QUICK VIEW OF THE "NEW" GARDEN HOME

GREETINGS! I am doing a post to give you a quick look at the new paint with door completion and new house numbers (first time in 3-years to have house #'s) to match the antique copper look of the mailbox and new doorbell. Do not be alarmed...in "real time" this RED is really a beautiful Paprika, brick color along with the chocolate brown, moss green door with the Paprika highlight in the door surround. You can see as well the new, traditional "slate gray" porch paint and steps. I also added reflective house numbers to the curb-side steps up from the sidewalk for ease of location in case of emergency, etc. I used a construction adhesive and some inexpensive 3-D reflective house numbers from my local "big box hardware store", found my center line, added the middle number and worked from there.

And you will not believe the next project I have decided I must do. I have been concerned about my refrigerator, often making noises, leaking water from underneath and collecting moisture around the seal. My middle brother suggested I try to replace the seal but after checking with some appliance "experts" again at my local home improvement store where I work part time, found out that one cannot purchase the seal alone WITHOUT the refrigerator to go with it! I remarked to the "expert" I did NOT find that amusing (really it was though). My current fridge is a 15cu.ft unit, so yesterday afternoon, Wednesday, I proceeded to demolish the cabinet above my fridge. I first removed the doors and hardware. Next I made some cuts with my reciprocating saw in what I thought were some key holding spots for supports. Then I proceeded to hammer some of the front trim boards off, then cutting through the corner trim. I only wanted to remove the lower shelving unit, keeping the upper part as an open display to make the cabinet look more customized to fit the situation. So after some additional trimming out, spackling, sanding and painting both last night and up again this morning at 4:30am and working it again, I have made a larger opening to fit a new fridge that I will order today after my Master Gardener intern class. I will have to install an ice maker supply line but I already know how to do that and run it from under the sink connection, through the lower cabinets and behind the stove and over to the new fridge. The unit I have picked out has a 9.9-cu.ft freezer (a side-by-side model) that since I do not have room for a stand alone freezer will give me so much more freezer space for my homegrown vegetables next summer. I gave so much away this summer and when this all comes together like I hope it will, I should have enough space to make much more soup mix, tomato sauce, frozen squash and anything else I can squeeze into my little patch next year after the garden revamp I plan over the winter. I think I can freeze enough both produce and "meat on sale" to keep myself almost all next winter season. Below is after I cut the shelf out and when it was finished, painted and trimmed out again. Aaaaahhhhhh.....room to grow!

WHEW.....I am almost worn out just thinking about all the projects I have been able to accomplish this year here at the garden home. One of my brothers & I are thinking I should consider moving this house on to another owner and looking for some smaller home with some larger tract of land to spread out my gardening and produce production, adding my long awaited chicken house, HIS GOATS he wants for cheese making, and the chance to move to more open spaces to make "the dream" come true! Only time will tell. Some of my neighbors have suggested bodily harm to me if they see a "FOR SALE" sign go up in my yard.
I must leave you today and head to MG class. So I will give you this as your gardening affirmation for today: "Nature's first green is gold,Her hardest hue to hold,Her early leaf's a flower;But only so an hour.Then leaf subsides to leaf.So Eden sank to grief,So dawn goes down to day.Nothing gold can stay. " by Robert Frost