home my cottage projects book club shop featured my buttons advertise

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

My Garage

Backyard Cottage
Last week I posted this photo which I said is my inspiration of how my cottage garage 
might look with a little work.
I thought I'd go ahead and show you my garage as it is now.
Consider this the before. It may be a long while before there is an after reveal, though.
This is my house with it's newly painted windows and trim.
This photo was taken late last summer. Of course it's not that green here yet. 
Most of my grass is still yellow out front. 
The garage has the same roof color and will have the same trim color.
A lot of things are still brown. That's a pink crepe myrtle next to the pergola. 
There is a small window behind the crepe myrtle. I placed an iron decorative grill in front of it.
This is the pergola that is attached to the garage.
In summer, this area is heavily shaded by the trees in my yard.
I'd like to plant a vine on it but don't know what to plant since it's so shaded.
The plan is to create a small patio under the pergola.

The photo above was taken early last summer looking from the deck towards the pergola and garage. 
See the huge crepe myrtle that's in front of the garage.
It was needing a trim and it had just rained which is why the branches nearly touch the ground.
But see how shaded it is back in that corner. 
This is the very little side door that still needs to be painted.
I think the crepe myrtle is going to have to be thinned out a little.
You can see the main garage door itself there to the right IS painted.
The vine on the stucco wall of the garage is Virginia Creeper. 
It grows nicely up the wall but never grows on the pergola. 
Any ideas on what I could plant as a vine to grow on the pergola?
My deck was still very lush and green back last September.
I was very happy sitting out there but I'd like the garage to be pretty too.
Just another thing to add to the long list of things to accomplish.
Today, I was painting all day in the dining room.
Harvey was just beside himself not being able to be with me.
He cried and cried and pushed the baby gate down several times. 
Newman barked and barked.
Violet insisted on going out every hour which involved me stopping painting 
and going in to the other room to let her out.
She is the bossiest dog. 
I kept calling her the "Wicked Bitch of the West" today because she made me stop all the 
time to let her out or to get her water or to let her out again or to put her up on the sofa or 
to put her up in the bed or to go out yet again! She really thinks the world exists for her. 
I love her so much...but geez...it gets tiresome being her slave. 
She has been like this ever since she was a teeny tiny puppy.

When she was little...like from 12 weeks on...she'd bring her chew bone to my Dad and insist he hold it
 for her while she chewed on it. That meant while my Dad sat in his favorite spot (which we called "command central"), 
he'd have to hold his arm down and hold one end of her chew bone for her so that she could chew on the other end. 
Now he usually liked to sit and watch TV and read a magazine or the newspaper while he watched TV 
and it was impossible to do that while holding her bone for her. 
Because when holding the bone he didn't have a free hand to turn a page.
But here would come Violet and she'd sit in front of him with her bone and bark and bark and keep 
pressing her bone into his leg or holding it up or hitting him with her paws.

Sometimes...he'd yell at her..."I'm not going to hold your bone!"

It did no good. She would insist and before you knew it, he was holding it for her again.
He said lots of times he didn't even realize he was doing it. She had him so well trained. 
He would look down and see he had it in his hand holding it for her 
while she happily chewed away without having to use her own paws.
He didn't even remember taking it from her.

When Violet puts her mind to something...you ARE going to do it for her.
She just insists...there is no telling her no. She will pester you till you just give up.
It's easier just to do whatever it is she wants.
Violet "The Mean Queen"
(aka Wicked Bitch of the West)

She looks sweet but it's just because she is so beautiful. 
Truly, its like she is a beauty queen who has always gotten everything she ever wanted 
based solely on her good looks alone. 
She is everyone's favorite dog of mine and I've gotten where I just come out and say it...
"You only like her best because she is so pretty." 
They always ask me if she is my favorite and don't believe me when I say I love them all equally 
but in different ways. 
"No", they always say, "You must love her most." Just because she is so darn pretty.

She even knows the word pretty if she hears it, she immediately thinks you are talking about her and 
comes running over to you...whether she knows you or not. 
She once made a fool of herself at the park.
There was a little girl and a lady said to the little girl, "Look how pretty you are!"
Violet started running on her leash and wagging her tail making a beeline toward a complete stranger.
She stopped short and looked very confused when she saw the women lean down and take the little girl in her arms. 
She stopped suddenly and looked at me like "What?" 
And then she moped about with her head hung low when the woman never looked her way.
It was kind of sad, actually...that her own personal value relies so heavily on people thinking she is good looking.

Anyway...back to my painting and being constantly interrupted all day.
The only one of the four that didn't give me a bit of trouble was.....
Sally
She spent the day happily in my bed as she does every day. 
She lives in my bed. 
No one ever calls her pretty.

sharing at

28 comments:

Robin@DecoratingTennisGirl said...

Your house is darling, Nita. Your poochie is too!

High Street Cottage said...

Nita your home is so lovely, the perfect cottage, and the deck with all the plants so charming. You really have a knack for this. Wonderful story about your dog, very cute! xoxo tami

A Whole Lotta Magic said...

Hi Nita,

Porcelain Vines do well in the shade; check it out.

Your house is so adorable. I can't get enough, lol!

Sue
xo

1 Funky Woman said...

I love the arches on your house and the paint color for the trim is great. Your garage looks darling. I'll bet once you start tackling it it will be just as cute as the rest of your house. Can't wait to see the dining room all painted!

Megan

Anonymous said...

I absolutely LOVE this post! I just popped over from Taryn S. Ryan Photography and am so happy I did! First off, your backyard is BEAUTIFUL...I hope mine will look half as nice this summer! I mainly want to say how much I love how you spoke of Violet. She seems very similar to my dog who, though not as bossy, tends to interrupt just about anything I do! To make matters worse I have a 5 month old foster puppy that needs to be at my feet constantly! Despite their flaws and annoyances you just can't help but love them! :) Thanks for the sweet reminder - from your newest follower!

stefanie said...

oh, I love your home, I love how your curtains are hung, do you have a picture of them from the inside?
and in LoVe with the pergola and the garage!!!

jeanette from everton terrace said...

It is all just so enchanting. Years ago my mother had an antique shop called "The Enchanted Cottage" think it fits your place quite well :)

animal print gal said...

How beautiful is your house! I love the gardens, the pergola, the dogs, everything...
Great blog!

Amy Chalmers said...

I couldn't wait to see your garage! It has that enchanted quality I knew it would. You will do wonders with it, when you are ready. You might go to a local nursery and ask an expert there about a climber for your pergola. So enjoyed the story of all of the weenies too. Violet is a beauty queen, isn't she? High maintenance they call it, and Sally is at the other end of the spectrum!Today was the first day it really felt a bit springlike outside as I walked Dillon. I can't wait!!

Tracie~MyPetiteMaison said...

Oh Nita,
I love this post. It's always good in my book to have projects on the back burner and I think your garage project will be fantastic! I know you can do it.

It's great you have all your "helpers" even though it always doesn't seem like help... it's the best having pets around while working around the house, don't know what I'd do without mine here.

Happy week, hope you get all your painting finished soon.
xo~Tracie

Anonymous said...

Hi Nita! I'm not seeing any pics! Did you take them down already?

Tara

glamoursmith@gmail.com said...

Your garage looks like a fun project. Can't wait to see the reveal.

I only have 2 dogs, one full Beagle and one half Beagle half something else. The mixed breed is considered to be a "pretty" dog, and like your Violet seems to know it too.

Dropped Stitch Knitter said...

I love seeing the pictures of your house, but I think what has me coming back is your doxies.

Your Violet reminds me so much of our doxie. She, unfortunately, doesn't have any other dogs to boss around as of yet, so she bosses my boyfriend and I around instead.

Dropped Stitch Knitter said...

The boyfriend even holds her bone (without realizing it) too :)

Amanda Lee said...

Oh,goodness, this post was so funny! I swear, you could have been talking about my cat -- who also hears the word pretty and assumes we're talking about her. And is sooo demanding. And has us all trained.

Your Violet is gorgeous, and it is so evident that you just adore her, in spite of (because of?) her "the world exists for me" view of things! What would we do without these little darlings in our lives?

Lisa ~Suburban Retreat~ said...

Hi Nita ~ I always enjoy your dog stories because I too, am a slave to my 3 dogs! Who would have thought???! I love the photo of your back deck - very lush!

Kit said...

Great picts! I am not sure if it will do well in shade but I have a Hops vine that is very vigorous and pretty. Covers fast too! Kit

Laura said...

What an inspirational find that tree house is. Can't wait to see this influence on your garage area. Have you thought of growing wisteria over your pergola? I have friends who have grown it and, although it takes an absolute age to flower,it is well worth it. Good luck with whatever you choose.

Rashon Carraway said...

You certainly have an amazing space to work with, Cant wait to see everything come together.

Mr. Goodwill Hunting

Olive said...

The pretty Violet clearly has Borderline Personaality Disorder says this psych nurse. The world always revolves around them. The patio is lush in summer. Do you lop off your crepe myrtles? We do in late February. I do not know of a shade loving vine but surely a local nursery would know.

Lisa said...

Your backyard is so LUSH and GREEN and beautiful!! It totally evokes feelings of summer. What a great outdoor space.

I loved the story about Violet. She sounds so sassy!

My Archie Kitty is stubborn, too. He wakes us up at 4am when he decides it's time for us to pet him. You're so right, the animals do have us trained.

Have a great day. :)

Debbiedoos said...

Sorry, I had to chuckle at your dog story..she has you wrapped!
Can't wait to see your paint project. I love your home, it exudes so much charm!

Chris at Red Gate Farm said...

How can you NOT be their slave when they look at you with their doggie eyes!

~Chris

Belinda said...

Your stories abour Violet are hilarious! Reminds me of my dog, Sam. He's so spoiled and he runs our house. My son and I tell him every day how sweet and pretty and precious he is. We just can't help it!
Please tell Sally that she's pretty too!

foreverdecorating said...

I'm with you, I love the look of this cottage tree house as a garage. This is the time of year that I always wonder if my plants will come back to life. Your back deck is amazing in it's glory of summer.

Pamela said...

Very enchanting!!

Pamela :)

V I N T A G E O L O G I E said...

I agree with the comment above ... simply enchanting! ... I can't wait to see it in full bloom!! .... You've picked a great trim color ... really, really pretty!

Thanks for sharing at Porch Club ... hope to see you back on the first of the month!

xo
Jill

La Vie Quotidienne said...

Hi,
I live in an older house in Southern California too, although it is not a charming as your...I have always love Tudor syle homes. Your plans for the cottage are very exciting and will be lovely.