Bluestone

The lower bluestone landing is almost completed and the upper stair treads are in place. The landing is not big enough for a cafe table, but there is a sense of openness/space that our old stoop lacked.

We tried out the sitting wall and decided it was pretty neat.

Sunshine

We had beautiful weather this weekend, sunny but not too hot. Cooper and Otis spent hours on the deck.

Even after spending all morning outside, Cooper did not want to come back in.   I thought the hard deck would bother Coop's hips, but he did not seem to mind.

Getting Closer

If the weather is nice next week, the walkway should finally be completed.

The 3 sets of stairs have been constructed and the bluestone treads are sitting in the driveway. Some grading needs to be done and then the bluestone  pathway will be installed.

Our latest project has attracted some neighborhood interest. Not that this is surprising - between the chiseling and cutting of the stone with a saw, there is quite a racket coming from our home.

Happy Mother's Day !

Cooper and Otis send  kisses to their Maine Moms; Linda P, Linda F, and Bobbi !

We send good wishes to all the Moms who are reading this blog.

Missing Peonies

I love peonies. Last year I was lucky enough to get some of these plants to bloom and enjoyed having the flowers brighten the house.

Unfortunately, most of the peonies were in the path of our new walkway and were destroyed. I will miss having these beautiful flowers in our home this spring. I have never seen cut peonies sold at a store.

One of our neighbors has gorgeous peonies. I am sure every morning when we walk by, I will be wishing I had my scissors with me.

Up Close

When we were interviewing landscape companies, we were warned that our walkway would contain A LOT of stone. We were told that it might take a while to get used to the new look and that we should live with the walkway for several months before landscaping.

I think that the stone wall is beautiful. Up close,  I can see the intricate details. I am still amazed how the mason made all the pieces fit together.  We may eventually add some slight landscaping, but I do not want to hide this creation.

Movin' On Up

Congratulations to Jeff on moving up to a Class B ranking in the NSCA (National Sporting Clays Association).

Stairs

The first set of stairs have been installed in our new walkway. If you look closely at the top step you will see the light is embedded in the stone.

The Belgian block is now in place. The Belgian block is to protect the stone, in case someone gets too close to the edge of the driveway.

And this is what the complete project looks like.  The vertical stone work is complete, so it should not take long to install the blue stone pathway.

Coyotes

There was an article in our local paper that said a coyote has been spotted snarling at a medium sized dog. I know that coyotes often attack small dogs and cats, but thought they would stay away from  from larger animals. The article advised that if you see a coyote to keep your dog calm.

I could not help but laugh at that comment. We often see coyotes on our walks and Cooper and Otis bark long and loud. If a squirrel running by drives them into a frenzy, you can imagine the response a coyote evokes.

I have never been threatened by a coyote. Perhaps a single coyote is hesitant to approach two dogs. Tiny Coop might look like a tasty snack, but Oti's large frame and 80 lbs of muscle may make the coyote think twice.

Bad Dreams

Cooper was stretched out on the bed sleeping. Otis was sleeping on the bedroom floor. Cooper began to cry, sharp painful yelps.  These were not whimpers of excitement that Coop sometimes makes when dreaming.

Otis heard the noise, sprang up and raced over to the bed. Otis then gave Coop a nudge with his nose and the crying stopped. Otis waited a few seconds to make  sure Coop was ok and then laid back down to sleep.

Coop may be the Alpha, but Otis is very protective of his smaller brother.

Slowly

The walkway will NOT be completed next week. The rain storms are keeping work to a minimum and the stairs have not been started. The first walkway light is installed and the pile of sand is much smaller. We are slowly creeping towards completion.

I wanted the lower landing to have a sitting wall. This means that the inside wall must be smooth (even). For this to work, the stone cutting and fitting must be precise. It takes hours for a few stones to be installed. I think that the stone work is beautiful.

Spring Flowers

We have a beautiful array of spring flowers brightening our home.

Morning Walk

 Cooper and Otis wanted to stop and smell the flowers on their morning walk.

Aren't these two beautiful dogs ?

Dutch Iris

When I saw these Dutch Iris I could not resist buying them. Their purple color reminds me of Jake, our first Golden Retriever. For 9 years, Jake proudly wore his purple Neuse Golden Retriever Rescue collar.

Jake was a sweet, gentle dog who never was able to forget the early years of abuse. The scars on Jake's body were mirrored in his sorrowful eyes. Time does not heal all wounds and Jake's rescue came two years too late.

 

Happy Birthday JJ. We still miss you. Danny, Cooper and Otis joined our family because of the wonderful times we shared with you, our first rescue dog.

Next Steps

Work on the stairs will begin this week. We are having lights embedded into some of the steps, so visitors can find their way to our door.

I can't wait to see what the finished product will look like. Right now I see a jumble of rocks and dirt as our paper design slowly becomes reality.

Bunny House

 

I believe that the Easter Bunny lives in a sugary house like this one. This incredibly cute and delicious cake came from Audrey's Fine Baked Goods, Sayville, NY.

One glance at this cake and I was hooked. So much for eating fewer sweets.

Without a doubt. Audrey's is the best bakery on Long Island! Their holiday cookies are to die for. I always hope that some will appear on the dessert table and they usually do.

Happy Easter!

We wish you a very happy Easter!

The Easter bunny hopped thru Wilton and left a basket of Lindt bunnies and truffles. The Easter Bunny always knows my favorite sweets.

Half Way

Week 2 of the walkway construction has come to an end. The project is half way finished. You can barely see the old concrete stoop. I think the stone wall adds character to the house.

Hugs

When Otis gets petted, he likes to lean into you. Our trainer says that  Otis is trying to dominate you, which is not a good thing.


We were walking the dogs and a young girl came running over with her mother following behind. Jeff asked if she would like to pet Otis. The girl  said yes and walked up to Otis.  As the girl petted Otis, he licked her face and she squealed in delight. After a minute or two, Otis began to lean against the girl. Eighty pounds of muscle resting against a 30  pound child.

The girl immediately picked up on Oti's behavior and said, "Mom, he's hugging me". The girl then laughed and said, "the dog is giving hugs".

I never thought of Otis as a hugger. I smiled at the thought of doggie hugs. Children really do see the world differently than adults.

Easter Lily

This beautiful lily came from Costco. Costco's plants are high quality at a fair price.