{Benjamin Moore Golden Mist for Our Home}

One of the hardest things to do was picking a color for our home's exterior paint. But we did select it two days before going to Curaçao. Sitting on the balcony, in bright daylight I did go over all of Benjamin Moore's color charts. What a task! Since husband Pieter is color blind, it mainly did rest upon my shoulders to select. We went for Benjamin Moore's Golden Mist! Pieter was quick to purchase one quart in this color just to try it out and see how it would look in reality... 

Yeah this is AFTER we decided on this Benjamin Moore Golden Mist. That got professionally done on May 22, as the first coat of paint, by our two painters.

So what do you think? To the left you can see the house as it was... kind of a Bone color but very much faded...

Benjamin Moore Golden Mist

This is what Pieter did put on early morning on April 18, below our veranda window...

Only one coat!

The house still needed to get pressure washed and prepped for the big paint job.

Photo taken at a bit more distance but with different light...

It is awfully hard to capture those results, as true to real color as possible!

This is under the shade of our holly tree.

So a second spot got done, in the sunshine now, below the bay window of our kitchen to the side.

Looks better already.

We went for it since the windows and all the ginger bread trimmings would stand out far better in white, when using this 'Golden Mist'...

What do you say?

Let's try one more sampling though. Tiggy-Tiger our mini-cat loves to take naps inside this cat-house in the front porch. Pieter used some scraps from the Interlock® Aluminum Slate Roof material in Aged Copper. So we could see how that would blend in with the Benjamin Moore Golden Mist. 

We liked it; that was a good marriage... Don't you think so too?

Now we could happily leave two days later for our vacation to Curaçao where we stayed together with daughter Liz and her husband from April 20-30 and back on May 1st in the wee hours of the morning. 

Funny how much our home now does resemble the warm and sunny colors of the Caribbean.

Like this 1708 Penha building in Willemstad, Curaçao...

Even Pieter is wearing his sunny yellow t-shirt; My Home is My Garden with a photo from himself in the front and in the back - gift from our German 'son' and his family after they did visit us in 2008, following their Florida vacation.

Benjamin Chrome Green we selected for the shutters and front door...

Now back to the chaos on May 22nd. 

Pieter had stripped the wooden balusters off the balcony since two sides had a lot of rotted wood.

He also used a craw bar to remove the tiles. That had to be completely redone.

To the left you already can see the new Interlock® Aluminum Slate Roof in Aged Copper being added on. So far for Going Green.

Do you like it?

The house is neatly pressure washed and the gutters cleaned out; all the sand from the old shingles that had clogged them up, got removed.

Quite a difference already. 

Oh, Pieter also gave this huge Live Oak a major 'hair cut'. Lots of big branches cut off and the view is so much better now. Also the big tree in front of the house got a major hair cut. 

Now you also understand WHY we removed last year our Confederate Jasmine that grew around the French sliding doors on our balcony... All in preparation for this major renovation.

Related links:

{Bye-Bye Confederate Jasmine...} | previous post by me 

{Energy Efficient GREEN Roofing Arrived} | previous post by me

{Our Home on March 24 of 2013} | previous post by me showing the BEFORE look

{Our Cerdomus Italian GREEN Tiles}

Our balcony needed to be renovated. In the past we had tiles put onto it but they were not very well laid. Water had gotten underneath them and after frost, the grout had cracked and even caused a moist ceiling in the storage room beneath. So husband Pieter went ahead and took them all off, using a crow bar, he could lift big segments of them so that did indicate they were 'loose'... This time we had selected Cerdomus Italian GREEN Tiles. Of course we do have a special spot in our hearts for Italy, the country where we once lived and worked... 

This photo has been taken on April 18, the day before we went on vacation to Curaçao.

Husband Pieter had hauled these CERDOMUS ceramiche tiles home inside our Toyota RAV4, that by the way, just turned 16 on July 9. Still a loyal work horse. 

These Italian tiles are 30 x 30 cm

Cerdomus Green Tile; Durango Ambra...

Cerdomus Green Tile link

You can read about their Environmental specifications by scrolling down on that page.

They do use 40% recycled material, which is great for the environment! 

Europe is far more strict on Environmental issues than other parts of the world and we ought to become more conscious no matter where we live. Recycling; Repurposing; Upcycling in order to keep the amount of trash produced at a minimum! All of us have to work on making our Carbon Footprint as small as possible. 

This is just a screen shot from their Durango Ambra tile pdf, featuring special irregular edges.

These Porcelain Stoneware Tiles have been baked at high temperatures reaching 1220°C

We also selected these tiles because they did go perfect together with our GREEN aluminum slate Interlock® roof in Aged Copper

The tiles are already laid by husband Pieter and we are just waiting for the Polyurethane baluster rails to arrive from Vintage Woodworks, Texas... The PVC corner posts from Vintage Woodworks are already placed. By the end of this month the balcony will be completed I hope!

Related link:

CERDOMUS at CERSAIE 2013 | video from October 9, 2013, about this very modern concept tile production

{Our Balcony} | previous post by me where you can see the balcony as it was

{GARDENIA PASSION}

On June 12, I did manage to cut our last Gardenia blossoms. They lived a miserable life with all the heavy rain, turning brown on their edges. But they were gorgeous and they tried so hard to be beautiful; regardless the environment. So I did use them for two of our dinners as table decoration. Let me share these gorgeous blossoms with you; too bad I cannot recreate their heavenly fragrance for you to enjoy...

Such a spiraling bliss with heavenly fragrance...

These still look fine; not all got browned from the rain, depending where they were on the shrub.

For our dining room table I used this large oval Wedgwood  Cream Color on Cream Color vase.

Here you see more of the browning from the rain.

The square Wedgwood Cream Color on Cream Color vase I used for the round kitchen table.

Our Gardenias consist of different varieties and here you see our Aimee Yoshioka; the largest one.

Full of yummy pollen for the bees.

Showing this Aimee Yoshioka next to my hand, close to the kitchen bay window for more light on a rainy day.

This is really a LARGE BLOOM!

Together with these wax candles (battery operated) they make a perfect centerpiece...

Just setting the table near our kitchen bay window,  for you to see.

When I did host the dinner for 12, I might have had better gardenias but NO time on hand for making any photos... 

Old vintage linen damask tablecloth with roses and new French napkins from Le Jacquard Français with roses.

French Baccarat Piccadilly stemware

Gero Zilmeta 528 Menuet flatware

Silver napkin ring holder from Kotagede, Indonesia

Plates are French Pillivuyt Sancerre

from GeorgiaWeather Rainfall Calculator

From April 19 (when we left for our Curaçao vacation) till July 9, we had 37 Rainy Days with a total Precipitation of 17.15 inch or 43.6 cm.

No wonder that Gardenias do show brown edges...

By the way, IKEA is selling Gardenia jasminoides as potting plants! In the US, The Netherlands and in Germany and probably other  countries as well. It's the small variety but still the same fragrance!

Related links:

{Gardenia by Royal Albert and our Garden Gardenias} | previous post by me

{Heavenly Gardenia Jasminoides 'Aimee Yoshioka'} | previous post by me

{May 22 Gardenia by Royal Albert and blooming Gardenias in Baccarat vase} | previous post by me

{Energy Efficient GREEN Roofing Arrived}

It takes quite some time for getting the photos and all the information for writing these posts about our home's transformation. Here I will show you that on April 18, right before we left for our Curaçao vacation, our Interlock Energy Efficient GREEN Roofing Arrived!

JIT = Just In Time...

Our cat supervisor Speckie girl keeps an eye on those pallets!

To the right you can also see our 'Golden Live Oak 'Quercus Virginiana Grand View Gold'.

So how did we find Interlock Roofing?

After we had water leaking into our basement in February, we decided it would be time to do something about our roof and gutters.

The aging shingles did clog up our gutters as the sand-sized minerals in it, did wash down the roof with heavy rains. Over the years this had worn off and it made the gutters spill over when we had heavy rain.

Searching the Internet I found this Canadian company, in Delta BC. That is the Province of British Columbia where our Liz is also born so we both know that good things come from Canada. 

The name of the company is Interlock Metal Roofing a Manufacturer of Lifetime Roofing Systems. Never re-roof again.

They are one of North America's largest metal roofing manufacturers, with over 12 distribution centers in Canada and the United States.

When we contacted their head office in Delta, BC Canada, we got a reply from their Georgia representative.

Sure, such an investment one does not make over night. 

After we studied very thoroughly and really LOVED this Energy Efficient GREEN Roofing; we went ahead and ordered it.

Reduce your Carbon Footprint, now and for a lifetime - that sentence appealed to us!

Energy Efficient GREEN Roofing link to above page

Interlock® Roofing is an Energy Star® Partner

We figured that by investing into a life-time roof, that could save us 25% in Energy Costs is a lot more return on investment than anything else at this time with our downward economy.

On the same page it did explain all the different types of aluminum roof and giving their Reflectance.

We went for Slate in Aged Copper and you can see below what that would do for us.

This Aluminum Aged Copper surface reflects 55% of sunlight and has a solar reflectance of 0.55 initially and 0.34 after 3 years.

We did select Interlock® Aluminum Slate in Aged Copper, top left as one of nine colors available.

That would look best like what we started out with in November of 1990 with our shingle roof, as seen in my blog post about Our Home on March 24 of 2013 (see link below).

Our fiberglass window boxes had come off the walls for the painters to pressure wash the home.

Here they hold the tarp in place for protecting more Interlock material for the roof.

Next day we had to fly to Miami so it was a good feeling it had arrived all the way from New England.

Our cat-girl Spicy is keeping watch!

In the back again our stunning Quercus Virginiana Grand View Gold!

Stay tuned for the follow up...

Related links:

{Saving Energy and Our Attic} | preparation for Saving Energy and Going Green

{Our Home on March 24 of 2013} | previous post by me
Flower Framers of Cincinnati | Source for Fiberglass Window Boxes

Related links where this stunning Quercus Virginiana Grand View Gold, can be seen:
Wow...I think this deserves a thread! Golden live oak! | GardenWeb discussion...
{Lush Green Garden} |previous post by me
{# 1111 - Our Golden Live Oak 'Quercus Virginiana Grand View Gold' changing color} | previous post by me
{Golden Live Oak 'Quercus Virginiana Grand View Gold' in Sunshine at its BEST} | previous post by me
{Our Golden Live Oak 'Quercus Virginiana Grand View Gold' with Catkins} | Previous post by me
{Our Mrs. G. G. GERBING Azaleas} | previous post by me
{Our Patio Tiles in the Front} | previous post by me
{RARE Icicles in Our Garden} | previous post by me
{My Powder Blue Escada Jeans Suit} | previous post by me showing me in front of Grand View Gold
{Our Lovely Lilac Clematis 'Silver Moon'} | previous post by me showing young Grand View Gold

{Cloudy Day versus Sunny Day}| Previous post by me
{Blooms on our Windmill Palm - Trachycarpus fortunei} | previoius post by me 

{Our Golden Live Oak has LOTS of Acorns!} | previous post by me

{Our Different Oaks} | previous post by me

{My Silk Quilted Vest Creation and YOUR Opinion Requested...} | previous post by me showing golden oak

{Our Live Oak got a Haircut} | previous post by me

{What is THIS?}

Have you ever had something that went completely WRONG? No...? Well, I had something in June. Look at this; can you guess what it is? Or better; what it WAS...!

• After the painters had completed our home and gazebo, husband Pieter did buy a new storage box for the seat and back cushions that we always used in the chairs. 


• Looking at those cushions, I decided to have them laundered at our local Coin Laundry. Their huge washing machines and dryers can handle them far better than my mini Miele, in comparison. 


• So off they went and when Pieter did pick them up they looked like this...

Oh my! 

• At first I wanted to trash them, but I left them sitting there for a couple of days, till the rain stopped and I had light enough to look at them and THINK.

• The fabric looked like new but obviously they had put them in the dryer too long or too hot as the fabric had shrunk. 


• Also the foam had gotten out of shape. 


• No zipper...

• Out came my BIG seam ripper.


• I do have a small one too, but this meant serious business!


• Also my SUPER POWER READERS got retrieved...


• Now I was all ready for the fight!

• Yes, I pulled the foam out, cut it off a bit on the sides and bottom and put it back in again.


• Now I did recognize them as the nice cushions we bought ourselves on July 10 of 1998 at the Atlanta Home Depot Expo. 


• First we got ourselves four seat cushions and we went back on July 12, for four more to use for the back. 


• Perfect choice and we did enjoyed them for 14 years now. 


• Sadly all Home Depot Expo closed in the spring of 2009.


• Okay, I had to rip some more...

• DONE - all 8 were now opened up.


• Would I be able to sew them back up?


• I don't have an industrial sewing machine.


• Let's try, I do have spare needles so what's the risk?

• It certainly was not easy to sew them shut, with that thick foam inside.


• Why did they not come with an easy zipper?

• Ready for use!


• If only the sun would come out so we can have our tea in the gazebo.


• I promise to make a photo once we have the good fortune of a sunny day for putting them out.


• What do you think? 


• They are good to go once more for a couple of years or not?

On July 12, they will have their 15th Birthday; we better SIT on them to celebrate with some tea...

Related link:

{TIP for Fine Needlework SUPER POWER READERS} | previous post by me

{Our Home on March 24 of 2013}

It is about time to show you the before and after of our home. First today the 'before' pictures of how our home looked on March 24, and even a little longer than that, till early May. But with our vacation on the island of Curaçao from April 19 (when we flew to Miami) till April 30, we had lots of things to do. Also because of the fact that the trees were not yet loaded with lush leaves was another reason for this date. At the moment it is so green and so lush from the daily tropical thunderstorms. It feels like we're back in the wet monsoon of Indonesia...

You can see that the house needed to be pressure washed as it had mildew all over...

The roof looked really ugly and we decided to replace it with a 'GREEN' roof. NO, not green in color but meaning Eco Friendly! And saving us money on our monthly utility bill.

The shape of our home is like a T, with the bottom of its T ending at the driveway...

In November this home will be 23 years old...

This March 24-view even looks strange to me now, compared to the lush green view of today!

Our winter went away rather late this year. Not that it was bad but late frost did kill our Japanese magnolia blossoms and lots more that got browned.

Here you also can see the little roof area above the bay window in our kitchen.

Now walking towards the driveway where you also can see the balcony with its wooden balusters.

Two of our once 3 Italian cypress... We lost one to the heat and drought of last years.

Now we almost drown!

The balcony on the corner above that vine rack (the huge clematis also succumbed to the drought...) was literally rotting away. So much maintenance and husband Pieter did patch it up many times with the Wood Epox from Abatron. We no longer wanted to support that company...

Now we've come full circle.

It was a major decision for:

•  Adding a new roof
• Taking down the rails and balusters
• Pressure washing the entire house
• Having the entire exterior repainted
• Taking off the loose tiles on the balcony and putting new ones
• Replacing the balcony's rails and balusters with polyurethane ones that never will rot again!

Quite a task did lie ahead of us... mainly for husband Pieter.

All the window boxes had to come off for thorough cleaning with pressure wash behind them.

Gutters needed to be updated... Because of the aging shingles on the roof, the sand that washed down did clog up our gutters when we had heavy rains. Roof water just spilling over, did cause some flooding in our basement area. Shingles are made of fiberglass-based asphalt and there are some sand-sized minerals in it. Over the years this wears off.

But after all has been done, it will look nice again!

The gazebo looked even worse... the roof almost black!

Ugly...

So we did take out lots of our saving money. Interest is not high nowadays; less than 1% so we guessed by going GREEN, we would have more return on investment by lowering our monthly utility bill for the rest of our life...

What do you think?

Related link:

{Our Home of almost 20 years} | previous post by me showing our home in 1994 still beautiful