sweet potato wrapped in foil

The last sweet potato of the year-cooked on top of the wood stove. An pan turned upside down over the potato works quite well as a makeshift oven.

December 25th at the Jacks Fork river- warm and sunny.

More progress on the kitchen wall. The area near the stove is done except for the portion below the yellow band. Grouting will really make the pieces stand out.

over the stove

over the sink

Today I got myself to write the checks for real estate and personal property taxes- to be sent before the year ends. And, of course, more bits of this and that and broken tile was glued to the kitchen wall.

far right corner- to right of stove

The mosaic project in the kitchen is coming along...taking on a life. If this video works- just ignore the mess...and the sound. And probably not good to view large- I didn't think to up the resolution before shooting it.

The best way to heat your space is by baking sweet potatoes.

looking up at bottom shelf-they're more hidden on a regular cabinet

I installed 3 LED under cabinet lights on the far end- and I'm quite satisfied with them. The brightness and the color are good. The specs say 449 lumens- I think that's for all 3 lights together. There is virtually no heat thrown off from them, unlike the other ones I have with the G8 (I think) bulbs.

large blue tile over the stove+ burnt yellowish small squares

The back splash/wall tile work has been started. There will be wavy line of small square burnt yellow tiles and some crisscrossing diagonal stripes that will break it all up into smaller patches to focus on. The area below the wavy yellow line of tiles will have to wait till I decide on what base cabinets and counter will be going in.

I couldn't help myself- no one could. It made no sense to not run wiring( a switched circuit) for more under cabinet lighting at the far end of the kitchen counter so I've done such...but also, while the wall was opened up it was time to run a proper circuit for grounded receptacles for the rear closed in porch. The only existing receptacle on the porch was a non-grounded one someone brought down from the lighting circuit. So- soon the freezer will have a proper 3 prong receptacle.

a quick bread made w/oranges and cranberries

I made a few experimental breads trying to use up excess oranges. The one in the little cast iron frying pan went quick.

the bedroom gets updated to grounded wiring

The kitchen electric has moved along. 2 new GFIC receptacles along the counter and while I was at it- a new box, wire and receptacle in the bedroom. I also installed a piece of 3" thick cedar as a shelf over the stove. I put in hooks to hang my everyday pots and pans- the lids are on hooks I put in the new shelves in the new corner bead board unit.

shrunken frozen pumpkin

wiring below the new bead board shelf unit

Thinking I may get to the mosaic/tile back splash this winter- I figured I needed to do the last of the electric updating. More receptacles are going in over counter and maybe another switched circuit for under cabinet puck lights. Strange diagonal bracing in wall required more plaster excavation than generally required.

...and Petra at play

round hole is for electric/light fixture

I worked more on the kitchen shelf unit outside and then brought it in and mounted it on the wall. It will get some more detail later- trim and such, but it's up where it belongs.

That old bead board corner "closet thing" in basement is now gone, leaving functional basement room- and raw material for a bead board corner shelf thing for the kitchen wall.

nailing  pieces together for back of shelf unit

the beginning of something- the back and side

 The shelf unit is coming together.

shelves going in

The shelves are going in- made from the lids of those small shipping boxes I cut up a while back. There will be more...just wait.