My Summer Thus Far

 I went to Hubby in early June and said, "I'd like a space to call my own. A workshop type of place." I pointed to the area behind the garage, saying we could clean everything out and build a barn for me. He immediately sat down with a sheet of paper and a pencil, and drew out the kind of roof I wanted. Then he measured the space to see just how big I could go. We ended up deciding my workshop could be 9 x 16. From there, we started in. After two weeks of hard work, sometimes 12 hour days, we ended up with exactly what I'd pictured in my head. I now have my red barn in which to create all the ideas that pop into my brain. My sister gave me the leaded window above the doors, and the door windows came from a salvage company here in town. I love being in my new space, but I love Hubby even more for taking my idea and turning it into reality.
One of the projects I started once I could move my stuff into the new workshop is painting all my curbside chairs that will be a part of the garden party coming up in August. I have quite a few throw-aways that I'm trying to give new life. The blue chair is one I finished a few days ago. Initially I set it in my garden, and I liked it amongst all my plants, but I decided to bring it in to drape one of Mom's quilts over. It definitely adds a burst of color to the room. Today I painted another chair canary yellow to go along with the blue chair . . .and the purple chair . . . and the key lime green chair. Lovely Beautiful Daughter laughed when she saw the key lime green chair with the new fabric adorning the seat. "It looks like a chair the Mad Hatter would sit in," she said. Exactly what I was going for! My vision of the garden party is one that is full of color, one that my guests feel infused with life. If my Mad Hatter chair makes people smile and laugh, that will make the garden party all the more fun.

And I am busy, busy with the garden. The lettuce and kale have been growing wonderfully, as have the black raspberries. But first came the strawberries. When I was cleaning my fruit garden in May, I had given serious thought to removing all my strawberry plants. They were out of control. Once I cut back the raspberries and installed a trellis for the grapes, I realized I had plenty of room to keep the strawberries. I just needed to corral them a bit better. So I did. But the weather right into June stayed cool and wet, making the bees not want to get out and pollinate. I ended up with a lot of tiny strawberries that had no taste. I also ended up with four excellent pickings--one that went to strawberry shortcake, one that went to Dad, and two that went into strawberry jam. Since then, I've been harvesting black raspberries, red raspberries, broccoli, lettuce, kale, and peas. The beans are starting to pick up, and the tomatoes are beginning to ripen. My garden has provided us with quite a bit already.

This evening, Hubby, the boys, and I enjoyed a beautiful fireworks display not far from the house. While I sat with my guys, I had to smile--my summer is going really, really well.

Comments

J said…
You're doing some really beautiful things! Go you!
I really like your project place. I hope to have a place like that of my own soon. It's in the works...have a great rest of summer!
JK said…
Thank you, J! I've been having a great summer! JRA, I hope your workshop makes you as happy as mine has made me! One of the best things to happen because of the new workshop is my boys join me out there and we all work on things together. Love that!

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