Pondelicious 2

It has been one year since we started our adventure in the Courtyard House. Here is an updated photo of our center courtyard pond. It is delicious this summer, as the plants are now settled a bit and the landscaping is finished. This is my favorite morning spot.

For details on pond building see "A Pond is Born" entry from July, 2007.

New Flat Roof At Last

After many months of battling our old ballast roof we finally have a bright and shiny new Modified Bitumen roof. The above photo shows our dining room on many occasions during the past few months. The chairs look like they are doing a line dance away from the deluge. A ballast roof is a rubber membrane that is put over the flat roof then sealed and held in place by tons of small river rock. The problem with our previous roof was that over time the sun compromised the rubber, bad repairs were made and the roof failed-big time and the leaks begin. Finding a leak on a rubber roof is problematic as the roof may have a hole many yards away from the actual point the water comes into the house. We lived 17 years with a ballast roof on our last flat roofed house-we know "leak searching".


The Calvary Arrives!


Look at the size of this truck! 5-6 workmen shoved for 2 days removing old roof and tons of rocks. The noise was unbelievable and the house shook! They loaded all of that into this handy truck.

The modified-bitumen system we had put on is a commercial application. Because our home has 2 center courtyards, one about 450 sq. feet and the other about 200 sq. feet, the application was similar to putting saran wrap and peanut butter on a donut. The new roof has asphalt build up which allowed the roofer to easily fit it around the courtyard opening.

The finish on the roof is a shiny, shiny silver, if you are ever flying over Central Illinois and see a giant silver donut, give us a wave.

Luscious Lilacs- Spring Surprises

One of the very best things about moving into a new house with an existing garden is the very first Spring. I am delighted almost everyday by a new arrival poking it's head from the ground or a fantastic bloom surprising me with radiant color.

Yesterday I was overwhelmed by the smell of my hedge of Korean lilac. The aroma drifts onto the deck and into the house. No perfume can compete with nature.

I have gardened for many, many years. As an apartment dweller my porches were cluttered with potted flowers and plants. After I graduated to houses I keep a variety of perennials, most of which I moved from one abode to the next.

While living in our previous house I lost my will to garden ( a tragic occurrence). We lived on a very busy street and the relaxation of puttering in the dirt was lost by the wind whipping semi trucks and wolf whistles (must have been blind men) that came when I worked in the yard.

I kept up the premise of being an avid garden, but the thrill was gone...

This new garden here at the Courtyard House has renewed my garden spirit. I can work without an audience, the only ones admiring me while I dig are hearty robins hoping I unearth a juicy worm. It is gardening as it should be.

It is during gardening that I am revived from life's challenges. I have the space of the outdoors, the quiet of the day and I can actually experience consecutive thoughts without interruption. At the end of the day, when my muscles are tired and I am calm I can say,

"Yes, this is good."

Blog Restart-it has been 6 months since my last post...

Here we are in May for goodness sake and my last entry was October!!! Life at the Courtyard House has been full steam ahead. I am resolving to once again enter the blog world with more misadventures.

A few weeks ago I ran into someone who said I should restart my blog...I was shocked I didn't realize that people actually read and enjoyed my crazy life!

I am including this picture of my daughter entitled "Lamphead", because it is nearly one year since it was taken...moving day!! This was how she felt on that day...she has since recovered.