It is finished! My Japanese-themed rear courtyard patio and landscape which the house’s main living areas open to, finally completed today! Backyard serenity starts today.
Backyard Landscape Project: Day 7
Backyard Landscape Project: Day 6
Almost done … I can almost taste the finished product! Still, some minor niggling details need to be corrected to finally call it ‘completed’.
Backyard Landscape Project: Day 5
Good progress today. A few minor details need to be addressed, but otherwise, happy with how things are coming together.
Backyard Landscape Project: Day 4
Things went much more smoothly today. Boulders placed properly after a meeting with the project site manager, additional plants delivered and installed, and now, the vision is slowly coming into focus.
Backyard Landscape Project: Day 3
New plants I selected delivered and installed. But newly placed boulders may need to be moved around.
Backyard Landscape Project: Day 2
A bit of a mess of a day. Plant, rock, stone, and boulder materials all selected and delivered without my input. A few pass muster; most will have to be returned and replaced.
Backyard Landscape Project: Day 1
Work began this week on the Japanese-themed back courtyard landscape, including a dining patio, fire pit, and lots of rocks, stones, and mossy boulders. Really excited about this one.
Media Room Window Treatment
Finally completed a long-planned home project (since move-in in late 2013): floor-to-ceiling vertical sliding panels from IKEA for the sliding door in the upstairs Media Room.
Another Boodle Night
Colleagues from the EU were in town for three weeks (work-related) so we had to go to Bonifacio in Grandview for a can’t miss boodle feast, Filipino-style.
Summer’s Bloom
First Day of Summer
The sights and smells of a freshly mowed lawn on the first day of summer.
Two Foodies
Work colleague and good friend @steve_rodia was in town from B-ham, AL so it was a good reason to get together for some good eats.
Tonkotsu Ramen
Tonight’s ramen fix courtesy of Fukuryu Ramen.
Homemade Gelato
Putting another of my Florence cooking classes to the test, I made a batch of light-as-air Fior di Latte gelato and enjoyed some with a generous drizzle of the 12-yr old Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale that I brought home from Reggio Emilia. It truly is a taste of heaven, one of life’s little luxuries!
Jiro Gets Painted!
Painters working outside the house spilled some paint in the backyard and forgot to clean it up before they packed up for the day. Of course, Jiro finds it and rolls around on it. Luckily, it was water-based paint and came off rather easily.
Handcrafted Limoncello
What was started almost 2 months ago is finally ready: bottled, labeled, chilled. Smooth, lemony, and mellow, but still with bite.
Container Herb Garden
My herbs are thriving. Photos are just 9 days apart!
Before. (5/24/19)
After. (6/2/19)
Breakfast Delights
Baked goods from Dan The Baker.
Strawberry and vanilla bean cream fruit tart with edible flowers and a ham and gruyere croissant.
Country sourdough bread.
Cooking Italian
Putting the Italian cooking classes I took in Florence to the test at home.
Bringing Back The Shine
It’s an annual process: buffing, vacuuming, and polishing the concrete floors in the house to give it that ‘brand new, wet look’ shine!
