Apr 162009
 

I think it may be official. With my xxth birthday just over a week away, I may officially be old. Why? I’m excited. Not about my birthday. (Not at all.) About what is being installed four days before my birthday. And what’s that?

New windows!

Our house was built in the mid-to-late 70′s. These are the original windows. To make matters worse, when they flipped this house, they did a horrible paint job and we still have paint left along the inner parts of some windows. To make matters even worse, they’re all rather drafty minus the window in our bedroom which is the only window which still has a storm window. Due to that, we’ve had to do things like place plastic over certain more-drafty windows in the winter. It’s not very beautiful.

As such, we’ve wanted new windows for awhile. And now we’re getting them.

I’m probably more excited than I should be about something that we’ll be leaving behind when we purchase a new house in three to four years. (When we purchased this house, we were on a seven-to-eight year plan.) But I’m just so happy! First off, they’re tip in windows. Second, the thought of having the ability to open the blinds in the boys’ bedrooms in the winter as they won’t be perma-shut due to the plastic over the window sounds sunny and fabulous (despite the general lack of sun in the winter).

To make me even more excited, we’re getting a bigger window in my living room. Perhaps now I can decide what the curtains should finally look like. We’ll need some, for certain, as it will be big enough that our neighbors will be able to witness us chasing the kids around at bedtime, ordering toys be put in the toybox. But the thought of sun streaming in the window in the afternoon is a glorious, glorious thought.

So, yes, I’m excited. About windows. As they’re being installed next week, they should be in just in time for the apple tree’s big bloom this year which means I’ll just sit at my new big window (which is right where the apple tree sits) and smile at the pretty pink flowers.

This is how the tree looks right now:

Tree, 04/16/09

With the tree likely in bloom on my birthday (as she usually is) and a new window to sit and stare at her, I think this is likely the best birthday present ever. Don’t you think?

Apr 022009
 

I’m always late to the memes of the world. Beth over at I Should Be Folding Laundry started a photography challenge called “You Capture” about six weeks ago. The theme this week is Spring which we’re finally in the throes the season. Finally. My day lilies are pushing up sprouts. And, featured in my pictures today, the tree in our front yard.

It’s a unique tree. It’s a spliced apple and crab apple. I learned recently that the crab apple actually pollinates the apple which is why they spliced the two together. Apparently the splicing was popular in the 70′s when our house was built. All the same, it creates for some beautiful spring blooming.

Right now, we’re just starting to see the signs of what is to come. I went outside with my camera this morning, the sunlight just starting to peek into our yard. With the dew wet on my feet and thus making the bottom of my pants wet (oh, I’m so short), I snapped a few pictures. I’m a bit out of practice with manual focus as we’ve been inside all winter but I had a few turn out nicely.

Green Side

This is the side closest to the house. It’s the apple-apple side. It actually ends up blooming after the side closest to the road. I am not quite sure if that is because the road side receives the warmer afternoon sun or if apple trees just bloom after crab apples naturally. Whatever the case, it starts out green and then blooms white white and pink flowers later in the month.

Pink Side

This is the crab apple side, closest to the road. It starts out with pinkish leaves, gets very pink blooms and eventually has a darker, smaller leaf than the apple side of the tree. It blooms first, usually just in time for my birthday (at the end of the month). I usually chronicle the week of the blooms from bud through wilting here on the blog. It’s like a Birthday present for me.

I’m excited that Spring is here. We’re finally able to get outside, run off some energy and enjoy everything that is growing. The sunshine itself does wonders for the collective mood of the house! (And we just found out this morning that we’re getting a 52×52 window in our living room, letting in more of the beautiful sunlight while staring directly at said beautiful tree! Hurrah!)

I encourage you to come back during the last week of the month to watch as I chronicle the blooms of this tree. She’s a beauty when the flowers come in.

(And go hit up this week’s Challenge post at I Should Be Folding Laundry for more Spring goodness in the Mr. Linky.)