#46 and #102 and #16

Now that the pantry is functional, I'm forcing myself to refocus on The List. I finished #46, hanging the master closet door; #102, hanging the guest bedroom door; and #16, hanging the door to the back stairwell in the guest bedroom. I had doors but no jambs, which is why it has taken so long to get to these items. But having made my own jamb for the pantry, I realized it really isn't that hard or time-consuming to make. Not only did I get three things crossed off The List (and a start on the door trim), but now I have three less doors downstairs in the living room/carpentry shop. Just in time to make room for a whole lotta windows.

More garden stuff.

I promise this won't turn into a gardening blog, but I just had to share a picture of the first peony to bloom.  It's about 6" across. The irises are still hanging in there but will probably be done in another week. Several times a week I collect a handful of wild strawberries from around the yard and the girls eat them for breakfast. About half of the dahlias I planted have sprouted, and yesterday I filled several hanging planters with petunias. Three of my faux-copper pots of pansies were stolen off my front steps, so I need to find something else to put there. Of course, stores are done with pansies for the year, so my new pots won't match the old ones. I have another post or two of house-related projects coming up, but I've been sick and can't seem to find the energy to tie up the loose ends that keep them from being totally done.

One man's trash...

I can't even begin to express how excited I am. Our friends, Bruce and Becky, wanted to get rid of all the old windows from their house. The previous owner replaced them all with energy efficient ones, and the old ones have been taking up space in their attic, garage, and basement ever since. Bruce asked me if we wanted them, but Becky insisted they weren't in very good shape. I took a look and nearly passed out. My heart raced. I gasped. I may have even squealed. They are almost as tall as I am, with original 1920s brass hinges and latches - an old-junk lover's dream. The wood is in perfect shape, but they do need to be refinished. So now I have a vanload of windows in my living room, just awaiting the day they can be properly put to use. I've got big plans for this awesome find.

Garden updates

Last week I decided that I needed some flowers for a cutting garden. I love my peonies, but they're a one-and-done flower. So I bought some dahlias without having a place to put them. We had a little flower bed against our side porch, but it was too small for the 9 tubers I bought. I expanded it and planted all the dahlias there. It isn't the perfect spot since it gets shade in the late afternoon, but it'll have to do.

Before

After

The iris have opened up as well. It's hard to believe that all of those flowers (plus many more that I gave away) came from a single overgrown clump. There are still buds galore on the stalks, so it will probably have flowers for another two weeks. Hopefully the peonies will start to open by then.