I said dig, not pounce

Hermes flattening the hostas
Originally uploaded by modernemama

Hermes helpfully flattening on of the hostas I divided on Friday.

Dividing the hostas

South drive/Vineyard Rd border
Originally uploaded by modernemama

This is as far as I got dividing the hostas this week. Ten hostas split, oh about a hundred more to go.................

Prettier than mud

I spent hours outside yesterday weeding, transplanting day lilies and splitting hostas. After a couple of hours of back breaking work, with sweat running into my eyes and feet and hands caked in mud, a passing neighbor stopped to give me this helpful tip: instead of digging up the hostas and then splitting the clump with a spade, get two spades (actually she said "shovels" but I can speak American so I understood) and put them together into the clump, then prise apart. She maintained it was much easier to divide the perennials that way. Her second tip was to get someone to help, but I don't think that will happen.
Still, I managed to get two borders replanted and to rid two more of the vines that were threatening to choke the rhododendrons, so I'm rewarding myself with another shot of Sunday evening's sunset.

Copper Canyon Shortage

Copper Canyon
Originally uploaded by modernemama.

Apparently there has been a run on this particular Caesarstone in New york and the 3/4" is unavailable. I got a message on the answerphone to that effect on Friday. This is the top for the floating vanity that will go in the downstairs bath, As I had picked the mosaic tiles to match I am a little tigged, especially as they were supposed to install the vanity today.
I have a choice: go with 1.1/4" or choose something else. The deeper top will make the vessel sink too high, so I guess I'm off to choose something else. Rats.

Magnolias

magnolia
Originally uploaded by modernemama.

We have three magnolia trees in the yard, one white, one pink and this scrappy little bush that mostly hangs over the neighbour's yard. This is my favourite because you can get up close and really smell the blossom.
Magnolias are at best a fleeting joy, but this year, with the frigid temperatures that never seemed to end, followed by an immediate rise into the eighties, they are already going over.
More photos of the trees in blossom on flickr.

Earth Day II

Or the day we got lots of earth delivered. We are patching the lawn and extending the lawn strip between the rhododendron bed and the conifers to the left bordering the drive. Trimming the edges every time it was mowed had shrunk the lawn to 12" here and that's a tad narrow to mow. Now we're back to 4' so the grass should stand a chance.
All the leaves on the deciduous trees are opening now, I guess they needed the warm weather before they could unfurl, so the yard is looking better. Tomorrow the environmentally friendly hot oil guy will come and spray the trees and then we are going to plant the bed on the corner of the cul-de-sac with viburnums, day lilies and later some annuals. Got to have some more pretty in the garden.

Garden gate

As of yesterday we have a new gate. Hurrah. It should last 10-15 years, double hurrah. Unfortunately our handyman thinks the rest of the fence is toast. Boo.I asked him if he would make us a custom fence to replicate what is there now, but he demurred. He thinks we should get a "nice" cedar fence from the local cedar place. Boo hoo. The local cedar fences are only slightly less horrible than the vinyl stuff. (Have you noticed how vinyl fences almost glow in the dark? How do they do that?) I'm not going to worry about it until it actually falls down, even then I might not worry, after all the gate is as solid as a rock.

Early Fall 2006

early fall 2006
Originally uploaded by modernemama.

We've had a couple of bonus days here with temperatures in the upper 60s so I've been out taking a few photos of the exterior before the leaves disappear completely from the trees.
We lost very little in the storms last weekend, although the fence that was shaky is very rickety indeed now. I went to look at fencing but everything is so awful -vinyl in colors of mushroom and beige or cedar that looks as if it will last a season or two but no more. So we've decided to ask our handyman (who is building us a gate) if he can rebuild the fence the same as it was before only stronger. The trouble is that he is a superb handyman and very much in demand so I imagine the whole fence will have fallen down before he has time to see to this project. C'est la vie.

Save The Pearlroth House Video

Save the Pearlroth House!

Watching this video I feel equal parts sad and hopeful.
I'm saddened to see any part of this estate torn down, even the poorly-maintained additions. Just the digger approaching the recliner left by the pool distresses me. I always want to re-use everything.
But I'm hopeful that more people are understanding the value of modernist architecture and that the original Pearlroth House, designed in 1958 by Andrew Geller, will be preserved.
If enough money can be raised the house will be moved, restored and turned into a museum so more people can appreciate and enjoy it.

Save The Pearlroth House

One of the most renowned mid-century modern beach houses, The Pearlroth House has been a famous landmark on Long Island since it was designed by Andrew Geller in 1959. The Modernist gem is featured in both architectural and design magazines, but it fell into disrepair and was in danger of being razed. Then Jake Gorst, the grandson of the architect stepped in and set about trying to raise enough money to relocate it to another site in Southampton, NY and to restore it to its original glory.
Exhibitions International is helping the fundraising effort to save The Pearlroth House by hosting a cocktail reception at the Center for Architecture, 536 Laguardia Place in NYC on October 27, and a tour of modernist architecture on Long Island on November 4.

Too many of these unique houses are lost each year and we have an exciting opportunity to preserve this one for future generations to enjoy. Contributions can be made via paypal and are tax deductible.
Steven and I are trying to ensure that our wonderful house, also designed by Mr Geller, remains a home for our family and for those who are lucky enough to live here after us.

Fall Color Begins

rhodo color
Originally uploaded by modernemama.

Because we can't agree on the design for anything indoors, we've been gardening again this weekend. This is Azalea Cannon's Double, just planted in the sunken bed beneath the dining room window. I also put in five hostas and an unidentified rhododendron, all bought for half-price from the local nursery. I love a bargain.
The plan here is to put in a few inches of mulch in the spring and get a couple of pallets of river rock to finish the bed.
Round the side of the garage we pulled out eight bags of ivy and planted three Little Star Junipers and two golden-green evergreens.



We are suffering from sore backs and there are probably another ten more bags of ivy to pull elsewhere in the yard. I hope the weather stays fair so we can finish next weekend.

Even the bunny couldn't stand it

We had to reseed the front lawn. Over the past few weeks a large patch died off and some marsh marigolds took up residence instead. The huge rabbit that used to come out every evening at dusk decided there wasn't enough to eat so he hopped off elsewhere and looking out at a large brown patch with a few weeds that won't even flower until next spring was getting to depress us.


I asked Neil, landscaper gardener and font of all knowledge about the house and property, what we had caused it and he blames global warming, the fertilizer that went on last month and sunshine. He swears that the season is two weeks longer here than it was seventeen years ago when he took over the business. He now works well into December rather than stopping the week before Thanksgiving as he used to. He also thinks the grass used is becoming unsuitable in the North East as warmer summers make it more susceptible to die-back. Then he thinks that the fertilizer we put down may have scorched the grass but only the areas that get direct noon- 2 pm sun are affected. Whatever the cause, we applied round-up to the marigolds, raked the thatch off, dressed the soil and seeded and hopefully in a few days we will have a touch of green again.
We also removed all the ivy on the entrance to the cul-de-sac and added a couple of loads of topsoil to prepare for the stones and viburnum we are going to put there in an effort to placate the neighbors and beautify the road. I don't have a photo because my camera won't play nice and anyway who needs a photo of soil? But trust me it looks a lot better than the ivy mess that was there before.