Wednesday, May 31, 2023

There's a Lot Going On!

 


My head is spinning these days, juggling so many things. Meanwhile, the garden continues its regular parade of blooms. I cut a bouquet of peony buds that opened within a day or two and have lasted for a week. 


Our warm spring (so unlike last year's) has made the fig trees pop with fruit. Raspberry bushes are loaded and I look forward to an abundant harvest in a few weeks. I planted potatoes this year and they have begun to flower. It seems that there is always something new to see when I visit my garden. 


John Cabot (David Austin) is a climbing rosebush that produces hundreds of flowers throughout the summer. It's in a bed just beneath our patio and long branches often creep through the railing. They have vicious thorns and I am constantly training them to grow elsewhere, with little success. When we have guests coming (including the little grands), I simply cut them off to avoid scratches. 

Behind the roses you can see a portion of the outside painting I did on the house. The colour here is not accurate because the evening sun is shining strongly. As well as renovating the kitchen we've been upgrading the windows and adding seismic upgrades to the outside of the house. Everything has to happen in sequence and I'm glad that I'm not the one figuring that out. I'm thankful that Tim can do that. The vertical portions of the outside of the house are painted dark grey/blue and the horizontal siding is cream-coloured. It's a job that will happen over a couple of seasons. 


Here's a single John Cabot rose with more accurate colour in the background. 


I think we must be on about Phase 34 of the renovation. Now it's all about the flooring. Tim is installing a floating engineered oak hardwood floor in the kitchen, dining room, living room, and entrance hall. You know what that means! Lots of moving parts - especially the furniture. Currently, the dining room table is in front of the fireplace in the living room holding stacks of plates, serving dishes, teacups, and assorted dishes from the china cabinet which sits in another corner. 


But there is definite progress! Here is one section of the kitchen. To the left is the space for the fridge which had to be moved out for the flooring installation. We chose a dusty blue for the cabinets with brass hardware, and white marbled quartz for the countertops. I'm very happy with the decisions we made. It's difficult to actually envision what things will look like when done, so it's a great relief to feel that we made the correct choices. After the flooring we'll think about the tile backsplash. It will be mostly white, I think.

To add a little more to my day I'm going to be teaching Spanish for the next three weeks, until the end of school. Our eldest daughter is the regular teacher and she is going to be off for surgery. And we're having house guests this weekend. As I said, lots of balls to juggle these days, but taking things moment by moment is the way to manage. 


Evening garden visits help, too. 


23 comments:

  1. I love your kitchen cabinets colour. I am painting with a similar colour these days. Peonies are beautiful flowers and o am waiting for some new ones to bloom. You are lucky to have fruits in your garden I only have raspberries and rhubarb.
    The house paint must be very nice. I am only painting the gare d’en shed! Hope your daughter ‘s surgery goes well. You look very, very busy! Good luck for the floor!

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  2. Anonymous12:07 PM

    You certainly have a lot on the go this Spring/Summer. I like the blue cupboards with the white Quartz. Very pretty. GM

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  3. Good Luck to your daughter with the surgey! Hoping it's a minor one and she'll return to her teaching in no time.

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  4. Gosh I feel exhausted just reading about your doings. Love the colour of your kitchen units. I’m sure it will be well worth it in the end. Gorgeous peonies. B x

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  5. Oh wow! You are busy. The renovations will look lovely. I enjoy your flowers as well.

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  6. I've been thinking about your kitchen progress and I'm so happy to see a glimpse. It will be beautiful and you will be so happy you endured the 50 stages! Your garden is a delight! Hope all goes well with your busy weeks ahead. So much for being retired! 😊

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  7. Just look at all the beauty you have in your garden! My daughter has blackberries that we tried from her garden just yesterday. I’m looking forward to seeing your kitchen renovation, Lorrie.

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  8. Kitchen is gorgeous - love the color of the cabinetry and hardware. You are really brave to be undergoing so many projects all at once. Tim thought he was retiring to a life of relaxation most likely.............but it looks like he has a much harder job at hand now, haha! I admire you both - do it while you can. We find things much harder to do these days and admit we are letting plenty of them slide! Not from laziness, more from pain and (dare I say it?) old age!!!!
    Love your garden notes Lorrie - can't believe your figs are ripening already. My John Cabot is thorny too but the beautiful abundance of long blooming flowers make it a great garden addition - mine clambered up over the arbor this spring, looked awesome.
    Hope your sweet daughter's surgery goes well - lovely of you to fill in for her.
    Hugs - Mary & Bob xx

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  9. Stunning iris photo
    Teaching will be almost like a vacation from the renovation chaos.
    Prayers for good surgery results and healing

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  10. I always enjoy your garden photos and your vivid descriptions. The blue and white in the kitchen looks clean and cozy!

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  11. You still find time to share the beauty of your garden despite all you have happening over there! Looking forward to seeing your completed reno project.

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  12. Your John Cabot rrose is very prolific. What an ideal place to have it. giving you scented enjoyment as you are on the patio. Your peonies are ahead of mine , which are still fatly in bud. Everything will soon be calm again and renovations over. Then you can just enjoy your lovely house.

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  13. What a lot of balls you are both juggling currently, but when all finished and done you will be able relax and take pleasure in your achievements. The combination of dusty blue, brass hardware, and white marble tops for the kitchen looks very smart, but are your seismic upgrades as a result of possible earthquakes?

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  14. Just breath…busy indeed! Take care, my friend!

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  15. Love that blue colour in your kitchen! Oh yes, its time for peonies and figues here too, how lovely...
    Have a happy friday & take care.
    Titti

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  16. I love what you're doing with your kitchen! That is a gorgeous rose, too!

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  17. It's no wonder your head is spinning, with all the kitchen work alone. I do love that new cabinet area you pictured, very much! Peonies are sort of mythic for me, because I've never grown them, and they are so luxuriant...

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  18. I know what you mean about juggling so many things! I've been behind reading, commenting, blogging and everything else. Yard sale in the offing, garden, lots of appointments, and plain tired. I admire you for reno work -- it's hard living in the chaos of it. The flowers -- dazzling! Happy week and thanks for coming by, Lorrie! Most appreciated, especially when the world is spinning!

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  19. Our Ottawa kids are starting a kitchen reno soon. It's been delayed for several reasons. Tricky work.

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    Replies
    1. P.S. lovely flowers! Yay summer!

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  20. You have been busy! Your kitchen is looking so lovely and the final touches will make it more so!

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  21. Your peonies are beautiful! I'm still waiting for mine to bloom.

    Love the white marbled quartz countertop! Can't wait to see what the final kitchen looks like!

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  22. marilyn m5:26 PM

    The blue and white in your kitchen is perfect! It indeed sounds like your plate is full. Summer will be here soon.

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