Wedgewood Ranch

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-11-26T15:07:00.000-08:00

May your home be blessed with an abundance of joy, peace, and love from above.

May the warmth of His gifts overwhelm your heart as you reflect upon the many blessings of the One most high.

Have a Blessed Thanksgiving!

Feedback

2008-09-05T09:30:00.000-07:00

For over a year now, we have been working very hard on transforming the outside of our home, front and back. We started last year by replacing the ugly, rotting siding on the house, and painting it a fresh, new color scheme. After that, we were so spent (both physically and financially) that we decided to wait on landscaping and other improvements.

Well, this last Spring, we were finally ready to take it on. We started by ripping out all of the old shrubs, and replacing them with new, lower maintenance plants. Also, as you can see in a previous post, we replaced our deteriorating concrete patio. Over the course of about fifteen months, we can finally say that it's done, and it looks fantastic! We were pretty darn busy during that time, but the final results are amazing...exactly what we had envisioned.

So, last night we were sitting in our living room, when this older lady comes to our front door. She tells us that she lives in the neighborhood and drives by our home everyday. She then goes on to say that she just wanted to stop by and tell us that she thinks we have the best looking house on the entire street. She loves every single thing that we've done and even wants the name/number of the company that replaced our siding. She just went on and on. It was really very sweet.

It was so nice to hear some feedback from one of our neighbors. We really put a lot of work into everything, and it feels good to be told we did a good job. Now we can finally relax and enjoy our hard work.

More Home History

2008-08-06T12:28:00.001-07:00

I finally discovered who built my home...well, I at least found the names of both the contractor and the architect. The other day, I found a very old copy of the original building permit dated 11/25/1957. On it is listed a description of the property, the proposed building design, as well as the contractor's name and address, architect's name (no address), and all the legal jargon associated with the parcel.

When I learned the names, I decided to do some research to find a little more information on each man. I couldn't find anything about the architect, and sadly, the only thing I could find on the contractor was his obituary. He actually just passed away in March of this year. However, I did learn that he was a very successful general contractor, land developer, and real estate broker throughout the 1950s and 60s. In fact, he was President of the Northwest Home Builder's Association in 1959 (just one year after my home was built). Pretty neat, I think.

Also included in his obituary was a photo of him which appears to have been taken around the time my home was built...he would have been about 40 years old:

RIP

Yay!

2008-06-13T10:00:00.000-07:00

Well,
Our new patio is finally done! The work started 2 weeks ago with tearing out the old patio, but came to a complete halt due to our 'lovely' June weather. I find it ironic that the day after the old patio was ripped out, the rain started pouring. And when I say pouring, I really mean it. It rained for two weeks straight! I really have the worst luck of any human being ever.

It doesn't end there. On top of all the rain, it was frigid outside...one day this week the high was only 47 degrees...Fahrenheit!!! It was so cold, it actually snowed in parts of the region! What was that song...'sometimes the snow comes down in June...' well, that would be this June.

Anyway, the weather finally started to come back to normal just yesterday, and our concrete contractor jumped at the chance to finish the job. It took them most of the day, but it looks soooo good. No more potholes! I have pictures, but not on my computer yet. I'll post them as soon as I get the chance.

I'm probably going to be MIA for the next couple of weeks as we have a new baby on the way...she's coming on Monday, and we're so excited!!! As a matter of fact, I never posted photos of her awesome retro-style nursery. We based the design on nursery photos from a 60s/70s magazine we found. The 'before' and 'after' pics are amazing...

Look at how much brighter it is! We don't have any artwork up yet, but we're continuing to look.

Update

2008-05-28T15:01:00.000-07:00

I have very sad news to report. Yesterday morning, I went out on my front porch and noticed three smashed blue robin eggs. My heart broke when I looked up at the wreath and noticed that it had been pulled down on the left side, causing the nest to spill its entire contents. The mother robin was nowhere in sight. So sad.

I'm pretty sure it was my neighbor's cat. That darn thing is always in my yard, and uses a spot right next to my porch as its litter box. I was angry at first, but after a few minutes, I remembered that it was just a cat. It didn't know any better. Still pretty sad, though. We had really come to enjoy our little "pet" robin. Oh well...it's the "circle of life," I guess.

On a lighter note, we will finally be getting our new patio! The crew is coming out on Saturday morning to rip out the old one, and will be pouring the new one beginning Monday. We have waited so long, I'd forgotten all about it.

Anyway, that's all for now. I'll post pictures of everything as it happens...oh boy!

New Neighbor

2008-05-21T16:25:00.000-07:00

We have this large yellow forsythia wreath hanging right next to our front door. We have always put a wreath up in this spot, and never really thought anything of it. Anyway, a few weeks ago, we noticed that there was this robin spending ridiculous amounts of time out on our front porch. Every time we would step outside, there she would be, watching every move we made. Well, needless to say, a few days later we noticed that there was a perfect little nest built right on top of the wreath! No eggs yet, but the 'mother' is spending a lot of time in there.

I was finally able to snap a few photos of the robin sitting inside her nest today. Too funny...

Neat!

2008-05-15T10:15:00.000-07:00

Ever since our first summer in our house, I had been wanting to get a really good fan for our living room. Even though we have central air conditioning, the living room gets very warm on 90 degree days. I mean, it gets very uncomfortable to even sit in there for more than a couple of minutes. I think it has something to do with the way our house faces the hot afternoon sun. Anyway, I heard a while back that Vornado had released some vintage-style fans - replicas of their originals from 50-60 years ago. So, I headed over to their website and found one that I thought would be perfect. It's their classic green, air circulating fan. You know, the kind your grandparents always had running during the summer (at least mine always did). They are kind of pricey, but well worth it!

Now, our living room will be a little more comfortable (and stylish) this summer!

Artwork

2008-04-28T11:15:00.001-07:00

The other day, I was going through all the old photos I had saved on my computer. I had way too many so it was time to clean some of them up. Anyway, while going through each folder, I found several photos I took on a family trip about 5 years ago. As I browsed through each one, I realized that some were actually pretty cool, and might look nice printed and framed for hanging around the house. So, that's just what I did! They look good all framed up! Now, I just need to find spots to hang them!

Here is my mini-gallery (let me know what you think!):

The first three were taken in Walla Walla, Washington, near the site of the Whitman Mission. The last four were taken in Redwood National Park, in Northern California.

Ideas

2008-04-25T10:32:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, I wrote about how I was planning on replacing my old, deteriorating patio with a nice new one this summer. Well, I got multiple bids, and coincidentally, the least expensive bid seems to be the best one. So, the other day, I called the guy to set-up a time for him to begin the job. Our major obstacle at the moment, however, is the terrible weather we've had these past several weeks. The daytime highs can't seem to break 50 degrees, and that's over 10 degrees below average for this time of year. That said, it's just too cold to start pouring concrete.

Anyway, when I spoke to the guy, he said that they could come and tear the old patio out and pour in the gravel base now, and wait to pour the concrete when the weather was more suitable. This got me to thinking...how would a gravel garden/patio area be in that spot? I envisioned garden boxes, chock full of herbs, tomatoes, etc. A couple of Adirondack chairs, a fire pit...you know.

Well, after daydreaming for a few minutes, reality crept back into my mind. Would a gravel garden/patio really be practical? I just don't know. I mean, it sounds like a great thought, but would it really materialize in the way I envisioned? Has anyone else ever tried something similar and liked it? Or, is this just something that I'd eventually turn back into a concrete patio because gravel was a bad idea?

Cool!

2008-04-02T12:12:00.000-07:00

Has anyone else seen the new feature on Google Maps called "Street View"? Type in your address and it shows you a 360-degree view from the street in front of your home. Maybe I'm just a total dork, but this is pretty cool! Check it out!

*Note that it doesn't have the Street View feature for all addresses yet.

Here's a Cool Home...

2008-03-25T10:17:00.000-07:00

Here are some photos of another great mid-century home (built ca. 1950) for sale in my neighborhood. Check out the awesome built-in cabinetry! I really like the original birch paneled den...very retro. The green tiled bath (with pink sink) is great. There's even a shuffleboard inlaid in the basement linoleum floor! Very cool! Have a look:

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!

2008-03-17T11:45:00.000-07:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day from Wedgewood Ranch!!!

Getting Ready for Spring

2008-03-06T11:53:00.000-08:00

Now that the snow is all melted (finally), I'm starting to think about outdoor projects I never got around to last year. Number one on the priority list is the backyard patio. One word best describes it: disgusting! It is in horrible condition...so bad that we never even set foot on it last summer. It was sad, but when there are literally potholes in your patio, you really have no choice, but to avoid it.

The two photos above were taken last March, so it has actually been cleaned up a little since then, but you get the idea.

I've already gotten two bids to have the patio demolished and hauled away. The first one said it would cost anywhere from $800-1,300 for this, and another $3,000 to replace it with a new paver patio (they don't pour concrete). Yikes!!! That price seemed very steep to me. Plus, I just plain can't afford to spend that much. Anywhere from $3,800-4,300? No way.

The second bid came from a smaller company that specializes in residential concrete work. He checked everything out and said that it would cost $1,375 total to demolish and haul away the old patio, and pour a brand new "broom" finish patio. $1,375 for everything! Seems too good to be true, compared to the first bid anyway. I'm reluctant, though, to hire him. Does that price seem a little too low...sketchy even? Oh well, I guess we'll see.

The next project on my radar screen is replacing the fence next to the patio. This one may be a little easier as I have several fence contractor connections...we just can't decide on what type of fence to put up. Probably wood, but there are so many other options. Anyone have any ideas?

You Make My Day!

2008-02-25T10:15:00.000-08:00

Jen, over at Ranch Revival (one of my most favorite blogs...I only wish I could nominate her back!), kindly nominated me for a "You've Made My Day Award." I'm terribly flattered that my humble little blog has made someone's day! Thanks, Jen!

Anyway, it's now my turn to nominate 5 blogs that "make my day!" Here they are (in no particular order):

StuccoHouse - I love this blog!!! Go here to read about the ups and downs of restoring a 1924 bungalow. Great photos and restoration tips!!!

Retro Renovation - There's only one word to describe this blog: Awesome! Great insight into restoring a mid-century home. Tons of resources, as well as retro ebay finds.

House Made - Read all about restoring a 1922 Spanish/Pueblo Bungalow from (as they say right on their site) "disaster to de-lovely." I think it's one of the most de-lovely things I've seen!

Foxcroft - A veritable "blog celebrity!" Everybody knows about this blog. Truly amazing!

1951 Ranch Redo - This is the blog that inspired me to start one of my own! Awe-inspiring!

You all make may day!!!

Here are the obligatory “rules” that go with these sorts of posts…

The ‘you make my day award’ works like this:

1) Write a post with links to 5 blogs that make you think and/or make your day.
2) Acknowledge the post of the award giver.
3) Tell the award winners that they have won by commenting on their blogs with the news!

Snowed-in

2008-01-31T11:08:00.000-08:00

Here are just a couple of photos showing my backyard. During the rest of the year, we have a terraced backyard. However, due to the amount of snow we've received over the last several days, the yard is almost level. Crazy!
We were hit with a snow storm that dropped almost 14" of "new" snow!!! Not to mention that we already had about 10-12" of older snow pack. Anyway, we've gotten a little bit of a break for today, but they're already forecasting an additional 3-5" over the next several days...oh boy, that's just what we need!

Old House Photos

2007-12-06T13:57:00.000-08:00

I know some people are probably getting sick of this, but I found more old photos of homes in my neighborhood (taken anywhere from 1959-1964). I now have photos for nearly my entire block. These ones took some time locating, but they're pretty cool! The last photo I have posted is actually not in my neighborhood. It is significant because it is my home's "twin"...identical in every way except garage size (my home is "one car"). Also, my home is built into a hill, so half of the basement is "above ground", the other house's basement is all below grade. Immediately following these four photos (in the same order) are photos of these homes now.

Here are the same houses now:

Fox Theater

2007-11-16T15:50:00.000-08:00

For those of you who love Art Deco style, here are some photos of a big old theater (The Fox, built 1931) in my hometown that is currently undergoing major restoration. It will be the new home of the Symphony. It is absolutely breathtaking to see in person.

Have a look:

Another Cool House

2007-11-14T10:06:00.001-08:00

I couldn't resist posting yet again about a cool home for sale. This one, built in 1953, originally belonged to the man who built the housing development where my house is located, the Cozza Addition. Apparently, this home retains most of its original characteristics. The bathroom makes me laugh - what were they thinking? I love it! Sadly, it's a bit out of my price range...$800,000!!!

Check out these photos:

Cool Old House

2007-11-13T11:46:00.000-08:00

From time to time I like to post about a house currently for sale that I really like. This house is in a neighborhood not terribly far from my own. It's a neighborhood of homes mostly built in the 1920s and 30s (and as anyone who knows me, I'm a sucker for homes built in the 20s and 30s). This particular one was built in 1937 and is very cool. It retains a lot of its original characteristics and has been very well taken care of. The kitchen looks like it was remodeled in the 1950s or 60s, so it really doesn't fit in with the rest of the house, but I like it anyway. This home would be really fun to completely restore! Anyway, here are some photos:

Still no Ding Dong (Doorbell Part 2)

2007-11-07T15:39:00.000-08:00

It occurred to me today that I never followed up on my doorbell installation post. My reasoning for this is due to the fact that the doorbell is still not installed. I have been screwing around with the whole set-up for over a month now and I can't figure out (for the life of me) what is wrong with the system. The doorbell itself is perfectly fine. The buttons (front door and back door) are brand new, so I would assume they're fine as well. The transformer (also new) works like a charm. The wiring seems to be fine (when I test it with a low-voltage meter it has power). So, what the heck is the problem, then? I have literally tried everything.

I have to admit, I'm not totally convinced that the wiring is intact (I say this only because the lighted buttons I purchased won't light up when connected to the wires). But it doesn't matter anyway, because I don't have even the slightest clue how to repair the wiring , since it is completely inaccessible.

I probably should just give up and put the old wireless piece of crap back up. I don't know what else to do...

Metlox Dinnerware

2007-11-07T09:09:00.000-08:00

On a recent trip to a local antique store, we spotted these very cool dishes. They looked like they were from the 50s or 60s, but didn't really know much about the brand. The underside of each plate was stamped "Metlox - California Poppy Trail". It was a huge set of dishes for only $30, so we bought it, without hesitation.

When we got home, we researched them online and found that the style was actually called California Tempo. I'm not sure if the markings on the plate are incorrect or if the Tempo line was part of the Poppy Trail collection, but we discovered that they were produced around 1960 and came in several different colors.

Anyway, we haven't used them yet, but are definitely pleased with our purchase.

We'd like to paint our kitchen just to better match the dishes!

Toilet blues

2007-11-06T12:07:00.000-08:00

This is a terribly pathetic post.

Ever since we moved into our home, I have been very proud of the fact that the toilet and sink in our main bathroom are original to the house. I know, that's weird. Let me explain, though. Our home has seen a lot of crappy (pardon the pun) updating/remodeling over the years and through all of that, the original toilet and sink survived. It gives me some sort of "satisfaction" knowing that those two items have always been part of my home.

Well, happiness doesn't last forever. In just this last week, I've noticed that both the toilet and sink are cracked (and are leaking like sieves). It's especially sad because both are in otherwise perfect condition, no chips, stains, etc. Here are some photos of what my toilet looked like exactly (I found these pictures on ebay...the toilet is listed for $495!!!):

So, needless to say, I've decided that they need to be replaced. I bought the new ones today and was actually cheered up a little when I noticed how much water they will save compared to the old ones. That's good news...right?

Here are the new fixtures I bought:

The toilet
The sink (not this faucet)

The faucet
I'll post actual pictures soon...

...

2007-10-31T09:45:00.001-07:00

2007-10-26T16:58:00.000-07:00

If you haven't already noticed, I like to collect old postcards and photos of my hometown which date to the time when my home was built. I really like to see how much things have changed. Anyway, here are just a few images I really like.

This one is a shot of the downtown shopping area, circa 1957-58:

This one is of the Pay Less drugstore (downtown). I remember going there as a child. It was there until only a few years ago:

This is a photo of Washington Water Power Company. This building still stands today (built around 1912):

This is a postcard from around 1958 depicting an artist's rendition of the skyline:

This is an aerial shot of the downtown area, circa 1959-60:

This is a photo of the beautiful St. John's Cathedral, circa 1960:

Kinda neat...

Cool Wallpaper

2007-10-11T16:33:00.001-07:00

A friend of mine who lives in a beautiful Arts & Crafts style home was telling me about the great wallpapers made by Bradbury and Bradbury. I had seen some of their collections (i.e. Victorian, A&C, etc.) before and thought they were very cool, but didn't really pay too much attention since none of it would fit in with the style and period of my home.

Well, as it turns out, Bradbury and Bradbury has just recently added a "modernism" collection of wallpapers ranging from "Art Deco" to "Atomic Age". It's very cool stuff, check it out!

Here are just a few samples of the Atomic Age collection: