Holy cow! What an amazing day it has been on the farm! From the morning’s harvest to to the afternoon’s barnwood treasure trove to tonight’s exterior trim painting, I’m confident in proclaiming today, Wednesday, August 13, as the best day yet at Cockamamy!

 

 

I guess it really all started yesterday. When I arrived home after dark last night, this amazing “building” had popped up in the back yard. Ben erected and tied out tarps over the two decks we took off the house. This is his new workshop, aptly named “Guerrilla Wood Works.” Brilliant!

 

 

For me, the morning began with a second coat of primer in the upstairs hallway and stairwell. Now, those spaces are ready for a topcoat of color. Then, a trip to the garden to collect the morning’s harvest.

 

 

Next, I sanded and wiped down the bathroom. Now, it is ready for primer.

 

 

While I was working inside, Ben was busy in his new workshop cutting trim for the windows on the front of the house and trimming those out to perfection.

 

 

In the afternoon, we had an appointment with a barn wood guy Ben found on Craig’s List. To be honest, neither of us had our hopes up—our last Craig’s List experience was with the crook of a roofer. After an hour plus on two-lane highways and gravel roads, we arrived at our destination to find Patrick, the guy behind Barnwood Creations, and his treasure trove of beams, 1x12s, 2x4s, 1x4s, 1x6s, doors, windows, and more. Not only was his place an amazing collection of wood worn to perfection, but Patrick is a super nice guy and fun to talk to. What a FIND!!

 

 

We purchased two piles, both with remnants of white paint: tongue-and-groove siding that will be a stairwell wall and true 1x6s (not modern, cut-down 1×6) that will be our millwork throughout the house. Total score! I was really hoping to not be stuck buying barn wood with red paint. Not that it isn’t equally gorgeous, I just really feel the white vibe in our house. And I’m thrilled we found just what I wanted.

 

 

Another fabulous thing about Patrick? He and Ben loaded up his trailer and he followed us home (more than an hour’s drive!) with all our wood. And then he helped Ben unload it all. That’s what I call amazing service, and with a smile! I am unabashedly highly recommending Barnwood Creations to you if you’re looking for barn wood. You can email Patrick at barn.woodcreations@yahoo.com.

 

 

After we were home from our shopping excursion and the wood was all stacked next to Ben’s new workshop, I finished off his newly-trimmed windows with a coat of black trim paint as folks from the neighborhood drove by reallllll sllloooowwww as they’ve been doing the last few days to stretch their necks toward our new exterior.

 

 

I know, I know, I still haven’t shown y’all the AMAZING finished siding project! Be assured, the siding installation is done and the day of the unveiling is coming soon! We really want to show you the finished version, so just a few days more as we finish up trimming out the windows, touching up paint, etc. It will be worth the wait, I promise!

And this day was worth the wait, as well! We checked so many projects off the to-do list today, my heart is bursting with pride! And, believe it or not, Ben and I have started having the “What kind of house do we want to do next?” conversation. I know. Cockamamy. Right?