Our Old House Stuff - Mulch and Pipe

We woke up to a dreary cloudy morning with the threats of rain later on.  Since it wasn't raining yet, I set out to finish my project from yesterday.  After a few gulps of coffee, I donned my rubberized gloves and headed out to the garage.  Loading up one bag of 20# of black mulch at a time onto my "mulch wagon"  (a.k.a. Grandtot's Radio Flyer)

The mulch is dyed with a harmless food coloring that won't hurt anything.  I went out to my newly trimmed flowerbed.  I like having the nice white scallops lining the walk, and keeping the mulch back into the flowerbed.

I cut the bags open to flip a door back onto the side of the wagon to help keep the messy mulch sliding down a chute into the flowerbed area instead of making a mess on the sidewalk.


Oooohie I LOVE how that looks! It really makes the coleus and the heuchera plants really stand out.  Once the coleus takes off and starts growing, it will be striking huge mounds of fuschia, magenta and bits of pinks in intervals along the side of the house.

I managed to get four large bags of the mulch spread before it was time to head back in and refill my coffee cup!   Soon I was able to peel off my work gloves and sit back to admire my work. Ahhhhh


I had a little bit left over to spread around the impatiens under the cherry tree.  Take note, these are the NEW impatiens that Steve helped me plant after he killed the last ones with overspray from Weed N Feed last week.  Ack!   We dug out the dead plants and old toxic dirt, sprinkled some lime, and put in all new fresh potting soil before planting the new ones.

Now with the side flowerbeds completed and trimmed and mulched, I am able to enjoy my yard and the blooms throughout the summer.  I am glad we went through the work to finish putting the scalloped edging along the south side of the house... now it matches the rest of the flower beds on the front and around the weeping cherry tree.

(I like things that match, I guess) 

Around the back yard, when putting away my tools, I noticed that goofy Hens N Chicks plant has bloomed!  I think it kinda looks like E.T.  ya know.. the movie?  "E.T. Phone Home" .... (not on MY Verizon minutes you don't!) 

I did snip off some of the "chicks" from this plant and put them in some cactus soil in planters in the house.  I am not sure if they will take off and root or not.  I read that they are easy to propagate, so we will see.  (The center planter is a different kind of succulent I keep in the same window) 

Speaking of Verizon and minutes.... I was keeping an eye out for the Fed Ex truck today.  Last week I had shipped them my tablet for repair and or replacement through Verizon under warranty.  Although it took longer than originally promised, it did get shipped back to me from Tennessee on Friday morning.  Wow... it was here in Green Bay by Sat morning at 4 am and out on a truck for delivery today.  

We did run a quick errand to the neighboring town for some plumbing supplies, but having my phone with me and signed up Fed Ex updates, I could see if the device was delivered or not yet.  We do live in a small town with very little crime, but a nice little Fed Ex box sitting out on a doorstep can be tempting to a passerby I suppose.  I had forgotten to unlock the outer front porch door before we left, so he couldn't leave it inside even if he wanted to.   

Just as we got back from the hardware store with Steve's plumbing parts (our local store didn't have them in stock)  I saw the truck pull up. There... safely in my hands and no worries about it setting on the front steps!   I unwrapped it and spent the next hour reloading all my apps, settings and wifi passwords.  They said they replaced the motherboard, and I know it's my same tablet because I recognise the jaggedy cut I put in the screen protector with a scissors to get it to fit right.  It's working now, so far so good!  Thanks Verizon! 

Rain was threatening, but not quite yet.  I took a pretty picture frame outside to spray paint it for our half bath downstairs. I taped off the glass and had just enough paint leftover from the ottoman to get the frame finished up.  There... I set it in the garage to dry.  That is another project done that I had been thinking about for a while. 

Steve had been thinking of cutting lawn, but just as he started up the mower to take a few swipes, whooosh instant downpour!!!!   On to Plan B....

Time for him to cut out the huge old cast iron drain pipe where it is cracked and leaking. He had opened the wall up yesterday and found where the leak was. He got out the Sawzall and a handful of blades.  He whirred and buzzed and roared his way through two batteries and three blades to finally get the pipe cut free! WHEW! 

While he had the pipe out, I stuck the camera up in the space alongside of the chimney. It was like looking into the secret innards of the 100 year history of our home.  I know it's only bricks and mortar, but the last time someone touched those bricks was 100 years ago as they built this house.  Then that space was closed up tight, not to see the light of day again until today.  Silly, I know.  But I feel such a connection and love for this home, that even something as trivial as unveiling a hidden spot is kind of a thrill to me.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE that Nicole Curtis show on HGTV called Rehab Addict.  In the opening credits she is slamming a hammer in to a wall and trying to unearth the brick behind it to expose and let it become a design feature of the home.  She hollers "I JUST WANT BRICK!"   Well, Nicole, here is my brick!  But it is located behind a swinging door that is normally stuck in the open position and covering this wall of the laundryroom.  Guess we don't need a design feature of exposed brick in here.  Once the pipe is in place, we will close the wall back up the way it should be.

Steve put the new pipe into place, with two rubber boot devices called "fernco"s to adapt it from the old cast pipe to the new PVC pipe.  He determined the water service lines going up to the bathroom were in fine shape and didn't need replacing.  Now that he knows he can get easy access in the future, we will take care of that at a later date, if need be.  

Once he was all done, he took a shower to test the drain.  No leaks!  What a guy.... for a $20 hunk of pipe and two $10 fernco's we were back in shape, with no more leaks in the basement.  Ahhhhh

The rest of the day was pretty damp, dreary and wet.  We didn't get much more accomplished other than the morning tasks.  I reheated my good homemade chicken veggie soup for lunch and we had time for a little nap.  

For supper I whipped up this new little cucumber salad I found on Facebook:

It came out really good! 

Added a couple ears of corn,

some BBQ chicken breasts

and we had a nice meal. 

I wonder what we are going to do tomorrow? 

Around the Yard

Friday was a cloudy day... perfect to get out and about in the yard and do some weeding.  Also perfect to take some photos!  No bright sunlight/shade making the pics appear dappled, and also the colors are better to photograph on a cloudy day. Wanna take a walk around my yard today?

I had my two helpers....

Binney and Finney

I have a couple of plastic rain barrels that I painted up with stencils and Kryon paint for plastics, and Steve added a little spigot to the bottom for filling my watering cans.  I like fresh rainwater for my plants, rather than the chlorinated city water. It looks a little crooked in this pic, perhaps next time I have it drained down a ways, we should shore it up a bit?

 I stenciled my metal watering cans to match too...

Our yard is just COVERED with these little "helicopter" seed pods from the soft maples in the neighborhood.  About this time of year they are coming down almost like snowfalls, and cover the ground and sidewalks and our flowerbeds.  ARGGHHHH

I want to put down my pretty black colored mulch but it's too early yet.  Last year when I spread my black mulch, it looked so neat and nice and trim, contrasting against the green plants and bright blooms.  As soon as I spread it in late may, the helicopters came down and it looked like wood shavings all over that didn't go away.  They just dry up and lay there... obliterating the nice work I did on the flower beds!   They stick up all over the lawns and look like an invasion of dead dragonflies--- LOL

So this year I will wait to spread my mulch 

until the helicopter invasion is over! 

In front of the garage on both sides I put these pagoda shaped planters. They are standing on guard! I found them at a rummage sale last year for a buck a piece. This year I planted some "cathedral bells" climbing vines that are taking off like gangbusters.  I found out they are poisonous to pets and children, so we are making sure that nobody messes with them or pulls off the leaves.  Soon they will bloom with big huge purple blossoms shaped like bells.   Anxious to see them in bloom.....

 (see all those helicopters on the driveway too?) 

I was in the garden center at Walmart yesterday and kept walking past this plant.  It's called Hens and Chicks.  I passed it by twice, each time wondering if I should get it or not?  I have never had any Hens and Chicks, but my daughter Erin bought some and they were kinda neat.  The leaves are hard and firm and waxy, like spikes. 

Well, the third time I walked back past them, I grabbed it!  It is arranged so nicely in the planter for $11.88.   Hmmmmm

I thought they were pretty funky cool!  

(or are they ugly?) 

I read up on them and they only grow for three years, sending out shoots of chicks that you keep replanting or let them spread in a flowerbed.  They are a succulent (cactus) type of plant and can handle drought.  Well, on the third year, it sends up a big spike that blooms over the top, and then the plant dies off!!!  I would imagine it's only the top clump that sent up the spike, and all the sides and babies are new plants to grow for 3 years themselves.  

I cut off about 10 of the babies and stuck them in soil in smaller pots, but I have to get some good cactus soil to replant them once they take root.



About 20 years ago or so, I got these coleus plants from my friend Connie.  Each year I dig a bunch up, and bring them in the house to winter over.  I cut the straggly snips off and re-root them in water and keep making more and more plants.  I have given away countless numbers to friends and family.  My friend Juanita winters them over for me too, in case mine ever accidentally die off.  These are the two newest clumps I started from slips a few weeks ago.  The rest are already in the ground around the house.  I will be able to plant these sometime this week and let them take hold.  By fall, all the clumps are huge lush magenta and fuschia colored plants, with bits of soft green and pink in their centers.  They shoot up tall stalks with tiny lilac colored flowers that don't seem to match the plant at all!

Around the side of the garage, facing west, is my row of tomato cages.  I have 18 plants in this year, with some heirloom varieties and some good Early Girl and Best Boy for eating as soon as they ripen.  Yummmm MATERS!  I do some canning and we enjoy the fresh taste of tomatoes all winter long too. I have another rain barrel coming just off the garage roof downspout to water these in the backyard.  They take a lot of watering because the garage eave overhangs and protects them from any straight down rainfall.

Around the back yard are a lot of perennials, 

planted from over the years of the family who lived here before us. 

Lilacs and peonies ....  traditional old fashioned blooms!

Right before we first bought the house, a huge box elder tree was rotting in the far backyard, and a big branch had fallen off (right where we would be parking the motorhome!)  Once we bought the house, we cut down the rest of the rotting tree so it would not fall and damage anything else. Turns out the other big one next to it was all rotten and hollow inside too. The area was all torn up from cutting them both down.  Instead of digging up the huge 3 foot wide stumps, we buried them in mulch and made a big connecting flowerbed between the two stumps!  It kinda borders the end of our backyard, without having a fence there.  (we have such nice neighbors, we don't need a fence)

 (I need to do some weeding and spread mulch back here too) 

The previous owners had a nice clump of tiger lilies to make a corner area with some more peonies and ferns that come up each year.   This is where we put the intricate cut out camp fire ring that was a Christmas present from our daughter Heather and soninlaw Jesse (he makes these!)

Tucked away behind the tiger lilies are the two sweet grave markers

and the "Ducky Statue".. 

which has wrapped around it's neck the collars of both 

our beloved Duke and Ducky.  

 After pausing a bit back to there to remember those two loveable goofy hounds, 

I wandered up into the front yard to start watering plants that direction.

Here is a big pot of impatiens that are just taking off. Hope they soon become bountiful clumps of pretty red and white blooms!   And my five barberry bushes from Mother's Day should be taking off, and I want to cover the ground around them with black mulch (once those helicopters stop falling and I can rake off the ones around the bushes)

Up alongside the house, it is kinda "messy" yet.  A couple weeks ago this was all a flurry of bright yellow and red tulips and daffodils.  I have to wait for all the tulip stalks and leaves to die off before tidying up this area.  If you cut them off too soon, they don't put the energy back into the bulb for next year.  They need to die off naturally.  I have about five or six clumps of straggly coleus planted along the house.  Soon they will be lush and full and pretty.   Up near the porch is a super duper clematis vine on a trellis.  It will be huge purple velvety blooms all summer long.  Growing like gangbusters, and surrounded by lily of the valley plants.  I love the cut out fretwork of the lattice around the bottom of our porch.

I had to stop to take a pic of the American Flag... we put it out each morning and take it in each night.  The red, white and blue, go well with the red geraniums and white bridal's wreath bush alongside of the front stoop.  I painted the alternating squares of hunter green last spring to spruce up the plain appearance of the front of the house.  Just beige and white was boring to me, so a bit of hunter green here and there made the house look better, in my opinion.

My front flower bed used to be a row of thick old heavy cedar shrubs.  Two broke off the previous winter, so we cut them all out.  Now all the pretty fret work lattice can show towards the street!  I put in rows of hostas and some coleus clumps, plus a row of those red and white impatiens.  Along the far right on the corner i added clumps of hydrangea (my FAVORITE plant!)  that were transplanted from my friend and old neighbor Charlotte up in Oconto.   We added the little cement scallops that I coated with concrete stain so they don't chip and peel like paint would.

In the front yard, we put in a weeping cherry tree two years ago as my Mother's Day present.  I added more scallops around the base and stuck in more impatiens there too.  Hope they are soon big clumps of blooms! The weeping cherry tree is already done blooming this spring and will soon have bright red cherries growing on the branches for the birds to enjoy.

On the other side of the porch, facing north, I put in another trellis and a beautiful clematis vine that Steve got for me last year. It makes the most delicate white blooms, with fringes of burgundy and tiny center streaks of pink. Amazing how lovely these clematis flowers bloom in the evening or early morning, then curl up during the heat of the day.

I added a few clumps of ferns that are not doing so well, and a hunk of hosta.  Got more hostas to shift over here, maybe later today Steve will help with that.


Well, that was a tour of our yard, the last side of the house is just some big cedar shrubs and our doggie potty yard! Guess it's time to take them out for a walk around the block.....

 ARF ARF! 

Birthday Boy, Socks and Weekend House Projects

Our dear Steveio has turned... gasp... FIFTY FIVE YEARS OLD!

All of the kids and grandtots came last Saturday for his birthday party.  The poor birthday guy had to work, plus he was LATE coming home from some meetings ---  so the kids were lined up at the porch windows, looking at each car driving past the house.  "Where is Grandpa?  Where is the Tracker?" they kept asking us!

 See why my porch windows are all smeared up with fingerprints????

He finally pulled in to be greeeted by their cheers and shouts.  Soon we had them all piled in our laps...  little Mason had enough of photo posing, they had just come from a photographer for their family pics, and he said enough was enough!   So I stuffed a bottle in and held on tight.  Then Clayton started fussing that he didn't have a bottle (he is now only using a cup)  so pretty soon we had to turn them loose!

The kids had a blast playing with the toys, we took a walk to the park, and later they were running around the house up and down and all around.  It feels so good to have a house full of wee ones laughter, shouts and screams.

We grilled out burgers and brats, and finished off with a chocolate chip mint ice cream cake for the birthday boy.   He officially can now retire after working his butt off for the state for 35 years--- but he is enjoying his new transfer job at High Cliff State Park.  Guess he will hang around for a while as we enjoy our new house in Chilton.

Seems strange that only one year ago we were selling the house up on the river in Oconto.  I hope the new people are as happy in that home as we are in ours!

Also, on Monday--- I trekked back up to Oconto area to go the library in Oconto Falls.  Twice a year we gather there to share sock machine knitting tips and tricks and swap and share.  Most of us have antique old sockknitting machines.  There is a company now making new ones from the old patents from the Gearhart company.  Here is their link: Earlbacher Gearhart Company

I brought along the extra machine I had for sale.  This gal Tracy came all the way from the U.P. of Michigan, hoping someone had one for sale.  Sure enough---- she bought mine!   Look how happy she is!   I gave her a hand's on lesson right there.  Soon she was cranking yarn and even turned a heel... twice!

We had a show-and-tell time--- and each of us shared something we had done. 

It was a nice day to get out and about, 

plus I made a fellow sock-cranker happy with a new machine to play on.  

The rest of the week flew by and before we knew it, the weekend had arrived.  The weather has finally warmed up in Wisconsin to daytime temps in the 70's.  WOW!   We had opened the windows and let in fresh air.  I scrubbed some of the screens and we got some house projects done. 

The trees all got the dead branches trimmed off

We raked the yard and collected the pine cones from the tree up front

Steve cleaned all of the rain gutters from old leaves

We planted some hydrangea, lilac and transplanted some perennials

We moved some bird feeders to a better viewing spot by the dining room windows

We mounted my new scrollwork rack for the garden hose  

Steve got the water lines hooked up to the washing machine and laundry sink 

and started nailing up the trim I had stained.  

That was all the "little stuff" that we got done on Saturday.  On Sunday we got up and had cinnamon muffins and coffee out on our sunny porch.  Ahhh the sun coming up in the east streams into the porch with golden warmth.   This is what we were waiting for...  springtime on our porch! 

See? We don't work so hard ALL of the time!

I got on a baking bug--- and bought some granny smith apples the other day.  I figured it was time for an apple pie!   Oh my the house smelled sooooo good! I sprinkle cinnamon and sugar on the top crust for added flavor.  

I missed my little baking buddy Chelsea who loves to make the apples go "round and round" on the peeler device.   Allegra likes baking chocolate chip cookies so she can eat the chips.  Jameson likes making rice crispie bars with sprinkles.  Wonder what Clayton and Mason will like to make?  They are now both one year old and time to learn how to bake with Granmuddah Pfun---

Sunday morning after muffines, Steve went to to Waupaca to help his dad with a few things.... so I got out my buckets of Cabots solid colored stain (looks like paint but don't chip, flake or peel like paint)  and started on the back stairs.  They had never been painted or stained, so it was like starting with a new project.   The wood was quite weathered, so it took three coats to cover it all up.  Those spindles take a long time and I worked on it on and off all afternoon.  Sure made a difference!

 BEFORE                                                                            AFTER 

I have to still touch up the upper rails on the shaker porch so they get spruced up too. 

Another project we worked on over the weekend was working on the front flower beds.  In my last blog, I had posted where Steve cut down all of the overgrown cedar shrubs and we exposed the lovely cut-out trellis work trim under the porch.  How pretty! 

Saturday night we picked up scalloped cement edging for the flowerbeds.  It only came in beige, red or grey cement.  So we bought the grey cement ones and I stained it all white to match the house.  My handy dandy saw horses were set out front as I stained 6 pieces at a time.  

 Whew... I look awful in this pic, but it was 8 a.m. and my hair was up in a clip.

I had 20 straight pieces and three curved ones to do to get enough to go across the front and also around the side a ways. Each one was pretty heavy... and Steve helped me place each on into place.  I think it looks so nice and neat trimmed up that way.

I am going to stain the sides of the porch steps too.  And maybe add some hunter green highlights here and there to the trim on the front of the house as a third color. 

Now if it only warms up enough to plant some hostas and other flowers in the newly made flower bed?   The side of the house is already planted with bulbs and other perennials... Coming up are tons of tulips, daffodils and Glory of the Snows tiny blue flowers.   I even hung out the humming bird feeder, hoping to attract some when they come north.   

While we were digging up the front flower bed, we ran across this tiny St. Joseph statue.  The previous owners' daughter told us they had put one in somewhere, in hopes of it helping to sell the house...  and it worked because we bought the house!  

During my years as a real estate broker, I had heard many times about burying a statue to help sell a house.  

This is the legend:   

Known in the Catholic faith as the Patron Saint of the home, Saint Joseph has been prayed to for centuries by those who wish to sell their house. Earthly father of Jesus, Joseph was made a Patron Saint because he taught Jesus to be a carpenter and made sure that he was always well housed. Interestingly, a ritual of faith developed long ago that involves burying a statue of Saint Joseph in the yard in order to sell a home. This tradition is continued by many people today in hopes of selling their home quickly and at a profitable price.  

How the Tradition Began:

• The tradition of burying a Saint Joseph statue began in Europe around 1515 A.D. Nuns at a cloister needed to expand their lands. They began by burying medals imprinted with the image of Saint Joseph into the ground. Their prayers were heard, and within a short time they received their request. It is unclear how the use of Saint Joseph medals evolved into the use of Saint Joseph statues.

I am going to send the statue now to a fellow RVer who is trying to sell their home.  

Perhaps it will work for them... it did for this house! 

Last night Steve finished up the hookups for the laundry sink and washing machine in the new laundry room.  I will snap pics of it for the next blog.  He started nailing up the trim last night--- but I was so worn out from the day, I told him to STOP!   It was time to curl up and relax (and watch "Revenge" for the rest of the evening)  Whew.  I think we need another vacation????





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