Doesn’t look too bad, especially if you’re used to a cold climate. But let me tell you… things are different in the South. We aren’t used to snow and ice (I’m from Michigan, but have lived here almost 25 years, so I do know about snow/ice and all the fun that goes along with it… as well as all the beauty!) it just doesn’t happen here very often. Maybe an occasional dusting of snow ever once in a great while (the last time it snowed was years ago, snowed and then quickly melted). But this time there was ice. I’m sure you’ve heard about it on the radio. How Atlanta was crippled by the deep freeze. We were lucky here in Charleston. Officials dealt with it well keeping most people off the roads. Smart. You just don’t mess with Mother Nature!
We took a walk in our neighborhood, Charlie’s first snow, he was thrilled… was going full speed ahead looking for every single puddle and loving it! Crazy beast.
Charlie and his beastcicles…
We headed to the bakery, well, because they were open and it was something to do! It was nice to be out, and Charlie was having a blast, but his adventures in the puddles quickly turned to beastcicles on his body… time to get back home! Ha ha…
Make the best of the time you have… make everything an adventure and it will be less of a hassle ;)
With schools out and work closed we spent a few days at home. It was nice. We just hung around, didn’t really go out except for a walk to the bakery. For a short time it was snowing HUGE flakes. This is Charlie’s first snow, and he was absolutely amazed! He just stared out the window… its beautiful and it does mesmerize you. But then the snow stopped, cable/internet went out, and I’ve decided we’re way too dependent on it. Ugh. Time to catch up on magazines, see what there is in the freezer to bake (that doesn’t count calorie-wise)! Thankfully I found some homemade peanut butter cookies that I hadn’t baked yet… If you haven’t frozen cookie dough before, let me tell you what a treasure it is to find! I’ve done it with chocolate chip, peanut butter and oatmeal! Yum!
Walking to the bakery…
We took the long route to the bakery and it was nice to get out. All the kids were playing in the street/making snow angels. You could hear cheers of joy when it was snowing, ahhh, fun times!
Icy Palm Trees – Charleston, SC
This was right near Normandy Farms Bakery (YUM!!)… icy palm trees… the weight is heavy, look how low they are! All this will quickly pass… this weekend is supposed to be so nice, and 70 on Monday! Woot woot, I do love Charleston winters!
There is a beautiful cottage that we have rented several times in Port Clyde, Maine. It’s called the “Periwinkle” cottage and it’s situated right on the ocean. I would call it rustic (no heat), but there is a fabulous fireplace and the view is earth shattering! Truly!
Today’s house plan… is the periwinkle. We always thought it would be so cool if we could build a house similar to the Periwinkle, but a little less rustic, and a little less space. Maybe 1 guest room upstairs, a 3/4 bath and a storage room/room for treadmill… something that would still give it this overall appearance from the outside. There were a few areas inside that weren’t useful spaces… those I would love to redesign to make useful. This plan is amazing. Fred and I are no architects (trust me, ha), but we kind of drew out the plan on our last visit, here it is…
Periwinkle floor plan – first floor
The ocean is located on the side of the house with the living, dining and bedrooms… big windows, wide doors all make sure you don’t miss the gorgeous view!
You come in the house between the mud room and bathroom on the other side of the house. The mud room used to have a washer and dryer, and could be used for that again. I would also add a wash tub that could accommodate a dog bath easily. From that room you can walk into either the kitchen or the living area.
This is the door you come in… door to the right is a bathroom. Then there is built in storage for pretty much everything which is handy… if you go to the left you head towards the kitchen…
Entry door… mudroom…
There is a large wasted space that has an old furnace in this area, I would use it maybe as a pantry and eating area off the kitchen…
Kitchen
I would keep wonderful large windows in the kitchen, have drawers instead of cupboards and possibly try to do away with some of the upper cabinets (replace with windows?). I wonder, wonder, wonder if you could lose that wall on the left and have it open to the existing dining room, meaning… OCEAN. VIEW.!!!
Dining Room
You then walk down a short hallway to the dining room. Beautiful expansive windows on two sides. I would probably make this into a reading room, with my desk, some great chairs, lamps. There are built in’s along the wall to the right. I would be willing to part with that if I could have the wall gone and open to the kitchen… Could be quite nice!
Cabinets below, shelves above, useful for displaying and storing. This view of the dining room is taken from the living room…
Living room with fabulous fireplace!
Great fireplace in this house… totally makes this living room, well that and the windows that look out upon the ocean…
Wide door that goes out onto oceanside porch
Big, wide door so fabulous! When you open it you get such a fabulous breeze! Large windows throughout. One large center pane that is stationary and then two smaller windows on either side that open.
View standing near dining, looking through living towards bedroom… See stairs that go to 2nd floor…
Great floor plan, I’m telling ya!
Bedroom – Excuse the bad shot!
Bad shot… when we checked in they had not made this bed… and I didn’t take a photo after we made it, ugh. Note the 9′ wall behind the bed. This is one of the most unique features. You are in bed facing the huge window with the ocean view. That little doorway on the right side of the bed… goes to a closet/storage area if you were to walk straight ahead. If you turned after you passed the wall, you would see hooks on your left and built in dressers on your right. Brilliant!
Storage area if you go straight
Two closets with great storage…
If you were to follow the short hallway on the other side of the bed, it led to the master bathroom, but if you turned right after the wall behind the bed, you would see this:
Built in storage in wall behind bed
It was so nice. We could put our suitcases on top of the ‘dressers’ and hang stuff on hooks on opposing wall. Such useful space!
I love windows like this!
This is my mom in one of the upstairs bedrooms… Such great light comes through those windows! AND they have such character!
These windows open out (and they have screens)… fabulous!Ocean Side View
This is the ocean side view… that sometimes looked like this…
Sometimes, all you need is a nice hot cuppa love… like this one from Black Tap Coffee in Charleston, SC (70 1/2 Beaufain Street). If you haven’t been there I highly suggest that you go. They do not disappoint. Ever! The coffee is different. It’s good, very, very good. The atmosphere is very with it and you will leave with a smile on your face!
Here is an image from their Facebook page (Black Tap Coffee) to give you an idea what a cool place it is:
Gorgeous, right? One day Fred and I were walking in our neighborhood (Windermere) and the nearby area (South Windermere), and we saw a house that was empty and on the market. It had undergone a complete restoration by a high quality builder in our area. This is the backyard… Low tide… Gorgeous, isn’t it? I think these two adironack chairs and the view may sell the house!
I should have posted this long, long ago with all this polar vortex freezing weird weather all over the country! Have you seen these before? A faucet protector that protects from freezing, as well as wind and cold. This one is from Frost King. We bought these years ago and use them year after year. They hold up well and seem to do the trick. Any time the temp is going to drop below freezing we remove the hoses and put these insulator thingy’s on the outside faucet. So far, so good. We bought ours at Lowes, they’re a couple dollars each, which is a small price to pay!
Remember to leave both your HOT and COLD water dripping when temps drop below freezing! It’s cheaper than paying to have your pipes fixed!
T H E D O L L A R B I L L T E S T & S A V I N G $ W I T H Y O U R F R I D G E !
Ok, maybe not so secret since I saw it on Rachel Ray’s Show one day when I was in the kitchen… Peter Walsh was one of the guests and he discussed ways to save $ with your refrigerator… Did you know if you pull your refrigerator out 1″ from the wall you can save 40% in electricity (on the fridge) because it will run more efficiently? ONE. INCH. I wish this was a new tip we could start doing, but ours is already out a good 1.5″ right now, so that one didn’t help… the more air can circulate the easier it is to run (and less costly).
Next tip: The dollar bill test. Open your fridge door and close it on a dollar bill. Then, with the door closed try to pull the dollar bill out without opening the door. Did it just fall out? Did you not feel any resistance? It just slid pretty easily? (This is what happened for me)… Or did you fee resistance? If you felt resistance, move on… your seal is in good shape. Mine on the other hand pulled out very easily. Sigh… fridge is only a few years old. Normally this can cost $200-300 on a service call, BUT there is something that you can do that will save you that money… Petroleum Jelly (AKA Vaseline). Yep, that stuff you can use to help chapped lips, dry feet or hands… you just put a small amount on your finger and run it across the seal (top, bottom, side, etc.) just a small amount, you don’t need a lot. A thin bead of it will do the trick. Now open your refrigerator door. WHOA, right?!! It’s much harder to open because its sealed better than it was.
The dollar bill test (demonstrated) and many more tips from Peter Walsh: Watch the video…
Here’s the link to the Rachel Ray show regarding this story.
Charleston has many wonderful hotels. Top notch. We also have beautiful bed and breakfasts. I mentioned the Wentworth Mansion last week, which is a gorgeous inn to stay at. Another is 27 State Street Bed & Breakfast. 27 State is convenient to all that Charleston has to offer. Check out their website! Remember the gas lantern from yesterday’s post? This is it!
When you’re walking around Charleston, SC you never know what you’ll see. Sometimes it’s the small details that make a place really stand out. Details like the lighting at this doorway. Gas lanterns go way back, and that wonderful warm light that glows makes everything look better! Interesting colors downtown as well. Not the typical colors you see everyday, and they look striking! Look at the detail in the woodwork. It’s not the norm anymore. If you head downtown I would highly suggest bringing a camera!!
I know I should probably have more variety from different architects. Problem is I’m stuck on Allison Ramsey Architects! I think their plans are fabulous, detailed, classy and have more of what I’m looking for. I have literally spent hours scouring other sites trying to find something that would be suitable. Ugh… so many that look the same, kind of cookie cutter type and I zip through them… Once in a great while I will find a plan I like, but then it’s hard to share because it can be difficult to get permission to use their photos and house plans, and some really make you jump through hoops. I did that a few times. However, since this is a non-paying job, (ha ha), I need to move on and work with those who will work with me. Allison Ramsey is a great outfit. If I were hiring an architect today, they would be my hands down, number one choice. They are accessible. They answer questions and… THEY. ARE. GOOD. So here goes another great plan from ARA!
Red Bluff is a great plan with 1,590 square feet. It has 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. You’ll find it in the CAROLINA INSPIRATIONS – BOOK 1 on their website!
Red Bluff house plan by Allison Ramsey Architects
I like how there are French doors leading to the (screened) porch off the living area! That way you can open the French doors up and be bug free. If I were to build this plan I would screen the deck area off the bedroom as well so that I could open those French doors, or opt to replace those doors with a window and leave the deck. Either way it would work beautifully!
Whew, another great plan found… thank you ARA!
To see actual images of homes that were built, click HERE. (I love that they do this!)
This photo was taken on that walk that I’ve mentioned in previous posts… Fred, Charlie (woof) and I were zipping along at a brisk pace while I was trying desperately to sneak in some photos… I love this early morning light, there’s nothing like it!
The Battery is one photogenic place in Charleston, SC. There are the gorgeous old homes, White Point Gardens (park) and more beautiful homes. Right now the city is working on repairing portions of the battery… There is a slight detour, nothing major. It’s definitely a fabulous place to walk (and take photos, hee…) I simply cannot walk downtown without a camera of some sort… Here’s the info you need to know (from charleston-sc.gov):
Seawall Repair 2013
The first phase of the Battery repair & reconstruction project involves the reconstruction of “The Turn” – the portion of the High Battery that connects the stone High Battery along East Battery with the Low Battery along Murray Boulevard. This portion of the Battery was identified in the Seawall Evaluation and Study, prepared by Cummings & McCrady,Inc., as a priority due to substantial deterioration of the underlying wooden deck and pile system. More specifically, the work will include:
Lane closures and traffic control to establish a safe work zone
Installation of a temporary cofferdam and dewatering systems to allow work during all tidal cycles
Removal and disposal of the existing concrete seawall
Removal of the timber platform
Testing and removal of selected timber piles
Installation of new composite (concrete and steel) piles
Construction of a new reinforced concrete foundation and seawall structure
Removal of all temporary cofferdams and traffic control
The estimated time for construction is nine months. The Engineer’s estimate of probable cost for the project was $3,500,000. Three bids were received from seven potential bidders that were prequalified due to the complexity of this project. The bids ranged from $2,665,000 to $3,939,000. After careful review of the bids, staff is recommending award of the contract to the apparent low bidder, Crowder Construction Company, in the amount of $2,665,000.
We will commence construction on “The Turn”, which should be completed nine months from the construction start date. Design services for the next phase of the High Battery restoration are underway. This phase includes the renovation of the stone High Battery from “The Turn” to its northern terminus. The renovations will consist of resetting and repointing the existing stones to provide a more level walking surface and more aesthetic appearance. It is anticipated that the bidding and work on this phase will begin after “The Turn” is completed. Once the High Battery is completed, work will begin on the Low Battery portion.
The last house plan I featured was an overwhelming hit (the Holiday House/Port Royal Coastal Cottage) – I am looking at plans like crazy, but I keep going back to Allison Ramsey! THE RIVER HOUSE – This is a fabulous one bedroom house that has got the neatest features. I would pair this house with one of the Allison Ramsey outbuildings… part garage and part guest suite. These outbuildings are a post all in themselves, but I just thought I would mention it… Imagine this sweet plan on situated on a river. You have a wonderful porch, useful living space that is as gorgeous as it is functional, then you have the master bedroom/bath upstairs.
Allison Ramsey Architects – River House
One magical element… the BUNK… when you look at the link with the photos you’ll see how utterly cool this is. What a magical place to hang out and read… whoa!
The River House – Upstairs AllisonRamseyArchitecht.com
I would have a built in headboard that doesn’t go above the windows, maybe with a drawer or two underneath for storage. I would love to have the washing machine/dryer where the bathtub is (upstairs) and maybe fit a small bathroom with shower downstairs (maybe where the laundry is), just in case one day you aren’t able to go up the stairs, you can still take a shower! I love having a master down, but this plan could make me change my mind!
Hey… does this house look familiar? Yep, it’s the River House on the cover of Garden and Gun magazine (image via Garden and Gun Facebook page) – and let me tell you, this is one classy magazine… click here to subscribe!
Image via Garden and Gun Facebook
Are you currently building a house? Have you run across some wonderful house plans (that actually include the plans)? Let me know about it!
I am not a “the sky is falling, the sky is falling” type of person, so I’m not trying to scare anyone with this post, just educate so you know what to do…
The traditional light bulbs that we grew up with are now a thing of the past. They stopped manufacturing the 100 watt bulbs last year. This year the 40 and 60 watt bulbs are no longer made. I like the nice warm, yellowish light that they give off. It’s warm and cozy and makes me happy. I know that Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs (CFL) bulbs are supposed to last 8 years and save you tons of money, but… I have also read about the dangers of CFL bulbs. All I can say is that I want my old incandescent bulbs back! But the Bush administration signed a law back in 2007 to replace our old traditional (incandescent) bulbs with the squirrely new CFL bulbs. Sigh. While being more efficient sounds great, do you know the dangers of the new bulbs? Or what to do if one breaks? If a CFL breaks, you don’t just pick up the pieces like the old bulbs, AND you don’t just throw it in the regular trash!
Note: This is the only warning on the package…
D A N G E R S
Apparently, some health problems can be made worse by CFL light. These conditions include Migraines, Lupus and Epilepsy. If there is a defect in the bulb (which when a study was conducted and they went store to store there was a defect at every single store) then UV light can leak through causing cancer.
Now, before you read further… I also read about a guy who found a loophole around this CFL requirement, and will still make incandescent bulbs (albeit with a twist) – you can bet I’m going to be checking out the Newcandescent bulbs! (I am not being paid by Newcandescent in any way, shape or form, they have no idea who I am…). Hey, if something doesn’t happen to change this (and I doubt it will), I think I may be back to the old days with candles!
Read about what to do if a CFL bulb is broken… it’s important– (information from www2.epa.gov)
Air out the room for 5-10 minutes by opening a window or door to the outdoor environment.
Shut off the central forced air heating/air-conditioning system, if you have one.
Collect materials needed to clean up broken bulb:
stiff paper or cardboard;
sticky tape;
damp paper towels or disposable wet wipes (for hard surfaces); and
a glass jar with a metal lid or a sealable plastic bag.
During Cleanup
DO NOT VACUUM. Vacuuming is not recommended unless broken glass remains after all other cleanup steps have been taken. Vacuuming could spread mercury-containing powder or mercury vapor.
Be thorough in collecting broken glass and visible powder. Scoop up glass fragments and powder using stiff paper or cardboard. Use sticky tape, such as duct tape, to pick up any remaining small glass fragments and powder. Place the used tape in the glass jar or plastic bag. See the detailed cleanup instructions for more information, and for differences in cleaning up hard surfaces versus carpeting or rugs.
Place cleanup materials in a sealable container.
After Cleanup
Promptly place all bulb debris and cleanup materials, including vacuum cleaner bags, outdoors in a trash container or protected area until materials can be disposed of. Avoid leaving any bulb fragments or cleanup materials indoors.
Next, check with your local government about disposal requirements in your area, because some localities require fluorescent bulbs (broken or unbroken) be taken to a local recycling center. If there is no such requirement in your area, you can dispose of the materials with your household trash.
If practical, continue to air out the room where the bulb was broken and leave the heating/air conditioning system shut off for several hours.
If you have further questions, please call your local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222.
Click HERE to find the nearest place you can recycle your CFL bulb (Home Depot, Lowes in most areas…), just enter CFL in the “what” box, and type in your zip code. It will give you a list of places.
Fred, Charlie (woof) and I took a walk the Sunday after Christmas… we headed downtown and the weather was perfect! I tried to sneak in a few shots… not easy at a brisk pace, but I managed a few ;) The sun was out and the day was gorgeous! I don’t think one car went by us. It was heavenly. See, I can post these beautiful photos while friends and family in the colder regions are probably cussing me because they’re stuck in a deep freeze… but they get their fun with me come summer! So I have to get my beautiful weather photos in while I can! Hee.
