Maddox and the Tooth Fairy
No more bones in this house. Time for these kids to have some softer chewy treats.
Thule Box Hangers
Pulley hangers for the Thule box make it easier for me to attach and detach it from the roof rack.
Pulley hangers for the Thule box make it easier for me to attach and detach it from the roof rack.
Brush Cleanup
Keeping the stream cleaned discourages neighbors from dumping.
The snowmelt off the hill behind my house creates a lovely babbling brook down to the corner of my property, where it flows into a culvert and is diverted away into the lake. When that culvert gets clogged up by leaves, branches, and assorted other garbage, my back yard gets flooded and I find 2" of water on the floor in my shed. I found this out the hard way... the previous owners neglected to tell me about this hidden little culvert, and I said nothing when I watched another neighbor dump his fall yard waste down the slope.
I figured if it looked like a dumping ground for yard waste, that's exactly how people would use it... so I started cleaning. I separated it into leaves, branches, and other garbage, which included tarps, scrap metal, a 55-gallon drum, tires, and car batteries.
My intent was to bag or bundle the yard waste for the city to pick up, but I quickly got in over my head. (Literally!) The pile was at least 6' tall in the middle and spanned the entire road. I called the city to explain the situation, and they sent a crew - with machinery - to finish what I started.
Herb Garden
I tore out the gangly bush, transplanted the hosta, and pulled apart the rock pile to make a terraced herb garden.
I tore out the gangly bush, transplanted the hosta, and pulled apart the rock pile to make a terraced herb garden.
Before
During
After
Cutting back gives me more than I could possibly use in one meal, so I wash, dry, and freeze my herbs into teaspoon-sized oil cubes ready to toss into the pan for cooking.
Shed Repair
Small repairs to keep the shed usable for a little longer.
Small stuff... drip edge, paver floor. None of it's glamourous, but hopefully I can postpone replacing the entire shed for a few more years.
Hall Tree
Hiding the bedroom AC was a combination of resourceful shopping and easy sewing.
The through-the-wall air conditioner in the master bedroom is effective, but unsightly. For the 51 weeks a year that AC isn't necessary, I lined the back of a hall tree with fabric to hide the unit.
Before
After
Safety with Electricity
Something here doesn’t look right.
I'm pretty sure that's not right.
I bought a new exterior box - one that actually attaches to the house - and installed it on the wall just off the deck stairs.
Master Bedroom Paint
Giving the bedroom a soothing vibe with a neutral khaki color.
Eddie Bauer "Wicker" (EB11-2)
Snow Mountain
The dead end snow pile makes a great place to play.
Being at the end of a dead-end street means that the plow creates a giant mound of snow right outside my house. The downside is the sound of the plow waking me up at 3 am, and the back-up beeps sending Maddox into a panic. The upside is that I get to enjoy "Snow Mountain" and all the winter fun that it brings. For the first few months, I'd see children race their scooters to the edge of the snow, then run up the bank, slide down on their butts, and then race away again. This went on for a while, like they'd made up a triathlon of sorts. I love that my new neighborhood is a go-outside-and-play sort of place.
It wasn't until a few months later that I met the whole family.
Hall Light (Part 1)
Out with the hanging faceted glass orb.
WOW. Just... wow. This crystal ball should have seen its future coming a mile away. My interim ceiling light is inoffensive, but not very exciting. At least it won't draw the wrong kind of attention while I'm still looking for the right way to light the hall.
Before
After
Visit Boston
General Info
Here's a map with fun points on it
Travel Logistics
Fares are $2.50 to walk up and ride. Otherwise, think about buying a pass ($11.00 for 1 day or $18.00 for 7 days), which gives you unlimited travel on Subway, Local Bus, Inner Harbor Ferry, and Commuter Rail Zone 1A.
Boston Express bus from Boston to NH (Kate's house is up Rte 93, near Exit 5 - North Londonderry)
Boston Proper
Historic Sites
The Freedom Trail (2.5 miles- see the PDF map), hits a lot of the highlights:
Old North Church, ‘one if by land, two if by sea’
Museums
Shopping
More fun stuff
Outside of Boston
Walden Pond & Thoreau House
Minute Man National Historic Park, home of the North Bridge and site of the 'shot heard round the world'
Plymouth
Salem - witches and gallows and graveyards, oh my!
Foliage
Are you visiting the northeast in pursuit of autumn gold? You’re not alone. As evidenced by flight prices, New England’s fall colors attract tourists by the thousands. Get out of the city, and find yourself on meandering roads through the country hillside… and bring your camera.
Try to hit popular foliage destinations mid-week to avoid the biggest crowds. Some of my New Hampshire favorites:
Mt Washington Hotel - fabulous cocktail menu served on the veranda facing the mountains.