Bougainvillea Woodshop

September 5, 2009

 

Antigua is said to have 365 beaches and I have only been to a few since I have arrived. On those visits, I’ve collected dimensional driftwood to build tables and benches for my veranda as there is plenty of deck space but few spots to sit or place a book, fossils collected at the beach or a frosty Carib beer.  An earlier foraging venture found me returning from a two-mile beach walk towing two floating bundles of recovered driftwood with rope retrieved on the beach as well. Once the desired pieces were collected and air-dried, I tossed all in the back of my new pickup, Subi, and headed over to M’s. I parked under the shade of a large Bougainvillea tree and M and I spent three hours or so with his well-equipped tool kit assembling the rough and weathered pieces that have been the trademark of my furniture making ventures.  The pieces fit the deck nicely and have a pleasing aesthetic as well.  As I write this entry, my feet are up on the new table along with a copy of To Kill a Mockingbird, which I am thoroughly enjoying, and a bowl of mangoes and limes.