Kitchen Bookshelves

One of our goals is to finish the kitchen before Thanksgiving. We moved to the farm June 2007. The first Thanksgiving we did not have a kitchen. We were cooking on a Coleman 2 burner camp stove and washing dishes in plastic basins with water from the bathroom. We bought Thanksgiving dinner at a local grocery store. It came as a package. A cooked turkey, squash, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes and a can of cranberry sauce with a pumpkin pie for desert. Believe it or not, that was a wonderful dinner in our new home. We microwaved the meal to heat it up. The kids had a great time. We ate out of paper plates. No dishes to wash. I think we were able to spend more time with each other than on cooking an elaborate meal. The next Thanksgiving we had a complete kitchen complete with stove. This year we want to have the walls painted, the tile back splash in, the floors completed. It is a tall order with the other work we are doing outside. Alex and I both love to cook and have compiled a good collection of cook books. The south wall is a great place to build a book shelf. Alex has been itching to get started. She framed in the area for books with a tall spice rack next to it. The kitchen was once the barn. Can't you tell. We even found some beams had been chewed by horses when we replaced and insulated this wall. We left the beams in the ceiling exposed when we did the finish work. They are twisted and some still have bark on the side. Individualism.

Shelves for the spice rack. She had to measure and cut each one separately. No two are the same length. A good rule we have learned in this house. Nothing is square. Everything has to be hand pieced. You cut and fit, cut and fit till it fits. Patience is a necessity in this house.

The shelves are finished and dried. We even started painting the wall. The color is Warm Nutmeg. We have so much light in a relatively large kitchen that the color is not oppressive. We both like rich colors. The brown is so warm and cozy.

Finally after a couple of days drying we can add cook books, spices, a pitcher or two. We had a carpenter come out today to give us a quote on a couple of finish projects. The doors have to be re adjusted and some outside work on the soffits. We know our limits and when to ask for help.

We got a chance to attend a Inter Tribal Pow Wow in Newport this past weekend. The music and dancing were great. The weather was warm and beautiful. The dancers were happy and colorful to say the least.

Jasmine had to go home after her summer long visit. She started 1st grade this year in New Jersey. Her Pop Pop and I miss her and so does Alex. Emma and Lucy are at a loss. We are very thankful to be able to keep her with us all summer. She is now snaggle toothed. Great, just in time for school pictures.

We will have another addition to the farm tomorrow. The excitement is in the air. We can't wait. We will update the blog asap. Have a warm and cozy night. Much love and prayers from Mainely Ewes Farm.

Kelly