What’s the Haps?

Not wanting to lose momentum and the grace of the fair weather, we forged ahead correcting the design flaw in the back of one set of chairs that caused the back cushion to escape the moment someone sat down.

With the delivery to Mike and Katie of all our new fabric, we decided to launch into painting prep on the millions of pieces of outside furniture – scraping and sanding is paramount and the Captain is replacing all the rubber padding on the glass-topped tables.

Our latest project gives a new definition to a ‘mommy make-over’ and while it will take us several months to finalize, we believe our guests deserve an updated look and feel for summer relaxing in the gardens.

In 2008, I was given the vision to expand the atrium to the size that you have grown accustomed to as it is now. We landscaped the south garden with a couple of main features including a large fountain, a Leo Shakespeare sun dial and a long-awaited Cecile Breuner climbing old-fashioned rose bush, which has flourished there ever since.

As we continue going from room-to-room, it seems we are never without a little something something requiring our attention. Even some of the green snowbirds are getting a refreshing early spring jumpstart.

We continue to SALLY FORTH paying attention to tidying up details and spreading our wings. Alysa, Joshua, and even Miss Krystianna, each tried their hands at leading the breakfast service. Their offerings were all incredibly well-received by guests and further speaking to serving and improvising on our eclectic menu selections.

From our home (your home away from home) and hearts to all of you, please accept our red envelope of blessings and our most prosperous wishes for the new year filled with ADAPTABILITY RESOURCEFULLNESS GRACE INTELLIGENCE and INTUITION

There is nothing quite like starting your day with a breath-taking view and a mouth-watering breakfast. Imagine enjoying your morning meal and cup of hot whatever while basking in a stunning sunrise?!?

My Quaker granny annie continuously asked me during my childhood if I could ‘make myself useful as well as ornamental,’ meaning, “Get with it!”

Every day here on My Coconut Island in the Sky is special and important but more so that recently when Kim Smerek visited for the first time in 9 years – impossible to imagine but true, nonetheless.

We are always looking for new ways to keep things fresh and inviting here at TSH, and we have observed that as incredible as this may sound after nearly 31 years operating as a B&B, many folks strolling past comment, “What do you suppose this is?”

The Capt. took a few days of well-deserved respite then proceeded to clear coat the left side.

In a mere couple of hours, the Capt. wrapped up the left side and we simply adore the perfect asymmetry.

The Capt. forged ahead with over-painting the center area (no priming needed as it was on the stuccoed wall) where he has decided to replicate Kim’s geometric under-pattern. He sketched in the new pattern and flew into action painting the checkerboard and the ultimate finishing curlieque.

Perhaps we are still on the zenith-like high of the completed faux redux but for whatever reason the creative tsunami continues and Capt. Allen has launched into his unique but blended contribution to this masterpiece.

We are literally down to the last several snippets of squares to be completed – 3 that fall over the step under the gate - and the remaining portion of the design nearest to the house which is temporarily currently covered with foliage that would have to be destroyed so we shall await mother nature’s bidding.

As we near completion of this masterful restoration, the really nasty, pitted area turned out to be not as daunting as we thought. Much contemplation on behalf of the Capt. was needed to plan the chronology of the upcoming final steps

The other day we were scouring with copper scouring pads and hot water the stove top, warming shelf, and all outer surfaces in our monthly deep clean. We were so jazzed at the regeneration – nearly rebirth – of the old cooker girl that I was left with the scouring notion stuck in my head.

Is it even possible that a person could literally LIVE WITH anything for nearly 23 years and only just recognize a new aspect? Well, I can tell you I experienced that very thing. While admiring and reviewing yesterday’s progress which constituted about 20 days into the project with 90% done not counting application of the topcoats, a pattern just leapt off the surface to me – duuuhhh!

All out-of-doors projects are subject to the whim of Mother Nature and our faux mosaic restoration is no exception. Joshua’s repair of the other concrete corner as well as Capt. Allen’s continued restoration efforts were stalled for several days by the gusty winds creeping our way from hurricane Illiana carrying all manner of debris.

With his routine now highly-refined, the Capt. is systematically moving from right to left and top to bottom. Precision rather than speed is the key word for this redux in general but surely for the small squares and the grout finesse.

Even though it seems Mother Nature always wins, we remain vigilant in our attempts to keep the rain outside where it belongs. With each hard downpour, the garage roof continues to pose maintenance issues in the garage proper and in the garden garage loft studio apartment.

Water in general, water use, and water conservation are of prime concern to all of us in Jerome and no one is more strongly cognizant than we are since our gardens are one of the larger consumers. Hence, we are ever-vigilant when we see overflows.

Day 5 – hard to image – brings us to astonishing accomplishment! Go Capt. Go! We wanted to document the detail of the finesse of painting the ‘grout’ area first and then filling with the tiles. Also of incredible note is the contrast of the old & discolored image where the topcoat yellowed along with the worst deteriorated areas against the brilliance of the restored areas.

This year provided a challenging and heart-felt adjustment in that we lost 5 of our 6 bee baby colonies over the winter which is always a heart-wrench. We believe the colonies were simply not sufficiently populated to keep the hives as warm as needed and then all varieties of varmints moved in – oh dear and what a disgusting mess!