A Real Metamorphosis!

So many things have changed this week that I just don't know where to begin! Hmmmm, I guess I'll start where I left off...with the window installation. After the window delivery, Michael set right to work to get the windows installed. He started by wrapping the southeast side of the house with TYPAR weather protection. (EBS is our local hardware store.) This was the side of the house that originally had no windows. This whole side is the new master bedroom.

                                                          First the right window

                                                                  Then the left window

After looking at many different styles and brands of windows, we finally decided on an Andersen vinyl window which is sold under the name of American Craftsman. We would have loved to go with a wood frame window but we are trying to minimize future work by not having to paint. We also chose windows that tilt in and have the grills within the glass  for easy cleaning. These windows were also on sale, which saved us a small fortune. I love how the grills change the entire look of the house.

                                Once that was done Michael installed the front side window.

The next window to be installed was the top accent window. This was very scary for me to watch when Michael had to come very close to the electric wires while installing the window.

 I don't recommend this ever! Michael worked as an electrician for years so he has experience working around wires but still, that was no comfort to me. We weren't able to get our electric company to come out in time to wrap the wires for this project but I sure hope they make it before we shingle.

                                                       We are so happy with the new look!

 
                             A real metamorphosis happening on the house... and in the meadow.
                                 I took all these shots right in our own meadow the other day.

                                                                       Enjoy your day!

Miscellaneous Joy!

On Friday I took my Dad to the place he enjoys visiting the most when he is in Maine....the heavenly studio of the BEST Massage Therapist in Maine... and possibly the world! Becca Swan is truly a remarkable healer and her studio is like no other. Nestled in the woods next to a stream, the little cottage studio is an idyllic sanctuary and plays almost as important a role in healing, as does Becca. While waiting for my Dad, I love to wander around the flower gardens, sit on a rock wall and play the slate xylophone or stroll along the meandering brook. The trickling sound of water, the deep bong of the chimes hanging in the tree and the songs of woodland birds, make it one of the most peaceful places I know. I can't wait to have my massage.

                                                            Needless to say, we love Becca. 

 On Saturday morning, although rainy and wet, the patio doors and windows were delivered! We were so excited to see them but when we carried them all inside, there was barely any room to move around in the small cottage.

While the windows were being unloaded, my Dad and I quickly drove to a local thrift store where we had gone the day before. I had seen a half-round window for $49.00 and knew it was a good deal but wasn't yet sure where it could go. I thought about it all night and in the morning decided it was worth taking the chance and getting it.

                                                                           Exterior Side

                                                                           
                                                                               Interior Side

Before leaving, I called the shop to make sure the window was still there and when we arrived, I happily discovered they had marked the window down to $24.00! I was so delighted. I brought it home, not sure what Michael would think but luckily he thought it was a terrific find and suggested we put it above the front door in the overhang and close it in. With decorative shingles around it, I think it will look fantastic!

           
                                                    Temporarily placed to give us an idea 

After a long day of work on Saturday, Michael and I washed up and raced out the door at 4:30 to our friends rental lodge. They were visiting Maine with their three young boys from Florida and needed a babysitter so they could attend a class reunion. We happily offered. It's not very often anymore that we get the chance to spend time with little ones and we miss it.

Armed with sidewalk chalk, a live snake, cardboard boxes and a soccer ball, we felt ready and prepared. I am a former children's librarian and day-care owner while Michael is himself, a father of 3 boys. Nothin' to it we thought...except we forgot how much energy it actually takes to care for children...especially healthy, active boys! Honestly though, these were the most polite and well mannered boys we had ever spent time with...but they were still active and we arrived tired.

                                    Budding Artists (Michael still builds houses even with chalk!)

                  Looking for worms to feed the snake (which the boys loved and fondly named Joe)

After leaving their place at 12:30 A.M., we were beyond exhausted. So Sunday was spent relaxing and gathering our energy for Monday...the big window install and tree pruning day!

Stay tuned...

Out And About With Dad

It was a bright, shiny day yesterday and the air seemed a lot less humid...a perfect day for my Dad and I to visit the local Farm Market to stock up on some freshly picked vegetables. Beth's Farm Market located in Warren, Maine is always a fun and colorful place to stop.

                                                Sweet juicy melons warmed in the Maine sun.

                  One free gladiola with each purchase...                           and a free apple to sample too!

                            Who can resist buying all these beautiful, locally grown vegetables?

We just had to bring home some sunflowers!

After we got home and made a nice lunch, I set out to Catch Meadow Cottage for a little walk in the meadow. I discovered thousands of berries growing on the ground. They are called Northern Dewberry and are closely related to the common Blackberry.

                                                   Here they are in different stages of ripeness. 

 Instead of growing on tall canes like blackberries do, they grow along the ground on vines. The leaves almost look like Virginia Creeper. Once the berries turn black, they are quite delicious. I have never seen so many growing in one place before. I am going to see if I can cultivate them by training them to grow on small trellises.

                                                                  Have a "berry" nice day!

Father Knows Best....

Last week Michael and I drove to my Dad's home in Rhode Island to pick him up and bring him back to Maine with us. He was very curious about the new property and all the changes that we were making. All week he has been coming to the house with us to inspect, watch us work and help us make decisions. Yesterday was no exception.

One of our biggest dilemmas was where we should locate the new gas fireplace. The fireplace is an essential component in the house because it will be our main source of heat. We are taking out the old oil furnace in the basement and replacing it with a wood stove. Of course we will use the wood stove as much as possible but we also need another source of heat that 

does not have to be continually maintained and does not need electricity to run. 

The old oil furnace we are taking out of the basement

Because the cottage is small, we don't need anything too big. A gas fireplace that puts out 20,000 to 30,000 BTU's should suffice rather nicely. Although the efficiency rate isn't quite as good, gas fireplaces are much prettier to look at than a typical propane heater. 

It will make a very charming and cozy addition to the cottage. 

(Note: We don't have the option of natural gas in Maine)

This is just an example of what we would like

We couldn't figure out where to locate the fireplace without taking up a lot of space. Our original thought was to install it in the corner of the new living room but for practical reasons it 

just didn't work there. 

My Dad listened to all of our ideas and then politely interrupted us.

 "How about placing it between the two windows and building a box outside, to house the back of the unit so it won't stick into the room so far?" 

We just looked at each other and smiled. Brilliant idea! Why didn't we think of that? 

And so....thanks to Dad, our new gas fireplace will be installed on the wall between the two windows leaving plenty of space for a couch, table and chairs.

Father knows best!

My Dad points to where the fireplace will be located. 

(That door on the left will become a window) Can you picture it?

Have a beautiful day!

Pop Goes The Window

Despite the heavy humidity that hung over us like a wet wool blanket, we continued to trudge through the weekend making considerable progress on the cottage. Michael and his son Matt pulled all the sheet rock off the walls in the new kitchen and living room while I gathered up garbage that had been strewn around the property from the previous owners.

                          This is a view into the new living room. That door will become a window.

                                                        This is a view into the new kitchen.

Here is just some of the garbage I was able to collect from around the property. 

The dumpster is completely full now and must be hauled off soon. 

                 Matt had to remove all the old sheetrock screws before we can hang new sheetrock.

After all this was done, Michael framed out the new windows in the master bedroom.

                                                               It went rather quickly...

When we went outside, however, we found a different situation. When Michael cut away the clapboards where the windows were to go, he discovered that the boards had been attached with large headed ring nails instead of nails with smaller heads. The smaller nails would have been much easier to pull out. The dry, brittle clapboards did not stand a chance and broke with every yank. We realized we would not be able to reuse them. We also found that the weather protection underneath the siding, was just paper and had suffered a lot of water exposure. It all has to be removed and new weather protection applied. We have decided to cedar shingle the entire house. Michael was not pleased but secretly I was thrilled. I love shingled houses.    

                      I know it looks a bit odd but the cuts are much larger than the actual window size.

       I thought we would end there for the day because it was so hot but Michael got excited. He really
               wanted to see what it would like with the actual window opening. The man is a machine!
                                                           He just never stops. Lucky for me!

                                                                  Pop Goes The Window!

                                                     Two new windows in the bedroom!

                                                   The house looks happy now, don't you think?

                                       Michael looks happy too...I finally convinced him to stop.

Buy Land While It Lasts....They Stopped Making It

This week marked a very special event in my life...one I have been looking forward to since I was a young girl. When I was fourteen years old, I babysat as often as I could just to save enough money to buy books. I had found one in particular at the local bookstore that I just had to have. Published in 1976, Country Women held within it's soft covered, 380 pages, everything I needed to know about living off the land....it was my dream.  The book was written by two women who had decided to give up their city lives and take up self-sufficient living in the country. Sadly the author, Jeanne Tetrault passed away in 2004 but I wonder if she had any idea how influential she and co-author Sherry Thomas were in a young girl's life?

I was so excited when the day arrived that I was finally able to plunk down the hard earned $6.95 for the book. I hurried home to read every page. Filled with detailed information about buying land, planting gardens and raising livestock, it also offered beautiful artwork, anecdotes and inspirational poetry. I still treasure this book today.

           One of my favorite poems in the book, which I actually memorized all those years ago, 
                                              has served as a mantra for me throughout my life.

"Buy land, buy land while it lasts, they stopped making it"

...and that is what I finally got to do this week! 

Although I have owned land in the past, I never owned this much, nor did I have the opportunity to live self-sufficiently. On Friday, that all changed. The eight acre meadow became part of the one acre cottage property, which now totals 9 acres. I am so thrilled! 

The meadow is filled with flowers, birds, butterflies, animals and....possibilities! How wonderful it will be to cross-country ski across the meadow this winter or gather dandelion greens in the spring. It is entirely surrounded by stonewalls and brimming with low bush blueberries, wild strawberries, raspberries and blackberries. Sturdy oaks and maples stand as sentries around the meadow and will provide for many a warm evening when wood is needed for the stove. 

I have researched the land extensively and discovered that originally the meadow was part of the cottage property. In the mid 1800's the whole property was a farm owned by Nathaniel and Fannie Young. The stone remnants of their house and barn are still found on the property today. The old dug well, which I discussed in an earlier post (Well Wishes...), was the family well and their only source of water.

The land was eventually divided in 1982 when the present owners gave the cottage portion of the land to their daughter to build a house. The parents kept the meadow but unfortunately the daughter had to sell the cottage with one acre when she and her husband divorced.

 At the closing this week, the owner, now an elderly woman, told us she was thrilled that we bought the meadow because now the two pieces of land are finally back together, as they once were.
We were delighted to hear this.

If you look closely you can see the cottage way in the distance. 

This photo was taken from the back of the meadow    

A lovely brook runs along the back of the meadow and in the spring you can hear it burbling... all the way up to the house... burbling over like the happiness in my heart!