A little bit of footy history at Hazel's

I sourced some interesting trellis 

for the grape vines to grow up on the outdoor kitchen (ODK).

There weren't four rectangular pieces available,

so I went with two of those and a couple of diagonal bits.

I am not sure, but I think it works.

Of course it will look much different with

the vines growing up it in full leaf.

In its previous life, the mesh was balustrading on the steps of the Heatley Stand (opened 1932) at the Carlton Football ground, AKA Princess Park.
The stand was torn down in 2008 to make way for new training and administration facilities for the footy club.

It would be especially sweet if I was a Carlton supporter.

However, I most certainly am not!

Although, I did listen to the game on the radio last night.

Carlton were defeated by the West Coast Eagles

in an extraordinarily long, nail biting final quarter

resulting in a mere 3 point difference.

The old Navy Blues will play no more

in the final series of 2011.

GO THE PIES!

The garden path up.

No, it isn't a typo...

it is NOT meant to read, 'Up the garden path'.

Here is the said path....

Overgrown and uneven due to roots of trees.

I want to widen and realign the path.

The new path will be gravel with a brick edge.

It will lead from the arch to the outdoor living area.

Here is the path...well, here is where the path was.

 

This is looking the other way from the arch to the outdoor kitchen.

The new path will be wider, curved differently,

and plantings along its edges

will obscure this view of the ODK...

a little treat to be discovered as you walk the walk.

Now who ripped up this path...

FOO DID!

The Cook and I (mainly the Cook)
moved and stacked 288 bricks.
Unfortunately, I will have to pay for her help
by putting up with her moans about
her sore muscles for the next few days!

Small price!

Folly?

The Outdoor Kitchen is as finished as it is going to be for a while.  

I can spare no more time hammering and bashing...I have run out of fingers to hit.

Spring is nigh and the garden needs my attention.

 The sink still needs to be plumbed...in and out. 

I want to put a cupboard under the bench 

on the left to cover the plumbing.  

Landscaping will have to wait.

A question from a reader (you know who you are Mark) 

asked how I intended to cook in the ODK.

Well, I suppose, I am not planning to cook 

much more than barbecues out there...

at least until I get round to building the pizza oven.

The sink will be fabulous for washing veggies from the garden 

and there are even two brushes and a colander

already in residence for this purpose.  I

 will store the pumpkins and garlic out there.

The bench will be used as a servery 

for salads and side dishes when dining al fresco.

So I have been wondering what I have actually built.

I enjoy looking at it and it makes an interesting focal point from the lounge.

The grape vine will add to it's visual attraction.

But...is the ODK a folly?

Wikipedia defines a garden folly as

a building constructed primarily for decoration, 

but either suggesting by its appearance some other purpose,

 or merely so extravagant that it transcends

 the normal range of garden ornaments 

or other class of building to which it belongs.

And from the UK Heritage site:

 There is only one real rule - 

true follies are unconscious creations, 

and the real folly builder will deny that

 what he or she has created could possibly be a folly. 

You cannot build one deliberately. 

Only other people can bestow the 

title of Folly on your monstrous erection.

Well according to the second definition,

I cannot say what I have built...

only others (you) can so...

Is my monstrous erection

a folly?

The staff of life

Look at the little treasure I found at the op-shop on Yesterday.

A bread bin.

It would be even nicer in tin

but I am happy with vintage plastic.

It looks good on the bench in the ODK

and will be a practical way to serve bread

free from flies when entertaining.

I love it when 

things come together.

The word of.....??????

I did a bit more on the Outdoor Kitchen...

See that floor...well it is actually

the bottom shelf under the bench.

Then I heard a voice.

It was a voice IN CAPITAL LETTERS.

It told me I had better plant some seeds.

I looked up to see where the voice was coming from.

The only one there was, Claude.

But it wasn't him speaking...

he was just smiling.

Anyway, I decided I had better heed

the words and I planted some seeds.

Tomatoes: Tommy Toe, Mortgage Buster, Gross Lisse and Roma.

Some eggplants and zucchini.

Well, it is a start.

I hope I never hear THAT VOICE again.

It was scary!

A peek at the ODK

I always imagine it will take less time

than it actually does

to do stuff.

Like the Outdoor Kitchen (ODK)

I have spent all my spare time out there

and it is still far from finished.

But I know a couple of you are keen to see it.

So I 'styled' it a little and took some photos.

It looks a bit like a still life art piece.

The bench and finishing touches needed 

and the pergola at the front needs completion.

 Tomorrow is the last chance 

to join in Winter Wednesday.

Write a post about what you 

have enjoyed about winter and

link it to my post.  

Pop by and leave a comment 

on my post and I will 

put a link up to your blog.

Everyone is welcome...

especially those who have not played before.

Test Results

Well you all did very well in the Creativity Test.

I was very impressed with your ideas

and wish I had several old worm farms

so I could put some of them into practice.

However, this particular worm farm is now a cupboard.

...with a shelf.

I think it will do a handsome job of hiding the ugly
but necessary  items such as the detergent bottle and matches.

Also on the topic of cupboards.

Look what I found today!

A metal corner medicine cupboard.

It has a mirror on the front and the cutest little knob.

I am sure to be able to find a spot for it in the new kitchen.

I also found a sink which I can flush mount

under the bench to conceal as much

stainless steel as possible.

I may even make a lid for the hole so that it is hidden

when not in use.

I bought the sink at a second hand place. 

I wonder why he didn't charge me for this

wonderful rusty darling.

The Cook and I also went back to those old properties today

and collected some wood for trims for the outdoor kitchen.

Do you get the idea that

I am enjoying this project?

Don't forget that tomorrow is 

WINTER WEDNESDAY

Just write a post

about the joys of Winter

and then link with me.

Anyone can join in

even if you haven't before.

But do come and play...

there are only a couple

of Wednesdays left!

Scary

These.photo.may.not.look.that.scary.to.you.

In.fact.they.may.excite.you.

After.all....it.IS.more.material.for.the.project.

Three.metre.cyprus.pine.posts.

Twenty-two.bags.of.rapid.set.

Plus.not.photographed,some.scrounged.wood.

for.the.floor.of.the.goat.shed.

It.all.added.up.to.a.very.heavily.laden.trailer.....

that.started.to.sway.dangerously.from.side.to.side.

making.the.car.move.about.too.

But

that.wasn't.the.scariest.bit.

The.most.spine.chilling.part.

was.me.'hearing'.my.ex-husband's.

(like.30.years.ex)

voice

saying.'don't.brake,.accelerate.out.of.it'.

I.am.still.shaking!

I.solved.the.problem.by.moving.

more.of.the.load.to.the.front.of.the.trailer

and.over.the.axles.

As.if!

Someone,...the.great.nephew

is.turning.thirty.this.month.

Apparently,those.near.and.dear.to.him.

-his.mother.(my.niece)

-his.grandmother.(my.sister)

-his.great.grandmother.(my.mother)

-and.a.few.others

think.this.is.good.enough.reason

to.interupt.my.plans

and.postpone.the.beginning.of

the.great.outdoor.kitchen.build.

just.so.they.can.all.take.him

out.for.dinner!

Hmmmph!

So.you.will.have.to.be.happy.

with.a.couple.of.pics.of.the.jonquils.

that.are.growing.right.where.the.kitchen.is.going.....

They.too.are.celebrating.

....a.one.day.reprieve!

It's raining on my parade!

To be precise, it is raining on my kitchen build!

So much so it has been put off for a week.

On the bright side, that will give me time

to finalize my ideas and make

a detailed plan with measurements.

True beauty has good bones.

So I think I will buy 

some treated pine or hardwood uprights 

to put into the ground.  

They won't be visible when the kitchen is finished...

but will make sure it stands up.

In the mean time come with me

and gloat over all my booty...

See the cupboard doors... and some metal for cladding the outside?
Both made from flattened out tins...so I am recycling the recycled.

The ladders may become shelves or end up in the veggie garden.

There are lots of old bottles in that crate... including a couple of pint milk bottles.

Keep your eye on Mum's old worm farm...it is going to transform.
Can you see that piece of oval metal as a sign?

A Castrol planter and
not one dunny door,
not two dunny doors,
but three dunny doors!
That top one may be a table top I think...
or a bench.