more porch makeover

Farmboy has been working hard and this section of the roof is getting new shingles. What a huge job! There are 4 layers of shingles on the roof, 2 layers of cedar shakes and 2 layers of asphalt shingles. Farmboy said that getting them off is difficult- the nails on the last layer are 3 inches long!
Along with doing the roof, Farmboy has gotten the garden going, kept the grass mowed, and watered (he won't let me cut the grass, I did offer) and helps me with my various "projects."

I have wanted to plant a flowering vine to grow up the old chicken coop, and thought this old support from the old back porch would work great. The clematis seems to love it, It has grown about a foot in the last few weeks. I think the post looks really cute!

I have been cleaning up around the old grainery. (sp?) I planted hollyhocks and sunflowers next to the wall, and am hanging up all the old tools I find on the walls also. I also used the other porch support on the grainery for a honeysuckle vine. (The grainery is the building in the background of the garden pictures in a previous post)Eventually I want to clean it all out and make it into a potting shed. I figure we have all these old buildings, we may as well use them! When it is all in bloom I will post another picture!

Extreme Porch Makeover

This is what the house looks like with the old front porch torn off. Pretty scary huh? You can see where they enclosed a window. I would like to add a window back in- I love the light. When I walk into the front room I keep thinking the front door is open, because it is so much brighter! We poured the foundation for the porch about 4 years ago, and have just been waiting until we could do the roof and the porch.. The wait is over! Jim started framing up the porch last week. Our neighbor Brad helped get it level, and work out the funny angles- Thanks, Brad!. Here is what it looks like now.

We found a picture of the house when it was built in 1904, and it had a small front porch. It isn't a great copy, but look close..I like the fancy trim work and the little pointy things on the peaks of the roof. I think it would be fun to reproduce the eave and roof things. (what are the roof things?) This picture came from the history of Smithfield book. We are going to wrap the porch clear around to the back door. See how the roof is flat by the chimney? anyone have any ideas how/ what, we could do there to make it not be flat?? That is the spot where the roof leaks. I wanted a cupola with a weather vane, but that may look funny... Any way, I am excited to see it done, I think it will make the house look really cute!

What the rain interrupted...

No, not footings for a new house, or a swimming pool, but one of my yard wishes ..flower boxes and a trellis! The boxes will "define" the area for the garden, keeping the zucchini contained (ha, ha, is zucchini a perennial?) and keeping the grass on the other side of the barrier, (dream) and still allowing "farmboy" to run the tiller through.The trellis will be between the two boxes creating an entry. I've decided that "farmboy" is an appropriate nickname for Jim, because when I say "honey, those boxes should be 5 feet apart not 4, " he says "as you wish" and digs a new trench..after it was already square and level and 4 feet apart! What a guy!

You can't really tell, but there is a small cement pad just in front of the shed, and when I suggested we should build another trellis over the pad,and put a bench beneath it, he said "as you wish." Well, not exactly those words, but something to that effect.

But, the rain started pouring down, and the project is on hold. Farmboy is asleep on the couch, and I am planning the next project....

(PS.Watch "the Princess Bride" if you don't get the farmboy reference)