Some Projects Completed

Two big projects done; only 134 more to go! Ha, just kidding, but it sure feels like that sometimes. I get one thing finished, only to come up with three other great ideas. I do take immense pleasure in crossing something off the list that I've been wanting for a long time and I got to cross out three thing this week!
First:
Plant sunflowers in long bed out front. I traded my neighbor some bush bean starts in exchange for some rototilling. About four weeks went by and I was beginning to think Bob had forgotten. But, one day I came home to a beautifully turned bed, just waiting for flowers! I had started some in the greenhouse and had used a coupon at Wilco for five free packets of other sunflower seeds. I did a little weeding, pulling out rocks as I went and before long, it was ready!
Here is the bed nicely rototilled and ready for receiving:

And here it is after I planted all my started sunflowers. I know it looks a little sad now, but there are dozens of seeds hidden among the plants. I hope to see them peeking through in the next week or so. Sooner, if the warm weather holds.

Last Sunday, my friend Mary came over and we jammed! 36 jars to be exact! The strawberries were from the Silverton farmers market and smelled awesome! I put the extra berries on the dehydrator, which makes the garage wonderfully fragrant.


Next! A pantry- finally!!!! I was so excited by this! I've been waiting a very long time for this idea to come to fruition- since February, when I started the laundry area remodel. When Dad was up in April, we brainstormed about what would be best in the narrow area between the kitchen wall and the laundry unit. I was warned by the laundry service man not to build anything permanent, in case the washer/ dryer had to be pulled out for servicing. I knew I was going to need shelves that were sturdy, functional, but that were also pretty to look at and matched the rest of the house. After describing what I wanted, the handymen returned three days later with this:



It's a completely free-standing unit that tucks right in between the wall and the laundry unit. It hides all the cords and plumbing and can easily be removed because it has a back and wheels! I can roll it right out into the kitchen without moving a thing!

It holds all my cookbooks, all my dried fruit, all my preserves (which are now out of the garage-yay!), all my dry goods, and there's still more room! This means that I now have two wooden storage bins free for my onion and potato harvest. I plan to line them with cotton fabric to keep light out.

Look at all the goodies! I go grocery shopping in my own house!

They also finished the strawberry pyramid! Here it is before I filled it:

And here it is after! All the strawberries from the green house went in and I filled every other rung with plants. This way, when they send out runners, I can root them right in the empty rung underneath.

This is what the raised beds look like with the pyramid placed in the middle. I think the vertical effect of the pyramid really compliments this area.

Next on the agenda: a permanent shelf above the back door for platters, hang the herb drying rack (salvaged from my rental), and hanging the pot rack!