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'Gardening' : first, get comfortable..........

(repost)

When presented with a house and property and turning it into a home and garden,  the practice that has proved beneficial and worthwhile over the years has been to live with both structure and land across all four seasons before making any major changes or decisions.  To observe how the light changes  over twelve months,  where the  wind does and doesn't  go,  which parts capture the sun and  the moon.  To watch what is already there and how it is added to and subtracted from by nature.  To see how my input is received and welcomed or not.

The next step - and this is most important - once the spot is chosen as most suitable for contented living (in both the home and the garden) - plop down in  it!  Add the details around it. 

"Plopping down" means providing comfortable seating.  Truly comfortable seating: it is quite amazing and alarming how many most is not!  When you find a chair in which you can really relax in - clone it.  Or something. 

In one garden,  stumps rounded by the ocean were ideal:  they were a happenstance find on a beach;  once sat upon and then sat into (there is a difference) and sat into for a contemplative  period of time - they were carted home.  Thank goodness for a strong friend with a truck. 

In another garden two tub chairs did not look comfy but they were.  In that same garden so was a wide wooden swing.  Some deck chairs are great; some not: test drive! 

Which brings me to the present garden; a year of unusually windy conditions had me looking for a sheltered spot in the garden.  The front stairs provide a sunny nook but the steps are too narrow to sit upon for any period of time.  (We did once turn conventional porch stairs into wide steps and that is where people tended to sit although there were seats on the veranda - I think it had something to do with how you could sprawl and rest on an elbow. )

So when I noticed that there was a space behind the holly tree that was tucked out of the way of the wind - I checked it out.  The picture above/left is what you see from the front.  The space  is small and cosy and fits one chair.
It is a work in progress, this pocket. (photo mid left)   I cut a hollow out of the holly.  I'll add some garden art to the wall of the stairs.  I disturbed the ground with my 'moving in' so now it is a wait and see ; there is a fern plant that I could not re-locate but I expect it will perk up.  There look to be some violet leaves.  I may stick some sweet woodruff along the side. 

This is what it looks like when seated in the chair; there is a two-tiered rock foot rest;  the cats have come to visit;  the front garden is visible through the holly branches but in a private sort of way.

Since making the spot two days ago it has been sunny and warm and a bit breezy - the kind of weather for sitting in the open air places in the garden. 

This new nook is ready for when needed.

Posted on May 19, 2012 at 02:22 AM | Permalink

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Good morning Karen, haven't visited for awhile, so I've been catching up on your posts. It is glorious weather here in Ontario, mid 20's with some humidex thrown in. I've been looking after the grandchildren and working in the garden and most importantly relaxing in the garden.

Posted by: Crafty Gardener | May 20, 2012 at 05:59 AM

Hello Linda
Spring and grandkids in the garden .... perfect!

Posted by: karen | May 23, 2012 at 07:51 AM

The comments to this entry are closed.

(repost)

When presented with a house and property and turning it into a home and garden,  the practice that has proved beneficial and worthwhile over the years has been to live with both structure and land across all four seasons before making any major changes or decisions.  To observe how the light changes  over twelve months,  where the  wind does and doesn't  go,  which parts capture the sun and  the moon.  To watch what is already there and how it is added to and subtracted from by nature.  To see how my input is received and welcomed or not.

The next step - and this is most important - once the spot is chosen as most suitable for contented living (in both the home and the garden) - plop down in  it!  Add the details around it. 

"Plopping down" means providing comfortable seating.  Truly comfortable seating: it is quite amazing and alarming how many most is not!  When you find a chair in which you can really relax in - clone it.  Or something. 

In one garden,  stumps rounded by the ocean were ideal:  they were a happenstance find on a beach;  once sat upon and then sat into (there is a difference) and sat into for a contemplative  period of time - they were carted home.  Thank goodness for a strong friend with a truck. 

In another garden two tub chairs did not look comfy but they were.  In that same garden so was a wide wooden swing.  Some deck chairs are great; some not: test drive! 

Which brings me to the present garden; a year of unusually windy conditions had me looking for a sheltered spot in the garden.  The front stairs provide a sunny nook but the steps are too narrow to sit upon for any period of time.  (We did once turn conventional porch stairs into wide steps and that is where people tended to sit although there were seats on the veranda - I think it had something to do with how you could sprawl and rest on an elbow. )

So when I noticed that there was a space behind the holly tree that was tucked out of the way of the wind - I checked it out.  The picture above/left is what you see from the front.  The space  is small and cosy and fits one chair.
It is a work in progress, this pocket. (photo mid left)   I cut a hollow out of the holly.  I'll add some garden art to the wall of the stairs.  I disturbed the ground with my 'moving in' so now it is a wait and see ; there is a fern plant that I could not re-locate but I expect it will perk up.  There look to be some violet leaves.  I may stick some sweet woodruff along the side. 

This is what it looks like when seated in the chair; there is a two-tiered rock foot rest;  the cats have come to visit;  the front garden is visible through the holly branches but in a private sort of way.

Since making the spot two days ago it has been sunny and warm and a bit breezy - the kind of weather for sitting in the open air places in the garden. 

This new nook is ready for when needed.

'Gardening' : first, get comfortable..........

(repost)

When presented with a house and property and turning it into a home and garden,  the practice that has proved beneficial and worthwhile over the years has been to live with both structure and land across all four seasons before making any major changes or decisions.  To observe how the light changes  over twelve months,  where the  wind does and doesn't  go,  which parts capture the sun and  the moon.  To watch what is already there and how it is added to and subtracted from by nature.  To see how my input is received and welcomed or not.

The next step - and this is most important - once the spot is chosen as most suitable for contented living (in both the home and the garden) - plop down in  it!  Add the details around it. 

"Plopping down" means providing comfortable seating.  Truly comfortable seating: it is quite amazing and alarming how many most is not!  When you find a chair in which you can really relax in - clone it.  Or something. 

In one garden,  stumps rounded by the ocean were ideal:  they were a happenstance find on a beach;  once sat upon and then sat into (there is a difference) and sat into for a contemplative  period of time - they were carted home.  Thank goodness for a strong friend with a truck. 

In another garden two tub chairs did not look comfy but they were.  In that same garden so was a wide wooden swing.  Some deck chairs are great; some not: test drive! 

Which brings me to the present garden; a year of unusually windy conditions had me looking for a sheltered spot in the garden.  The front stairs provide a sunny nook but the steps are too narrow to sit upon for any period of time.  (We did once turn conventional porch stairs into wide steps and that is where people tended to sit although there were seats on the veranda - I think it had something to do with how you could sprawl and rest on an elbow. )

So when I noticed that there was a space behind the holly tree that was tucked out of the way of the wind - I checked it out.  The picture above/left is what you see from the front.  The space  is small and cosy and fits one chair.
It is a work in progress, this pocket. (photo mid left)   I cut a hollow out of the holly.  I'll add some garden art to the wall of the stairs.  I disturbed the ground with my 'moving in' so now it is a wait and see ; there is a fern plant that I could not re-locate but I expect it will perk up.  There look to be some violet leaves.  I may stick some sweet woodruff along the side. 

This is what it looks like when seated in the chair; there is a two-tiered rock foot rest;  the cats have come to visit;  the front garden is visible through the holly branches but in a private sort of way.

Since making the spot two days ago it has been sunny and warm and a bit breezy - the kind of weather for sitting in the open air places in the garden. 

This new nook is ready for when needed.

Painting......Finished......on Wall

Painting...Unfinished....On Wall....

repost

I've never done this before so it is an interesting experiment: I've neither left a painting unfinished nor hung it on the wall unfinished.  Unlike the fibre art or photography or homemaking, which can be done in stages, when I paint - I paint.  This painting was started many months ago and life suddenly needed full attention (the house sold!) so the easel  and the board and the paints got packed and moved;  Walking Vacuum Home went with them.

Yesterday I was rummaging and came across the painting neatly stacked in the storage area.  This morning I got it out and attached hooks to the back of it and hung it up. It's in the hallway where I pass it - and look at it - many times a day.  I know where the easel is.  I know where the paints are.  Maybe I'll paint.  The house is not for sale. 

Posted on February 04, 2008 at 05:48 AM | Permalink

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I love your unfinished painting! It reminds me of a neighborhood yard sale that we had in the Triangle over 25 years ago. At the end of the sale, one of Miriam's friends was given an old free-standing hair dryer that hadn't sold, and which the owner didn't want to bring back inside. I still have that picture of her in my mind's eye,(much like your unfinished painting, dragging that hair dryer home behind her like an unwilling dog. I like to imagine her mother's face when she arrived home.

Posted by: Anne | February 11, 2008 at 01:24 AM

I've never done this before so it is an interesting experiment: I've neither left a painting unfinished nor hung it on the wall unfinished.  Unlike the fibre art or photography or homemaking, which can be done in stages, when I paint - I paint.  This painting was started many months ago and life suddenly needed full attention (the house sold!) so the easel  and the board and the paints got packed and moved;  Walking Vacuum Home went with them.

Yesterday I was rummaging and came across the painting neatly stacked in the storage area.  This morning I got it out and attached hooks to the back of it and hung it up. It's in the hallway where I pass it - and look at it - many times a day.  I know where the easel is.  I know where the paints are.  Maybe I'll paint.  The house is not for sale. 

I've never done this before so it is an interesting experiment: I've neither left a painting unfinished nor hung it on the wall unfinished.  Unlike the fibre art or photography or homemaking, which can be done in stages, when I paint - I paint.  This painting was started many months ago and life suddenly needed full attention (the house sold!) so the easel  and the board and the paints got packed and moved;  Walking Vacuum Home went with them.

Yesterday I was rummaging and came across the painting neatly stacked in the storage area.  This morning I got it out and attached hooks to the back of it and hung it up. It's in the hallway where I pass it - and look at it - many times a day.  I know where the easel is.  I know where the paints are.  Maybe I'll paint.  The house is not for sale. 

Comments

[Crafty Gardener]

Good morning Karen, haven't visited for awhile, so I've been catching up on your posts. It is glorious weather here in Ontario, mid 20's with some humidex thrown in. I've been looking after the grandchildren and working in the garden and most importantly relaxing in the garden.

[karen]

Hello Linda
Spring and grandkids in the garden .... perfect!

[Anne]

I love your unfinished painting! It reminds me of a neighborhood yard sale that we had in the Triangle over 25 years ago. At the end of the sale, one of Miriam's friends was given an old free-standing hair dryer that hadn't sold, and which the owner didn't want to bring back inside. I still have that picture of her in my mind's eye,(much like your unfinished painting, dragging that hair dryer home behind her like an unwilling dog. I like to imagine her mother's face when she arrived home.