We are back from vacation. The new oak floor looks marvelous. The stairs.. not so much. It turns out their materials and condition are not conducive to staining and clear-finish. After brainstorming with Jen, our interior-designer friend, we have decided to do a faux runner on the main stairs. The next few days of posts will feature a mini-theme following its progress. ![]()
Here we’ve patched & sanded the worst of the defects, and primed one side (leaving the other side clear for walking until it dries).
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I took apart and reglazed one of the bedroom windows today, so that the glazing compound can cure while we’re gone and I can paint it upon our return. Imagine my surprise when I lifted the shade and saw what I at first thought was a hummingbird affixed to the outside of the screen.![]()
This is some sort of sphinx moth, probably either a five-spotted hawkmoth or a Carolina sphinx. These species spend their caterpillar lives as a tomato or tobacco hornworms, respectively, and as such are big crop pests. But it was cool to see this very cooperative adult moth up close.