Critters

I love living alone. I really really do. But sometimes, it a little bit sucks that there's no one to share the dirty work with.

For instance, I don't really like being the one to clear away the spider webs across the doorways every morning (usually with my face). I don't like being the only attempting to catch mice, and feeling like I'm outnumbered by little furry things. I really don't like when I have to seal up the skunk's nest under my porch late at night.

And I hate taking out the trash. One day I went to throw away a bag, and the cart was tipped over. As soon as I tipped it up I saw the tail.

I was pretty sure I was about to get in a fight with an angry, hungry squirrel.

Nope. Just some poor sucker who pinched himself to death trying to get at my trash. 

Once I got past the grossness (and found a stick to flip him off the edge), I couldn't stop laughing. I may have to deal with all the annoying gross moments, but I also get to be a part of all the hilariously gross moments. 

Who deals with the gross stuff at your house?

Confession: I didn't plant a garden this year.

For some reason, I thought I could accomplish all my hopes for my life in one year. I got a great job right out of college, I found my own place, I made it welcoming and beautiful, I planted bulbs that bloomed beautifully, I transferred my church membership and integrated more fully into my church as an adult, I ate minimal amounts of meat, I supported local businesses, I built new and exciting friendships, and I started getting more comfortable with my new, post-college identity.

But one of my expectations for grown up living was that I would grow my own vegetables. And I thought I would rock at it on the first try.

Look at that confidence. Having taken a class on urban agriculture, coming from a long line of farmers and gardeners, and feeling somewhat settled in my neighborhood, I felt that a huge garden would be easy.

So I ordered seeds (heirloom, since they're the coolest colors, best tasting, and are less boring than the stuff you find in grocery stores) and mapped out my garden.

How to get a table off craigslist and into your home.

I have a new dining room table! I'm so excited about it. I had been watching craigslist for many months, waiting for something great to come along. Every time I considered a table I was worried about a few things:

• the wood might clash with the many other wood colors in the house
• it might not fit through the door
• it could be too big for my next living space
• it could be too big for one person! I didn't want to eat alone at a table for 12.
• I didn't have a way to transport big furniture
• I didn't want to spend more than $160

I already had the kitchen table my parents had used in their first house, so I wasn't desperate. But I definitely didn't feel comfortable having big groups over for meals or game nights. Remember how small that table was in that big room?

So sad and empty. Adding paint and a rug helped, but the table was still just too small for any real entertaining.

Finally I found a great piece on craigslist. It's a teak top with a really beautiful grain and metal legs. The owners had cut it to fit their new space, leaving a large square and a smaller addition. 

Porch update

I have this kind of ugly porch. Actually, it's really ugly. For almost a full year I did nothing with this porch except make bubbles.

It was perfect for blowing bubbles, but looked pretty bleak once we were done.

I started thinking about what I wanted on the porch. I set up a little fish pond with lily pads, water lettuce, and mint. There are two cute goldfish who hang out there.

I started collecting pots from thrift stores and garage sales.

That square thing is a Glade citronella candle that smells like vanilla lavender. It's perfect for keeping the bugs away at night without smelling gross.

Purple basil, oregano, lavender, snapdragons.

I didn't get a good picture of it, but I got a double papasan chair from a friends' garage sale. It's fuzzy and comfy, and fits two people very comfortably. 

I couldn't pass up this cute shoe at a thrift store.

Disclaimer: 3 weeks after these pictures were taken most of the plants and one goldfish died. The boyfriend, however, is thriving.

New paint!

This happened a while ago, but my house got some new paint! The guest room and hallway/stairwell, which were in terrible shape and feature an ugly cottage cheese texture, finally got the new look they were promised.

The hallway is a little warmer and sleeker, and all of the stains are covered!

Updated pillows for summer

When I first moved in, I was looking for warmth and comfort. I whipped out a bunch of throw pillows for the living room in an attempt to make it feel homey and lived-in. Some of the fabrics I used were great for the fall and winter, but by spring I wanted an update.

I didn't want to make more pillows, though, so slipcovers were a natural choice. I picked up these napkins at Goodwill for $.50 and they matched my furniture perfectly. 

30 minutes later I had two finished pillow covers. They're bright enough to lighten the room, but they're not drastically different from the other patterns and textures already there. Pretty easy!

Bulbs

My yard is seriously boring and seems to be incapable of growing anything. So, just to spite it, I picked up some bulbs on clearance in the fall.

My daffodils looked a little dopey when they first came up, but then the tulips came out in full force.

They added some nice color to the yard, but they really shone in vases inside. 

Gorgeous. My kitchen looked like this for weeks.

How could anyone be crabby when there are red tulips around?