Quartz Is Coming

Today the quartz countertops were paid for. 

I absolutely LOVE this sink but have chosen a new undermount sink. We will use this same faucet as what is currently pictured.

We are not removing this wall or cabinet.

I am going to put tile on the walls, was thinking subway tiles since they are the easiest to find. I'll cover that phone outlet.

The quartz will go all the way over where this temporary piece of wood top is sitting.

They will make us another piece the same size as this piece of wood that I can use on the other side of the stove to even things out.

We had planned on getting about 56 SF in quarts or granite and go with butcherblock for the island but the butcher block isn't happening fast enough.

I have the wall mount metal cook fan that needs to be mounted above the stove.

The new top will look similar to this only browner.

We're also having them do the bathroom countertop and a new sink in there.

 I purchased a new faucet for the bathroom and it might as well have a new countertop too. The installer is bringing a new sink for in there also.

Kitchen Renovation

This was out kitchen when we first moved in. Its got Granite tile countertops, which are very pretty but I am not thrilled with the dark gray grout, it looks like mold.

Two years ago we removed the double ovens and took the microwave off the wall.

I painted the walls red and still love it

The cooktop was in the middle of the island so there really wasn't a big flat surface anywhere. Can't roll out dough or spread things out with the tile.

So we removed the cooktop also.

I purchased a $100 propane stove

Then paid $1500 for the propane to be extended from the middle of the house to the kitchen, put in a new 500 gallon propane tank & fill it

We have replaced the old laminate flooring with hardwood. I've put old fence boards around the island. There is a (2 years) temporary countertop on the island made from particle board that was stained & had poly put on, looks good enough for now.

This stove is also good enough for now but I want one with 5 burners 

and the oven needs to be just a titch larger

I got this maple from a friend, there's enough here to make the island top plus 2 countertops beside the stove. I am considering purchasing the rest of what he has to do more of the countertops so I don't have to pay so much for granite

That dishwasher never worked so I've replaced it with a nice quiet Bosch.

If we do a reno, we're thinking about removing the cupboards on the right, tops and lowers and taking out 2 feet of the wall. That would open it up to the rest of the house more and maybe help distribute heat from the wood stove that's in the kitchen.

We'd also be able to get rid of the phone plug.

We could move this to the left side of the stove that's behind you over your right shoulder

This 'pantry' has been moved to the wall that would be over your left shoulder.

I would like to move the fridge to the left of the pantry 

but if we do it blocks a window that looks out to the barn.

This is the crap that's always on the counter that we want to remove. 

Theres a lot of stuff behind that box

Uppers hold cups and plates

Upper

Lower

This is the wall

If we remove it I'll have to find another place for this tower

I know these photos are all over the place but I'm just getting them out there.

The sink & bay window today

December 2018

This first photo was taken in November but its currently what out front pasture looks like.

And this is today inside the barn. There are now lights on both sides of the aisle.

Can you spot the differences?

Front door swag

This is actually a wreath but I loved it enough to put it on the table as a center piece; 

it smells wonderful.

The stockings were hung...

One of my favorite gifts: I came home Christmas Eve and found my husband up on the tallest ladder hanging the new chandelier.  We found the chandelier at Habitat For Humanity for $10, the lights were $26 and added a dimmer switch. Changed the whole look of the living room.

The Santa tapestry

This years tree had 2 ornaments, no lights

Old ~ New

We are nearing the finish

This is what the old fence looked like a month ago

along the front road

Now it looks like this

And this

And this

I'm not completely finished painting but I will be back out there tomorrow.

Fence Painting

Just a reminder, this is what I have in the front pasture. Its fresh wood, not painted, 

just shining white in the sunshine.

I started painting the outside front black at 4:00pm.

4 minutes later I was this far along.

14 minutes later...

29 minutes after I began...

I painted the entire outside front fence in 1 hour 49 minutes.

It was DARK out when I finished so there is a chance I missed a spot.

I'll be back out tomorrow morning to do the inside of the front & head up toward the house. I have about 4 gallons of paint left, just hope its enough to complete the job.

And There It Is

The front fence is in,  

except for the electric. I could put horses out there tomorrow if I so desired but I'm going to wait for the electric fencing to go in. I really want to see Mack get hit with that.

And the field fencing isn't up yet either but we're not putting the dogs in here yet either.

Its about 5 feet tall, just enough that the horses probably won't jump over it.

New Fences

When horses go wandering, new fences are in order.

This is part of what we're replacing, its along the front of our property, bordering the road.

The posts are a mix of old & older, most rotten and only standing up because of all the bushes and weeds in the ditch. The boards are all rotten also.

It was all taken down, along with the barbed wire & field fencing. 

Then the bushes and weeds were mowed down.

To make it a little nicer looking, the front 20 feet were rototilled and evened out, 

grass hay was spread over it and the tractor tires flattened it out. 

The fence line was moved back about 10 feet so that there will be a nice area for grass and ornamental trees to be planted.

New 6x8 posts were cemented in every 16 feet and 4x4s were put in between them.

This is what it looks like today.

Up close, notice how it was done: 

All the boards are 1"x6"x16', 

the top boards were started on post one, goes over post 2 and ends at 3. 

The second board down begins on post 2, goes over 3 and ends at 4. 

The 5thrid and fourth boards do this also. Supposedly this makes the boards stronger.

Field fencing will be put up also to keep dogs in and provide additional strength, and electric braid will be put at the top to discourage horses from leaning over it and knocking it down.

Today all the old fencing was carried to the back pasture and thrown onto the burn pile.

There is an easement at the other end of this fence from the driveway that was left open, we will put a gate in it so that the easement never disappears.