Updated Screened Porch

Our house is 30 years old (we built it in '92) and through the years we have tried to keep it updated with various improvements. One improvement we have long dreamed about has now been realized - we have enclosed our screened-in porch.

Originally, there was no porch. In the late '90s we added a cement pad and were satisfied with that for a time. 

In '03 we added walls, two doors and screens all around. Perfection! We really loved this space. For 20 years now, we've had our morning coffee out here, enjoyed evening suppers, watched countless sunsets, all the perks of having a screened porch in a secluded, somewhat wooded hideaway.

After a time, we began dreaming of using this space year-round and knew that would be a costly upgrade. Would we be disciplined enough to save for such an improvement? The answer is YES! We now have our 4-season porch and it will be just as enjoyable as ever.

Two new storm doors and 13 windows have now made this porch into an air-tight and bug-proof (we hope!) room that has basically become and extension of our family room. When the weather is pleasant, we will open all the windows and enjoy all of nature's breezes and sounds. When too hot or too cold, we can close the windows and allow the house's heating/cooling to keep the room comfortable. 

The door above leads into the back yard, taking us past the bird feeder and the fountain. Here's what the previous door looked like. It had long outlived its usefulness as a door with all its warped and worn sadness.

With most of the furniture moved out of the way for the workers, we realized just how spacious this porch is. We will continue using the same furniture and upgrade the cushions for now. 

Before; looking into back yard.

During; workers installing windows on back!

Finished!

The next job (we're never done as homeowners, are we?) is to put down a nicer floor. This painted cement floor was done about the same time as the screens went in and the wear is showing. Peeling paint, especially where we walk, is unsightly, but will have to stay for awhile longer.

Porch front door; we enter here from the driveway.

And now a couple of pics with the construction cleaned up and our furniture returned. We did spring for a new, larger rug in the hope of covering some of the floor's unsightliness. Hmmmm, not entirely, but it will do.

So, in the last post I mentioned that DH and I were off to Hocking Hills for a short adventure. Well, friends, sometimes these just don't work out. I got some sort of stomach bug the first night, was indisposed all night long, and we drove home - not even 24 hours into our stay. I have slept most of the last 36 hours, and finally about an hour ago had toast with coffee. We forgot our swimsuits on the deck - the only thing we really got to enjoy at the AirBnB was the hot tub. We had planned a hike and a drive for yesterday, but it just wasn't to be. Here's a pic of the rental - it's a home made out of two storage containers. Small and tight, but I'm sure it has potential for younger guests than us! Ha! We older folks like our creature comforts!

This house was every bit as secluded as it looks. We saw deer and had a virtual symphony of birdsong. It completely epitomizes the feel of Hocking Hills. For anyone interested in renting a storage container home, they are listed on AirBnb. I believe they have five with another in the works.

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Taking a Drive

In the last post I mentioned something about "a substantial amount of running around" which seriously bites into my sewing and quilting time.

Yet, I admit when it's my DH who suggests taking a drive, I face the temptation of begging off because so much has to be done. Shame on me! We so enjoy a pleasant drive around southern Ohio with so many interesting places to see within an hour of us.

One such place which we gravitate to more and more frequently is Hocking Hills. Even though the forecast was rainy and gray, we headed east to Vinton and Hocking counties yesterday for a little drive around.

The three pics above were all taken from the front seat of a moving car in between swipes of the windshield wipers. Finally, some fall color is showing up and I wanted to document it. I do not have any memories of a fall in which the colors came so late in October.

Take a closer look at the middle picture. On the left, the stone outcroppings are visible next to the road. This area of Ohio has the most cavernous rock formations! Our family had a weekend in Hocking Hills earlier this month, and I will write about it as soon as I sort out the gazillion pictures I took. The area is a true gem tucked into a very out-of-the-way spot.

On the way to Hocking Hills, we pass this barn with a fantastic quilt block. This is also the same road to Athens/Ohio University where DD2 Emma attended from 2011-15, so we have driven past this barn often. I don't think this block has faded one bit in all these years. I've always intended to make this block, yet have never done it.

Still rainy and gray here today. A good day for sewing.

Happy Quilting, Friends!