What Can You Do With A Cable Reel

One afternoon I picked up my husband for lunch and saw an old cable reel lying in a "dump site" at the factory.  I casually asked him if he could bring it home.  In my head, I wanted to create different living spaces around the ponderosa.  A few days later, it arrived home, which I was delighted with!!!

But it didn't end there.  A few days later, another arrived, then another until I finally had five in total, all different sizes.

Hmmm, 5?  All in different sizes?  Wow!!!  I got to planning the first living space under a wonderful oak tree which forms part of the "hammock" garden.  Of course I had to move three of the reels in and out of the area to see which one suits.  I decided on the second largest and used two old outdoor chairs that I've had with me for a long time.

I did think of painting the chairs and/or the reel, but decided to leave them in the raw form.  The reel itself can house four chairs nicely and numerous times over the long hot summer, we have sat under the tree and enjoyed a cool beverage.

One day I stumbled over a use for the smallest of the cable reels which occurred when my husband was in the hammock reading his book and he wanted something to place his glass on.  Enter the small reel.

My husband in the hammock with our lovely little foxy Bruno enjoying the shade

 I decided to jazz the reel up with some potted colour to add a different dimension for the garden itself.

I do envisage some outdoor lighting above the reel table to add another dimension, but now it's autumn I'm thinking I'll wait until spring to revisit this garden/living space again.

As for the other two reels?  One is being temporarily used by my husband to house his building tools during our big shed project, and the other is casually sitting in the back paddock by the fire bin.  This one provides a lovely sitting space while we burn our rubbish on the weekend and look out at the chooks and the sheilas eating in the paddocks.  I'm not quite sold on the resting place of this sitting area, but when I am, I'll post another blog.

Have a great night people!!

Bruno - The New Addition

Remember my blog Our Best Friends and How Time Flies.  Well how time flies indeed with so many changes on our dog front!!!

Firstly PAL, who was old and sick ... and I had to make the hard decision to put him to rest.  Also JOSEPH ... our funny little foxy who never ceased to amazed us.  He wondered onto the road and tore all is ligaments and cartilage in his legs when he was hit by a car .. again I had to make the hard decision to put him to rest.

It was a challenging few weeks after JO left us but it didn't take long for us to decide it was time to get us another companion on the farm.  Not just to keep us entertained, but to keep the local rabbits and rodents at bay.

Enter BRUNO ...our young fox terrior, who is still trying to find his way on the Ponderosa.  He was born in October, and how it was a mission to get him to us from Marokopa.  He is just starting to understand the different smells, and hasn't quite figured out the rabbits yet but it won't be long before his foxy instincts kick in and he'll be away.

The chickens aren't happy he's around, and as for our beloved sheilas? ... they are starting to get used to him.

Have a great day people.

Cakes, Cakes, Cakes - Again

Its been a pretty busy couple of weeks with me making cakes so I thought I'd post some more photos for people to view.

I'm really enjoying experimenting with different styles of cakes and encourage anyone to give it a go!!!

Happy living people