Bench Project (4 photos)

The other day I was clearing a small plot of land for the new goat yard. While digging I came across an old slab of cedar that must have been half buried for years. I hooked it up to the tractor and took it back to my shop.

While there was some rot and insect damage, with a bit of scraping I could see that there was perhaps enough good wood for a bench.

After a few days of scraping and sanding the wood was suitable for an outdoor bench. I once more hooked it up to the tractor and took to a favourite forest spot under a massive maple tree.

Pruning

I just spent the last three days pruning our fruit and nut trees. As it is every year, the worst of these is the walnut tree. Each year the tree sends up eight feet of new growth that needs to be lopped off.

Every Spring I give it a “haircut” to try to keep it under control.

Fortunately the tree is my favourite to climb and I get wonderful views of the yard at the fifteen foot top. A friend gave us this tree many years ago when it was only a foot tall. It likes the yard and the bears and squirrels like it as it satisfies their Fall diet.

Finished Chairs

I finished the chairs today and they have joined the table. A fun and interesting project but that may be it for chairs for a while (though I did just find another interesting design that might become a Fall project). Next on the list – fruit tree pruning and then next year’s firewood.