restoring a dilapidated farmhouse

A Nice Start to the Season

/ inkspeare / 2 Comments

The first day of Autumn is here and signs of it are starting to show up around. There are hardly any birds around and the night songs of critters are slowly dwindling, and the Katydids are gone. Squirrels are busy and the nights are becoming cooler, nice crisp air that I love for certain. The not so welcomed critters will be here as well, stink bugs and the large migration of Japanese lady beetles. That is one thing I certainly dislike about the season.

A nice start to the season that I have been waiting for a few years now has finally materialized, and that is the harvesting of grapes from our one and only grape vine. For me, this is significant because I bought the lonely plant at Aldi’s at half price and almost dead. I just wanted to give it a chance. I planted it and it took well. The first year it just grew and spread its branches, the next year a few single grapes showed up but nothing to hope for, and on the third year a significant number of grapes hung from its large and steady branches; however, as they grew and matured approaching harvest time, all grapes disappeared overnight. I blamed deer but we had a fence. My neighbor was disappointed as well because we were waiting to taste the grapes. My husband and I decided to trim the plant all the way and retrained it to get it away from the fence. That meant another year without grapes. This year, I could see all the grapes, tons of them, and I was fearful that what had happened once would be repeated. I kept tasting them every few weeks to be sure when to pick them, but I missed the perfect timing, after all, it was my first time harvesting grapes. I skipped a few weeks of tasting grapes, and in the process, I lost a ton of them that were ready, many. However, the wasps, bees, and butterflies have been enjoying the mushy grapes, and not all was lost because the vine produced so many grapes that we were still able to collect a wheelbarrow full. We rinsed the grapes three times and kept a large bowl for us and gave the rest to my sister and neighbors.

I learned a few things during the process: never give up on a plant just by looks, it was an exercise in patience, butterflies love grape juice, who knew? Expect to deal with many different critters during harvest, and mushy fermented fallen grapes smell like strong wine. It was certainly an interesting process. My sister tasted the grapes, and she said that the taste was similar to Chateau Morrisette wine, which she loves. She got the largest bag of grapes, of course. Here are a few pictures of the little vine that could.

Early beginnings (photo by M.A.D.)
Growing and becoming stronger (Photo by M.A.D.)
Each year it grew fuller (photo by M.A.D.)
Starting all over, being retrained (photo by M.A.D.)
A “deer” fan (Photo by M.A.D.)
Finally, grapes galore! (Photo by M.A.D.)
Despite losing a large amount, we were able to collect five large pots of grapes. (Photo by M.A.D.)

In hindsight, I also learned that one’s life is a bit like a grapevine. I hope you enjoyed this post and that it inspires you to plant a tiny grapevine.

In the Garden

/ inkspeare

Spring is here, and with it the garden chores that come with it. We have been cleaning up and sprucing garden areas while deciding what to improve, change, or add to the garden. As the garden continues to mature, it looks better, that is, taking into consideration that there was nothing on this property, mostly weeds and an overgrown mess when we started. If you would like to see where we started, you can visit older posts under the category of fixing an old farmhouse or restoring a farmhouse. Little by little, we have been shaping this place, one project at a time, on a small budget. Although there is much more we want to do, the rhythm continues at a slower pace for us because we are doing the projects ourselves. It has been rewarding, and it makes us appreciate the place more, and even, the challenging process. Some areas have been more challenging than other areas, but we have taken our time and enjoy it, no instant magic here. Each year, we add a few new plants to the garden, mostly perennials that will continue to thrive and multiply with the goal of adding color and variety to this once barren and abandoned garden.

Here are photos of two new projects, and a few of how the garden looks today, as it has matured and change over the years, and of course, and old reference picture for the new reader.

A very large, recycled metal bin will serve as a planter for a variety of colorful flowers from seeds.
This recycled garden rack and flowerpots adorn the front porch adding color. It looks happy.
My husband handcrafted this house number sign that lights up at night using solar lamps. It sits at the entrance. I love it! He included my favorites, crows and horses. I think he did a great job.

For those who are new to this blog, here is a picture of what the derelict and abandoned property looked like.

The front porch, a scary before. We had a vision for this place.

A few photos of how the garden looks now. It continues to evolve. Over the next few weeks, the garden will be in full bloom, my favorite time.

We are working on developing a few areas in the garden, and improving other areas, such as the faerie garden, which is mostly a shade area, thus plantings are a challenge, including shade loving Hostas. Also, we are developing an area by the front entrance, and a smaller garden at the back, both shaded areas, which I will share on a future blog post. Hope you enjoyed the photos.

Too Many Fallen Trees, an Update

/ inkspeare

This is an update to my previous post. Two days of freezing rain on top of snow left us with what now we realized were ten fallen pine trees, instead of six, across the driveway, and other major debris from the old cedar tree. I am grateful that no harm was done to the farmhouse from the old cedar large branches. There were trees under trees. It is truly a big job, more than we expected, but after exploring the cost of removing one already fallen tree, it ranged from $150 to $300 per tree depending on how tall and large it is, and also the ease of access. Ten trees on top of one another, about 30 feet tall or so would have been very expensive, so we decided to take the challenge and give it a try.

View of the trees before they fell. At least I have the picture to remember their beauty. (Photo by M.A.D.)

For the past three weekends, we have been working on cutting and removing these trees. Thankfully, some were skinnier than others, and pine is softer to cut than cedar or oak. My husband did the cutting, and I helped with sweeping up debris and dragging large branches back and forth to our section of the woods. The piled-up branches will eventually degrade into the soil, enriching it, but in the meantime, these branches will serve as shelter for a few critters. We had good weather for the past three weekends. We worked on one tree at a time, first removing the branches and cutting the trunk later. This made it easier to get to the trees that were hidden under. We decided to leave alone three logs that were a bit up in the air, but still in the wooded area, not in the driveway. The squirrels would certainly like to run across. We are done with the driveway area, and now what’s left is just the old cedar branches, which you can appreciate in the fifth photo. One more Saturday or so, weather permitting.

Photo by M.A.D.
Photo by M.A.D.
Photo by M.A.D.
Photo by M.A.D.
Photo by M.A.D.

While doing the job, an idea for a garden project developed on the side. We decided to use the large logs as a way to prevent the large amount of leaves we deal with to blow all over the driveway and garden. Here is a picture of the logs lined up. It will make cleanup much easier during Autumn.

This storm did much damage around the area. A large tree fell on a house across the road. Thankfully, no one lives in that house, but the damage is extensive. Here is a zoomed in picture.

Photo by M.A.D.

It has been an interesting experience for sure. Would I like to do it again? Not really. I have a better appreciation now for people who cut large trees for a living. It is quite a job. Although my husband was tired, he seemed to enjoy the process.

I will certainly miss these lovely pines, but there are plenty of them left, and maybe now they will have more room to spread the branches and become fuller. I remember these trees when they were about 5 feet tall or less, when we first saw the place. I even thought of naming the place Mill Creek Little Trees, but later on settled for Black Crow Cottage. I hope you enjoyed the post.

Looking Forward

/ inkspeare

Spring is almost here, and the old farmhouse becomes alive again. That entails many chores, most of them delightful, at least in my eyes. To prepare this home for spring, I like to give the porch a refresh, change or move around things a bit, after a good cleaning. The side entrance gets new life as well. Both entrances are adorned with new wreaths (recycled). This year, it was time to change the tattered flag and replace it with something different. I love the farm animals’ motif on this flag. I have decided to eliminate the side entrance flag in order to simplify the outdoors a bit. It will stay up until the holidays, and then, I will remove the pole as well. Most of these items have migrated from indoors to outdoor use as I continue to declutter and simplify things inside. I love pine trees, so the pine tree sign stays all year and so does my two potted cedars. I found the little cedars growing outside when these were about two or three inches tall, and they have grown lovely. They look great during the Christmas season as well. In living simply, one of the things I have decided to eliminate is having artificial flowers all over the house, indoors that is. These flowers were repurposed for use on the side door arrangement. The rest of the flowers and many other items were donated to our local SPCA thrift shop. All the proceeds go to help pets in the shelter and families who need pet food and cannot afford it at a particular time. It is a great place. Once the holidays arrive again, I will eliminate most of my Christmas decor, and leave only a few items and our Christmas tree. I have already told members of my family that I don’t want any gifts, unless they disappear with use, such as a candle or holiday food items, if they insist on gifting. As I age, I find the need and want for things, whether decor or other has really diminished. I can appreciate the beautiful and lovely things without wanting these items. I have only left some meaningful items that represent gifts from people I love, and a few dear to me. I like the feeling of lightness and simplicity, and as I am enjoying this feeling, I think more items will have to find new homes and people who will appreciate these in their surroundings. It is a win-win.

The month of March is reserved for setting up the garden areas and for general cleanup. Areas that have not performed well will be eliminated, and other areas will be improved or simplified. The idea is to make the garden more enjoyable and less of a chore. Some potted plants will be condensed and in general, the areas will become less cluttered and easier to manage. March is also the time to clean and set up the veggie garden and also a time to plan what veggies we will plant this year. We also plan the outdoor projects for this year. We will try to tackle one project a month, if possible. One very important, and the first project we will tackle is fixing the way the grape vine is hanging. We let it grow over the veggie garden fence. Last year was the first year that we would have collected grapes, and the vine was full of grapes. However, when the grapes were almost ready to pick, they disappeared overnight, hundreds of grapes gone. I was puzzled. We think that deer had a feast, so we have to come up with a solution. We trimmed the vine, and we will start it again this year, higher up this time.

Outdoor projects will continue until September or October, depending on the weather, so there is not much time to do everything we would like to do. However, planning helps us take care of the most important issues and prioritize them. I will share some of these projects here.

Happy Spring!

In Retrospect, and a Farmhouse Christmas

/ inkspeare

Just a few more weeks until the end of the year, and for us it means closing projects and getting ready for winter. According to The Old Farmers Almanac, we should expect a cold and wet winter. If they are right, that means planning ahead for many things such as pellet fuel and other weather-related items. During winter, the focus shifts from the outdoors to indoors, and all outdoor projects cease. In retrospect, what I have learned throughout the renovation process of this old farmhouse can be summed up in one phrase besides hard work, and that is adding value. For those not familiar with this blog – my husband and I purchased a dilapidated 1910 farmhouse and set out to fix it one step at a time, for the long term. At that point, there was not much value on the structure, but the land and a good foundation. We realized that anything we were to do to the structure would increase its value over time. Our main goal has been to build value over time. We had a minimal budget to make it livable, and from that point on to improve it. One of the things we focused on due to budget limits was to forgo “the fancy” and go for solid materials, whether recycled or new, and at a discount from various sources, preferably. We obtained materials through different venues: contractor surplus, Craigslist, discount stores, antique shops … and some we bought new from home improvement stores, but always minding sales and sticking to the budget.

At first, we prioritized on adding value vs curve appeal or latest trends. One of the main reasons for that was realizing that because we planned on living here for a long time, the newest and fanciest of materials would become “dated” over time, thus losing appeal for future buyers. It was the opposite approach to flipping a home, where the focus is to attract new buyers quickly. Adding value over time will continue to be the focus, until the time comes to sell, which will probably be in our late golden years. By now, we have more than tripled our initial investment, and we are satisfied with that. There is much more to be done “at budget,” however, always keeping in mind adding value. Curve appeal will continue to be added small bits at a time, which will enhance value. Adding value to a property can be done by adding features that stand the test of time or improving existing ones. Also, features that appreciate with time instead of depreciating. A good example would be adding land, or even building an addition that recuperates the initial investment plus, over time. Creating an attractive landscape is another way.

The concept of adding value can be applied to writing or anything in life. When I started this blog many years ago, I set out to write about two journeys at once, writing my novels and restoring this farmhouse. Both journeys have been rewarding and enjoyable; however, far from finished, more half-way into the journey. As long as I keep my focus on value and not on trends, quantity, or fast-paced agendas, I will be fine and on time.

I will share a few pictures of this old farmhouse decked for the holidays. It has been a long (and rewarding) way. Hope you enjoy them.

I hope you are inspired to give the old a second chance, and to keep on going toward your goal, whatever that might be, defying the odds.

I will end this post with a favorite quote.

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

2 Timothy 4:7

A Late Start

/ inkspeare

This year, I started the veggie garden a bit later due to changes in weather. Too late for seeds now, and all my germinated seeds died, so I had to buy a few plants at the garden center. The prices were astronomically high at $3.95 for one tiny tomato plant. There are a few squash seeds coming out in the back area. We just threw them on the ground, and they took well. This year, the veggie garden will be very simple and with little variety. We planted tomatoes, sweet peppers, eggplant, potatoes, and onions. We also have a blueberry bush and planted two strawberry roots. The grape vine will produce fruit this year; right now, it is covered in tiny grapes. The lettuce came back from last year, and also a few tomato plants grew from fallen seeds. The Brussel sprouts did not produce last year but I left it alone for seeds; let’s see how that goes. Little birds have been eating them. Once it is done seeding, I will remove the old plants because these will not produce anymore.

We are planning to add a raspberry and blackberry bush, and maybe peach, pear, and apple trees in the future. The idea is to develop this garden over time, so we don’t overwhelm ourselves with maintenance; instead, ease into it slowly, and by stages. It is what we have been doing with the rest of the garden, overall. We also have to do some rearranging of the boxes and eliminate some containers that seem to be too small and not performing well enough, so we can make a better use of the space by configurating it better.

This veggie garden was built from recycled pallets. It has hold well over the years.
This is the area of the veggie garden before, when we bought the place.
The same area during cleanup, from another angle. Most of the overgrown bushes and weeds are gone; only the large cedar and ornamental grass on the picture remain today.
Now that the weather is pleasant, my husband gets lost tinkering outdoors, so I insisted on installing a dinner bell on the porch so I can ring the bell when he doesn’t hear my call. Practical, loud, and charming.

There are many other projects on the list for this year. Let’s see how many we can tackle before Autumn arrives. I will share some here. The labor of love will continue.

A Beloved House, a Beloved Woman

/ inkspeare

If you have followed, or stop from time to time to read this blog, first, I thank you, and I hope that you have received something from it, whether inspiration, and idea … When I set out on the journey of writing this blog, many years ago, I decided that I wanted to share some of my passions, as well as my journey as an independent author, but also to include another journey, that is, moving from the beloved Jersey shore to the Idyllic Virginia countryside, and the quest of fixing up a dilapidated farmhouse, which would become our home.

Throughout the years, I have met many people who have visited this home and shared stories of the previous owner, Ms. Lula Jane, and how fond they were of her and this house when she lived here. Some of these people have been part of the neighborhood since they were kids and visited her often. One of them described the place as the hub, the place to be, and were everybody ended up. She has been described as a very kind person who loved her home, a very tall woman who enjoyed walking through her beautiful garden. On many occasions I asked if anyone had any pictures of her or the home because my intention was to recreate what this home used to look like in the past. Unfortunately, throughout the years, renters, squatters, and abandonment had taken a toll, and the old farmhouse had seriously deteriorated to the point of becoming not suitable for living. You can see pictures of the previous condition and restoration under the topic “fixing an old farmhouse.” But mostly, I wanted to know more about Ms. Lula Jane, the woman who truly loved her house.

About a week or so ago, I had that opportunity. I received a surprise visit from one of her granddaughters, Ms. Saunders. She happened to be visiting the area on her way to Maryland, and asked if she could see the home where she grew up. It was a real pleasure to meet her. She seemed to have fond memories of her grandmother and of the home. I gave her a tour of the place, explaining what we had done with it. One of her remarks got my attention. She said, “Oh, it looks almost the same.” I was puzzled because we had changed everything and gutted the house, which was in very bad condition when we bought it. Later on, when we sat to converse, I asked her about it and she said that the home still felt familiar and almost as she remembered, even that the furnishings and overall decor were different. Indeed, we had not changed any of its layout. Her visit was not as extended as I wished it would have been; I wanted to know much more. She was kind enough to share some memories of childhood, and of her grandmother, whom she seemed to have adored. I found a connection with Ms. Lula Jane through her stories.

Ms. Lula Jane had traveled from England to the USA with the family she worked for; they took her with them when they moved to the United States. Her granddaughter said that she was free, and not under slavery in England. In England, slavery was abolished much earlier than in the USA. Later on, her grandfather, Mr. John Henry Robertson, built the home. This piece of information seemed to be in conflict with the information I had been given by someone else, but it wasn’t. It was all reconciled when I asked, and she explained that there had been an interracial marriage at some point. Now I had a more complete picture of the history of ownership of this old farmhouse, and I felt closer to the previous owner, both of us having some likes in common.

Ms. Saunders promised to share pictures of her grandmother and of the house if she came across any. We exchanged numbers, and I texted her a link to this blog so she could follow the restoration so far. She was able to clarify and answer some of my questions, according to what she knew, and I am grateful for that. In her excitement, she mentioned that she remembered how good the well water tasted, to what I offered to fill up a bottle for her to take home, which I did. The next day, I received a text from her. Attached, I found a picture of her grandparents. Finally, I was able to see the image of a beautiful tall lady, referred to and appreciated by many people, a cornerstone of this neighborhood. Thank you, Ms. Saunders.

This Old Garden

/ inkspeare

This time of the year is perfect for working outdoors because it is not too cold and not warm yet. It is when we try to do as much as we can before the warm weather and bugs arrive. The weather has been good enough, even during winter. This gave us enough time to tackle some chores that needed to be done. We enjoy this type of work, so when it is done during cool weather, we like it even more. Most of it was repainting all the areas that needed to be redone, such as light posts, porch posts, veggie garden, old planting pots that needed some love, garden tables, and the wood around the house. We are sticking with the color Barn Red by Minwax, a semi stain, and we love it. One coat is just enough. We replaced the wood on the work bench and repainted it, spruced up the side door, and weeded out some broken things. We also introduced a new area in the garden, which will need some further development. Tired flags were changed, grass was cut, and leaves were collected once more after the very windy days we had. Overall, most of the heavy work is done by now, but we still have some things to tackle before the summer. We are also planning other projects before the end of this year, some of which I will share here.

New garden area that needs more work. This year we introduced three new areas in the garden.

We have come a long way.

In the beginning … there was chaos everywhere.
You can view the renovation of the old farmhouse and garden under Restoring an Old Farmhouse posts.
I see you.

Preparing the Garden for Spring

/ inkspeare

It turned out to be a mostly mild winter after all, with a few very cold days and nights in between. We even hit six degrees at night once. This week will be random temperatures of all kinds, with some 20s at night. But that is March around here in Virginia; it is the unpredictable month. Winter temperatures started early, and I thought that we would have a very cold winter; not so. The birds have been arriving again, in February, a sign of an early spring, I thought; not so. We had a bit of snow last week, just when we were expecting rain, and so far, the only time it snowed around here. March is hard to predict as far as gardening projects.

Thanks to the mild weather in December through February, we were able to tackle many projects around the home. Most of them were cleaning up, setting up areas, clearing brush, and overall getting things ready for the planting and gardening season. Most of the dead trees were chopped, and all the wood that was put out for people to take and use for heating is gone. Most people prepare a season ahead, so wood is always in demand. Most of the wood was oak and maple, with other species in between. All of it appreciated for sure. I am glad that the large tree near the kitchen entrance was able to keep on giving, and that it lived beyond in many ways: as wood for heating people’s homes, as garden decor here at the farmhouse, and as mulch for new gardening areas. I loved that tree and hated to have to cut it, but it was a liability at this point. I am happy that the tree lived beyond and nothing of it got wasted. We left the enormous stump and have decorative plans for it. Here are a few pictures of the work we did during this mild season.

  • Debris and more debris on top of debris … all cleaned up, but still more to come. It has been very windy.
  • An attempt to start seeds early.
  • The tree that kept on giving. We cut round slices to use for the garden to elevate some pots at the front area.
  • Mulch from the same tree.

  • Two new areas in the garden were started with plants that survived the winter.

Round slices of the tree being used in the garden.
The small trails were cleared of the leaves that covered them. We use the larger logs that have fallen to delineate the pathways. We are not finished making the trails because it is a large project and time consuming.
Every time I find a small cedar growing in an area where it should not, I place it in a pot and grow it until it reaches at least one foot, and then, I plant it in the perimeter of the wooded area. Eventually, these cedars will grow, and it will look lovely. This particular one was about an inch when I found it.
The bit of snow we got this winter, so far.
Find the bird.

There are many other chores to do around here, weather permitting that is. All due in time. Hope you enjoy this post.