Better late than never

Like I mentioned three weeks ago, and update of my operating system made my iPhone + work computer not want to play anymore. I've only recently gotten around to uploading photos on the home computer (which is looking a bit worse for wear with sawdust jammed between the keys, a giant crack in the trackpad and a stickingspacebar). Spring came & went quickly. It was an AWESOME maple syrup season so the better half spent weeks in the bush helping family friends with their camp.

The dog was in her element (that is to say: mud)

 
 Eating french toast created with homemade bread + eggs from the coop, with maple syrup drizzled over of course!

 


 Then summer arrived - we've had brilliant weather for a few weeks. I'm biking to work instead of taking the scooter in an attempt to get healthier. Our strawberry patch has a dozen blooms already, our garden remains untilled because of a broken tiller, the ground cherries from last year appear to have self-seeded, the garlic is garbage but the chives and mint and raspberries are all verdant & lovely. Guests have been making good use the house...in the span of two weeks we will have three sets of guests stay (a visiting researcher, a friend from the coast + friends currently living in New Mexico.)

This is the view about 10 minute walk from the front door:

 This is the view about 30 seconds walk from the front door, unfortunately:

Looks like something is eating our trees. We are loosing them:

 

Behind the pile of downed trees is a pile of gravel, hanging out all winter killing the grass. We managed to move about half the pile to make a car parking pad/wood delivery area near the compost but the rest remains. Killing the grass softly.

The workshop is also getting improvements, although I don't have nicely lit pictures of the tool space. New plywood cabinets, new lighting and new roofing (yet to be installed) to make the space more useful. We've got to pour our concrete countertops soon, so this is the space we will use.

Eventually we will install the cedar shingles all stored in the barn currently. The recent trip to Cape Cod area just hardened my resolve for/increased my love for grey houses. Rows and rows of grey houses with white trim. Sigh. 

View from our rental car window:

And inside the house? Installed the fancy pocket doors finally:

 And decided to tear down a wall between door bedrooms upstairs to make a master bedroom with giant walk-in-closet. RRowwwwrrrrr...

 The plan:

 The reality: