While the back deck cover was being done, some of their equipment had been left in the side yard to save on time and labor for a few months. That is finally gone, but some of it remained while I started to do rearranging of the side yard contents.

To make things more complicated, we are going to have a retaining wall project done soon, so this area is going to be in upheaval again while the concrete and workers make their way through the big side gate. I am still envisioning what it will look like when all the construction is done. We are also going to move the gazebo further away from the side window, while leaving the hot tub in place. That will allow more sun in the area I like to sit in during the afternoons. I also don’t like seeing the gazebo right up against the window. It doesn’t add any privacy, and it doesn’t look aesthetically pleasing. We just need a few people to help us move it carefully, especially since I have it on cement risers.

The orientation and location of the swing may also depend on the flatness of the tiers once the retaining wall is done, but it will not be able to remain sideways in place when the gazebo is moved.

Here are the most recent updates in May:

Here are the changes made in earlier May:

I found this amazing bookshelf for ten bucks with stylish pillars at the garage sale in Glen Cove this past weekend. It’s as if it were made for this lamp and the corner nook where I gladly got rid of my (gas) fireplace when I renovated. It’s not very visible from this perspective, so I’ll add close-ups of it before I put it in place. This inspired me to rearrange the furniture in the family room yet again. I’ve not yet been quite satisfied with the layout, but I want it to be a secondary sitting room (the primary one without the screen being the living room up front) but also to be adaptable for movie nights like the one we had recently. Now that Derry doesn’t really need to be in a pen at night or during the day, for that matter, I was able to clear a bit more of the floor space with the discreet pen I had set up for him behind the settee. This new arrangement seems to be ideal for space and adaptability for various uses, not to mention the flow and visibility of the decor. The dogs can fully utilize it, and it just feels less cluttered, while still guiding people to walk the right paths without tripping over a wire or dog bed. Not shown in these pictures is the high-mounted TV, but rest assured, it’s there and visible from all the perspectives I had hoped for.

Front porch update to decor with some cool metal art we got at the Glen Cove Garage Sale.

Shea very bravely put one more tapestry up. We managed to get one more colorful print from Ms. Vicky Gray’s estate. I think this fits in this negative space very well. However, we had to lower the raised compilation “grandmother clock” that I juxtaposed. The cute little red Japanese side table (which is part of a matching pair) that was underneath has been moved next to my brown glider, as you’ll see. Now the “clock” tower is similar height to the two flanking colonial secretaries that my friend Seph gave me. Why are they called “colonial”? Thirteen original colonies are represented in the 13 panes in each. You may also notice that I finally installed two finials on the secretaries, which I whimsically ordered online and hoped they would match. One of the secretaries had a finial that came with it, but I have not been able to find it since the move, even though I know I put it somewhere “safe” so I wouldn’t forget it. Well, it turns out these two finials match more than adequately, and they were not too challenging to attach. I think the cohesiveness of the three cabinets and the tapestry above are much more uniform now.

Finally found some final resting places for the stained glass window pieces that I bought while in exile at the rental. Here’s the beginning of where we’re putting them up, but I have a feeling there will be more stained glass in these windows eventually.

Similar to my kitchen pendant light project, which I found was not my style, and similar to the chandelier replacement project for my two Tiffany-style chandeliers to match my Tiffany-style lamps, dragonflies and all, I found three sets of stained glass covers for the wet room over the double vanity, which are so much better than the clear glass shades. This is MUCH MORE me.

Home office updates:

Family room updates:

Other parts of the house:

This is how the sausage is made, or at least the retaining wall, which is the creation of a swale for the cement project that’s about to take place, so that I no longer have to worry about my wood retaining wall buckling bit by bit. Seeing the exposed drip systems that were previously installed here makes me realize the importance of getting a new one, which is in the works eventually, but for now, I just want to get my yard back together. I’m impressed with the progress in just two days, but it’s going to be a mess for probably another week.

Shea helped me put this together and put it into the ground today. It’s a very cool new wind spinner in this video with a cameo from Saffron. I bought this particular wind spinner thinking I’d have another windmill on the side yard, but instead this one intrigued me the most, and so far it’s as dynamic as the online video. I’m not going to add it to the tiers in the main garden when all is said and done. I actually wish for it to be more visible from the street corner I live on, so it will eventually be planted into the side yard. However, I’m currently unable to place it in its final location due to the retaining wall work that started today.

I love solar nicknacks like this on the windowsill.

So the next major project (and hopefully the last for a while since I’m spending way too much money on projects since I moved back) is the retaining wall. I had my wood retaining wall buckle in a few places, which I noticed after I moved back, so to avoid a disaster, I am going to have the wood replaced with cement, with the drainage and all, so that it will last the rest of my life. It’s quite a sight to see the excavation, but exciting to see this progress so I can do my final redesign and pathways in the yard to make it what I really want. I’m sure I’ll always be changing it up, but my vision of it is going to work much better when this piece is over.