Decisions decisions...

Jesse and I excitedly went lawn mower shopping this weekend. Last weekend the closest neighborhood store was closed, and this Friday it was closed again...so we sucked it up and ventured to Home Depot. We both like to buy local things and also both think of Keene as far far away...but they had John Deers!

We loved them, but thought we'd try the other store just to see. They have Husqvanas (sp?)  which are apparently also a good brand and the same price. We felt a little unsure of which to get, and realized we both wanted the John Deer just because we knew it and liked it... I mowed my parents' yard on a John Deer for many years and we felt torn. But then the nice man at the local small store said that they'd service any mower we got, even a John Deer from Home Depot...So I think we'll be getting one this week :) We just need to see if my dad can come with us and load it in his truck...

In other news, Jesse bought a bunch of blue paint for our downstairs hallway, and was disappointed when none of them turned out to be the color on the swatch. After many trips to the paint store he found a blue he liked and our hallway is no long covered in partridges & stripes. Hooray! Pictures to come.

 We've also been attempting door painting....unsuccessfully in these two cases:

And successfully! Our new, not-as-mellow-as-we-thought yellow. But we love it.

home away from home (where my heart was this weekend)

came home to our first flower! Picked and pretty :)

While this blog has been house-centered, it feels to me also to be about home; the whole idea of what makes a home. I am so happy to have found a place for my wonderful Jesse and me to make into OUR home. But before this,  I have always felt home whenever and wherever my family and friends are. I have close family, and close friends, so close that often I wonder how I got so lucky in the people department. I could travel the world and love it but nowhere would feel home if I did it solo. I am lucky to have old friends, old wrinkly 26 year old friends who have lived decades of their life in mine, and vise versa. We are part of each others' history, and part of each other. As each year goes by and we only get closer, I realize that they are a home to me in many ways. And so, it seemed only natural to add a bit of them here! 

We went to Ogunquit to celebrate my oldest and dearest Catherine, a love since Kindergarten, who is getting married in June. Eight of us surprised her with a trip and it was a beautiful time. 

Kelly (&Jake:) hooked us up

Nubble lighthouse

Catherine's first time experiencing 'Bridesmaids'/robe party

freezing photo op on the marginal way, thank you for forcing it Kelly :)

matron of honor bouquet, courtesy of the Beachmere Inn :)

Bride-to-be Barbie, so beauts

Waterfront &vacation

In the last week, we discovered a babbling brook (really it babbles! So great) and continued to play outside now that spring is officially here to stay. Also, I had the week off from school so I got to enjoy the house during the day! So nice.

Currently loving: 

our silverware set (that matches!) I finally found it in the garage (a wedding gift from mama)

 pussy willows from near the brook

the walk to our water...

brushpile of pussywillows...sorry, but there was just too many of you!

the view from the brook of our barn... 

and back of the house... 

 ...and our new ( to us) couch! We can finally lay whilst watching tv. It's comfy and we can have our pretty bright pillows on it now. Loving the big orange one with buttons, thank you Cat :)

landscaping

With the snow finally at last thank GOODNESS gone, everyone is eager to work outside.  I raked up dead leaves all over the place and discovered daffodils, and little garden areas already in place! I can't wait to see if anything pops up, and to plant some easy flowers.

My dad was here when I got home from school on Wednesday...


... having already taken down an ugly evergreen that was up against the corner of the house. It was scraping off paint and blocking our bedroom windows and looking unattractive. So it's gone! And now a pretty apple tree that was overshadowed is a nice neighbor to the house.

We also dug up all the blackberry prickers bushes that were in the front yard; we're going to put grass seed down there instead and maybe a garden eventually. Digging up huge roots and dragging prickers to a brush pile was surprisingly so satisfying.  Knowing it's ours to dig up and hopefully make prettier is such a great feeling!



Jesse arrived home as the last of the blackberries were being dragged away, and he was excited to start in on a new project. He and dad started in clearing the trees in our front yard, which consist of two huge evergreens, a couple lilac bushes, an elm, and some others I don't know. The two evergreens are...ugly? for lack of a classier word? Jesse and I initially wanted to get rid of them, but were told by many people they are good shields from the road and 'traffic noise.' We hear about 5 cars an hour go by but I digress.

Instead of chopping down huge trees, Jesse and dad started sawing off the lower branches of the evergreens, which quickly opened up the yard. We now have space for two more cars to park, some firewood for this fall, and I daresay the trees look PRETTY! I don't have any 'after' pictures of it yet but here are some of dad looking like he's in the jungle. So bad.

Lumberjacks du jour:

We had dad stay for supper, and it was weirdly reassuring making dinner to the sounds of their saws outside.

Melting...

The snow is FINALLY melting. It hasn't melted completely because we live in the western tundra of the south- eastern corner of the state. Or something like that. Anyway, with last week's warm(ish) weather, lots of our lawn/ ground has become visible again....and I discovered that we have a stone walkway! Lovely.

And a few stone walls that I am in love with and already knew about...

...and this wee one I didn't!

And we got a package from our amazing friends Lexis and Thayne to end the week ...

It is willow and hydrangea and smells like sweet warm weather!! I love it and can't wait to see if Jesse notices the new addition to our entryway.

He's been leading a trip in DC and comes home tomorrow. Yippee! I have missed him so but am proud of myself for surviving living in the house alone for a week and a bit. I can do it! I even looked forward to coming home each day. I think this is the start of a beautiful friendship.

And having my parents close enough to come over for the first dinner at our new table was so nice...

I can cook in the kitchen! Things are looking up. Now if only the temperature would follow suit.

Tuesday night

I made cowboy cookies. Usually such endeavors on school nights are reserved for my firsties, but I got home from school to find most of our cabinets painted beautiful white! My lovely mom-in-law had come over that afternoon and painted while the light was good, and even left Burdick's jellybean-shaped marzipan for Jesse and me. Hopefully I can leave a couple for Jesse for when he gets back on Sunday...that's three days away. Hm.

Anyway. As some sort of thank-you gesture I had to do something, so I hunted around for this recipe that lived on our fridge in the apartment.

The recipe was given to me by mom-in-law herself, who makes delicious everything. I didn't have margarine so I used soft butter which seemed questionable until I tried one tonight. And they were fine.