Rose Cottage Ltd

I hope Vanilla Ice won’t mind me borrowing, but the term does fit.

It was incredibly cold all day yesterday – the high was about 23 degrees. I must say though that ice WILL apparently keep most people home. The road nearest me that seems to have cars moving by 24/7 – was as quiet as a cemetery after about 2pm yesterday.

Today the temperatures rose a bit to 42 degrees which made things less slippery but a LOT more messy. I found that the far end of the lake is frozen fairly solid when the dog, Cato, decided to try a bit of ice skating – without the skates! Fortunately, he did not venture far once the ice begin to make cracking noises – and he made it safely back to drier land.

Good day for wood stoves, pot roast, and something good to watch on TV. A long nap can easily be added to this blissful weekend mix!

Here’s a link to a loop of the web cam over the past 18 hours or so. Interesting to watch the snow/ice melt from the dock and the shadows of the trees race by on the lake:

I just watched this YouTube video about “lock bumping” which was definitely news to me. Looks like it might be time to invest in some better locks for my home…

In the midst of interior renovations yet again, I had a thought to myself yesterday that I will NEVER again buy a house that isn’t new. For about the tenth time in my life, I’m trying to work around noise, dust, scheduling issues, a 4-month old puppy, and last but not least yesterday – rain.

There is always something interesting to me about older homes though and no matter what I say today, the thrill of discovering what’s under that ugly tile or wallpaper will no doubt continue to intrigue. Dealing with the “in process” of renovations though can be frustrating.

Forgetting cost for the moment (PLEASE?) to begin, you must identify any issues or problems – and rank them as far as priority. Then you must rank them in best or most viable order-of-completion. As example, I’ve been walking around on plywood for flooring for about 4 years – waiting, because so many things ABOVE floor must happen first. My only fear is that I will become emotionally attached to the plywood and will see REAL hardwood floors as expensive and unnecessary!

Once these decisions have been made, you’ll need to find contractors to do the work you can’t, or shouldn’t do. It has taken me awhile living in the sticks as I do, to find people who know what they’re doing and who will actually show up to do the work – when scheduled.

Here’s my list of renovation resource”must-haves”:

++ A plumber
++ An electrician
++ A carpenter
++ A HVAC person
++ A guy with a backhoe who knows how to use it.
++ A painter (for me this is for that overhead painting I just can’t do.)

If you’re really up to some major renovation work you’ll need additional help. I just scored the name of a guy to do some drywall work – from the carpenter who is here today replacing a ceiling. These little referrals are often worth GOLD! Most often, the guy who is doing one job knows who locally is the best to work with – since they have worked together on prior jobs. These referrals have in past probably saved me a lot of time and money – and with only one exception in 30 years – have never been a bad choice.

I’m being summoned to the next room to make a “Command” decision.

And, is there any difference between “remodeling” and “renovating”? More soon…

Or should I say “Goose Spa.”

With water levels so low in Central North Carolina, I believe these geese enjoy the refreshing spray from the fountain.

You can also notice at the top of this image, that the beginning of “leaf peeping” season must be upon us – leaves here are beginning to change color. I was in Asheville, North Carolina last week and noticed quite a few spots of “Fall Color” while there.

It won’t be long now before the slogan for the days will be “Let the Raking Begin!”

I’ve seen 107.5 yesterday and 108.3 degrees today on my weather station but no storms and no wildfires so still won’t complain. Here’s a look at a sunflower that opened this morning – and since it’s growing through a rock border – think it was “planted” by one of the local birds!

Well, I’ve had about 1 day so far since the first day of Spring on Tuesday, that it didn’t feel like mid-summer instead. I’ve already pulled a tiny tick from its biting location, have seen a snake or two around the property, and have closed windows and turned on the A/C to combat heavy pollen.

Time to check my Neem supply for 2012…

There is a Botanical Outdoor Spray. You’ll want a bottle of this on hand if you plan to do any walking, hiking, working in weeded areas, in fact, for almost anything you do that puts you in or around tall grass. If you don’t use one of these products beforehand, chiggers WILL find you.

If you prefer, there is also a gel product – same effectiveness.

If you get chiggers – sometimes they come out earlier than anyone can predict, apply the Neem gel or spray – immediately! It may take a day or two, but it will kill the chiggers and keep them from spreading everywhere.

I posted a product article and link on this in May 2011 so things are happening earlier this year due to the warmer-than-usual temperatures. This year I’m posting in March. In June and July last year, many people were out looking for a product to repel chiggers – too late for most unfortunately.

Shipping is fast from Neem Tree Farms, but don’t push your luck. The product is around $14 per bottle and worth having at your home – before you need it.

Don’t forget your pets! CoCo has, in the DBN, (Days Before Neem) experienced a bad itching attack that I KNOW was chiggers! If you’re taking your dog with you on walks and hikes, don’t forget to protect them as well with Neem Pet Care.

TGIF!

Things run a little differently around here than from the children’s game of “Duck, Duck, Goose.”

This little male wood duck seems to have lost his own group of flying travelers and has hooked up with a sub-group of about a dozen geese. I watched to see if he was at all intimidated by the larger birds – NOT! He sort of follows along like an unwanted party guest, but has no problem doing a little “goose-chasing” if any of them get too close to his personal zone!

I get the feeling once and awhile that I have the benefit of live cartoons out my window view to the lake. Beats the “cartoons” that pass for real news most days…

Cow on a mission!!!

TGIF!

It’s here and it’s ugly:

This dock now looks a bit ridiculous since it is surrounded by no water. In fact, the dock spent nearly two months UNDER water in 2006. For a 4-acre lake to have lost this much of its substance says a lot about how dry things are – everywhere really – but specifically in my Piedmont North Carolina location.

Local farmers are having to arrange water deliveries to manage their livestock – shallow ponds and streams are dry. I usually enjoy a trip to my local Southern States but lately, it is a rather depressing visit since everyone is experiencing increasing difficulties.

99% of the local area is on well water. Wells, particularly more shallow wells, are also a concern during a drought. Some thoughts on well water were mentioned in this prior post.

If anyone, anywhere, doesn’t think that having enough water is important, and that having enough clean water is vital – you just aren’t paying attention….

Fortunately, the Southern Environmental Law Center IS paying attention.

TGIF – and still praying for rain…