Ray is doing some spruce up painting on the front porch and put the porch furniture out in the yard. I loved the way the rocker looked sitting out in the sideyard with the bird feeder and houses. I was reminded how pretty that old rocker is when I saw it in a new environment. Maybe that's why I am getting excited about moving—seeing everything in a new environment.We are pretty far into the process of buying the house in Beaverton (which, it turns out is not actually in Beaverton, but a bit beyond the city limits in rural Washington county.) It is all but a done deal. So we are getting our sweet old house ready to sell.
There are so many nice things about this house, where we have spent the past 14 years, that I will miss, not least of which is the garden. We had a landscape designer, Mitzi Van Sant, help us redesign it several years ago, (if you look at "projects" on her web site you will see our garden listed as "Grant") and Ray has just taken her design and improved upon it day by day and month by month. There are a lot of personal touches in our yard.
This is Ray's bell. He has wanted one of these for a long time and we finally bought this one at the Garden Show where we sold our garden art last spring. It is made from an oxygen tank and makes the most soulful sound—a low and resonant "mmmmmmuuuuuunnnnggggg". This will, of course, go to the new house.
This is one of the fish blocks I made for the patio. These will stay with the house and it pleases me a little that these blocks, which I worked pretty hard on, will remain as my contribution to this great old house. Of course the new owners may trash them, but I don't want to know about that. And I still have the mold, so if the new house has a place that cries out for fish blocks I will haul out the concrete and the mold.It is beginning to sink in that we will really be moving. It really is very exciting, despite all the work that is ahead of us. I think of a house as another creative project and I am really looking forward to digging into the remodeling. And just look what Ray is doing:
He's potting up plants and starts to move to the new house. He feels about gardening like I do about cabinets and paint colors. Isn't this going to be fun??! 
The fish tiles are gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteIt WILL be fun! Much as I love that house of yours, I love even more watching you take an ordinary place and make it a work of art.
ReplyDeleteYou and Ray are amazing!
I am going to enjoy going along on this move with you. It is something I love to do — create a new space with old and new things. Mr C says that when the closets get full, I need to move!! Fortunately, we have lots of closets in our current home.
ReplyDeletethat bell is wonderful. It puts me in mind of those gigantic bells found in ancient temples in Japan. The sound is very soothing even though it's loud. You are moving so fast..by the time I get back in a week Lord knows what you will have done! Have fun
ReplyDeleteI wish you house was here on the east coast! It is just what we are looking for. I enjoy your blog!
ReplyDeleteI still can't quite comprehend that you're moving; I've just bonded with your wonderful "old" house. But as soon as you start posting pics of the new one, and telling us what you're planning to do with the purple and turquoise kitchen, f'rinstance, I'll start to believe it, I guess.
ReplyDeleteTerry,
ReplyDeleteWhy didn't you say it was in rural Washington County -- I'm _so_ relieved!
I like your attitude -- it is just the way to start the move. There will be moments when you wonder why and when you burst into tears over purple buttons, but you can always regain this feeling if you try.
Ok, so we're friends again.....