For Someone Who Hates the Country...

... I am mysteriously DRAWN to the quaintness of it! I find it adorable to visit, and want to take aspects of it with me back to the city. I also wish I had something more sophisticated than Mr. Moneypit's iphone to take photos with (wah waaaaah)...

This weekend we headed down to the Southtowns to visit family that has a farm – NOTE TO OUT-OF-TOWNERS: Buffalo is a city, you have to drive about half an hour to reach a farm. :) Anyway – they were having a corn roast. That's right, they pick all the corn on the farm, and roast it up for all their friends and family members, and it's a big ol' end of summer party. It was actually way more fun than I thought it would be...

Okay... chickens? I want chickens. I really do. Only like, two, and I don't really want to ever have to touch them or clean up after them, but in the city you're allowed to have up to five (I think?) and the idea of an endless supply of farm fresh eggs makes the whole thing seem totally worth it!

I mean... they're kinda cute? 

There was also tons of old machinery just sitting around... like this rusty old tractor? That's pretty cool. 

Then we ventured into their barns. (They had a few!) As a sidenote: I LOVE the show American Pickers. If you've never seen it, they go around the country going through people's barns and old collectibles to find lost treasure to sell at their shop. So I had quite the high hopes for the contents of these barns, and was not disappointed.

I want this. Want. Want. Want. I want to take it into my studio and store letterpress type in it and love it forever. 

Old boxes = swoooon in my book.

Not entirely sure what this was storing... but I love the look all the same.

Huge glass jars everywhere. Um hello, aren't these like $80 at Pottery Barn?

And my favorite:

When was the last time you saw something actually labeled "POISON"??? Hahaha!
Well that was our trip to the farm... hoping to have something new and interesting on our contractors' work soon, but I was informed today that even though I was told this week would be a big week for getting the big stuff started, people are already thinking about the weekend, so it might not happen.

Fantastic.

Slowly Upgrading Ourselves From Squatters to Rednecks...

I figure our "curb appeal" has somewhat been upgraded this summer, perhaps not by much, but at least now it looks like there's someone actually living here. This porch ceiling revival is taking a ridonkulous amount of time to complete... but a check-in is in order, as we finished the priming stage this weekend:

As always, a "before reminder":

We fixed and replaced the panelling, and after uncovering some original (what we consider) outdoor "crown," we put on some new matching lower moulding:

And now after the repairs, some new moulding and a couple coats of primer:

It's still by no means "done" but it's at least a blog-worthy improvement in my opinion... maybe we can elevate ourselves to full-fledged "proud homeowners" before the end of the summer, with a full HGTV-esque fancy schmancy curb appeal "reveal."

Who Says There's No Nature In The City??

So a few nights ago we noticed this in the backyard...

Do you see it? Look closer...

We have baby bunnies!! We found a nest a couple nights ago, you can see one still in it!

(well you can see the ear, at least... kinda...)

Then this morning, Nick sends me this picture:

With this caption:

"We played a little. Now I'm late for work."

Hehe... cuteness overload.

(and yes friends, I'm sorry, but I did have to dismantle some of the kissing booth to protect the little buggers. I didn't want them disturbed by a lawn mower... or a curious puppy!)

[Still Jumping Up and Down Giggling]

Don't judge me.

Plans officially approved? CHECK! Permit? CHECK! Electrician coming today and tomorrow? CHECK CHECK CHECK! heee... we might actually pull this off...