Weekend DIY - Rustic Wood Coffee Table Centerpiece

A friend gave us several wood pieces that he had just laying around his woodworking shop. They've been sitting around our place for several months now. I decided last weekend to do something with them.

I lightly sanded the flat surface with my Mouse sander working with the grain, cleaned up the edges with some light grit sand paper then used a small air compressor to blow off all the dust.

I then used Rust-Oleum Zinsser Shellac to complete.

Must haves:

Raw Wood  Slices
electric sander
sand paper
2 saw horses
4 2x2's
shellac
paint brush

Finished product on my coffee table and in my bedroom. I did not spend a lot of time on these but they will do for now.

Bedroom Dresser:

This is another that is on top of my dining room table:

Growing Avocado from the Pit - An Accident

What a wonderful surprise this was. Hubby stated it was time to turn the composting pile but before he started I wanted to pull a long stem sticking up out of the bin. I reached in to grab it without thinking and pulled this out. I would never have known or believed what it was had the seed not still been attached.

That day as I threw it in the compost pile, I do remember telling myself after I made guacamole "I sure wish I would see this grow"! I tried  really hard to grow the other seed that day in my window sill without success. It grew a root but never developed the top like this one did.

I quickly threw some compost in a 5-gallon bucket and it lived.

It still lives today and has gotten a little bigger. Can't wait to see if I can grow avocados from it.

In-ground Storm Cellar Decorating Idea

We had our storm cellar put in around Summer of 2016. I'm Choctaw, so we got it for free! We tried to spruce it up using layers of retaining blocks but it still didn't look right. The rains would come and just wash the sand and soil over the blocks and we were constantly having to sweep off the block. Sand is not easy to clean off after it rains.

So this Summer we decided to add some better soil and use metal landscaping edging to add two planting layers around the cellar. We dug around the circumference of the cellar and installed the edging.

It looks much better and easier to maintain.

Before, sad, lifeless and just plain ugly if we're being honest:

After photos:

How I Grow My Lawn with Other People's Grass

We live in a neighborhood full of retirees who are very particular about their gardens. There are a few though who are in bad health and simply cannot take care of their lawns the way they want to. Sometimes in the evening, when I think about it, I will walk over to a couple of houses and pull St. Augustine runners out of the road where it seems to like to grow. I take it home and soak it in water for a few days and then replant it in my lawn when I have time. It does well here in our soil which is mostly sand and surprisingly it really likes the shade of our oaks.


St. Augustine growing into the gravel road in our neighborhood:

These are photos showing newly planted runners in a bare area next to our storm cellar, water, water, water:

Here are some runners we planted last year. As you can see, they are taking off and filling in the bare spots. In another year or two we should have a full lawn in this area.

Update on the New Man Cave as of September 17, 2017

We now have a composite shingle roof, roof trim, four windows and a steel side door. With the addition of two overhead doors, we will then be in the dry. It's all slow but sure when you DIY it and you have a regular 9-5 too.