Making Tables One Twig at a Time

We should be outdoors, doing our 3-hour mow, planting our vegetable gardens, weeding, and getting the 10,000 steps in by rounding Camp Colegate multiple times, but no, we stare out the window, knowing that every step we take outdoors is like walking through a swamp, causing more harm than good. I make it out to the hens several times daily, watering, feeding, and retrieving eggs. Oh, and giving them the best of my composting from the kitchen. They are so ravenous.

So completing twig tables with the branches we harvested last fall isn't such a bad thing to have on one's agenda. It is so relaxing to take one's time, working in 70 degree weather, and taking a break midway to walk the graveled lane multiple times. I did happen to startle a pileated woodpecker down by Mike's bridge. That was the closest I've ever been to one. Made me think are these colorful giants going to go the way of the Ivory Bill? I hope not.

We had worked on the tables Sunday, as it takes two people to secure the legs to the table top. Once that is done, I can work with clamps, and spend time agonizing which branch should go there, where the best bends are in the grapevine, which grapevine section has the most tendrils (reminds me of daughter Julia's hair), and if there is anything different that I can do with this recycled wood.

Inventory for 2 Twig Tables

Work area staged for Bruce's arrival
The grill is to remind him NOT to pull in

The birch tabletops come from Lowe's. This branches and twigs are walnut.

The cross pieces really secure and stabilize the wobbly legs
Now ready to embellish with grapevine

I soak the grapevine overnight, but it still has a mind of its own.

I stage the grapevine so that I can grab it easily and work.
I usually sit on the carpeting, as close to the outdoor light (skylight is coming in handy) as I can get.

The finished product.
The tabletop on left is trimmed with walnut. The one on the right is trimmed with grapevine.

Now that we've cleaned the porch and garage of all the stored wood, I'm thinking of future projects. One we'll begin this weekend is retrieving barnwood from the goat barn on the farms next door. Yes, farms, plural. The property line actually runs through the middle of the barn, so I asked permission from Todd and Nancy and Ken and Suzy. The grands might remember this barn, as we walked over there to see the lovely angola goats, who have since departed. This winter I walked my egg contributions to my farming neighbors, and noticed that the barn was slowly falling down. I felt this would wood might make great frames for my oil paintings. I'm drawing my painting inspiration from photos I've taken here at Camp Colegate, and occasionally on their farms. When I scrub the hen house in diluted bleach, I'll add the cedar boards to the bleach, then dry them over the summer. Hopefully we'll find some great boards. I know we'll enjoy the sunshine.