An Outrageous Color

/ Jo / Leave a comment

My inspiration of color for The Landing is sky, sea, and sand.

The kitchen and dining room are essentially blue and sand.

That means much of the house is in shades of blue.

Even the brackish water of the Bay is sometimes green.

Every so often I insert a little green that represents our marsh.

Blue is the complementary color of orange (and vice versa).

But I always like a little unexpected color that is chosen with great care.  Scientifically the complementary color to blue is orange, directly across the color wheel. (Notice how nature uses this color scheme in the masthead picture.)

The “art” that hangs over the piano includes a metal Baltimore oriole and vintage sheet music called “Oriole March”.

I matched the orange on the oriole bird on the sheet music as close as possible with a Sherwin Williams color named Saffron Thread.

Charlie liked the mottled finish of the wall after 2 coats of paint.

The color initially seemed very bright.

The challenge for me was to paint the tight triangle under the bottom of the stairs.

Since this was just a small area I decided I could change it if I just hated it.

Not much of the wall actually shows.

After returning the piano to its place and the small blue cabinet (housing the internet modems) beside it, the orange didn’t seem overwhelming at all.

This small wall is only visible from very limited angles.

The wall can’t be seen from most of the house including the entrance foyer, the living room, the kitchen, and the dining room.

The small pop of color seems to enhance the ceiling of natural wood.

I didn’t realize how close the color would be to the ceiling color until I photographed the area. For now it stays.

Jo

Landing Kitchen Reno — Range Hood, Cabinet over stove, Blue Cabinet

/ Jo / Leave a comment

The renovation crew came out to the house one last time to hang a cabinet over the stove which houses the range hood.

The crew carefully drilled a hole through the side of the house inside the cabinet.

The original cabinet was damaged so we have been waiting for the replacement.  The range hood vents outside the house through the cabinet above it.

The hood also plugs in in the closet.

We’ve been waiting to cook our most explosive foods until the range hood was installed.

The espresso machine is tucked into the left side of the sink counter.

There’s a space on the wall above the coffee bar that was bare.  And I have already filled all the drawers and cabinet below.  My intention was always to put a little something there — shelves, a vintage cabinet, art.  The space above the backsplash is 41 inches so the length needed to be less than that.

Apparently this was a discarded bathroom cabinet that had been ordered but not needed.

I found a blue cabinet (24″ by 36″ by 9″) on Facebook Marketplace.

In addition to the new cabinet I changed the lighting fixture over the sink to reflect the warm metals in the house.

We discussed the exact placement and decided to fill the wall just left of the beam and not directly over the espresso machine.

The stove with range hood and cabinet.

Finally all cabinets and appliances are fully installed and useful.

My favorite corner works very well.

I have just a few more artistic tweaks to finish the “look” of the kitchen now that it is fully functional.

Jo

250 Years to Celebrate

/ Jo / Leave a comment

Charlie and I wish everyone everywhere a very Happy Independence Day.

The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier guarded by 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, known as “The Old Guard,” 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

And thank you to those who have defended our country and continue to this day.

Fireworks over the Choptank River

Our plans are to take in a barbecue buffet loaded with local fare of the Chesapeake Bay and enjoy some live music. I’m hoping we can stay awake to watch the fireworks.

Celebrating freedom! (The Liberty Bell in Philadelphia)

The challenge this year is to stay cool with temperatures into the low 100s.

The Mall ending at the US Capitol viewed from the top of the Washington Monument.

We’re proud to be Americans.

Jo

July, 2026: Gonna

/ Jo / 2 Comments

Half of 2026 is DONE so I’m going to focus on finishing out the year really STRONG.

The house when we moved in.

Now the house is fully stained.

We’ll also be starting our third year in this house.  We’ve certainly put our stamp on it.

The primary bathroom needs a total makeover.

I originally decided to work on the house for our first 5 years in residence then enjoy living here.  I know issues will crop up but the liveability of the house will hopefully have been addressed.  The next big project will be the primary bedroom’s ensuite bathroom.

The entrance hall is narrow and 2 stories tall.

In addition we’ll continue to paint the interior.  The challenge of the unpainted walls is that they’re 2 stories tall.  Much of the painting we originally did was before the furniture was moved in.

In July I plan to:

  1.  Celebrate America’s 250th Anniversary.

    We usually don’t visit a fireworks display but we’ll make an exception this year the 250th anniversary of our independence.

  2.   Work on excursions for Panama Canal cruise.

    We’re hoping to take a jungle overhead tram in the jungle of Panama.

  3.   Pay real estate taxes.
  4.   Sort through cassette tapes and music CDs.

    One of 3 boxes full of music CDs and tapes.

  5.   Work on a paint project.

    Maybe I’ll start easy and paint the piano wall.

  6.   Work on window treatments in kitchen.  Perhaps I’ll reuse something from our other house if I can find them.

    I always liked this valance and the colors are right.

  7.  Clear the top of the bedroom dresser.

    How does it accumulate?

  8.  Plan something fun.
  9.   Pick a word to focus on for the month. My word:  ADAPTABILITY.
  10.   Write a goal list for August, 2026.

Jo

June, 2026: Wrapped

/ Jo / Leave a comment

June has been a beautiful month weatherwise so I started attending weekly sailboat races.

These dingheys are rigged before being put in the water.

In addition to the numbered list below I:

  • built a greenhouse for the yard.

    A nice little building which will have multiple uses.

    Just before it was fully finished a windy storm blew through and knocked it down. Now I have to start over.

  • started walking on a regular basis.  Working up to a 10K in November. Forcing Dash to walk with me.
  • joined the local Center for the Arts at the request of an acquaintance.  Charlie and I attended an exhibit opening.

    Some very unique local art was on display.

  • heard the U.S. Navy Sea Chanters in an inspiring outdoor concert.

    Sound check.

    Performance

  • joined in a Book Club discussion on Theo of Golden, a book I enjoyed and read very quickly.

    Theo of Golden

  • visited the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State Park and Visitor Center in Church Creek, Maryland — very welcoming and beautifully presented in this month when we celebrate Juneteenth.

    Tubman reaches out to save people in the water.

  • renewed my driver’s license in person at the Motor Vehicles Administration because I needed an eye test which I passed.  Good for another 9 years.

In June I tried to seriously participate in local establishments and non-profits.  To that end here’s how my numbered list from the beginning of the month fared.

  1.  Learn more about Maryland’s natural resources and the protection and restoration of the Chesapeake Bay.

    Phytoplankton and tiny bits of algae suspended in water is nourishment for oysters, voracious filter feeders that help clean the Chesapeake Bay.

    I took a 90-minute tour of Horn Point Lab where the faculty, staff, and students engage in research on the biology, chemistry, physics, and ecology of organisms and ecosystems from the wetlands and estuaries of the Chesapeake Bay to the continental shelf and the world’s oceans.

    As one of the largest oyster hatcheries on the East Coast, the Horn Point Oyster Hatchery produces a variety of oyster larvae for use in oyster research, oyster restoration, and educational projects

  2.  Take Dashie to the vet for annual shots and check-up. I have started using a vet van that comes to Tractor Supply once a month for shots, nail clippings, and diagnostics.

    A vet tech 10 times Dashie’s weight holds him securely while his blood is drawn.

    Dashie was a real pro: barking at big dogs who were misbehaving and cooperating with the vet techs.

  3.  Pay for property insurance which includes a separate policy for flood insurance.

    This high tide. Hoping never to experience an actual flood.

    Glad that’s taken care of for another year.

  4.  Wash the kitchen windows inside and out.  I washed the screens and windows in the newly remodeled kitchen.

    We have many unusual windows that connect us to outside.

  5.  Rearrange items in garage including organizing tools.

    After a few projects the tools end up in cardboard boxes.

    The tools are back in the tool area in the garage.

  6.  Try to remove house stain that has marked the back deck.  I tried multiple formulas and techniques and was only semi-successful.

    Before

    Improved but not much.

  7.  Plan something fun.  I went to a Flower Show: Celebrating Maryland’s Eastern Shore by showcasing local horticulture.

    I just threw away an Old Bay tin — if I only knew.

  8.   Visit some local event or museum.  I visited Richardson’s Maritime Museum in Cambridge, Maryland.  I got the full tour of boat building projects and the beautiful scale models in the museum.

    A vintage wooden boat being rehabbed by hand by experts.

  9.   Pick a word to focus on for the month. My word: PARTICIPATE.
  10.   Write a goal list for July, 2026.

Jo

Landing Kitchen Reno — Gas Range

/ Jo / 2 Comments

As I’ve said before, I bought in advance all new appliances, including the stove, for the kitchen renovation.

We stored the appliances in the garage while waiting for demolition to begin.

They have been on site since the end of last year.

The stove is in place but not yet hooked up.

When the gas range was finally in place we contacted our propane provider to come and hook it up.

The gas tank would eventually be installed to the left of the antenna tower on the far right.

Even though we have propane other places in the house we opted to have a dedicated tank just outside the kitchen on the exterior of the house that is only used for the cook stove.

Some gas ranges come with a conversion kit but not ours.

We had called the gas company 2 weeks in advance to give them the heads up that we would be needing an installer soon.  At no time did they tell us about the conversion kit nor the extra employee that would have to come out at least a day in advance to survey the property and placement of the stove and new tank.  So naturally everything was last minute.

Without the conversion kit gas flames would reach to the ceiling.

We were disappointed that we had to come up with a natural gas-to-propane conversion kit.  I was not sure why a gas company would not have access to such an accessory.  We called the company that made the stove and they shipped one out the next day.

The gas in the tank on the kitchen side of the house should last for at least a year.

When the installer finally came out he brought a tank, copper tubing, and the fixtures to connect.  He used the conversion kit to change the orifices (small, threaded brass fittings with precisely drilled holes. Since propane operates at a higher pressure, liquid propane [LP] orifices have smaller holes than natural gas [NG] orifices.)

There is enough flexible tubing so the stove can be fully pulled out from its niche.

This installer did not bring with him the correct screwdriver bits and caulk for the hole in the house.  We provided both.

Charlie did not like the kink on the exterior wall.

Everything went well until he left.  Charlie had not been inspecting the job as the installer went along and saw that the copper pipe on the outside of the house was crimped.  He called immediately to report the issue.

The new line looks clean. Charlie will caulk the hole this time.

Unfortunately the installer could not return until a week later. That was not a big deal for us.  However he seemed to have an attitude when he returned to make the repair as well as dragging tar from his shoes all through the downstairs.

The stove works great and is a pleasure to use after 2 years of vintage electric.

We cleaned up the tar and are happy using the new gas stove.

 

Jo

June, 2026: Gonna

/ Jo / Leave a comment

At the end of June we will have been in this new house for 2 full years.

The downstairs bathroom.

In that time we have renovated both the downstairs bathroom and the kitchen —  a capital project each year in addition to painting both the interior and exterior.

This bathroom needs to somehow be opened up.

Next big project is the primary upstairs ensuite bathroom.  I have ideas but have not yet nailed down a design.

In June I plan to:

  1.  Learn more about Maryland’s natural resources and the protection and restoration of the Chesapeake Bay.

    We want to protect and improve the Chesapeake Bay in addition we’d like to know to know how to keep our own bayfront property from eroding away.

  2.  Take Dashie to the vet for annual shots and check-up.
  3.  Pay for property insurance which includes a separate policy for flood insurance.

    Sometimes high tide comes right up into the yard.

  4.  Wash the kitchen windows inside and out.
  5.  Rearrange items in garage including organizing tools.

    I had most of the tools organized until I had to make way for storing the new kitchen in the garage before it was installed.

  6.  Try to remove house stain that has marked the back deck.
  7.  Plan something fun.
  8.   Visit some local event or museum.

    Maybe I’ll visit our nearby Underground Railroad Federal/State park in honor of Juneteenth.

  9.   Pick a word to focus on for the month. My word: PARTICIPATE.
  10.   Write a goal list for July, 2026.

Jo

Landing Kitchen Reno — Day 13 Plumbing, Caulk, Shelves

/ Jo / Leave a comment

A crew of 2 showed up Saturday morning to:

  • plumb the sink,
  • cap pony wall,
  • hang some shelves,
  • add some trim.

After the counter was installed the sink is ready for the faucet to be connected to water along with the drain.

Kraus Oletto Spot Free Antique Champagne Bronze Single Handle Deck-mount Pull-down Kitchen Faucet with Sprayer

Before the water was connected to the new high arc faucet a bead of special caulk was run between the countertop and tile to seal the space.

A wide piece of wood tops the pony wall.

A wood cap was added to the top of the pony wall.

The two-toned pony wall cap looks interesting but eventually I’ll refinish it.

Someday in the future when I’m feeling creative I’ll either paint this piece of lumber white or try a driftwood faux finish. The carpenter chamfered the edge with a fancy router bit.

I’ll probably use these shelves for coffee collectibles.

I finally put the espresso machine in place after adding small wheels to the bottom..

Three live-edge shelves were added to the hidden nook behind the pantry cabinet.

The microwave will probably be on the dining room side of the kitchen.

Love how the tile backsplash blends with the dining room wallpaper mural.

The 4-foot tall pony wall hides the microwave oven from the other rooms.

The broken cabinet has been temporarily installed over the stove to hold the place of a new one.

We are still waiting for a replacement for a damaged cabinet discovered early in the renovation and a piece of trim to cover an unexpected pipe.

In addition to being hooked up propane gas for the stove must be installed.

The gas range is scheduled to be hooked up soon by a local propane company.

Jo

May, 2026: Wrapped

/ Jo / Leave a comment

May has been a very satisfying month.

First steamed blue crabs of the 2026 season.

We’re really starting to feel connected to the region.  We found a permanent church, a social club, and the crabs are running.

In addition to the numbered list below I:

  • watched the Lord of the Rings trilogy, Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy, and the DaVinci  Code (which I had already seen) focusing on the music that was featured in #1 below.
  • planted herbs in the front garden strip : parsley, thyme, and rosemary.

    The catmint I planted last year has given some early color and is attracting hummingbirds.

  • have secured tickets, hotel, and plans for last month’s goal of arranging accomodations for my high school reunion later this summer.
  • washed windows in the primary bedroom that overlook the bay.

    The windows needed a good scrape and scrub.

In May I planned to work on the below list.  I didn’t notice until the end of the month that I had 11 items instead of the usual 10 on the list. Here’s how I did.

  1.  Go to Anna Lapwood organ concert in Atlantic City, NJ.  On the first day of the month we traveled by car to New Jersey for a very special concert which we enjoyed with 6,000 other people.

    Although the organ is the largest in the World, it is dwarfed by Boardwalk Hall arena. (It’s circled to the right of the stage.)

  2.   Arrange the new kitchen. I was so happy to start putting our pots and pans, dishes, etc. back into the newly installed kitchen.

    Hoping we now have plenty of room to store all out kitchen stuff.

  3.   Add weatherstrip to garage door.

    Purchased at WalMart.

    I added about 2-feet of weather seal to the outside edges of the garage door bottom seal.

    Look closely: one 2′ piece of foam (black), then 1 piece of foam on the outer edge (left) about half of that, then the original piece hanging below. Once renailed the layers were enclosed.

    I pried off the bottom seal and stuck on the additional foam, then renailed all layers together.  I can no longer see light under the door when it is closed.  Seems like a win so far.

  4.   Wash cashmere sweaters and put away until fall.

    Just of portion of my sweaters ready to be folded away until autumn.

  5.   Work on exterior painting.  I finished staining the balcony off the primary bedroom a color to match the downstairs deck and filled in all the detail siding stain in the same area.

    The primary bedroom balcony is more inviting now that it has been stained.

  6.   Decide where to plant flowering quince and bearded iris.  I planted the quince between our yard and a neighbor to sort of “block the view” and the iris should work nicely on either side of the back deck stairs.

    This was one pot of bearded iris.

  7.   Clear the “office” portion of the primary bedroom.  Not perfect but much, much better.  The items leaning against the wall are artwork that need to be hung  somewhere. I’ll be working on that in the near future.

    I west from this . . .

    . . . to this.

  8.   Plan something fun.  We attended a Bluegrass festival, a social at the local yacht club, and a pasta dinner to raise funds for our church’s African mission.  Fun, fun, fun.

    Billy Harrison and the Haywire Band complete with dobro, banjo, mandolin, and guitars.

  9.   Hang a US flag on Memorial Day.

    We honor those who serve.

  10.   Pick a word to focus on for the month. My word: TRADITION.
  11.   Write a goal list for June, 2026.

Jo

Landing Kitchen Reno — Day 12 Countertop

/ Jo / Leave a comment

The day for which we’ve been waiting — installation of countertops.

End of Day 11

Back on Day 7 the countertop tech made a digital template for the quartz countertop.

A piece of backsplash tile on a sample of Calacatta Safyra quartz.

On Day 10 I approved Option 2 of the layout.  In real time (including a long holiday weekend) from template to install has taken 11 days.

First the countertop crew protected the front of the ceramic sink with wood shims and painters’ tape.

The crew of 3 men who were installing the countertop arrived around 5 p.m.  They had been working since 6 in the morning.

The hidden corner behind the pantry cabinet will ultimately become the coffee bar.

We were the final job of the day.

Each of the panels had been accurately cut.

They worked efficiently and deliberately as a team to haul in and place the extremely heavy quartz countertops which had been well-cut to fit the openings.

This contraption along with some smelly seam filler virtually eliminated the opening.

Only one main seam was needed to connect separate pieces.

One solid piece the quartz with no seams.

The largest counter area on the dining room side is one piece cut at right angles.

The sink is ready for the faucet to be connected to water.

The final piece to be installed is at the back of the sink.  The hole for the faucet is toward the right-hand side of the sink which we had discovered as our preference in our former home.

The counters have a subtle veining of beige and blue which go with the upper and lower cabinets.

Still remaining:

  • plumbing to sink,
  • gas hookup to range,
  • range hood fan and ductwork in replacement cabinet,
  • cap on pony wall,
  • additional trim.

Bird’s eye view before countertop.

Bird’s eye view after countertop installation.

Every step of the procedure has turned out to be a great improvement.  We’re in the home stretch. Or in sailing racing parlance — “look for the blue flag”.

Jo