Our version of retirement: Living a childhood dream

[Gary O']

Took a bit of time in the day to jaunt 25 miles and get the mail

On the way, discovered a little roadside bistro

The baldy was really into that deer
Hardly flinched when we slowed

Of course I had to play;

Get home and Zippy is gorging on the suet block

Turns out he doesn't care much to be watched while dining, either

 

[Treacle]

Took a bit of time in the day to jaunt 25 miles and get the mail

On the way, discovered a little roadside bistro

The baldy was really into that deer
Hardly flinched when we slowed

Of course I had to play;

Get home and Zippy is gorging on the suet block

Turns out he doesn't care much to be watched while dining, either

 

[Gary O']

The first raised bed is done
Having to design on the fly requires patient, slow, thought filled work

This one turned out without mid build changes

Instead of buying 2x2s I bought 2x4s and ripped them to 2x2
(yes, I'm a cheap bastard)

Due to the various critters, we have to screen everything





the cedar interior should last a long while




Since the framework is SPF, I'll stain all but the cedar interior on next ones
They'll then last long enough for us old folks

I may not even have to stain, since we don't get a whole lotta rain
But, easier to stain the framework before assembly

 

[Ken N Tx]

The first raised bed is done
Having to design on the fly requires patient, slow, thought filled work

This one turned out without mid build changes

Instead of buying 2x2s I bought 2x4s and ripped them to 2x2
(yes, I'm a cheap bastard)

Due to the various critters, we have to screen everything

View attachment 109234

View attachment 109235

the cedar interior should last a long while

View attachment 109236


Since the framework is SPF, I'll stain all but the cedar interior on next ones
They'll then last long enough for us old folks

I may not even have to stain, since we don't get a whole lotta rain
But, easier to stain the framework before assembly

 

[Gardenlover]

The first raised bed is done
Having to design on the fly requires patient, slow, thought filled work

This one turned out without mid build changes

Instead of buying 2x2s I bought 2x4s and ripped them to 2x2
(yes, I'm a cheap bastard)

Due to the various critters, we have to screen everything

View attachment 109234

View attachment 109235

the cedar interior should last a long while

View attachment 109236


Since the framework is SPF, I'll stain all but the cedar interior on next ones
They'll then last long enough for us old folks

I may not even have to stain, since we don't get a whole lotta rain
But, easier to stain the framework before assembly

Fine work - cedar lasts a while for sure. Very nice - whatca going grow?

 

[RadishRose]

Beautiful.

No stain. Walnut oil. (?)

 

[Gary O']

whatca going grow?

That's my lady's dept
I heard 'kale', among other considerations

 

[Gary O']

No stain. Walnut oil. (?)

Linseed oil

The 2nd one I'm working on now will be stain/sealed

 

[RadishRose]

I'm afraid stain will flavor the soil, but I really don't know. Just chin-waggin'.

 

[Gary O']

I'm afraid stain will flavor the soil, but I really don't know. Just chin-waggin'.

My lady had that same concern
The soil won't be touching anything but cedar

 

[Gary O']

My lady had that same concern
The soil won't be touching anything but cedar

I'm approx. half done with the 2nd one
It's behind the first one
Just stained 2x2 framework

 

[Lakeland living]

Years ago helped a friend put together a very large table for his family get togethers. It sat 18 people.
He used a linseed oil on it, food grade I believe was what he was saying.
Nice looking cribs, looking like I will be doing some thing similar.

 

[RadishRose]

Yes, I see... well, after you eat those veggies and wake up in the morning with

MinWax lettered across your forehead, you'll know why!

 

[Gary O']

Great, getting calls from the retail places
They 'need' more bird houses

I've never gotten calls from them
I've always dropped by to check my inventory

'Course, I've never tried to keep up during this time of year

Thing is, I'm in the middle of building raised beds, and helping my lady do her gardening
And, given it's normally late to be doing this, it's right on time here in the mountains
Our 'growing' season is a couple months (July thru Aug.....maybe some of Sept)

Don't like being under the gun, and behind


Don't like working in the shop on sunny days

Guess the prices need to go up...….

Got a couple stormy days showing in the forcast
Guess I best get busy

Wait, priorities

coffee first


Then there's that necessary 2nd sleep....

 

[Aunt Bea]

Maybe a sign on the shop door would help!

or you could blame it on the virus.

 

[Meanderer]

Hey...if Keebler can do it, so can "Gary and the Chipmunks"!

 

[Gary O']

Got the 2nd raised bed finished

Not unhappy






Wife and I will haul 'em over to the garden
Put 'em on paving blocks
And fill 'em with soil

They're hers from there on

I may begin on a real green house next
Gonna be tricky
It'll need a bit of heat for nights

 

[treeguy64]

The problem with success, to wit, your retailers needing more bird houses, is that something enjoyable soon becomes a duty, a routine. Yeah, you're under the gun. Deadlines, deadlines......

In my semi-retirement, I no longer wake up that excited to go run bids and do the jobs they get me. Once I'm on the job, I enjoy the work, but sometimes, in Austin's 100°+ temperatures.........

At some point, I think it becomes a matter of, "Do I really want to keep doing this?" That's a tough question to answer, for all motivated, successful people, but sooner or later, you do have to answer it.

 

[Gary O']

At some point, I think it becomes a matter of, "Do I really want to keep doing this?"

Answered that one back in 2015, when I retired and moved to the cabin
The pressing issues of business were stimulating, that's for sure
I called my own shots, and I was my worst task master
Ate it like candy





It carried over to building these cabins
Couldn't slow down

I've now slowed down
Still work a good day
But the pace is a bit more sane

A different kind of joy

No complaints

I do like the retired me

 

[treeguy64]

In truth, I was speaking strictly to the building of your great bird houses. Will you continue to enjoy building them if you're trying to meet some daily/ weekly/monthly quota?

 

[Gary O']

In truth, I was speaking strictly to the building of your great bird houses. Will you continue to enjoy building them if you're trying to meet some daily/ weekly/monthly quota?

I picked up on that
And broadened it a bit

The direct answer;
No
Never

I'll pull my shingle




A very wise man counseled me on this early on

His likeness;




Answers to Jim

We were one on this then and I've not wavered

Reality;
There is no money in this
Oh, it's nice to pick up two/three hundred bucks on a trip to town
But, the fun in creating and reveling in folk's enjoyment
That's the 'money'

If it comes to some sorta real pressure....I'll just start giving them away

Or

As Jim counseled; 'raise the price'

 

[Meanderer]

Gary, you can always turn back to the basics for awhile.......

 

[Gary O']

Cold out
Sunny, but cold
Good day to work in the shop

Finished up a couple more avian abodes

One turned out to be a new fav

It was mesmerizingly fun to let the roots find a way around

I've started making the entries larger

Not totally happy with the weather cap, but it was different

anyway, it's the new shop inventory favorite

The other became an also ran
But I was compelled to incorporate this crazy looking root that, to me,
looked like a wild boar's head hooked to a lizard body

Got done early enough to scope out the tiny meadow flora with my lady

first bit of yarrow this year

My other evening adventure was viewing sun and shadows
(It's becoming my favorite thing to do at dusk)

Sometimes I just let wooden me do that

 

[Gary O']

I've got this pile of deer antlers
Considering mounting and hanging on the shop walls

I know, I know......lotsa folks don't like to see 'trophies' of animal kills
I really don't care one way or another
At the time, it was meat...dinner.....many dinners

I just can't bring myself to tossing 'em

Most are 4 point (8 point eastern count)

I've got plenty of gnarly wood

Any suggestions?

 

[Meanderer]

Hat racks!