I have one more project update to share with you, this one is for the masonry stove. After we made the adjustments and improvements on it last summer, I wasn't sure that I liked the resulting look of it.
The improvements in efficiency were well worth the change in aesthetics, but I was used to the visual variations of the bricks and wasn't sure I liked the solid white. I felt something was needed. Here's what we ended up doing.
The newly painted green alcove matches the thermal curtains I bought last year. I got the cast iron tree silhouettes from Etsy. All in all, I like it better. I liked the brick look best, but this is a good alternative.
On our cold, windy, snowy, icy days, I've been painting the front room. Besides the window coverings, painting means this remodeling project is finally almost done. Once the walls are painted, I can finally start putting the room in order and using it again! I have a weaving project in mind and I'm looking forward to getting back to my loom.
The room certainly needed fresh paint. We could see the old layers of paint on the walls when Dan replaced the windows, and mine is it's third paint job in 100 years. And all of them have been green! I chose a green that coordinated with the window quilts and the throw rugs.
The old paint was glossy, and I find glossy paints don't take new paint well. Or at least new paint will scratch off more easily over the years. I didn't want to use messy paint remover, nor do a dusty job of sanding, so I washed them down with hot water, dish soap, and Bon Ami. Bon Ami is a non-bleach scrubbing powder that works very well and is safer for graywater systems. I rinsed it off with vinegar water. The walls definitely needed a good cleaning and this took the sheen off the old paint too.
New color on the left, old color on the right, .
The only "oh well" I have is that when Dan installed the cubby units, he attached them to the wall and desk with angle brackets. So I couldn't move the desk to paint behind it. I did the best I could, but if the desk and shelves are ever removed, it will be obvious! But then, I figure whoever comes behind us will likely re-do the walls anyway. Really, the 100-year-old tongue and groove should be replaced with new walls, but that's beyond the scope of our time, energy, and finances at the moment. A future project out there in someday-ville. For now, fresh paint will have to do.
I'm happy with the way it's turning out. The old color was dingy and dull, but this new shade is fresh and cheerful. It improves the room tremendously.
On the last day of January we got snow, real snow with fluffy snowflakes, not frozen raindrops. Thankfully, it's not as treacherous as ice, except where it
hid the thick slippery patches of ice that haven't melted yet. It snowed all
day.
Meowy's early morning footprints on the back steps.
Early morning view of one of the girls' pastures.
The goats sniffed at the snow but had no intention of leaving the barn.
Big Duck came out after Dan filled the ducks' pan with warm water.
The video is a little out of focus, but it's the best I could do with
heavy gloves on my hands.
We got a total of four inches of snow. Not a record breaker, but enough for
the neighborhood kids to build snowmen to their hearts' content. It was our
coldest day so far, with a high of 25°F (-4°C) falling to a nighttime low of 7°F (-14°C. The greenhouse got down to 19°F.)
Wood yard with the boys' pasture in the background
Driveway gate
Back side of the house approaching the greenhouse
Side gate to the front yard
Greenhouse and keyhole garden
Late afternoon sun trying to burn through the clouds
After a walk around the yard, there's nothing nicer than coming back into a wood cookstove warmed kitchen with a pot of soup cooking.
The window idea is one I found on
permies.com. Windows (even energy efficient ones) are notorious energy leaks. When
you put your hand on the window on a cold day, the glass is colder than the
walls. That's why most of mine are covered with thermal curtains.
The cold air from the windows sinks and is one reason why floors are so cold. The idea
here is to install a simple barrier to prevent the cold air from cascading down from
the window and further chilling the room. All I did was to take a piece of
3/16 inch foam board, cut two layers 6 inches times the inner width of the
window frame, and glue them together. Then I slid them into place, resting on
the window sill.
I could immediately feel that the air below the window ledge
wasn't as chilly! It didn't magically make the room warmer, but it definitely makes a difference, and without blocking the view or the light.
I only bought one sheet of foam board, but I took the remaining piece and fitted it to my kitchen sink window.
This window leaks cold worse than the bathroom window, so even one layer of foam board made an immediate difference. A double layer works better, so I'll add a second layer when I get more foam board. I plan to
install these in my other windows as well. Even the energy efficient windows
don't completely keep out the cold.
This might be a good time to put in a plug for a really good book because it
has an entire chapter on easy ways to stay warm while decreasing your energy
bill. The authors call their ideas "luxuriant environmentalism." I did a book review on
it a few years back here.
It offers easy solutions for global environmental
problems, ideas anyone can implement, from urban renter to rural land owner.
These aren't problems that only governments can solve, we
can all do something to help. This
book focuses on actionable ideas.
We're supposed to be heading toward a warming trend, with the snow and ice melting during the day and refreezing at night. I'm not sure if the winter weather is over, but it will be nice to have a reprieve.
How about you? How are you surviving your weather?
