A rainy weekend along the eastern seaboard

Looks like we are in for a rainy Friday . . . and Saturday . . . and Sunday.  It is impossibly humid here today.  I just checked Accuweather and they are predicting 3 - 4 inches of rain by the end of the day on Sunday.  I hope our friends across the Potomac in the Huntington section of Alexandria, VA do not experience more flooding from these rains.  Many homes were flooded over there with the rains from hurricanes Irene and Lee and many are still dealing with the devastation from those two storms.  Let's keep our fingers crossed that there is no more flooding.

This will be another busy weekend in the continuing effort to get the dining room renovation completed and ready to show on November 7.  I ordered new fabric to cover the dining room chair seat cushions with yesterday.  Here is a sample:

I ordered this fabric from Fashion Fabrics Club (http://www.fashionfabricsclub.com/).  I have ordered from them before and have never been disappointed.  They have some very good quality fabrics and many times you can find what you are looking for on sale.  This fabric is called Clark Stone by Swavelle/Millcreek.  Their description:

"Beautiful, brown & charcoal gray, chenille upholstery fabric with latex backing by Swavelle/Millcreek." 

Since I am using browns and grays in the renovation of the dining room, I believe this is the perfect choice for the seat cuchions.  I got this for $12.95 per yard on a 54" bolt.  Compare at $22.95 per yard.  So all in all, I am happy with everything about this fabric - the weight, the colors and the price.  Now I just need to get it and get out my electric staple gun and start covering some seat cushions!!

Portulaca

One of my favorite, trailing flowers is Portulaca, sometimes called "Moss Rose."  These were given to me by my friend Lea who picked them up at the Community Market in the spring.  I planted them in a pot and placed it on the front porch where they get plenty of sunlight from early morning until about 2:00 pm during the summer months.  Portulaca is not fussy.  They need plenty of sun and they survive well in drought conditions.  When watering, you should let the soil completely dry out between waterings.  Good drainage is also a must.  The flowers are hardy and I like the succulent leaves of this plant.  The bright colors are also a favorite of mine.  This is called an "annual" plant, although I have heard of people leaving them out over winter and having them come back.  I think that might happen in a temperate climate further south of Maryland.  I may decide to leave these in the pot and let them over winter and see what happens, although I do not have great expectations they will make it through a Maryland winter.

Portulaca

One of my favorite, trailing flowers is Portulaca, sometimes called "Moss Rose."  These were given to me by my friend Lea who picked them up at the Community Market in the spring.  I planted them in a pot and placed it on the front porch where they get plenty of sunlight from early morning until about 2:00 pm during the summer months.  Portulaca is not fussy.  They need plenty of sun and they survive well in drought conditions.  When watering, you should let the soil completely dry out between waterings.  Good drainage is also a must.  The flowers are hardy and I like the succulent leaves of this plant.  The bright colors are also a favorite of mine.  This is called an "annual" plant, although I have heard of people leaving them out over winter and having them come back.  I think that might happen in a temperate climate further south of Maryland.  I may decide to leave these in the pot and let them over winter and see what happens, although I do not have great expectations they will make it through a Maryland winter.

NEW DINING ROOM TO BE REVEALED

NEW DINING ROOM TO BE REVEALED

ON

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2011

Stay tuned for exciting new pictures of the newly completed dining room renovation.

NEW DINING ROOM TO BE REVEALED

NEW DINING ROOM TO BE REVEALED

ON

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2011

Stay tuned for exciting new pictures of the newly completed dining room renovation.

More out with the old; in with the new

I also decided to replace the petunias in the planters on the deck steps.  They were positively beautiful in the early summer as you see in this picture.

But, all good things must come to an end and this is what I was left with by the end of last week.



Very sad.  So I said goodbye to the petunias and planted some lovely red mums.

I specifically chose these plants because there were very few flowers that were open.  To buy them already in full flower means much less time to enjoy them.  I would only have bought them in full bloom if I was having an event and needed the color for the event.  Since I have nothing planned this fall, I can enjoy watching these mature.  I buy mums every year.  A couple of years ago, I decided to start planting them in a whiskey barrel in the back yard once they were past their prime.  This way, they will come back each year so I get to enjoy them year after year.  I will do the same with these once they have died back.  I wouldn't mind eventually having many pots of different colored mums placed throughout the back yard.  That would be spectacular. 

More out with the old; in with the new

I also decided to replace the petunias in the planters on the deck steps.  They were positively beautiful in the early summer as you see in this picture.

But, all good things must come to an end and this is what I was left with by the end of last week.



Very sad.  So I said goodbye to the petunias and planted some lovely red mums.

I specifically chose these plants because there were very few flowers that were open.  To buy them already in full flower means much less time to enjoy them.  I would only have bought them in full bloom if I was having an event and needed the color for the event.  Since I have nothing planned this fall, I can enjoy watching these mature.  I buy mums every year.  A couple of years ago, I decided to start planting them in a whiskey barrel in the back yard once they were past their prime.  This way, they will come back each year so I get to enjoy them year after year.  I will do the same with these once they have died back.  I wouldn't mind eventually having many pots of different colored mums placed throughout the back yard.  That would be spectacular. 

Out with the old; in with the new

Summer 2011 continues to draw to an end, which I am not completely unhappy about.  This was an unusual summer for me in many different ways.  My entertainment schedule was by far the most limited this year since moving to Crest Avenue in 2001.  I entertained a small gathering only once this season and that was on Saturday, May 21 for Steven's birthday.  I had two small cocktail gatherings on the deck after that with our dear friend Lea (who was also at the birthday gathering in May) to discuss such hot topics as the size of my water heater and reverse insulating.  This summer season also saw the relocation of one of our friends to Indiana and another to the Virginia countryside.  We have another friend in the group who currently has her house on the market with the intent of moving to Florida as soon as the sale closes to be nearer to her children and grandchildren.  While certainly understandable, we will miss her dearly when she moves.  A trip to Florida may be in the cards in the near future!!

We also lost Steven's mother, Maggie, in March.  She was a special gal.  We were blessed to have her move to Maryland and live at the Dewey Street house from 2004 - 2006.  We loved her and miss her and look forward to the day when we will see her again.

*               *               * 

As with any social group, large or small, there is always at least one troublesome member, and our group suffered through the summer with one who made life difficult and challenging and generally uncomfortable for all of the other members.  You are never really sure what someone is going through in their personal life that makes them behave so poorly.  There could be marital problems; financial problems; substance abuse.  Unfortunately, in some instances, the troublemaker is just a hateful person.  Unfortunately, I believe the latter to be the case in our circumstance.  Whatever the reason for the socially unacceptable behavior from our troubled member this year, we wish only the best for her and her family and look forward to better behavior in the near future.

On to the good stuff.  The weather has started to cool a bit here in the east and the humidity has lifted making the days and evenings a true delight.  We suffered from the effects of hurricanes Irene and Lee here in the Middle Atlantic, so we are all enjoying these first days of fall and looking forward to the season.

Now is the best time to get outside and spend some time cleaning up from the hot and dry summer.  Believe it or not, until Hurricane Irene arrived three weeks ago, and Lee a week later, we were without any measurable rain since late in the spring.  I lost a few shrubs due to this drought.  I put off general yard maintenance due to the extreme heat and I am now seeing the results of my inattention to the yard.

This first photo is showing an area between my driveway and the next door neighbor.  These little areas frequently do not get the attention they need (as is evidenced in this photo).  But spending some time cleaning up and replanting here will go a long way in giving the front yard and surrounds a fresh look.  As you see, the area had become overgrown with weeds and crabgrass.

The ground was somewhat moist so that made for easy removal of these weeds.  I brought a little hand rake and a spade as backup.  The spade was useful in helping to dig out some of the more relentless weeds.  But once that was done, I was left with a nice clean patch of ground to work with.

I found a flat of liriope at my local Lowe's which I thought would work splendidly in this area.  Liriope are perennial, so they come back every year.  They will tolerate sun as well as shade and are drought resistant.  These are very important factors to consider when planting in this spot as it gets a good deal of morning sun and is prone to be dry even when we have rain.  This area is near the street and sandwiched between concrete which makes it inhospitable to most plants.  I planted pachysandra here a few years ago and it was a disaster.  Pachysandra likes shade and water.  I don't know what I was thinking.  But, as you can see, it did not make it.  I was able to rescue a few plants, but the majority simply died.  So, I decided to plant liriope.

And there you have it.  A lovely island of liriope.  What a nice, fresh, updated planting and one that will make it through difficult weather.  Liriope will stay green through the fall and winter but will not continue to grow.  In early spring all you have to do is cut it back with a pair of  ordinary household scissors to about an inch or two above the ground and it will reward you with new spikes of green.  This particular type is variegated but you can buy it with solid, dark green leaves.  Either is beautiful.

Out with the old; in with the new

Summer 2011 continues to draw to an end, which I am not completely unhappy about.  This was an unusual summer for me in many different ways.  My entertainment schedule was by far the most limited this year since moving to Crest Avenue in 2001.  I entertained a small gathering only once this season and that was on Saturday, May 21 for Steven's birthday.  I had two small cocktail gatherings on the deck after that with our dear friend Lea (who was also at the birthday gathering in May) to discuss such hot topics as the size of my water heater and reverse insulating.  This summer season also saw the relocation of one of our friends to Indiana and another to the Virginia countryside.  We have another friend in the group who currently has her house on the market with the intent of moving to Florida as soon as the sale closes to be nearer to her children and grandchildren.  While certainly understandable, we will miss her dearly when she moves.  A trip to Florida may be in the cards in the near future!!

We also lost Steven's mother, Maggie, in March.  She was a special gal.  We were blessed to have her move to Maryland and live at the Dewey Street house from 2004 - 2006.  We loved her and miss her and look forward to the day when we will see her again.

*               *               * 

As with any social group, large or small, there is always at least one troublesome member, and our group suffered through the summer with one who made life difficult and challenging and generally uncomfortable for all of the other members.  You are never really sure what someone is going through in their personal life that makes them behave so poorly.  There could be marital problems; financial problems; substance abuse.  Unfortunately, in some instances, the troublemaker is just a hateful person.  Unfortunately, I believe the latter to be the case in our circumstance.  Whatever the reason for the socially unacceptable behavior from our troubled member this year, we wish only the best for her and her family and look forward to better behavior in the near future.

On to the good stuff.  The weather has started to cool a bit here in the east and the humidity has lifted making the days and evenings a true delight.  We suffered from the effects of hurricanes Irene and Lee here in the Middle Atlantic, so we are all enjoying these first days of fall and looking forward to the season.

Now is the best time to get outside and spend some time cleaning up from the hot and dry summer.  Believe it or not, until Hurricane Irene arrived three weeks ago, and Lee a week later, we were without any measurable rain since late in the spring.  I lost a few shrubs due to this drought.  I put off general yard maintenance due to the extreme heat and I am now seeing the results of my inattention to the yard.

This first photo is showing an area between my driveway and the next door neighbor.  These little areas frequently do not get the attention they need (as is evidenced in this photo).  But spending some time cleaning up and replanting here will go a long way in giving the front yard and surrounds a fresh look.  As you see, the area had become overgrown with weeds and crabgrass.

The ground was somewhat moist so that made for easy removal of these weeds.  I brought a little hand rake and a spade as backup.  The spade was useful in helping to dig out some of the more relentless weeds.  But once that was done, I was left with a nice clean patch of ground to work with.

I found a flat of liriope at my local Lowe's which I thought would work splendidly in this area.  Liriope are perennial, so they come back every year.  They will tolerate sun as well as shade and are drought resistant.  These are very important factors to consider when planting in this spot as it gets a good deal of morning sun and is prone to be dry even when we have rain.  This area is near the street and sandwiched between concrete which makes it inhospitable to most plants.  I planted pachysandra here a few years ago and it was a disaster.  Pachysandra likes shade and water.  I don't know what I was thinking.  But, as you can see, it did not make it.  I was able to rescue a few plants, but the majority simply died.  So, I decided to plant liriope.

And there you have it.  A lovely island of liriope.  What a nice, fresh, updated planting and one that will make it through difficult weather.  Liriope will stay green through the fall and winter but will not continue to grow.  In early spring all you have to do is cut it back with a pair of  ordinary household scissors to about an inch or two above the ground and it will reward you with new spikes of green.  This particular type is variegated but you can buy it with solid, dark green leaves.  Either is beautiful.

Sometimes, you just need a new shower curtain

Interior design, in my opinion, is completely subjective.  Webster's definition of subjective:

"Peculiar to a particular individual": personal [~ judgments].

What works for one person will not necessarily work for another.  There are those with a yen for the contemporary and those with more traditional tastes.  Neither is right or wrong.  I like to mix it up a little.  For instance, my dining room is traditional, being furnished mostly in the Queen Anne style with dark cherry finishes.  To offset this traditional style and to bring some interest to the room, I decided to put two upholstered slipper chairs on either side of the fireplace which bring in a little contemporary influence.  I like this look.  It gives interest to the room rather than having everything match or having the room look like I purchased it out of a storefront window.  Wandering the rest of the house you will find rooms more in the contemporary style; clean lines; uncluttered.  No matter what the predominant style of the room, I try to keep surfaces clear of clutter.  But I digress.

On a recent stop at my local Wal-Mart to pick up a new bathtub mat (you know, the kind you put in the bottom of the bathtub to prevent you from falling), I noticed on my walk through the bath deparment a hook that was sort of haphazardly placed with what appeared to be a rather fashionable shower curtain from the Better Homes and Gardens brand.  I was intrigued with the picture on the package and decided to add this to my purchases.  It turned out to be a good choice and what you see here is the end result.

Here is the before picture of the bathroom.

Here is the after picture.

Like I said, sometimes you just need a new shower curtain.  What a difference!  I kept the same shower curtain liner that I was using with the previous shower curtain.  I prefer the fabric liners.  They repel water very well and they can easily be cleaned in the washing machine.  They should not be placed in a dryer however.  Line drying only for the fabric liners.  All of this accomplished, I never did get my bathtub mat.  They were completely sold out.  I guess there was a run on bathtub mats last weekend during the hurricane.  Bread, milk, toilet paper and a new bathtub mat.  Go figure!

Having a fashionable home does not mean racking up huge amounts of debt.  This shower curtain upgrade was a whopping $18.88 and look at the difference it made.  Always keep your eyes open for a good bargain.  Try to find the highest quality for the least amount of money and treat yourself with a trip to Bloomingdale's every now and then when they are having a sale.  Am I saying I never shop high end?  No, I'm not saying that at all.  I have quite a collection of furniture and accessories at Crest Avenue from many different retailers and in many different price ranges.  The art is putting it all together so nobody can tell the difference between what you picked up on a whim at Wal-Mart and what you found at a Macy's sale.

Sometimes, you just need a new shower curtain

Interior design, in my opinion, is completely subjective.  Webster's definition of subjective:

"Peculiar to a particular individual": personal [~ judgments].

What works for one person will not necessarily work for another.  There are those with a yen for the contemporary and those with more traditional tastes.  Neither is right or wrong.  I like to mix it up a little.  For instance, my dining room is traditional, being furnished mostly in the Queen Anne style with dark cherry finishes.  To offset this traditional style and to bring some interest to the room, I decided to put two upholstered slipper chairs on either side of the fireplace which bring in a little contemporary influence.  I like this look.  It gives interest to the room rather than having everything match or having the room look like I purchased it out of a storefront window.  Wandering the rest of the house you will find rooms more in the contemporary style; clean lines; uncluttered.  No matter what the predominant style of the room, I try to keep surfaces clear of clutter.  But I digress.

On a recent stop at my local Wal-Mart to pick up a new bathtub mat (you know, the kind you put in the bottom of the bathtub to prevent you from falling), I noticed on my walk through the bath deparment a hook that was sort of haphazardly placed with what appeared to be a rather fashionable shower curtain from the Better Homes and Gardens brand.  I was intrigued with the picture on the package and decided to add this to my purchases.  It turned out to be a good choice and what you see here is the end result.

Here is the before picture of the bathroom.

Here is the after picture.

Like I said, sometimes you just need a new shower curtain.  What a difference!  I kept the same shower curtain liner that I was using with the previous shower curtain.  I prefer the fabric liners.  They repel water very well and they can easily be cleaned in the washing machine.  They should not be placed in a dryer however.  Line drying only for the fabric liners.  All of this accomplished, I never did get my bathtub mat.  They were completely sold out.  I guess there was a run on bathtub mats last weekend during the hurricane.  Bread, milk, toilet paper and a new bathtub mat.  Go figure!

Having a fashionable home does not mean racking up huge amounts of debt.  This shower curtain upgrade was a whopping $18.88 and look at the difference it made.  Always keep your eyes open for a good bargain.  Try to find the highest quality for the least amount of money and treat yourself with a trip to Bloomingdale's every now and then when they are having a sale.  Am I saying I never shop high end?  No, I'm not saying that at all.  I have quite a collection of furniture and accessories at Crest Avenue from many different retailers and in many different price ranges.  The art is putting it all together so nobody can tell the difference between what you picked up on a whim at Wal-Mart and what you found at a Macy's sale.

Hurricane Katia

Good morning.  In my post yesterday, I referenced Katia, a storm brewing in the Atlantic and headed west toward the United States.  Yesterday the track seemed to indicate that this storm was on a definite collision course for the Mid-Atlantic.  This morning, it appears that the track has moved a little south and it looks like it will be more of a concern for people along the coast in the Carolina's.  I hope that is not true.  I hope this storm breaks up and vanishes from the radar.  I have attached a link to the MSN Storm Tracker for those who are interested in taking a look.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26295161/ns/weather/t/hurricane-tracker/

We continue to enjoy beautiful weather here in the Mid-Atlantic after our harrowing weekend.  The nights are delightful with the temperature in the 60's.  These are definitely nights to turn off the AC and open the windows.  I have had my bedroom window open every night this week and the whole house fan on which brings in all of the cool, crisp air.  The humidity is all but gone, which is a blessing.  Anyone who has been in Washington, Maryland and Virginia knows how oppressive the humidity is in the summer.  These pre-fall days are some of my favorite of the year.  I'm looking forward to the changing of the leaves and sweater weather. 

Hurricane Katia

Good morning.  In my post yesterday, I referenced Katia, a storm brewing in the Atlantic and headed west toward the United States.  Yesterday the track seemed to indicate that this storm was on a definite collision course for the Mid-Atlantic.  This morning, it appears that the track has moved a little south and it looks like it will be more of a concern for people along the coast in the Carolina's.  I hope that is not true.  I hope this storm breaks up and vanishes from the radar.  I have attached a link to the MSN Storm Tracker for those who are interested in taking a look.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26295161/ns/weather/t/hurricane-tracker/

We continue to enjoy beautiful weather here in the Mid-Atlantic after our harrowing weekend.  The nights are delightful with the temperature in the 60's.  These are definitely nights to turn off the AC and open the windows.  I have had my bedroom window open every night this week and the whole house fan on which brings in all of the cool, crisp air.  The humidity is all but gone, which is a blessing.  Anyone who has been in Washington, Maryland and Virginia knows how oppressive the humidity is in the summer.  These pre-fall days are some of my favorite of the year.  I'm looking forward to the changing of the leaves and sweater weather. 

We Made it through the Storm

Well, we made it through Irene at Crest Avenue.  Although there was flooding and property damage and people without electricity for 57 hours in other parts of the Metropolitan area, we did not sustain any damage nor were we without electricity for other than a few brief moments.  I was up early Sunday morning surveying the property and the streets to see what happened during my slumber.  Here are some pictures.

Twigs and leaves along the front sidewalk.

A view of the sidewalk in front of Crest Avenue.  More twigs and leaves.

This is a picture between 2502 Crest Avenue and 2504 Crest Avenue.  This is a Rose of Sharon hedge planted by the owners of 2504 Crest Avenue.  It is a little windswept but no worse for the wear.

The planter of bamboo took a tumble.  I was inside when this went over and when the stainless steel planter and the bamboo reeds hit the patio stones I thought, "UH OH!  That doesn't sound good."  Fortunately, it fell in the right direction and was easy to stand up again on Sunday morning.

As I ventured further into the back yard, I started to see the true remnants of Hurricane Irene.

A view of the deck on this wet Sunday morning.  Everything still intact.

Here is a picture of the east side of Crest Avenue.  The awnings survived without a problem.  Although there was widespread damage over our area, seeing these awnings still in place gives you an idea of how strong the winds "weren't."  Had these been up during Isabel in 2003, they would never have sustained the winds.  Isabel was a really horrific storm for the Washington area.

A quick picture taken through the crepe myrtles.

And here was the big find of the morning.  This is enormous.

This fell from the Sweet Gum tree in the back yard.  I tried to find the spot on the trunk where it made its escape, but I could not.  A definite "widow maker."

So there are my pictures of the storm of the year, at least so far.  I have begun to hear rumblings from the weather guys that there is another storm in the Atlantic - Katia.  They tell us this storm is brewing, but they quickly move on to other weather forecasting and say that it is a week or two weeks out to sea and nearly impossible to predict at this time.  Hmmmm.  I don't know if I believe that.  As for me, I will continue to track Katia on MSN Storm Tracker and hope for the best.  Unfortunately, the way it looks right now, she is headed straight for the Mid-Atlantic.  Let's hope she fizzles out soon.

We Made it through the Storm

Well, we made it through Irene at Crest Avenue.  Although there was flooding and property damage and people without electricity for 57 hours in other parts of the Metropolitan area, we did not sustain any damage nor were we without electricity for other than a few brief moments.  I was up early Sunday morning surveying the property and the streets to see what happened during my slumber.  Here are some pictures.

Twigs and leaves along the front sidewalk.

A view of the sidewalk in front of Crest Avenue.  More twigs and leaves.

This is a picture between 2502 Crest Avenue and 2504 Crest Avenue.  This is a Rose of Sharon hedge planted by the owners of 2504 Crest Avenue.  It is a little windswept but no worse for the wear.

The planter of bamboo took a tumble.  I was inside when this went over and when the stainless steel planter and the bamboo reeds hit the patio stones I thought, "UH OH!  That doesn't sound good."  Fortunately, it fell in the right direction and was easy to stand up again on Sunday morning.

As I ventured further into the back yard, I started to see the true remnants of Hurricane Irene.

A view of the deck on this wet Sunday morning.  Everything still intact.

Here is a picture of the east side of Crest Avenue.  The awnings survived without a problem.  Although there was widespread damage over our area, seeing these awnings still in place gives you an idea of how strong the winds "weren't."  Had these been up during Isabel in 2003, they would never have sustained the winds.  Isabel was a really horrific storm for the Washington area.

A quick picture taken through the crepe myrtles.

And here was the big find of the morning.  This is enormous.

This fell from the Sweet Gum tree in the back yard.  I tried to find the spot on the trunk where it made its escape, but I could not.  A definite "widow maker."

So there are my pictures of the storm of the year, at least so far.  I have begun to hear rumblings from the weather guys that there is another storm in the Atlantic - Katia.  They tell us this storm is brewing, but they quickly move on to other weather forecasting and say that it is a week or two weeks out to sea and nearly impossible to predict at this time.  Hmmmm.  I don't know if I believe that.  As for me, I will continue to track Katia on MSN Storm Tracker and hope for the best.  Unfortunately, the way it looks right now, she is headed straight for the Mid-Atlantic.  Let's hope she fizzles out soon.

Good Night Irene (We Hope!!)



So here we are, the 26th of August 2011.  On Tuesday, we had an earthquake which registered 5.9 on the Richter Scale.  Yesterday, large stones just outside of Rosslyn, VA fell onto the George Washington Parkway closing it for quite a few hours.  And today we are preparing for hurricane Irene, who is lumbering up the east coast and due to bring us tropical winds and rains starting tomorrow.  What next, . . . a plague of locusts?  I mean, really!  There have been aftershocks from the earthquake throughout the week down in Central Virginia.  I know this because I have been following friends and family on Facebook who still live in and around Orange, VA, which is close to the epicenter of the earthquake and my hometown.

So I have decided to carry on with my weekend in a positive manner and not get mired down in what has been and potentially will be a challenging week.  I will continue my painting project in the dining room and will post finished pictures of that on Sunday.  And I am making cheese souffle this weekend.  I have a hankering for cheese souffle - really good cheese souffle and I don't know anyone who makes a cheese souffle better than me.  I think I will make individual cheese souffles rather than one large.  I'll just take the recipe I use for a large souffle and make 6 individual souffles.  That way there will be some leftover.  Weather permitting, I might even ask a few close friends to stop by tomorrow evening for Hurricane Irene Cheese Souffle.  We'll see about that.  I'll take pictures of the storm and post them for your review.  Hopefully there will only be pictures of a lot of rain and no damage.  Let's keep our fingers crossed and hope for the best.  Everyone be safe!

Good Night Irene (We Hope!!)



So here we are, the 26th of August 2011.  On Tuesday, we had an earthquake which registered 5.9 on the Richter Scale.  Yesterday, large stones just outside of Rosslyn, VA fell onto the George Washington Parkway closing it for quite a few hours.  And today we are preparing for hurricane Irene, who is lumbering up the east coast and due to bring us tropical winds and rains starting tomorrow.  What next, . . . a plague of locusts?  I mean, really!  There have been aftershocks from the earthquake throughout the week down in Central Virginia.  I know this because I have been following friends and family on Facebook who still live in and around Orange, VA, which is close to the epicenter of the earthquake and my hometown.

So I have decided to carry on with my weekend in a positive manner and not get mired down in what has been and potentially will be a challenging week.  I will continue my painting project in the dining room and will post finished pictures of that on Sunday.  And I am making cheese souffle this weekend.  I have a hankering for cheese souffle - really good cheese souffle and I don't know anyone who makes a cheese souffle better than me.  I think I will make individual cheese souffles rather than one large.  I'll just take the recipe I use for a large souffle and make 6 individual souffles.  That way there will be some leftover.  Weather permitting, I might even ask a few close friends to stop by tomorrow evening for Hurricane Irene Cheese Souffle.  We'll see about that.  I'll take pictures of the storm and post them for your review.  Hopefully there will only be pictures of a lot of rain and no damage.  Let's keep our fingers crossed and hope for the best.  Everyone be safe!

Color is our Friend

I decided to paint the fireplace mantel.  A few years ago I did a faux stone finish on it and with the new stipple finish on the dining room walls, I thought it was too much to have a faux finish on the mantel and a similar, but different faux finish on the walls.  So I decided to paint the mantel white.  I'm not a big fan.

The white is too stark for me.  I want some color on it.  So I went to http://www.behr.com/ and used their ColorSmart system to coordinate a color for the mantel that would complement the new color on the walls.  The stippling effect I've used on the walls has a basecoast of Swiss Coffee and a topcoat of Castle Path.  Since Castle Path is the predominant color in the room, I asked their system to coordinate colors that would go well with Castle Path.  The Behr ColorSmart system is really wonderful and gives you many options to choose from.  I have decided to go with Platinum Gray for the mantel.  Here is a color swatch:



I think this will give the mantel a great look and will make the fireplace the focal point of the room.  I'll do the mantel in high gloss and I think I'll paint the walls and each side the same color in eggshell.  We'll see how that turns out.  More on this project to follow.

Color is our Friend

I decided to paint the fireplace mantel.  A few years ago I did a faux stone finish on it and with the new stipple finish on the dining room walls, I thought it was too much to have a faux finish on the mantel and a similar, but different faux finish on the walls.  So I decided to paint the mantel white.  I'm not a big fan.

The white is too stark for me.  I want some color on it.  So I went to http://www.behr.com/ and used their ColorSmart system to coordinate a color for the mantel that would complement the new color on the walls.  The stippling effect I've used on the walls has a basecoast of Swiss Coffee and a topcoat of Castle Path.  Since Castle Path is the predominant color in the room, I asked their system to coordinate colors that would go well with Castle Path.  The Behr ColorSmart system is really wonderful and gives you many options to choose from.  I have decided to go with Platinum Gray for the mantel.  Here is a color swatch:



I think this will give the mantel a great look and will make the fireplace the focal point of the room.  I'll do the mantel in high gloss and I think I'll paint the walls and each side the same color in eggshell.  We'll see how that turns out.  More on this project to follow.

Last week I decided to change the look of this blog.  This was not well received.  I heard from many that they preferred the original layout and graphics, so . . . they're back!  I have pictures to download from the work completed over this past weekend.  Stay tuned for those updates.

Last week I decided to change the look of this blog.  This was not well received.  I heard from many that they preferred the original layout and graphics, so . . . they're back!  I have pictures to download from the work completed over this past weekend.  Stay tuned for those updates.