The weather has finally given us a promise of Spring.
There is so much to clean up after winter and debris to clear in the dormant garden beds. But there are also many things we want to improve.
So even when there is still a chill in the air, we are outside working.
One of the most exciting things is when we can make improvements to the property with little to no monetary investment. Of course there are always things we will need to buy, such as mulch and bales of peat, but some of the changes involve just rearranging what currently exists.
Even better is when we can take care of two things with one task.
For example, we have a lot of wood scraps stored in the barn. And by stored, I don’t mean neatly stacked. I mean thrown into a pile from the doorway after tired muscles are exhausted at the end of a building project. All sizes and types of lumber pitched into an unruly heap. The slighest bump will send the precarious assemblage sliding into one’s shins.
At the same time these random bits need a new home, as fate would have it, the catdom also needs an upgrade.
First you may be interested in what a “catdom” might be. At Five Feline Farm, there is a fenced area stretching from the walk out basement into a grassy area which allows the cats to roam in the fresh air but be protected at the same time. The Purrfect Fence is specifically manufactured to contain and protect felines.
Over the years, some areas of the catdom have been overtaken by chocolate mint. It has even crawled under the edge of the greenhouse and threatened to topple it. After digging out as much mint as possible which included running into a hibernating snake, the ground was covered with black plastic to kill off any remaining mint or other vegetation.
Now a blank slate remained. Time to redesign the space.
This is a perfect time to put all those random bits of lumber in the barn to good use. With only a little imagination and a couple of hours, several borads were screwed together into squares and rectangles. The scraps are transformed into perfect planting beds.
Another area being re-invented is the old goldfish pond. We have a large number of rocks and stones that need to be moved out of this section. A few loads of those rocks placed over the plastic adds a nice decorative touch to the catdom.
In just one day, with a bit of re-imagining existing materials and some satisfying physical labor, the catdom has a new look, the pond area has fewer rocks and the barn is one step closer to organized.
As you remodel or revive areas of your property, before you buy new things, look around at anything you can repurpose. Try to imagine things in a new way, even a outside a conventional use. You might be surprised what you create.
Let us know what you find to repurpose around your house. You can also follow almost daily exploits and encouragement on our social media channels: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. As always our on-line Mercantile is open to meet your soap, balm and reading needs.
