The trench for the new french drain.

 They followed the line of the original drainage pipe, so basically we now have a french drain set over a perforated drainage pipe.  They found the original pipe had been completely crushed where the pipe drained from the wall, so the new french drains should rectify the situation.  Yay Dan!

Look at those crazy piles of pea gravel.

Another drain was needed running from the north french door of the barn room to the corner of the stone wall.  The pre-made corrugated french drain pipes are from Lowe's and made the labor on this trench so much easier (at least that's what I heard;)  

The rebuilding of the stone wall.  Gotta love a handy (and cute) husband!

I decorated the yellow fertilizer spreader on the back of Big Blue with some large caribou antlers.  Doesn't it look nice?!!!! :)  I'm just joshing with you!!!  Though some who know me would totally think I would do that:)  The antlers have been in the garage forever, needing some rough ends cut  and they ended up in spreader to get them out of the way!  During the project Dan would drive Big Blue (on back roads:) to a rock quarry about 5 miles away to get scoops of stone for the project.  On one trip someone stopped him to ask him what he had in the spreader! 

Of course it was super hot on all their work days.  This day was 88 and wicked humid.  I was in charge of ice water, iced tea, lunch and beer, aka "mason juice" delivery to the job site :)  I was also in charge (self-appointed, of course) of reminding them to reapply sunscreen every 2 hours.  What would they have done without me?!!!;)

Making the finishing touches.  Ah- mazing repair!  I'm so proud of Dan, and Adam too- he had never worked with stones and was a natural.  They did a craftsman-worthy job on the wall.

The boys finishing up spreading the pea gravel.

I took this photo as I was sitting in a chair with a margarita "stupervising" and "helping" them finish up.  I think they really appreciated my contribution:):)!!  As I wrote on IG... this is how you know you are old- when you have a cute 21-year-old working shirtless, at times, for you and all you can think is "Is he wearing sunscreen?!"  lol  Hence the sunscreen on the table, cuz no he wasn't!!!  There will be no sun damage on my watch;)

The two cuties congratulating themselves on a job well done!

After getting his MBA Adam has plans to go into medical device/medial equipment sales, so if you or someone you know needs a super smart, personable, creative, extremely hard-working, all-around good person and cute salesman I can put you in touch!

The "almost" finished wall;)  Still some tweaking to do, but it's back together and stronger than ever.  We had a big rainstorm this afternoon and the new french drains worked like a charm!

(this photo is really pinky as I just took the photo at dusk and the sky to the east was very pink)

With the terrace back to its former glory we can now get back to cocktails on the terrace enjoying views like this!

Now, on to the next big project... which is having several sides of the farmhouse painted.  As Roseanne Roseannadanna would say, "It's always somthin' !"

What have you been up to this summer?!

There are many aspects of life here that are so unique from other parts of the country, and I want to share those things with my family, and perhaps with you- if you have never been to New England.  I do a collection of posts called : "Living in New England" that highlight quintessential New England sights, events, situations, and experiences.

I know of many people who have lived here in New England their entire lives and perhaps don't realize that some of the events and sights that I will describe don't happen elsewhere in the country. Or, maybe you are originally from New England, but have moved away... I hope these posts will bring back some fond memories for you. 

In any event, I wish to share New England with you through the eyes of this Southerner!

(To read other "Living in New England" posts HERE. On the bottom of the page click on "older posts" to continue reading)

This post could also be named "Boys and their Toys," (insert eye-roll;) but I instead decided to include it in my Living in New England series since "good neighbors" really are the back bone of New England.  A good neighbor takes many forms here, not only can a good neighbor be the person who lives down the road or a mile away, but it is your community as a whole.  Neighbors helping neighbors is an unspoken credo in New England.  Volunteerism plays a major role, and "community" is a powerful element since small towns and villages can be spread out far and wide.  For example, since so many small towns and villages do not have the funds for their own fire departments, the building and equipment will be funded by the town but the firefighters and first responders will all be trained volunteers.   Need help raising a barn, plowing your driveway, getting your Christmas wreath down ;) or getting your tractor out of the mud?  When the word gets out someone (or many someones) will willingly offer to come help.  There is a kindness here that is undeniable.  Several Thanksgivings ago I noticed in the "free" section on Craigslist (fyi- our Craiglist covers the entire state of New Hampshire) that many people were giving away the makings for Thanksgiving dinner to people who were in need, other listings offered to pay for a Thanksgiving meal at a local restaurant, and even others were inviting those in need to join them for Thanksgiving in their own homes.  Thinking this might be a new trend I looked on different Craigslists from all over the country, and in no other place (I that looked) did I find these random acts of kindness being offered.  Being a good neighbor is a New England way of life.

Back to "good neighbors" and "boys and their toys"... this post is for all the husbands out there who, I've been told, read the blog sometimes with their wives.  Since Big Blue seems to be a favorite amongst the men readers I thought they might enjoy hearing a Big Blue story... 

We've had a very warm winter this year for New Hampshire, last heard it was at present the 5th warmest on record.  We've had snowed, then had a run of temperatures in the 50's, then the melting snow would refreeze at night and every surface would be covered in ice. Trying to walk down the driveway to get the mail has, at times, been dangerous and impossible.  I've gotten the car out to drive down the drive just to get the mail to avoid a fall.  We don't need any more trips to the emergency room this year ;)  During one of the high temp days of 56 degrees Dan decided to move some  dog poop   sugar-by-product  debris that had been "stored" behind a tree close to the front of the house since the ground was too icy to dispose it daily, as we usually do.  He was moving it using the scoop on Big Blue, the tractor, to the "compost area" that is located off of the "tractor path" which is located just below the "motor court" just off of the barn.  Got that?:)  Let's just say that three dogs create a lot of daily "debris";)   Now, if he had asked his wife (which of course, he didn't ) I would have told him that it was waaaaaay too snowy, muddy, slippery to go down the tractor path.  Since he didn't ask me he went down the path to dispose of the pile of "debris";) and got Big Blue stuck in the mud which had the consistency of quick sand.  

Dan chained up Big Blue and I tried to get the tractor out with our Yukon XL, to no avail, (we brought the Yukon with us from Texas and it is not a 4 x 4 much to the astonishment of every mechanic who works on it as they have never seen one that wasn't a 4 x 4 up here!) after that a neighbor came down with his 4 x 4 Jeep and that also was a bust.  The next day Dan left for a 4-day trip. During that time we got another round of 4" of snow.  The whole time Dan was gone he worried and fretted over Big Blue being left out in the snow.  It was as if he had left one of the puppy-girls out there all by herself.  Dan spoke with another neighbor, who owns a tractor, while away on his trip and the neighbor was very excited to help Dan get big blue out of the mud; even coming over to the house one dark pouring-rain night to check out the situation so he could devise an exit plan!  Hence the boys and their toys comment ;)  One fretting, one scheming and the whole time I'm thinking "if he had only talked to me..... :)

Poor, stuck Big Blue :(

Please note the decorative antlers in the back of the yellow spreader.  I even decorate our tractor.... kidding-  they are being stored there til I found a home for them inside:)

The cavalry arrived in the form of our neighbor Phil with his Kuboda tractor (which definitely needs a name don't you think?!  Big Orange?  Tiger? )   Phil had come up with an ingenious plan to extricate Big Blue using four tree posts and some ice melt.

The tracks to the left take you down the tractor path (the path is hidden from view from the house) where things like firewood on pallets, extra tractor blades, Big Blue's aerator,  granite stones and the compost pile can be found.

Phil turning down the tractor path.

 The discussion of the removal plan commences. 

The plan is further discussed at the incident site.

The tree logs are carried to the site...

and placed perpendicular to Big Blue's bucket.

Phil smartly had chains on his tractor as opposed to Dan someone else who shall remain nameless ;)

Phil's plan was to place the tree logs under Big Blue's bucket and use the logs as stability to push Big Blue back to the salted area where Dan could then get some traction.

Slowly and carefully...

the two worked together moving Big Blue backwards out of the mud and...

within just a few minutes Big Blue was freed!  Phil's plan worked so well he didn't even have to use his tractor to pull Big Blue out of the mud.

"Phil, you're the man!" was the phrase of the day!

After Big Blue's rescue the two men talked and debriefed the mission as "boys and their toys" are wont to do;) 

Thanks Phil, you saved the day!

Couldn't live here without Big Blue or "good neighbors!"

(To read other "Living in New England" posts HERE. On the bottom of the page click on "older posts" to continue reading)

Just when I was wondering what I would post about next...! 

 I have been planning to show you what we've been doing on the property this summer, but there are so many works in progress it was difficult to know where to start.  Sometimes I feel like Dan and I have gardening A.D.D.   We start one big project in the yard, and then... accidentally find some plantings to purchase for another bed so switch our attention to that bed, , then... we decide we need to try to access the water in an old "dug" well for irrigation purposes so we work on that project, then...  I decide I don't like a plant in a particular spot and need to transplant it somewhere else, then... I just finished the design of my vegetable and herb garden (which is my birthday present this year and is located off the kitchen mud room steps and will be enclosed by a picket fence and the gate will have antique granite gate posts- please remember that little detail for later!), so we start that area only to then go back out front again, and work another area!  See, Gardening A.D.D.!
I'm so grateful that Dan loves to work in the yard too.  Calling what we do "gardening", while it sounds lovely really has no bearing on the blood, sweat and tears "yard work" that we really put in.  On days when we are able to be in the yard we will work from morning to night fall!  Coming from Texas, where to call yourself a gardener you have to be hardy stock, we are known to transplant/plant and work in the yard no matter the heat or conditions.  In Dallas we planted the edge of our driveway with liriope one year and it was 104 degrees that day!  And they lived!

So, here's what happened...  it all started because I wanted a hole dug in a specific spot for a new hydrangea bush.

I purchased two Blushing Bride Endless Summer Hydrangeas to add to the three I had already planted in a wooded area we opened up this year that is at the entrance to our property.   I placed the pots where I wanted them to be planted and Dan went to dig the holes.  New Hampshire isn't "the granite state" for no good reason.... very rarely can you dig a hole and not have to use an iron pry bar to wedge some huge stone out of the hole.  Hole number one, no problem.  Hole number two, different story.  A large stone was on one side of the hole.  The pry bar wouldn't budge it, so Dan got Big Blue and using the fork attachment tried to pry out the embedded stone.  No go.  After making a big hole and a bigger mess even Big Blue couldn't budge the stone and I was informed I would need to reposition the pot.  That was not welcomed news since for design/layout the perfect spot was that hole.  It was the end of a long yard day and we were both hot, tired and a wee-bit cranky:), so I told Dan to just fill the hole back up and I would find a new placement the next day.

The next day, once again at the end of the day, after planting a bed of (13) junipers to anchor a perennial bed that hides the power station for our underground utilities and the electric meter ...  we go back to the hydrangea bed to address the hole placement.   Since the embedded stone was only in part of the desired hole space, I asked Dan to show me (i.e. re-dig:) the hole so I could look at it with the rock and decide if it was at all possible to place my hydrangea there with the rock since it was the one spot where I really wanted it for the perfect layout!   I'm a pain, but he's used to it!

As Dan hand-digs around the embedded stone I'm using the iron pry bar to find the end of the stone so he can determine just how big it is and what we're dealing with.

As I plunge the bar into the ground I realize the edge of the stone is straight.... not round like a natural stone should be. Whaaat?? I move the bar several inches and plunge again.... again I hit a straight side, and again. Dan shovels the top and we see that what he is shoveling is also straight. The realization hits us at the same moment and our heads snap up and we look at each other with saucer-shaped eyes like two five-year-olds on Christmas morning. No words, but the saucer-eye message that we were both thinking was:

We laugh and I think how disappointed we're probably going to be, but what if?! What if the house-angels are at work here.... remember me wanting antique granite gate posts for my vegetable garden?! (In case you are wondering, antique posts have a different patina from freshly cut new granite posts which are easily found here at any stone yard. New posts are machine sawn whereas antique posts were hand-split and chipped to form the desired size and shape.) I really, really wanted the stone to come from our property and we actually do have "one" stone post in our stone pile from the barn renovation, but I needed two.)

And, I'll be damned if it doesn't appear to be a buried cut-granite post!!

In trying to find the end of the piece Dan keeps moving Big Blue over several feet at a time.  Time and time again you can hear the sound of the scoop lightly hitting and scraping a flat stone top. 

Turns out, it wasn't a cut granite post after all....

IT WAS GRANITE CURBING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   

Somehow buried (and what we wouldn't give to know how in the world that happened) over the 150 years since it was probably initially placed. What I haven't' mentioned yet, was while I had been wishing for some granite gate posts for my new vegetable garden I had also told Dan one night as we were walking the property with a glass of wine admiring our progress from that day in the yard, was that when we win the lottery:), I want to put in a cobblestone curb from the beehives to the fork in the drive!  

Those "house angels" must have some really good hearing!

While it might seem odd that our simple farmhouse would have such grand curbing along the driveway, there is a reason for this: our house was originally part of the grand estate next door which is one of the largest, oldest and loveliest in our little town. Our farmhouse was probably the over-seers house as our house faces the estate next door and not the road (a feature I have always loved in houses btw!) Our next-door neighbor also has stone beehives at his entrance, and our antique maples share a continuous line making it is obvious that at one time our drive and his drive was one huge circular drive!

This serendipitous discovery falls under the life lesson "be careful what you wish for"!  Two days have gone by and my hydrangeas still aren't planted as we try to figure out what to do!  It's a good "problem" to have, don't get me wrong, but 50 feet (might be more) is a lot of granite edging.  Dan has made numerous holes along the other side of the drive and it doesn't appear to be buried there (why? was it there to begin with? and where did it go?)  So, today we'll probably attempt to start digging it out!  I'll let you know how it all turns out!

the courtyard...

If you'll recall from the last post on the courtyard, this is what the space looked like with the addition of the iron "planter."

Dan then added a stone border around the perimeter.

Big Blue and Dan leveled the terrain.

The iron planter was returned to the courtyard and planted with the Maiden grass.  A vintage armillary sphere (a gift from our dear next door neighbors in Dallas when they moved away) was added in the graveled ac bed behind the planter which will eventually be hidden by the Limelight hydrangeas that were planted between the planter and the house to hide the air conditioners.

Some floats were added- copper and fishing.  You don't see these until you step into the courtyard.  I like a garden to reveal itself as you pass through it instead of seeing everything all at one time.

 


Several rolls of grass have been laid in this photo.  Ahhhh.... progress!

This is the "living room bed" (we name everything!) that blooms all-white.  Again, the bare soil will be laid with sod.  Under the bay windows on the right (the living room) are three Annabelle Hydrangeas which will grow to 5 feet (hence the space between them.)  They are an old fashioned mop-head Hydrangea which are often seen around antique homes.  The tall tree on the left of the bed are white Lilacs which were already here at the house.  I thinned them out some as they were a bit out of control.  Plants were planted with a bit of space between them, but once full grown they will fill the bed.  Several of the "empty" spots in this bed are waiting for ferns, but ferns haven't made a big appearance at the nurseries here yet.  I'm trying to be patient!!

 I came back outside after getting us some water, and Dan told me he had left me a "note"..... the heart shaped rock on the left was waiting for me on this larger rock!  The next day I found a similar heart rock and left a "note" for him!
The large rock is surrounded by Liriope, white Bleeding Heart Aurora, and Icicle Speedwell and white Petunias (I've since also added white green-leaf begonias;)

While I was taking photos I realized I hadn't shown you my orb!!   I love this vintage iron orb- it moved with us from Dallas!  I bought it at the Canton Flea Market in Canton, Texas for $50!  It originally had a iron dutch oven hanging from the center of it (which we removed;)  This puppy is big, about 4 feet in diameter, and to get it home we had to strap it to the top of the SUV and drive 30 miles an hour the whole hour and a half it took to get back to Dallas!  We looked like we were trying to communicate with aliens!

 This is the view as you drive up the gravel driveway to the house, note the orb.  
(The first bed we designed and planted last Fall was the "front bed" and the stones under the front porch...  here )

Here at the farmhouse the orb actually has a job;  it is hiding the well-head.  It is planted with the same variegated Euonymous Wintercreeper and will eventually cover the orb.

You can see the little branches (and the tip of the well-head) being trained to grow around the orb.

And here is the finished courtyard!
I love the way that this once ugly, wasted space has turned into something so pretty!  It is especially pretty looking down on it from the second story windows.

once again....before




after!