Don't Fence Me In

Well my bloggy friends, it's been an exciting few days around my house!  Some of it good exciting and some of it not so good!  

Yesterday I went to a beautiful beach house for a photo shoot.  It was a perfect day for a photo shoot of a home by the water, actually 3 homes by the water as I was supposed to take pictures of 3 rental properties along the shores of the Chesapeake Bay.  These homes are nestled down private dirt lanes which lead you to quiet retreats with unbelievable water views of the Bay!

I arrived as planned and all of the rentals were empty, and I had full access to wander about by myself photographing these lovely homes when the unthinkable happened.  I had scouted out the beach for a moment, and then headed inside to check out the inside.  I had wandered around briefly on the lower floor where the bedrooms were located and was making my way up a set of stairs with my tripod in one hand and my camera bag in the other, and I suddenly couldn't move!

A pain like I've never experienced before, and I've given birth to two children via cesarean...need I say more?!  But I was completely beside myself with pain.  My first thought was, I think I will need to call an ambulance, quickly followed by I don't know the street address (it was on a piece of paper in my Durango), and finally, and most importantly, that I didn't shave my legs today!!!  Why are we women like that?  We're in major pain and all we can think about is what underwear we are wearing and the fact that we don't have silky smooth legs!!!

I waited a few moments and called Mr. Tide who was hours away at work, I needed a friendly, calming voice to talk me through this.  Then I called my son to alert him to the possibility that I might need him to meet me at the hospital.  Our son runs on the local rescue squad so his first reaction was to tell me to not even think about trying to drive anywhere.  I assured him that I wouldn't if I didn't feel up to it, hung up and decided I would try and muscle through the pain (no pun intended) and work my way the 35 to 40 minutes back home.  

I also called the homeowner to apologize for having to reschedule the shoot.  She was wonderful and kind and told me to take care of myself, but I still felt horrible not being able to take the photos, this was our 3rd attempt and it really was perfect weather with clear blue skies and bright sunshine.

As I got into my car with tears in my eyes from the discomfort, and began the drive home, I realized this probably wasn't one of my best decisions.  I was really afraid that if I needed to react quickly while driving I wouldn't be able to.  So I phoned one of my oldest and dearest friends, Gerard.  He and I have been friends since middle school, and although we go months without talking, and even longer sometimes without seeing one another, I always know I can call him anytime day or night and he'll be there for me!  I hope he knows that he can do the same and I'll be there for him too!  Once again, like he's done so many times in the past, he came to my rescue.  He lives fairly close by to the beach house, and when I asked if I could drive to his house he said no problem!  I definitely owe him some beer and cookies!

It was nice to hang out and get caught up a little since we hadn't seen one another in a while, and after getting home from work, Mr. Tide and my son came to fetch me and drive me home.  I was feeling a little better by then, and on the way home Mr. Tide told me that our son Bugs wasn't feeling well again.  So off we went to the ER once again, me with my painful back, and Bugs with a major headache, nausea, and this time blurred vision!

What a family we are, falling apart in the span of a few weeks!!  So after trying to sit comfortably in the ER waiting room for nearly 3 hours, we were seen.  The doctor said that she thinks our son is suffering from a form of migraines and I didn't mention my back trouble, so we headed home after a very long day!

So if you're still reading this post (and I wouldn't blame you if you've moved on), you're probably wondering what in the sam hill this has to do with my fence pictures and my title!  Well, along with the injuries and other illness excitement we did manage to have some good things happen over the last few days too!

We've been talking about fencing in our backyard for a long time now and they finally came to start putting in our split rail fence this morning!  I'm not one for fencing in open spaces usually, and I don't don't subscribe to the "good fences make good neighbors" theory either!  I believe good neighbors make good neighbors and we have some of the best neighbors imaginable.  But you see, unlike our older Border Collie, Miss Kylee, our dear Mr. Quinn is very obedient until he decides that chasing a cat is WAY more fun.  So sometimes when we are in the yard he has to be on a leash, which for a herding dog is just no fun at all!  So we bit the bullet and decided  to put in a fence.

I wasn't sure if the fence was going to make me feel "fenced in" or if it would block our view of the field and the creek, but now that it's in I really like it!  And so do the birds, see that little bluebird on the fence post.  The bluebirds are loving it and seem to enjoy hanging out on the new fence, and that makes me happy!

They weren't able to finish up today and will be back next week to install the rest of the fencing and the wire mesh behind it.  It will go down to the waters edge on both sides of the property line, but won't go along the creek at the back of our property.  Mr. Quinn and Miss Kylee are not big fans of water so we don't have to worry about either of them venturing into the water to circumnavigate the fence!

So the irony of this whole fence thing is that instead of making me feel fenced in, I think it will actually give us more of a sense of freedom and we will be able to relax in the hammock or hang out on our dock without fear of a certain stubborn English Shepherd tearing after the neighbor's cats, the deer, or whatever.

Oh, and in case you were wondering, I didn't take any of the photos in this post, Mr. Tide was duty photographer today!  Instead, I did a lot of resting in my bed today with a warm heating pad on my back!  And remember a few months ago when I did this post about not having any blinds or curtains on any of my windows?

Well, sometimes not having curtains doesn't always work out!  Like when you have workmen in your yard all day and you can't move!!!  So you have to improvise!  I think Ralph Lauren would approve of my makeshift curtain choice!

Sorry for not replying to anyone's emails or comments.  I promise that when I'm all better I will be able to spend a little more time at the computer, but for now I'm taking it easy...Mr. Tide's orders!  I hope you all have a wonderful weekend, and since I won't be posting until I'm feeling up to snuff, be sure to visit some of my dear friends on my blog roll!

Spring Lambs and a Winner

When you live in the country sometimes your neighbors aren't just humans!  Some of our neighbors are cows, horses, chickens, and sheep.  And each year when springtime rolls around there are little lambs frolicking about in the fields.

If you've ever read a nursery rhyme about lambs the illustrations usually show them jumping and kicking up their heels in joyful abandon.  And that's not just some charming idealized image of baby sheep, these little lambs bounce and prance as if they have springs in their tiny feet!

They make the most of each and every moment, chasing one another, playing king of the hill, and just having fun!  They are the pure embodiment of carefree living!

But they never stray too far from the sides of their mothers as they take in the world around them.

And like humans, their parents are always keeping a watchful on them as well, making sure that they stay out of harms way.

It's magical this time of year in my neighborhood, with the flowers blooming, the smell of freshly cut grass filling the air, and we all stop to watch these wonderful creatures grow with each passing day!  As we drive by the sheep farm each day on our way home, it's not unusual to see 2 or 3 cars pulled over just watching the lambs living life to the fullest.

I think for most of us these little lambs represent renewal, rebirth, and everything wonderful about this time of year!

Thank you to everyone for your lovely comments about my house tour!  Your support and kind words always warm my heart!

And now it's time to announce the winner of my latest giveaway!  Thank you once again to everyone who entered and shared the giveaway with others!   Lucky #20 was my dear friend Lili from Fearless Nesting!  Lili was one of my first followers and has been a blogging buddy of mine ever since.  She's a talented artist and when random.org picked her name it made me smile.  Poor Lili has entered every single giveaway I've ever had, and she even gave me one of her great pieces of Raku Pottery for a different giveaway, so congrats Lili, I know you'll look fabulous carrying that cool new purse!!

House Tour With Poppies at Play

If you are a regular reader of Low Tide High Style then you'll already have seen many of the pictures in today's post.  But I'm so excited to be linking up with Andy from Poppies at Play and giving you all a tour of my home.  If you've never visited Andy's blog, then you are in for a treat!  She has a wonderful sense of style, she's hugely creative, generous, and she just finished a marathon!  She makes me tired just thinking about all of the wonderful things she does!

So come on in and I'll take you around the place.  We bought our house 3 years ago, (the little brick rambler pictured on the left in the photo above), and although the home was less than 10 years old and very solidly built, it wasn't quite our style.  The location, however, couldn't be beat!

It's located on a private lane, right by the waters edge, and there is more waterfront across the street that can't be built on!  We have the most amazing neighbors, and on one side of us is an old tobacco farm that also can't be built on, so we felt very lucky to have found this great home even if we knew we would eventually make some changes to it.  We lived here for about a year and a half before beginning our whole house remodel.

If someone asked me what my favorite room in the house was, I would not hesitate for even a moment before saying that the kitchen is truly my favorite room.  During the remodel, we completely gutted the kitchen and started from scratch to create my dream kitchen. 

Before

Above is how the kitchen looked just before we bought the house.  You can see the pickled wood cabinetry which was dated, the mauve countertops, and the ceramic tile floor which was installed by the previous owners and had been laid incorrectly so it was cracked and starting to come up in places.

Although the kitchen was in good shape, it did not have the storage that we really needed and we just weren't happy with how the space flowed.  We did live here for almost 2 years before starting the renovations, so I painted the walls bright apple green to play down the pink undertones of the cabinets, but it was a very happy day for me when we started tearing the old kitchen out!

After

Today, our kitchen is the realization of a dream come true.  I had always dreamt of having a black and white kitchen, the kind that reminds you of your grandmother's house with pies cooling on the window sill and a big Sunday dinner cooking on the stove.  I love the big new window over the soapstone farm sink, I can look out to the water while fixing dinner or doing the dishes!

The kitchen remodel took 4 months from tear out to being a functioning kitchen again.  During that time we ate a lot of peanut butter and cottage cheese, and the waiters at a local Mexican Restaurant got to know us very well!  We added another doorway, eliminated the peninsula and opted for a center island with bar sink instead.  The custom cabinetry allowed us to configure the kitchen in a way that provides us with wonderful flow, plenty of storage, and it has truly become the heart of the house.

There is still more work to be done in the kitchen.  The backsplash needs to be installed, which will consist of beadboard along the window wall,  while bronze sea life tiles set into an onyx mosaic (pictured above) will go above the range.  The bronze tiles were my one big splurge, they are handmade and cost $60.00 a piece, but since they will be a focal point I wanted something that would really make a statement.

 I really wanted the cabinets to resemble pieces of furniture so our wonderful cabinetmaker added lots of detailing wherever he could, such as on the sink cabinet shown above.

 The pendant lights over the island are made by Troy Lighting and are part of their Owings Mills Collection.

A bargain hunter by nature, I found as many items for the kitchen as I could on sale or at deeply discounted prices.  The soapstone farm sink was half off from Green Mountain Soapstone and cost $400.00, less than many stainless steel undermount sinks these days.  And every single faucet, including the insta-hot, came from Ebay, some of them were 90% off of the retail price!  By planning ahead, buying discounted items well in advance, and being willing to compromise on some things, you truly can get a kitchen that looks like a million bucks, but doesn't cost that much!  We opted not to buy professional grade appliances, and by doing that I was able to get custom inset cabinetry which was only a few thousand dollars more than semi-custom and it had the look and features I really wanted.

Because storage was the primary reason for the remodel, we built not one but two pantries.  One holds all of our food and paper products, while the one pictured above is for glassware and dish storage.  The doors in the middle cleverly conceal our microwave.  By placing it inside the cabinet instead of over the range I was able to get a hood, which is both powerful and pretty to look at.

Anyone who knows me knows that I have to have places to put my quirky finds, so we added a small tiger maple topped hutch with open shelves where I can put all of my tea "stuff".  It has open shelving above for my other special items and seasonal decor.  We also added a few open shelves to one side of the island for basket storage, it's perfect for having quick and easy access to some of my bread baskets.

The kitchen was not the only room touched by our recent remodel.  Every room in the house had something done to it, whether it was installing new windows, adding hardwood floors, or tearing down walls.

 The living room and dining room also underwent major changes.  When we first bought the house it was very compartmentalized with lots of individual rooms.  When you walked in the front door you were immediately greeted by a wall.  A second wall separated the living room and dining room.

 Before

The two photos above where taken with the previous owner's furnishings and show just how dark and cramped the living room and dining rooms were.

Because we wanted a more open concept, we decided to remove the walls that separated the living and dining rooms, to create one big open space for entertaining.  It also allowed wonderful flow from the kitchen into both rooms and made the space feel much bigger and brighter after taking out the walls.

After

Now when you enter the front door you are greeted by a bright, open airy space instead of a wall.  The Duncan Phyfe dining room suite was something I inherited from my maternal grandparents.  The buffet backs up nicely against the couch and helps to define the two rooms.

The living room now serves as our main TV watching area.  Because I like the advantages of having a big screen television, but don't like staring at one when it's not in use, we found this great entertainment center to hide all of our electronic equipment.  And the dining room flows right off of both the living room and the kitchen for easy entertaining!

Now that the walls are gone, you can look out of either of the windows on the east side of the house to take full advantage of the water views.

Pocket doors can be closed to help separate the living and dining areas from the rest of the house.  This was important since our son often has friends over to watch movies in this room, while we are working on our computers in the nearby office.

Although the two rooms have a more formal feel than found throughout the rest of the house, they are still rooms that we use daily.  Aside from the pieces we inherited, I tried to pick comfortable seating so that people would feel comfortable and welcome in both spaces.

I also tried to decorate the living and dining rooms with pieces that gave a nod to the home's waterfront location, without becoming too theme oriented or over the top.  I find inspiration in magazines, online, and from visiting other people's homes, but I think where your house is located and the nature that surrounds it should be where you draw your greatest inspiration.  We have lots of blues, greens, and sand colors around us, so that was the palette that I chose to use in the house.  I also like to change my accessories seasonally, and I have fresh flowers in the house whenever I can just to change things up a bit.

I also tried to keep the rooms fresh by introducing new pieces of furniture to blend with old family heirlooms.  The antique Hepplewhite chest of drawers is another inherited piece, while the black glass sided cabinet was a new purchase.  In addition to looking great, both of these pieces provide much needed storage for linens, serving pieces, or just some of my collections.

I also love having something unexpected in a room, like this giant round metal chandelier.  It brings a bit of surprise to the space and pairs wonderfully with the much more traditional mahogany dining room suite.  It really is one of my favorite things in the room.

We also gutted the guest bathroom during our whole house remodel.  The layout stayed the same, but we updated it and added a new deeper tub, new fixtures, tiled floor and shower surround, and lots of white painted beadboard.

Before

Above is how the bathroom looked when we first bought the house almost 3 years ago.  It was perfectly serviceable, but it needed some serious updating.

After

We replaced everything in the bathroom except the vanity.  We were able to order a custom double bowl sink from Lowes and I replaced the old hardware with crystal knobs to give it more of a cottage feel.

The peg rack hung in our previous home and works well for holding towels in the newly remodeled bath.  As you can see, I love re-arranging and changing things depending on the season or if we are hosting a party.  I recently added the ladder, turned art piece, to the wall above the towel rack.

The shelf was yet another Lowes purchase and provides me with more flat surfaces to decorate!  The mirror was a bargain at just $60.00 and came from a local antique store.  The beadboard and trim was all installed by Mr. Tide, he only used a few off color words during the installation and painting process, but I think it was worth all of the hard work!

I love when a home has vintage or sentimental pieces in it.  The chalkboard that leads down the hallway to our bedrooms came from my parent's house.  We used it to play school, practice homework on, or leave messages to one another when we were growing up.  It's blank in this photo, but we use it to post birthday wishes, and lots of other great messages now that it's in our house!

Unlike our last home, which consisted of a lot of off white walls, when we purchased this house I decided that all of the natural light called for some bold colors to be used in the bedrooms.  I've always been a water loving person, and I used to spend hours hanging out at the beach when I was younger, so I knew I wanted something water inspired for our bedroom walls.

We added two more windows to our bedroom for a total of 4 now, and the views of the water and the fields next door are so wonderful to wake up to each morning!  I still need to find some more artwork for this room, but I'm waiting until I find something that really speaks to me (ie. something Mr. Tide and I can agree on) and suits the room!

Although doing a whole house remodel is a big investment in both time, energy, and money, I think that by planning ahead and having the time to find the right professionals, and being able to hunt online or in stores for bargains helps a lot.  I also acted as the general contractor, and we did all of the "de"construction to help save even more money.  We did lots of research and found wonderful, honest subcontractors, which allowed us to get quality work for a fair price. I also purchased things well before we even needed them, sometimes years in advance, so we were able to get everything we wanted and more without breaking the bank!  I also recommend being flexible, sometimes things just don't work out and you have to go with the flow when you are trying to redesign an existing structure.  Stick to the things that are most important to you and in the end you'll be happy with the results.

People often wonder if we had any major problems throughout the remodel and I have to say that we honestly didn't.  We did have a few unexpected costs, like having to replace all of the subflooring near the sliding glass door which had suffered some water damage at some point and needed to be replaced.  And when asked if I would do anything differently my answer would be that short of winning the lottery and being able to rip off the roof and add a second story, there really isn't anything I would change.  Thinking things through while we lived here for two years really helped us know what we liked and what needed to change before the remodeling began.

For more detailed information about the remodel and to see lots more photos you can click on any of the photos in my sidebar!

I hope you enjoyed the tour, and I would like to thank Andy from Poppies at Play for letting me share a little bit of me and my home with all of her wonderful readers!  Be sure to pop over and say hello to Andy, you'll love her blog and you'll find lots of  wonderful inspiration!

P.S.  There is still time to enter my current giveaway!  Click HERE for more info!