SPRING CLEANING 17

I stopped after doing the straight side pieces to make the roof piece. I figured if I just went onwards, I would end up in a mess or be unable to screw in the central spokes.

Finally joining the top to the sides, I had the rose arch in one piece and was then able to insert it in the ground. it was wider than the former rose arch, which was good as the roses had been planted a little too far apart for the original one anyway. I then bent the roses around the arch itself.

My next task was to tidy up and area surrounding the bases. I decided I would move the clump of mini~daffs and set to work. I also brought the flowering onions around to plant at the front of the rose arch on one side, as they were shooting out in what will become a veg plot when I complete doing my makeover of what was once my father's yard.

SPRING CLEANING 16

As you can see, the daffodils are doing well this year. We have one black sheep daffodil of a different color for some reason, though. Much work needs to be done in the front yard, still, despite having had a whole week of dry weather.

In the back yard, the two rose bushes were sprouting although no buds have formed yet. I have begun to dig over the veg plots for 2014, and inserted some of the home made compost. My next task was to prepare the rose area for the erection of the new arch. I began by potting up the snowdrop, crocus, and mini daff bulbs into a pot, and 3 more rose cuttings into another.

I then laid out the material and began. There were, as you can see, several groups of green metal poles as well as a few left over mini daffs for me to take inside for vase afterwards. I had to decide whether or not to dig the remainder of the clump out, or to leave them to one side.

I began to construct the arch, joining the poles together by screwing midpieces into the side pieces for each side. It was not too complex and I did not have too many problems, although the instruction booklet was merely a diagram and list of 'how many' this and thats I should have.

SPRING CLEANING 15

As you can see, the garden needs a bit of a tidy up. My plans for the front yard are to wait until the bulbs have finished flowering and then dig them up. In fact, dig up most plants, reposition and replanting everything where I fancy. I was not able to beat the bulbs due to the wind and rains of winter, so it will have to wait a few weeks until such time as the bulbs have all completed their show.

Dad's showpiece that everyone from Aunts to physiotherapists have commented on is his pieris tree. I like the flowers, berries, foliage, etc but not its position on the corner near the front door. It blocks the view a little. I will therefore be looking up how to transplant it on line and 'moving' it. The birds like it too, so I definitely hope to find it a different space to enjoy.

Possibly where the prickly bush is situated currently, next to the recycling wheelie. that would mean bringing the rose bush forwards, though... As you can see, there is much to be considered as well as research in how best to move each plant.

Early in the mornings, before it is properly daylight, I think the new colors in the kitchen look inviting. I am pleased with the choices I made and eager to get on and complete the lower hallway and stairs. Disposing of the fence debris and fitting in noisy/quiet work to suit my son's erratic daytime sleeping is currently more problem than the wind and rain. I hope to have completed the two sections by the close of the month, though. I also wish more stuff would shift. I get the odd Ebay sale, silence at Gumtree... and so live with a mess in the spare room still.

SPRING CLEANING 14

I left you last with this mess along the side of the house. 2 more days, and it should be gone. In the meantime, our camelia bush is showing its flowers in the front yard to distract passers by from the mess. 2 more days have come and gone and we still have the mess along the side of the house due to my ride's husband being unwell. I had been hoping to get started with the digging on veg plots this weekend, however due to drizzley rain the day before I cancelled and decided to occupy myself with my favorite chores. Yes, yet again I have reorganized my pantry ~ and wine closet.

The two rose bushes that I pruned severely are both shooting out and I hope to erect the new rose arch shortly. Once again, I have been awaiting 3 or 4 days of dry windless weather. We have had 3, but just on the brink of activity in the yard, it drizzled. I should indeed be tackling the next painting jobs perhaps. I have been a little lazy in that respect due to not really wanting to stink the place out while my son recovers from a cough and cold, but if he is not going to get over the cough, I suppose I might as well begin again.

SPRING CLEANING 13

Spring has begun, but I still have just a couple more photos to share from the tail end of winter.

This is my latest blogwriting spot at the corner of the stairway in the lower hall. one far more serious matter was the appearance of a large moldy damp patch in what will become the spare room. I have already started opening the windows in that room, rather than just the door, as well as removing the mold by wet cloth.

My next task was to erect the new fence, which is made from PVC coated wire mesh. I got a 60cm x 10 meter roll and here is the finished product when finally I got off my butt and put it up. As you can see, I was able to leave a couple of rotten panels in situ. i am hoping that this will allow the hedgehogs to be undisturbed as they may hibernate in this area.

There is a small area where people using the garages next to us can see right into our back yard now, however I am going to be popping some rose cuttings taken from the fallen rose arch in the gap for them to grow up into the hedge at its edge.

You can see here how I hammered in the fence stakes and then tied the fencing to them. Sometimes with garden string, but also with wire ties as I found 34 lying about. Next, you can see where I u~tacked the end of the fence onto the post. It created a mess by the side of the house, as my friend who takes me to the tip on occasion was tied up. However the next tip trip has now been arranged for this coming week.

WINTER WONDERS 22

Now we jump into a sunny Monday in the final week of February and my next bash at turning my recently inherited dump into a palace. It was sunny and there was no rain or wind, so I decided to get outside and tidy the front yard. I trimmed the elderberry stump, prickly bush, holly and privet, or at least, all but the top few strands of prickly bush.

You can now see the trees further down the street over top our hedge. At some point, I may eradicate the prickly bush as it serves little purpose other than being a border and holding up the flimsy plastic green fencing my father once erected. When I was a child, it was all privet. I think I will leave the holly and elderberry, but gradually cut back/out the prickly hedge.

As you can see, I still have much to do in the front yard. The removed kitchen table and tubs left 2 large clomps of soil with baby carrots once growing in them in my front yard. The plan was to dig over the entire yard before the bulbs shot out and reposition the plants and bulbs to my liking. however, the bulbs have already begun to sprout and flower. Hopefully when spring arrives next week there will be less rain/wind, and i shall then be able to reorganize the front yard to my liking after the bulbs have flowered.

In the meantime, I have cut back almost all the garage side hedge, pruned a rosebush, and piled up a pile of hedge cuttings to die down/take to the tip. As I look forward to spring, I can say that there is definitely plenty more work to be done both inside and out. The next outside work being pond maintenance/digging over the veg plots and the next indoor work progressing along the lower hall with Tibetan Gold and stairs with Cookie Dough. I am also plugging away at Ebay and Gumtree and Freecycle, attempting to empty the house of stuff I don't want....

The hedge trimming gave me a few minor cuts...

WINTER WONDERS 21

Winter, aka December to February, was almost over by the time we reach the next picture. Due to sinus ailments and weather during which I could not open the door, hence paint, not a lot got done for a week or so.

 

Finally, the winds died down, rain stopped, and my sinusses felt a tad better. I got on with the top coat of Tibetan Gold on the first section of the lower hall. I am still waiting on a lift to the tip with the old fence, so unable to progress with erecting the new one. I did manage to turn out and reorder my pantry yet again though!

I managed another painting spree and progressed another chunk up the stairs as you can see in the above picture. Not only did I paint one more chunk upwards, I painted some more Tibetan Gold, this time on the bannister.

As you can see, I have now progressed far enough along the lower hallway to replace the coathooks. I shall, at some point, take the coats down again to paint the actual hangers, though. The shoes, you might ask, if you recall former photos of the hallway? Well, I have decided they can go in the read n relax room instead. This will mean that I can practice Yoga in the lower hallway until such time as the read n relax room is available and also that dirty shoes will not mark fresh paint!

WINTER WONDERS 20

The wet and windy weather did not allow me to continue with the painting, as it would have been impossible to leave the door open without it banging to or letting in debris. I therefore worked on selling items. I currently have a half dozen books and a mirror for sale on Ebay as well as an antique oil lamp on Gumtree. This is the next item I have been cleaning up ready to sell...

I also sorted out my garden seeds. I did not buy all these! More than half of them came free in my late father's garden magazines and I have now inherited them. I hope to get a few veg from the yard this year, as I should have more time to work on digging and weeding, providing the weather permits. no rush there is plenty of color already in pre~spring as you can see by the camelia bush!

Finally, we had a day when I was not booked to go out that was neither wet nor windy. This particular Sunday I had to be quiet so my son could sleep, as he has recently started working night shift at a local supermarket. I got on with the painting, as you can see. I applied a third coat to 2 wall panels, took a break, then applied the first coat of gloss to some of the lower hall trim. Although not yet finished, you can see the general color scheme, using COOKIE DOUGH & TIBETAN GOLD.

WINTER WONDERS 19

I piled up the fence pieces ready to get a tip~trip lift. It was far too rotten to replace the fallen piece, though I did initially try to pick up the fallen panel. I therefore took a good look at the side fencing and discovered that three to four panels would also need replacing soon. I therefore plotted to hop over to Wickes whilst at Tesco, in order to purchase new fencing supplies.

I purchased a roll of PVC coated wire mesh fencing, 4 metal fence stakes, a ball garden string and a packet of u~tax. I now need to wait on a tip~trip lift from a friend to clear all the old rose arch and fence debris, so I can begin on erecting the new fence and rose arch.

You may wonder why I did not hire a fence contractor to replace the 4 rotting panels and/or why I did not plan on replacing them with wood. The main reason is that the winds have been very strong for 2 or 3 months and I wonder if we may now be likely to get them regularly, rather than once or twice a year.

I feel that mesh fencing may therefore be safer, as it will let the wind go right through. Also, most of the back fence stands by trees and hedge. This means the fence is basically a barrier or edge, rather than necessary to keep out unwanted beings. Additionally, my father paid over 150 pounds to have two panels replaced professionally last year. This means to replace four it would work out 6 times more expensive than my purchase of fencing supplies and personal labor. Two further reasons are that I prefer the look of mesh fencing to wooden panels and that I can fix it a few inches above ground level to continue to allow access to hedgehogs and squirrels, etc.