School is out and the neighborhood boys are back. They’ve grown. They aren’t as chatty as they were last year. We hope they stick around.
Window progress – even though it is re-doing what was already done….and then undone.
After removing the broken glass we decided to go ahead and rebuild the frame. Then we realized the original frame used lumber planed to a smaller size. The lumber we had for the rebuild was dimensional. Therefore the glass we had cut was too large for the new frame and would have to be re-cut. So Day 1 ended with this:
Looks like a plywood Nevelson. We set the glass back in the frame which means the window frame is now deep enough to set your tools or drink on while sitting on the stumps. We needed a place for visitors to sit – thus the stumps.
All six panes of glass are in now – two more than before they were broken. By the time they were in, it was too dark for a photo. Feels a bit like throwing down a gauntlet. So be it. Maybe we’ll build some shutters to cover them. But, maybe not.
Spent some time removing Creeping Charlie. I have always disliked Creeping Charlie. It smells when you mow it or pull it out of flowerbeds. But, after looking it up, I’m feeling a little more charitable toward it.
A member of the mint family, it was imported from Europe and southwest Asia. Some people use it in salads, but it is toxic to cattle and horses. And, also not good for dogs (or cats).
When you google it, most of what comes up is how to kill it. But, it was once valued as a medicinal herb used for eye inflammation and as a diuretic, astringent, tonic and gentle stimulant. Of greater interest, it…. “was one of the principal herbs used by the early Saxons to clarify their beers, before hops had been introduced….”
We won’t be growing it, but I won’t curse as much when I pull it out now. And, I still think it smells.
Found a little barrette while continuing digging out the foundation. It’s a cat with a fiddle. Looked it up to try to figure out how old it was. Someone on Etsy is selling a pair for $6.99 and used the keywords “club kid emo rave” for SEO. They’re described as a vintage item from the 1980’s. Makes me feel old.
Amanda with Lots of Food next door made us some jam from the mulberries (and some rhubarb and lemon). It looks lovely and I’m sure it won’t last long. She has planted all kinds of things on the lots next to us and is working very hard.
Finally – this made me laugh. We never noticed it before, but believe it’s been there a while. Little paw prints that increased into some frantic paw prints – I would guess groundhog or maybe raccoon. This part of the building used to have a rotted plywood wall. Apparently, a little animal jumped in and couldn’t get out. Our version of Portland Cave Paintings.
