Silly us!! We thought that moving into a newly constructed house we would be out of the remodelling business!! Well, it's not exactly "remodelling" but more finishing which seems to go on and on. After almost two years, the hot tub is finally enclosed and up and running once again. Of course, it is now the rainy season and planning a sit is tricky between claps of thunder and flashes of lightening! However, when it all comes together we are really enjoying the soak!
The kitties have lost a favorite hiding place but we sure like the way it looks much better! Sorry kitties!!
Now that the hot tub is looking good and working well the next project was to regain our view! We definitely live in a place where everything grows rapidly!
Not a fun job but one that needs doing quite often here. In addition to trimming trees and bushes to restore our view we, Don rather, has also been pruning our orange trees. They have ceased producing oranges and we were told they needed to be "stressed"! If only being stressed would make me produce more I'd be quite productive!! lol
Please don't fall!!
Last rainy season we had Jose help us build a Talapia Pond. Probably not the best time to build with cement and concrete blocks with all that rain, however, the job was completed. Now we just need to locate the Talapia to fill it.
What a mess!
It was definitely a mess but, it seems, no matter what you try to do outside in the rainy season it's a messy project!
The Talapia Pond is complete! Except it does needs some landscaping, a pump and some water plants to make it look less like a concrete box! And, of course, Talapia!
In the background Don is putting up a wire mesh wall where we can grow vines that I have wanted to plant for quite some time. In addition it will cut down on some of the wind that comes from that direction.
This is one of the vines we want to grow. It's called Blue Sky or Blue Trumpet Vine. I've loved it ever since moving here and am very excited to have a place to grow it at DoSha.
It also comes in white.
Don also created this wall for another of our flowers to grow on. The lattice work was given to us by Milt and Jane--thanks Milt & Jane--and we've put it to good use! This flower is called Yellow Trumpet or Golden Alamanda.
Don also created a little Wimsey for our Island Garden.
We now know exactly how far away we are from our children and grandchildren! Too far!!!
In Costa Rica everything metal rusts and therefore needs to be sanded, primed and repainted. Our gate was looking pretty sad and Don did a super job making it look better than new. He also painted the DoSha in a different color as a number of people mentioned they didn't notice it when looking for our place.
I had painted the pillars earlier so our entryway is looking pretty spiffy!
Our friend Carre, who is one of our newest neighbors, has been supplying me with Spent Grains. She is friends with a Beer Brewer in Palmares and the grains left over from making beer are called Spent Grains. They arrive wet and need to be dried! When the sun is shining the hot tub turned out to be the perfect place to lay them out for drying. If no sun, the oven works! Once dried they can be easily stored. I've been using them to make bread, granola, and can add them to just about anything. They have a bit of a sweet flavor and add protein and fiber to whatever I make.
Last year at the end of May and beginning of June we had a bumper crop of Mangas that we were lucky enough to share with some of our children and grandchildren who came to visit. More on their visits in another blog. Anyway, we had Mango Popsicle, Mango Gluten Free Pies, Mango Drinks of all kinds and just plain Mango.
We are hoping to have lots this year as they freeze well for cooking and drinking!
We are getting pineapples pretty regularly and I keep planting. We are waiting for three that are just about ready to pick and we hope to get to them before the Agouti!
This is an Agouti! We have a number of them living at DoSha and they are not very shy. The cats just sit and stare at them and they love my pineapples!
These are Mora Berries and they are starting to ripen. We love eating them right off the bush and, if there are enough left, I make jam. They are a bit like Blackberries or Mulberries.
With two sets of grandkids coming to visit and only one extra bedroom, Don got busy and made a wonderful set of bunk beds that sit in the Studio. I created some mattresses and bed covers and we were ready and excited for our little visitors!
Don also made custom shelving and rods for our closet! Yahoo more boxes gone!! Our closet is huge and, now that Don has worked his magic, it is very useful. There is still work to be don--shoe racks and another long hanging area but it is already 100% better!!!
You will notice I have had NO problem filling up every shelf and rod!!
In addition to our own projects, we also worked on some projects with our friends Martin and Marie-Dominic who also live in Berlin!
Marie-Dominic and I made new covers for some outdoor chairs and a table that needed some help!
They came out beautiful and I loved having Marie-Dominic working in the studio with me. I've missed having friends to sew with and it was a fun time!
Once they took their furniture home Pina, their adorable kitten, decided that it was a perfect place to sleep. We also made the table cover just above Pina! Good night Pina!
Don and Martin's project was to add a hand rail to the stairway leading to their house! Nice job guys!
A couple beers helped complete the project!
Quilting has kept me pretty busy lately. I'm hoping to sell some but not sure there is a market here. I will keep trying because I love creating them, especially during rainy season!
Living Room.
Entry with the Bell Tower up above!
