Porch Planters

Our house had no front porch when purchased, so I designed this one which Bill built with help from friend Benni and my Dad on the roof. Alex made the porch swing in high school and Bill made the 6 vintage planters here, now with baby boxwoods in them.

 

All have 14" liners & 4 black rubber planter feet to lift them off the deck, from amazon.

The sunny side porch (designed & built by Bill) has planters of white Petunias; so pretty, long lasting & and growing.

The boys have all been piled on our porch in the past...

PU Reunions Showcased

Princeton University's Class of 1975's Class blazer in the Graduate Hotel showcase.

Class banner christening our renovated porch.

First stop is Alexander Hall for wristbands and Alumni Council building next door.

Maclean House 1756 designed by Robert Smith along with Nassau Hall.

                    Courtyard & back of Alumni Council building & PU '11 Kathryn Boyce's painting of the new art museum inside...

This is a special PU Renions year marking Alumni Council's 200th birthday, which began in Nassau Hall. President James Madison '1771 *1772 (first graduate student) was its president until his death.

Memorabilia...

Stuffed squeaker toys I made with vintage patterns, my grandchildren now play with.

Made with '75 Class fabric and PU diploma ribbons.

Landscaping With Rocks

Christian, Bill & Leif excavated clay and boulders out from under his 1780 farmhouse, piling all behind the house. The rocks were used for a walkway, dry stack sittable garden wall and front step while hiring stone workers help on a weekend.

Front step stone was brought up from the creek bed & rolled on 2 pieces of PVC pipe into place.

The top/end wall stone, was the largest hoisted out from under the house.

Piles of rocks & clay were dug from under the house (to create space for his new HVAC systen) and lifted out between original tree trunk joists. They were used in a rock garden and low wall.

Rock garden in bloom.

The Stony Brook runs through Christian's meadows and woods while it first runs along Leif's border. Both have plenty of rocks to landscape with.

Stones around Leif's shed foundation.

Leif is collecting rocks to put in front of the house foundation since 77 large trees are now down.

Picket Gates

A beautiful "picket" gate! Photo via pinterest; Ollie Tomlinson.

A picket gate I designed for between our privet hedges thirty yrs. ago, recently repainted...

Alex & Leif on our picket gate when newly built from pressure treated 2" & 4" wood, by Bill.

I have also used Benjamin Moore's "Woodluxe" solid stain in "Peach Yogurt" on 2 similar cedar (1 1/4" ripped boards) trellises Bill built, going on the sides of Leif's shed.

Most every Mother's Day I was able to pick a small project for our family home & my side exterior tall trellises were one of the first. This year we will hang repurposed trellises for Leif on Mother's Day. 

Below is the first pair of trellises I designed, with notched & flush joints.

"New Dawn" climbing rose which is enormous now and bloomed four times last summer.

Buying A New Mattress

I reviewed many surrounding mattress stores nearby and picked a "Raymour & Flanigan Outlet" (hundreds of options) where we selected a hand made in USA "Aireloom Celestial Sea Plush Queen Mattress", 5" boxspring and matching pillows - all last year's models, half price & free delivery!. Love it.

I have handmade custom linen & cotton lined roman curtains and split box-pleated bed skirt for this room, which matches the mattress in quality.

The SycamoreTree

Leif's painting & my ink drawing of the enormous sycamore tree that grows on his street. So lovely to see it leafing out again!

Christian and dog Anders next to Leif's 5 trunk sycamore in the Stony Brook.

The sycamore bench in Christian's mudroom was made from a Hopewell tree and woodworker.

An enormous sycamore tree's branch creates an arch, entering Christian's drive.

Christian used a live edge sycamore branch on his refurbished vintage Weber grill.

Installing Garden Sculptures

Bill has installed many of his tree like sculptures at the Takaezu Studio now, all together.

He has also poured ridged foam bases for two most colorful Caryatid sculptures while attaching them to wooden bases.

Upside down to paint the wooden base which will get covered with surrounding mulch.