Garden

Garden work

I didn't spend the day in the garage as planned, but i did do some garden work. I made a simple trellis for the cucumbers.
It feels good to get your hands dirty, literally.

As always - Thanks for  following
Be safe and be creative
Best
Steve

Roadside

Roadside Attractions.

I love the area I live in. It's full of quaint places and has lots to offer.
It seems that when I travel 1/2 a mile down the road I come upon another roadside attraction.
Now this is my type of roadside attraction'

As always - Thanks for  following
Be safe and be creative
Best
Steve

Again

Again- You just never know

Check this out' I know you car buffs out there are going to love this. I was pulling out of the grocery store parking lot this morning when I saw this amazing car made out of wood.
There was a couple sitting in it when I approached. I asked if I could take a few pictures. They politely said yes, but didn't answer a lot of my questions. They had just driven through 47 states, and only had Connecticut left. I can understand, with a car like this you must get asked a lot of questions.

The folks are from Minnesota. The entire car, except the chassis is made out of wood. The running boards and fenders are wood that have been fiberglassed. The headlights were turned using a segmented turning technique. It's sits on a 1977 chevy long bed frame. Crazy. I guess you don't have to worry about rust, termites maybe.

As always - Thanks for  following
Be safe and be creative
Best
Steve

Walls

You just never know what you'll see around the corner. I was driving through the backroads of my neighborhood this morning, and came upon this very cool house that had these amazing structures in the yard. The structures are framed walls, made of regular framing materials, and the negative spaces are filled with logs.

At first I thought it was how they stacked their firewood but it's not. There is a larger structure that has a hammock in it. It's a nice retreat. The other structures ( walls) are along a river bank. It was a very peaceful place, with the exception of the 'No Trespassing' sign on the tree. For obvious reasons I didn't want to take a closer look. I love them. Simple yet effective. What a great use of raw materials.

As always - Thanks for  following
Be safe and be creative
Best
Steve

Bidwell

The Bidwell House

Today we visited the Bidwell House in Monterey, MA.
The house is an authentic colonial home, a 1760's homestead on 192 acres.

The house is full of 18th and 19th century furnishings.
Unfortunately the house was closed for tours today because of a special event known as township day no#1.

On the front lawn of the house sits a fantastic garden bench. The bench is approximately seven feet long with an amazing subtle curve. What appealed to me the most about the garden bench is the fantastic patina. The bench is covered in layers of paint and even has some moss growing on it that just adds to it.
I love this bench.
I think I'll go back and take some more photos and measurements. I'd love to build one.

As always - Thanks for  following
Be safe and be creative
Best
Steve

International

We've gone international

Well- sort of. Sorry I just can't help myself. While roaming the grounds of the Bidwell house today I saw this amazing 1947 International truck. The truck is owned by one of the local volunteer firefighters. I love the oak boards and swimming pool ladder.

As always - Thanks for following
Be safe and be creative
Best
Steve

Simple

Summer means camping and camp fires, and working on those outdoor projects around the house. If you have some left over materials why not make a simple two board 'Viking chair'

I made this one a few years ago. I kept it in the truck and would take it with me to sit and watch my son's baseball games. I made mine out of some 2" x 8" construction grade spruce I had, but you can make it lighter. All you need is a saw and a drill to drill out the mortise. You can clean out the mortise with a chisel if you like, or just cut the mating board to fit. I added some foam rubber for comfort.

I drilled a shallow hole in the back of mine and attached a bottle opener that I purchased from Rockler woodworking and hardware.
All I have to do is reach behind me, open, and enjoy a nice beverage on a hot sunny day. Ahhhhhhh
Enjoy the fruits of your labor.

As always - Thanks for  following
Be safe and be creative
Best
Steve

Radishes

I know it's not woodworking, but they did grow in the raised beds I made.

This morning we picked our first harvest from the garden - Radishes. We picked some and planted more seeds. In 20 to 30 days we'll have more.

As always - Thanks for  following
Be safe and be creative
Best
Steve

Canoe

We went to a tag sale today. I love canoeing and kayaking, but sometimes I need a reminder of just how beautiful a wooden vessel can be.

I saw this cedar strip canoe at the tag sale today. I love objects that get used, and nothing feels better than to use an object that you've made. When I slice though a piece of wood and take a clean shaving off with a hand plane I made, I feel fantastic'
I can only imagine how the maker of this craft felt when he first paddled his canoe on open water after he just completed it.

I'm inspired too make one. It'll be awhile. My to do list is very long.

As always - Than ks for  following
Be safe and be creative
Best
Steve