The Farmhouse | Last Leg of the Tour
THE FARMHOUSE The long weekend is over and our guests have all gone home with tired children and maybe a new laugh line or two. Signs of a successful weekend! But with them went the last fleeting moments of summer heat, replaced with crisp mornings and early bedtimes. I didn't see it coming. But I feel ready to embrace the fall vibe, bidding goodbye to summer salads and sunglasses and replacing them with cozy sweaters and hearty soups. Apples, pumpkins, spices...are you with me? I'm also feeling nostalgic for the leaves I know will color and fall from the massive old tree in our yard. The fall leaves in Ellensburg are the best! They're dry and colorful and perfect for raking into piles for the boys to jump in. Yes Fall, I'm ready for you!
But before we dig out the rakes, let's rewind a couple of months to the long days of summer, when we first called the farmhouse home. I'm going to take you on the last leg of the farmhouse tour, through the kitchen, guest bedroom, and property. In case you missed it, here are part 1 and part 2 of the tour.
The kitchen was updated at some point in the last couple of decades but unfortunately, feels out of place in this 1912 farmhouse. I have high hopes of redoing this space. I'm imagining a more functional kitchen that has plenty of seating but also feels at home in this historic house. One thing this kitchen does have, is great views to the north over the creek and past the hay fields all the way to the jagged Stuart Mountain Range. And the farmhouse sink is positioned perfectly to take full advantage of the view while washing dishes. We also really like the built-in table for enjoying family breakfasts and late night cribbage games.
So yeah, there are some great things about the kitchen, but this wouldn't be a renovation blog if I didn't have plans of renovating it :)
A third bathroom flanks the kitchen to the east, next to the backdoor and the basement access.
And on the other side of the kitchen, is the laundry/mechanical space.
The guest bedroom lies next to the staircase off the main entryway. The bedroom is good size with expansive, east facing windows that overlook the main yard. The best feature of the guest bedroom, according to the boys, is a short closet that sits under the staircase. The boys love to pile books and art supplies in there and just hang out. I swear, my boys love closets, the shorter and darker the better!
I'm not sure that this space will remain a guest bedroom forever (...dreams of an open concept kitchen/family room are whirling in my head...) but for now, it's great to have a dedicated spot for houseguests!
The farmhouse sits on 3 lush acres, which makes this house the stuff of childhood dreams! There are century-old trees, a small pond complete with frogs and salamanders, an expansive yard, and a stream running the length of the property through thick underbrush and intertwined willow trees. We've already put up a tree swing (okay, technically two tree swings) and are hoping to build a tree house someday, tucked away in one of the bendy willows along the stream.
I have big dreams for this kitchen garden! I foresee planting vegetables and fruit and maybe even some flowers next spring. We have aspirations of growing more of the food we eat, and this garden will be perfect for accomplishing that goal. The raspberries that currently adorn the fence (along with grapes) were delicious this year and perfect for foraging children.
These three acres are nothing short of paradise and have been our favorite thing about moving to the country! It is quiet, private, and beautiful. This summer has been spent exploring and swinging and playing and just plain being outside every single day, which I didn't know how much I needed.
So that wraps up the farmhouse tour. I hope you enjoy the house half as much as I do :)
xoxo
-Cathy
p.s. A few of my favorites from Pinterest this week: this seating spot, this rhubarb snack, this decorated cake, and this moment.
p.p.s. I've been seeing a lot more wood-framed sofas and day beds lately and I loved seeing them in this living room. Hopefully you'll see one in my living room soon too!
p.p.p.s. This is an oldie but a goodie: The upside of quitting. I listened to this podcast right before I quit my job of six plus years (part of our early retirement plan) and it reaffirmed my decision. I haven't looked back once!