Even though the spring weather turned into summer weather weeks earlier than normal, the garden is growing well.  The two strawberry beds have finished producing for the year.  To ensure another great crop next year, all the foliage is cut off...



...carefully so not to damage the crown.  Then, the soil is rejuvenated with peat and compost, and a special fertilizer is added.



The tomato cages that were assembled last year from the leftover fencing has been a beneficial addition, keeping the rambling vines orderly.



This year, we decided to use a drip irrigation system.  It will cut down on water use and get the water to the root zone on individual plantings.



For mass plantings like the strawberry beds, we're using soaker hoses.  The best part is you can put everything on a timer!

Blooms are plentiful with the hope for a huge harvest!



But these tomatoes will need lots of water to reach their juicy potential.



Peppers, too, need consistent amounts of water to produce perfect, thick skinned fruit.

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Butterflies are on the way!  Just starting to bloom, this butterfly bush in the perennial bed appears to dwarf the house.

Well, an entire spring has passed and we’ve accomplished a lot.  Although we update the notebook frequently, it’s nice to see it all in a nutshell on the “Projects” pages. 

Check out our spring projects update and see what we're doing at Kraemer House.

The lighting for the front hall and foyer is finally here!  Though not hanging yet--it’ll be a little while for that--even right out of the box...



...it is gorgeous!! 



We chose this recently debuted line of Martha Stewart Lighting with Murray Feiss that we mentioned weeks ago because the etching on the glass is a perfect match to the glass panels in the foyer doors.



The classic vintage look will appear as if it's been here forever.

Update:  The little Robins that were nesting in the climbing roses are nesting no longer.  They flew the coop a little too soon but we hope that the doting parents can protect them until they can fly away on their own.  Here’s a picture of one heading off to summer camp!

Lynn sent this link and information awhile back and I've been meaning to pass it along.  In the garden the other day, I was happy to see a fair number of honey bees and it reminded me to make this post.

Join the cause to help save the honey bees whose lives are in danger worldwide at helpthehoneybees.com.  The following information is compliments of Haagen-Dazs:

Here are a few bee facts to get you started:

1. Honey bees are responsible for pollinating one-third of all the foods we eat, including many of our favorite fruits, nuts and vegetables.

2. Alarmingly, more than 25 percent of the Western honey bee population has disappeared over the last several winters, threatening our food supply and our way of life.

3. Many of the honey bee deaths are being attributed to a mysterious threat called Colony Collapse Disorder, which causes bees to suddenly leave their hive and die. Unfortunately, not much is known about this new threat.

4. Researchers are working to find a solution to Colony Collapse Disorder, but there are ways that we can all help the honey bees today. Learn more about bees and what you can do to help at helpthehoneybees.com.

Besides the important information, the website has amazing animation.  You can even design your own bee and send your own bee-mail.



Also, check out this additional information.

The spring projects are progressing.  In this instance, "progressing" means moving along slower than we'd hoped, but moving along nonetheless!  The exterior hardscape (aka Great Wall of Reading) and landscape have come a long way and are looking great.  The new entrance from the circle drive to the front...



...now has steps!



Still some work to do, but it's an amazing transformation.



We'll eventually add some landscaping to the area between the wall and house.



The planting in the rear porch area is growing well...



...and the porch looks nice though we have not taken any time to even sit and enjoy it!  Come, sit, watch us work!



Despite the early hot weather in the area, the remaining landscape around the driveway is thriving.

The eggs in the robin's nest that we mentioned in an earlier post have hatched!  It seems like they were just laid a few days ago, but they were ready to exit their cramped quarters!  The eggs were laid one day at a time and they hatched the same way.  The first one started with just a little hole pecked through...



...until it finally broke free!



All are hatched now--eyes still closed, but mouths wide open--their downy fuzz is so cute!

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Couldn't resist one more rose picture--they have been amazing this year!

The radishes that we planted this year are called "Easter Egg" radishes.  The colors are amazing.  The “eggs” range in color from bright red...



...to bold purple...



...and even pink and white.  We’ve enjoyed them in salads and stir fry but we planted a few too many so if you have any radish recipes, send them our way!



The climbing roses that we planted on the garden fence have been a sight this year and continue to fill in.  In mass...



...or individually, a sight to enjoy!

The photo shoot for Better Homes and Gardens magazine was Thursday.  The two winning rooms for the Home Improvement Challenge were being photographed.  The process was interesting to watch and the amount of effort and work that goes into a photo shoot is amazing.  First, Brett met with the stylist, Laura Payne on Tuesday so she could see the rooms and get a feel for what she needed to prop them and make them picture perfect.  Then, the team showed up bright and early on Thursday and were there all day shooting both the first floor bathroom and studio/craft room on the third floor.  Laura Moss, the photographer is incredibly talented and the pictures will no doubt be stunning.  Pick up any home magazine and you’ll probably see her name under some beautiful photographs.

Here, Laura (on the left) and Lauren (right) discuss a shot.  



And taking the perfect shot.



Their skill, attention to detail,  and great attitude made it a pleasure to have them in our home.  Laura’s assistant, Jason, was part of the day as well, but he was so busy dealing with an incredible amount of equipment and three levels of this house, that he never stopped long enough to get in a photo.

The article and pictures should appear in the September, 2008 issue of Better Homes and Gardens magazine, out on newsstands August 19, 2008.  

Oh the anticipation!!!

If updates are few and far between, look for us in the garden!  It is flourishing.  



The strawberries are ripening by the second--we’re already getting a large colander full daily and they’ve just started!  You can see here the companion planting that was mentioned an earlier post.  In this instance, broccoli raab is planted along the side of the tomato bed.  Also, the climbing roses...



..are filling in well and are putting on an amazing display.  Recently, robins moved in, enjoying the roses (and a few strawberries!) as well. 


 

The garden is growing fast!  Blink and you miss something!  The strawberries are blushing and we expect a big crop this year.



The spinach has thrived.



The plot below shows where we’ve planted what this year.  A few things awaiting more consistently warm weather will be planted soon.  Also this year we’ve tried some companion planting--shared space to maximize the planting area.  For example, we planted broccoli raab and radishes...



...along the sides of the tomato beds.  Carrots and beets...



...are also being tried in other beds to extend their enjoyment.  A second crop of spinach has been planted and the overabundance of lettuces...



...continues...



...to amaze...



 ...and satisfy.

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Legend:

1.  pea, radish, shallot, garlic (16’ bed)
2.  onion (16’ bed)
3.  tomato--with companion plantings (16’ bed)  
4.  tomato--with companion plantings (16’ bed)
5.  squash, zucchini, hot pepper (8’ bed)
6.  strawberry (12’ bed)
7.  sweet green, red, yellow pepper, grape tomato (8’ bed)
8.  sweet green, red, yellow pepper, grape tomato (8’ bed)
9.  strawberry (12’ bed)
10. carrot, beet (8’ bed)
11. asparagus (4’ bed)
12. cucumber, hot pepper (8’ bed)
13. herbs (4’ bed)
14. spinach(4’ bed)
15. lettuce, broccoli raab, greens (8’ bed)
16. asparagus (4’ bed)
17. potato (12’ X 24’)
18. bean (6’ X 24’)
19. bean (6’ X 24’)
20. blueberry, raspberry, blackberry, rhubarb, horseradish (20’ X 24’)

to be added:
21. rose garden (22’ X 20’)
22. water garden (to be determined)
23. potting shed area (22’ X 12’/potting shed 12’ X 10’)

Part of the side and rear refurbishment, the wall is looking great.  Brick by brick...Hey, the Great Wall of China wasn’t built overnight! 

Last December, we entered the Better Homes and Gardens Home Improvement Challenge.  This contest was looking for the best home-based projects in a variety of categories.  



We put together some “before” and “after” photos, wrote an essay detailing our objectives in performing the featured work, and sent it off.  

Well, recently, (drum roll, please!!) we were thrilled to get a call from Better Homes and Gardens informing us that we’d been selected in not one but two different categories!  The first floor bathroom won the top spot in one category while the studio/craft room was selected in the organization category.  It’s truly incredible to be selected by these professionals and it’s a validation to the work we’re doing here at Kraemer House.  To be chosen out of numerous entries for this distinction is incredible and we’re excited to be a part of it.

The folks at Better Homes and Gardens will be photographing both rooms the first week of June and we’ll let you know in which issue they will appear.  The best part:  There’s a cash prize that we’ll put towards another renovation project!

So let’s see...Kraemer House has now been featured in House Beautiful (kitchen and dining room), the pantry is in This Old House this month, and now two rooms will be in Better Homes and Gardens.  What’s next?  All we can say is “wow!” and stay tuned!

You have to give it to Martha Stewart for coming up with just the right product at just the right time.  We have been looking for lighting options for the first floor hall and foyer for some time now.  We wanted something that looks and feels original to the house and we found it in Martha Stewart’s brand new lighting line with Murray Feiss.  Part of the Conservatory series, it’s 24” x 12.75”  and should work perfectly in this area. 



Even the hand blown glass is etched in a design matching the glass in the foyer doors here giving it a custom look.



It will be some time before we get them hung since we still have a lot of work to do in the area before we can paint but we'll have them when the time comes.

The June, 2008 issue of This Old House magazine is a reader generated issue and our pantry/laundry room is featured in it!  After the kitchen was completed, we had the task of creating this space by taking out the existing pantry and creating a pass through the back of the house.  Originally, the space was two separate rooms:  A pantry and a mud room.  We must have been on the right track since it was deemed the best by This Old House!  

One of our favorite magazines for renovation tips and ideas, it’s fantastic to have been selected by them for this accolade.  So, pick up a copy and check it out!

You may recall that we had to take down several diseased and dying trees when we moved here but now we’re happy to report that we have now planted more trees than we took down!  



A little late for Arbor Day but planting a tree...



...anytime is an excellent way to reduce your carbon footprint.  Planting a single tree native to your region can save about 5000 pounds of carbon dioxide each year from the atmosphere while creating oxygen.

So far, we’ve planted eight trees with plans to plant many more as our landscaping goals are accomplished.  Click here to calculate your carbon footprint.

We also completed the displacement of about 15 azaleas to the tree line at the back of the property that we had mentioned in an earlier post.

The new steps up to the house...



...that tie into a  small retaining wall that’s going in around one side of the circle drive is looking fantastic.  



Rich has meticulously designed this addition and is carefully laying brick by brick in a design all his own.  



It’s just what this plain, soulless area needs to welcome visitors of Kraemer House.  Also, this entire area is undergoing a complete change with the addition of some much needed landscaping! 

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Stay tuned for a big announcement or two, or three!!  We're not letting the cat out of the bag just yet but we’ll let you in on some exciting news soon!  

We’ve been working nonstop, trying to wrap up some projects and, of course, start new ones.  Some projects require starting new ones so, while it may seem that we’re all over the map, there’s a plan to this quiet chaos!

After working in the garden, clearing the bricks from the rear stone wall, we moved on to tearing out part of it.  Due to the placement of the Wye oak tree, part of the wall has been moving as the tree and roots have grown. 



We’ve also removed another part of the wall, right smack-dab in the middle, so we can add steps up to the garden.  The stones were cleaned and replaced, creating a sturdier wall (we still have work to do here but you get the idea!).



We moved some of the blue stone from the front walk and created a walk from the back of the house that will end at the stone wall.  These were about 2 inches thick and so heavy that we had to use the tractor to move them!



A trench was dug to run electrical and to prevent weeds from creeping in, we laid landscape cloth.  Then, sand was spread for a perfectly level walk.  This took some time, patience, and a couple of hernias, but we got it right and it looks great.



We also moved ferns...



...and hostas that were part of a shade garden to the shaded back porch area’s newly created beds.  Their original home was no longer shaded because of a tree lost this winter.  Good thing plants are portable since we’ve also moved some azaleas to the tree line at the back of the property.



We’ll post some after pictures of this project soon but here's a sneak peek!

Vacation...



Vacation at Kraemer House...



10 pallets of EP Henry products for the drive circle project.  We've chosen the Coventry line since it best matches the natural stone already on the house and around the property.

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Since we are working hard to get as much done as possible, updates may be infrequent but this one’s for you, Mr. Harry!

After a few glitches with the tractor...



...things started rolling along.  Hey Mike, wanna buy a tractor?!?

As we ease in a week of work around here, we decided to start in the garden.  We’ve been planning a water feature in the center surrounded by a rose garden.  So, we started with the basic structure of this feature.  We used the bricks that were taken up from paths around the house.  First digging a trench...



...and putting in a base of gravel.



We then dry laid roughly 2000 bricks...



... to complete this 20’ x 20’ area that is bench height.  Because the area slopes, it varies from front to back.



We also ran conduit for the electrical needs of the area.



Now, the basic hardscape is finished and we’ll finish filling in and digging out the water garden later.  For now, it’s off to other projects!

The property adjacent to Kraemer House that we recently purchased was in desperate need of a serious cleanup.  This sits at the bottom of the driveway.  Here it is before...



...and after. 



Quite a difference!  There’s still more work to do but a majority of the mess is gone.  We’ll eventually install some trees and landscaping but for now, it’s a major improvement.  We've received a lot of "thank yous" for our efforts in cleaning it up.

Here’s a nice shot of the mill chase which is part of the new property and runs along the west side of the house.

Our outdoor Spring Projects are already in full swing.  We've been talking for awhile about having a path from the back porch to the stone wall and up into the garden.  So the first step was to mark out the path...



...and remove the grass.  You can see the cuts on the stone wall where the steps up to the garden will be.  Some of this sod was relocated to some bare spots in the yard and also used to replace an area where the brick paths (mentioned in an earlier post) were.



We also plan to do some additional landscaping around the drive, so the grass had to come out here as well.



Although we had lots of sod to move, the sod cutter made the initial part almost easy!

Last week, we posted pictures of the basement shower progress.  It's now finished and getting major use since it's time to garden!



Putting the urinal...



...in the shower was a clever idea!  Did you know that the urinal was first patented in the US in 1866?



Great job, Rich!

It’s appropriate that the day was spent in the garden.  We received the soil sample results and have amended as needed.  The test indicated that in the raised beds, the soil was slightly too alkaline and we’ve added sulfur to adjust.  Organic matter, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and magnesium were all in acceptable range.  In the other garden areas, the soil was acidic which is a plus for the blueberry bushes, though showed low in potassium which will be corrected with addition of potash.  Dr. Good Earth provides an excellent service and the comprehensive analysis is loaded with valuable information.

Our new Compost Tumbler fits right in with making our little part of the earth better by adding organic matter through compost. 



It’s easy to use too.  You just load it up...



...with approximately 15 bushels of organic matter--in this case the ratio is 12 bushels of freshly cut grass to 3 bushels of shredded leaves from the fall. 



Rotate the tumbler once a day...



...and hopefully, we’ll have some superior compost in 14 days!  Check back and we’ll let you know how it turns out.

The asparagus is still shooting up and the lettuces, spinach, and asian greens are just beginning to sprout.



Strawberries are on the way too!  They’ve just started blooming.

The brick walk around the house was overgrown when we moved in and we haven’t done much with it since we moved in.



As we rethink the landscaping around the house, we’ve been taking out the brick walkway. 



Plans are in the works to re-purpose all of those bricks, but more on that in another post!  

We’ve also had the front walk taken out because, simply put, it doesn’t work or make sense with the evolving landscape.  The new front walk will, more appropriately, be positioned off of the driveway (on the left of this picture).



Believe it or not, it took 8 truck loads of rubble to clear this walkway!

Rich single-handedly installed a shower in the basement which will come in handy after those long days in the garden and for cleaning up from some of the dirtier projects around here.  It's placed in a corner where the washer and dryer once stood.



The space has been nicely tiled and features an open stall made from cedar planks and exposed copper plumbing that fits right in with the extra washer and dryer we have here in the basement.  There’s even a urinal! 



He also put in a new wash basin...



....the extra storage underneath is certain to come in handy. 

Hmmmm, let’s see...  Fridge, TV, shower, urinal...  All that’s needed is a bed, and this basement is an apartment!



A few more items on the “to do” list to complete and we’ll post some "after" pictures soon!