Sometimes, simply by sitting the soul collects wisdom. -Zen Proverb
This past weekend, we built another rustic garden bench. Building benches is fun, especially with the challenge of using found materials. The bench is sited to give our delightful neighbors a place to sit and see their home across the garden. Principally, the bench is to provide a place to sit, relax and enjoy the woodland garden.
We constructed the bench using large branches, from trees felled in storms a few years ago. It is oversized, in a primitive way. The logs are thick and the seat is high. The average person can sit on the bench and let their legs dangle freely. When we are children most seats allow us to dangle our legs. When we are adults our seats are proportioned to always have our feet planted on the ground. It is a nice feeling to sit and sway your legs back and forth. It adds to the feeling of leisureliness – a carefree movement.
Many decades ago, the site of the woodland garden was a horse enclosure. I have found rusted horse shoes while digging in the dirt. The last reminder of this former use is a wooden fence enclosing, decoratively only now, the woodland area from the lawn. This fence has not had any upkeep in a long while. The top slanted boards were rotted and falling to pieces.
By removing just the top, slanted boards and repairing any broken stringer boards, the fence looks good enough to last a few more years. We may paint it this summer to help it survive a while longer.
Two of the sections of the fence were removed last year to provide a view to the stream in the woodland garden. One of the posts made the perfect spot to attach a bird feeder from a local antique store.
Winter has been mild this year. Preparations in the woodland garden are ongoing, helped along by the great weather. By the time Spring arrives all the basics of the garden will be complete and it will be time to focus on planting and weeding. The anticipation of Spring is exciting – especially with a new garden to plant. Now I can sit on the bench, dangle my feet and contemplate the garden riches that await.