Potting Sheds and Potting Tables

Yep, one more block done! This is the potting shed. I've never had a potting shed, but I love the thought of having one. I love to garden during the spring and summer and would love to have a shed dedicated to growing a garden. One without a lawn mower and weed whacker. It's a romantic thought, but I doubt it'll ever be.

I'm really happy with the way this block turned out, but I did a lot of fiddling with the pattern to make it to my specifications. The original pattern has the green part of the tree constructed with NINE different pieces. That seemed like WAY too many, especially with that particular fabric, so I redesigned the tree so that it was only made with four different green pieces. Much better. Of course, that meant that I also had to redesign the stars, but in the end I'm happier with the overall look of the block. I also did some redesigning of the sunflower block so that it was made with fewer pieces and seams. I already said that I don't have a potting shed, but if I did I'd have a potting table to put inside. To you this table may not look like much, but it's one of my favorite new possessions. This potting table was made by Ed, an elderly man who lives down the street. Ed and his wife, Vi, are the type of people that everyone wants to be like when they grow up. Kind, giving, thoughtful, and a couple who know what it means to endure to the end.

For many years we woke up a couple of times a month to the sound of knocking at the front door. It was Ed with hot bread in hand. My kids called him the Bread Man. The story goes that Ed was sure that Vi would die before him and he would no longer be able to eat her homemade bread. Obviously, the solution was for Ed to learn to make bread. So he did. He made bread once or twice a week and always made extra to take to friends in the neighborhood.

Well, Ed started getting older and developed several different health problems, including Parkinson's disease. Ed was never one to sit idly by, so he replaced bread making with a new hobby. He started making potting tables from the scrap lumber left around the new homes that are being built in our neighborhood. Sadly, a couple of months back Ed had a mishap with his table saw and nearly cut his thumb off. It was a close call and the doctors weren't sure if they could save his thumb. Obviously the doctors didn't know who they were dealing with. Ed and Vi are people with a strong faith in God and they believe that miracles happen. When Ed went in for a follow up appointment the doctors were amazed at how well his thumb had healed. No one else was surprised. We've seen Ed pull through cancer, brain surgery and more.

Vi doesn't let Ed use his table saw anymore, but there are other good men in our neighborhood who cut the wood for Ed so that he can continue to build potting tables. Although Ed puts the Energizer Bunny to shame, I don't know how much longer he'll be around, but I'll always treasure the memories of hot bread in the mornings and my potting table in the backyard.