Patio's, Gazebo's and plants - April 26th - 30th

 Sunday we went down at the dock by 7:30 am! No wind, so lets get those curtains on the gazebo. A couple hours later we were done. It will be much easier next time. The panels are not all the same size .... so after we screwed up a couple of times we got the hang of it. As each section had one solid and one screen, it took awhile. I can tell you when we take them down next fall, the bags will be marked!

Glad I had extra bungies from the upper deck gazebo clear panels. The ones that came are way to flimsy to hold up to any wind. Later in the day I watched as our curtains were fluttering and Debra's next door are right out of the wind. We are just that little bit further out on the point.

Ray managed to get 2/3 of the solar lights put up as well. By noon we were too pooped to continue reaching over our heads anymore. Time to relax in the front of the house. Can't get that area put together until the painter finishes my fir posts.

Last Thursday we had Agata and Darryl, thatch the lawn. Boy was there a lot of moss in it. She also dug out an area about 10 feet round with crab grass, put in dirt and reseeded.

I had to make a scarecrow to keep the birds from eating all the seed lol.

Monday, painting is finally completed by 1:30 pm  ... finally. I used the little power washer under the gazebo and when it was dry, we moved the furniture back. We moved a few planters in the front and called it a day.

Tuesday, Ray completed the lights on the gazebo and installed the solar panels. Next he power washed the rest of the deck from the pollen. Boy that stuff sticks. I went to Duncan for groceries while he was busy with that. By the time I got home at noon, he'd also moved the furniture down to the dock. Yay it looks great down there. Really cloudy this afternoon with the possibility of rain so we didn't want to drag water through the house by moving the planters on the deck. That will be tomorrow's job.

One more chair to be assembled, side tables added and propane tank for for the fire table.

Warning! Lots of pictures of plants so I can remember next year what I did. lol

Wednesday was a really busy day at home. With painting completed it's time to move all the planters in place, fill with dirt and plant the bedding plants that have been waiting. 

I went from this ....

To this ...

and this ....

Planters are all done and placed, so now we have to get the irrigation going. Last years 1/4" tubing was all brittle so Ray took it all down. With the greenhouse it will need 1/2" tubing down to 1/4". I am having our irrigation guy install it to be more permanent so Ray won't have to figure it out. We'll get them to set it up to be blown out at the end of the season.They'll be here to do the main stuff anyway. Ray can manage the planters on the back deck though.

Penny came as well to weed front garden, plant dahlias and gladiola bulbs and then top with mushroom manure. The garden is looking fabulous. One rhodo is in full bloom, one starting and we have a gorgeous purple azalea.

By Thursday afternoon, we have the front patio all arranged. Ray did the pressure washing to clean up the area after gettig all the p[ots planted, I carried all the "extra" stuff down to the dock. I had 8500 steps in today just going back and forth by 5 pm! He also pressure washed our kayaks so we can move them down to the beach.  Everything has been dragged out of the basement and put where it needs to go, on the dock, deck and the front paito area. A big job :)

You can actually see the helicopter between Pat and Darryl's house when Todd lands!

He flew by a couple of times today. He sure blends into the trees but you can't miss the sound.

Our garden view.

Night view.

Today we tried out all our spaces lol. Lunch on the dock at picnic table. Relaxed in our new chairs under the gazebo on the dock with screens closed from the wind.(which worked fabulous) Sat outside the front of the house on driveway patio and finally on our sundeck under that gazebo as it's too warm in the front. We are so fortunate we have this place.

Hard to believe April is done. Lots of work completed done this month. 

Spring is here, and so is the work! Painting begins - April 10th - 25th

Picture from last week. Spring definitely has sprung in Horseshoe Bay. Gorgeous. Not much snow on the mountains though. The tops should be totally white at this time of year.

Well, spring is here with warm temps in the afternoon and then winter snuck back in for a week. Lots of rain and wind for several days. Snow back on the tops of the hills across the lake. I've been itching to get my bedding plants in, but it's way too cold. Greenhouse has stuff in it, but I have heat on. The rest of the plants are snuggled into the garage after a shop at Costco in Nanaimo and Country Grocer had their annual "Flat Sale", which is one day only this year.

Roy and June dropped off 2 Dungeness Crab this week for us. Delicious!

Tuesday, April 14th, we met Jason at Brunch on Third for breakfast as he was dropping off his trailer for servicing in Duncan.

There's even been a day of "snowing" on the hills across from us with some very ugly weather. Wednesday is a "do nothing" day.

The next day it looked like this.

Wednesday I even made Ray waffles. He watched a baking show, hoping to inspire me, and that's what Anna was making lol

The painter did not come Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday due to the weather. We had to move the greenhouse next to the planters waiting for the painting to be done so I can place them. 

Primer on the facia trim to be painted red. Apparently there was no primer put on originally which is why the paint keeps bubbling off, according to Kevin, our painter.

Thursday, Jason came and helped Ray set up the frame for the new gazebo. It will be twice the size of the old one, providing more shade which is needed. Olaf spent his time with the guys and up in the front with me.

When they are done it should look like this.

I started something as Mike and Debra also upgraded their gazebo this year. Theirs is 16 x 12 feet. It took 3 guys, 2 days to finish. Ours is taking longer as it's only Ray and Jason plus it's a bigger one.

I kept busy in the front, planting the rest of the veggies for the greenhouse and planting herbs in my vertical garden. I will add bedding plants for colour once it gets warmer outside.

The greenhouse will be a jungle when it grows. :) 3 tomato, 2 sweet pepper, 4 zucchini squash, 2 cucumber plants, strawberries and lettuce.

I also planted 2 bean and 6 snap pea plants for the back deck in pots with trellis's. I can't move planters onto the deck until the painting is finished. Another week at least. It's been pretty slow getting it done with 3 days of rain and only one guy. Apparently 2 more guys are coming next week to get it all done.

Too funny, Ray was going through his dresser getting rid of some old t-shirts and came across a Christmas Present for me he bought, hid and forgot. lol

Friday, Jason, Amelia and Olaf came back to the lake. Jason worked on getting the rest of the gazebo together while I kept Amelia busy. Amelia and I planted beets and carrots in my patio planter.

Olaf was relegated to the back deck as they poured concrete next door and I'm sure Mike wouldn't have wanted dog prints in his new sidewalk! Unfortunately the roof panels were really tricky and the boys ran out of time. Jason will be back on Monday.

It was a busy day in our cul de sac with Roy and June getting their lawn replanted, we had a painter and Mike had a cement mixer and crew for his concrete. Once everyone left Amelia could ride her scooter and bike.

She ran out of energy late afternoon as she is getting over a cold.

While she was resting, I moved all the bedding plants from the garage to my mini greenhouse. Six baskets and lots of starters for my planters. It's too early to plant them until the end of the month. I also have to wait until painters are finished with the trim and fir posts on the deck and front of house.

We both got lots of cuddle time.

Amelia went to bed on time at 7:30, and I think asleep within 5 minutes. Fortunately for me, she slept straight through until 5:30 in the morning. 

Saturday after our usual morning, it's time for Amelia and I to make pancakes. She got big enough that she does all the measuring and mixing ... I just cook them.

Our outing  today is going to the Duck Pond Park. 

There are tons of river kayakers there. A school group from Shawnigan Lake, about 50 teenagers. Amelia is fascinated.

Off course no trip to the Duck Pond Park is complete without a stop at Tim Hortons for a donut!

Back home Ray took Amelia over to the beach next door to fly her kite as it was a little windy. Unfortunately it died down so they were unable to keep it in the air very long.

Next job, peeling apples for our apple pie for tonight's dessert. She used her special knife to cut the apples into pieces.

The rest of the afternoon she spent building a fort and playing with magnatiles etc.

Dinner was Wor Wonton Soup, she likes it lol

ime

Another busy day. This time though she took an hour to fall asleep. It might have had something to do with Ray tickling her instead of cuddling before sleepy time!

Sunday morning, we went for a short boat ride. She was bored after 10 minutes lol

We decided to have a campfire and roast weiners for lunch. Mommy arrived at 11:30 am and we went for another boat ride. Amelia got to drive this time. We were impressed at how well she did. Olaf's first boat ride this year too. He wasn't too sure about this at first.

Lunch Time.

Kristi and Amelia left at 1:30 pm back to Nanaimo. We relaxed for the rest of the afternoon.

Monday, Jason arrived by 9:30 and the guys went back to work on the gazebo. Painter didn't come as he had a family emergency.

There was some "blue air" coming from the dock area, so I made myself scarce lol.

We took Jason out for lunch at Jake's and then they guys were back at it finishing the roof. Of course I took the picture with their mouth full.

By 3 pm the gazebo roof was done and Jason on his way back to Nanaimo to pick up Amelia from daycare. Thanks a bunch Jason! Now we just need to add the curtains, move deckbox to it's new location, and Ray to fix the lid. Finally hang the solar lights and move the furniture down to the dock.

Our neighbour Todd, coming home for a coffee break! 

I finished filling up the vertical gardens with dirt and then planted some flowers in between the herbs. This garden is officially planted.

Ray's latest puzzle finished.

Tuesday, Kevin arrived to paint and realized that the cream colour paint was white so he went back to Duncan to have it tinted darker. He wasn't back until about 10:30 to start today. He quit just before 2 as it started to rain. Seems this painting work will never be done. We are into week 3.

Wednesday, Kevin came back and had another guy with him. They finished the one side of the house and I asked him to start on the back deck. I'm anxious to get my planters there and cannot until they get the painting done. They managed to get most of the trim work done and will finish tomorrow.

Thursday, the painters (2) arrived and continued on the trim work and finishedmost of the back of the house. After lunch they began the light sand on the fir posts and doors, prepping for Sikkens stain. They finished the doors so had to keep them open until 8:30 pm and air out the house from the stink of the stain.

We had to keep the doors open until 8:30 pm for the stain to dry before we could close up for the night.  The first few hours after painting is really stinky but it cleared out pretty fast once it was mostly dry.

Friday, Ray worked down on the dock fixing the deck box. New piano hinge on the lid put on and ready to be bolted back down to the dock. After moving 2 planters onto the sundeck, I went down to help ... I mean stupidvise lol. 

Painters here at 9 and finished up the trim work and painting sikkens on the gazebo. It sure looks nice and bright. A couple more end posts to be painted and it will be done.

After lunch the guys moved to the front of the house for trim and sikkens they will also finish trim on right side of house. Tomorrow Kevin will come back by himself and do the front shakes first thing before it gets out hot and any other touch ups. The painting will officially be finished! That means by Sunday I can start moving and planting my planters. 

Best laid plans .... Kevin has not finished, his wife called him to come home. He will be back on Monday and hopefully that will be the last. Apparently he still has some of the black trim to do, one window trim on the side and then all the fir by the front door.

It's too windy today to put up the curtains in the gazebo, otherwise it is ready to go. Stay tuned.