New Man Cave Construction Update - December 2017

We're getting there. It's been a few months since I provided the last update so here we go. We are DIY'ing this project as funds provide so this is slow going but we are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.

We've begun to put the siding on, purchased from Lowe's (8.25" x 12" wood grain hardiboard) just this past week. This is cemented that has been primed and is not supposed to rot. We will paint the siding once it's in place and we decide on a color. We also added the short overhang on the front of the building and bought composite shingles to match the house. These are Tamko shingles in Weatherwood.

The highlight is the cedar shakers and the functioning window just above the overhang. For cost purposes we decided to only put the shakers on the front of the man cave and not the back. We also purchased the shakers from Lowe's, they were about $20.00 a bundle. We originally figured on 6 bundles but had to go back and get 5 more!

This is where we stand on December 7th, 2017. Cold, windy weather is moving in, we're getting our first hard freeze of the season. We will get back after this when weather allows.

Southwest Design - Painted Cow Skulls

I thought I would share these. Before we decided to rent our childhood home out, we were cleaning out the garage out back and I found these. They were painted by my mother back in the 1990's. She was an artist who loved to paint.

This was her motto and a saying she had hanging in her kitchen:

I digress.

On to the cow skulls. These skulls were covered in dust and filth from just having been hung up in the shop. I took them down and carefully washed them in the sink. I let them dry and sprayed a little clear top coat on each one to help preserve her painting.

She was big into Southwest decor in the 90's before she passed away. Everything in our house was the trend at the time!

Goodbye Summer, Hello Fall

A photo I was lucky enough to capture when my Coneflower started to bloom this past Spring.

Beautiful Imperial Moth caterpillar captured this past weekend. You'll want to full screen this one. This is the strangest thing I have seen. I can't tell which end is the face and which is the butt!

Potato Vine, always a good indication of that Fall is just around the corner.

How to Hang a Cowhide Rug

I used a large dowel which I stained beforehand. The dowel is held in place by two double horseshoe hangers. Topped off with the hubby's previous successful deer kills.

If you don't want the back of the hide to show, I previously used small binder clips to fold and tuck the  back part of the hide behind the front part of the hide. I decided to let it all hang out this time.

I think it needs some color somehow, somewhere!

Stacked Stone Mantel Decorated for Fall

Must not forget the Jesse James whiskey bottle decor!

Halloween 2017 Yard Decorations - Because It's That Time Again!

The hubster affixed Scout to the roof with some plastic clips that hold Christmas lights on your house.

Weekend DIY - Rustic Wood Coffee Table Centerpiece

A friend gave us several wood pieces that he had just laying around his woodworking shop. They've been sitting around our place for several months now. I decided last weekend to do something with them.

I lightly sanded the flat surface with my Mouse sander working with the grain, cleaned up the edges with some light grit sand paper then used a small air compressor to blow off all the dust.

I then used Rust-Oleum Zinsser Shellac to complete.

Must haves:

Raw Wood  Slices
electric sander
sand paper
2 saw horses
4 2x2's
shellac
paint brush

Finished product on my coffee table and in my bedroom. I did not spend a lot of time on these but they will do for now.

Bedroom Dresser:

This is another that is on top of my dining room table:

Growing Avocado from the Pit - An Accident

What a wonderful surprise this was. Hubby stated it was time to turn the composting pile but before he started I wanted to pull a long stem sticking up out of the bin. I reached in to grab it without thinking and pulled this out. I would never have known or believed what it was had the seed not still been attached.

That day as I threw it in the compost pile, I do remember telling myself after I made guacamole "I sure wish I would see this grow"! I tried  really hard to grow the other seed that day in my window sill without success. It grew a root but never developed the top like this one did.

I quickly threw some compost in a 5-gallon bucket and it lived.

It still lives today and has gotten a little bigger. Can't wait to see if I can grow avocados from it.

In-ground Storm Cellar Decorating Idea

We had our storm cellar put in around Summer of 2016. I'm Choctaw, so we got it for free! We tried to spruce it up using layers of retaining blocks but it still didn't look right. The rains would come and just wash the sand and soil over the blocks and we were constantly having to sweep off the block. Sand is not easy to clean off after it rains.

So this Summer we decided to add some better soil and use metal landscaping edging to add two planting layers around the cellar. We dug around the circumference of the cellar and installed the edging.

It looks much better and easier to maintain.

Before, sad, lifeless and just plain ugly if we're being honest:

After photos:

How I Grow My Lawn with Other People's Grass

We live in a neighborhood full of retirees who are very particular about their gardens. There are a few though who are in bad health and simply cannot take care of their lawns the way they want to. Sometimes in the evening, when I think about it, I will walk over to a couple of houses and pull St. Augustine runners out of the road where it seems to like to grow. I take it home and soak it in water for a few days and then replant it in my lawn when I have time. It does well here in our soil which is mostly sand and surprisingly it really likes the shade of our oaks.


St. Augustine growing into the gravel road in our neighborhood:

These are photos showing newly planted runners in a bare area next to our storm cellar, water, water, water:

Here are some runners we planted last year. As you can see, they are taking off and filling in the bare spots. In another year or two we should have a full lawn in this area.

Update on the New Man Cave as of September 17, 2017

We now have a composite shingle roof, roof trim, four windows and a steel side door. With the addition of two overhead doors, we will then be in the dry. It's all slow but sure when you DIY it and you have a regular 9-5 too.