The beginning...

I wish I had started this blog back in 2010 when I purchased a small farm outside Richmond VA.  I was recently separated and was living in a rental home with my three teenage children.  I searched for months trying to find a small horse property that was within my means and ability to maintain and finally came across a 5-acre farm that fit the bill.  The home was a short-sale and was looking pretty shabby from neglect but I saw potential and moved in with my children (and two horses and two dogs) the day before Christmas 2010.


Original condition of new home

I will have to say that I was totally inexperienced as to home repairs and improvements.  I had been married to a very handy man and over the years I contributed very little to the upkeep of our homes.  Suddenly I was buying a 1970's home that required care and tlc and I was a little overwhelmed but also excited at the prospect of handling these things on my own.

 Over the past several years, I have struggled with  so many issues as I began the process of improving the home from top to bottom.  The interior of the home definitely showed it's 70's era design and I was determined to make a nice home for myself and my children.  I was on a very strict budget so other than some initial outlays to have the siding and windows replaced and adding an additional fenced field with a run-in, it was up to me to figure out how to do the majority of the work.
Home after exterior upgrades


Existing barn & new run-in & field (on left)

 I have learned so many new skills and tricks that today I decided to start with this blog.  Hopefully some of the struggles I've encountered and overcome will encourage someone else to try their hand at a new project. I also wanted to journal my experience since it's been such a positive thing in my life.  I can't tell you how much satisfaction I've gotten from completing even the simplest tasks around my home.  

 I do wish I had taken a bunch of before pictures so I could share more of my journey but unfortunately I am not much of a picture person and only have a hand-full of pictures of the house prior to all of my renovations.  I have painted and renovated most of the house at this point but I'm still learning new tricks every day and hope to share these with you.  I will try to go back and capture some of my finer moments as I try to document my adventure.

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