From Chicken Shed to Picnic Shelter, continued

In the previous post I told our story of the chicken shed becoming a picnic shelter and how it was time to move R.H.'s grilling station out of it so that it could become the outdoor dining pavilion I had envisioned. 

After years of my nagging he finally did it this spring! After working on it himself for a few hot days he enlisted the help of son Gurn and grandson Drake.

On went the roof.

Drake helped supply R.H. with old bricks for edging the floor.

Otis wanted to help too.

At last R.H. got to move his grilling equipment into his new cooking shed--and out of the picnic shelter. Hurrah!

Then everything went out of the picnic shelter where Drake could power wash it all.

So nice not to have R.H.'s cooking stuff crowding the food serving station.

I love the old washing machine. We used to fill it up with ice and water for parties to chill drinks but it was so much trouble to drain. Now we use it to hold garbage bags and other things that aren't so pretty.

Everything was ready for my Texan to start grilling.

We launched it on Memorial Day weekend when Christy and Bryan were home to visit.

This week we dressed it up a little with banners that are actually curtain panels bought at the Goodwill store.

They're heavy canvas material with what looks to be hand-painted fruit on it.

Brown Eyes is enjoying the shade they provide and two fans pointed at him. R.H. wondered what in the world I'd ever do with those weird curtain panels when I grabbed them at Goodwill but I believe that sooner or later there's a use for anything you love.

The table was set...

with more odds and ends from Goodwill plus the enamel spatter ware plates from Texas that I have a stack of for outdoor meals.

I starched and ironed another Goodwill find for the table. The old white cutwork cloth has buttonholes around all four sides. I wonder what it was once buttoned to?

Here's a view to the other end of the picnic shelter, and yes, it probably still looks like a Cracker Barrel wall but you wouldn't believe how much stuff I got rid of.

This old screen door from a grocery store is the better of two doors we lugged around through every move we made. I was astounded to see American Pickers pay a small fortune for the Holsum Bread sign alone. Wonder what they would pay for the whole door?

Here's Defee standing in front of it in our living room 20 years ago. Do you think he's trying to sign--"Live long and prosper"?

So there you are, from chicken shed to picnic shelter.

R.H. has other touches he wants to add. There is an old white farm sink that's been in the barn for years. It would be nice to wash our hands outside, even if it was only cold water. Now if I could just get him to move his mowing equipment out of the other side of the building we could put a fridge in there and maybe a bed and never have to go inside. Well, we might have to build an outhouse somewhere near. 

There's always something that needs doing at Valley View, and it's always a family affair.