The Dusty Victorian

Parlor Window - Completed

Okay, parlor/studio front double windows - check.

The window above looks so tired and dirty compared to the one below, but it will have to wait. I did manage to put a coat of primer on the stair's railings today. It was soooo easy compared to the previous window work.

Next job: Astrid's two bedroom windows. Once they are done, I will have met my 'eight window per season' quota. Enough with R & R (repairs and restorations) I'm ready for some real R & R in my hammock.

Parlor Window - Part I

Now that I've recharged my battery, I'm back to business. I decided to hold off on Astrid's bedroom windows for now and wait until she's off in Montreal visiting family. Meanwhile I have resumed work on the parlor window, a/k/a the studio. Located in the tower part of the house on the main level, it's double in width and has architectural detailing not found on the other windows. The arch at the top is like a trompe-l'oeil in that it does not translate to the inside of the room. It's double in width and has a decorative centre post - features, in my opinion, that should be emphasized. Because the tower and its windows are one of the main architectural feature of the house, they should be treated accordingly.

The house faces west and is on a hill; from 2:00 pm until sunset, it is bathed with sun. I think the Dusty Victorian looks its best during the golden hour, but on bad days the face of the house can be battered with hail and rain pushed by wicked winds. Needless to say, I had a lot of scrapping and sanding to do.

On the inside, there is no arch.

Small part of the work is done.

Colour blocking, detailing, and second coats need to be applied.

Imagine with the porch painted...

Three days of rain forecasted for our area is interrupting my window work, but that's okay, it will give me a chance to work on an art project I've been pondering.

Gentlewoman Farmer

I was so busy with work on the house that my spring flowers came and went and I barely noticed. So I'll show you progress on my fruits and vegetable plants.

Here are garden boxes Brian built for me earlier this spring, using the wood left over from the fence. Pretty good for someone who could barely hold a hammer when I first met him. Because the dogs like to water the garden, but not in a beneficial way, I wanted the boxes to be out of reach. The height is also easier on my back. I kept it simple and chose easy varieties to grow, mainly due to my lack of experience.

Earlier this spring.

Taken a few days ago. It soon became overcrowded so I had to transplant some varieties into the ground nearby, protecting them from the dogs with chicken wire.