Happy Canada Day!

It's that time of year - Canada Day weekend!   And for our American friends, Independence Day is right around the corner.

Extra time this long weekend to spend with friends and family, taking it easy or as we are doing this fine weekend, working around the house.

I think I've mentioned this before, but we bought an old Victorian fixer-upper 6 years ago; some days the fixer-upper part feels more front and centre than others - the plaster wall repairs, the roof replacement, the duct work, the electrical repairs, the soft pine floors that are ripped apart by the dogs and the wacky ways we've discovered that previous owners carried out "repairs" or "renovations" (cue the heaving tiles in my kitchen floor...)

But I love our home.  I love the creaks, the scratches, the imperfections.  They tell a story; that it's been a lived-in house.  For a loooong time.  You see, she was built in or around 1890 by a local merchant named Jonathon Gile.  The house has changed hands numerous times over the course of the past 123 years and every generation has left an lasting imprint.  It is a heritage designated home, recognized for the style of construction, particularly the 2 turrets, the front porch and the style of windows (which are still wood, by the way - yes, more to add to the fixer-upper list).

And it's home.  Our home.  It's comfortable and comforting; cozy and spacious; situated just perfectly to take in the morning sun in the front room and then in the dining room in the afternoon.  And we've been making it ours, slowly but surely.  The artwork is anything but Victorian, though some of our furniture is.  A good mix of old and new.

Here's a few snapshots of the old girl as we've been restoring her to her grandeur - no small feat but SO rewarding and fulfilling.

Top Left: The "Library" as we've termed it; also where we eat dinner and watch TV. Top Right: at night after installing landscape lighting. Bottom Left: the front yard after tearing out all grass and laying flagstone.  Bottom Right: the mantel, Christmas 2012.

And now, off I go to do some yard work on this oh-so-gorgeous summer day!  Whatever you're up to this long weekend or for Independence Day enjoy it fully, have fun and take some time to relax :-)