April 29, 2011
Digging Up The Yard
I suppose if one has to be digging up septic systems, a little rain doesn’t matter.
First they dropped off the equipment.
Then the guy who did all the work got there. I liked him, he was all business and didn’t waste time. He got right to work and got things fixed. He only needed one piece of pipe and about an hour as it turned out the original pipe had broken and over time had filled with sand and dirt until it was completely blocked.
However they had to leave it open so the inspector could see it. So I still have a hole in my yard.
As I told my neighbor… they better get it inspected and closed soon or some burglar is gonna come stalking my house, fall in the hole, and sue me for damages. heh.
Posted by: Teresa in
House Blogging
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April 27, 2010
Blooming Stuff
Will not be shown today. Sorry about that. I have lots of flower pics, I just haven't had time to work on them.
In the meantime, here is a house that appears to be bucking for a minor role in My Big Fat Greek Wedding.
You've got your columns, your urns on top of the columns (complete with swaggy stuff embossed on the sides). You've got your ornate fountain in the middle with the brick walkway. And of course the columnar evergreens to frame the fountain...
Perfect!
Now all they need are a few yard statues and some sculpted hedges.
***
My Things todo list is giving me trouble after the last few updates (it seems the updates were to make the whole process play nice on the iPad *sigh* I don't have an iPad and am not going to get one soon and yet I reap the "benefits" *double sigh*). Today I had to reboot my machine which cause all sorts of extraneous repeating tasks to show up in the "today" box. Ho-hum.
I'm seriously looking at other options because this used to work well for the most part, but seems to be getting more unstable the more they update it. How annoying. The other annoying thing is that repeating tasks don't sync to my ipod touch... something that wasn't an issue until my last trip to the midwest.
I noticed they updated Omnifocus since I first tried it. I may have another look at it. The interface is much improved and if they can manage to work out repeating tasks nicely and sync well - I may have to switch. I really need a well integrated system. I rely heavily on it for work and for the meetings I set up.
I know it's tough to write this kind of software, but I didn't expect the app to get worse with updates instead of better.
Well, I will certainly give it a while longer to see if it will start to behave. (mainly because I have no time to switch anything for the next 3 weeks or so).
Well there are far worse things in life.
Ah the joys of trying to make your computer work for you. They are never ending. Now I think I'll go read.
In the meantime, here is a house that appears to be bucking for a minor role in My Big Fat Greek Wedding.
You've got your columns, your urns on top of the columns (complete with swaggy stuff embossed on the sides). You've got your ornate fountain in the middle with the brick walkway. And of course the columnar evergreens to frame the fountain...
Perfect!
Now all they need are a few yard statues and some sculpted hedges.
***
My Things todo list is giving me trouble after the last few updates (it seems the updates were to make the whole process play nice on the iPad *sigh* I don't have an iPad and am not going to get one soon and yet I reap the "benefits" *double sigh*). Today I had to reboot my machine which cause all sorts of extraneous repeating tasks to show up in the "today" box. Ho-hum.
I'm seriously looking at other options because this used to work well for the most part, but seems to be getting more unstable the more they update it. How annoying. The other annoying thing is that repeating tasks don't sync to my ipod touch... something that wasn't an issue until my last trip to the midwest.
I noticed they updated Omnifocus since I first tried it. I may have another look at it. The interface is much improved and if they can manage to work out repeating tasks nicely and sync well - I may have to switch. I really need a well integrated system. I rely heavily on it for work and for the meetings I set up.
I know it's tough to write this kind of software, but I didn't expect the app to get worse with updates instead of better.
Well, I will certainly give it a while longer to see if it will start to behave. (mainly because I have no time to switch anything for the next 3 weeks or so).
Well there are far worse things in life.
Ah the joys of trying to make your computer work for you. They are never ending. Now I think I'll go read.
Posted by: Teresa in
House Blogging
at
11:24 PM
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December 03, 2009
Imagine
Way back when I first got my new camera, my intention was to "house blog". I fully intended to take pictures of houses I love to look at or those I hate. I love looking at houses, inside and out. I find it fascinating to see how they are designed and how they work or don't work.
I've been watching the show Holmes on Homes lately. It's fabulous. In one of the episodes he makes the brilliant observation that we have got everything turned around in modern house building. Houses are now built from the "inside out". In other words, they are more worried about the rooms inside and don't give a moment's thought to how the outside looks, how it works, what problems it might have...
He is so right. Witness the "house" that appears to be a large garage with something tacked onto the back. No aesthetic appeal at all - yet people buy them. Those houses make me want to gag!
Sorry, enough, I could go on forever about bad looking houses...
Oddly enough I've been taking the occasional house shot, but most of them haven't made the blog because of space and time.
This house may be the one to get me back on that track. Just look at it...
I have no idea how old the oldest part is, the siding is certainly newer, but the brick chimney is old. It looks as if they have added to it multiple times over the years.
I love the various odd angles. I love the 2 old front gates. I love the overgrown shrubbery. All of it.
This is a house that makes you wonder... who has lived there? How many rooms? What were the people like when it was first built? Are there unexplored nooks and crannies?
One could write an entire book based in a house like this. It's wonderful. But the picture from the front is a bit deceiving. Walk around the shrubbery and have a look at the rest of the place - oh yeah and the tree - good grief!
It's huge! I can't get a good shot of the other side because of the overgrown shrubs. However, it has more oddly angled add ons on the other side.
Of course it's not the most beautiful house in the world, but it has that certain something that catches the attention and makes you wonder...
I've been watching the show Holmes on Homes lately. It's fabulous. In one of the episodes he makes the brilliant observation that we have got everything turned around in modern house building. Houses are now built from the "inside out". In other words, they are more worried about the rooms inside and don't give a moment's thought to how the outside looks, how it works, what problems it might have...
He is so right. Witness the "house" that appears to be a large garage with something tacked onto the back. No aesthetic appeal at all - yet people buy them. Those houses make me want to gag!
Sorry, enough, I could go on forever about bad looking houses...
Oddly enough I've been taking the occasional house shot, but most of them haven't made the blog because of space and time.
This house may be the one to get me back on that track. Just look at it...
I have no idea how old the oldest part is, the siding is certainly newer, but the brick chimney is old. It looks as if they have added to it multiple times over the years.
I love the various odd angles. I love the 2 old front gates. I love the overgrown shrubbery. All of it.
This is a house that makes you wonder... who has lived there? How many rooms? What were the people like when it was first built? Are there unexplored nooks and crannies?
One could write an entire book based in a house like this. It's wonderful. But the picture from the front is a bit deceiving. Walk around the shrubbery and have a look at the rest of the place - oh yeah and the tree - good grief!
It's huge! I can't get a good shot of the other side because of the overgrown shrubs. However, it has more oddly angled add ons on the other side.
Of course it's not the most beautiful house in the world, but it has that certain something that catches the attention and makes you wonder...
Posted by: Teresa in
House Blogging
at
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June 08, 2009
Ah the Smell of Sealcoat In the Morning
Yes, we had the driveway sealcoated today. Luckily it was the kind of day where keeping windows closed was easy to do. However, I did have to go in and out a few times. (well of course I did because it was all very inconvenient until the stuff dried enough to walk on)
We aren't too badly off, but there are a few tricky bits to get around if one wants to completely avoid the driveway. OTOH, our poor neighbor has to hike through the woods! You can only live out here if you are able to get around fairly well!
I had to go out the back door and walk around the back of the garage, so I grabbed my camera to take a few pictures.
The peonies have bloomed! It's supposed to rain like mad the next few days, this may be only chance to grab shots.
By the time I got out with the camera - the light was going and it was cloudy to boot - so I was surprised I was able to hand hold and not get severe blur.
Of course at the same time, the poppies are about done. They last all of a week at most. However, even without the pedals, they are cool looking.
Now we've gotten to the driveway - you can see it's all nice and neat and clean and shiny!
Of course one must be careful walking around the plants when skirting the sticky surface. Long legs help get you around some of the plants without stepping on them.
As I was squeezing past one of the bushes, I found this thing. YUK! Not sure what it is, but I pulled it off and got rid of it.
If you keep walking you come to this bit here.
Takes a bit of doing to work one's way around the end of the wall. There isn't much room.
Then it's a straight shot down to the street, with a bit of dodging under some low hanging branches.
My husband hacked out some low growth weeds over to the right and my little car is tucked away off the street for the night.
We'll be able to drive on it tomorrow. (after getting soaked in the rain going down to get the car in the morning)
Wait! There's also a rosebush update! Just look at all the leaves!
I haven't killed it yet! Amazing.
And last of all - here is the first day lily poking its head out. Soon there will be a plethora.
I tell ya, it's a thrill a minute here. One needs to be able to ski, hike, rock climb, and be pollen resistant to live in this place. I am not any of those things, but I have a camera.
We aren't too badly off, but there are a few tricky bits to get around if one wants to completely avoid the driveway. OTOH, our poor neighbor has to hike through the woods! You can only live out here if you are able to get around fairly well!
I had to go out the back door and walk around the back of the garage, so I grabbed my camera to take a few pictures.
The peonies have bloomed! It's supposed to rain like mad the next few days, this may be only chance to grab shots.
By the time I got out with the camera - the light was going and it was cloudy to boot - so I was surprised I was able to hand hold and not get severe blur.
Of course at the same time, the poppies are about done. They last all of a week at most. However, even without the pedals, they are cool looking.
Now we've gotten to the driveway - you can see it's all nice and neat and clean and shiny!
Of course one must be careful walking around the plants when skirting the sticky surface. Long legs help get you around some of the plants without stepping on them.
As I was squeezing past one of the bushes, I found this thing. YUK! Not sure what it is, but I pulled it off and got rid of it.
If you keep walking you come to this bit here.
Takes a bit of doing to work one's way around the end of the wall. There isn't much room.
Then it's a straight shot down to the street, with a bit of dodging under some low hanging branches.
My husband hacked out some low growth weeds over to the right and my little car is tucked away off the street for the night.
We'll be able to drive on it tomorrow. (after getting soaked in the rain going down to get the car in the morning)
Wait! There's also a rosebush update! Just look at all the leaves!
I haven't killed it yet! Amazing.
And last of all - here is the first day lily poking its head out. Soon there will be a plethora.
I tell ya, it's a thrill a minute here. One needs to be able to ski, hike, rock climb, and be pollen resistant to live in this place. I am not any of those things, but I have a camera.
Posted by: Teresa in
House Blogging
at
09:04 PM
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April 27, 2008
The Competition
I think it's been over a week since I posted my "houses I don't like and why I don't like them" post. Now that I have created a base line, so to speak, let's move on to other houses that are great to look at.
The first house I will blog about is one we walk past frequently.
Of course it was custom built. Whoever did the designing did an excellent job. Unfortunately, my poor little picture does not begin to do it justice. (for one thing, I need a better zoom. The Coolpix is a compact camera and therefore only has so-so zoom capability)
This house sits well off the road and there are trees - lots of trees. It adds to the charm of the entire living arrangement, but makes it difficult to take pictures (especially as I have no intention of trespassing on private property - and yes I worry about people getting the wrong idea if they see me taking pictures of their house). It is also downhill from the road, which is noticeable because it does look like the camera is on higher ground.
Although it's impossible to see with this picture, the walls are stone (or stone facade, doesn't matter, it looks great). The trim is a rust brown color and the garage doors are dark gray. I don't know why, but there is something about this house that always makes us stop to look as we walk by.
I don't believe I would want to live in a house that large, but it is certainly lovely. It's one of the few houses I've seen with a hip roof that looks just right and not stunted.
Compared to the rather dull houses of the subdivision genre, this one is a vast improvement.
The first house I will blog about is one we walk past frequently.
Of course it was custom built. Whoever did the designing did an excellent job. Unfortunately, my poor little picture does not begin to do it justice. (for one thing, I need a better zoom. The Coolpix is a compact camera and therefore only has so-so zoom capability)
This house sits well off the road and there are trees - lots of trees. It adds to the charm of the entire living arrangement, but makes it difficult to take pictures (especially as I have no intention of trespassing on private property - and yes I worry about people getting the wrong idea if they see me taking pictures of their house). It is also downhill from the road, which is noticeable because it does look like the camera is on higher ground.
Although it's impossible to see with this picture, the walls are stone (or stone facade, doesn't matter, it looks great). The trim is a rust brown color and the garage doors are dark gray. I don't know why, but there is something about this house that always makes us stop to look as we walk by.
I don't believe I would want to live in a house that large, but it is certainly lovely. It's one of the few houses I've seen with a hip roof that looks just right and not stunted.
Compared to the rather dull houses of the subdivision genre, this one is a vast improvement.
Posted by: Teresa in
House Blogging
at
04:33 PM
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April 17, 2008
How To Detract from the Landscape
Before I start giving you pictures of houses I really like, let's start with some I don't like much at all and why.
The rest is below the fold because it got too long.
more...
The rest is below the fold because it got too long.
more...
Posted by: Teresa in
House Blogging
at
11:02 PM
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April 13, 2008
Fun With Houses - 2
Update: I think Pixy gave me the answer and it had to do with the category and post title colliding. Cooool... except for the no comment part... that's fixed with this one I think. Many thanks to Redneck for calling it to my attention. 
I've created a new category (like I needed another one... but I digress).
Where was I? Oh yes. I've been pondering this off and on for a while now - mostly off - not thinking about it except when my husband and I go out for long walks on the weekend (something we did today). Whereupon I completely forget I wanted to blog about this by the time I get home because my brain cells do not work properly.
House blogging.
Unlike the Chicago area (where I believe it's mandated that architects completely disregard external appearance when designing houses or they are threatened with losing their jobs for designing attractive houses that appeal to the eye), there are many houses here in the Northeast that are well worth looking at. Old and new, it appears many of them were built with style and some serious consideration given to those of us who only see the outside.
I've decided to try and take pictures of houses I like, or even those I dislike, and post them with a bit of commentary.
I am not an architect, nor am I an expert in construction, I just know what I like when I see it and for some reason I think I want to document it. I think it has something to do with being a blogger.
Of course you are stuck with me and my very marginal skilz in photography. While I have this cute little Nikon Coolpix L12 - it is a small camera with a limited lens capability. And, unlike my husband who has the "photographer's eye", I frame the picture, attempt to get all the "edges in", and try to hold the camera still while I shoot - then hope for the best. Not the - ahem - best way to take a picture.
Since my camera is currently upstairs, with some pics I want to download (but I'm too lazy to run up and get it this minute), I'm going to start off by posting a link to a picture of one of my favorite houses:
Sissy and Tuck's place at Christmas
I LOVE looking at old houses. Sissy and Tuck's place certainly qualifies, having been built in 1840 or thereabouts. Tuck has done a magnificent restoration job. It is always a work in progress for old houses -which is why I love "looking at them" but could never live in one. Ownership involves a huge amount of work all the time.
If you do decide to click over you will see a beautiful house (I think Sissy posted at one point that it was Greek Revival...) with columns that are even more imposing looking because the house is on a hill overlooking the road. The large windows and chimneys draw the eye almost inviting you to walk up and knock to say hello. The person who designed this house had a wonderful sense of proportion. I love it.
I have the advantage of having been inside the house, so I also know how beautiful the indoor restoration is, Tuck having a passion for old house restoration. For him, it has been a labor of love.
That's why I thought this would be the perfect house to start with. Even better - you have Sissy's eye to the camera and her photography is far superior to mine.
I've created a new category (like I needed another one... but I digress).
Where was I? Oh yes. I've been pondering this off and on for a while now - mostly off - not thinking about it except when my husband and I go out for long walks on the weekend (something we did today). Whereupon I completely forget I wanted to blog about this by the time I get home because my brain cells do not work properly.
House blogging.
Unlike the Chicago area (where I believe it's mandated that architects completely disregard external appearance when designing houses or they are threatened with losing their jobs for designing attractive houses that appeal to the eye), there are many houses here in the Northeast that are well worth looking at. Old and new, it appears many of them were built with style and some serious consideration given to those of us who only see the outside.
I've decided to try and take pictures of houses I like, or even those I dislike, and post them with a bit of commentary.
I am not an architect, nor am I an expert in construction, I just know what I like when I see it and for some reason I think I want to document it. I think it has something to do with being a blogger.
Of course you are stuck with me and my very marginal skilz in photography. While I have this cute little Nikon Coolpix L12 - it is a small camera with a limited lens capability. And, unlike my husband who has the "photographer's eye", I frame the picture, attempt to get all the "edges in", and try to hold the camera still while I shoot - then hope for the best. Not the - ahem - best way to take a picture.
Since my camera is currently upstairs, with some pics I want to download (but I'm too lazy to run up and get it this minute), I'm going to start off by posting a link to a picture of one of my favorite houses:
Sissy and Tuck's place at Christmas
I LOVE looking at old houses. Sissy and Tuck's place certainly qualifies, having been built in 1840 or thereabouts. Tuck has done a magnificent restoration job. It is always a work in progress for old houses -which is why I love "looking at them" but could never live in one. Ownership involves a huge amount of work all the time.
If you do decide to click over you will see a beautiful house (I think Sissy posted at one point that it was Greek Revival...) with columns that are even more imposing looking because the house is on a hill overlooking the road. The large windows and chimneys draw the eye almost inviting you to walk up and knock to say hello. The person who designed this house had a wonderful sense of proportion. I love it.
I have the advantage of having been inside the house, so I also know how beautiful the indoor restoration is, Tuck having a passion for old house restoration. For him, it has been a labor of love.
That's why I thought this would be the perfect house to start with. Even better - you have Sissy's eye to the camera and her photography is far superior to mine.
Posted by: Teresa in
House Blogging
at
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