So why was I dragging my ass and not taking care of your vicarious shopping needs? It’s Spring people, and that means I get overwhelmed with the one million things that need doing outside this place of ours.

I finished painting inside the treehouse this week, but these are some of the only snaps I have. I planned to take some proper ones yesterday, but the place got trashed with mud over the weekend, and no one wants to see that yuck. Here’s the only picture I took via Instagram after moving some of the stuff back in. Sadly, I think ALL these pics were taken with my phone.

We have turned one wall into the chalkboard panels previously requested.

The Things and I worked at the local state park Saturday morning removing exotic, non-native plants from the forest floor so that there is less wild honeysuckle and more of this.

Then, there was pressure washing to be done, or should I say started. I still have the back decks to do, and that will take ages to finish.

Even though it can be tedious work, I have to admit that pressure washing all that gunk away is a satisfying job. Now I’ll need to go back with some deck stain to touch up some spots once it’s dried out.

I replanted my rootbound and pitiful looking junipers. I found these white planters at Target and am loving how light and easy to move they are…win!

I also started to topdress the pine straw patio, but only after retrenching the sump pump drainage creek. This time we laid plastic down so that we don’t have to retrench it every year. I’m headed to the stoneyard this morning to get more river rock to fill in the deeper creek. It had started flowing all over this end of the yard creating a swampy mudpit, but now we are nicely channeled. You won’t see the plastic when we are done adding more stone.

We also plan to build a proper bridge since the hose access is off to the right, so stepping over the creek is frequently required.

We put together our new Ikea Äpplarö table, and, of course, we have had 2 meals there already.

Sunday was a spectacular day..I snapped the dogwood in bloom before it’s gone.

So, while I missed the flea, we got a lot done, but there’s lots left to do…onward!

I always wanted a Toto, or those amazing Oluce glowing stones for the yard, and this combines both functions for $50 rather than $500.

The CC is quite cynical about ALL solar lighting. He was secretly thinking that I had just made a really stupid purchase. To look at it, you might agree and think it’s just a smallish white cube with no hope of doing anything.

It has a solar charger that plugs in underneath.

Charge it for a few hours, and when night falls….you punch the little button underneath and…..

…. IT WORKS! Such a nice bright glow from the LED…there is some light love afoot my friends. How do I know the CC has forgiven me, and might even approve of this purchase? He brought it up to the treehouse for our sleepover Saturday night. You worked your way into his solar hatin’ heart Mr. Cube, and I think we will all enjoy each other very much.

For those who prefer a more rotund lighting friend, might I suggest Ms. Sphere, or their cousin, Master Planter/ Ice Bucket.

Happy patio planning!

It’s 60 degrees today, and we had snow over the weekend, with more predicted this coming weekend. Today is my window…it is time to prune the horsetail rush or Equisetum Hymale. I didn’t prune it last winter and I think it showed by blowing over so easily. Now it is laying down completely flat and it’s time to hack it to the ground.  This is how it looked when I first put it in.

And this is how it looked today.  So sad.

I couldn’t find the electric hedge trimmer in the garage chaos, so I had to go old school with the shears. FUN!

Hopefully it will return reinvigorated and upright, like the picture I showed you when I first decided to go for this stuff.  By all accounts, it should, so fingers crossed!

via Grow Where You’re Planted

Until now, we have taken a short cut coming in from the left, but it’s steep there and a bit hazardous when muddy. We are used to it, but our future visitors might be annoyed.  Nothing like biting it on a muddy slope to brighten your day….

I need to cut through the old railroad tie to create an official opening from the main trail, but I’m skeered of chainsaws, so I have to wait for the CC on that one.  I have found my appendages to be quite useful over the years…I know, so selfish.

Enter Camp Vågö.

When word got out this winter that the Ikea Vågö would be re-issued, I knew our outdoor firepit situation (version 1.0) was settled.  $25 each?  DONE and DONE.

An Atlanta trip was not in my game plan given our treehouse commitments, so we enlisted the dudes at ModernNash to do it for us.  Locals who may not be aware of this amazing service..take note…totally worth it.

While I still have visions of the CC casting a beautiful round firepit in concrete, that’s not happening right now, so a metal tree ring kit from Home Depot will have to do.  They come in sections..I got 3 to make a three foot wide ring.

I didn’t want to actually SEE this ring, so after digging out the pit, I piled river rock around the outside of it.  Since we burned through all the nice dry split wood in our log holder this winter, and we haven’t built a firewood shelter yet, (on the list) the wood that’s left is getting rained on, so we have to ring the fire with logs to dry them out a bit. At least now the ring is disguised inside and out.

Like the Things ash graffiti?

Camp Vågö was a huge hit with the whole family.  The deer came surprisingly close while we were chillin’ by the fire…we’re STILL waiting for the owl babes.  Lots of hooting, but no sighting yet.

While this area still leaves a lot to be desired….plans are to cover the fugly concrete wall with a custom built firewood wall, plus patio and pit upgrade…this was just the ticket for now, and we don’t have to wait another year to cook s’mores and the like over our crackling fire.

Cost Breakdown:

6 Ikea Vågö chairs $150

Tree Ring $19

River Rock $34

Stump Tables  FREE

photos via Jenn Ski

Wexler House via Housepet via PSMod

Housepet’s patio, image by Housepet

I think a circular firepit should be worked into the plan as well, no?

What do we think Billy?

Will it Go Round in Circles?

Today marks the birthday, blogiversary, whatever you call this thing that we feel the need to measure in increments of time. Two years… already?  Apparently so!  Last year’s recaps are here and here.

Hmmmm… 2010.  This year was vastly different from the last, and I guess we’ll just wait and see what going to 11 does.  This year’s biggest project was completing the next phase of landscaping…front steps and back decks specifically.  The tour of the exterior gives a feel for the sequence of things that seemed to drag on, mostly due to our crazyass weather this year.  The city flooded, which caused us to lose a treatment plant, thus water shortages.  It was a difficult Spring for a lot of Nashvillians.  We were VERY lucky.  We still had a home.

At the end of 2009, I still couldn’t get in my front door, despite having some nice new concrete steps up from the driveway…

But we got that done in 2010….

With some big jobs done outside, it was time to start focusing on making it a home inside….read FURNITURE.  2010 was just getting this place starting to feel like it goes together.  I’ve updated the Tour a bit to show where we are on the main rooms. For example..the living room last year….

was very different than it is now….

I moved in with a mix of Mid Century and Deco furniture that seemed to work well in my previous 1912 home, but, notsomuch here.  It was time to cycle out some old pieces and get in some things that seemed to suit the house..and me better.

With that in mind, I faced a challenge with ModFruGal this year.  When you move inside and start decorating, it’s a lot more personal!  Sharing exterior projects doesn’t hold the same amount of dread that showing your living room to the internet does!

Thankfully, that fear has eased over the year, mainly because I have awesome readers I NEVER thought I’d have, so seriously, THANK YOU for making this a fun, and less terrifying endeavor.  There was a certain comfort in thinking that no one was reading, then boom! There you were, and you surprised me by how supportive you were..and are.  While renovations and growing pains are not everyone’s thang, I’m glad it’s your thang, and you can keep me company while I get this place groovin’.  I don’t call it the Regal Beagle anymore because all the green carpet, maroon walls, and general decor malaise is almost gone! Almost.

So let’s knock out some more projects in 2011, whaddya say?  I can predict one thing for sure for this year…there will be concrete. The CC got something for Christmas that he’s wanted for a few years..well, ever since we did this.

Pour, baby, pour!!!!

Stay tuned, it’s almost time for the annual list reconciliation…..

There’s plenty more to do…of course!!!

]]> http://modfrugal.com/2011/01/tour-chapter-5/feed/ 2 http://modfrugal.com/2010/10/railings-and-steps-in-progress/ http://modfrugal.com/2010/10/railings-and-steps-in-progress/#comments Wed, 13 Oct 2010 18:18:33 +0000 ModFruGal http://modfrugal.com/?p=5967 One of the many things that has us a bit crazy lately is that we are rushing to add those finishing touches to the deck that we mentioned here, here and here.

It has to be done before Halloween so that children unfamiliar with the place don’t fall 3 feet off the deck onto the pine straw patio. Yes, we are hosting a Haunted Forest shindig, so time is a-ticking to keep the kiddies safe…except that I may scare them all away cuz I’ll be wearing this.  Too bad.

So what are these “finishing touches” you ask? More hog panel, of course, since we ripped out that old railing during the staining, and…well, while you’re there…let’s move the steps and expand them!

Since we’re all feelin fall-ish, I thought a snow shot of the old railings might be soothing…

OK, so here’s how it’s been going…some new hog panel up, some fugly lattice still hanging out to taunt me…your days are numbered so enjoy your limited life….

New steps will center on the door where all those tools and crap are….

But the ground isn’t level so the CC poured a concrete pad….. (can you BELIEVE the mess?)

and last night he got the first treads up….

…and here it is next to the old steps, which should be coming down shortly.  Getting close, but yet so far….soon!

Having a garden again after 2 years makes me VERY happy.  Every time I had to buy rosemary at the store, I died a little inside.

Anyway, I got all my ingredients together for a rockin’ tabbouleh and when I went out to harvest the parsley….

Whaaaa?  Why are there stems where my lush leaves used to be?  Oh…well hello there!

It’s the very hungry caterpillar…I think he’ll be happier with the parsley than those old cupcakes anyway.  In my last garden, dill was their favorite nosh, with the occasional parsley appetizer, but since my dill is done for the summer…parsley it is.  Enjoy little guy..just leave some for me..MmmKay?