The garden shed.....

All throughout June, we are working on odd jobs at Cranberry Cottage. We are using long weekends there to get things done. This past weekend we decided to start on a job we have put off since we bought the cottage 9 years ago...the garden shed.

 BEFORE

This shed was hand built by the farmer who owned the cottage before us. He made it so solid that even our neglect was not enough to bring it to ruin. We had the roof replaced years ago but never got around to painting it. The problem was that I hated the brown and wanted to do something different but also within keeping of its surroundings.

Last week, I got a brainstorm that it needed to look like typical Old Dutch "potdekselen". We bought a large pot of "bielzenzwart" which is a very fluid tar based paint. We got stuck in and I discovered that I have a hidden talent for this kind of paintwork. I did the three sides while Jos worked on the front and underneath of the roof overhangs on all side.

The difference of the before and after photos just amaze us. We are really happy with a weekend's hard graft.

 AFTER

Our next task will be to repaint the door and roof line in cranberry as the cottage itself is and making some new lace curtains. The ones hanging now are so old that I am afraid they will turn to dust if I touch them.

Heidi

Gates, blossoms and a husband's sense of humor.....

This is our little haven of rest...Cranberry Cottage.

We enjoy spending time in the garden and listening/watching the birds. But I had a little problem that the gates Jos had made back in 2009 were too heavy for me to move. So when I was in the garden, I was stuck in the garden not being able to open the gates. *grins*

We had some hinges we removed from a gate in our city garden that was not being used. We decided to drive to a wood yard we know and buy some heavy wood posts to hinge the gate to and make it easier to open.

On the way back to the cottage, Jos wanted to stop at a snackbar in a village near us and get a "broodje kroket" which is a deep fried, breaded ragout in a bun, a Dutch specialty. This snackbar is literally built on side of a little stretch of canal so you feel like it is floating. We sat down to eat our treat and Jos said I can say he took me on a dinner cruise. That is his sense of humor in a nut shell.

And speaking of nuts...*wink*...look how pretty chestnut blossoms are up close. There were some beautiful huge chestnut trees across from the snackbar and we parked next to this one.

You can see the new posts on the gate which really came out nice. No more ropes to tangle with and a gate that simply swings open for me.

Here is a link to the post on my old blog when Jos made the new gates.

Heidi

I love garden junk!

I love old rusty garden junk! It is so much fun to jazz up the garden with pieces like this old garden fork. It holds my faded old wooden Home Sweet Home sign.

I found an old fishing fork (center) in our garage that was used by Jos' dad many, many years ago. I thought it was a shame that Jos wanted to keep it but never sees it sitting in the garage. Then we went to a thrift shop and found another garden fork  and a hoe. Both were all rusted and have beautiful old wooden handles. Jos bargained for them at only 1,50 euro for both and brought them home to hang on our fence.

It is fun to add things that give an old fashioned look to the garden.

Heidi

Pure.....

Nothing more pure than a single tulip...beauty in its purest form...

"I hide myself within my flower,

That wearing on your breast,

You, unsuspecting, wear me too --

And angels know the rest.

I hide myself within my flower,

That, fading from your vase,

You, upsuspecting, feel for me

Almost a loneliness."

- Emily Dickinson

Heidi

Garden table needs your help.....

We have a young family living next to us since last summer. They have two extremely playful girls while we have no children and are used to quiet. As they use the front garden a great deal to eat and play, we moved our bench to the back garden since we will no long sit out front. This combined with our rocking chairs created a nice outdoor living room area after moving our table and chairs which normally sit here to the back terrace which was a coffee corner. You can read about here on my old blog.

Last week, we were able to get some brand new pallets from someone we know. He was going to take them to the dump so told us to take them away. I (okay...this is actually to be read as Jos to do it for me...grins) wanted to make a table top to put on the wooden blocks we have.

Jos first set the pallet upside down and sawed the middle sections away. These pieces were used later on for the ends of the finished table. He then saw away a section in the length of the pallet so that four boards remained. Two of the three boards were sawed separately and nailed to the side of the pallet with the two short boards added to the two ends. Because the block in the middle section is still in tact (you see it next to the saw in the top right photo), the blocks sit snugly into the table top to support it.

But here is where I need your help! Does anyone have a tip on how to age fresh wood fast? I looked it up and read that you soak steel wool in vinegar overnight then dilute with water and rub into the wood. Jos does not think this sounds like a logical way to darken and age the wood. The furniture is already aged to silver grey over the years. Anyone have good advice on what we should do?

I am so looking forward to using this area now that spring is finally going to start. It is will be fun to be creative as I plan on trying to crochet some seating cushions for my rocking chairs from hemp string. I also see a quilt laid out on the table. *sigh* Bring on the good weather.....

Heidi

April snow-showers.....

At first, we opened the curtains on Easter Sunday and wondered if it was Christmas...

Enjoying breakfast while watching the snowflakes fall...

A light lunch taking a break...

...from painting the cottage. Jos was pretending to be a graffiti artist. We had a nice long weekend at the cottage and needed to get the room done. Next chance we get for a long weekend again will be used to paint the ceilings.

But Dagi spent his long Easter weekend doing what he does best...catnapping...

Easter dinner was light. We had carpaccio kababs with steamed broccoli and a green salad...

Back home and I was baking cookies as a surprise for Jos as it was our 26th wedding anniversary...

I tried a new recipe for these chocolate chip and walnut cookies. They are really good and I learned a few tricks to getting a more tasty cookie...

And back home.....Dagi is still catnapping but he says thanks for the sweet comments on the last post. Since he has grown old, he has started sleeping in very unusual ways. Sometimes his paws are hanging over the couch of him and sometimes he sleeps with them laying out in front of him.

Heidi

It's a cat's life.....

...for me! Remember me? I am Dagi and this is my house. Sometimes my owners think it is theirs but I do little things to remind them who is boss. *Meow*

While my mommy is too busy doing things like baking...

...or sewing for Easter...

...or crocheting to keep herself warm against the cold wind still blowing...

...I am getting into trouble since she is not looking. I found this plant she placed in the window to get some sunlight and decided it might taste rather yummy. I changed my mind and spit it back out again.

Now I am very tired and just need to catch up on my beauty sleep. So please pardon me while I take a long catnap and have a very happy Easter weekend!

Dagi