This photo is of the front of the house detail with wood scraped, sanded, stripped, sanded (again!), and in the process of being primed. These windows and the bay windows are to be re-glazed, the paint colour selected and painted. This will ensure everything is sealed against the pending fall and winter rains. Then, finally, I’ll focus on the plants!
Help from a neighbor!
New neighbor Dan kindly shared his time, skill and tools to get a better job done on the woodwork. He showed me how to sand the areas I had not done so well myself, he filled holes and cracks, and he showed me how to glaze the window panes. I’m thrilled with all we accomplished and what Dan taught me to do. I’ve many more windows on the house that need re-glazing; now I’m trained, experienced and ready for next year’s project.
 CONSIDERING PAINT COLOURS
Considering paint colours has taken more time than I thought it would. To make a long story short, I used Sherwin-Williams on-line Visualizer. By uploading photos of sections of the front our house I was able to digitally sample different paint colours on the areas I want to paint. Theresa, Sherwin-Williams Colour Consultant, suggested colours that match the existing colour of the stucco. This will help the house look unified and spacious. The wood detailing will stand out on its own without the aid of sharply contrasting colour. I’ve narrowed down “millions” of beige samples to 7569 Stucco and 7518 Beach House, which are similar to the existing colours on our house. The photo below is another digital creation. But I’ve got to get some paint up soon…time is running out because the rains are here and more is to come!
PLANTS!
I collected two plants while out of town this weekend. Year after year these plants grow without help from the property owner and he was happy to see me dig them out and take them from his field. I don’t know what they are, but if they do well in Bakersfield without any human intervention I am hopeful they might do well in my garden. They are the first two plants to be planted. I like them because of their colours and textures (one has small waxy green leaves, the other fuzzy pale green/silver leaves) and simple mounding structure.
