Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Wednesday 10.30.2013

This is my (SY) 61st Fall in Albemarle County...
(one in California that hardly counted!)
...and this is the latest in the season that I can recall
  the leaves not yet in full glorious color!
We mustn't give up hope though...
and in the meantime, what is on 
display  'ain't bad at all.'





















Ellipse north of the Parterre Garden








 Patsy's handiwork continues to dazzle us!!









On site today:

Sherry
SY
Kevin Kennedy - redeeming the Mud Room porch steps
Chris & Todd - electricians, finishing details at the Carriage House
Henry SmithGC re: beginning major work on the exterior of the Main House

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Tuesday 10.29.2013

Although the brilliant fall colors we love to see are still about a week away, 
 the general hue of the landscape is decidedly fall like .

View from the north lawn

If the schedule comes together, we will soon have
scaffolding set up along the south side of the Main House
as we undertake a major facelift of the residence.

In the meantime, Kevin is replacing the treads, risers,
and fascia board on the Mud Room porch
 
Taking away the old...















...and priming the new!   

Thursday, October 24, 2013

Thursday 10.24.2013

Overnight temperatures have been flirting with
the mid-thirties--and are forecast to drop below freezing
overnight for the first time this fall.
Frost advisory for 3am-10am tomorrow morning.

The cold front moving through this afternoon made quite a 
contrast from noontime sun and bright clouds...

Guest Cottage (Post card contender!)

...to dramatic early winter cloud patterns and dropping temperatures!


Looking east...
...and south.





























J&A Painters sprucing up the south pasture fences.

















Lewis--Patsy's able and good-natured gardening assistant--came to
work this morning sporting a "new doo" that we had to share with you!!


Lewis & Patsy




On site today:

Guests at the Cottage
SY
Kevin Kennedy
Richard King
Lewis & Patsy
Jessica Beverage - assessing the winter prep for the fish pond.
Piedmont mowing crew

Monday, October 21, 2013

Monday 10.21.13


The good rain we received two weeks ago 
was a shot in the arm to the lawns and shrubs that
were going brown prematurely.

Walkway to Guest Cottage

New lawn north of the Parterre Garden



Fresh cut today before fertilizer application















Late afternoon soaking after fertilizing

North Portico 09.23.13


North Portico 10.21.13





























Kevin's custom copper work for deck column caps





















On site today:

Sherry & Stephen
Kevin Kennedy
Richard King
Chris & Todd-electricians
Guest Cottage guests from Atlanta here for the week!

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Tuesday & Wednesday 10.15,16.2013

The temperatures are still quite mild,
but the unmistakable signs of fall surround us.

Cottage Lane
Most likely our last mowing, earlier today (W)




The Farm House porch

2-day mushrooms!! (A little wet last week!)



Obie - checking out the herb garden!


Kevin & Richard - finishing touches on the CH deck

Monday, October 14, 2013

Monday 10.14.2013

Today marked six consecutive days of mist, rain and showers
 
that have temporarily restored the beautiful Ramsay grounds.
This morning we awoke to gray skies once again....

Ramsay's Star grazing, and Tiverton cattle on yonder hill...

The Guest Cottage at dusk Saturday evening...

 
 
 
  Over the weekend, we had
 guests from California & Texas
 staying at the Guest Cottage...
 
 
Snuggy space on a rainy weekend!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
And a young couple from Richmond
celebrating their first wedding anniversary 
staying in the new Carriage House 
guest quarters...

Friday, October 11, 2013

Friday 10.11.2013

We had a number of major projects that required
the better part of the summer to complete.
Primary among them was the renovation of the
brick walkways around the Main House, the
Parterre Garden, and the path to the Guest Cottage.

These pictures tell the story of the path
from the ellipse to the Guest Cottage...

(1) Removing old brick - mid June

(2) Modifying old ellipse/rose garden - late June

(3) Establishing new ellipse - early/mid July


(4) Establishing new path - early August



(5) Laying new walk to Cottage - mid/late August

(6) Spreading new top soil - early September
(7) Placing new sod - early September









(8) Grass seed begins to sprout - late September


(9) 6pm this evening!!! 10.11.2013

Thursday, October 10, 2013

Thursday 10.10.2013

Today is best summed up in the following
2,000 words!!

This shot is postcard worthy for sure...

View from the Farm House deck window...






















Sherry and SY holding down the misty fort today
 In addition to guests at the  Cottage this weekend, we will 
host our first guests in the new Carriage House apartment.
 It's a bit sparse on furnishings at the moment, but the 
charm and setting will provide adequate distraction!!
This is the view from the Carriage House deck!!

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Wednesday 10.09.2013

Tuesday afternoon...




The last vestiges of Summer linger over the landscape northeast of the Main House. Much needed rain is falling again this evening (8:30pm as I write) and is forecast to continue through to the weekend. Although the leaves have just begun to turn, the afternoon light and cooler temps announce and celebrate the arrival of Fall!!
View from north portico of the Main House
























Kevin Kennedy, our master carpenter and Richard King  our loyal handy man held forth on the Carriage House deck today while Sherry continued prepping the Guest Cottage for guests coming in this weekend.

Snap shot from early September...






Our new neighbors, John and Brenda Plantz paid a visit this afternoon with relatives from out of state, and enjoyed a tour of the grounds. And a good friend came out to exercise the horses late in the day. 


"What's that, Dad?.... Go to the barn?"

"OK Dad, whatever you say!"


Monday, October 7, 2013

Monday 10.07.2013

Susan greets the lapping waves at VA Beach!


The weekend found Susan and Stephen enjoying a brief dash
to VA Beach--a well-deserved little break after the crush of
activity in August & September! A small world found them
greeting some good friends from Crozet, staying in the same
beach-side hotel and having breakfast at the same time in
 the hotel Diner on Saturday morning!
Upon returning late Sunday afternoon, we found Bessie & Beulah 
hard at work being the "Ramsay Cows"acting as though nothing of 
any import had happened during our absence.


This morning (Monday) brought us some long-needed rain--
not nearly as much as forecast, but enough to take the edge
off the dry grounds and gardens, keep our workers away
 for the day, and begin driving the leaves from the trees.
 Fall is knocking at the door!
The view from our Farm House deck

Sunday evening sunset
.

Thursday, October 3, 2013

Thursday 10.03.2013

Last week, Monday - Saturday, we had a cumulative
 total of over 100 people working at the estate--and the resulting  
Farm Dinner on Saturday evening was spectacular!
 
This week (including tomorrow) the cumulative total will be twenty!
The pace of "business-as-usual" is nice and genuinely welcome.
(But the "buzz" of last week was pretty cool!)
 
This week there was actually some time to

 welcome the morning...





 behold some of our handiwork...




...and consider offering some equine counseling for Monty and Star 
who have apparently chosen to go their separate ways!