right now

right now

Oct 15, 2012

Summer camp all year long

I have been waiting for this day...

See that playset?  The one that the kids don't ever play on anymore?...


It's coming down!


I have often entertained the idea of turning it into a coop, or a potting shed - but what I really wanted was a... camp style canoe rack!


I don't think I had to lift a finger.  Hubs is fantastic with this stuff, as long as I can get him to "see what I'm seeing".  This was a tad difficult since he didn't grow up where canoe racks and summer camps were a common sight.  I think I might have jogged his memory with a showing of Friday the 13th.   

 After the kids helped daddy dismantle the old playset and salvage any lumber that wasn't split or rotted, they were off to get their supplies.  

Finn said he could help.  Uh-huh.


Hubs clearly thought I was describing a skyscraper canoe rack, but I can work with this.


Ta da!  Ok, I admit it stayed like this for several weeks.

It is huge, but incredibly useful.  We still have a big tandem kayak that was last seen floating around Minnesota/Wisconsin in my parent's garage... or someone's garage we know up there (we hope), so we have plenty of room for that as well.  It even holds our rooftop cargo box and will eventually have an attic shelf we can store some gear in.  Of course we can't afford a real roof LOL, so bamboo will do for now!  The kids have named it the 'Yak Shack.


That poor old yellow canoe is in desperate need of some TLC, that's what years of hot southern sun will do to your stuff here.

Another view, this thing is huge.  Bonus is that I can fit a couple of chairs under there so I will have some shade to read a book, knit, or any of those other things that I will honestly never get to do!  I'm sure we will do a little decorating with old life vests and cracked paddles to give it a little character :)


Hubs celebrated by smoking some pork in the rain.


For the uninitiated, that's not raw meat.  The pink is from the "smoke ring".  It turned out beautifully and now I have a ton of pulled pork in the freezer ready for quick meals.  I took a jar of my canned hot pepper sauce, added some extra vinegar and other random things and it made for a great NC style mop to go with it.  We will be enjoying this long after the hubs is on the other side of the Suez Canal :)


I've been doing some cooking of my own lately in celebration of cooler fall temps...


Chili 'n Jalapeno Cornbread

Rain expected this afternoon, but I'm hoping to at least get some pumpkins in the front yard and the porch cleared off of all our fishing gear and bait buckets - seriously, our porch looks pretty redneck right now since we have been busy with activities and Cub Scout stuff and not putting things away properly.  There's bait buckets, tackle boxes, even a bunch of camo painted boxes for a Cub Scout Nerf War, totally "Honey Boo Boo" out there.  Hubs' relatives are coming this weekend so I think I better clear a path!  


20 comments:

  1. You've got a creative streak in you that won't quit! Love the idea for a canoe rack--reading spot.
    And I'm glad you got some of your grasses in that pic--I love those!

    Enjoy the fall!
    :)

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    1. Sue those grasses will be the death of me, one of these days I won't be able to leave my house at the rate they are self seeding new clumps LOL!

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  2. Man, I'll bet he could put up a nice little greenhouse at the snap of the fingers! I was not blessed with a do-it-yourself husband, and son John is usually too busy lately...I think I ask too much of him, he's avoiding me.

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    1. No greenhouses for me as long as I'm in Virginia, after the hot summers we have I am all too ready to hang it up come September!

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  3. OOOoooo! I am sooo jealous! Although we don't have a canoe or kayak, I'm sure I'd find *something* to shove under there....even if it's just my big bum!

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    1. CR, if you would go and GET ON THAT LAKE of yours you would have a canoe, LOL!!!

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  4. Nice! I wish my husband to build stuff. Love that it's big enough to sit under and you should get out there and enjoy any tolerable weather you get.

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    1. Sparkless, he is awesome about that, but I have to make sure I keep feeding him plenty of "useful" ideas or he will build something completely ridiculous!

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  5. Replies
    1. Jane, see I haven't fallen off the planet LOL, just doing other things!

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  6. Your hubby did a great job! I could find a thousand uses for the "Yak shack". :-) The jalapeno corn bread and chili looks sooo good - great now I'm hungry... ;-)

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    1. Anke, I know - I'm already thinking of herb planter boxes attached to it for next year LOL

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  7. Definitely an improvement. You'll get to hang. . . some day.
    That jalapeno corn bread sounds intriguing. I bet my guy would like it. Thanks for the inspiration.

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    1. Stefaneener, yep dice some jalapeños and shredded cheddar into cornbread mix, yum!

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  8. That's just great, and should protect your boats for a much longer life. It looks like the perfect place for one of those hanging sling chairs too, the ones with the footrest and drink holder! Maybe a pair of them.

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    1. Trailshome, ooooh I sat in one of those once and fell in love! They didn't look too comfortable at first but looks are deceiving!

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    2. We got one for our granddaughter to use so she could perch up in the tree and read and get away from her little pesky brother. She got bored quickly, but I brought it down to ground level and spent lots of time in there. So comfy I once fell asleep in there on a breezy afternoon. Very nice.

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  9. Honey Boo Boo? LOL! That is an amazing structure - what a great way to store unwieldy things like canoes and kayaks. Your garden is looking good too. Must be the release of the hot humid blanket of summer! I bet your hubby will be dreaming of that pulled pork way over wherever.

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  10. That came out great! (I'd have voted for the coop, personally. lol)
    Hello, new follower here! I would love to have you link up with my Clever Chicks Blog Hop this week!
    http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/10/autumn-giveaway-clever-chicks-blog-hop-4.html
    I hope to see you there!
    Cheers!
    Kathy
    The Chicken Chick

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  11. Reminds me of the"Sugar Shack"I totally forgot about hubby leaving,I don't know how you manage?And did you by any chance use hot peppers for pacifiers for your boys,You guys sure like your food "hot hot hot"

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