A little after noon today, Friday, September 2, I closed the can of paint and declared the house completely painted. After brushing on a third coat of Country Redwood (Swedish Red) on the last of the battens on the west gable, I was able to stand back and admire the look of a freshly painted house.

My favorite paint brush has served me well. I bought a top of the line Sherwin Williams natural bristle brush in the summer of 1997 to paint the trim on our old house on Good Shepherd Court. Over the years that brush has been dipped in a vast palette of colors and has seen hard use. But with careful cleaning after every paint job, the brush has held up remarkably well and is still good to go.

Watching over the last of the painting project is Oskar, the Spirit of the Westwind and protector of the home from stormy weather. From his perch high atop the west gable he has a commanding view of the western sky.

Facing north and greeting guests with a spirit of warm hospitality is Signa. She has a slight smile and is eager to welcome you to come visit the Sweden House.

With an eye to the south and a good view of the garden is Eva. From her perch she watches over all the growing things and keeps a sharp eye out for chicken predators!

Cynthia’s thinks I might be having way too much fun and going over the top a little with this old house restoration thing!