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Windows And Birds

Posted on by Josef Havelka

I love that we have a home that backs onto a green space and farmland. We can overlook the valley and watch the sunset every night. This house came with big windows and a glass railing along the backyard and our kitchen deck. However, it is often the reason birds don’t live very long.

Last week, a bird collided with our second story window. Even though the blinds were drawn and the windows look black from outside- this bird must’ve been going at a pretty good speed. As you can see from the picture, the head and feathers of the bird left quite the impression.

My wife said the bird was on our lower deck and still alive. So she kept our dog and cat indoors so as not to cause more trauma to the bird. After a couple of hours, the bird flew off again. I am amazed by this as crashing at full speed then falling nearly three stories would probably kill or seriously injure most birds.

Kudos to the bird for eventually shaking it off and flying away. Hopefully you tell your friends to stop smashing into our glass since I have been picking up the Dead Birds periodically since we moved here.

Serpentine River Kayak Behind Our Home

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Today was our first kayak adventure of the year. Last year we only went out once. My wife is hoping that this year we get out more often. She would prefer once a week. We shall see how this goes over the summer.

We decided to try an area we never explored by kayak before. The dyke behind our home that is just beyond the fields. It’s an area we walk (or rather my wife walks) on a regular basis. We drove the kayaks down to the side of the road and made our way towards the water.

Getting down to the water was a bit more steep than we have wandered before. But we got the kayaks down to the edge of the water. We launched from underneath the roadway. we paddled out for about thirty minutes prior to turning around to head back.

This adventure was significant to us. Back in 2007, my wife worked for a hot air balloon company. For our anniversary that year, we went up for a ride. Along the way, we passed over the dyke that we kayaked today. We paused for a quick picture in the same spot where we captured a previous picture. This was all prior to the house we are in was built.

It was a good afternoon of enjoying the calm and serene waters. A few spots of shade were nice and we even witnessed a large crane fly off. It was a perfect afternoon. I’ll happily do this once more.

Yard of Changes

Posted on by Josef Havelka

The former owners of the house we bought are still in contact with us. In fact, we continue to rent out a room two days a week for the husband while he is at work on the mainland. Once in a while I get to see what the house looked like back when it was first built.

The backyard was once filled with lawn. There were cedar trees planted along the rocks that have long since been removed. I’d still have been happy had we bought this home and the yard looked like that. Bright and open. A huge difference from our last property.

Instead, the former owners put in a pool and extended a wood deck to the furthest point in the yard. Since we bought the house, we have made some changes and additions of our own. This has helped to create our “Dream Home”.

In the short time of living in this house, we have changed the landscape in other areas. I’m loving what we have done and look forward to creating more modifications over the years.

Bed and Breakfast… At Home

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Long weekend. People traveling out of town. Beautiful weather, why not? So last night I told my wife I booked a last minute Bed And Breakfast for Friday night. She was upset at first, then was trying to guess where we were going. I let her believe that she guessed correctly.

So we hit the road after her work day. We needed to stop and get gas. That was when our middle child called to say that our hot water tank was leaking. Oh no- time to turn around and check it out. Our 19 year old did a good job falsifying the urgency in the phone call.

When we arrived home, my wife ran to the basement to check the tank. Then she was confused and getting frustrated with the kids for standing there not saying anything. So I walked my wife out to the en-suite kitchen where she finally realized that we weren’t going anywhere. It would just be the two of us having an evening out of our regular life and chilling.

Had I not “tricked” my wife, she would have still been doing things around the house. Even if I asked for a couple of hours of downtime- she would have found numerous things to do. Instead, having her pack an overnight bag and think that everything was on pause at home, worked really well. We floated in the pool, at some of my wife’s favorite snacks at the cabana, listened to music and then played some old Nintendo video games until bed.

This morning, I had a small breakfast ready for us to sit on the back deck and enjoy nature. Following breakfast was a nice 5km walk around the trails nearby followed by a water break. I placed labels on our water bottles that say “Love Always” which is something my wife signs on every card we give out to the kids and each other.

For a mini staycation, I think I did pretty good at giving my wife a break. Perhaps we will do a few more of these “getaways” this summer.

Neighborhood Dusk

Posted on by Josef Havelka

I’m happy that my workweek is over. Not that work was terrible, but the sunshine and warmth made me miss just lounging about in my backyard. Being at home is nice.

Walking down my street is always a beautiful sight. The neighborhood is lush and alive with life. People walking dogs, gardens well kept, and a skyline that showcases the sun saying farewell for the day.

Something about dusk is my favorite time of day. Especially when the weather is pleasant and enjoyable. Being able to experience the neighborhood at our own pace brings me joy.

Have a good evening friends. I hope your home is comforting like mine is.

Backyard Vibing: Starting The Season Off Right

Posted on by Josef Havelka

This weekend we took a few breaks from this heat. Either it was in the basement or in the pool. Now that the deck has been stained and dried rather quickly- we set up our outdoor space.

Tonight we will be having dinner outside- our first for the season. The umbrella will serve as some shade this evening. We have some other good sun blocking areas. I’m still happy with our gazebo that we bought last year.

The cabana is a perfect spot to enjoy a warm breeze in between dips in the pool. I could easily have an afternoon siesta while some Bossa Nova cover tunes play in the background. Even our Pupper likes to hang out with me while I relax.

I’m glad all that the majority of our hard work is behind us to get the yard ready. Taking these breaks are totally deserved. I’m also looking forward to entertaining friends this season. I love opening up our home for everyone to enjoy. This summer weather can stay for many months more!

Float Around and Find Out

Posted on by Josef Havelka

After a full day of staining the deck and doing some trim painting, it was time to relax. Our pool was calling to me all day as the sun beat down. So it was time to finally get wet.

Our pool was a chilly 75°F/24°C. It was perfect for battling the heatwave that has arrived. I’m not complaining about this weather. I’m enjoying it even though the heat hit us quickly. I wasn’t expecting to be in the pool this weekend, but it’s definitely a pleasant surprise. Time to float away the rest of my weekend.

How do you battle the heat?

Hot Day Cool Down

Posted on by Josef Havelka

It was a hot day today- but tomorrow will be hotter. I spent the entire day in our backyard. I prepared our deck for staining and did the first coat with the help of our middle child. After a few hours, we took a break to play some UNO with my oldest kid. We sat in the sun and listened to music while I lost repeatedly at the game.

Once we finished dinner, I headed to the bedroom to put new sheets on our bed and took a shower to refresh. I’m looking forward to clean sheets so a shower was a necessity. Afterwards I headed to the basement to keep cool. My middle and I relaxed watching some tv. It was a great way to end the day.

I forgot how cool and comfortable a basement can be. We do have a heat pump that creates air conditioning for our home. But there is something about the natural refreshing sensation of a cool basement after a hot day.

Later this weekend I do plan to cool off in the pool. But tomorrow I need to finish getting the deck stained.

Thirsty Birds

Posted on by Josef Havelka

I noticed the other day that we had hummingbirds flying around our back deck. that meant it was time to refill our hummingbird feeders!

We had two from the last couple of years that we put out all the time. Recently we picked up a blue glass feeder and a small handheld one. I like the colored glass ones as they add a spark of enjoyment. I hung the red and blue ones up where we can see them from our back windows. The large clear glass one will be hung up just outside our basement so we can see the birds from our deck.

I’m hoping the small handheld one will draw the attention of the birds. I’d love the feel like a Disney princess being one with the animals! I think it would be loads of fun.

Do you have a small hummingbird feeder? Does it work? Or do you have the large ones as well?

Let me know in the comments.

Halfway Cleaned Up

Posted on by Josef Havelka

This past weekend there was some amazing weather. Like most folks, we took advantage of it. It was a great start to preparing the yard for the upcoming summer season. Our patio furniture is already clean and ready for use!

As daunting as the work is, I’d say we are about halfway through all of our chores and tasks. The pressure washer was out and I took on a good portion of the back deck and around the pool. I sunburned the back of my neck in the process not thinking about using sunscreen. Aloe was my best friend last night.

We also took the winter cover off the pool and let it dry in the sun before packing it away. The pool had a lot of algae growth as well as a ton of debris along the bottom. Out came the pool vacuum and I removed the majority of it over the course of about an hour. This did create the water to become a bit more murky and cloudy, but the liner is far better than it was.

It will now be time to balance the chemicals in the pool. In a couple of weeks, the colour of the pool should become clear once more. Hopefully of the weather gets better, we will be in the pool before June hits.

For the rest of today our oldest has been given the task of completing the pressure washing in the backyard. There’s the balance on the wood deck, the lower patio and the breezeway leading down to the backyard. Hopefully it will all be completed by the end of the day, if not, I know they will return next Sunday to finish it and do the driveway out front.

Once this is all done, my wife and I are planning to stain the wood deck in a grey colour. I also have some repairs to make on the fence, followed by a paint/stain to match it up.

I like to push hard early in the season so as to enjoy the yard with minimal effort in maintenance. Patio season felt like it was upon us this weekend. I cannot wait for more days and evenings like that.

Victrola

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Every year in West Cloverdale, there is a day filled with garage sales smattered throughout. Today was that day. When my wife returned from skating, we walked our neighborhood visiting a few garage sales. Our plan was to just walk around and not buy anything. We didn’t even take cash with us.

The first house we stopped at had an item that made me excited. It was a 1926 Victrola. We talked to the owners and he jokingly said- “The first place always has the best stuff- you’ll be back”. I told him we had more house to see and if it was still there when we walked back home, we would buy it.

We are now the proud owners of a 1926 Victrola gramophone with a stack of shellac records all at a cost of $35. This was the first year that they went electric. I plan to clean up the cabinet and buy some new needles for it. Apparently you need to replace the needle after each use.

I’m excited to learn more about the item and how to use it. I am hoping for a fun sound albeit almost a hundred years old. If any of you have one similar and want to offer tips on how to use it, or maintain the gramophone- please let me know.

Keep It Clean

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Today I did some basic cleaning maintenance around the house. I woke up early and after my morning coffee I got started.

First was opening up the back panel of our dryer. I was amazed at how much lint hadn’t spit out the pipe but instead collected inside the machine. This was a fire hazard waiting to happen. After over ten years of use, it had a lot of build up inside.

Next I went outside into our backyard and took full advantage of the warm weather. Pressure washing the vinyl siding, windows and two of our decks took me about four hours. I also cleaned the awning that leads out from our dining room to the back deck. I honestly didn’t think it was that bad until I started. Then I saw a huge improvement right away.

Tomorrow I am doing the cement around our pool. I’ll probably also clean the windows since I bought some of that Windex you attach to your hose. It’s supposed to dry streak free. I hope so. Because the sun is now starting to come through our back windows and those bad boys are dusty.

Will you be taking advantage of the weather over the next while and do some outdoor spring cleaning?

Clean Coffee

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Our coffee maker is my favorite appliance I think. I always ensure that it is ready to go the night before so that when we wake up, the coffee is brewed hot and fresh.

I bought this coffee maker on Black Friday last year for an incredible deal. We began using it right away. I learned how to set the timer and make a perfect pot of coffee every time. This morning I learned that my coffee maker also tells me when it needs to be cleaned!

Now, we clean the carafe regularly and give the maker a wipe down pretty much daily. Call me old fashioned- but I don’t like dust and grim building up on or near where I drink and eat. I will read up on why the CLEAN light came on and what the requirements would be based on the light.

For our previous coffee makers, we have run vinegar through to sanitize and clean. Followed up with some water cycles to flush it once more. On the rare occasion, we have used CLR on our older machines to really make them shine.

I’m kind of impressed that my coffee maker is telling me to clean it. It’s a good reminder, especially when it’s used daily. I’d like this machine to have an extended life expectancy, so I will obey its commands.

Praise be the coffee lords!

Enjoying The Outside Inside

Posted on by Josef Havelka

The weather as of late has been rather unpleasant. With heavy downpours and chilly winds filling up my world. Even on Saturday, when we were wandering the VanDusen Gardens, it wasn’t as enjoyable as it could have been. But I still managed to enjoy the blooming plants.

So the other day I bought a potted flower for inside our home. The white lilies have opened up and brought a beautiful bouquet to the air. They fit nicely in our home- radiating an aura of elegance. Having me wish for more flowers in my life.

Hopefully these April Showers bring May Flowers as they say. I’m hoping that on my days off this week I can walk around and see more pops of colour in the world. If not, I may have to buy some more plants for inside our home. Especially ones as beautiful as these lilies.

Nighttime Frogs

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Spring is one of the noisiest times outside our home- especially at night. Sometimes it’s the neighborhood dogs, sometimes it’s the coyotes. But lately, it’s the frogs.

I swear these critters are having parties every night once the sun goes down. I had no idea frogs were nocturnal. Our last couple of homes didn’t have frogs living nearby. Although at our last house- you could hear pigs squealing at night which is unnerving. (Kermit and Piggy reference in there somewhere.)

I swear these frogs know exactly when I need to fall asleep. It’s like they start screaming louder or use a megaphone to enhance their mating calls. A part of me is hoping the coyotes in the back are using these sounds to hunt them. Or even the owls. Maybe then the noises will diminish.

I’m not really complaining. Nature is beautiful and I love the views from our home. Even those croaks are turning into my own white noise. Perfect for falling asleep to.

At least that’s what I’m going to keep telling myself until it’s real.

We Want More Sunshine!

Posted on by Josef Havelka

The weather has been all sorts of wonky these past few days. We have had rain, hail, snow, sleet and warm sunshine. It’s that last one that I enjoy.

The sun has given my wife and I some much needed time outdoors. We have gone on walks numerous times- my wife especially likes to go for walks and often goes out by herself. Last week we also took some time to work on our garden. We have even enjoyed just sitting out on the back decks to enjoy the views.

The one thing that both of us are looking forward to is the pool opening again. We are in the process of planning some summer parties. But first will be to make some reprises, clean the backyard, and stain the deck and fence. All of that requires nicer weather to last more regularly.

I’m sure that spring will get hotter and give us more sunshiny days.

Daffodils

Posted on by Josef Havelka

For my wife and I- daffodils mark the start of spring. In fact today at 2:24pm is the Spring Equinox. I am excited for this season to begin. We even had a small preview this past weekend of beautiful weather.

Before we left for Calgary, our daffodils had begun to sprout up in our gardens. They hadn’t bloomed yet and we were eager to enjoy their bright petals upon our return home a week later.

The daffodils did not disappoint. The bright yellow pop of colour brought my wife and I much joy seeing them around our home. Knowing they don’t last long, does upset me. However, we have a variety of other plants that show up and blossom throughout spring, summer and fall.

So this past weekend, my wife and I took advantage of the warm sunny weather and cleaned up the gardens around our home. We cleared out old, dead growth, leaves, and the fluffed the soil. We also transplanted some plants into new locations that we had discussed last year. Our home is beginning to look pretty post-winter.

We cannot wait for more flowers to start popping up! Bring it on Spring!

Sprouting Up

Posted on by Josef Havelka

As spring quickly approaches, nature is already giving glimpses of things to come.

Outside in our front garden you can see the start of the daffodils coming up through the earth. In a short time they will blossom and bloom a vibrant yellow. Their showcase will only last a short time, but I view it as the start of spring and a precursor to the future flowers that shall grow. Their beauty always makes me smile.

Inside of our home, my wife has begun her yearly planting. Beans, peppers, lettuce, etc have been germinating in small trays under grow lights at our window sill.

This year, my wife has chosen to keep them in our bedroom so she can watch their growth. Because I close our blinds for my sleep after a night shift, her grow light remains on during this time. This set of plants will soon be moved to another pot and the next set shall be planted. This will allow for a various growth of vegetables throughout the summer, keeping us well fed with freshness at our fingertips.

Spring is welcome to show up at any time now. Let the longer sunshiny days commence and a garden to grow!

Big Leaf Rug

Posted on by Josef Havelka

This week I made my largest rug yet. I was making it as a gift to some friends who are opening up their home to us over spring break. I asked what sort of rug they would like and some colour palettes.

They sent me a picture of the room they would like the rug in. Kind of a jungle them with various shades of green. So I took inspiration from the artwork on the wall as the colour scheme I would use.

I also asked if I could design the rug, which they seemed happy about. So I used a leaf from a plant at work as my inspiration to start. I photographed it and drew it out on the monks cloth. I chose to have a few slots cut out, but wanted more abstract design’s throughout.

At almost five feet long, this rug used quite a lot of yarn. I now have a dwindling supply of green yarns. It also weighs in at six and a half pounds! That’s a heavy boy. I’m really excited with how the rug turned out. I sent a picture to our friends and they also seem ecstatic about it. I cannot wait to bring it to them later this week.

Another rug off to a good home.

Tune Up

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Today we had our piano tuned up. We kind of neglected doing it for a couple of years. Which was not good. But the tune up went well- just took a bit longer than it should have. At least no repairs were required.

Now that the piano is sounding better, hopefully we will hear it played again. I know that our kids periodically “tickle the ivories”. When their friends come over, many of them can play piano, and enjoy sitting down to play.

This will be nice to have it all sounding good once more. Now to just keep up with the tuning twice a year!

If you tune it, they will play it.

Faucet Bubbles

Posted on by Josef Havelka

This evening I changed out the aerator to the faucet in my bathroom sink. The other day I had noticed the faucet water wasn’t running very fast. Just coming out in a stream.

The water was still running, but just didn’t seem as strong as it once was. I figured it was the aerator since that’s the piece that usually clogs. Last night I removed it, but damaged it in the process.

No aerator makes for a messy spray out of the tap. So I needed to get a new part pretty quick. A stop at the hardware store and buying a new end to the tap was surprisingly easy. It seems most faucets use a standard size and style.

Now my tap is doing that neat thing where the water seems to come out smoothly and with a little bit of bubbles to make it feel soft. I guess that why it’s called an aerator. Now my water feels gentle and happy again.

Mustard Glasses

Posted on by Josef Havelka

I like mustard. It’s good on sandwiches, burgers, hot dogs, and other meats. Something about mustard just adds a good flavor to food.

My father introduced me to “Hot Prepared” mustard when I was a child. It comes in these glass jars with a plastic lid. They look like little dimpled beer steins. As a child, when they were emptied, we would use them as glasses.

Over the years, those glasses became my glasses. We still save each jar after using the mustard and utilize them as drinking glasses.

The funny thing is, my father was getting those jars of mustard when he owned a deli over forty years ago. He owned the deli for a couple of years, until we moved away when he got a new job. A few years later, he would buy the mustard from a deli in Langley. That is the only place I know where to buy it as well.

I’m sure I could find the mustard elsewhere, but a part of me wants to remember where the origins of my love of this mustard came from.

Flowers For Lee-Anne

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Every so often, specifically on Valentine’s Day, I have brought home flowers for my wife. From lilies to roses and the occasional tropical flower- my wife has appreciated the sentiments behind the flowers.

I have always loved a pop of color in our home as well as the fresh scent the flowers give off. As beautiful as the flowers can be, they don’t last long.

Periodically my wife would dry them out. Then we would have a lovely arrangement that can last for years.

This year I decided to pick up an Orchid Lego set as a Valentine’s Day gift. We really enjoyed the Bonsai Tree from a couple of years ago and still have it on display (read about it here: Lego Bonsai). My wife has always wanted orchids, but we both know that real ones would not last. With the Lego set, the flowers will look pretty all the time.

Building this set will also be a fun activity for us to do laster this week. We really enjoyed doing some of the Christmas sets as a family and have built other sets as well together over the years. I love that Lego is creating these sets for people of all ages.

So have a Happy Valentine’s Day! And I hope that if you gave or receive flowers that the last a long time!

Poolside Rug

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Today I made a rug for my wife. She requested a rug to go outdoors for the summer. A rug that will be for her feet as she exits the pool. So I took what she asked for and made one specifically that would make her happy.

Ever since we moved into our home with a pool, my wife has loved pink flamingos. Naturally I had to make a flamingo rug with a palm tree. After weeks of tufting, I am finally able to make the “waterfall edges” between the yarn colours more defined. A tight cut allowing an obvious transition between each shape.

I love this hobby and have been enjoying the fanart I have created. I make one or two a week currently for myself and my family. It’s given me a good opportunity to learn this skill.After about a month, I’m finally feeling confident.

Perhaps it’s time to start selling some rugs. I can only have so many rugs in our home… I’ll probably start with commission sales and custom orders. If anyone wants to contact me- direct message my Instagram: Tuftleupagus. I’ll do my best to create something that you will enjoy.

Hope you like my rugs and watching my journey to get better.

Chilling Out In A Hot Bath

Posted on by Josef Havelka

I have been trying to take a relaxing bath for a few weeks now. I end up get caught up with the hectic life activities and run out of time before bed. Today I got lucky. I cancelled a plan for my evening and had a quiet night at home.

I had taken my son to bowling for a group activity with his speed skating club. I ended up bowling a set and just stayed there the extra hour or so before heading home. Then, I squeezed in some quality video game time with my wife before dinner. All things I wasn’t planning to do, but was happy that I did.

But bowling was the last bit that did me in. My back, arms, neck and legs were sore. I really needed to relax in the tub and rejuvenate. My family was content to have me disappear for a while. I was a tad bit grumpy and rundown. I needed some “me time”.

And I feel better for it. I needed a hot bath with a fizzy bath bomb. It was relaxing. I nice way to spend a Friday night.