Oh the Wind!!!!

Windy days in Galveston and my walk on the beach with the dogs this morning was cut short because we where literally blowing “in the wind”. Climbed back up on the seawall and the wind had gotten worse and almost knocked my butt back onto the sand!
The power went out over the East end last night as well. Michael has been a witness in a court case in Houston and it’s been dragging over months now and this entire week but he got cut loose for today and is back, until tomorrow when they “promise” he will finally testify and be done…haha sure.

Until then we are trying to play catch up on a few work project we have and of course with work pushed back come financial issues. Thankfully God puts the most amazing people in our path.

So I am looking for any grants for restoring a historic building, building a self sustaining garden, adding solar, wind and water power and water collection to see if there is anything at all to help . We are also looking to finish out the work shop to move work ahead further as that has held us back a lot. So…any advice? Anyone? Good websites to check out? Anything? Clear the crickets please….

On other topics I am now working the administration of Classic Morris Door Restore and things have been looking up business wise which is great…forward moving! The better work does the better the Hughes Restoration does.
People ask what we have done so far or why it’s so slow and my answer is “ projects can only move as fast as our budget”. “sigh”.

However, still making it. My winter garden is basically non-existent due to time and finances. I was gifted a peppermint plant and a couple of basil plants and we have…yes…a pineapple tree/bush whatever growing…and actually so far thriving it seems. I have been playing with a few seeds from back in the Oasis days but so far not much going there. In spring I MUST have it going. I am planning on holding a seedling trade and in the late summer a seed trade of all island gardeners who have plenty to share and swap and most of who throw out their seedlings as they thin them anyways so….help a fellow gardener out!

I am looking for anyone who wants to take me under their wing and walk me through their gardens and garden tips and advice as well….seep in the knowledge! Ok maybe it will rub off on me=)

I have also been pet sitting around the island, not officially a business type as I don’t wish to but instead of ending up collecting strays I now tend to collect pet parents who need sitters=) Well, it’s good though in many ways. I have also begun setting up some social networking for other peoples businesses and that will be good too.

We are also thinning out projects, clutter to work around , stuff we won’t even use for a few years and well, helping finances by holding a huge yard sale this Friday 8-2 and Saturday 8-2 in our yard in the alley that is between market street and post office ( behind market alley) and the cross streets would be 25th and 26th. So park anywhere on those blocks and walk to the alley to shop! We have three project cars (hallelujah we are finally getting rid of some of those!) One I am bummed but…oh well. 1964 mercury comet, 1996 gsx eclipse, 1994 gst eclipse. And we have a 15 foot force five boat. No sail though. And we have over 200 doors of all shapes, sizes , types and ages and conditions for art and table projects to actual door use. We have a lot of mens, womens and even a 9 yr old boys clothes from a cousin and many house hold items. A foose ball table, ping pong table, a table made out of a door and copper that is beautiful, shelves and dog supplies, three saddles , 2 English and good cond and 1 bad cond western. A lot of marble slabs and a couple of benches, planter boxes and a lot of other items. Car engines and parts too. Some costume stuff too.
Might even throw in the husband…=)

So stop by this weekend for sure!

Other than that I think we are heading to about one Halloween party…no costumes I don’t think unless we can dig something out of our own closet. And next weekend is the biker rally weekend…..expect a lot of noise is what I am told.
I am planning to spend Sunday de-cluttering and cleaning and such at Hughes and getting ready for a busy week ahead.


Between stopping by our yard sale, The Antique warehouse that has old, new and remade….and the GHF Salvage Warehouse among others one should make a pretty good treasure hunt weekend. It will be nice to de-clutter items we won’t even use for a few years. I am such a minimalist and Michael such a pack rat….Lord help us!

Busy Month of things to do!

Galveston Island Living!

We have been so busy!

We have tried a couple of island churches looking for a church home here in our own community and so far a few times at First Presbyterian has us really liking it . They have of course , service on Sundays at 11 and dinners on Wednesdays at six among other activities from time to time. A couple of friends of ours go there too….in this small community we likely know someone in each church!

The Autumn coolness has brought many events and activities regular to the islands calendar and we are very much a part of them this year.

Our favorite of course…the loft Tours. We volunteered as ticket takers this year and then toured it ourselves. The fun seeing inside some of these builders we walk by daily was a great way to spend the weekend. We met many new people who already seem to becoming fast friends! We also that weekend got to show Michael’s mom and dad the latest on Hughes…still much in cleanup phase and get ready and planning phase but with our fun and interesting living situation they where impressed at what progress we had done.

We attended church and met even more new people ( our second time that weekend) and we ran into new faces all weekend. We ran into an old friend actually even and had a nice lunch on the patio of the fishermans warf…I was in my cool autumn day mood for my seasons first bread bowl of clam chowder and that waqs divinely fulfilled. Watching the huge cruiseship pull away and of course blow it’s horn and watch boaters dock on the warfs porch docking was really amazing.

Even drove that same busy weekend to Rosenberg and spent the night at the families home, Lester’s Cottage. ( current home to the sailboat building=).
We also celebrated my birthday that weekend with them…29...oy!

The next weekend Michael went on a boy scout camping with his 10 year old cousin while I went to the first party of the season…The Silk Stocking holloween party at an adorable Victorian home of a friend ( Miss Catherine Stroud of the home is a local artist and furniture builder of Galveston Wood, her Phoenixed work is amazing). I enjoyed meeting many more new people, chatting and laughing with known neighbors and friends and ….well, the wine was good too. The party benefited the Historic Silk Stocking District and Mrs. Stroud did an excellent job.

That Saturday led to a wine and cheese party at one of those newly found friends lofts ( also had been on the loft tours actually) and enjoyed an evening pre Artist Walk with enjoyable people ( ok and more wine).
Then on to Artwalk our group of mixed characters went! From Poor to rich ( Mr. Rolls Royce I assume=) to us middle folk . From dreadlocks ( I wasn’t the only one, Miss Cynnara of Soulshine Cleaning Business owner had her beautiful blond dreads too) to gay men and straight lady’s…it was a bunch we made! Walking Post office street crowded with the first cool season artwalk in what this summer makes us feel like ages….every two steps one of our crowd knew someone and stopped to chat and introduce. Man oh man Michael and I do seem to get around and know a lot of people!
Finally making it to MOD coffeehouse and grabbing my seasons first hot chocolate ( wine break =) our group grew with a few new islanders and young business people….we danced in the streets ( literally…can’t take gay men anywhere and not dance right?=) and we actually did look at some of the nights art! But with so much business and clapping of “ ok onward!” we ended up sooner than later back at the loft to continue our wine party…group pictures and all in superhuman poses! ( the wine I blame).

That Sunday I took it easy ( wine maybe?) and cleaned up home and all….cuddled with my pups and eventually Michael was home to tell all about my weekend and me his ……at Mod with friends mostly!

Work has been picking up, between our busy season hitting and me in full Classic Morris Administrative mode that surely has helped. I did miss the fall garden tours…so busy I missed the flyers and never saw it mentioned anywhere else! Next time for sure! However I am much more interested in peoples FOOD gardens!

Last week also had us busy with Town hall meetings on public housing and the smoking ban….I am FOR the smoking ban btw. However Galveston Island is the first place ever to pull their ban and allow smoking back, sad but true. Once state and nation wide however they will have no choice but to go back.

Michael has had some beautiful work going on at Ave O ½ all last week and I even took him lunch one day around 1 and stayed until 5 helping scrape paint off a jamb and transom!
Friday we where supposed to meet friends for a beach happy hour but work kept us as it did all Saturday/ Sunday we had a weekend of Artober Fest, we are also volunteered for an hour . We had church, and we had about a hundred things planned but work on Saturday kept us over time and Sunday we just didn’t get that far.
Next weekend is a friends BBQ…one of our first friends here on the island and amazing person who also does the BEST BBQ ever! And works at the Galveston College which btw is a pretty cool college. Still need to decide my side dish… The Galveston Historical Foundations Stained Glass Class for Michael he’s going to as he often has stained glass in his doors and transoms and sidelights. And then the Evia Fall Market event…
Another few busy weekends ahead!

I hope I don’t miss anything!

Galveston keeps us busy!

Cont….

We went Friday night to Oktoberfest and had a really great time! We also enjoyed this past weekend a bike ride to the Evia Fall Market on 99th…..we started at 25th and Market….just sayin (about 8 miles) and really enjoyed the tour of open homes and the fun festivities of the market and all the dogs dressed in costumes! And I LOVE the Sugar Bean and Cream Coffee shop out there! Also loved seeing the table tops made by our neighbor Scott Hanson from antique Warehouse. We spent the day there and then rode our bikes back to the East end and chose to continue on, stopped for dinner at Chili’s and then went out to enjoy the beach and rode our bikes and walked out to the Beach Town Homes, then walked back enjoying a beautiful sunset.

Great Weekend!

What the hughes Project is...

The Hughes Project .

The list of the project:

1. Recycle Historical Down Town inner city Building on Galveston island : It meets our needs for living and work , gives us the want to recycle a historic building. Fulfills our cravings of “ one day we want to do that” when we saw warehouses and fire station type buildings being restored or converted into homes. Helps bring economy and build Galveston Island, a place where we grew up and loved coming out to several times a week by filling an empty building, bringing a higher property tax out of the building once restored. An economy of business . An economy of a more thriving down town. An economy of jobs in the future. Providing a service to the island that was needed. An economy of two more people with three large dogs that spend money on the island , eventually children for the schools and so forth. Also with this blog we hope to bring more recognition that the regular person can do green living in the city as well as bring publicity to Galveston Island in the after math of Hurricane Ike. In 2010 we even made the 2010 census in time to try and get the islands numbers where they needed to be, even if they did fall short. Also the island of Galveston provided us with small town community where we can get involved and be a part of our community and neighborhood without getting lost . We will live upstairs and work down stairs. We originally tried doing this with no loan debts but am currently working on a loan to move forward a bit faster.

2. Bring a self sustaining gardening project to the inner city to raise awareness that it can be done , it can be done by a regular couple, it can be done not only in the city but in the down town of the city and on a small island. The roof top we are working at putting eventually a 2000 square foot green house ( of course tinted, insulated as needed as well as hurricane proof). The eventual 2000 square foot second story porch off the back yard will hold much vegetation. All plants will be edible. The 3000 square foot back yard will provide space for barrel compost ( easy to contain, maintain and keep clean) as well as low light plantings. The space at the side of the building will allow for all kinds of mushrooms and potatoes. The 22 upstairs windows will have hanging planters out each one to add to the use of space. The original style awning will be put back on the front of the building to also lend more space to a breakfast seating area outside the eventual kitchen as well as herbs garden space. This adds up to over 6000 square feet of actual nearly all above ground self sustaining garden potential. Our goal is to grow all of our own vegetation and even be able to eventually sell if we ever are that good at a green thumb. My idol in this is a man in California that I started following several years ago who started on a tiny lot and used a lot of imagination to feed his entire family off what he could grow. Eventually I want chickens for fresh eggs and am toying with the goat idea for cheese, milk, soaps to make and so forth but also know of a goat farmers in Sante Fe not too far so it’s a possibility and I do know the work it takes but we will see. This in itself will be a full time up keeping job and I will post blogs, articles and video as well as host classes to promote this activities of victory gardens, self sustaining and being able to do this right in the city. Since one of my back yard views is of the Deborah’s garden on 25th street, one of Galveston’s community gardens…I feel I am in the right spot.

3. Build a 2000 square foot porch off the back of the building to expand garden and outdoor living area. We are not out to live totally simply. We want a hot tub…we work hard physically as is our jobs and both suffer from past injuries. It helps keep us moving more and is simply nice to enjoy. We want outside living area and have already planned a movie night to project onto the wall the sides one side . We plan to mosquito screen in the outside as we know someone who did a two story same sized backyard in this. Darn those bugs! However , hate to say it…it’s also pigeon control too as there are so many diseased birds dyeing here all the time and our dogs can always get them…..We will include a full outdoor kitchen to provide an entertainment area as well as keep some hot cooking outside at times…..my only thought on that is how much I wish to be in the heat outside to do the cooking but in order to keep those a/c bills down…ones gotta look back to the old ways and well, it’s better than a hot house kitchen. This will also help us never to outgrow this living area however as well, providing space for our large dogs and future children, family events and friends entertainment.

4. The ground floor of the 3000 square foot back yard. We will use the dirt areas for plant growth as well as barrel compost , a wood pile for an eventual wood stove that we will use for heating and even ability to drive into the building through the back and / or park. When Michael needs to load of unload materials it is done through here rather than through the front of the building and so on.
This yard also holds the outdoor stone walled shower and toilet area which we currently have put in use with temporary fix ups. Soon the jambs will be built, doors installed, lighting one day flooring that we prefer and still deciding on the roofing. This provides a shower off place for after the beach, bathing the dogs and client restroom and currently all we have as of September….before that we didn’t even have that!

5. The upstairs…wow, our living . Our home. Well this 3000 square feet of space is certainly home in my mind and has been since the second I stepped foot in it.

* The plan ( Scanned below some of our drawings we did ourselves ) is to re-floor over what is there ( needed) with doors being thrown out at a big company in Houston that we order much of our materials from currently and where these doors are thrown out because of bowing issues and warping issues at times. We are purchasing them for about $10 a piece and pulling apart the panels, cutting them each in half width wise to create double the amount of wood, then planed down though they will still be incredibly thick pieces to lay down for flooring. We figured we needed 100 doors for this, we are taking on 150 just in case. We will lay down moister barrier paper and so forth as we have to sound proof what we can as well as keep dust from down stairs out and fumes too even though we use low and no toxic/voc materials. In all we predict we will spend $3,000 on 3000 square feet of hard wood flooring.

* The power must be run….we already have conduit all set and so will run the wiring. We are also designing all of our light fixture needs and will use all lighting from nautical lighting in our old shipping warehouse and to help give a more island effect in décor from Galveston’s own Nautical Antiques on mechanic Street which will be well over 100 lighting pieces altogether and also provide island economy and help the young couple who own the shop , helping local business owners. Also upon finishing and opening our place for tours during loft tours as well as articles, blogs and videos perhaps giving people ideas on reusable items such as these and encouraging local private owner shopping and if anywhere near Texas than her eon Galveston Island as well.

* We are putting in fans and an a/c in industrial style looks and are currently studying the types however that will be a couple of years off and even then we want to use it minimally .

* Our heat will be wood burning stoves which I will then make tea and soups on while in use helping make double use of it but also it will be used minimally as well however we will have two, shown below in the plans.

* We will use recycled doors we have collected over the years for our walls as well as transoms from torn down houses on the island Keeping an open loft style effect without covering all the rooms or running them to the ceilings except the bathrooms. In this we will have recycled 100 doors, the floors will have been 150 doors. Keeping these out of the landfills and giving them use, keeping our costs down and not putting in sheetrock at all. Also giving a touch of fun and our creativity to the loft.

* Our living room will be raised to provide storage space underneath though we want to keep things needing storage minimal there are still holiday items and whatnot to put away. There will be 2 feet high and about 30x30 space. The living room underneath the front window will also have a long window box providing storage as well as extra seating and be comfortable all around and ready to entertain friends.

* Our office will be open and partner style desk set up ( desks made of recycled doors once again) providing an open area working space. Just off the living room .

* The kitchen is in redesign from our original idea ( it’s what happens as you spend more time mulling over things) the original is what is shown in the drawing below. I want a large open easy to entertain and make all the home cooked items and baked that I want to as well as eventually will be able to get back to preparing my own dogs foods and also canning and freezing and prepping all that comes from the garden to last all year. An easy step to the front awning to a breakfast and herb garden and an easy access to the back porch and stairs leading to the rooftop green house and the downstairs ground floor garden.

* rebuild the awning where we will also have a smaller garden area .

* Make use in between buildings for low light food gardening and hanging baskets will be put to use.

* Off the kitchen will be a decent sized pantry, then a laundry room then master bathroom, closet and master bedroom. Across from that guest and future kids room , closet and bathroom then open sitting and library area for all my love of books that is also capable of being a third bedroom if ever needed. Then you meet back with the open office.

The down Stairs:

* Michael’s shop for Classic Morris Door Restoration. For supplies and inventory storage as well as repair work in shop instead of on site as our company does both. Door building and more this will be the right back side. ( drawing below). We brought our business to the island and moved ourselves keeping our economy on the island to work and live. We will also be hosting classes , apprentice ships and providing future jobs.

* The front right hand side will host Classic Morris Store front. A place where a customer can come and meet the company, see door related items for sale, learn about services, book needs and so forth. A display where doors, finish and color samples and hardware will eventually be.

* The left hand side of the ground floor is planned to eventually house a family owned and operated wooden sailboat building school and offer sailboat sales as well. Bringing a lost art of wooden sailboats to the island.

We will be using windpower, solor power , water power and water collection. Grow a self sustaining garden and use energy safe appliances. We will also of course, recycle=)

We wish this to be a home for us that fits our wants and desires and needs and heart yearnings to make a small footprint but big impression. We hope to provide a learning tool for others to do the same or similar projects. We hope to bring light to Galveston Islands many virtues and bring economy.

Hmmm….I am sure I missed something but many blogs to come!

Autumn At Hughes....on Market Street!

So many people are wondering what The Hughes Project is all about. We tell and explain to many but it’s time to write it out and post on the life at market street blog for our readers.

The Hughes Project is the Historical Building that we are restoring in Down Town Galveston Island, Texas.
Built in 1907 named Hughes ( in stone on the front of the building as well) , the mystery of the name to be revealed in our history research at The Galveston Historical foundation.
It’s a 6000 square foot brick industrial building on the edge of down town Galveston, still considered down town and yet right outside the historical district so therefore not included in historical restrictions in the restoration process.
Two stories .All brick walls , no inside walls. 23 up stairs tall windows and 11 down stairs taller windows . A back door off the upstairs back and a front door and two empty but boarded up store fronts for windows? Past pictures don’t show windows at all but wooden store fronts.

Historic Research shows that 25th street marked the “ other side” up until the seventies a white woman and her daughter where not allowed to cross to this side . We had an African American Surgeons doctors and surgery here. It has been a brothel three times. We even have the history of who ever lived/owned the building. it’s been a Star Cinema two screen movie theater. It’s been a bar and a church at the same time owned by the same person. It’s been a Mexican Consolant and more.

I will eventually post just the history found once we are finished putting it all together.

So as of our taking on this project Hughes had no power, no wires run through even, no plumbing, not even a water meter. Needed all new windows, floors, and the entire front is plywood . Also seven years of pigeon poop to clean.

What we plan is an entire transformation into a living loft for ourselves , Michaels door workshop down stairs along with a wooden sailboat building school taking up ½ the down stairs . ( I call the down stairs the man cave) . We plan to recycle the building, make an inner city self sustaining living project out of this. With a possible green house rooftop ( or at least 3000 square feet of rooftop gardening) . We plan to build a 2000 square foot porch off the second story floor over the back yard which will extend to an outdoor living place and kitchen as well as more above ground gardening. Below of the ground level back yard we will have compost barrels , hopefully eventually chickens for eggs and shade growth gardening such as mushrooms and potatoes . We are designing a rain catch system using a combo and knowledge of other designs as well as a system to recycle our sink and shower water for watering the garden. We also are designing our wind power system for our flat roof as well as a solar system possibly other than panels .

We want to prove that a regular young couple can do these types of projects. That recycling an old un-used building can bring great benefit to oneself plus their community . That you don’t have to live in the country to be self or near self sustaining. We are not sure if we will ever make it “ off the grid” or at least no usage but we are seeing how far we can go. We are not rich, don’t have family backing us. Work hard for what finances we do have and are a normal couple setting out seeking our dream instead of “ I wish” all the time.

In the mean time we have lived without power, water or a toilet and discovered our neighborhood, not watching tv and enjoying our beach and so forth. Narrowing down life without sacrifices…in fact with enjoying what it has to offer more.

We now have an outdoor shower ( old at the moment) outdoor toilet that flushes ( praise Jesus!) and we have a sink, a little kitchen set up with crockpots , fridge and a roaster and we finally have power to a t-pole and use of extension cords. We have a set up of a living room and kitchen and bedroom and kinda feel like a fun college experience with our lighting at night. It’s quite comfortable and next summer we will use window units for a/c. our dogs kept down stairs all summer with fans on them and it was quite cool.
We used screens for mosquito control.

In the next blog I will have our plans scanned in and post what the lay out is looking like right now for us (could always change).

We are always learning and researching on this type of project and would love to hear any input.