~ SHEDS ~ UK CELEBRATION....!! ~

[Hattie the Hen]

Good morning & welcome to July! :coolsun

Next week is National Shed Week in the UK! So I thought I would give you a link to a great site in the UK which is dedicated to them & shows examples from all round the world.

http://www.shedworking.co.uk/

Here are some other links to a competition which is running in conjunction with the celebration week.

http://www.readersheds.co.uk/share.cfm?SHEDTYPE=Studio

http://www.debraprinzing.com/2010/06/30/a-preview-of-the-shed-of-the-year-2010/

I hope you enjoy the links; I did -- but then I am the owner of 3 sheds.... I am addicted to them.......!!!



Hattie

 

[hoodat]

Men in sheds? Why does that seem so natural somehow. Perhaps a throwback to our cave dwelling days?

 

[digitS']

Thank you, Hattie!

And, a perceptive comment, Hoodat!

"Cabin Fever: Sheds and Shelters, Huts and Hideaways" -- That's the title of a book that I came across about 15 years ago. I was a community gardener at that time and in the book was a photograph of an elderly British lady in her "allotment garden" shelter, making tea.

I had no idea what an "allotment" was. So, I began doing some reading. Imagine my surprise when I learned that "allotments" were plots of land set aside by local government for use as gardens! And, in Britain and other places, where you can see these gardens (sometimes in good numbers, like near railroads). Sheds are often permitted.

My first impression when seeing that photograph was that the 90 year old lady was living in her tiny cabin in the middle of her garden! I have to say that this seemed like something of an ideal situation . . .

When I was 3 and 4 years old, my parents lived on my grandmother's "farm." This was just a piece of land, irrigated but with quite a few oak trees. We were there to help her finish her new house and we lived in what we called the "garage house."

I have no idea if a car had ever been parked inside, perhaps. It had a concrete floor with a tiny bathroom. The kitchen was part of the mainroom. There was a large table but, otherwise the room was taken up by 2 beds, one for my parents and one for my brother and me.

My grandmother's garden was behind this house and across the driveway. We would walk thru her very large flower and vegetable garden to reach her new home. There was her field and the neighbor's field in the other direction. In the neighbor's field was a horse and in the corrals, under the oak trees, beside my grandmother's field was a deer!

The deer had decided to live there. Grandmother had chickens but the field was rented out for hay. I think she gave the doe some chicken feed to encourage her to stay around. I could pet her while she was eating out of a bucket!

These are my earliest memories - life in a garden, in the shade of oak trees, living in a . . . . . shed(?).

Steve

 

[digitS']

Hattie, it took me awhile to find the 2010 winners!

Of course, it I'd noticed the "Shed of the Year 2010 Category winners announced" link at the top of the page of the Readersheds webpage instead of going straight to the pictures -- it would have helped! Still, I enjoyed looking thru those that entered!

Here's the direct link: "And the Category winners for Shed of the Year 2010 are."

What a kick! Video and all!

Okay, enuf of this . . . until later . . . I gotta get out in the dahlia garden.

Steve :tools

 

[lesa]

Well, Steve no wonder you are so fond of gardening! What a lovely memory!

 

[Hattie the Hen]

Further information that shed life is growing fast in the UK.........!!

http://www.shedworking.co.uk/2010/07/more-sheds-than-households-in-uk-says.html

Steve, what a great story. I loved it,thank you.

I hope you all have a great holiday weekend with your families & friends& that the weather is good too.......! :happy_flower



Hattie