New House Bog: Episode LXVII - Drain The Rain

Once again Thanksgiving is almost upon us, and this year we are preparing to host a Thanksgiving feast at our New House.  Today I gave the linoleum flooring its somewhat annual sweeping and mopping, and I got to break in our brand new mop bucket (the previous mop bucket had become cracked and unusable due to sitting outside on the back porch for several months).  The new mop bucket performed flawlessly.  To make the day complete, Daisy and Satchmo got their claws trimmed.  Neither one was too keen on the idea, but they were handsomely compensated for their trouble.  

Drain The Rain

A section of our New House's rain gutter had disattached itself from the rest of our New House and fallen to the ground below.  Upon close investigation we discovered that this particular section of rain gutter seemed to have been attached to our New House rather less securely than was the rest of the rain gutter system.  It was a pretty straightforward job to reattach this section of rain gutter to our New House.

This is the fallen section of rain gutter, looking somewhat like an oarfish that has washed up on the beach.  This particular section was attached to the right side of the garage roof.

 This is the rain gutter reattached to our New House, as seen from above.  We used the two-ladder system for this project.

This is the same section of rain gutter as seen from below.

We completed this job just days before the first rain of the season came to our area.  So far the reattached section is working well.

Bonus Rainbow Photo

This is a photo of a rainbow I saw across from our New House after a recent rain.

Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are

    bIsh

New House Blog: Episode LXVI - Lighting The Way

Lately we've been feeling the need for new and more light at our New House.  Our New House came with light, and lights, but we felt we could make improve some of the light.

Lighting Part I

The fireplace room needed improved light during the day.  With the window open the gentle breezes regularly and reliably would cause the open curtains to close, thus blocking the light.  The easiest solution was to install some curtain holdbacks to prevent the wind from blowing the curtains closed.  We selected basic black curtain holdbacks to match our basic black curtain rod.  See the before and after below.

 This is the old curtain configuration.

 This is a close-up of a basic black curtain holdback.  Notice the jaunty angle at which it is mounted.

This is the new curtain configuration.  Since adding the holdbacks we have not had any wind-caused curtain closeage.







Lighting Part II

Another area of lighting that needed improvement was the front porch light.  It provided light, and it had a handy dusk-to-dawn sensor for automatic turning on and off, but it was kind of plain (and to some kind of ugly), and it didn't really match our new house numbers.  The local Home Depot had a lot of motion-sensing porch lights, but only a paltry selection of porch lights with a dusk-to-dawn sensor.  Fortunately, Amazon.com carries a lot more than books these days, and we found a porch light we both like and we ordered it.  It arrived in the box in the picture below.

What's with all of those bricks?  Hmmm.....

The model number is highly visible, just in case you want to use this same porch light on your own house.

 This is what the entryway looked like with the old porch light.  It was functional, but pretty bland (ugly).

In this close-up you can see that it really doesn't match the new house numbers.

 After making sure the appropriate breaker was turned off we dismounted the old porch light from the wall.  Note that there is no ground wire extending from the jbox.  The ground wire is inside the box, but it was not connected to the old porch light.

 This is the mount for the new porch light, with all 3 wires extended and awaiting splicing.

The new porch light connected and mounted.

 Here you can see the overall effect, and how the porch light really accentuates and matches the new house numbers.

And finally, the new porch light illuminated.  How did we trick the sensor into turning the light on during the daytime?  We have our little secrets.  In this photo you can also see the curtains being held back by the new black curtain holdbacks.


Lighting Part III

Taking pictures of a little tuxedo cat in the back yard at night requires light - in this case a camera's flash.  I took Satchmo out into our back yard the other night while I was transporting fresh material to the 'Mposter.  He was very excited to be allowed outside, even though he had to be on his leash.

Satchmo in the tall dried grass in our back yard.

 Satchmo approaching the large catnip bush in our food garden.










Lighting Part IIII

Finally, we close out this Episode by telling you about the new trellis we installed for our raspberry bushes.  They are growing rather quickly, and they have already outgrown the basic bamboo frames we installed when we planted them.  For review, this Episode shows the raspberries, and bamboo frames, newly-planted.

We originally thought we would need two trellises - one for each raspberry, but when we brought them home we realized that it made more sense to combine them into one larger supertrellis.

This is the combined supertrellis installed.

What does this supertrellis have to do with lighting?  Admittedly the connection is thin, but it is there.  This supertrellis might interfere with a portion of the sunlight that flows into Becky's office.


A day without light is like a day without
    bIsh

New House Blog: Episode LXV - Looking Over A Three-Leafed Clover

Yes, it seems that Clover/Shamrock Season has officially begun.  As you recall from this Episode, our front yard succulent garden was formerly a wild and unkempt mishmash of a hodgepodge of unkemptness.  And it was apparently a sanctuary for pesky plants we call the accursed shamrocks.  Said accursed shamrocks are, for the sake of those who don't remember and don't want to re-read an older blog posting, little green pesky pest plants - weeds - that have 3-leaf clover leaves, multiple stalks, white roots, and bulby-type seeds.  They can apparently grow in any type of soil, and they lie dormant for several months, lulling unsuspecting homeowners into thinking that they had removed all of them last spring.

The accursed shamrocks are back in force.  We thought they were pretty much gone from our succulent garden, and we hadn't seen any for several months, but after the first, and so far only, good rainfall of the season they started sprouting up everywhere in our succulent garden.  So we pulled them all up.  And just a week later what should start showing up again, poking their little green heads out of our soil?  Yup, a second wave of accursed shamrocks was upon us.  This Episode deals with us dealing with the second wave of pesky accursed shamrock plants.  But first we have a bonus construction/wiring question for our readers.

Bonus Construction/Wiring Question

This photo was not taken at Our New House - it was taken at a not-to-be-named apartment complex in the Mountain View/Sunnyvale area.  A family member was dwelling in this complex up until recently.  While she was living there the management started some remodeling, and this wiring appeared one day, and it is still as you see it in the picture.  Again, the complex's management installed this new wiring as you see it in the photo.  Now for the bonus question: What's wrong with this picture?

Dealing With Accursed Shamrocks

So far, the best way we have found to deal with the accursed shamrocks (yes, I do have to call them accursed every time I mention them)  in our succulent garden is to dig them up one by one.  Complicating the work is the closeness of the succulents and the sparseness of places to kneel or crouch down.  It is a tight place in which to work, and it also doesn't help that many of the accursed shamrocks like to grow among the leaves and branches of our succulents.

 This is a view of the typical density of accursed shamrocks in our succulent garden.  They're ubiquitous!  And they're insidious.

Here you can see a good example of the accursed shamrocks growing up through the branches of one of our coppertone stonecrops.  It's a challenge to dig up the accursed shamrocks without damaging the surrounding plant in such cases.

This photo shows some of the size variation of accursed shamrocks.  The green parts grow above-ground, and the white parts grow-below ground.  Note the one on the far right with its seed/bulb attached.  The gloves are included to show scale.

 This is a close-up of the bulb/seed structure.  Note that multiple stalks are growing from this particular seed/bulb.  This is not atypical - we observed several cases of multiple stalks emanating from one bulb/seed.  Did I mention that these things are insidious?

More accursed shamrocks.

This is the result of two weed-pulling sessions over two days.  As of this posting the succulent garden is free of accursed shamrocks, but more could show up any day.



When are we gonna get more rain?
   bIsh

New House Blog: Episode LXIIII - Refuse And Reuse

It all started with a flyer that came in the mail.  It was addressed to "Resident," or "Occupant," or some such generic dweller in our New House.  This flyer talked about the joys and benefits of composting.  It also mentioned an upcoming (at the time) composting class to be held at a local Community Center/Farm/Park - The Emma Prusch Farm Park.  After due consideration we decided to attend this composting class to see if composting was right for us.

Composting Part I: The Class

The class was held at the aforementioned Emma Prusch Farm Park.  We first took a tour of the park's composting facilities, then we settled down in a classroom to hear a real master composter (and master gardener) explain all about composting and its many wonderful benefits.  The farm park is a nice place.

This is the entrance to the farm park.

 This is an old house on the property.  If I recall correctly, there is a bowling lane or two in the old house.

This prickly pear cactus is quite a bit larger than ours.

 The two basic types of composters we learned about are the basic compost bins, as seen in this photo, and the worm-type compost bins, not pictured here.

But why should anyone compost?  This sign provides a few answers.

Also, where we live we put our yard waste in the street and the city picks it up and ships it somewhere to be composted and packaged for sale back to us.  It might make sense to cut out the middle man and save a few bucks.

This chicken, which I am calling Henry, was keeping a close eye on everyone entering and exiting the farm park.

We'll talk more about composting later.  Right now we must switch gears and talk about our recent flushing woes.

Flushing Woes

It had been building up for a few weeks, or months - I'm not sure which.  The toilet in our upstairs bathroom, a fancy pressurized-air type of toilet, would run and run if we didn't jiggle the handle after every flush.  It seemed like no big deal for a while, but it quickly became a problem late one night when no amount of handle-jiggling would stop the toilet's running.  In desperation we turned off the toilet's inlet valve so that it would not have any more water to run.  Upon removing the toilet tank lid and looking in we couldn't tell a thing.  Being an air pressure toilet, it is not like a standard toilet with flappers and chains and rods and floaters and such.  No, it's somewhat more contained in a closed, sealed unit that we could not decipher at first.  After doing some research we learned the names of some of the parts, and how they are supposed to work together.

This is what it looks like inside.  Very briefly: the flush cartridge gets pushed down, which activates the flush cycle; water comes in the black hose; the vacuum breaker routes water into the black plastic tank and builds up air pressure inside as it fills with water. This air pressure is what powers the next flush.  This is how it is supposed to work.

In our case it turned out to be a combination of factors that was causing our toilet to run continuously.  We first suspected a faulty vacuum breaker, so we replaced that, and it seemed to only improve the situation slightly.  The next logical cause seemed to be that there was not enough water pressure coming into the toilet, so we replaced the inlet valve and hose.

 This is the old inlet valve and hose.  Upon disconnecting the hose we discovered several strands of some pale material, possibly plumber's tape, clogging the inlet hose.  Note that this hose and valve were not installed or replaced by us when we bought our New House, so we did not cause this clog.

 This is the old inlet pipe.  Note the buildup of rust at the end of the pipe.  That will definitely cause a loss of water pressure.

This is the new inlet pipe, valve, and hose.  With the valve, pipe, and hose replaced water pressure was restored, but the toilet still ran.  We noticed that if we jiggled the flush cartridge directly, and held it up in a certain way the black water tank would fill up and the toilet would not run.  Time for a new flush cartridge.

 You can tell that this is the old flush cartridge because the adjusting knob is green.





Incidentally, the website where we ordered our parts, http://www.kullysupply.com/, states that the flush cartridge is the most-replaced part on this type of toilet.

 The old (on the right) and new (on the left) flush cartridges with the adjusting knobs removed.

You can tell that this is the new flush cartridge because the adjusting knob is black.  I don't know why the knobs are different colors.

Replacing the flush cartridge was the final step in resolving the constant-running issue.  Our upstairs toilet is once again in proper working order, and we now know a lot more than we knew before.

Composting Part II:We Set Up Our Composter

After the composting class ended we decided to get one of each type of composter - a basic bin, and a worm bin.  Conveniently, the city of San Jose just happened to be selling both types of composter in the parking lot of the farm park.

Meet The 'Mposter (the M is a pronounced silent M), our basic composting bin.  As you can see it is somewhat near our eating garden and conveniently near a water source.  It is far enough from the house that if it ever produces odors they should not bother us.  Not seen in this picture is the 1/2" metal mesh beneath The 'Mposter that is supposed to keep critters from burrowing up inside the bin.

The 'Mposter works by accelerating the natural demoposition of organic materials.  You put stuff in the top, mix it up ever now and then, add a little water on occasion, and you should end up with organic fertilzer at the bottom of the bin after a while.

New Team Members

Before we talk more about composting, meet new team members The Pitcher and Clippy.

 Clippy is a stainless steel grass clipper.

The Pitcher is a wood-handled pitchfork.

The Pitcher and Clippy have already been put to use, and both were outstanding.  We expect continued great things from them both.












Composting Part III: Worm Time

The model of worm composter we got is called the Wriggly Ranch Worm Bin.  It consists of three trays - two worm trays and one liquid tray.  Worms were not included - they had to be imported all the way from Florida, which is odd, because the website for the worm farmer lists it as a local San Jose business.

 Meet The Wormhole (or W'hole for short (the W can be either silent or pronounced)).

The W'hole works by worms breaking down food waste and turning it into what is called worm castings.  We started with one worm tray, and when the level of castings builds sufficiently we will add the second worm tray above of the first worm tray.  The liquid tray, on the bottom, collects liquid - which liquid I have been told is some of the best fertilizer that can be had.

 Meet some of the worms.  Here you can see Bish jr., on the left, and Becky Jr., on the right.  Our worms are red wigglers, and they are supposed to be a very good type of worm for composting.

 Here you can see Miles jr., on the left, and Chirpy Boy on the right.  We are told that it is normal for some worms to try to escape by climbing to the top of the tray.

This is a great photo of Amy jr.  The worms are living in a special bedding material that came with The W'hole.  Some of the worms not pictured are Satchmo jr., Daisy jr., Wally jr., Spot jr., Herman jr., Ringo jr., and Antwan.

Satchmo Interlude

This is a photo from Satchmo's recent annual trip to the vet.

When the vet put him on the floor to see him walk around he sought out, and found, shelter in her cabinet (yes, Satchmo knows how to open cabinet doors).  He seemed to be calmer in the cabinet, so we let him stay there for a little while.












Go Chirpy Boy!  Go Bart Junior!
          bIsh

New House Blog: Episode LXIII - Game Of Numbers

September is here, and that means that summer is winding down, as is our food garden.  The various cucumber plants are just about played out, and we expect to harvest the final cucumbers of the season over the next few weeks.  Our melons, on the other hand, are just coming to full harvest, while our potatoes are used up.  Some of the lettuces are done and have been replanted, and some are still going strong. Our pottery garden is still thriving, and we are enjoying a bountiful crop of various bell-type peppers and some herbs.

New House Numbers

House numbers.  They're not something I spend a lot of time thinking about, or noticing.  I tend to notice curb numbers more than I notice house numbers.  When you live in a house, however, you see your own house numbers a lot, and we got tired of looking at the house numbers that came with our New House, so we changed them.  We didn't change the street address or mailing address, but we changed the actual physical digits that were attached to our New House.  They were quite outdated and poorly painted and attached to the house.  The first photo below shows you the style of  the new numbers we picked out at OSH one night.

The style is 5" Aged Bronze Floating House Numbers, as it states in the photo.

 This photo shows our New House's old house numbers.  Obviously they have been obscured because I'm not going to post my actual address in this public forum.  But this should give you a general idea of their size and location on our New House.

 This photo shows the new number templates taped in place for proper alignment and spacing. 

These are the actual new house numbers mounted on our New House.  As you can see, the aged bronze look is quite fetching, and the floating effect is awe-inspiring.

We promise that actual, corporeal visitors to our New House will be allowed to view the actual house numbers unobscuredly.

Ye Olde Landfille Revisited Again

You will recall from this Episode that we got most, but not all, of our back yard concrete loaded into brother Mike's truck and delivered to ye olde landfille.  Since that time the remaining concrete pile has grown a little, thanks to our replacing bricks in the front yard garden and replacing the circular stone things by the driveway.  This, it seemed like the time had come to load up the truck again for another exciting trip to ye olde sanitairie landfille.  And for this trip we didn't need to borrow any trucks from any brothers - we loaded up Becky's new truck and headed out.  Here is what the load looked like. 

Notice that we also took our old garage door opener with us.

Sweepy came with us, but only for sweeping out the truck bed - we did not leave Sweepy at the dump.

Let us now enjoy some more sights and sounds from ye olde landfille.

 We seem to have rather a good view from the top of the heap.

And that's it for this Episode of the New House Blog.  I was going to tell you all about a mysterious blue light that was flying around in a most unusual way just north of our New House - pictures included (Becky saw it, too).  But then I thought that some of you would be skeptical, or misunderstand me, or tell me it was just an airplane or heliocpter or other known aircraft (I know how airplanes and heliocopters normally move through the air), or you might be in on the conspiracy and would have to silence me somehow.  So I think it's best to leave it as it is for now - an untold account of an unexplained event.  Maybe I'll revisit the issue in a future Episode.

Food for thought.
   bIsh