Updating the cabin

Now that the granddaughters are too old to play house in the cabin anymore, it is undergoing some changes to function more as a garden shed.  


First thing was to remove the protective banister in front of the loft so it's easier to store garden things.  


Then I added curtains to cover the boxes and such up there.

I added a wire shelf that was sitting idle in the basement to hold my garden gloves, shoes, plant makers and the like.  


I took down the previous shelves I had up there to use in the garage as they will function better out there.  


I do like to rearrange stuff, don't I?

To create a better work area I put up the black pegboard that I used to use as backdrops for the dolls.  


Now it is used for the purpose for which it was designed.  Yeah, I know...kind of boring, but it is efficient.  I added a nice tablecloth for the table and think it's done.


I may find some pretty flooring one of these days and add that.  

Just because it's a work area doesn't mean it can't be pretty.  


As Left Brain says...it's one of the most expensive lawn ornaments we own.

It felt good to give it a good sweeping out and cleaning and it's great to have a place to store all the garden things.  I'm sure Left Brain likes having my trash out of his garage also.


I've always wanted a log cabin and this isn't exactly what I had in mine but it sufficient to mark off my bucket list.  Check.


Long Live the Queen of the Cabin

Bzzzzz

Soaking in the hot tub without a suit requires some stealth and quiet, especially while hosting guests from Russia.  So I slipped out this morning to watch the sun rise over the valley while taking in the cacophony of wildlife sounds.  It's one of my favorite moments of the day...in spite of She Devil  pantomiming  her desire for breakfast through the window.  When I laughed at her she surprised me with another gesture that I didn't realize a cat was physically capable of doing!  That was rude...I must find out where she learned that.  Probably from Left Brain.

Anyway...back to basking in the solitude of nature.  Suddenly there was a loud buzzing in my ear...not uncommon...but this time it was a huge bumblebee.  It wove it's way over the water, allowing me to wonder at the miracle of it's flight up close  and personal.  Then it landed on my towel and tucked it's body under the fold as if for shade.  How cute!

I'm feeling pretty smug about now...me and my bumblebee enjoying the hot tub together, both in our own way.  Then I watched a cardinal and a large woodpecker checking out the bird feeder to see what was left after last nights ravaging by the raccoon.  One of our guests had a good time photographing him last night as he was feeding.  He crawls up the post and uses the squirrel baffle as a seat while he dines on the seed in the feeder.  It's like watching some burly guy climb up on a barstool as he bellies up to the bar.

Oh look!  There's the oriole.  I must replenish the grape jelly for her this morning, I'm sure the coon finished that off last night for dessert after emptying the feeder.  I just love my viewing spot while soaking my tired achy body in the hot water.  I'm usually in hot water, so I figured I might as well learn to enjoy it.


Well, the sun has crested the hill and She Devil is pretending to be dying now...clutching her throat and rolling around on the floor.  She's such a drama queen and over acts it to the hilt.  So, I looked both ways before exiting the tub as always...coast is clear...and grabbed my towel.


Oh yeah....the bee.  Kind of forgot about him until I wrapped him inside the towel with me.  We became bossum buddies there for a bit until he freaked out and let me know he did not enjoy being in my cleavage.


I yelped out in surprise...well, screamed is more like it...and flung away my towel and ran for the door.  This is neither the way to retain one's privacy nor is it a treat for anyone's eyes so early in the morning.  Therefore, I apologize to my family and neighbors for the disturbance and when I figure out how to say it in Russian, to our guests.

Long Live the Queen of the Hot Tub

What doesn't he get?

Short post today as we are preparing a get together for our Russian students tonight and I've got cooking and cleaning to do.
  
Yesterday the guy was coming to inspect the air conditioning and do it's yearly tune up and such.  I was going to be working down in the basement that morning and was afraid I'd miss him so I prepared a sign for the front door.  It said "  I'm down in the basement, please just come in and join me downstairs".  I know they always started the inspection in the basement, so this made sense to me, so I posted the sign and left the front door open.


Now, Left Brain didn't think this was so smart.  As he pointed out there could have been an axe murderer coming to the door (I didn't realize they did door to door) and he'd know I was down there alone.


Gheez.  So I altered the sign to add the following:  "PS: If you are an axe murderer please know that my husband is in the kitchen cleaning his guns and he's been drinking...so look out!".


I'm not sure why Left Brain didn't care for that either.  There's just no pleasing that man!


Long Live the Jester Queen

The Fairy Gardens continue

The little arbor was found while plant shopping with Ms M and looks just adorable up on it's little hill.  One of the smaller fairies is sitting on one of the built in chairs.

Then I remembered that I have a small camping tent and set up a fairy camp site near the landing pad for the canned ham.  

Too cute for words.  It would not surprise me at all to have some varmint or another use it for housing.  Speaking of varmints, the raccoon is out there digging for fallen bird seeds.  

He definitely wouldn't fit in the little tent...he's way too big.  I may find some superheros in there some day...the neighbor looks like he's scheming a prank to play on me.  It will look good when the hostas and ferns grow up around it more and it has it's little camp site number posted by it.  Hmmm. Perhaps a clothesline to dry their wings.

That reminds me...I have a small hammock I could put up near my full-sized one.  It's so good to be a doll maker - all this stuff sitting around just waiting for inspiration.  I never thought I'd use it outside, but what the hey...it's fun and makes me smile.  I wonder if the fairies would like a tire swing.....

Long Live the Queen of Fairies

Another day in the yard

I will embrace the day I have no more big projects and can just work on maintaining and tweaking the yard without chugging down Aleve and spending so much time in the hot tub I'm pruny.


Picked up the last 20 patio blocks for the landing pad.  It will be interesting to see what happens the first time we try putting the canned ham on it.  I'm expecting the patio blocks to all shatter, the sides of the landing pad to burst out on to the lawn and the whole long, exhausting project to be a complete disaster.  But then again...I'm an optimist and it might be worse than all that.


Another round of weeding and the yard should be looking okay for our gathering on Thursday.  We have a bunch of Russian students coming to work for the summer and two of them will be staying with us for the first week.


It is good to have an incentive to clean up things and get projects done...nothing like inviting people over to get the house cleaned.
Today I'm waiting for the septic pumping guy to come and clean us out...'cause that's what we people without city water and sewer do.  We believe that a royal flush beats a full house any day.


Long Live Queen of the Household chores