labor day

September 4, 2012






this labor day, we labored. digging trenches in the house for a radon collection system, then filling them all back in. a day's work made completely invisible except for a few blisters on hands that are not quite used to hoes and shovels. then wood cutting, splitting, stacking, sweating. a labor of love.

when the day's work was done, i poked around the odd things lying around the woods. most is destined for scrap metal. crazy bike frames, old basketball backboards, odd bits of metal and wire and such. but i was delighted to find this big double barreled stainless steel sink. i have no idea how long it's been sitting out here, but when i scooped out all the leaves and debris, it's shiny and new inside. i suspect it will become our laundry sink. two big deep barrels for soaking and scrubbing, perhaps planting and potting. huzzah!



and here we have another great salvage triumph. (one i refused to get excited about because i didn't want to feel that crushing disappointment if it didn't work out.) patrick wrangled about a dozen of these solid wood doors from a closed jeep plant in detroit. straight from the executive offices, complete with their olive knuckle hinges. it's something particularly meaningful to us, since both my father and patrick worked there. each door is a little different but so beautiful, the wood almost glows.

as an added bonus, patrick snagged five wood flat files and a fabulous old paper cutter from the jeep plant as well. oh, does that boy make me smile.

i do hope you enjoyed your labor day whether you worked or rested!

xo. r





6 notes:

  1. incredible finds, you two! I'm so glad to hear that your laundry dilemma was apparently solved by happenstance. yay!

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  2. As I read today I thought the big sink in the woods was amazing to find but then...those doors!
    They positively glow with warmth and history.
    Plus flat files! Perfect art storage that once may have held plans for Jeeps,CJ and scrambler specs,Wagoneer vent systems...Squeeee!
    I am a Jeep girl myself,Even when I do not currently own one I just consider myself "Between Jeeps" I have been the caretaker of 5 vintage Grand Wagoneers over the last 30 years and I'm watching for a J-10 of 1960s vintage with a Hurricane 6 as my next Jeep.
    How cool that your husband was able to bring salvage from a plant where both he and your Dad
    once worked.
    Are the doors going throughout you lovingly built home?
    I brought home 3 vintage Sewing machines(including a Singer Rocketeer!) last week and worked on them over the weekend.The last one is being picked up by her new owner this morning!
    Good weekend for all!

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    Replies
    1. i'm absolutely a jeep girl myself... could be the big old jeep trucks my dad always drove. many fond memories of trips to the lumber yard in those.

      yes, the doors will be going all through the house! each doorway has been framed specifically to fit each door. (kind of a challenge, since they are all different! lots of planning.)

      ooh, vintage sewing machines! i'm still waiting to stumble into a good vintage industrial model. which is funny, because i'm just terrible with a sewing machine... but i'm sort of drawn like a moth to a flame.

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  3. wonderful finds! there's nothing like being a "picker" and finding items to put to good use!

    [i love that you have "jeep doors"....i own a jeep and dearly love her. i catch men looking at my jeep....probably with "jeep envy" in their souls....]

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    Replies
    1. i get jeep envy over old wagoneers and the classic cherokee. oh, how i loved that cherokee.

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  4. What?! Holy cow, you are one lucky lady! And here I thought I was tops with a family of foxes as roommates!

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