The Mailbox

This was my mailbox.

I always forget to take photos at the very start of a project, 

so this photo was taken just after I removed the offensive object from my house.

The Day of the Dead duct tape really adds a little somethin-somethin.

The tape was actually placed there to keep the mail man from

putting the mail in an open area in the back that

wasn't large enough to fit your hand into.

I really hated this mailbox.

This is the new improved mailbox that I just picked up

and installed myself.

(please look past the road grime staining the siding,

it won't come off so we're painting the house house in the future)

It's definitely more aesthetically pleasing, and

it's close enough to turn of the century style mailboxes to appease me.

I found similar mailboxes online for about $50,

which was why I was still living with the ugly plastic monstrosity.

This piece I found by accident while checking out

a turn of the century pie safe on a site online.

The store is called James and Jess House of Goods in Waynesboro, PA.

I learned this mailbox was only $21.

So I planned a short hike on the Appalachian Trail with a stop in Waynesboro to check out the store.

The mailbox is great.  Not an antique,

but I like it and it works.

The store is fantastic.

Full of odds and ends, some antique some not,

but all very cool.

Not only did I grab the mailbox, but I grabbed a rooster hook for the kitchen

and a small antique lantern that I have in mind for a project.

And I'm still thinking of the pie safe

that I'd like to use in the new bathroom as a cabinet for towels and such.

(but really there still aren't complete walls or a toilet in the bathroom so I'm not really ready for a piece like that).

So if you're around the area, 

I recommend checking out the store.

Even my mom and sister left with stuff.

Spring Garden Fever

 Currently, this is what the outside of the house looks like.

And yet, despite, or perhaps, because of it, 

I have a serious case of Spring Fever.

 I'm anxious to start all my outdoor projects, 

most of which are gardening/plant related.

Gardening is my big stress reliever,

and it's been many years since I've had flower gardens

(or potential ones rather)

of my very own.

The digging and planting, the design and enjoying sitting out on the patio

all make me feel relaxed.

And trust me, I need all the stress relief and relaxation I can get.

So now I'm using the last of the winter

to plan out the gardens.

I'm planning things like brick paver patios,

water gardens and flower bed design.

I've also looked into making the property a Monarch Waystation

and having the yard be a National Wildlife Federation certified Wildlife Habitat.

(I encourage others to look into these as well, no matter where you live!

Especially the Monarch Waystation, Monarch Butterflies are declining rapidly and need help!)

I'm also working on a plan for some added curb appeal-

something the house is in desperate need of!

The steps to what was the upstairs apartment will be removed

once we replace the door with a new window.

The front of the concrete porch I plan to spruce up with stone veneer,

and eventually replacing the ugly iron columns and railings with nice white ones.

I also think I'm going to get 3 large containers and plant an evergreen shrub in each one

for the front of the house on the sidewalk.  

Without a front lawn, the house needs something to soften it up.

I'm also thinking about a planting box on the right end of the porch 

so I can plant some type of climbing plant to grow up that side.

I'm thinking perhaps cardinal vine as it's an annual,

has bright red flowers that will attract hummingbirds and match the front door.

When the columns and railings get replaced, I can plan something more permanent.

And I suspect I'll be butting heads with my husband over design ideas.

I have it in my head to have a cottage garden

with English roses spilling over white picket fences

and climbing arbors 

(which will be featured to the right of the house towards the back yard some),

and I'm thinking he's more of the organized plants in a line sort of fellow.

Really, if that's the case, he should just plan to give in now. 

For now, this is the reality of the yard,

and I've been told I can't rip out shrubs until the ground isn't frozen or too muddy.

Guess we'll see about that.

The Red Door

This is the front of our house.

I want you to take special note of the front door.

In case you can't tell where it is,

it's on the left- the only thing without black shutters.

While you're checking it out, 

take notice of the blank white area above the glass on the storm door.

That's where the transom window was/is.

I was pretty bummed out thinking 

that the transom was gone and covered up.

So imagine my excitement 

when my husband figured out 

there was just a board tacked over the outside of the window.

Still, the door isn't very attractive.

It was too plain.

The house had zero curb appeal,

so I opted to go bold.

I went red.

This is the final color

and the screen door has been removed.

I still need to sand and paint the trim, 

but I'm loving the red door.

My husband, who actually doubted me,

likes the red door.

The neighbors like it, I think.

My dad hates it.

Surprisingly, 

red doors carry some meaning.

Protection 

 In the Old Testament in Exodus chapter 12, God tells the Israelites 

to slaughter a lamb on the 14th day of the month at twilight,

and smear the blood of the lamb on the top and sides of the doors.

This same night, the Angel of Death 

would go through Egypt killing every first born male,

but the Angel would pass over those homes with blood on the door

sparing the first born.

Today many churches have red painted doors to signify this covenant 

between God and the Israelites

and also as a symbol of the blood Jesus shed.

Safety

During the Civil War, 

homes that were a part of the Underground Railroad

often painted their front doors red to let escaped slaves know it was a place of refuge.

It was also use as a sign to weary travelers

that the dwelling offered a comfortable place to stay.

Luck and Energy

The Chinese consider red to be a lucky color

and paint their front doors red at the start of their new year.

In Feng Shui practices, a red door signifies the "mouth" of the home

which allows chi ("life's breath" or the energy that binds life together)

 to be drawn inside  

So, seems my choice of color has nothing but positive meanings behind it!