Kayaking...finally

Hot, hot days! It has taken three years but now The Boot women neighbors are finally kayaking. 

We've been here THREE years!

Literally, each day of the last three years Jay and I have said to each other how fortunate we are to live here. We don't go on vacation to a destination. We are here. There's no place like home!  Home, Sweet Home. Home is where the heart is. And on and on...

This morning, before our anticipated 83 degree day, I cut Auntie Laura's Red Magic Peony because it shatters within a few days. I plan for this to be my next oil painting. I have painted it several times over the years. Most memorable is a 15 x 11 inch colored pencil drawing in 1998  called "Turning Point" that was purchased by the University of Washington. Wow! that was 20 years ago. I've had this peony plant a long time.

We've been here two years!

We've been here two years! Each day is a blessing. There have been many changes to us and to our home in the last two years. I'll try to post more often. We LOVE our house and love our new community.

Jay's Couryard Walkway

In a few weeks we will have been here a full year. Most of the furniture in the house has settled into its permanent locations but the landscaping is still a work in progress. The new fruit trees and our old blueberry bushes are enjoying their first spring and are surprisingly established in their new home; all are abundant with fruit.

Our courtyard is finally coming together after truckloads of good dirt that Jay brought into the planting areas by wheelbarrow. We brought hydrangeas, peonies, calla lilies, Daphnes, willows, lilacs, special black berries, camellias, raspberries, strawberries, ferns, and hostas from our previous home.

The most spectacular thing about our courtyard is the cobblestone walkway that meanders through what we hope will be lush foliage of bushes, flowers and vegetables. Over many months, Jay has hauled more than 600 of the stones and places each one by hand. Great job Jay!

Two Early Morning Fishermen

This morning we were surprised by two early morning fishermen who have probably fished our shoreline for years.

Pie Memories

The Boot, February 2016. Photo: C. Niesner

We have been here nine months. It seems like only yesterday and it seems like forever. We celebrated Valentines Day with the first annual Sibling Soup and Pie Sunday. This morning's remnants bring back happy memories of yesterday.

Raspberry - Bob and Julie

Blueberry/Cranberry - Andy and Karen

Pumpkin - Barbara and Jay

Chocolate Mousse (all gone) - Ralph and Tina

Zuppa Toscana

Record Breaker

Lowest water level and highest water level within just a couple months of each other! Our bulkhead is underwater with flotsam and jetsam up on our lawn. We wanted water, we got it!

First Christmas at Mill Pond Cottage

This will be our first Christmas in our new house. We are happy!

Our lake is back!

What a difference a rain makes

What a difference a day of rain makes! It poured rain most of last night and today, Halloween. We are so happy to see the water level rise in our lake. Our neighbor Marci texted me, "I think the ducks are actually swimming and not walking." Yay! Looking forward to an additional three feet of water.

October Sunrise

A beautiful early October sunrise this morning.

One year ago and Alex

I just realized my last post was more than two months ago and that started me looking back all the way to one year ago today. At that time my post was about our foundation! One year ago.

Yesterday we ordered the leather loveseat for the Great Room. It won't arrive until Christmas but time absolutely flies here. The loveseat decision had to wait until we received the area rug so we could better visualize the space.  In the middle of the area rug delivery, Alex the hardwood guy had to share the space as he repaired a small imperfection in our cherry floor. I was amazed at his skill as I watched him work (partly because Jay and the carpet delivery guy kept pulling the rug out from under Alex - literally).

Discovering what a true artist Alex is, I couldn't resist asking him about a nick in our kitchen cabinets. He graciously repaired it perfectly! A Big Thank You to Alex!

We have had a glorious summer here in The Boot of Lake Sawyer. We celebrated the end of summer September 20th with a family gathering here. Though the weather wasn't the best, Jay got the hamburgers and hot dogs grilled before the rain. About 30 family and friends filled our Millpond Cottage but it wasn't crowded, just cozy.

Slippery

We love our cherry hardwood floors in the great room. Unfortunately, Annie does not love them...toooo slipppery she says! She is a dog of quick movements and no traction on the floor is a problem. So, reluctantly, I will buy area rugs.

Summer Mornings

It is simply the best to wake up in this room, in this house on a bright summer morning!

Trellis!

We were looking pretty bare until the dump truck full of top soil arrived.

After two loads of dirt were spread around, the nice guys from Lattice Top Fence Co, Inc. arrived. They began by setting posts early Monday morning.

They were back early Friday morning to install the lattice and build the arbor. This is owner Robert. Nice guy, nice crew, great job.

We love it!

After the trellis was in, Jay transplanted 19 blueberries plants to the area outside the fence. I started a Kiwi up one side of the arbor and a Honeysuckle up the other side. Other climbing plants to come. If you need a similar fence or arbor, call Jonelle at Lattice Top Fence Co. They are great!

Chris

Chris Welch, cMac LLC

During the past year on this blog you have met many of the people who helped bring our dream home into reality. The Guy behind it all is Chris Welch of cMac. He acted as Project Manager for our house and we couldn't have been in better hands.

Chris is a good listener and problem solver. The photo above shows Chris standing in front of the mantle and hearth he designed for us. We think it is perfect. We consider ourselves fortunate to have worked with such a dedicated, detail oriented, kind and honest young man. His staff, and the suppliers he selects to work with, are reflections of Chris' good business principles. If you need a new home or a remodel, we highly recommend cMac LLC. Thank you Chris and all!

Moving Day

Moving Day! Eight guys, three trucks, ten hours. Whew! Miguel and his crew from Neighbors Relocation Services were excellent. They were fast, professional and very careful with our tons of stuff. A big thank you to them!

We were totally exhausted each day but a week later we are beginning to recover as items big and small find their perfect place in our new home.

our first visitor

Our house and patio were sparkly when the cleaners left today. Our first visitor arrived shortly thereafter and left a gift for us.

What a difference a year makes

May 10, 2015

Looking West, our new house. We move in 4 days. Wheee!

May 10, 2015 Lake

Looking East at the The Boot of Lake Sawyer, Black Diamond, Washington.  It was one year ago today that I posted the photo below. To see more photos from that day, click here. Dreams really do come true!

May 10, 2014

Final Touches

Jay installs the mailbox with carbon fiber post, 5-8-15

We have a mailbox! Jay had a carbon fiber post custom made by Sunbacker Fiberglass.

 

I've been waiting months for my kitchen walls to be red. Tanya carefully painted them  today.

Now the new kitchen looks like our current kitchen which we love. Now the new house feels like home. Later note: 8/1/18 For future reference I'm posting info about our kitchen faucet (same as the one in the Renton house) Kohler K-596-VS brushed stainless Single hole pull down.

Gene The Master Painter carefully masked my pantry door and then painted it Sherwin Williams Drizzle Blue (same blue as the stair risers).

 

Love it!

Sherwin Williams Rainstorm Blue looks great against Ralph Lauren Mexico City Yellow in the entry.
A big thank you to all the painters who put the final touches on our house!

Oh Happy Day

This morning we loaded up nine fruit trees, wheel barrow, etc. and headed for the lake.

Jay worked tirelessly to get them all in for the final inspection today. We removed seven trees from the property when we cleared away the old cabin and we were obligated to replace the seven trees.

Oh Happy Day - WE PASSED!
Our heartfelt thanks to Chris Welch and cMac for making our dream a reality.

Amazing Transformation

I received a text this morning from our nice neighbor Marci (lives in the gray house at left in this photo) letting me know the sod had arrived. I drove to the lake (28 minutes from here) to watch it being installed.

This is the view from the master bedroom - landscaping crew is installing sod from the lake edge up to the patio and partway around the south side of the house. What an amazing transformation!

Speaking of amazing...our refrigerator has cherry doors and look at those herky handles! Chris The Finish Carpenter has made our home so beautiful with his careful work. The millwork, the mantle, the attention to detail on everything...all of it perfect.

 I caught him just as he was leaving for the day. A huge thank you to Chris, our Master Finish Carpenter!