What Do You See Outside YOUR Open Window Today?

What Do You See Outside YOUR Open Window Today?
Remember: "When God closes a door, He always opens a window!" You never know what might be out there waiting for you!

Sunday, April 9, 2017

Our Fixer Upper-Fence Project Continued

If you have followed the recent saga of the Steiner house  "Sequel to Demo Day at Our Fixer Upper fence project, you know that we replaced just the front section and gate of our dilapidated privacy fence that surrounds the back courtyard of our home in the forest.  We had a lot of fun as a family with the original Demo Day, and the subsequent installation.  Our original plan was to wait and complete the rest of the fence a little at a time, as we could afford it.  Well, thanks to Uncle Sam and our unexpected income tax refund, we decided to go ahead and finish this project before the rest of the fence totally collapsed.  So, without further ado, let me show you what the Steiner family has been up to this past weekend:

 It started on Thursday afternoon, when the Lowes' delivery truck brought our remaining 13 sections of fence and deposited them in our yard!  When the delivery man called to tell us he was on his way, and that he was driving a semi-tractor trailer, and he asked if our road was a through street or a dead end, I had to stop and think. We are the first house on the road, and then there isn't another house on this particular road for about 2 miles, after traveling through a very winding, narrow, dirt, tree-lined forest road, which then ends up on what is known as a "key" into the lake...there are other homes there at the lake point, but no, there is no place to turn around such a big truck.  So he said he would figure it out...and a while later I could hear him coming down the road...backwards all the way to our house from the highway, which is about a third of a mile.  He had to be a pretty good driver to do that...

 Then, when I saw his truck, I understood why he brought such a big truck! Duh!!! He needed a forklift to get our fence panels off the truck and into our yard...I was afraid we were going to have to help him carry them from the truck...shows you how much I know about this...

So here they are, including one extra lattice piece to add to the Secret Garden area...(later)


So, here is the fence that needed to be removed and replaced...many slats were falling off, and those that remained were so thin, cracking and fragile, barely hanging on...some have been damaged by wandering bears who tried their best to get inside the courtyard to check out the bird feeders or just to look around...that's why we HAVE this fence in the first place...to give us a little buffer zone in the back yard  that is relatively "bear-free".



Also, all of these vines...wisteria, confederate jasmine, and honeysuckle, beautiful as the flowers may be, were getting extremely overgrown and especially intertwined and embedded in the fence slats, causing the slats to break.

Yes...VERY overgrown...




This is our back entrance to our house and courtyard...with the Secret Garden to the right under the huge magnolia tree.  Again...time, weather, and critters have pretty well worn this old fence out...


Not a very inviting or attractive entrance for our back yard neighbors...

 To begin our demolition of this part of the fence, we had to decide what to do with all the vines...

 So, our son Scott got the electric hedge trimmers and went to work...

Yes...he really went to work...bye bye vines...but they will grow back.  We didn't pull them up from the roots...(except in a few places where they were growing into the fence and we had no other choice)

And then the fence sections could come down.  We left up the inside lattice sections for now to hold the remaining vines up, but they will have to come down eventually because they are all quite fragile and falling apart as well.

This is the view of the Memorial Garden area without the privacy fence behind it. I kind of like it, but I still prefer the privacy and shade that the fence provides in that area. And I don't want the bears to come in there...just the one on the tree.... Ha Ha
More of the demolition of the old fence...only the lattice remaining holding up the vines for now


And here's the Secret Garden, without the benefit of the privacy fence behind it....not too secret anymore...and much too sunny for the ferns under the tree.  I fear they would all die without the fence to shade them from the hot southern exposure.


So now begins the replacing of the old with the new. Our wonderful two sons worked VERY hard two days in a row to complete this job.  We are SO thankful for them.


And we stay out of the way when one of them is holding a hatchet....



Hubby had the right idea...

Just so you know, I was helping them quite a bit. So was hubby. But we all had to take breaks now and then...
 Look at that mound of discarded vines!  Boo hoo...but they will grow back...
 Aren't these guys great?

 Finally calling it quits for the night.  Most of the work is done, except for the clean up of all the old fence and the vine/debris.  But that's for another day...

We still have a little work to do to finish the back entrance.  I want to put a sign above the gate...something to welcome our neighbors.  Trying to decide what to say.  Our son the sign maker will create something special.

This lamp post has never worked since we've been here. It's supposed to be electric, but we can't find any light switch that goes to it, and we've never been able to get it to light up.  So hubby suggested we put one of those little solar lights in it...and what do you know?  We have light!!  Now, why didn't I think of that???

So that is all for tonight!  Y'all come!  We'll leave a light on for you!!

On a further note...speaking of back yard neighbors...one of our very sweet neighbors brought over a delicious dessert for us this evening. We were totally surprised!  And it was VERY GOOD:


 She said I could share the recipe with you...also...she added some raspberries with the blueberries, making it extra delicious!  She brought it ready to put in the oven so we could enjoy it  hot after supper with some ice cream!!

That's exactly what we did...a great treat after all the hard work of the last couple of days...not to mention all the other normal activities of the weekend...church here at our house this morning, Palm Sunday...including communion...a beautiful time with the Lord today...seeing some answers to prayer in our little church family...so much to praise God for!

Now I am really ready to say good night!....Oh wait, if you are on my facebook, you may have already seen this, but I have to show you what we created for the Secret Garden today...(yes, in between putting up fences, etc.)

Now, before you say, "What's THAT?"...let me tell you....



 This lovely 1970's gold glass base was a lamp...which I found in the shed here when we moved to this house 5 years ago.  The electrical part no longer worked due to critters chewing through the cord, etc., and besides, who has lamps like this in their homes anymore? No offense if you do...so I've been trying to think about what to do with it for some time...and decided it would make a lovely bird bath for the Secret Garden...




So after painting all of the metal parts with a copper colored rustoleum, and reconfiguring the lamp base with a little plant stand to hold it, adding a terra cotta planter base and another turquoise flower pot for color...it became the latest addition to the Secret Garden.  I hope the birds will decide they love it!  If not, it can always be reconverted back to a lamp...

Pardon my clothes...I'm wearing my work shirt with paint on it...but that's from another story for another day...Good Night!!!

19 comments:

  1. Good job!!! Now I can rest! lol Good night!!

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    1. Thank you!!! It was a HARD job, but thankfully the boys carried the bulk of the hard work. Now John and I have to figure out what to do with all the debris...gotta get it to the dump...yikes.

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  2. Whew... I'm worn out just reading about all the hard work Y'all have done. The fence looks great. Are you going to paint or stain it, or let it age naturally? That bird bath.... 💜 it! Colorful and unique! And.... thanks for the recipe... Yummy! Happy Monday to you!

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    1. We are going to stain the fence...hopefully fairly soon. I don't want it to turn gray and rot away again. Although it is treated wood, but they still don't last long if you don't protect them. We need to rest up before we tackle the painting. I'm glad you love the bird bath. I hope the birds will appreciate it as well! Thank you for getting up with the birds this morning...5:33 a.m.!!! to read this! You are a real trooper!! Have a blessed day in the mountains!

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  3. Lots and lots of hard work, that's for sure, but it certainly paid off. The fence looks terrific! It was such fun to "watch" the transformation, Pamela. And that dessert? It looks so tasty! Thanks for sharing with all of us!
    Blessings!

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    1. Thank you Martha! We did work hard, but had fun in the process. Still "picking up the pieces" of all the debris...may take a while to get everything cleaned up, but it was worth it. Thanks for stopping by! I'd give you some of that dessert if you hurry!

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  4. Wow Pam! I'm tired just reading about all the work you and your family accomplished! The work you all put in shows; it looks amazing! Like Martha stated, the dessert looks so tasty! Thank you for sharing your work on the renovation project.

    Blessings!

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    1. Trust me, we are tired too! yesterday was a clean up day...and we still have a long way to go. But it was great that we had that wonderful gift of a delightful dessert to keep us going! Thanks for stopping by for a visit today! I'd love to send some dessert home with you!

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  5. Everyone is working hard and the fence looks great!!! And you know I love your birdbath.

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    1. Thank you Mary! It was quite a project...still working on the cleanup. My joints are stiff and I took 3 showers yesterday in between clean up times...LOL. The birds are a little shy about the new birdbath. But I noticed some bird left some droppings on it, so they must've been inspecting it! LOL.

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  6. Everything is looking so clean and neat around your home. You must be tired.

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    1. Ha ha!! You can't see all of the mess that is waiting to be cleaned up and hauled away! We worked all day yesterday raking up the vine clippings and moving them to the woods...someday there will be a lot of flowering vines growing there probably...but the old fence will have to be hauled to the dump, and that will take a few trips...and a lot of energy. Yes, I am tired just thinking about that...and literally tired from yesterday's work. But today we are relaxing. Going to visit "Nanny" in the nursing home.

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  7. We also have 2 sons who help us when we need it. The new fence is really nice. I like how you converted the lamp to be used in your secret garden. Thanks for sharing the recipe! www.garden4mylord.com

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    1. Thank you Susan! God knew what He was doing when He blessed us with sons! The older I get, the more I appreciate their presence in our lives! The lamp/birdbath is still a bit of a quandary to the birds...but one of these days they'll get brave enough to try it, I hope! Have a blessed and glorious day, Susan!

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  8. How wonderful to have such amazing sons to help you out on such a big project! Everything looks so amazing, fresh and wonderful after all their hard work! I love your little secret garden space and this fence will mean you can continue to enjoy this special time with you and the Lord! And that is a really lovely bird bath, the birds should feel like royalty taking a bath in it, I would think :) Hugs to you today :)

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    1. Thank you Marilyn! (Now I finally have your name! Although Mountain Top Spice is kind of a nice name too! LOL) I am still waiting for the birds to get brave enough to "test the waters" on the new birdbath. I think they are a little confused about what to do with it. But when it gets good and hot, they'll be trying it out I'm thinking! Yes, we are blessed here...with amazing sons and the secret garden, and God's beautiful handiwork surrounding us. So thankful. You are so blessed as well. I love to see the beauty surrounding your home as well.

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  9. Good job. O and I love to see you in work clothes :-)

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    1. Thank you! Actually, that is my house "uniform". I usually wear something with paint or other spots (tea, bleach, grease?!) around the house because I am ALWAYS getting into something or dripping something on me, so why wear good clothes that will just get ruined? That's how these got that way in the first place...they were good clothes that I dripped on...LOL. I guess I'm just a little bit "sloppy" at times, but I have fun. Thanks for understanding! :)

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  10. Pam: You will have something to make you safe and comfortable, so you can rest when you are in your garden and in your courtyard. It all looks great. Peace to you.

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