Well, these are the bushes and trees that got chopped. I chopped with my own dainty fingers the two trees on the far right hand side. Be impressed! :) They had very skinny trunks. Then there were two shaggy rhododendrons on either side of the steps behind the bushes that just looked awful! My dainties went to town on those too! The big overgrown bush in the center blocked the entire dining room window! I hated that one and Mr. Precious and our son-in-law took care of that one. Then some of the other neglected bushes and vines got taken down.
Aw...I could really hear our house give a sigh of relief to be opened up again. Even though she looks a little nekked now I think she looks so much better because you can actually see her now. Next year we'll plant some new shrubs. We're going to use a stump thingy to remove those trunks. Our son-in-law was so helpful and cut all the branches of that overgrown shrub into little pieces of kindling. Another thing we did was remove all of those grids from the windows ~ they were plastic and crackly and some were already broken. We are joined by only one other house in the neighborhood that is gridless! 
The previous owners really loved rocks and pavers...so there are just a tad too many for our liking so we'll be removing some of those too. I have painted the front door red! I have to have a little red around me. You can't see it because the front door is open and the screen makes the opening look so black. We'll replace the screen with glass soon and then the neighbors can see my red door too.
I've about got my kitchen set up. It's bigger than my Texas kitchen was but the storage is much less...so I'm doing my best to get organized in there. I'm still undoing boxes and just when I think I have what I need, I realized something is missing! Shelves from Edra, lamp bases are not with their shades! So I'm going to have to open every single box before I can take a breath! Lord, have mercy!
The weather is wonderful here. I've probably told you that before but it's September and we've only used the air conditioning about three times! Can you believe it? Leaves are beginning to change around us. The temps fall down in the high 40s at night and then the days warm up to in the 70s. But there's no humidity and I love it! Our neighbors are all so nice and have come to visit and some have brought us cookies and one lady went apple picking and brought us a bag of apples. God has really blessed us and each day I see how His hand has moved to get us here. This has really been a large and expensive undertaking for us but He has worked it all out for us. I'm so thankful to be here and near our little family. God is so good!
Okay, I've got to go and unpack some more boxes!
Be a bunch of sweeties,
Shelia :)
I'll leave you with a little Note Song ~
Blessed
I get kissed by the sun
Each morning
Put my feet on a hardwood floor
I get to hear my children laughing
Down the hall through the
Bedroom door
Sometimes I sit on my
Front porch swing
Just soaking up the day
I think to myself, I think to myself
This world is a beautiful place
I have been blessed
And I feel like I've found my way
I thank God for all I've been given
At the end of every day
I have been blessed
With so much more than I deserve
To be here with the ones
That love me
To love them so much it hurts
I have been blessed
Across a crowded room
I know you know what I'm thinking
By the way I look at you
And when we're lying in the quiet
And no words have to be said
I think to myself, I think to myself
This love is a beautiful gift
When I'm singing my kids to sleep
When I feel you holding me
I know
~ sung by Martina McBride
Wow, you've been really busy. Can't wait to see the inside. Y'all have the outside looking great! Good luck with all the unpacking!
ReplyDeleteYou guys have been busy. Your home is looking great. It will be nice that you can replace the overgrown shrubbery with some of your favorites later on. The windows look marvelous! I am so thankful that the neighbors have been kind. May God richly bless you in your new home!
ReplyDeleteYour new home is beautiful. I know you are enjoying making it your own. It looks much neater with all of the work you have done. Don't overdo! It'll all be there waiting for you.
ReplyDeleteJudy
oh so much better, you all are working really hard and it shows, loving your new home, happiness is just jumping out of every photo, can't wait to see what you all do on the inside, smiles and hugs
ReplyDeleteYou've accomplished a lot in a little bit of time! Your new home looks so much better and I can't wait to see more. God has been so good to give you this home near your family and I know He will continue to give you the strength you need for every day.
ReplyDelete~Adrienne~
Well...my, my...you have been busy!! I love what you've done so far outside. Imagine my surprise when I first saw your nekked house!! LOL! Looking good though. I'm glad you're doing so well there.
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Jan
ReplyDeleteya'll are making great progress and mighty quick too..
enjoy every moment of making your new house into your new Home.
Hi Sheila,
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the new house! It's beautiful and you've already put your own personal stamp on it by tweaking the front landscape, which is such an improvement! All the best in your new home, and looking forward to seeing the changes on the inside, as well as that newly painted red door!
Poppy
What a lovely home, Shelia. I love how you have made improvements at the front already. It looks great. Looking forward to the inside tour soon. Carry on now....:))) Hugs, Deb
ReplyDeleteOh Shelia, what a great house and how much fun you must be having!! I can be jealous in a good way and enjoy watching you as you make it into home:-)
ReplyDeleteWhat a difference removing the trees and grates has made ... your house is smiling! Good luck with unpacking ... can't wait to see the inside all beautified!
ReplyDeleteYour home is looking wonderful! Removing some of those trees and shrubs just makes the home look so much happier! I like your open windows also! So much work to do yet I know, but I am so happy you are near your family. Life is good and we are truly Blessed aren't we!
ReplyDeletehugs,
Linda
Shelia, I've been missing your posts! Your house looks so much more open and airy with the choppin!! It's going to be beautiful when you complete all of that work. Enjoy that real fall. You know it's still in the 90s here.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on your new home, you've done a ton of work in a very short time, you all are rocking it out in the NE. I'm enjoying your shares. fondly ~lynne ~
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful home Sheila! Take your time and don't exhaust yourself. As my husband has said for years, Rome wasn't built in a day..well, not his original saying but he loves to remind me of that quote lol!
ReplyDeleteI am so happy for you Sheila, being near family is fabulous. I know you are loving that. Your home is stunning.
ReplyDeleteIt's a beautiful house, Shelia and you're right -- those trees being gone make a world of difference. I'm so glad your neighbors have welcomed you with open arms -- but then, why wouldn't they?! Just remember, the inside of the house will be there to play with long after the snow falls -- and it will fall -- so don't overstress! Enjoy the lovely fall while it lasts!
ReplyDeleteYou are spot on with those improvements - so much better now.
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to hear how much snow you get compared to what you had in Texas.
Your house is feeling some love! Good luck with the landscaping! Fall is such a pretty time of year in the East!
ReplyDeleteLove your song choice!
Really happy for you guys!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Deb! Hope you're doing well.
DeleteSheila, I am so VERY happy for you, especially that you are NEAR your family now! I so "get it" about wanting to be near the grands now that I have one too!!!! The house looks SO much better now, you all did a great job! Can't wait to see the inside too. Don't work those pretty little hands too hard now!!! XO
ReplyDeleteThis looks like a good move for you, and that shrub in the front did need to go. Now, like you said, you need to plant lots of shrubs, come spring. Lilacs are a favorite of ours and any kind of shrubs that have berries the birds like.
ReplyDeleteLooks so nice having things trimmed back Shelia! It is such a tough job unpacking and putting things away but hopefully soon you'll be all settled!
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Cindy
Looks wonderful, Shelia! So glad to hear you're enjoying your family there. And, yes, our weather has been beautiful! Looking forward to seeing more of your lovely home!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Janet, and thanks for popping in to see me.
DeleteBe a sweetie,
Shelia ;0
Shelia, your new home is beautiful! I love the colonial style. I agree that the chopping opened her up and now you can see her pretty face. lol! Settling in is a big job. Can't wait to see the inside! Take it slow and enjoy it.
ReplyDeletehugs,
Jann
I love nature so much, I'm always afraid to "cut back," but in cases like yours . . . chop away! It looks fresh and fabulous!
ReplyDeleteHi Shelia, your front yard looks incredible. You all did such a wonderful job and now your house can breathe like you said!! You sure been choppin and it made a world of difference. Love the red door even though we can't see it yet. Mine is red too!!
ReplyDeleteI know the inside is going to be fabulous. Take care and rest when you can. I know it's a lot of work, so pace yourself sweets.
Have fun and a great week ahead.
Hugs
Shelia, so happy for y'all! And remember when I visited the Rochester, NY area, the gals at Curves loved my accent. I told them, "I don't have an accent, y'all do." It is great fun to make new friends wherever we live or travel. Keep us informed, please! ;)
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful difference you have made already! I can see that you are a house whisperer too.
ReplyDeleteOh Shelia, I love your new home, it's so lovely. You have done a lot of work cutting some of the bushes out. And it will be fun planning the other ones you want planted out there. I have always loved brick. My mom had brick in her kitchen. We went from a BIG house to a smaller one, and I gave away so many bags of stuff I've accumulated through the years. I am all moved and settling in, and feeling very grateful as you are. Oh Yes, a red front door would be so pretty. I'm so glad you have good neighbors. That makes all the difference in the world.
ReplyDeleteI look forward to seeing more of your beautiful home, Shelia.
love,
~Sheri
Love your new home!! It looks wonderful now that you have spruced up the front yard. It's a typical house for the northeast, and it seems we love to let things grow to the ridiculous in the name of 'privacy'....
ReplyDeleteYes, the weather has been amazing, everyone remarks how unusual to have this weather at the end of Sept. into Oct. This is the summer we were supposed to have earlier!! The colors are breathtaking and getting better every day. Enjoy your family and get some rest too!! xoxoxo
Wow Shelia you made a massive difference didn't you!! A lot of work for sure, but well worth it as it is a huge improvement to how the front of your home looks now. xx
ReplyDeleteI had fun poking around your blog this morning.
ReplyDeleteWelcome to NY {I live in western NY}.
I was abut to put my Barbie on eBay but now I may rethink that . . .
I can't imagine how exhausting it must be to unload and sort boxes for a whole house! I hope things will fit in comfortably. The outside of the house looks wonderful with the shrubs and trees trimmed back. It's funny how a new eye on a home can see things so differently. Take it easy on yourself at getting the home the way you want it- as winter kicks in you'll have that indoor time to get it all put together! Your weather and falll season sounds like a duplicate of ours. It's a great time of year!
ReplyDeleteShelia, I could'nt be happier for you and Mr Precious and I love hearing of your progress and seeing the pics is a real treat. I can actually imagine how gorgeous this place will be when you've completed the magic touch. Oh happy days!
ReplyDeleteYou poor thing, you must be so exhausted. I see you are making progress. Such an undertaking, but so worth it. Sheila, the house is beautiful...how special to be able to make it your own. xo
ReplyDeleteWow...what a difference chopping a few trees will do...it looks awesome! And I know that's only the beginning...can't wait to see what's next!
ReplyDeleteIt looks so much better without so many trees in the front. I don't like to block windows either. Unpacking is a chore. We have one of those glass doors on our front door and I love it. We used to have a half glass/half screen door that was just ugly. I like this one because it lets you see our pretty front door.
ReplyDeleteYour choppin' really made a wonderful change to the curb appeal of you home. As far as all those boxes, the only way to eat an elephant is bite by bite.
ReplyDeleteSmiles,
Carol
Oh, what a charming home, Shelia! Doing all that choppin' really exposed her beauty. Good luck with the unpacking. It's been 3 years since we made our move, and I still remember it very well!
ReplyDeleteHi Shelia! You have been busy as beavers chopping down trees and shrubs. What a difference it made though. It really made the house look so much better and bigger too. Have fun unpacking and settling in. Blessings. Pam
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you guys are settling in Shelia...the front yard looks so much better and I bet you get a ton a light coming through the windows now!
ReplyDeleteSuch a lovely home.
ReplyDeleteA beautiful home. Even lovelier for you once it has your personality stamp on it.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Kathryn and for popping in to see me.
DeleteBe a sweetie,
Shelia ;)
Looks like you have done a lot of work. The house looks beautiful! Can't wait to see it finished. :) Thank you so much for your visit and for joining the party. Big hug, Maria
ReplyDeleteWow, I love what you've done--the landscaping changes are perfect!
ReplyDelete