Our Home Freshly Painted

 Our home once again needed a fresh paint...

We used the very same Benjamin Moore Golden Mist.

Last time done was in May of 2013...

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.

Related link:

{Our Home with Aluminum Interlock Roofing and Benjamin Moore Golden Mist Exterior} | previous post by me

{Energy Efficient GREEN Roofing Arrived} | previous post with details about AlunarⓇ embedded with TEFLONⓇ surface protector 

Big Trees Down and others Trimmed  | pevious post by me

Our Home Pressure Washed by EXCEED Wash Solutions LLC | previous post by me

DOORBRIM added | previous post by me

Big Trees Down and others Trimmed Continued

 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...

Now it is DONE!

Previous post:

Big Trees Down and others Trimmed 

Big Trees Down and others Trimmed

 Living on a rather big property, constantly asks for upkeep.

Trees do grow and we're now living here 31 years... 

Photo taken on October 15, 2021 and showing our Live Oak behind our home.

At one time, after an ice storm, a huge branch got ripped off, due to all the weight...

It never again had a 'good' shape since then.

See two links below post.

Our balcony's drain always got clogged up by catkins in the spring, then leaves and acorns in the summer and fall.

It also does stain the balustrade and lounge...

Bags full of leaves and acorns and one needs to scrub hard for removing the stains.

The other large oak tree you see over the roof, is across from our bay window area and between our home and that of the neighbors, on our side of the vinyl picket fence...

Several years ago lightning did cause a huge limb from the top section to come down; barely missing the neighbor's home.

Here you see how close to home, picket fence and everything else that V-shaped oak tree is!

To the right of it, right above the rose arbor, is our Holly tree that we want to save...

Our Southern Magnolia in the front (Magnolia Grandiflora) needed to be trimmed up in order to let the equipment pass by...

Photo is from October 15 with picket fence visible to the right.

Monday, November 1, around 8:15 AM this huge Live Oak had come down... It was easy as there was plenty of room for it to fall in its full length.

Quite a trunk size and huge root system.

Photo taken from balcony with one leaf from our Florentine Fig, shown bottom left...

Here, Pieter is standing on top of its trunk, for giving you an idea of its proportion.

Lots of wood did get hauled off...

After trimming off some branches from the huge Southern Magnolia, the truck with cherry picker could pass by...

Standing in our front porch...

One can tell that our exterior pressure washing and painting are the next jobs!

Literally branch by branch all of the tall oak's branches got taken down...

Branches stretched as far as above our roof.

By using a rope, via a pulley that got tightened onto a strong branch, the branches got guided down.

In the front to the right is our Oak Leaf Hydrangea.

Working at quite a height and being careful for not damaging the Holly tree next to this huge oak and the Japanese Magnolia tree visible to the right here. The Southern Magnolia is behind the vinly picket fence, not yet trimmed up...

Lots of limbs have already landed via the rope on a pulley and are below.

You see Pieter talking to the man from 🌳BUCKEYE PREFERRED SERVICES LLC

To the left you see the Southern Magnolia, center is the Japanese Magnolia and to the right we are freeing up our evergreen Holly tree.

Bird baths have been brought towards the patio area...

Those branches remained on the ground as a buffer for next days heavier limb parts to land on...

To be continued next day.

Related link:

Oh we TRIED HARD to have Jacarandas and Roses | previous post where we just had planted the Live Oak Tree...

{RARE Icicles in Our Garden} | previous post by me

{Our Garden White & Icy Today as Snowstorm Slams South} | previous post by me

UPS 2nd Day Air Delivery from Louisiana Nursery + Fight against Tuberous Roots of Greenbrier!

We  found very special trees and shrubs in Louisiana from Albert, Dalton, Ken and Belle Durio in Opelousas, Louisiana.

Louisiana Nursery 

We got the largest size available, five gallon pots, for getting a good start of an established shrub or tree.This is where our special Magnolia Namnetense came from and our beloved Quercus Virginiana Grand View Gold.Again, I've built in clickable points with English information as we always talked to Mom & Dad to whom we mailed these videos in The Netherlands.

Their Catalog of MAGNOLIAS and OTHER GARDEN ARISTOCRATS, has been the most impressive and comprehensive one, we ever saw...

Love their quote: FOR THOSE WHO KNOW THE ECONOMY OF QUALITY

We sure treasure their special Magnolia (see post below) and their Golden Live Oak (see also below).

At the end of the video Pieter mentions the mean thorns on those Greenbrier, standing backwards. ←click link for seeing such a thorn.

Related links:{Digging up Huge Indian Hawthorn and More...} | previous post where Pieter also dug up tuberous roots of Smilax (Greenbrier){Our Fragrant Magnolia Grandiflora 'Namnetensis Flore Pleno'} | previous post by me{# 1111 - Our Golden Live Oak 'Quercus Virginiana Grand View Gold' changing color} | previous post by me

Our Magnolias in Full Bloom

Sunday, February 28, our Magnolias looking at their best!

Just before we went biking...

Hanging over the picket fence so the neighbors can enjoy them too.

Tiggy Tiger on the retainer wall on the driveway.

We went biking and it was 29℃ or 80.6℉

 

Spring 2019 is Slowly Arriving

Just want to show you some blossom photos before we continue with more mushroom related history.

We had some rainy days and that is not best for Camellias, as they easily brown.
Here are four Pink Perfection beauties together inside a creamware cachepot on February 21.

On our kitchen bay window sill and as you can see, outside the grass is still brown!

An oval Wedgwood Cream Color on Cream Color bowl filled with White Camellias.

On a rainy day, February 19, I filled this silver plated vase with some fragrant Ehrlicheer Narcissus.
My hands reflect inside the glossy silver.
This vase is half a century old, a sweet gift from my sister Diny on my birthday!
Memories carried across the ocean...
Had to place this vase on the living room window sill for some light as it was a gloom day!
Longing for being able to use our balcony again but that takes some time.

This is our second Japanese Magnolia tree on Mom's 5th Birthday in heaven, February 12.

Closer view.
This is actually half of a tree as a big tree fell into it years ago and damaged half of it.
But it has grown back remarkably well over the years and we treasure its blossoms as they can be seen from the bay window in the kitchen and from the veranda.

This is the other tree that is looking a lot fuller. On the opposite side it will become fuller now since last year we had a big limb from the neighboring oak tree sawn off so the light can now reach the Magnolia tree.

A heavenly view from the kitchen bay window.

Look at all the leaves on the roof near the gutter... from heavy rain and wind!

This is five days later, most of the petals are knocked down from heavy rain...

Here you see that the tree had been growing more to the left, towards the light and on the right sight it will gradually fill in and become more rounded. That usually takes five years, Mother Nature takes its time for healing.

Hope you also are slowly enjoying spring flowers and of course the southern hemisphere still enjoys end of summer blossoms. 

Thanks for your visit and comments!