Year One
It is amazing but it has been one year since we moved into Twin Oaks. It sort of feels like we have been here forever but it also feels like we just moved in!
We have made a lot of changes in one year and learned a lot about the house and what life will be like while living here.
The house from the street on the first day we moved in
One of the first jobs we tackled was cleaning up the yard and the driveway that leads up to the house.
View of the side of the house from the crazy side yard
Most of the plants on the property were over grown and it was difficult to see the house. We know that the biggest job we have is trying to ensure the home remains standing for many years to come. In order to do this we had to try to limit the rodents that enjoyed sharing our home.
View of the house from the street once we started to do some yard work
The view from our driveway after we started to take out all of the overgrown plants
The best way to stop rodents is to take away the places they can hide and we worked very hard to expose the house and limit the places squirrels and rats like to hide.
After a lot of yard work and demolishing the carport
We ended up creating a lot of usable space, which allowed Rob to build an outbuilding for storage.
The beginning of the shed!
Picture taken last night
One of the other large jobs we under took was removing one of the large cedar hedges that obstructed the view of the front of the house.
The Large cedar hedges at the front. We removed the one on the right.
The large variegated holy tree that we trimmed
I think the cedar hedges were planted as a border around the house and over the years they turned into cedar walls.
After most of the hedge was cut down
The house from the front after the hedge and stumps were removed
The view from the attic showing the hedge removed from the left hand side.
An essential part of any house for me is having some form of a garden. I was able to get help from my mom as we tackled the front veggie garden.
The new and improved Veggie garden
It has ended up being one of the best vegetable gardens I have had. I am in it each night harvesting what grew during the day. It will be very exciting to see how it develops over the years. We have some big plans.
The kitchen with no set furniture.
The kitchen has become the heart of the home. We spend the most time in it and it is one of the warmer rooms during the winter.
I love to cook and cooking in this house has been a great experience and I can wait for the day to make it my dream kitchen,
The kitchen with very little furniture
To begin with it was very difficult to furnish and find the right pieces but with some help from friends we have created a nice space.
Sweet Matilda
In the winter we decided we wanted to get a cat. We had a bit of a rat problem when we moved in and we hoped adding a cat to our family might help us. Finding the holes where they were getting in was the best solution but Matilda is a great addition to the house.
The Dining room, with no light and no furniture
Our dining room was a sorting spot for many months
The rest of the house has slowly been coming together. It's a slow process as we find the right pieces that fit the house and our lifestyle.
The dining room with Piano and dress form
The living room at Christmas time
The den when we moved in
We spend most of our time in the winter in the den and it in another favourite room. I won't post a picture of the den now as the renovation is still continuing and I will post on all the work we have been doing.
The bathroom as it was when we moved in.
The bathroom was a surprise renovation, but I am very happy we painted it white. Bringing the washer and dryer up stairs was a brilliant idea and has made my domestic life much easier.
The Bathroom after Rob painted it.
The chicken coop
The chickens have been one of my highlights this year. It has been a real learning curve, as we have lost and added birds. I think I could write a couple posts on them alone.
The main stairs.
I am not sure when or how we might restore the foyer but I believe it will be the last space we touch.
One of the many beautiful sunsets we have enjoyed
Moving to Twin Oaks has changed our lives. We loved the house and the life we built fur ourselves in our prior home but there is something different about living here. It as if a million different pieces have fallen into place.
I can't wait to see what year two brings.