tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-325371332024-03-06T23:21:12.117-06:00American Four-Square RenewalA story of life and love restoring a Classic American Four-Square...Nadja and Seanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08074585425958710832noreply@blogger.comBlogger104125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537133.post-74608045166233656682009-09-18T17:45:00.015-05:002009-09-25T15:54:40.990-05:00I used to have lawn.... Now I have dinner!!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWCPH9tTkclw1FZ2gO8X41rpa1ThFZ-Vck74bJoCRZa5XjRaSbOicxYxtwS4halhNQEb2jV9jPY-lXm-FOUrnKCOlyGoNz-VF3l2oVG28rsY7JDpWGPbFdLLdVsTadyiY1KlKX/s1600-h/IMG_1569.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWCPH9tTkclw1FZ2gO8X41rpa1ThFZ-Vck74bJoCRZa5XjRaSbOicxYxtwS4halhNQEb2jV9jPY-lXm-FOUrnKCOlyGoNz-VF3l2oVG28rsY7JDpWGPbFdLLdVsTadyiY1KlKX/s200/IMG_1569.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385460974630190226" border="0" /></a>We are now nearing the end of our first season with a "lawn-less" front and side yard, where we have planted an edible landscape. The preliminary results are in- success! I have been up to my elbows in tomatoes and have so far canned salsas, pasta sauces, pizza sauce, and whole tomatoes to enjoy when winter creeps in. We have also enjoyed lettuce, fresh strawberries and raspberries, watermelon, eggplant, green beans, kidney beans, and black beans, cucumbers (and pickles), swiss chard, zucchini, red peppers, hot peppers, rhubarb, potatoes and a variety of herbs.<br /><br />This was not a small undertaking. When we planned to get rid of the lawn, I pretty much knew I would be devoting my summer to the garden. But happily. Sean and I both hate to mow, and we never got much satisfaction from are perpetually half-dead lawn. We found<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwkO7Yn9PVIxaHmBFO9HEzxXYllZvKqhZH2sKSHf2SLfn_zi2WbFQD1DZkocXCth5WeUHTulEDsqUeXa_UB08SuK9ioIPrcMa2_wj2BUvdq31aLYneqb3v2q7eDTfXnFqyJFwh/s1600-h/IMG_0725.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwkO7Yn9PVIxaHmBFO9HEzxXYllZvKqhZH2sKSHf2SLfn_zi2WbFQD1DZkocXCth5WeUHTulEDsqUeXa_UB08SuK9ioIPrcMa2_wj2BUvdq31aLYneqb3v2q7eDTfXnFqyJFwh/s200/IMG_0725.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385458471710212690" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu7M6oE-TpyuwyDIa8X0OMvfLknakQS8ZvRI2_p3vpjKoGvy5mtDNOajlh1GJLd5LlK_mVv5QMVcObJNJna4t0_48eLd2iBBWqVWhXjXvocM2zVCcKjJQXxOpc4_VuVYwoKBir/s1600-h/IMG_1784.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu7M6oE-TpyuwyDIa8X0OMvfLknakQS8ZvRI2_p3vpjKoGvy5mtDNOajlh1GJLd5LlK_mVv5QMVcObJNJna4t0_48eLd2iBBWqVWhXjXvocM2zVCcKjJQXxOpc4_VuVYwoKBir/s200/IMG_1784.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385458756500436066" border="0" /></a> no joy in walking around clumsily in our spiked aerating sandals or in spreading the (albeit organic) weed-n-feed fertilizer concoction each spring.<br /><br /><br /><br />The alternative, for us, is a labor of love. Well, and of sustenance. We have cut our grocery bill at least in half, and we are feeling really good about eating fresh, local, chemical-free food. I have no idea what this does to our carbon foot-print, but when I learned that a single head of lettuce that travels from California to my table has something like 50 times the carbon footprint of that grown in my own backyard, it was hard not to take note.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLryt5o_TOyMnKehwfkilSJIv-4FC1ov6m1GzE5CYXHKa_chUCDr5yDV7PHxSMMKXuPVjcI_k2ng9dzopjBdu1pQhIRvjD-jj4fEYPpJi7nwrwM0JM9g7PqK1CfdnVj_3_FOLz/s1600-h/IMG_0962.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLryt5o_TOyMnKehwfkilSJIv-4FC1ov6m1GzE5CYXHKa_chUCDr5yDV7PHxSMMKXuPVjcI_k2ng9dzopjBdu1pQhIRvjD-jj4fEYPpJi7nwrwM0JM9g7PqK1CfdnVj_3_FOLz/s200/IMG_0962.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385459145756884946" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgShOhxVgtpoX8p3ds6CinQ6R0Efkz4ErPBr0wBIfcT4RR3PX9_5Mra4_WCa8xtPdHv-eUTPQla5aHGolnsQKwKWoNzKaKNW6kXDbCRuSOLXfFmvbJkgR4o5VwHSJeG2t09s_g/s1600-h/IMG_1781.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgShOhxVgtpoX8p3ds6CinQ6R0Efkz4ErPBr0wBIfcT4RR3PX9_5Mra4_WCa8xtPdHv-eUTPQla5aHGolnsQKwKWoNzKaKNW6kXDbCRuSOLXfFmvbJkgR4o5VwHSJeG2t09s_g/s200/IMG_1781.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385459444266376050" border="0" /></a>We have, of course, supplemented our harvest with meats, dairy, and other things we can't find in our backyard (although much of it has come from the local co-op, which is conveniently a half-mile down the road.) We have also become more aware of nutritional values of different foods, more creative cooks, and less reliant on processed food.<br /><br />Next year's garden plan will be tweaked a bit. (I've learned I DON'T need 75 tomato plants, for instance.) Soil will be amended, bed locations changed a bit to maximize sun... and, yes, there will likely be even more garden and LESS lawn as we add even more edible space.<br /><br />Visit the <a href="http://www.garden-chick.typepad.com/" target="blank">Blue Planet Garden Blog</a> to see how others are changing their landscapes. <a href="http://www.lawnreform.org/" target="blank">Lawn Reform</a>, a collaboration of nine bloggers from around the US, is trying to reshape how we all think about law<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqHoasDAMyzH41bvL3XH9L8IvrFn54MUHNAbr1a4pUu3sQlNrymS5Oru2YUGB94kIFwwFRuxkzm4soNEKNgQ995yZcCANtEnn1opBRoIeC5aIsyzttbTkFN4RH5wV4zD-VNoEl/s1600-h/IMG_0963.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqHoasDAMyzH41bvL3XH9L8IvrFn54MUHNAbr1a4pUu3sQlNrymS5Oru2YUGB94kIFwwFRuxkzm4soNEKNgQ995yZcCANtEnn1opBRoIeC5aIsyzttbTkFN4RH5wV4zD-VNoEl/s200/IMG_0963.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385510502719123250" border="0" /></a>ns and their roles in gardens.<br /><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyGC6TM84k_NCihcUUGiihfRL9MHno49DLg-WPdSCPgNI3u1i3pvSk-tOWDiGxDEfr7Rl5lrjJ1MNhcZZdwRVsYdcDA2MGgMxS7NNTj2G0SHHl8d7burBjQx1ZMwwOFhs9SfCG/s1600-h/IMG_1780.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyGC6TM84k_NCihcUUGiihfRL9MHno49DLg-WPdSCPgNI3u1i3pvSk-tOWDiGxDEfr7Rl5lrjJ1MNhcZZdwRVsYdcDA2MGgMxS7NNTj2G0SHHl8d7burBjQx1ZMwwOFhs9SfCG/s200/IMG_1780.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385510957876125282" border="0" /></a><br /></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://feeds.feedburner.com/AmericanFour-squareRenewal</div>Nadja and Seanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08074585425958710832noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537133.post-65282549492900477552009-05-16T15:47:00.002-05:002009-05-16T15:47:00.647-05:00A "Pix-zee" peach<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibWw_EUvEtMdZDZi8Gon08ubXVUeuILG1YHuc1UY7KY_6BPi_BQfCVZCXwSsNWpWckng9y-SII_CNyyq-RirRAUxMUWWh8GDtBhDxgg9Tese6re4WRSYofxuCEBZcH9eA1GLhf/s1600-h/pix+zee.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 125px; height: 153px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibWw_EUvEtMdZDZi8Gon08ubXVUeuILG1YHuc1UY7KY_6BPi_BQfCVZCXwSsNWpWckng9y-SII_CNyyq-RirRAUxMUWWh8GDtBhDxgg9Tese6re4WRSYofxuCEBZcH9eA1GLhf/s200/pix+zee.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335785719234288722" border="0" /></a>At half-price day at the Friends School plant sale, there were some "Pix Zee" peach trees left. We decided to give it a try. The description notes that "Pix Zee" has "...delicious yellow fleshed, freestone peach with red over orange skin. It is a vigorous tree to 6’. Ripens late June. 500 hours chilling. Self-fruitful." It is genetically dwarfed, so it's great for our small yard. The master gardeners at the sale said they have heard folks in Minnesota who have had fruit from their Pix-zee. We will do some winter protection and see how it goes! I am hoping for fruit, although even if it's just ornamental, it's a cool little tree. (Note the first pic is NOT our tree, but another I found of the tree with fruit!)<div class="blogger-post-footer">http://feeds.feedburner.com/AmericanFour-squareRenewal</div>Nadja and Seanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08074585425958710832noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537133.post-11272752250563998592009-05-15T17:09:00.003-05:002009-06-04T12:18:10.836-05:00Three baby apple trees...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDIm7_sIB-QJv9QYSpEzVgosUVi284hpB6clYzaOU8kluqm9VZ7HB5qjPAy8QsHydzwDvlbVWzisbvQYjbld_DSb3AoDzjZVAiZ0ItgzoIo-7JZDT28jshPXMQYPhqxFfu1dld/s1600-h/IMG_0974.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDIm7_sIB-QJv9QYSpEzVgosUVi284hpB6clYzaOU8kluqm9VZ7HB5qjPAy8QsHydzwDvlbVWzisbvQYjbld_DSb3AoDzjZVAiZ0ItgzoIo-7JZDT28jshPXMQYPhqxFfu1dld/s200/IMG_0974.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343522933652468450" border="0" /></a>We have our apple trees!<br />Thanks to Steve at <a href="http://www.cumminsnursery.com/">Cummins Nursery</a>, we were able to get three 1-year-old dwarf "whips" that we just put in the ground. It will take 2-3 years for them to fruit, but now is the time to start training them. We have <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honeycrisp">Honeycrisp</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elstar">Elstar</a>, and <a href="http://www.apples.umn.edu/zestar/index.html">Zestar</a> apple trees to work with. For anyone loooking to espalier apple trees in their small spaces, I highly recommend Cummins Nursery- they responded to my email right away, walked me through what I needed on the phone, and then shipped the trees within a week. They are able to accommodate small orders like this and were so reasonable!<br />And they really know their apples. I may get one more... We'll see how these 3 work. They only grow 6-8 feet tall and can be spaced pretty close together, so there may be room for one more tree. They are all starting to bud!<div class="blogger-post-footer">http://feeds.feedburner.com/AmericanFour-squareRenewal</div>Nadja and Seanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08074585425958710832noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537133.post-9801007503222788892009-05-14T17:41:00.003-05:002009-05-14T17:41:01.117-05:00"Like my Uncle Joe in Oklahoma needs the rain..."<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg86NhjFJ5AiyRQqJC1f7PVk0v1rItr1JjX4ACUbmJVwQ0fKrjm9bHBYkv7ElKtvMjvFJ_ON9uDEDh7WWk0_-Ca3Meje3Fzxm9tSVpcsrDhe_ds0V9MpjrSgi0QmAEfiJT6iMHb/s1600-h/rain.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg86NhjFJ5AiyRQqJC1f7PVk0v1rItr1JjX4ACUbmJVwQ0fKrjm9bHBYkv7ElKtvMjvFJ_ON9uDEDh7WWk0_-Ca3Meje3Fzxm9tSVpcsrDhe_ds0V9MpjrSgi0QmAEfiJT6iMHb/s200/rain.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335767519936621282" border="0" /></a>We talk a lot about the weather in Minnesota. It's an especially popular topic in the office, where the building I work in is the only one that isn't connected to the others by some sort of tunnel or skyway system. The constant question when anyone walks through the door is, "How's the weather?"<br /><br />Today, when I came in from lunch, my co-worker and I had a familiar exchange:<br />She: "So, how is it out there?"<br />Me: "A little chilly still... I wish it would warm up."<br />She: "Well, at least it isn't raining!"<br /><br />Hmmm. At least it isn't raining. But wait. I needed that rain yesterday. Or, more accurately, the newly planted strawberries needed it. And chilly... well, the zucchini doesn't like the chill. It needs to warm up darn it! So I can get those tomatoes in the ground. And the cukes... they sure didn't like that wind....<br />My point: I think I have a new lens on weather.<br /><br />I think about what the plants like. I wish for what the plants need. Sun? Rain? To hell with my beach plans... what do those beans want? I'm feeling a new bond with the farmers of the world.... "Like Uncle Joe in Oklahoma needs the rain" (from a Faith Hill song called "I Need You" for those non-country fans out there.) Maybe it's a new realization on the importance of the weather on our food. Sure, we all know grapefruits in Florida don't like cold. But I think I'm starting to feel a lot of empathy for those grapefruit farmers. Warm up, damnit! But not too much... it'll fry the lettuce.<br /><br><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://feeds.feedburner.com/AmericanFour-squareRenewal</div>Nadja and Seanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08074585425958710832noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537133.post-63323178300763636292009-04-30T08:28:00.002-05:002009-05-14T15:21:39.699-05:00Another garden thing<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQuI44I5eEI9D1dZibCWR4Oo-jqX7K7zaioq2RlxqtiyVWMrjcqyyvg_inQJwU8KUpOHQYvgDuv98OwII-JfjpH2VV4nlTVigOB6B0Di4MpffY_Pst0ET91hbCSywEusUqKj7L/s1600-h/espaliered+tree.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 139px; height: 92px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQuI44I5eEI9D1dZibCWR4Oo-jqX7K7zaioq2RlxqtiyVWMrjcqyyvg_inQJwU8KUpOHQYvgDuv98OwII-JfjpH2VV4nlTVigOB6B0Di4MpffY_Pst0ET91hbCSywEusUqKj7L/s200/espaliered+tree.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335777291367989954" border="0" /></a>I have a new garden thing. I mean, another thing I want to add to the garden this year. Espalier apple trees. Yes, I had to look it up to see how to pronounce it (es-pah-lee-ay, in case you're wondering) That's basically a fancy way to say: train baby apple trees to grow in two dimensions in a very small space, say along the wall of our garage. You still get lots of good fruit, but it doesn't take up the space of a tree! <a href="http://www.motherearthnews.com/Organic-Gardening/1993-10-01/Espalier-Trees.aspx?page=5">(How to do it here.)</a><br /><br />When I asked Sean about it, he asked, appropriately, "Are you really sure you want to take another thing on in the garden this year?"<br />To which I replied, "No. But If we don't do it this year, it'll be a whole 'nother year before we have apples!!"<br /><br />Apparently, you must get apple trees that are only a year or two old (know as "whips"). They have to be young, so you can begin to train them onto the wires in two dimensions. In about three years, you have apples on them!<br /><br />Which means... yes. I am going to be doing another garden thing.<br /><br><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://feeds.feedburner.com/AmericanFour-squareRenewal</div>Nadja and Seanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08074585425958710832noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537133.post-11629251293127519412009-04-29T08:38:00.003-05:002009-04-29T09:47:14.440-05:00Seedlings to Plants<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinxMhiCqRJCftVPHHWqt4qRaxmhrMTkiGXHKmUyfDYCaeY9MXvQ8prYJ_5WK_H5kmW7aTAoNwfe0hlcd2fmssOjz8VLx0xXLvryOsVMuuam74a2u9TFLOSpg2Mrq-Vc_BfQfYr/s1600-h/IMG_0968.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinxMhiCqRJCftVPHHWqt4qRaxmhrMTkiGXHKmUyfDYCaeY9MXvQ8prYJ_5WK_H5kmW7aTAoNwfe0hlcd2fmssOjz8VLx0xXLvryOsVMuuam74a2u9TFLOSpg2Mrq-Vc_BfQfYr/s200/IMG_0968.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330123702001805890" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0bztX0_-K6n80u9MkUN_A6b9K-zSmioVsNcgr-LAdIqdsg6JrGKxthjuS9-OVyuBcIhYAIBgAZ_YAArEVz_7fDiBXl3jlNjFEfS-cDq0WslLHS9JxXSH3X_QHFaVXDgcHUggK/s1600-h/IMG_0906.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0bztX0_-K6n80u9MkUN_A6b9K-zSmioVsNcgr-LAdIqdsg6JrGKxthjuS9-OVyuBcIhYAIBgAZ_YAArEVz_7fDiBXl3jlNjFEfS-cDq0WslLHS9JxXSH3X_QHFaVXDgcHUggK/s200/IMG_0906.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330123528469615858" border="0" /></a>The seedlings have officially taken over... our house has gone from greenhouse to virtual jungle in the past weeks. The tomatoes (all 100+ of them!) had to be re-potted and are over a foot tall, and the cucumbers are getting ready to vine! I need sustained warm weather, stat, so I can get these plants in the ground! I've started hardening them off on the porch, as you can see. Hopefully by this weekend I can plant. I'm solidly in Zone 4, so our official last frost date isn't until May 15th, but I have row covers if needed. I've also been monitoring soil temp., and we have been approaching 65 degrees, which is warm enough for most of my "crops", provided we don't get a frost!<br /><br><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://feeds.feedburner.com/AmericanFour-squareRenewal</div>Nadja and Seanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08074585425958710832noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537133.post-23804526400442245182009-03-30T17:46:00.002-05:002009-04-29T16:55:18.440-05:00Soil TestingWith the preparation of so much new garden space, I learned that soil testing is a good idea. In the past, I have tested my soil with the do-it-yourself kits you can get at a hardware store. It is unclear how accurate these tests are, so this time, I am going to get the soil sampled at a professional lab... with my University Extension service.<br /><br />If you are in MN, you can find all the information you need for a soil test at <a href="http://soiltest.cfans.umn.edu/">here.</a> Each sample costs $15, and you get a reading on <a href="http://soiltest.cfans.umn.edu/methods.htm#EXTRACTABLEPHOSPHORUS">phosphorus</a>, <a href="http://soiltest.cfans.umn.edu/methods.htm#EXCHANGEABLEPOTASSIUM">potassium</a>, <a href="http://soiltest.cfans.umn.edu/methods.htm#SOILpHANDLIMEREQUIREMENT">pH and lime requirement</a>, <a href="http://soiltest.cfans.umn.edu/methods.htm#TEXTUREANDORGANICMATTER"> percent organic matter and estimated texture category</a>. They will also recommend which "crops" will grow well in your soil, or recommended amendments for what you plan to plant. Seems like a good deal to me!<br /><br />Our results came back pretty much as expected: We have alkaline soil, with a pH of about 7.0. We have a decent amount of organic matter in it, but it is recommended that we add phospate. (Phospate is the middle number in the plant nutrient breakdown you see on packages.) We also need to grow our blueberries in pots. To get our soil acidic enough to grow blueberries would require "heroic measures" in the terms of the Extension office. But, in pots, a few bags of peat moss should do the trick!<div class="blogger-post-footer">http://feeds.feedburner.com/AmericanFour-squareRenewal</div>Nadja and Seanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08074585425958710832noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537133.post-14145545425083646832009-03-27T09:23:00.000-05:002009-03-27T13:39:47.986-05:00We *heart* Natural Built Home<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCsNlKyG3q128OVyO8sFmwi0B1MpTQIiPjYA4IY_qjKgbI67m11g33RhZ1N2kisDOExCKdnDA1m_K0A03fjOURKxTj2LpDwjarZXejJoge_LX6QJotw3_ncQpSaiUp5kxrBnBy/s1600-h/nbh-logo.png"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 170px; height: 126px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCsNlKyG3q128OVyO8sFmwi0B1MpTQIiPjYA4IY_qjKgbI67m11g33RhZ1N2kisDOExCKdnDA1m_K0A03fjOURKxTj2LpDwjarZXejJoge_LX6QJotw3_ncQpSaiUp5kxrBnBy/s200/nbh-logo.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5317938111144938082" border="0" /></a>If you are looking for green building materials or resources, look no further.<a href="http://www.naturalbuilthome.com/"> Natural Built Home</a> is like a one-stop shop for the best green building materials out there. We discovered them at the <a href="http://www.livinggreen.org/index-expo.cfm">Living Green Expo</a> (which is May 2-3 this year btw) a couple of years ago, but we didn't have any projects that could utilize their products right away. So we just drooled. Me, over the mosaic recycled glass tile, Sean over the reclaimed hardwood flooring.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEXuvXuUD2HyvNqGdLvhnERuFWwKS4LAThGHRaY28ZNHvlW2Y0dvG9vwVK9fd201xgZFqoD5KcJGkJ5KSIYeNhI2i5JnUbusBl4pD0QyVqLxukQcGC3CGj-wFO5IrGc6TDWeOH/s1600-h/glass+tile.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEXuvXuUD2HyvNqGdLvhnERuFWwKS4LAThGHRaY28ZNHvlW2Y0dvG9vwVK9fd201xgZFqoD5KcJGkJ5KSIYeNhI2i5JnUbusBl4pD0QyVqLxukQcGC3CGj-wFO5IrGc6TDWeOH/s200/glass+tile.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5317938602629508114" border="0" /></a>They will work with you if you don't live in the Twin Cities, as they used to be just an e-shop. Although if you live nearby and you haven't been, you really need to go take a look.<br /><br />From the Natural Built Home website:<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:verdana,geneva;font-size:small;" >"Natural Built Home was founded in October of 2005. Our </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:verdana,geneva;font-size:small;" >mission was to create a one-stop shop for the safest and most sustainable building supplies. We initially provided these products to our customers on the world wide web through our e-commerce website. Our first brick and mortar showroom opened in Minneapolis on Earth Day in 2006."<br /><br /><br /></span><br /><br><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://feeds.feedburner.com/AmericanFour-squareRenewal</div>Nadja and Seanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08074585425958710832noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537133.post-6300083955818519352009-03-24T17:46:00.004-05:002009-03-27T13:23:55.720-05:00Is the house sinking?We have noticed some disturbing signs around the house in the past year that indicate something is amiss with the foundation or support beams. When we bought the house 2 years ago, there were normal signs of a 100-year-old house "settling" but nothing that alarmed us. Still, this last year, we have found changes... shifts... cracks where there weren't cracks before.<br />The front door is hanging more cock-eyed.<br />The dog's ball rolls toward the dining room when we set it in place in the kitchen.<br />The newly painted ceiling in the master bedroom reveals new, wider cracks along the edges of the walls, where old ones were patched and fixed.<br />There are now noticeable humps in two places where the limestone foundation holds up the house... where no sinking has occurred.<br />The laser level that Sean is so fond of indicates that there has indeed been a more dramatic shift in floor levels... it seems that the center of the house is sinking, and at a more rapid pace than anything we expected.<br />We live in an area where there is a lot of peat, so it's possible that a post has actually sunk. It just happened to one of our new fence posts- we dug it down 4 ft deep (below the frost line here), and yet it has sunk about three inches since we set it in place last year.<br />The other possibility is that the post is rotting. Apparently, this would, in fact, be better, since the footing would theoretically still be sound and we would just have to replace the post. But to really know, we have to do some basement floor destruction and dig.<br />The carpenter of the family (not me!) assures me that we can fix this. And I believe him. He knows how to do it, and he has consulted with several other carpenters who have actually done it themselves. But it's still unsettling (pun intended) to think about. I've started my reading on house-jacking, but any success stories ya'll have would make me feel a lot better!<div class="blogger-post-footer">http://feeds.feedburner.com/AmericanFour-squareRenewal</div>Nadja and Seanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08074585425958710832noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537133.post-50840129297135067022009-03-24T17:23:00.005-05:002009-03-25T10:19:19.549-05:00Seeds, Seeds, and More Seeds!!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimAkewK6q-mGi8rTkiuTU7h8l68DFIo_0C6elrPzHjzYnRxWCTScO55OZYGzwdjeE6ppc4MH3l0aQu0JV6VFl_YkNO6spR2mhI-MYrVOEYFE2dG5CXN8LYPy1-YhNuw5J4K3Hm/s1600-h/IMG_0728.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimAkewK6q-mGi8rTkiuTU7h8l68DFIo_0C6elrPzHjzYnRxWCTScO55OZYGzwdjeE6ppc4MH3l0aQu0JV6VFl_YkNO6spR2mhI-MYrVOEYFE2dG5CXN8LYPy1-YhNuw5J4K3Hm/s200/IMG_0728.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316907864460232306" border="0" /></a>I have officially gone overboard on the seed starting. I'm not sure when my madness drifted from the garden-variety seed starter to the seedling-crazed garden fiend, but I'm guessing it was somewhere between 30 and 144 tomato seedlings ago. This year, the whole yard becomes garden. (Ok, with the exception of the backyard where the doggies will continue to do their business.) We are planning a mixed edible/perennial garden in the back, front, and side yards, plus a huge swath of boulevard. Not bad for an urban city lot, eh? As I've been planning, I've found lots of help along the way. Turns out, there a ton of folks who are doing urban gardening. Yay! Here are some of my favs...<br /><br /><a href="http://www.metroblooms.org/">Metro Blooms</a><br /><a href="http://www.gardeningmatters.org/Resources/read.htm">Gardening Matters</a><br /><a href="http://www.pricoldclimate.org/our_programs">Cold Climate Permatculture Research Institute</a><br /><a href="http://www.urbanharvest.org/index.html">Urban Harvest</a><br /><br />I also checked out a lot of books, including <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Edible-Estates-Attack-Front-Lawn/dp/1933045744">Edible Estates</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Gaias-Garden-Guide-Home-Scale-Permaculture/dp/1890132527/ref=pd_bxgy_b_text_c">Gaia's Garden</a>, and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Landscaping-Fruits-Vegetables-Fred-Hagy/dp/1585671207/ref=pd_sim_b_1">Landscaping with Fruits and Vegetables</a>.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSJFtUtwYlGLKQxjnY5pOTsR93zRw5pQ2CNPq_cxs6NLLTuY79DQzdtmkJxhv_0BWGJIeGoOcL_wteA2agoVAk5geoZU8oc0KsWg09ls5k_OsJl3o0NYwoev4F50-cq36tEUDF/s1600-h/IMG_0739.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSJFtUtwYlGLKQxjnY5pOTsR93zRw5pQ2CNPq_cxs6NLLTuY79DQzdtmkJxhv_0BWGJIeGoOcL_wteA2agoVAk5geoZU8oc0KsWg09ls5k_OsJl3o0NYwoev4F50-cq36tEUDF/s200/IMG_0739.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316908279722229378" border="0" /></a><br />As for the plants, I have started: 3 kinds of tomatoes, 2 kinds of cucumbers, zucchini, broccoli, 4 kinds of peppers, oregano, 2 kinds of basil, chives, garlic chives, stevia<br /><br />Flowers: Marigolds, Alyssum, Bee Balm, Blue Butterfly Delphinum, Shasta Daisies, Lavender, and Dahlias<br /><br />In all, I have 7 trays of seedlings, with about 72 plants each. That's a whole lotta plants. But I figure what I don't have room for myself, I'll trade for other plants, or give away to neighbors to help them grow their harvest. I have used <a href="http://www.groworganic.com/item_GP075_Jiffy_Peat_Pellets__Standard.html?welcome=T&theses=4386929">Jiffy Peat pellets </a>, which I used<a href="http://four-square-renewal.blogspot.com/2008/05/fiber-pots-vs-peat-pellets.html"> last year</a> with great success. I also used seed-starting medium in 6-pack cells in trays (when I ran out of pellets!).<br /><br />We already have 2 raspberry plants and 2 blueberry plants, and I have more on the way. I also am expecting about 50 strawberry plants, 6 ligonberry bushes, and a few hops plants. (Can you say oranic beer?!) These I had to order bareroot and will come at approximately the last frost date. Which, for those not from sunny Minnesota, is May 15th. WAYYYYYY too long from now! My madness may be dangerous by then!<br /><p><br /><br /></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://feeds.feedburner.com/AmericanFour-squareRenewal</div>Nadja and Seanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08074585425958710832noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537133.post-31743245571441608712009-02-16T18:44:00.001-06:002009-02-16T18:48:40.605-06:00Brick Path Pic, finally<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifApnn7vcgGBUQOu-dY4gwbRInoPtR2bl8Edhxlcp-iD3zatbzqqkfFIDPzHfLtC0-OLgmKS3yZ5TIEk-jlvBYQYccvSqk4R5fDtPX7_l5RgiycTGdvhgH-c9u5YFL-WRbQanw/s1600-h/IMG_0311.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifApnn7vcgGBUQOu-dY4gwbRInoPtR2bl8Edhxlcp-iD3zatbzqqkfFIDPzHfLtC0-OLgmKS3yZ5TIEk-jlvBYQYccvSqk4R5fDtPX7_l5RgiycTGdvhgH-c9u5YFL-WRbQanw/s200/IMG_0311.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303561657503161282" border="0" /></a><br />I finally have a new digital camera (which I love) so I can again post pics! Here is a belated one of the new brick path. The snow finally melted enough to get a decent pic.<div class="blogger-post-footer">http://feeds.feedburner.com/AmericanFour-squareRenewal</div>Nadja and Seanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08074585425958710832noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537133.post-87093658550612503252008-12-17T17:05:00.004-06:002008-12-18T15:24:20.461-06:00Happy Holidays to Everyone!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiD9gAVVSn3QD658uQOX-Hne_C8yWZjrlp8ljbqiRLosu9wZpTN0J2L8nG74ndSHZXLUBn2Pq2MWMim8EJJWW_3CjflPHBhKeUN-U6PIFkGdx5CXg1CkVIVUtmXlbq2LMZpYC-/s1600-h/IMG_1229.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 104px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiD9gAVVSn3QD658uQOX-Hne_C8yWZjrlp8ljbqiRLosu9wZpTN0J2L8nG74ndSHZXLUBn2Pq2MWMim8EJJWW_3CjflPHBhKeUN-U6PIFkGdx5CXg1CkVIVUtmXlbq2LMZpYC-/s200/IMG_1229.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280882658349798066" border="0" /></a>In the interest of saving a tree, I'm taking the Christmas letter to the blog. The blog is, after all, where you can read about how we spent about 90% of our free time in the past year, namely in the renovation and upkeep of the house! Our big "house accomplishments" this year were finishing the basement (track back a few entries for that story), taking down 5 unhealthy trees, and putting up the new fence in the backyard. We also put in a new brick pathway in the front yard around to the side and finished the game room, although I haven't had time to blog about either of those projects just yet (check back after the new year for pics and more!)<br /><br />In non-house news, I have become an avid face-booker, while Sean remains staunchly anti-social networking sites. Facebook, as it turns out, is pretty helpful in writing a Christmas letter, because I can look back at what I've been doing to find interesting highlights. Not that anything I post to Facebook is all that interesting, but I found a few good reminders of what else we did this year...<br />* Took great trips to Puerto Vallarta (our far-away honeymoon), Lanesboro, MN (revisiting the spot where we took our "local" honeymoon), Snowbird, UT, New Orleans, LA, and, of course, ever-popular Grand Blanc, MI.<br />* Celebrated our first wedding anniversary<br />* Moved Jeremy and Teri to Rochester (More family in Minnesota! YAY!)<br />* Nursed all 3 dogs through a several-month long bout of intestinal illness (all are well now)<br />* Celebrated my baba's (grandmother's) 90th birthday with a family reunion party<br />* Celebrated my mother's retirement<br />* Mourned Michigan's pathetic football season<br />* Celebrated the results of our Presidential election<br />* Hosted our first large Thanksgiving dinner (without burning the house down)<br /><br />At the risk of using a very cliche line from every Christmas letter ever writter, we've been really busy and really blessed with good times and good fortune... In fact, until I looked back for things to write about, I'm not sure I realized just how great this year has been for just about everyone in our collective family.<br /><br />For 2009-<br />* We're keeping our fingers crossed for our jobs (as I know many others are).<br />* We hope to take a long road-trip out west, where I have never really traveled and Sean has mostly just "driven through".<br />* We're planning on *starting* the mammoth kitchen project, which includes expanding the back of the house, adding a half bath, and completely remodeling the kitchen. (That may be done in stages, and will likely be on the list for next year too!)<br />* We vow not to bring home any more dogs. <br />* We hope to have raspberries and blueberries in the garden (among other yummy edibles), if they survive this already-frigid winter!<br /><br />As always, we have lots of space, and there is always an open invitation for anyone coming to visit, or just traveling through.<br /><br />We wish much love and peace to you and your family, from all of us...<br />Nadja, Sean, Hannah, Shadow, and Maggie<div class="blogger-post-footer">http://feeds.feedburner.com/AmericanFour-squareRenewal</div>Nadja and Seanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08074585425958710832noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537133.post-79168103810248602892008-07-22T08:56:00.010-05:002008-07-22T21:41:26.488-05:00The Fence "Post" - Our most recent fav project<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihuHaGa5CK0DRMtCora_9rIgqBqDy_BVfhqXcKXXRqiPbmYeMxlhUimihMWiTnnLAITVoqsnRqjCYUUFe8K3TxS1iqMg4ftJu03UiEmh_IdrYqwPquHNIbOKmiuOqnzFQ_YRxv/s1600-h/IMG_1499.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihuHaGa5CK0DRMtCora_9rIgqBqDy_BVfhqXcKXXRqiPbmYeMxlhUimihMWiTnnLAITVoqsnRqjCYUUFe8K3TxS1iqMg4ftJu03UiEmh_IdrYqwPquHNIbOKmiuOqnzFQ_YRxv/s200/IMG_1499.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225990981420884002" border="0" /></a>We (finally) have a fence!<br /><br />Over yonder on <a href="http://www.houseblogs.net/community/comments.php?DiscussionID=1002">houseblogs.net</a>, they are having a little show-and-tell contest, sponsored by True Value Hardware: <a href="http://www.startrightstarthere.com/">www.StartRightStartHere.com</a>. So, because we love our local hardware store (and we love contests), we'll join the fun and show off the latest in our yard improvement.<br />My <a href="http://four-square-renewal.blogspot.com/2008/07/fence-post-1.html">previous post</a> talks about all they "whys" of the new fence- basically, the puppy could get out. And the old fence was ugly (see this first pic). The "hows" of the new fence are another story. As in, who knew HOW much work it is to put up a new fence?! I'll take you through our saga act by act.<br /><br />Act 1: Trying to dig 15 Fence Post Holes<br />Act 2: Trying to dig 15 Fence Post Hole Again<br />(Interlude): Angry dancing and occasional cursing<br />Act 3: Re-digging Fence Post Holes<br />Act 4: Setting posts, Putting up Fence Panels (YAY!!)<br />Finale: Happy dancing and cheering<br /><br />Act 1: Digging Fence Post Holes<br />Before we begin, there are several important things to know about our digging environment. Our house lies in what was a river valley several thousand years ago. As a result, the ground beneath our home is an unpredictable mixture of sand, clay, limestone, and a host of other "earthen" varieties. It is in this mixture that we attempt to dig.<br />We also live in Minnesota, where the frost line sits at about 42 inches. Technically, you need to dig below the frost line to prevent heaving, although in our investigation of other neighborhood fences, it is clear that many post holes are not that deep. Hmmmm. Since our city code doesn't give us a firm rule, I examine the "literature" on the subject (ie, the internet). I see suggestions to dig anywhere from 2-4 feet deep. But we want to "do it right." So, 42 inches down we plan to go.<br /><br />We begin our scene with a discussion of the best digging tool. The two-man auger is available for rent at the local hardware store, which is still open. Never having used a two-man auger before, Sean and I assume I can play the role of one of the "men" on the two-man team. (In the end, this decision would be the plan's fatal flaw.) With the 10" auger bit attached, Sean and I begin to drill our first hole. About 6 inches in, we get stuck. We lift and heave the auger out of the hole and try again. We dig further. Are stuck again. We lift and heave, and this time it is REALLY heavy. I can barely lift it. We take a break. We dig a third time, and this time, we go all the way down but stick hard. And I can't lift the thing up no matter how hard I try. The auger completely stuck, Sean and I tug, we dig away dirt and try again. Finally, a strong neighbor happens down the alley and offers to help. Between the two of them pulling with all their might and me digging it out, we manage to get the auger out.<br />We realize this is not the right tool for the job. Grrr.<br /><br />In my <a href="http://www.rd.com/17910/article17910.html">internet search</a> to find out where we went wrong, I learned 25% of all post holes end up having to be hand-dug. Interesting. I also read that using a two-man auger is a brutal, back-breaking task, even if you are pretty strong and have a lot of stamina. And... that two-men augers are virtually useless unless you are digging in regular ol' soft dirt. Ha! Why didn't we know this? (If you have never used a two-man auger before and you are thinking of it, I recommend watching any of the sometimes comical, informative demos on <a href="http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=post+hole+digger&search_type=">YouTube</a> to be sure it's the way you want to go.)<br /><br />Act 2: Trying again: Rent a Dingo.<br />This time, we got our tool of choice: <a href="http://www.toro.com/professional/sws/loaderattach/index.html">a DINGO</a>. I own no stock in Toro, have no ties to Dingo, and had never seen one before this project, so I can shamelessly recommend it for any of your post-hole digging needs. Yes, it was a bit more expensive to rent (about $240/ day with the trailer). But to operate it, you only need to be able to control a joystick and a lever... significantly saving on that back-breaking labor. Can I say it again? I LOVE the Dingo. Sean's brother, Jarame, had 15 post holes dug by lunchtime.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEaTwsd76N-h1k938kVoweOk8TJipN7nlpiNsoXpbVeTEabIP2vTou6sP1zhimq1FiK30s7j48ORzz4LdiekB-qvXscxVHvR2TVxWoIkVYaMEiRfzBw2I9OfnWrWvJ6oP0llaz/s1600-h/IMG_1488.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEaTwsd76N-h1k938kVoweOk8TJipN7nlpiNsoXpbVeTEabIP2vTou6sP1zhimq1FiK30s7j48ORzz4LdiekB-qvXscxVHvR2TVxWoIkVYaMEiRfzBw2I9OfnWrWvJ6oP0llaz/s200/IMG_1488.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225967390426665330" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Interlude:<br />With the post holes dug, we were ready to pour concrete and set posts. So we started on our merry way, making sure our layout was still accurate and everything in the right place. Was everything in the right place? No. No? NO. NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! (Angry dancing and cursing ensues.)<br /><br />Act 3: Re-digging fence post holes<br />Four of our post holes were not going to work. Old concrete for old posts beneath the ground had shifted the Dingo's path enough so the holes wouldn't work. We should have double-checked this while we still had the Dingo. But we didn't. So we began to hand-dig- We had to dig up the old concrete and relocate 4 holes. Did I mention that we did this by hand?<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHwQ2zIOO-6JO4OnO10SPeXnDGpuqVhX-aaHDDe-6dRrkozCaW2XbFHGPzXbLy1vaGHeQBrTba8SGlCTsCkm-_wg3s9If40klK_6OP-00aQ7SFlgKMLEA1EGWsAflXOgdRbu7Z/s1600-h/IMG_1494.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHwQ2zIOO-6JO4OnO10SPeXnDGpuqVhX-aaHDDe-6dRrkozCaW2XbFHGPzXbLy1vaGHeQBrTba8SGlCTsCkm-_wg3s9If40klK_6OP-00aQ7SFlgKMLEA1EGWsAflXOgdRbu7Z/s200/IMG_1494.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225967266832239906" border="0" /></a><br />Act 4: Setting posts, Hanging panels<br />Setting the posts was also a two-man (ok, one man, one woman) job, but not a back-breaking one. One of us needed to make sure the posts were plumb and get them staked, then we did the concrete pour. With the posts set in concrete, the hard part was over. Now we just had to attach the pre-made panels. It starts to look like a fence! Happy dancing and cheering begins!!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDsXCUZ_no-CUdmzBeegLOT85hz4J1jogcSdmu-xCgvBxZx2fVr0fKHxoalAcIvr7V82IFkKtzZzkQyEWdvujfVZfGYsyV0Capmfz_TF0rmdN5blOw1tvySGn3DFTeAAtfQFMB/s1600-h/IMG_1495.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDsXCUZ_no-CUdmzBeegLOT85hz4J1jogcSdmu-xCgvBxZx2fVr0fKHxoalAcIvr7V82IFkKtzZzkQyEWdvujfVZfGYsyV0Capmfz_TF0rmdN5blOw1tvySGn3DFTeAAtfQFMB/s200/IMG_1495.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225966807338157218" border="0" /></a><br />The dogs are a little confused. But we're ecstatic.<br /><br />This post was written for Houseblogs.net as part of a sweepstakes sponsored by True Value.<div class="blogger-post-footer">http://feeds.feedburner.com/AmericanFour-squareRenewal</div>Nadja and Seanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08074585425958710832noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537133.post-58264443178004018242008-07-18T15:19:00.005-05:002008-07-18T15:50:32.597-05:00The fence "post" #1So, we've been looking at replacing the old chain link fence that surrounds our entire city-corner lot for over a year. Why? Well, we quickly learned that <a href="http://four-square-renewal.blogspot.com/2007/02/puppy-pictures-and-oh-yeah-house.html">houdini-puppy</a> could make her way UNDER the fence. Then she grew big enough to jump OVER the fence. Then she found her voice and started barking at every dog (or moving biker, runner, skateboarder, etc) she could see THROUGH the fence. Then she got smart enough to use her nose to OPEN the fence. Then there's the fact that the old fence was just old and ugly.<br />So, in the name of puppy safety and owner sanity (and yard asthetics), the new fence moved up the priority list.<br /><br />Turns out, putting up a new fence requires a lot of decision-making. Height of fence. Type of material. Design of fence. Special city codes that regulate fences on corner lots....<br />To do it ourselves or have it done for us?<br />To build our own panels or buy them pre-built?<br /><br />I br<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ4HrThKe8vwB6JVb97tYyhyphenhypheneyUdNnKQ8GOfM0pjXuWWvxGr_pUO09OpMGtHJddpH-dVmyxq2UA3-yYdDL89A718ldu8-3Cnu-nlbwDTgrD7IqFO2PqD0G2T8fj8weISYdmEMd/s1600-h/lattice+top.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ4HrThKe8vwB6JVb97tYyhyphenhypheneyUdNnKQ8GOfM0pjXuWWvxGr_pUO09OpMGtHJddpH-dVmyxq2UA3-yYdDL89A718ldu8-3Cnu-nlbwDTgrD7IqFO2PqD0G2T8fj8weISYdmEMd/s200/lattice+top.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5224455217261874338" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimx37icA4ydfiYB1DbFt5lLbmDCEY-tON2dJhXZQFq5zyhmEs0gWjIfx0rpxjWCuz8np0pnjkol6HJvFUt1z2PyJakHKTmR7yhuCUv1cE_FFng1lHI4RXKHfUzru_q0eMs3qGq/s1600-h/wrough+iron.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimx37icA4ydfiYB1DbFt5lLbmDCEY-tON2dJhXZQFq5zyhmEs0gWjIfx0rpxjWCuz8np0pnjkol6HJvFUt1z2PyJakHKTmR7yhuCUv1cE_FFng1lHI4RXKHfUzru_q0eMs3qGq/s200/wrough+iron.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5224455819627810722" border="0" /></a>owsed real-live fences and pics online. Sean and I decided on a few options and then set about to get some estimate. Before shopping, we decided on a wood fence that was semi-private in the back. In the front, because of code regulations on the corner, we needed a fence that had 80% visibility. So, we were looking at aluminum fences that looked like wrought iron. I wasn't so picky about what the wood fence looked like on top-I actually preferred less diagonal lattice and more vertical decoration. But price would really help us make our decision. Because we had absolutely NO idea how much a fence could possible cost.<br /><br />And it turns out, fences cost a lot. Of course, if you have ever put up a fence, you have also probably experienced the nearly heart-stopping gasp of disbelief when the friendly fence man handed over his estimate for said new fence, including gates, hardware, post-caps, fasteners, etc.<br />Usually I don't talk too much about prices in the blog, but I think this is important folks: Fences are expensive to have installed. If you do it yourself, you can save a bundle.<br />To install about 80 feet of the lattice-top wood fence from the fence company, it would have cost about $10,000. (Yes, that's $3,500 more than our ROOF cost.) Yipes.<br />In addition, to have the 80 ft. of aluminum fence done, it was going to be about $6,500.<br /><br />After smiling and nodding while the friendly fence man explained all that was included in the costs (clean-up!), we thanked him, got into the truck, shook our heads and said, "Well, I guess we'll be doing that fence ourselves, huh?"<br /><br />So we started pricing out materials and fence panels at the local do-it-yourself stores!<br /><br />(To be continued...)<div class="blogger-post-footer">http://feeds.feedburner.com/AmericanFour-squareRenewal</div>Nadja and Seanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08074585425958710832noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537133.post-54171014166901648022008-05-30T11:41:00.004-05:002008-05-30T11:50:46.587-05:00Fiber Pots vs. Peat PelletsThe reviews are in. Peat pellets win.<br /><br />For my first adventure in sowing seeds indoors, I tried both the peat pellets and the Burpee fiber pots, thinking I'd get a chance to see which worked best for me.<br /><br />The peat pellets were a cinch. They were easy to water in their trays, most seeds sprouted, and they were easy to plant. No disease- great plants.<br /><br />I had high hopes for the fiber pots because they were a little bigger than the pellets, so I assumed the plants would be able to get a bit bigger before I needed to move them outside. This might have been true if the plants lived long enough, but many didn't.<br />The pots were easy enough to plant seeds in, but after watering, the paper fiber weakened quite a bit before they went into the ground. The plants in the fiber pots were also victims of "damping off" disease- a white, powder-like mold that is apparently pretty common in seedlings.<br />The damping off could have come as a result of over-watering, I admit. I watered both sets of seedlings at the same time, with the same amount. The fiber pots may have needed less water. But, when the damping off disease appeared, I tried to scape it off, and that's when the pots started to fall apart on me. I ended up losing about 1/2 of the tray of seedlings. :(<br /><br />I'm sticking with the peat pellets next time. They are cheaper and easier, and they provided the best results for me!<div class="blogger-post-footer">http://feeds.feedburner.com/AmericanFour-squareRenewal</div>Nadja and Seanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08074585425958710832noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537133.post-78032316134469642632008-05-30T11:09:00.001-05:002008-05-30T11:40:46.140-05:00Baking BingeOk, I'm showing off, I admit it. Sean was bored and had a baking urge. Let's just say the rewards were sweet. On the right are <a href="http://www.williams-sonoma.com/recipe/recipedetail.cfm?objectid=A929D7F4%2DEF5B%2DC641%2DD6D144696218DD44">stuffed pancakes</a>, ala <a href="http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/sku6399703/index.cfm?pkey=xsrd0m1%7C16%7C%7C%7C0%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7Cstuffed%20pancake%20pan&cm%5Fsrc=SCH">Williams Sonoma</a>. These happened to be apple-stuffed, but since then we have also made blueberry stuffed, and next on the list is <a href="http://www.williams-sonoma.com/recipe/recipedetail.cfm?objectid=AFB7E80B%2D74D9%2D4915%2D9DD8C5C5D3372FF9">chocolate-stuffed</a>. YUM!! The maple-spice cake was also decadent.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj61Iuy1Ro5hW1Lb-v3JPfCAh9IfHzweLR9fvW_911FdYkpPSMomzZoW2esAKhgXLUc29ntYPJ9m6P-rOmPiTzC9Ys8yKji8PsdeXPgEBoeSEiwRAMUzTp4TyGBsKOxS40OC3yZ/s1600-h/IMG_1328.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj61Iuy1Ro5hW1Lb-v3JPfCAh9IfHzweLR9fvW_911FdYkpPSMomzZoW2esAKhgXLUc29ntYPJ9m6P-rOmPiTzC9Ys8yKji8PsdeXPgEBoeSEiwRAMUzTp4TyGBsKOxS40OC3yZ/s200/IMG_1328.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5123158176752614722" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinMnMH2gzsKhQw6TkPHvcFZ-O26w2O6sDNjmtp_OKD0xOegvc6so_yeNlWyOW3jx6oJrbC0V-DLJiAA6HZh59HwER7_JhottjclojNiu6IZo7cvBfoNwin81MAXfCg8LuPcAJc/s1600-h/IMG_1329.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinMnMH2gzsKhQw6TkPHvcFZ-O26w2O6sDNjmtp_OKD0xOegvc6so_yeNlWyOW3jx6oJrbC0V-DLJiAA6HZh59HwER7_JhottjclojNiu6IZo7cvBfoNwin81MAXfCg8LuPcAJc/s200/IMG_1329.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5123158709328559458" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKm-ynQBA1d70pRIa83wndVJZ_pirOMS0rxZOr8rDOvGNukbcaQoGhbx-DZjAh3HXz0jJukCTvd5ozjfAUkosi8GZDdR5FeyoukchZpsQmj1kkyfZQHmVa9y4JPfureOmzTaV3/s1600-h/IMG_1334.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKm-ynQBA1d70pRIa83wndVJZ_pirOMS0rxZOr8rDOvGNukbcaQoGhbx-DZjAh3HXz0jJukCTvd5ozjfAUkosi8GZDdR5FeyoukchZpsQmj1kkyfZQHmVa9y4JPfureOmzTaV3/s200/IMG_1334.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5123158400090914130" border="0" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://feeds.feedburner.com/AmericanFour-squareRenewal</div>Nadja and Seanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08074585425958710832noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537133.post-86427687704050015012008-04-29T08:47:00.005-05:002008-04-29T13:59:07.926-05:00Obama in 30 secondsOk, I must be on a commercial kick. I know not all of my readers share my political inclinations, so please forgive me if you do not- But these are some of the best, most hopeful political commercials I have ever seen.... created not by campaigns, but by real people with a message. There were over 1,100 ads submitted for this "Create an ad contest." Anyone could enter. The prize is simply being the ad that gets shown on national TV.<br /><br />Here are the 15 terrific finalists.<br /><br />Watch the 15 finalist ads <a href="http://www.obamain30seconds.org/pc/finalists.html?id=12532-3081411-dYdWYj&done=1">here</a>. Vote with moveon.org if you are so inclined.<br /><br />(My favorites: "<a href="http://obamain30seconds.org/pc/?ad_id=1344">Playground Politics</a>" and "<a href="http://obamain30seconds.org/pc/?ad_id=1718">Purple</a>" with other notable "<a href="http://obamain30seconds.org/pc/?ad_id=1490">They Said He was Unprepared</a>")<br /><br><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://feeds.feedburner.com/AmericanFour-squareRenewal</div>Nadja and Seanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08074585425958710832noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537133.post-54895567689942140192008-04-25T16:17:00.004-05:002008-04-25T16:22:54.519-05:00I Love the Whole WorldThis commercial makes me laugh and feel warm and fuzzy all over at the same time. I had to share. If you're a Discovery Channel fan, you've seen it: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BToZCbf331c&feature=related">take a look!</a><br /><br><br /><p><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://feeds.feedburner.com/AmericanFour-squareRenewal</div>Nadja and Seanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08074585425958710832noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537133.post-48542662273138775902008-04-24T21:50:00.002-05:002008-04-24T14:18:11.760-05:00Future Bounty Harvest!<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLOKRvTY3lhXmt8vN5MpA0TyFaxlEp7GWmHr6SF1mKjVmVRoUOyHVNRCP-Xw20vj5WKYNsIV1OvW-fbh-Nh5A4OmICLRYHpmsWWlYeBQhi480MhsEojmx52tC38FBTRFf-GTB3/s1600-h/IMG_1454.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5192826404411451810" style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; float: left;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLOKRvTY3lhXmt8vN5MpA0TyFaxlEp7GWmHr6SF1mKjVmVRoUOyHVNRCP-Xw20vj5WKYNsIV1OvW-fbh-Nh5A4OmICLRYHpmsWWlYeBQhi480MhsEojmx52tC38FBTRFf-GTB3/s200/IMG_1454.JPG" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1TC4ZfayZqLq4RzLgG0aXjlJuRNGZzw5wGg4N1aR_5uFUJjZLVufymKXCduoUJYFwhymaZSWqsqtE5ejmXrwDgcbuKF7zRloPs8h5N4mu2sIpoh3WIgPUD8YBgC7Rnnb6NwHS/s1600-h/IMG_1453.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5192826129533544850" style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; float: left;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1TC4ZfayZqLq4RzLgG0aXjlJuRNGZzw5wGg4N1aR_5uFUJjZLVufymKXCduoUJYFwhymaZSWqsqtE5ejmXrwDgcbuKF7zRloPs8h5N4mu2sIpoh3WIgPUD8YBgC7Rnnb6NwHS/s200/IMG_1453.JPG" border="0" /></a>This is my first attempt at starting seeds indoors. So far, so good! I picked up 3 trays of "Jiffy" seed starting trays last weekend at Home Depot, and I had sprouting seedlings within 2 days.<br /><br />I used Burpee fiber pots for one tray and peat pellets to the others (just for variety to see what works best). The beauty of both of these is that you can plant the entire thing into the ground (you don't have to dig the plant out to disturb the roots). The fiber pots naturally decay and then provide some fertilizer. In the first pic, I have the fiber pots, from right to left: Orange trumpet vines, alyssum, red zinnias, broccoli, cilanto, and basil. I'm not sure if you are supposed to mix flowers and vegetables (I suspect that you are NOT because of different germination times, but since I felt like I was getting a late start on the indoor sowing, I did.) Any advice on this anyone?<br /><br />In the peat pellets, I have (R-L) More alyssum, and zinnias, dahlias, lavender, cucumbers, more basil, and more trumpet vines. In two other pots (not pictured) I have some corn, sunflowers, sweet peppers, and dill. I figure I have about 100 seedlings, which, if purchased at a greenhouse would be somewhere around $300. I got seeds and trays for a little over $50. They are sitting on the radiator and large west-facing windowsill in the dining room, enjoying a ton of sun and heat. They are so much fun to watch!<br /><div><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://feeds.feedburner.com/AmericanFour-squareRenewal</div>Nadja and Seanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08074585425958710832noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537133.post-89763725512387795602008-02-27T18:42:00.006-06:002008-02-27T16:05:23.945-06:00Dining Room Crown Molding<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhikOKdZhWOEWvXlpmzGL9QB4iUvYCrKj_dbOlX76fVPGlWrkW6QB2BiX2k6m2e433v44otP7wmlzK4vPD7dW4p1gSMCffj3mIUztPxIed7hSt4oZB9WcwinEK0MrQjlG60WLtj/s1600-h/IMG_1351.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhikOKdZhWOEWvXlpmzGL9QB4iUvYCrKj_dbOlX76fVPGlWrkW6QB2BiX2k6m2e433v44otP7wmlzK4vPD7dW4p1gSMCffj3mIUztPxIed7hSt4oZB9WcwinEK0MrQjlG60WLtj/s200/IMG_1351.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5127604360424973314" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9JgdVyYHHSjFDS1zHZaaQVprrwDoD3k1mtaf5x8ZrKD25MYzpIBVlBySuY3YrrjnH4edZ-YXoNSoF_lBiVQpiAoEogTRKSdvrKDvE4UmcJLx1HTtD1Xt8nDNBjTkdLkxNeuTc/s1600-h/IMG_1352.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9JgdVyYHHSjFDS1zHZaaQVprrwDoD3k1mtaf5x8ZrKD25MYzpIBVlBySuY3YrrjnH4edZ-YXoNSoF_lBiVQpiAoEogTRKSdvrKDvE4UmcJLx1HTtD1Xt8nDNBjTkdLkxNeuTc/s200/IMG_1352.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5127604248755823602" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Ok, so I'm a little behind on posting the pictures...Here is a close up view of Sean's handiwork with the dining room crown molding. I learned how a coping saw is used for this project! We got lucky with the stain- the molding and the window trim matches pretty well. Molding= brand new. Window trim= 100 years old. <a href="http://four-square-renewal.blogspot.com/2007/01/rip-dining-room-scaffold.html">Catch up on the dining room project here.</a><br /><br /><p></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://feeds.feedburner.com/AmericanFour-squareRenewal</div>Nadja and Seanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08074585425958710832noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537133.post-12904476785844754532008-02-25T20:44:00.001-06:002008-02-25T09:58:27.481-06:00Mass-Loaded Vinyl- The Final Review<div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHD7OiVm0P3Y_s6YnPNbMElR4jJz4oMIplcOhP-lLIvqNjvulOqQI0Yz0gxfS3tx3GriuqNNiwPm6P94d5kXag0IPDhC6bKbUn6n9df8m7HwJbj8Obm3AthLxgdWkkqoXnzSzS/s1600-h/IMG_1353.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHD7OiVm0P3Y_s6YnPNbMElR4jJz4oMIplcOhP-lLIvqNjvulOqQI0Yz0gxfS3tx3GriuqNNiwPm6P94d5kXag0IPDhC6bKbUn6n9df8m7HwJbj8Obm3AthLxgdWkkqoXnzSzS/s200/IMG_1353.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5127605197943596082" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHD7OiVm0P3Y_s6YnPNbMElR4jJz4oMIplcOhP-lLIvqNjvulOqQI0Yz0gxfS3tx3GriuqNNiwPm6P94d5kXag0IPDhC6bKbUn6n9df8m7HwJbj8Obm3AthLxgdWkkqoXnzSzS/s1600-h/IMG_1353.JPG"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >The </span></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHD7OiVm0P3Y_s6YnPNbMElR4jJz4oMIplcOhP-lLIvqNjvulOqQI0Yz0gxfS3tx3GriuqNNiwPm6P94d5kXag0IPDhC6bKbUn6n9df8m7HwJbj8Obm3AthLxgdWkkqoXnzSzS/s1600-h/IMG_1353.JPG"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >verdic</span></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHD7OiVm0P3Y_s6YnPNbMElR4jJz4oMIplcOhP-lLIvqNjvulOqQI0Yz0gxfS3tx3GriuqNNiwPm6P94d5kXag0IPDhC6bKbUn6n9df8m7HwJbj8Obm3AthLxgdWkkqoXnzSzS/s1600-h/IMG_1353.JPG"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >t </span></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHD7OiVm0P3Y_s6YnPNbMElR4jJz4oMIplcOhP-lLIvqNjvulOqQI0Yz0gxfS3tx3GriuqNNiwPm6P94d5kXag0IPDhC6bKbUn6n9df8m7HwJbj8Obm3AthLxgdWkkqoXnzSzS/s1600-h/IMG_1353.JPG"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >is in- we love </span></a><a href="http://four-square-renewal.blogspot.com/2007/03/sound-proofing-with-mass-loaded-vinyl.html">mass loaded vinyl</a>. It has worked SOOOO well to help reduce the sound transfer from the basement to the first floor. We now have downstairs neighbors, and we hardly ever hear them. They had a birthday party this weekend, and we could hardly tell they had company! They also report that they seldom hear us. It's heavy, it wasn't a treat to put up, but it was very worthwhile in the end. A+. See our link above for product and installation info.<br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://feeds.feedburner.com/AmericanFour-squareRenewal</div>Nadja and Seanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08074585425958710832noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537133.post-78934280547672990482008-02-22T17:27:00.000-06:002008-02-22T14:15:35.149-06:00After-Project MusingsIt is finished.<br />The basement, I mean.<br />By my last two posts, you can probably tell.<br />Now that I have had a few weeks to digest the completion, I have some thoughts I wanted to get down. Nothing earth-shattering, mind you. Mostly to remind us what this big project was like when we decide to do the next one. (And there will be a "next one"!)<br />The basement project was the first large-scale remodel project Sean and I tackled together, and probably the biggest project either one of us has worked on in our own homes.<br />In comparison, our other projects seem like cakewalks. Painting the exterior, tackling the exterior wood rot, replacing the plumbing, even replacing the dining room ceiling- seem simple. They were all relatively straightforward. See, we didn't exactly <span style="font-style: italic;">plan</span> what we were going to do in the basement. We started at the most natural place: demolition. And we figured we'd work our way from there.<br />We had some general ideas, sure... new kitchen, new lighting, new ceiling, new floors... eh, more accurately, we had a list things in our heads that had to be done, in no particular order except the obvious (like- lay the plywood before laying the laminate floor that will go on top of it). We also didn't have a clear timeline, or even a real budget. We had more of a timing and budgetary "philosophy" that went something like this: "Spend as little as possible for the best stuff we can get, bargain hunt, and finish as soon as we can without making ourselves crazy."<br />Yes, this philosophy has some pros and cons. I imagine it's a pretty common first-project philosophy. But now that we know better....<br />I'd like to do a few things differently the next time around...<br /><br />* Make a list of all the tasks we think need to be done and put them in a logical order- and not just the big, obvious tasks. Include all the little things- like mortising hinges on doors, touching up paint, touching up paint again, and set-up and clean-up. Show the list to someone to add all the things we have forgotten. (ok, we made a list for the basement. but we missed a lot of very little but time-consuming things and then wondered, "Why on earth is this taking so long? Shouldn't we be done with this yet?".) Maybe even get technilogical and put it in a Gaant chart or something.<br /><br />* Be realistic about how much time it will take to actually finish each job- including time to shop, return things, shop again to get the right things, and shop more. Then add more time. It will take more time. Especially if we are bargain-hunting- And unless we win a major lottery between now and the next project, we will be.<br /><br />* Hire people to do the things we hate. Like drywalling ceilings. Rent tools that make really hard physical projects easier on the body. Be ok letting someone else do it. Budget for it.<br /><br />* Speaking of shopping- Plan ahead for a place to put the materials we get, so they are in the most convenient place possible and we don't have to move them around.<br /><br />* Make a wishlist of all the things we could possibly want at the beginning. Even if it seems out-of-the-question. Because you never know. We never thought we'd have a nearly new stainless steel fridge in the basement, but when Sean found one for an unbelievable price, I was glad he new I would approve.<br /><br />* Schedule breaks in the timeline for sanity's sake. It's ok to spend a whole week NOT working on a project and not feel guilty about it. In fact, it's highly recommended. Adjust the timeline every time we get off track, so we don't always feel like we're playing catch-up.<br /><br />We don't know what the next project is yet- Sean has taken a several-month hiatus from anything relating to carpentry at the house. It may be the back porch/kitchen renovation/bath addition. But for now, we're not even thinking about lifting a hammer.<div class="blogger-post-footer">http://feeds.feedburner.com/AmericanFour-squareRenewal</div>Nadja and Seanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08074585425958710832noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537133.post-74072008511290589052008-02-20T21:18:00.002-06:002008-04-24T14:04:46.214-05:00MORE finished basement pics<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc4fBnwpIj8EG98CUVQPkgxvRQm0dhNlJZTB1Uo__Zmbbc43LUujw0xIEspA5B0TZ6tdK-ucEkyP-G0lw8qKnvvaDSpmhAyI6TjSzxCN3COYvfFI9ppTN7Ro-R7nMYCnkUiQLv/s1600-h/IMG_1440.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc4fBnwpIj8EG98CUVQPkgxvRQm0dhNlJZTB1Uo__Zmbbc43LUujw0xIEspA5B0TZ6tdK-ucEkyP-G0lw8qKnvvaDSpmhAyI6TjSzxCN3COYvfFI9ppTN7Ro-R7nMYCnkUiQLv/s200/IMG_1440.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5192889682164623842" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsVgLQffdq3EMNcDAWITsgtgK1D-GZZRaMFmykaBbc01ODuIGwKVj9qGf57nuBQzPCRhihNVZqv4GxF_yZzxUBMK4BeXMT1v6j_MAfKaFmTyXmfmBNwrzd6-B6Y2blh1H99zT6/s1600-h/IMG_1441.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsVgLQffdq3EMNcDAWITsgtgK1D-GZZRaMFmykaBbc01ODuIGwKVj9qGf57nuBQzPCRhihNVZqv4GxF_yZzxUBMK4BeXMT1v6j_MAfKaFmTyXmfmBNwrzd6-B6Y2blh1H99zT6/s200/IMG_1441.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5192889364337043922" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVqmqbTKzMR0tecBCG9MMq_ReaQqxePbXKjPpObi81ZhtVv7vKZGLJoFBdjEccetQhfg9sOBgSsT26pejYkTn9GdfsrNJsK0vWVmwb59a2T5cOKJukQ694eIwBWQLpfl5f9zWq/s1600-h/IMG_1433.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5169082463281492098" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVqmqbTKzMR0tecBCG9MMq_ReaQqxePbXKjPpObi81ZhtVv7vKZGLJoFBdjEccetQhfg9sOBgSsT26pejYkTn9GdfsrNJsK0vWVmwb59a2T5cOKJukQ694eIwBWQLpfl5f9zWq/s200/IMG_1433.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOkEPvk-IY1bLFgU6EPN_uQFgdFVagAiBKlhpx6Vq_peTaXvu1wQhyL7jnpRnTCBo4tdPMw0ylcLXG5lgjfLy8xwx0EAxClHSMj52HL9K-NAIo7oLBilmg6o2MGPxEqhRB2aGv/s1600-h/IMG_1446.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5169082673734889618" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOkEPvk-IY1bLFgU6EPN_uQFgdFVagAiBKlhpx6Vq_peTaXvu1wQhyL7jnpRnTCBo4tdPMw0ylcLXG5lgjfLy8xwx0EAxClHSMj52HL9K-NAIo7oLBilmg6o2MGPxEqhRB2aGv/s200/IMG_1446.JPG" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3HhhwE89ztnMElkc5jGhUMk0pFc1xPk1A_hO8MWkqzfwLqBuKrC4-fdPy7Eb8l7f0IqRnqD3mY1IFRPieRPMXjxjOeRy54qPgU0ySD9JFjAcnCFU8LzLUI3a1Q5VDYqOD7LzP/s1600-h/IMG_1432.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5169082373087178866" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3HhhwE89ztnMElkc5jGhUMk0pFc1xPk1A_hO8MWkqzfwLqBuKrC4-fdPy7Eb8l7f0IqRnqD3mY1IFRPieRPMXjxjOeRy54qPgU0ySD9JFjAcnCFU8LzLUI3a1Q5VDYqOD7LzP/s200/IMG_1432.JPG" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI8zIFjC1q5_Ubb4Y2H18gHFF5QVBK-mxRjQVFIf6_a8Bqrei_0cPX3_CUIc0NgEgakk_2D_BFxzYB0QjK56dKkiDjC0hKoiwDl1LZt-yq9WmgP0LTZ9iiLHuDtdV8T9uGK7ZA/s1600-h/IMG_1442.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5169082897073189042" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI8zIFjC1q5_Ubb4Y2H18gHFF5QVBK-mxRjQVFIf6_a8Bqrei_0cPX3_CUIc0NgEgakk_2D_BFxzYB0QjK56dKkiDjC0hKoiwDl1LZt-yq9WmgP0LTZ9iiLHuDtdV8T9uGK7ZA/s200/IMG_1442.JPG" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxE1PPC8w-HUDPZvrdoeEBud1KPF7CzgVXE1PrmpONWryz2w0Y3gw88l4JP7QP3v9h3faO-NjjwTLgeJRgULbTcmUFU02Q7uIUgfUDxfWa90OszU4IIRWD2E7sSob_M54dxG8B/s1600-h/IMG_1444.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5169082798288941218" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxE1PPC8w-HUDPZvrdoeEBud1KPF7CzgVXE1PrmpONWryz2w0Y3gw88l4JP7QP3v9h3faO-NjjwTLgeJRgULbTcmUFU02Q7uIUgfUDxfWa90OszU4IIRWD2E7sSob_M54dxG8B/s200/IMG_1444.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Here are more of the "after" pics- You can see the living space, looking into the kitchen, and the bathroom. I can't even list all the things we did... but here are a few, and how we managed to do this on a very tight budget:<br />* New floor: Water-proofing with platon underlayment, then plywood, then wood laminate ($.97 sq ft closeout special at Home Depot)<br />* New drywall ceiling w/ new lighting and MLV sound-proofing<br />* Kitchen pass-through window and counter: This used to just be a wall (counter: $25.00 misfit from Ikea!)<br />* Kitchen: New everything- lighting, cabinets, counters, appliances (Stove- $100 from Cragislist, portable dishwasher- $100 from Craigslist, stainless steel fridge: $125 from Appliance Depot- new fridge, but scratch and dent!, Cabinets, counter, and fixtures from Ikea)<br />*Bathroom: New floor (sticky laminate squares), new lighting, new ceiling, new toilet<br /><br />We got some amazing deals and figure we re-did the whole thing for $5-6K.<div class="blogger-post-footer">http://feeds.feedburner.com/AmericanFour-squareRenewal</div>Nadja and Seanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08074585425958710832noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537133.post-33876446679757696832007-10-31T23:48:00.000-05:002007-11-01T09:32:10.024-05:00Fall Harvest<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGHE6HcO5-PngvOrD-LxSE02Lv_pywpjU1COv7ikB03yMibHXR_zNIjMmuVisjV2WiMWE0oIiNtvNK9HwDlvMMNSsIoyUxE7JcjqYTp7105PE7ZjdZ_RhP_LE2ueRHPXhiBp5X/s1600-h/IMG_1345.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGHE6HcO5-PngvOrD-LxSE02Lv_pywpjU1COv7ikB03yMibHXR_zNIjMmuVisjV2WiMWE0oIiNtvNK9HwDlvMMNSsIoyUxE7JcjqYTp7105PE7ZjdZ_RhP_LE2ueRHPXhiBp5X/s200/IMG_1345.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5127605670389998658" border="0" /></a>The frost has finally come, and out ahead of it, we picked the last of our vegetable bounty. We grew the usual suspects, mostly: cherry tomatoes, heirloom tomatoes, green and orange peppers, habanero peppers, basil, dill, oregano.... All of these plants did very well. This is the third year I've done a vegetable garden, and I feel like I learn more and more every year. This year, I tried something new: baby watermelon. I LOVE watermelon, and the thought of being able to harvest them from my garden had my practically dancing when I found the plants at the garden store. I nursed the plants through the summer drought and had two baby melons growing by mid-summer. Alas, the squirrels took one out, which left me with one. And here it is. Smaller than I had hoped, not as sweet as I would have liked, but a baby watermelon from my own garden, nonetheless. So I'll try again next year!<br /><p><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGHE6HcO5-PngvOrD-LxSE02Lv_pywpjU1COv7ikB03yMibHXR_zNIjMmuVisjV2WiMWE0oIiNtvNK9HwDlvMMNSsIoyUxE7JcjqYTp7105PE7ZjdZ_RhP_LE2ueRHPXhiBp5X/s1600-h/IMG_1345.JPG"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span></span></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://feeds.feedburner.com/AmericanFour-squareRenewal</div>Nadja and Seanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08074585425958710832noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32537133.post-80011696426662631062007-10-30T23:01:00.000-05:002007-10-31T15:40:57.782-05:00House History<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNFq2Np75VEhg_bQ7Y9nGW96AzPU0LMtAx_f6SL_117y6FlUaYXih-dFhLvG-IfdAe3JMNljzxBsZzsLKcxPu-wwPYNJILrYAeI-t-N084QWOX8vLhffV2Y4GztH_DmGFt1bpm/s1600-h/IMG_1346.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNFq2Np75VEhg_bQ7Y9nGW96AzPU0LMtAx_f6SL_117y6FlUaYXih-dFhLvG-IfdAe3JMNljzxBsZzsLKcxPu-wwPYNJILrYAeI-t-N084QWOX8vLhffV2Y4GztH_DmGFt1bpm/s200/IMG_1346.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5127603501431514066" border="0" /></a>When we purchased the house, we were eager to learn as much as we could about its history. Luckily, the house had been in the same family since it had been built in 1911, and the previous owner was happy to share her stories with us. Here are some of the more interesting details:<br /><br />1) At one point, each of the upstairs bedrooms were rented out by different single women. One of them was a milliner (a hat-maker) and had the whole room decorated with hats.<br /><br />2) The house next door was built for the original owner's daughter. It stayed in the family until the current owners purchased it. How'd you like your mom to live right next door?!<br /><br />3) A late state senator was the ex-husband of the most recent previous owner, and the home hosted many DFL fundraisers and political parties.<br /><br />4) There used to be a back door to the house. In the late 1970's, they finished the back mudroom and the basement and got rid of the back door.<br /><br />5) The house has been a number of different colors, including tan, grey-blue, and pink!<br /><br />6) Upstairs in the attic, there are wires that run around one of the dormers. After much pondering about what they could have been used for, our home inspector guessed they were old antennas used with old radios back before television. Sure enough, one of the owners came up to the attic to tune in the old-time radio for entertainment. These days we joke that the men go to the garage... back then, it must have been the attic!<br />It's kind of fun to think about someone sitting up there just listening away...<br /><br />We were also able to find a copy of the original building permit from 1911 at the Ramsey County historical library!<div class="blogger-post-footer">http://feeds.feedburner.com/AmericanFour-squareRenewal</div>Nadja and Seanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08074585425958710832noreply@blogger.com2