It’s true, there are probably a thousand worms living in my kitchen. No worries, they’re all contained in my vermicomposter, called the Worm Factory. At some point, if things go well I could have as many as 10,000-12,000 when the bin is full. I made this video of my daughter, Vitoria helping me put the worm contraption together. Enjoy!

Check out the first installment of our vermicomposting adventure here.

You can’t just go grab any old worms and stick them in a garbage pail and expect to harvest rich, healthy soil in time. It’s not likely that will end well. It certainly won’t smell very good. You will need specialized worms. Eisenia foetida, Eisenia andrei or Red Wigglers are best for this purpose.

Boston Public Schools will resume a regular schedule Tuesday 12th, 2013 after cleaning up the snow from Nemo.

Sorry, kids.

Preppers range from folks who are just careful and thoughtful to those who are seemingly clinically insane. I would count myself in the first half of this bell curve. Maybe about halfway up the slope. No matter who you are – you should have a basic emergency kit in my opinion.

I took this photo near Call & Bishop Streets on Sumner Hill in 2010.

For a minute I thought I had an original funny thought, but when I Googled around a bit I found HubBub beat me to the punch. I was just sitting at my desk chuckling at all the people running around stocking up on bread, eggs and milk. Then again, who will have the last laugh tomorrow when they wake up? I’ll be grumbling and crunching cold cereal thinking of all that warm, sweet French Toast being made around the city.

A DANGEROUS WINTER STORM WILL BE AFFECTING SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND SUNDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH MONDAY. LOW PRESSURE WILL INTENSIFY OFF THE NORTH CAROLINA COAST SUNDAY MORNING THEN BECOME A VERY INTENSE STORM AS IT PASSES JUST SOUTHEAST OF NANTUCKET MONDAY MORNING. THE LOW SHOULD PULL AWAY LATER MONDAY BUT VERY WINDY CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE INTO TUESDAY. A MODERATING TEMPERATURE TREND WILL DEVELOP DURING MIDWEEK AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS ACROSS THE EASTERN SEABOARD.

Thanks to my friend Tracy Price for bringing the following information to my attention. For those history buffs out there you might be interested in a couple of exhibitions that are focused on the subject of the Orange Line Elevated Rail that once ran through Jamaica Plain. The first is a stop-motion movie playing at the Connolly Branch Library in Jamaica Plain and the other is a photo exhibit at the main branch downtown.

Former Elevated Rail at Egleston Square in Jamaica Plain

If you haven’t already heard the good news – you don’t have to wait till Spring to buy quality local food anymore. I, for one am very excited about this. I think the location is superb. It takes place at the Our Lady of Lourdes Parish Hall on the following dates:

2012-2013 Market Dates

The Buckle Farm sells fresh local veggies at the Egleston Square Winter Market

Market Hours 11 am – 2 pm

November 10 & 17
December 8 & 15
January 5, 12, 19, 26
February 2, 9, 16, 23

There is plenty of good parking at this location and the hall is HUGE and has a stage for music. This was a wicked pissah choice for a winter market. I hope you all support this effort and shop local! Here’s an excerpt directly from their “about page”.

The Egleston Farmers Market is a community-led initiative to make fresh, healthy, locally-grown food accessible throughout the year, bring people from all parts of Jamaica Plain together, and support the local economy.

Local residents, merchants and organizations have discussed the possibility of opening a farmers market in Egleston for several years.  In the fall of 2011, a group of JP residents, including folks from Egleston Square Main Street and the Jamaica Plain New Economy Transition began planning for a Winter Market, to be held this coming November-February.

The Jamaica Plain neighborhood is hailed for its diversity, but residents from different races, classes and ethnic groups don’t always socialize together. The Egleston Farmers Market, promoted through creative bilingual marketing strategies and with a range of products and potential programming (music, performances, etc.), will bring together individuals from a variety of backgrounds, forging new relationships across boundaries.

The market organizers are working to create options so that farmers and producers can get a fair price and the food will be affordable for low income residents. SNAP recipients will be able to use their EBT card and SNAP account to buy eligible foods at the Egleston Winter Farmers Market.  In addition, we hope to provide “Bounty Bucks” so that SNAP recipients can get an additional $10 worth of eligible foods when they make a $20 purchase.

The market will also help to build support for local businesses through cross-promotions that will generate additional foot traffic and one-day sales for businesses in the surrounding area.

The market planning group is receiving in-kind services and some financial support from JPNet and Egleston Main Streets, but must raise approximately $10,000 to help cover rent, promotion, an EBT machine, and stipends for the part-time Market Manager and youth employees.

The Community Farmers Market plans to solicit financial sponsorships from local businesses, which will have the opportunity to get their name out to the people who attend the market or receive the email newsletter. In addition, the Market is conducting a fundraising campaign to solicit individual donors.

Open House Sunday 14th, 12p-2p (VIRTUAL TOUR)

I am going to tell you about a very special house. It is an exquisite example of c.1870s Mansard Victorian and the former home of William Ellison Brigham. But first you might be asking, “William, what is a Mansard Victorian?”  Well, it just so happens that back in 2004 I was finally in the market for my own home and I purchased a Mansard of my very own in the Brewery District of Jamaica Plain.

Arthouse vacation rental in Jamaica Plain, MA

I was of course very fond of the historic architecture and curious as to the purpose and origin of the style. Wikipedia’s description is as such; A mansard or mansard roof (also called a French roof) is a four-sided gambrel-style hip roof characterized by two slopes on each of its sides with the lower slope, punctured by dormer windows, at a steeper angle than the upper. The roof creates an additional floor of habitable space, such as a garret. The upper slope of the roof may not be visible from street level when viewed from close proximity to the building.

The roof design was first popularized by François Mansart (1598–1666), an accomplished architect of the French Baroque period. It became especially fashionable during the Second French Empire (1852–1870) of Napoléon III. I remembered reading that this style of home had something to do with a loophole to avoid taxes but again Wikipedia set me straight.

One frequently seen explanation for the popularity of the mansard style is that it served to shelter its owners against taxes as well as rain. One such example of this claim, from the 1914 book, How to Make a Country Place, reads, “Monsieur Mansard is said to have circumvented that senseless window tax of France by adapting the windowed roof that bears his name.” This is improbable in many respects: Mansart was a profligate spender of his clients’ money, and while a French window tax did exist, it was enacted in 1798, 132 years after Mansart’s death, and did not exempt mansard windows.

Later examples suggest that either French or American buildings were taxed by their height (or number of storeys) to the base of the roof, or that mansards were used to bypass zoning restrictions.This last explanation is the nearest to the truth: a Parisian law had been in place since 1783, restricting the heights of buildings to 20 meters (65 feet). The height was only measured up to the cornice line, making any living space contained in a mansard roof exempt. A 1902 revision of the law permitted three or even four stories to be contained in such a roof.

5 Brewer St, Jamaica Plain - Single Family Victorian Mansard

The Mansard has become my favorite antique style of architecture and I was very surprised and excited when my good friends Bob & Julie told me they wanted to downsize. Their home at 5 Brewer St. in Jamaica Plain is extraordinary. The exterior has been restored as accurately as possible to replicate the original architecture. The interior however might be described as Contemporary Artisan.

Why reinvent the wheel? Here’s the marketing text I wrote for the highlight sheets and such. Tease me all you want about the Realtorspeak, just come see the house and you’ll agree I’m sure.

Throw the French doors open and enjoy the outdoors while preparing dinner in an incredibly well appointed kitchen. There is no shortage of cabinets and storage and only the best appliances. Chat with the chef and enjoy a glass of wine whilst seated at the enormous center island.

Center island and modern kitchen at 5 Brewer St. in Jamaica Plain

To one side the kitchen flows into a family room with beamed cathedral ceiling that opens to a rear deck overlooking the yard and carriage house. The other side opens to the dining and living room as well as a cozy reading room.

Dine elegantly in front of the Victorian “Windsor Arch” marble fireplace under tall ceilings accented with hand crafted plaster crown molding and a graceful bow window. Adjourn to the formal living room with full length period windows and a mirror image marble fireplace. One gets a real sense of time in the foyer where the owners have lovingly restored the chateau entry doors and the antique stair leading to the upper levels.

While the detail remains, the dark and stuffy Victorian interior has been transformed into a bright, inviting space. The top floors consist of four well-spaced bedrooms intermingled with baths, the laundry and two cozy studies. While the home is large it’s not overwhelming. There is room for the inhabitants to each find their own private spot to curl up with a book and enjoy some quiet time.

Not a single detail was overlooked during renovations. Unlike most homes of this caliber the architect employed many environmentally friendly features such as recycled denim and cellulose insulation, a four zone state-of-the-art HVAC system that functions up to 98% efficiency and high-end Marvin windows and doors.

The bathrooms are luxurious, yet unassuming and outfitted with only the best fixtures and hardware such as Hansgrohe, Toto, Jado, Duravit, Franke and Kohler. A color consultant chose pleasant Benjamin Moore low VOC paints and there are custom window treatments throughout the home. The neatly ordered CAT6 telecommunications run to almost every room in the house and provide the ultimate flexibility for technophiles.

Brewer Street is a very charming and quaint side street lined with beautiful homes and sheltered on either side by historic Eliot and Burroughs Streets. This location is a short walk from Jamaica Plain’s bustling Centre and the beloved Jamaica Pond. Just around the corner you’ll find the ever charming Footlight Club which has been presenting community theater every year since 1877.

William Ellison Brigham house at 5 Brewer St, Jamaica Plain

Attend fascinating lectures at First Church or take in a class on the creative side at the Eliot School. All this and you can still walk to the subway or jump on the #39 bus which runs right past the Longwood Medical area, Museum of Fine Arts, Northeastern and the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum.

Impressive, right? Now for the history. My favorite historian, Mark Bulger over at the Remember Jamaica Plain blog turned me onto this little tidbit:

Boston Daily Globe April 21, 1907

An Equine Methuselah

According to all obtainable statistics, Jeff Brigham is one of the oldest horses in the world. He lives in the Jamaica Plain district, at No. 5 Brewer st, as a member of the family of Mrs W.E. Brigham. Thirty-seven or 38 years is no great age in a man, but it is twice the average of a horse. The animal that lives to the end of 18 years is considered to have reached a ripe old age and is usually turned out to pasture, sold at auction, or chloroformed, according to the compassion of his owner. Jeff’s owners would as soon think of administering chloroform to one of themselves as putting an end to the good old horse’s life.

Jeff has grown old with the family that owns him. He has outlived his master, and now faithfully serves his mistress, whom he conveys wherever she goes, always moving at a comfortable trot with very little indication of age in his movements. He has never been sick a day in his life, but of late years he has required to services of a dentist, not for any lack of teeth, but owing to an over supply. He has had to have his teeth filed down two or three times to prevent their interfering with the mastication of his food. Eating has always been a very important consideration with Jeff. Three meals a day, as regularly as the clock strikes, have been his never-failing portion. He is comfortably housed in a warm, new stable, built especially for him. He is accustomed to gentle treatment and a certain degree of deference to the dignity of his age. The boys George and Will, who used to romp on his back when he was a sprightly horse of 10 or 12, have grown to stalwart manhood under his supervision, and they treat him with the respect which is his due. An automobile is Jeff’s particular horror. Born before the time of bicycles, he managed to become reconciled to them in his youth, but these new devices, with their honking and puffing and locomotive speed, are too much for him at his time of life. He is exceedingly fond of music, especially of the martial type, and will march to time and cavort in dance fashion if he happens not to be harnessed.

It seems the extremely low interest rates and a lack of condominium inventory in Jamaica Plain have created a very strong Fall real estate market.

I was prepared to market three new homes as soon as possible after September 1st – a single family and two condos. I no more than put the sign in the ground and the Roslindale single family received an outstanding offer. It never even hit the MLS. So, look alive condo buyers! The market is moving at a brisk pace – get out to those open houses the first weekend they are available.

The Boston Home Team is very excited to have two very cool homes to offer this weekend:

239 Amory St. in Jamaica Plain is a very unique home well located on the edge of the Brewery District near the Stony Brook subway station. This particular home offers some outstanding potential for a new buyer. Currently the owners have only utilized the first and second floor. There are two bedrooms upstairs which they set to work on as soon as they closed several years ago. They removed the ceiling, opening the volume right up to the roof line and installed a skylight. In addition, they opened up the closets a bit and installed very clever warehouse style sliding doors on exposed hardware. They left the doors raw and unfinished which really adds a pretty neat look. No space was wasted as they added storage up high in the space over the stairs which is good for that stuff you don’t need to get at often like suitcases and seasonal clothes. Both of the upstairs bedrooms share a full bath. This was pretty clever and makes the plan very efficient.

The main level consists of a living room, 1/2 bath, dining room and kitchen which opens to the rear of the property, overlooking a nice sized yard for the city. Although this home is wonderful as it is – the next owners will have plenty of opportunity to take the design to the next level. The main area of interest to this agent is the basement. This space in particular offers some great expansion potential. Tall ceilings and full height windows would allow the new owner to create a great deal of value adding roughly 350SF to the overall living space. The possibilities are endless.

I’ve left the best for last – location, of course. This home is situated right on the edge of the Brewery District in Jamaica Plain, just 200 yards from Stony Brook subway station. Within a very small radius you will find a great liquor store with local beer, the original and now famous City Feed & Supply, Ula Cafe, Bella Luna Restaurant and the Milky Way Lounge where you can enjoy entertainment from stand-up comedy to DJs and live acts. Mike’s Fitness is a block away too. I have an open house scheduled on Sunday from 12:30-1p. Please check out the website for more details, photos and a virtual tour.

I have another open house scheduled from 11a-12:30p on Sunday in the beautiful and serene Woodbourne neighborhood of Jamaica Plain. 87-89 Bourne Street is situated on a corner lot surveying the neighborhood. It happens to be just a short walk from Forest Hills Cemetery (doesn’t sound like a great place for a stroll, but it is) where you can enjoy Jamaica Plain’s Lantern Festival, sculpture, music, etc. and of course the subway, the new Harvest Coop and a handful of restaurants, stores and a great coffee shop.

This home has a very common 3BD layout with the bedrooms all in a row on one side and the kitchen, dining and living on the other. Presumably one would use the rearmost room as the master bedroom and the front facing as a guest/study/home office as it is the smallest and open to the front covered deck overlooking the front yard and street. The middle bedroom has two doors for good flow. One opens toward the bathroom and the master bedroom, the other toward the study and front entrance.

The kitchen and bathroom renovations here were thoughtful and sophisticated. They will certainly stand the test of time. The old kitchen pantry was jettisoned for an open plan and more storage and counter space. It’s the kind of kitchen you make holiday cookies in, or cram full of your friends for wine and hors d’oeuvres. It has a big center island and a glass door out to the covered rear deck. The bathroom renovation kept the fantastic large tub and sink (1920s?) but everything else is new.

My favorite part about this home is the natural light play. The kitchen, dining and living rooms are all flooded with bright sunshine – but the bedrooms get a more muted light thanks to some giant trees that overshadow that side of the home. They’re not dark mid you, but they have a more comfortable glow. I imagine them to be quite nice on warm summer days when you need to escape the heat for a while.

Come visit me at the first open house on Sunday from 11a-12:30p and please check it out on my website for more pictures, information and of course the virtual tour.