Right now, were I to shut my eyes, I should be asleep. Straight away. No hanging about. So I daren't shut my eyes. We are STILL painting. Getting towards the end, and tidying up as we go along, but it's like being on a particularly energetic roundabout and you can't get off . . . Everything will come together at once. It's just the bit inbetween which is difficult. I am currently up in the attic, where the two end walls badly need painting. Rather than limewash, we are using "earthborn" clay paint, which goes on like thick emulsion and covers very well. I am delighted with it, and the price, whilst a good bit dearer than ordinary emulsion, is a worthwhile investment. With an old house like this you just have to use breathable paints. Of course, this paint is eco-friendly too - no nasty chemicals in it, just completely natural.
Corner by the yard.
OH dabbing the last bits on the front of the house where lime-wash was needed. It goes on turmeric colour, and then calms down . . .
Just the three sash windows above the bay to paint. Getting up to them should be fun - last time we had scaffolding.
A rather beautiful Allium in the long border.
Left a bit along the same border.The garden is coming together too, though I have made a rod for my own back and created two new planted areas in the paddock. They are mainly planted with my own plants - self-seeded or divided - from the garden here, with a few cheap ones from the car boot sale.
Next week we are house- and animal-sitting for friends for a few days, and viewing properties in Devon on the journeys down and back . . .
Your house is a lovely color. I know you'll be glad to have it all done.
ReplyDeleteLove your Allium.
FlowerLady
I've not grown Allium before, but I will again. I have decided this is the year to try stuff I've never tried before . . . garden-wise! The house is a comfortable yellow. It should (from the name) be white, but it has been yellow in the past and even reddish-pink lime-wash. . . Thank heavens we no longer have the chocolate brown paint on the windows and doors . . .
ReplyDeleteI think your house is looking very pretty as is the garden, are you going to miss it when you move? x
ReplyDeleteThe flowers are so lovely. I"m thinking you barely have leftover energy to walk in the garden and be soothed. Painting and renovating takes such stamina and perseverance.
ReplyDeleteI don't know whether to hope for you that you have time there to enjoy the refurbished house or that it quickly sells and you can down-size--to hopefully something which won't need painting.
Be sure and check out the chimney flashing before you buy---errr!
I remember so well those painting marathons before we moved in the past and the fatigue that went along with it. I hope and pray you have time to catch your breath and rest a while. The house and gardens look very lovely.
ReplyDeletedubgirl - yes, we WILL miss the house. We have been here 22 years and had two new babies to join the one we arrived with, and they all grew up here. SO many family memories tied up in this house, but time to move on now - so we can enjoy our retirement (though honestly I am a bit young for that yet - though OH is old enough!!!)
ReplyDeleteMM - I am very pleased with my garden this year. I really worked hard on it last year and widened the border, added more to make it nearly a full circle and eradicated a lot of the perennial weeds. In the end it wasn't the flashing, it was poorly-done capping on all four chimneys, which had also cracked in the two past winters when we had such penetrating cold and ice. You can bet we will be chosing a house which is more easily maintained - and reached!
SH - we were planning to do all the inside painting over the winter, but it was so cold we had to just live in the one room as we couldn't afford to have the heating on for more than a couple of hours a day. I knew it was going to be a case of working flat out to catch up.
Ah well, a day off today as I go up to mid-Wales to collect our eldest daughter from the train (cheapest ticket as couldn't get a reduced seat to Carmarthen).
Time for a break! Hope the animal is a nice calm sleepy one and you can get caught up on some rest. Your house is looking just beautiful anyway!.
ReplyDeleteYour garden is looking lovely and the house looks good too, I'm sure someone will fall in love with it very quickly once it goes on the market. Enjoy your housesitting in Devon, think you could both use a good rest and some time to just enjoy yourselves.
ReplyDeleteEven though it's been alot of work for you, it looks really good. Both the house and garden look wonderful. Have a nice break in Devon.
ReplyDeleteLovely post and...this too shall pass! Strength for your days. I just noticed that your gardens are similar to mine! Most of the same flowers are blooming at the same time...cool!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the peek and your home will be wonderful when you are done with it!
Happy days to you,
Joanne
The house is looking so very beautiful. I still wish we could buy it, but only if you stayed on!!!
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to see you next week, and it will be nice for you to have a rest after all your hard work :)