Our Golden Mist Home and Quercus Virginiana Grand View Gold

 It is the BEST time of the year for our Quercus Virginiana Grand View Gold...

Saturday morning April 15 with full sunshine! 

Benjamin Moore Golden Mist paint for our home with the Interlock Metal Roofing in aged copper slate and Quercus Virginiana Grand View Gold to the right of our home.

Yep, the golden oak had a lot to do with the paint color... 😉

Lots of pot plants on our patio.

Here you can see the entire Quercus Virginiana Grand View Gold

Sure it will even be more golden in the next week or so, see links below for the 'perfect' view.

Yes, our Eastern Phoebe is residing once again on the very same nest (we left it there as I'd read they return to their previous nest!) and has babies.

Last year's nest and you can see their beaks up—ready for Mom or Dad to bring them food.

They love their romantic surroundings by Vintage Woodworks...

This morning I captured the babies and we are not quite sure if there are 3 or 4 in the nest...

Pieter did purchase this beauty for becoming a potplant for our patio.

White Dipladenia it is called.

Dipladenia is in the Mandevilla family but it is a bushier plant whose stems grow down and hang.

This photo I made this morning to give a view of the bay window area and even you see the gazebo on the left.

There are lots of leaves blown off the Southern Magnolia tree...

Yes, on Friday, around 1:00 PM we had torrential rain + wind!

With our Benjamin Moore Golden Mist paint color, we of course had to have yellow pansies...

The same planter on the left is filling in as those got planted somewhat later.

A detail with some rain drops from yesterday...

Related links:

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

Our Home Freshly Painted | previous post by me

{# 1111 - Our Golden Live Oak 'Quercus Virginiana Grand View Gold' changing color} | previous post by me

Eastern Phoebe Reside in Front Porch with Babies | previous post by me

Spring in our Garden

 This was a lovely week with sunshine!

Spring is unfolding beautifully!

February 9, I walked over onto the neighbor's property to capture our blooming Japanese magnolia from there.

Just showing the bay window area from our home and the blind wall where the dining room is, no windows on that side.

Now from our side towards our home...

LOVE those perfect flower buds and there were already some petals on the ground.

Wanted to capture them because it would rain in the later afternoon and night.

A pine warbler is enjoying lunch on the tray from our previous Sharp microwave, set on the oak stump.

Happy daffodils near the Japanese Magnolia as you can see by its petals on the ground...

Our Fiberglass Window Boxes are filled with yellow pansies.

Tiggy–Tiger girl is head butting one of the planters...

That's the one where that poor friend cat often lies in for looking at us.

Our Renewal by Andersen bay windows look nice from outside!

A closer look at the yellow pansies.

Also the Vintage Woodworks parts on veranda door and under gable.

Pieter bought the pansies early at our local Home Depot just to make sure we had enough for all window boxes.

On the veranda side they got planted mid January but the bay windows after the Andersen windows were place on January 17.

I've hung the crocheted curtains back after Pieter drilled tiny holes into the fibrex of the new windows.

That worked perfect and after laundering the curtains and then stretching them out while still wet, we hung them on their 925 sterling rings (thin ones!). See post below this one...

Yesterday's photo—dark due to a dreary and rainy day...

The hand crocheted curtains hang perfectly on the new windows.

Detail of screws that Pieter pre–drilled into the fibrex material from Renewal by Andersen windows.

And my 925 silver rings.

Our 2nd Japanese Magnolia is near the flowering Camellia Sinensis Tea Plant.

Now I'm standing on the wood trail for capturing some flowers from our 2nd Japanese Magnolia.

They look perfect against our veranda.

Tiggy Tiger girl came to smell our Narcissus...

She's a tiny but cute kitty!

Senior—just like her Mami...

On Tuesday it was 21°C or 69.8°F...

So we both rolled our bikes...

On Tuesday it was 24°C or 75.2°F

Followed by rain again...

Related link:

Kitchen Bay Window New Crocheted ROSE Curtains & IKEA Roller Blind | previous post with the 925 sterling rings

Our Kitchen Bay Window Before and After Renewal by Andersen | previous post by me

AMAZING recovery of Japanese Magnolia—after getting LIGHT and FOOD! | previous post by me

Eastern Phoebe Reside in Front Porch with Babies

Our newest residents...

Eastern Phoebe is a flycatcher...

Just a few weeks ago, when my severe midback arthritis pain did not permit me to bike,

I started walking the wood trail through our wood garden.

I left through the front door and noticed a broken bird egg on the tiles in our front porch...

This was on May 17...

SAD sight!

Looking up, I spotted the nest, on the ledge above our Vintage Woodworks...

Clever, as it is rather high!

On May 23, I captured its resident...

It turned out to be the Eastern Phoebe, a fly catcher.

We sure were thrilled knowing what it was!

Here I spotted both; male and female Eastern Phoebe.

How sweet!

You hear our senior kitty Dido in the background, as I captured them through our dining room window.

Here it is on the railing and I love its eyes.

Insect eaters, so they catch also mosquitoes; a bonus to have them around!

Just like our tiny bats on the driveway side, behind the gable vent.

We have had lots of heavy rain and since I have to get up often during the night due to my kidney problems, I noticed that the Eastern Phoebe was high up on the nest.

Pieter mentioned, maybe there are chicks in it?

So today I took the lightweight aluminum ladder from the garage and brought it upstairs.

 Looked inside the nest, with my iPhone on selfie setting...

Guess there are four babies, 3 beaks are visible but the other is moving as well.

Thrilled to have them!

Are you having any birds nesting around your home?

Pieter's Outfit from Khazana at Taj Palace New Delhi Hotel

 On February 29 of 1991 we were at the Taj Palace New Delhi hotel after our two–week consulting work for Pond's India. This before flying to Indonesia where we worked and lived at the time.

With a guide from Pond's we did go to the State Emporia where we found a whale for Uncle Bo Whaley, and for us a sandalwood carving with balls inside. 

Also a bird painting on rice paper. 

Back at our hotel we found for Pieter a very nice fitting greenish cotton pair of trousers and a striped shirt.

This was on our patio in Wonosobo, Indonesia where Pieter put on the entire set.

Perfect fit!

Admiring our orchids that just hang on wood wool planks against the wall.

Happy times during our life in Indonesia!

The climate was so perfect for our hair...

We also found a perfect pure silk black tie at the Taj Palace New Delhi Khazana Shop.

India has so much!

It is real black, the shine of the silk made it look a bit different... 😉

Pieter wearing his Khazana trousers on his 69th Birthday in our front porch.

Behind him: Our HUGE Clematis lanuginosa 'Candida' in 2022←click it

The same guy, same trousers only 31 years later... 

And yes, those comfy eco friendly Loints sandals are still alive as well!

Notice the Moonflower vine, to the left of Pieter's knee?

Home grown by Pieter from seeds and it is opening its very first flower!

They too are HUGE and bloom at night mainly; hence its name Moonflower — Ipomoea alba.

Photos taken around 9:00 so it was closing.

Pieter on the back step of our gazebo. The white gingerbread from Vintage Woodworks looks so nice after it got painted again.

From inside of gazebo facing the pond area.

Related link:

COME Cross the Tengger Sand Sea to Volcano Mount Bromo, Indonesia | previous post by me both wearing our Loints sandals

True Indigo Indigofera Tinctoria in Pieter's Favorite Color | previous post by me with Loints sandals

Blissful Relationship in the Tropics of Indonesia | previous post by me with Loints sandals

P.J.C. Vedder on Mushroom Cultivation during Technology Transfer Seminar part 2 | previous post where Pieter is wearing his Khazana trousers...

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

Non Glamorous Wheelbarrow Job for Filling and Raising Swampy Parts

On May 1 of 1992 we had come back home following our Exodus from Indonesia after being robbed and we thus quit instead of going back a few more times for 2 months. See links below post.

That meant that here on May 23 of 1992, we both started developing our Estate.

Me in my SWAMP UNIFORM... Haha!

Dumping load after load, that got dug up by husband Pieter. To fill in this really SWAMPY PART around the gazebo where you would sink into before.

There seem to be several underground springs that caused these excessive wet spots.

Also keep in mind that both of us were the very first human beings ever cultivating this lot. Nobody ever had lived there and we never found any native American artifacts either...

So we really did some land reclamation!!!

Pieter was digging up some dirt here, where the pipe from the pond overflow would end into the creek.

All I had to do is wheel the wheelbarrow uphill and dump it around the gazebo.

Lucky Pieter, for being able to work in the shade but I got exposed to the sun and hence my SWAMP UNIFORM

Ready to go uphill again.

Wearing the hand knitted socks done by my Mother–in-–aw! 

Putting them to very good use.

Wearing my Campbell cap...

As you can see on the table in the gazebo, we did stop for a break in–between our hard labor!

On May 27, a pallet with square exposed aggregate concrete step stones lay already waiting to be worked in...

First on May 29, Pieter had to build a little patio at the end of the stairs from our veranda for starting the walk towards our gazebo...

Yes, he also was digging in all the piping for the lawn and garden for being able to use with hose and portable sprinklers. Since we live on a slope, fixed sprinklers would not work.

A short break after I did bring him some refreshments to enjoy...

Hard work and mostly back breaking!

Working in the square exposed aggregate concrete step stones...

And making sure they were all level!

Now on May 31, it was my turn for getting on my knees and washing them in with sand...

Step by step we accomplished all the heavy jobs!

July 17, 1992 Pieter started painting the ginger bread from Vintage Woodworks, high on a ladder on the driveway side...

Fighting the elements in a subtropical climate is not easy.

Here you see that our pond is too high, as the overflow into the creek is not working with the flooded creek, visible in the back.

Later, with the 60 tons of dirt dug up from under the house for creating the Rose Suite, we did fill in that low area behind the pond, for avoiding flooding.

😉Oh, those glamour jobs before you turn your land into an estate as shown on the video below in link...

Related links:

{Pieter’s Tanner Krolle Attaché - Royal Gift purchased at Harrods by English Friend} | previous post after we quit work in Indonesia because we got robbed three times...

Floriade 1992 on a Cold and Windy Day after Earthquake in Limburg | previous post about stop in The Netherlands after our Exodus from Indonesia, before flying back to Atlanta, GA on May 1st

Our Garden at the Time we had Access to Spent Mushroom Compost | previous post with video where we mention the Vedder Estate

The FIGHT of Growing Grass in Subtropical Georgia/USA | one year before; fighting to grow grass...