Buzzings from a quilter who bumbles her way through life!

Monday, February 24, 2014

Spring is Near! Update for February 22, 2014. Hill Country House

My Ethan Allen sectional was delivered this weekend to our hill country house! I plan on painting the walls a version of this taupe color. 
 Our weekend was cut short by this:

The black truck is ours. The little black car came into our lane around the curve. Our wheel was broken off and pushed up under the cab, so the truck was not driveable. The other driver was bruised from her air bag and had a bad seat belt rash, but we were unhurt. We did meet several of our neighbors, though, including the driver of the car. They are all very friendly and helpful! We had to have family drive the hour and 45 minutes to come get us and take us home because the rental car company was closed! 
 Because of that, we didn't really get much done. Here is the beginning of the stone removal:
You can see we didn't get far! This is going to be HARD!!! I also need to remove the wallpaper, but that will come later. This stone is beautiful, but very uncomfortable to walk on. Those grooves you see between the stones are about 1 1/2" deep. We also want a more cohesive look on this floor, and will replace the stone and carpet with hardwood.
I also tried to make a pattern for slipcovers. I used a cotton duck and pinned it wrong side out. I will try sewing one together in muslin before investing in 24 yards of whatever I use!

While waiting on our ride home, I took a walk around the yard to see what  plants were coming out for spring. I'll be set for Rosemary! This is deer resistant, so it's a nice plant for this area.
I have a fig tree! It hasn't leafed out yet, but I recognize the shape. It is in a small fenced area, so we might actually get some figs!
This tree is also blooming around the property. I have no idea what it is. It appears to be some type of fruit tree. There are small pits around the base of the one in the fenced area. They look a little like cherry pits but could be some kind of plum. (It gets cold here in the hill country, but probably too hot in the summer for cherries!)  Any ideas? (After some internet searching, I think the tree must be plum. Plums bloom in February and cherries in April. Cherry blossoms are on long stems and plum are closer to the branch. This is all assuming it is a fruit tree, but the pits definitely look like they came from fruit and match either plum or cherry.)
I found lavender and irises coming up! I can't wait to have time to work on the gardens, but that is not a high priority now. We are not there during the week to take care of any new plantings. Besides, I need to learn what to plant.  
That's my update for now! We have someone coming Wednesday to give an estimate for the flooring! Hopefully, we can start seeing some real changes around here soon!
           

17 comments:

  1. Thank goodness there were no serious injuries - that must have been so scary!

    Could your blooming tree be a redbud tree? They are usually the very first thing to bloom in the hill country, and it is the right time of year. I love seeing their pretty blooms when I drive around, but I don't have a clue what they look like leafed out lol.

    Good luck with that stone/tile demo, my muscles ache just thinking about it!

    Patty

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  2. This is not the recommended way to meet neighbors but I'm so glad you weren't hurt! Even though it wasn't your fault, it's quite a pain to get everything settled and repaired. Good luck with the process!
    On a brighter note, your couch is looking wonderful and ready for snuggling! I'm sure many, many happy hours will be spent there. ;)

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  3. Oh what a way to make an impression Linda!! lol. Joking; of course...that is a shame, but these things happen, and no one was hurt. You sofa is adorable!!!

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  4. I can make some recommendations for things to plant when you're ready. :-) We've already been experimenting along those lines and know a few things. Your soil will probably be quite alkaline, as ours is, which will affect what you can plant. We've found some things that do tolerably well and some are deer-resistant. Of course, the best things to plant are native or drought tolerant things since they use less water and take more heat. Wildflowers are always a good option. :-)

    Praise the Lord that you all were not injured! What a way to meet the neighbors!

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    1. Oh, and I hope those plum trees do well for you! We know two families here in the Hill Country that have plum trees - two different types - and they have had good crops sometimes, but not every year. That's probably due to the early blooming and later frosts. One type in particular makes excellent plum jam. :-)

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  5. Oh Linda- now the car! I hope insurance has you back on the road soon! Your garden is going to be great!

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  6. I'm so glad to hear no one was seriously hurt, Linda. That is the main thing.

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  7. So sorry to hear about the accident, but on the bright side you and your husband weren't hurt.

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  8. Ouch to the truck, my goodness. Our Almond trees are flowering right now and they look like your flower, but we have had hard rain for a day and 2 nights so the almond harvest might be small this year, that's okay we have some from last year still.

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  9. So sorry about the accident! My, but you've had more than your fair share of negative happenings. But I'm glad to see that some things are shaping up. Your house is going to be wonderful, I can already see that. More importantly, your attitude about everything is SO upbeat! You've definitely got the Lord on your side, and you know it!

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  10. Sorry about the truck. Been there, done that, no fun. My mother has Mexican tile in her house, and it also hurts to walk on. Lots of people in the Houston area make plum jam, so, I'm thinking it has a good chance on being a plum bush. I haven't a clue how to make jam. I never watched my grandmother, and, my mother doesn't cook if she can avoid it (she's really good at avoiding it, too).

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  11. What a way to meet your neighbors! Glad you are unharmed. Great pictures of your place. I have a rosemary bush and it is nice to have that fresh herb available for cooking.

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  12. So glad it was your wheel broken off and not a little further back! So glad no one was seriously hurt. You are making fabulous progress on the house - it is going to be so wonderful! How fun is it to discover all the growing goodness in your yard - icing on the cake!!!

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  13. Is it crazy that I know exactly where that is???
    So glad you all are ok...but love what you have done so far! Remember...you have a year to do it in~ :)

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  14. Thankfully you both are fine. Vehicles can be fixed or replaced. Your spirit continues to amaze me. I adore your Ethan Allen sectional. Covering your dining chairs looks very doable and you are smart to make a muslin first. How very fun to fix your home to be just the way you want it. Very exciting to have some fruit trees. I personally love figs...especially cut in half and grilled! Blessings Dear...

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  15. Linda I am so sorry about your accident but was happy no injuries.
    Your chesterfield is gorgeous I am on search for a new one put now I don't have space for a sectional.
    Isn't it fun to move to a place with a new garden and watch everyday as to what is planted. We did that when we moved to St Louis from Canada and the climate was very different therefore different plants. Have fun with it all. Hugs Sandra

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  16. Well, your life is certainly not dull, we can all agree!! I'm so happy that only your pickup was hurt. What a pretty home you will have after all of your modifications...keep us posted about the progress please!

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