Tag: garden

Going Home to our first New York Summer in the new place!

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Can’t wait!

We will be leaving Florida on Saturday. I cannot believe how long it’s been since posting here. We have a new buddy for Schuyler. His name is Jamie and he’s quite the rascal! I’m a little worried about the car and hotel room when we travel this weekend.

As always, these last two weeks in Florida are bittersweet. I don’t want to leave but I do want to go home for the summer. I find myself watching home design shows and thumbing through my design books. I’m always on the hunt for inspiration. But I am embracing the slow motion school of design. I really rather be underdone than overdone!

Going through my photos, I’m frustrated not to have enough new ones to share.

When Carmine was home last, he took this photo of the pool house cupola with the light working. I haven’t seen it in person yet. But since this is a bit of an homage to my backyard, I’m glad to have it.

We haven’t had a summer here yet, so I am adding winter and fall photos for the heck of it.

This one is good. The pool is closed of course, as is the cabana. I haven’t even begun to address the cabana yet. That will be the first project when I get home. I want to place a fire pit in front of those doors and surround it with seating. Wood burning of course!

This is the other place I’m yearning to dress. Back porch. I’m hoping for breakfasts, suppers with friends, a comfy chair for reading in the shade. Naturally, tons of flowers.

Hiding behind the hydrangeas is a small summer kitchen. I say parties large and small this summer need to be planned.

Random shot of a chocolate martini last summer at one of our local regular spots, “Fat Fish on the Bay.” I haven’t even begun to keep refining my own variation of this called, “Starry, Starry Nights”. I love a chocolate martini, especially in the summer.

Looking forward to dining on the bay at another favorite hangout, “Tres Palms.”

And finally, enjoying sunsets over the bay from the master bedroom balcony.

Busy

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Filtered sun on October flowers

I haven’t been keeping up here, so this is just an exercise in discipline. Be back for more October stuff later.

We lost our beloved Spencer two weeks ago.

Spencer on Fire Island. I love this photo.

The hunt is on for a buddy for Schuyler. Those updates will be shared.

Enjoy this lovely weather we are having in the northeast.

And the projects are piling up

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I know it’s Wednesday, not Monday, but I’m starting my project list. I do hope to break it all down into manageable jobs. I decided one inside task and one outside. I need an outside one because the weather has been too good to miss.

I’m still coughing so I will cut myself some slack!

Boxes
More boxes
The vegetable garden and shed area
Oh the weeds and the overgrowth
Going to start by weeding the raised bed and clipping back the peonies as they are finished for this year

Hopefully, I will get the get the raised beds weeded , composted and started this week. The sunniest beds are for my culinary herbs, some lavender, and tomatoes. Until I get the overgrown hedges clipped ( not by me!) I think the back shadier box I will give over to flowers that can take a little less sun. I’m not going crazy this year with too many veggies although I may try some cucumber.

Stopped at Young’s Farm and got some beautiful rhubarb and tomatoes. Hoping to create something fun like a fool, a crisp, or even just stew it. The color is glorious.

Gorgeous rhubarb, tomatoes, and a little blueberry pound loaf from the farmstand!

Hopefully I can show progress soon!

And we are back….

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Accompanied by a bad cold. We’ve been home a week already. Yesterday I finally felt caught up to myself. And such a shame, because I missed a week of really glorious weather. Naturally it rained yesterday morning. The rest of the day was great. We even went to Nick’s on the Bay for an early dinner and ate outside. Next time I will take photos. Good food and great bay and marina views.

The hydrangeas have begun to bloom! I snipped a few in their burgeoning honor.

The first hydrangeas in the kitchen window.

I’m really enjoying morning tea in the conservatory, just watching the weather and the water. And of course the flowers.

The rain makes a pleasant softness to the windowpanes.

Just before we came home, we had the entire house, garage, and flower shed power washed. I was so surprised by the shingle color change! From dark gray to a rather light beige. My husband likes it but I confess that I look forward to the salt doing its job and turning them silver.

Yes, my feet!

So we are here with masses to do. I still have boxes of books to sort through and shelve. Still rooms to be painted. A tree to take down. Patio furniture to buy. Thinking about a big open house the week after the Fourth of July!

In the final days

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This Friday is the closing. We were at the house on Thursday to inspect the pool. Unfortunately, the sellers had not recently serviced the pool! So the inspection was incomplete. It’s now getting cold and we need that pool closed and we don’t know if everything works properly. Grrr!

On the upside, the sellers have removed all their patio furniture. The garden is rather shaggy and needs pruning, but I have some clean shots of the house. I’m really happy with the space and look. When we get patio furniture, I’m looking for the classic Hamptons to Maine style: lots of teak, cedar, wicker! I am excited about our new backyard.

Just some photos from Thursday.

That’s it for today. If we get back to the house before the closing, I will try to share some front yard photos.

The wonder of it.

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This will be the last official “Cove House” post. On Wednesday evening we listed this house officially for sale. Thursday morning we had two showings booked for Thursday afternoon. During the second showing, the first appointment submitted an offer. This morning we accepted it. So it’s official. We are on contract for the new house. We have an inspection here on Sunday because our buyers do not want to lose this house. I expect the Cove House will be in contract early this week. Talk about “one and done”!!!

So now it’s time to rename this blog. I am still thinking “Bella Blu by the Bay” in order to honor my farm. Of course, there isn’t any blue in the new house. Yet.

But I’m feeling I can begin to share photos of the new house. And share design thoughts. Not sure if I can share many photos during the interim as I only have a limited number. But I will see what I can do.

The fire pit. Loving the roses!

We are doing it again.

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It’s hardly a surprise to type this but on Friday we went on contract for what I’m privately calling Bella Blu by the Bay. We’ve met with our brokers to list the Cove House and have spent a whirlwind week doing the new house inspection, getting in touch with our attorney, staging this house for photos and chivvying the landscaper to get the curb appeal improved. We even painted the garage.

The Cove House living room staged. We edited drastically.

I’m feeling comfortable about beginning to share pictures of the new house. I’m rethinking the name for the blog as I have posted in an earlier post. Right now “We are having an adventure “ seems a likely title.

But I will treat you to another peak.

A view from behind the garage
A peak at the kitchen and the breakfast room beyond.

Certain to have more to share soon!

And we took two more steps…

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On the dock

We offered on the house by the bay this week and the offer was accepted. Yesterday, we did the inspection. Today we put the Cove House on the market. Yeah, we really did.

The villages and hamlets that encircle the Great South Bay on Long Island all have rivers and man made canals where homes have been built for residents to boat and fish from. So the above picture is a good example of what the homes that hug the bay offer. Depending on the length of the canal you are on the bay in less than a minute by boat. And many canals offer deep water for larger craft. But you can kayak and paddle board safely right off your backyard as well. I’ve noticed that on the South Shore motor boats definitely preferred. But there are plenty of sailboats as well. I love the beauty of the sailboats. As you drive up and down the canal neighborhoods and pass by the marinas it astounds you just how many people have boats!

Once we are on contract I will share more photos. But here’s one more tease.

I am considering a new new name for this blog. The front runner is “Bella Blu by the Bay” in honor of my farm that I sold this year. But we will see.