Local Color

I snapped these at the church before the social on Saturday night.



The clouds were gorgeous, and the air smelled like rain.



So, my friend has been suggesting neighboring streets to scout for color possibilities for the exterior. We agree that three colors are a minimum: something like 60% for the main color, 30% for the secondary and 10% for the accent. I thought I would take you on a tour of the surrounding blocks and show you what I like. We’ll start with this retaining wall.



And another retaining wall.



The red back door on this cottage delighted me. The front door is red, too, but that picture didn’t turn out so well.



Here is a charming brick house [cue the soundtrack], complete with my beloved crape myrtles. We had two in the front yard of the little house in Irving. I find that I rather miss them.



Another grey house, rather nondescript in itself, but I liked the curvy sidewalk and how they have filled that planter.



Look at the subtle curve on the roof of this sweet little yellow cottage. Click on the picture to embiggen, and look at the detail on the front door.



And one glaring example of what I don’t like. They are starting to do in Fort Worth what’s been done in the Park Cities [two small, allegedly elite municipalities tucked into north Dallas] for the past quarter century: buy up houses for their location and erect monstrosities that scream “I have money out the wazoo and no sense of proportion or history!”



There’s a McMansion being built down the street from me. Pity.

I’ve mentioned that one of my lawyers and his wife give me their old magazines. I just barely finished reading the [2004] 25th anniversary issue of “This Old House”, and from it I gleaned four websites for building plans for new old houses in the Craftsman and bungalow styles, some of which are designed to be “green”. I love living in this duplex, with its craftsmanship and its quirks. I want a house much like this when I grow up. Small, modest, well-built, and intelligently designed. Not to mention respectful of resources.

Yes, I am a financial and political conservative with a social conscience who [finally, gratefully] recycles. You have a problem with that?

On another remodeling front, I went into the Churchboy Dating Service and updated my profile. They asked, “If you could have any super power, what would it be and what would you accomplish with it?” I answered, “I would be InsomniaGirl, and I would save the world while everybody else is sleeping.”

Yes, I know, we already have a Savior. Details, details.