooooo, of course not. Because we absolutely had to have this one, very specific, very fancy tile. <br />
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But here's what we missed. When you cut tile, you do it on a WET saw. A saw that literally has a steady stream of water running over the blade. Over the blade, and straight onto your water-soluble glue.<br />
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The first piece we tried to cut almost literally melted in front of our eyes. The paper promptly got soaked, lost its grip, and started shedding little glass tiles all over the place. The ones that didn't actually hit the floor still got knocked off-kilter so the whole thing looked snaggle-toothed.<br />
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An hour later, we were back in business after finding a video from the tile manufacturer that basically explained how to create a waterproof box for the tile before cutting it. Of course that slowed us down even more. Instead of getting through the entire tiling process that day, we ended up spending the whole day just getting the cuts done.<br />
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Install day did finally arrive, but as usual, we underestimated how long it would take by about 7000%. I think this photo was taken at 2am. At some point I basically fell asleep on my feet, and Brett valiantly finished up by himself. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-a1LE-Pp8wI3WZFxt-bIzvmn_QHGf2k7DSm6L6keUSehaXZHWdJemetOJnjkARwssUIfLrqj0z1-1zcxna0iUfaHxdIm5LCVd_j3YLWgSC-CIWcOsy84SRHChyEyZFHaLnuN1rsJLJAU/s1600/IMG_3400.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-a1LE-Pp8wI3WZFxt-bIzvmn_QHGf2k7DSm6L6keUSehaXZHWdJemetOJnjkARwssUIfLrqj0z1-1zcxna0iUfaHxdIm5LCVd_j3YLWgSC-CIWcOsy84SRHChyEyZFHaLnuN1rsJLJAU/s640/IMG_3400.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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When we went to check on the finished wall the next day, several of the little tiles from below this point fell off completely. We had to buy more mortar, chisel out the gaps, and re-mount new pieces. Don't tile in the middle of the night, kids. <br />
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But, then it was finally done and we were ready to peel of the paper. Since we had done that so effectively by accident early on, we knew that part would be easy, right?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKzIRGMCQjFQtj-5LVKQ6C0VjAguKFyxFQDokj-K-7tgKG6wt_cB7cvLrOl3t0cGPrbauZyazXVFRn3w5LRNinDvFtZgjhimJbp580YUszwQ1b6S04EtdPK-tKiVupHccUAp-C4Ourh2c/s1600/IMG_3405.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKzIRGMCQjFQtj-5LVKQ6C0VjAguKFyxFQDokj-K-7tgKG6wt_cB7cvLrOl3t0cGPrbauZyazXVFRn3w5LRNinDvFtZgjhimJbp580YUszwQ1b6S04EtdPK-tKiVupHccUAp-C4Ourh2c/s640/IMG_3405.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Note the giant pile of shredded paper on the floor. And the bits still stuck to the wall. </td></tr>
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Several days and lots of very numb fingers later, we finally managed to get the last scraps cleaned off and the grout applied. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6Ihcd0BicMJ8vVCN0OyD-uIWPJLJ1yFrlq_9TRMuEHm2ryol0hqaG2-Uu0NsKZ_qT5k3qYCnKH6Zv5iwfkw8U20v-F0Nwptk4kv9dq7DBzHFUcK_LwFQsf165v5kLebii-xKAM7OMREs/s1600/IMG_20170319_214342569.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6Ihcd0BicMJ8vVCN0OyD-uIWPJLJ1yFrlq_9TRMuEHm2ryol0hqaG2-Uu0NsKZ_qT5k3qYCnKH6Zv5iwfkw8U20v-F0Nwptk4kv9dq7DBzHFUcK_LwFQsf165v5kLebii-xKAM7OMREs/s640/IMG_20170319_214342569.jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Done!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Which means we are... drumroll, please... done with our work on the shower! We'll order the glass enclosure and have the plumber come install the fixtures, which are both tasks we're leaving to the pros.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaFDuUIVM3B7QHU8xRvLtkVRSuCdHoPAwczuuMbmnr4-wXtPbPKm2XHS8Kjcj5KbrJHp2nBUEOBRAc9xJaf4US8GMwx6C5s6l3x5xMvdk8TlUSrK-aPVkBn0_F-iyiHPPqKvi3eChrryo/s1600/IMG_3442.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaFDuUIVM3B7QHU8xRvLtkVRSuCdHoPAwczuuMbmnr4-wXtPbPKm2XHS8Kjcj5KbrJHp2nBUEOBRAc9xJaf4US8GMwx6C5s6l3x5xMvdk8TlUSrK-aPVkBn0_F-iyiHPPqKvi3eChrryo/s640/IMG_3442.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leaving us more time to do the important things in life, <br />like taking adorable pictures of the dog posing with her matching pillow.</td></tr>
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Hermione's Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07918668936918441912noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8936053285571550511.post-50857309944795619552017-03-18T19:34:00.003-07:002017-03-18T19:34:54.208-07:00Prime Cometh Before a FallToday I'm prepping to install a shiplap wall in the bathroom. And first, I just want to say that we bought a house with shiplap siding before it was cool. Or at least before I knew it was cool. Take THAT, Chip and Joanna.<br />
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We talked about 9,000 different ways to do this on the cheap. Pinterest is literally riddled with faux-shiplap tutorials. Usually, they use MDF strips and spacers over drywall to mimic the look of tongue and groove. I was all for this approach, but we had a complication.<br />
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Our shiplap wall is in the bathroom, specifically behind the sink. It's going to get wet. And if moisture gets between the wood and the drywall, we would have all kinds of problems like mold or rot. So we decided on real tongue-and-groove boards, which wouldn't leave any drywall exposed. We also wanted wood grain to be visible, so we picked boards instead of MDF. We talked about using reclaimed boards, but ultimately we decided that a store-bought product would save us enough time and money that we should just cave and buy new.<br />
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The shiplap arrived a few weeks ago, and it's been acclimating upstairs. Pretty much as soon as it arrived, I was ready to prime it. The last thing I wanted was to get all the way to the point where we were ready to install it, mere steps away from totally finishing the bathroom, and have to stop to literally watch paint dry.<br />
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The boards were rough - much, much rougher than we expected, especially since the whole point of buying this product was to avoid having to do a lot of sanding and filling. But I figured, there isn't much a good coat of primer won't solve. You can stick that in your book of Auntie Audrey's Wisdom for the Ages.<br />
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Well, the paint dried and.... apparently there are things that a coat of primer won't solve.<br />
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The boards were just too tattered. Which meant we'd need to sand them - AFTER already having primed them once. And then we'd have to prime them again.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nope.</td></tr>
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Today was the day to sand. I schlepped all the boards down the stairs and set them up on sawhorses outside. I grabbed the orbital sander, the coarsest sandpaper we had, and got to work. Then Brett came outside. It seems that the side I thought was the front because it was generally less ratty, he thought was the back because he liked the look of the grain better the other way.<br />
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Me: Okay... *deep, calming breaths* Well, at least you told me before I got too far. So... can I just sand the other side?<br />
Him: Oh no, go ahead and sand both sides. Then everything will sit so nicely against the wall!<br />
Me: Of course my dear, that's oh so very reasonable. *Silently wonders if it's possible to murder someone with an orbital sander.*<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjtjmcn_OToPg_LUwbiZGOdEzOUyhVVdpsUZ1TyI1bQ_IAh2f_bmdWSGvYzpKE6Tn2Pv8QYLAlt5_HPe5uG8MYwX1_oFSkxDVUFBDtG5O0okGjvzbhDa8seebP_W98OQmmVXOispnBpNo/s1600/IMG_20170318_141828031_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjtjmcn_OToPg_LUwbiZGOdEzOUyhVVdpsUZ1TyI1bQ_IAh2f_bmdWSGvYzpKE6Tn2Pv8QYLAlt5_HPe5uG8MYwX1_oFSkxDVUFBDtG5O0okGjvzbhDa8seebP_W98OQmmVXOispnBpNo/s640/IMG_20170318_141828031_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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So, several hours later, I have so many splinters sticking out of my hands, and my fingers are so frozen in place from gripping the power sander, that I look like the child of Freddy Krueger and a porcupine.<br />
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But those boards do look darn good.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUqueP3-EfYChzei-u45HiyLD6X1qM8VG7uXw8_hyphenhyphenTWBXqqx3XR2c6Eayy1Rc_PBo14Euv56Ztk5dnueQMaucgWQLKvnQ9IBfJCijTKhiQu1Kg6FnYbblnxcTG-EhSmXM_xUOR9njFoH4/s1600/IMG_20170318_192003070.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUqueP3-EfYChzei-u45HiyLD6X1qM8VG7uXw8_hyphenhyphenTWBXqqx3XR2c6Eayy1Rc_PBo14Euv56Ztk5dnueQMaucgWQLKvnQ9IBfJCijTKhiQu1Kg6FnYbblnxcTG-EhSmXM_xUOR9njFoH4/s640/IMG_20170318_192003070.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Hermie, on the other hand, is a mess.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNaJAJXUEct1E5UoorLUXp60_G12SicHCsPSQvmPQjlX6dnE6nW-VMHYH8HJniJjvg-NeFA-IsqzIcWNJv8p2bKB3G8FrfsdSE5cYcsBeCda4aL0muWut_BNTwOi3S9zqMqpMXgSjeCn8/s1600/IMG_3419.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNaJAJXUEct1E5UoorLUXp60_G12SicHCsPSQvmPQjlX6dnE6nW-VMHYH8HJniJjvg-NeFA-IsqzIcWNJv8p2bKB3G8FrfsdSE5cYcsBeCda4aL0muWut_BNTwOi3S9zqMqpMXgSjeCn8/s640/IMG_3419.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;">
What happens when you spend the first warm, muddy spring day outside and distracted. </div>
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<br />Hermione's Househttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07918668936918441912noreply@blogger.com1