Planting the summer garden will be finished soon, so once plants are growing, I'll turn my attention to mulching. I'll have harvest preservation later in the summer, so until then, I'm plugging away on the front bedroom, working my way through sorting a second round of boxes. I need to get it at least semi-organized before I put something on that big floor loom. I did a pretty hefty sort and purge last summer, when I moved my sewing and weaving stuff into my sewing room. But there was a lot of "undecideds" that seemed easier to set aside at the time. I'm going through those boxes now. That in turn, has me cleaning out our other storage spaces to reorganize and use the space better. Plus, we're about at the end of our remodeling, so everything we saved for possible future projects (like the windows for the greenhouse) are no longer needed. So we have a lot of things to donate to Habitat for Humanity.
One of those storage spaces is our shed, which needs it's foundation redone. Dan put it on pallets when we moved it to put up the clothesline, but these are beginning to rot so that it's listing. Makes the floor mushy too.
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| I've cleared out all the pots and garden stuff, which will have a new home on shelving in the greenhouse. |
So that's something on Dan's summer project list. Another project is doing something about the bare spot where he pulled out the crape myrtle beside the greenhouse. (You can see that action here).
We removed it because it created inopportune shade. Last summer, it grew a mess of weeds, so this year he wants to put in another African keyhole garden. With the crepe myrtle was gone, this seemed like a good spot for it.
My big outdoor project will be re-painting the barn.
It was painted six years ago and so didn't make its 10-year guarantee. What's even more amazing, is that the paint on the chicken coop, which was built and painted four years before the barn, is still in good shape. Walls of both are plywood, but the chicken coop got oil based barn paint, while the goat barn got latex barn paint.
The real disappointment is my barn quilt. It was painted with good quality exterior paint on Lowe's best outdoor use plywood, but look at it.
It's screwed onto the barn doors, so likely it will just come down. Not sure about making another one at present. I'll put that on my "someday" list.
You may have noticed that what isn't on the project list is finishing the walls in the office and front bedroom. The construction part of these fall under Dan's domain, and so I have to wait on his motivation. At any rate, we have plenty to keep us steadily busy this summer, weather permitting.
How about you? Do you have a seasonal project list? Care to share?
Summer Schedule, Summer Projects © May 2024
13 comments:
I live alone, very simply. Summerizing is changing the front door curtain from red felt to green and white striped canvas, the sofa throw from wool to a cotton quilt, and planting flower seeds. Not too strenuous.
Always loved your barn quilt. I hope you refurbish it.
Getting the garden up and running is top of the list. Also have to get the new cold frame re-jigged and filled with soil. I have several sewing projects on tap for the hot, sweltering days when it is much more comfortable inside. We also want to get out with the canoe and boat more this summer, and just enjoy...
Liz, that's the kind of lifestyle I'm striving for! Getting the house finally finished will help toward that. I enjoy the seasonal work; it's the unfinished big projects that need to be done.
Rosalea, it's pretty sad about the barn quilt. If I can be certain that this won't happen again, I'll do it.
Hot weather is a great time for sewing projects! Now that I'm not writing books, having my weaving and sewing to do is a great use of indoor time.
I've never had any luck painting plywood with it's edges exposed. I think despite it being treated, water still wicks down inside. The barn quilt we put up down on the farm is probably 20 years old at this point and still looks good but had an outer frame of hardwood that hides the edges of the plywood.
I too have seasonal project lists. I wouldn't be working on interior walls now because those are great to work on during the winter months. Right now I'm trying to focus on the outside projects, first up will be starting my new asparagus bed. Unfortunately for us, May is incredibly busy with all the end of school activities, graduation for our eldest and a coming of age birthday party for her too. I've pretty much resigned myself to not getting a lot done until June. Hopefully it will remain mild so I can get a few things built in the garage.
Ed, I painted the edges too! With several coats. And Dan covered all the edges to cover them. Much of the peeling has been not at the edges, so I'm wondering if perhaps it was our humidity(?)
Sounds like your May will be very eventful. All good things, though.
Sounds like a solid list, Leigh.
If I have anything on my list besides the move, it is figuring out how to get my parents' house painted this year. It needs a new roof as well, but likely that will have to wait until we understand what the final settlement of the estate will look like.
We're putting in a new raised garden bed. It will be 8x4 feet, and 24 inches deep. This gives me room to do a good hugel culture type base. It has worked well for the other raised beds. I've had my son move some of my large planters off the deck, into new spots around the garden to accommodate a rebuild of the deck stairs which are currently 1 1/2 strides deep, making it awkward to go up and down.
TB, dealing with Old Home is a major project for sure, as is getting settled in a new job and New Home 2. That will keep your life pretty full for awhile!
Nina, I find the hugel bases to work very well too. And it sounds like new steps are definitely in order! Sounds like maybe whomever built those steps was tall and with a long stride.
Even with painted edges, I think just the orientation of the wood grains mean you can't get it completely sealed with paint and you are left with micro pores for water to get down into the wood. I sometimes use smeared silicon which I think does a better job but again, is only as good as the smearer.
Leigh, is the shed reusable? I hated seeing a perfectly good barn/shed/cover destroyed or neglected so it rots and is unusable. I moved sheds and small barns to my place much South of you to save and to put to use. A barn needs purpose in life, that is a law written somewhere... I do like your barn and proper hardware to open your loft doors and the use of galvanized covers over your openings. Have you thought to paint a quilt on the loft doors? Or a hex sign? I had them over both ends of my barns and sheds. Why isn't grass growing where the crepe myrtle was? Does crepe myrtle exude an oil or chemicals to dissuade growth of other plants?
Ed, sounds reasonable.
Kevin, the shed is definitely salvageable. The main problem is the foundation. Once we get that fixed, it will be very handy, now that I'm not going to use the front bedroom as storage.
The spot where the crepe myrtle was is bare because Dan dug out remaining weeds and roots is preparation to plant something. It grew a mess of weeds last summer! Also crepe myrtle sprouts, because it spreads by its root system and is difficult to get rid of.
Painting the barn quilt directly onto the doors would probably be the best option. We'll see!
I wish you much energy and good days to get your barn painted. I have such a project list and painting our home is one of them. There never seems to be an end to my list. I love your barn quilt!
Thank you! The deterioration of the barn quilt is a bit of a disappointment. There are a number of them in our county, and it's fun to spot the others. Maybe after the barn is fresh looking again, I'll be inspired to make another one. :)
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