We can see it. We can smell it. The rainy season is on its way. With virtually no rain since mid-December, now early mornings are overcast with light rain. Dark clouds gather in the northeast in the afternoons. It won’t be long now.
Even though we want to finish tiling the kitchen floor, the push is on to get as much done on the exterior as possible before the heavy rain arrives.
You can see the change in the past two weeks by comparing these two photos:
After sanding and cleaning the siding, I loaded the HVLP spray gun with an oil-based polyurethane paint:
And then sprayed the front of the house. In the next photo I am using an ancient hovering/floating technique that I learned as a young child from a mystic in India:
Oh wait, sorry, that photo was sideways:
While I was sanding the above wall, I came across a really beautiful (huge) spider:
Ramiro followed behind me, painting the trim dark green/teal. In the next photo is a closeup of the house where you can see that Armando and Francisco, after working all of February and half of March, have finally completed the garden path around the house. The total count is five yards of stones, twenty-five sacks of cement, six yards of sand, sixteen yards of gravel, and fifty-feet of sixteen-foot-wide weed cloth to cover the path. Whew! We think that it adds a lot to the landscape:
A sharp eye will notice that we just completed some concrete edging at the bamboo window box planter and at the top of the stonework on container #1. When the rains come, we will be planting a lot more plants and getting rid of most of the grass.
Now the only painting remaining at the front of the house is the rake board (facia) at the roofline. It will be the dark green/teal.
With all the smoke in the air, there have been some beautiful sunrises:
The early morning light illuminates the glass block wall in the kitchen:
That’s all for now. Thanks for stopping by.
Wow Fred… the push may be on to get as much done as possible but my point of view, you guys have done so much and done such a beautiful job of it! Looks great Fred! Congratulations!
Saludos,
John in Chile
http://jaxchile.tumblr.com/
Thank you John. Come to think about it, this entire project has been a push! I’m starting to think that I may need a vacation in the next few years. Fred
WOW! It’s all coming together now……..
We were so impressed with what you have done on our last trip.
Thanks Clyde & Terry. Clyde, enjoyed your last visit although quick. You are welcome any time. Fred
Fred neglected to mention that this really huge spider was tending an egg sack in its web. The web was built from the bottom of the roof deck down to the bottom of the windows. Its egg sack was about 1-1/2″ long. Eeek!
Looks amazing, wish you could have seen my wife’s reaction when she saw the photos.
Thanks, Mike. I would have loved to have seen her reaction. Tell me more… Fred
She was absolutely stunned. She walked up behind me, saw the banner picture and gasped. Then stated ” oh my gosh, that’s beautiful”
Thanks Mike, that was really nice. Thank you. Fred
Wow, that spider is a beauty. Did you adopt her and when are the offspring due?
In honor of you, I’m naming all the babies Charles.
What an honor! I feel like George Foreman. Let me know when the big day happens.
It’s blue! It looks so different now. I like it, but what a difference!
Thanks Lynn. Cyn chose the house color, I chose the trim. I’m happiest about getting rid of the red! Fred
Monitors do funny things with colors. It’s actually a very soft green/gray color. The dark teal green goes nicely, doesn’t it?
Fred, I am surprised of your progress, It ´s great. Congratulations. Please post more photos of the interior places!!!
Hi Vivien,
I keep saying that I need to do a video walk through. I’ll try to put that together in the next week or two. Thanks very much for your comment. Fred
Hi Fred,
What are going to do when you finish this venture? Oh, I know, you are never actually done.
I feel the spider should have been named Carolina or whatever is closest to Charlotte in Spanish.
Maybe I will have the pleasure of admiring your capolavoro soon, maybe.
Cheers
Hi Alex,
When I’m done? Sleep. Play my guitar. Sleep. Paint watercolor. Sleep. Learn more Spanish. Sleep. Wear different clothes that aren’t ratty and torn and paint covered. Sleep. Oh, and spend time with my wife. You are always welcome here. Fred