Friday, December 28, 2007

Trips, holidays, etc.

Been since Thanksgiving that I posted anything and I know Bob is anxious to see what all we've done in the last month.

First, we've now been home owners for one year already! So much we've accomplished in that time. Here's a before and after comparison of the house from when we bought it and how it looks now. I am evidently incoherent because I can't find recent pictures of the house that I just took, nor can I find the picts of the house from before I did anything to the yard, porch, shutters, bushes, etc. So you get a snowy show and an upclose of the porch. If and when I find something more representative, I'll post it.

Then (no landscaping, pea gravel everywhere)


Now

I also got the utility room painted and drawers installed in the dead space under the counter by the stairs to the kitchen. I used drawers I saved from when we cut out cabinets for the dishwasher. I knew saving all that junk would come in handy. Since these picts were taken, I also installed some lighting under the bottom shelf above the washer/dryer. I also installed some baseboard above the basement door (you can see a sliver of it) and I painted the basement door white and have removed the nasty carpet from the stair walls, which is being prepped to be painted grey with the paint we used for the front porch.

At least it doesn't look like a trailer (or jail cell) in there anymore. next plan is to buld on or remove the exterior railing by the stairs and replace it with a knee wall (or 2x4 frame w/drywall).






Christmas also came and my parents came into town. We had a lovely visit and they saw Nashville and about everything it has to offer. We saw the Rockettes, Opry Mills mall (missed going in the hotel because parking was $16), the Nashville Zoo, my lovely office, and we drove all over the place showing them the sites.
Here's some Christmas picts:
Nick is jumping up here to get the horses, which didn't seem to care about him since Bec has CARROTS!!!

Mom and Dad on Christmas morning.

Bec's new cedar adirondack chairs, one has a coat of polyurethane and one doesn't.

Me and my new chain saw. Obviously I am stoked for a sweet power tool!! Thanks guys!!

The day Bec finished finals, Dec 14th?, we took off for the Georgia coast to visit friends and do some bird watching on the annual Christmas Bird Count on St. Catherine's Island. St. Catherine's is a private island and is quite untouched by people, for the most part. We had a great time and I spent a significant amount of time working with my new huge zoom lens. I managed some great pictures though, mostly luck I reckon.


Black-bellied Plover coming in to land.

Sunset
Forster's tern, immature

Marbled Godwit (large shorebird)

Brown Pelican

Willet (large shorebird too)
Sanderling

Unspoiled beach on the private, undeveloped island.

A Sanderling and a Dunlin running along the beach.