Here I would love to share with you our travels and adventures as international mushroom consultants. MEMOIRS about husband Pieter Vedder, who was a SCIENTIFIC PIONEER in Commercial Mushroom Cultivation Education. His practical handbook is in 9 languages and is called the MUSHROOM BIBLE: https://mariettesbacktobasics.blogspot.com/2020/08/modern-mushroom-growing-2020-harvesting.html
A lot of intricate painting work needed to be done on all the Vintage Woodworks spindles, ginger bread and trimmings. Painters Stanley Jessup and Randy Slaughter did a great job.
So after having it pressure washed on November 16, the painters finally started on November 29...
Our Interlock Metal Roofing, Interlock® Aluminum Slate in Aged Copper looks very nice as it is protected for a lifetime by AlunarⓇ embedded with TEFLONⓇ surface protector for ultimate durability and protection. See links of previous post below.
Above photo is taken under our Magnolia Grandiflora, which is now trimmed up and allows for a much nicer view of the home.
Since we'd requested the painters already in April of 2021, Pieter started doing preparations prior to their job... The lowest step, coming down from the gazebo into the garden was broken.
To the right, it is still missing its fulcrum on the left (only a brick) and right. This was on May 16, 2021.
Notice to the top left how the underside of the gazebo used to be white...
And yes, we removed all the boxwoods as they'd become rather lanky after 30 years.
When Pieter took this photo on January 9, of course, Spooky boy wanted to go with him.
Here the left and right fulcrums are clearly visible and the underpart is in Benjamin Moore Golden Mist, just like our home.
To the left you also see a brick for support, just in case...
Pieter took this photo from the side and back of our freshly painted home.
Taken on January 9, as well.
You can see where the newly DOORBRIM added (next to the chimney is visible ←click on link).
This photo shows more of the area to the left, where the retainer wall curves alongside our driveway.
Pieter did paint the retainer wall himself, after we had the fiberglass window boxes removed and placed inside the garage, out of the way for ladders and such.
You also see the bare spot where the huge live oak tree once stood near the chimney.
We got that first done...
This photo got taken on January 17, from the neighbor's lot over our vinyl picket fence.
The Japanese magnolia is already opening its buds; two are fully open!
And that with frost coming our way this week...
Both of us are so happy to have this mega task once more DONE!
It took forever till January 6, as it was raining on and off.
Yesterday, January 19, EXCEED Wash Solutions LLC cleaned the tiled patio near the Rose Suite entrance as well as the Rose Arbor.
You also can see the newly added DOORBRIM above Rose Suite's entrance door, see previous post below.
The Rose Stepping Stones got repainted by Pieter and are ready to be laid, once we have grass growing where the huge live oak tree once was.
Also yesterday, EXCEED Wash Solutions LLC cleaned our driveway as there were marks from the heavy equipment, used by the crew from 🌳BUCKEYE PREFERRED SERVICES LLC when cutting down and trimming our trees.
The orange cord visible, is from two long extension cords connected for Pieter being able to work on the underbrush with his electric chain saw, alongside the creek in our wood garden.
Looking neat and clean, all the way to the road.
This is our majestic Magnolia Namnetensis Flore Pleno to the right.
EXCEED Wash Solutions LLC also took care of our garage tiles.
So all the signs from different mega tasks have been 'erased' and the Vedder Estate looks nice!
Pieter's electric chain saw is visible in his hand wagon.
What a sight when looking out of the window and the delivery truck for our new toilet unloaded a vertical package...!
Obviously NOT a toilet...! 😟
My Pieter rushed to the men unloading and telling them it was NOT our toilet.
Haha, we ordered the Right Height American Standard with Everclean surface... which is 1 inch higher than the normal height. But not like the box size about to be unloaded!
We had given permission to leave it in our front porch, so they would not unload it onto our driveway and having us tote it up the stairs...
So glad we JUST happened to be home, ready to go biking as you can tell from Pieter's biking shorts.
The men found our box and it was so very well packed!
Double boxed with lots of padding!
Four days later, it got installed!
Very pleased with this second version, like we have in our master bathroom.
Also had found and ordered this wall mounted toilet brush and holder, chrome and crystal glass, by Axor Citterio made in Germany.
I'd gotten really mad when one of those made in China brushes broke off...
WHY are they selling so much junk, that keeps falling apart and causing a tremendous burden for the environment?
Going Green is our motto and we rather pay a higher price, so it will last a lot longer.
Next morning we had this as our view from the bay window breakfast area...
The 🌳BUCKEYE PREFERRED SERVICES LLC truck was right in front of us...
Our very LAST morning of seeing the huge Oak Tree standing!
This Google image is from 2014 and the oak tree is shown on the left.
The Black Gum tree got cut in 2015, seen to the right...
These 11 seconds give you a clear sight of how the pulley got fastened on a limb, for letting the branches land safely.
Limbs that were above our home, are off already...
That huge oak tree split into a V-shape.
All the branches are already off, of one half of the V-shape...
Took this video of 1 minute and 22 seconds, for showing the GREAT EXPERTISE and PRECISION for getting those tall limbs moved above our side of the vinyl picket fence, and then lowering them.
You once more can see clearly the pulley being used.
The left side of the tall oak's V is completely off here.
All is being done while saving the Holly tree to the right!
You can hear me talk when dew drops fell down onto me, from the shaking of the branches...
Pieter was studying the KUBOTA as it proved so perfect for removing all the limbs and branches and dumping them into the truck alongside the road.
Here you clearly see that our Southern Magnolia did get trimmed up quite a bit!
More and more of the limbs are being lowered down via pulley...
Once down, they were being cut by one of the three team members.
Photo taken from the road, you clearly can see the limited space we had for letting this tree fall.
This short 56 second video showed the precision skill with a long handled saw!
And yes, those two men were in constant communication via their headsets.
The one below operating the rope for the pulley and the one in the cherry picker.
Here is the other half wearing the headset and the rope is being tightened around our big Holly tree.
This 41 second video shows you exactly their great team work and skilled precision!
The backside of our home looks so much better without the huge Live Oak Tree!
A bird house is standing on the table outside on the little patio at the Rose Suite entrance.
Next day, they did use the stump grinder for taking all this out.
We're now ready for the pressure washing of the home and gazebo and then the exterior painting.
Exactly: Cowboys throw a lasso but 🌳BUCKEYE PREFFERRED SERVICES LLC throws a pulley rope with precision!
One has to admire their skills.
Now they went up with two men, inside the bucket from the cherry picker.
Meanwhile the Southern Magnolia is being trimmed.
And branches being hauled off to be loaded onto their truck...
The very top of the 2nd V-section is skillfully being taken down by 2 men inside the bucket.
Now the lead man by himself tackles huge sections, till he reaches the beginning of the V-section.
Here the beginning of the V-section has been reached...
A rope gets fastened for helping pull the tree down after having cut out a wedge below...
Too bad I missed this final part as I had to meet with someone and Pieter was taking his nap.
But down it came!
Here you view the top of that V-section till where they'd cut it down segment by segment.
Wonder what the Japanese Magnolia is thinking now his huge neighbor is down?
And now, our Holly tree has full freedom and it will probably take a couple of years till it has restored itself.
Still some mistletoe left in this tree as well.
A large poplar tree with a broken branch hanging down.
The one to the right is on our neighbor's property and right above our greenhouse!
BUT he did not give us permission to cut it...
Pieter just was going to dump some fruit and veggie peels in our compost bin when he stopped near the downed Poplar tree. Another huge one, with a broken top hanging down on its bark...
And way too close to our green house!
Pieter let them stack this wood near the creek in the back, for woodpeckers to enjoy and chipmunks to roam around in.
We both were so pleased that finally those big trees had come down!
From April on, the weather was not cooperating, too wet for such heavy equipment to come into a soggy garden...
