Potting bench project

This weekend was spent making this potting bench.  The purpose is to sell it, however that may be hard to do, as I like it very much.  Alas, it is for sale for $500 and comes with the single shelf.  Additional shelves will be $30 each.  The shelves can be used to keep gardening implements or plants.  Because of the size this item is only available for local pickup in Hermitage (Nashville) Tennessee.

So our house is about 40 years old and the plumbing is also 40 years old. The pipes are narrower than what would be acceptable in todays buidling codes. A couple of years ago we were forced to get a new washer and because I found a good deal on a floor model, I was able to afford a front load washer. Front loads are great. They save a ton of water. However, they have a very powerful pump. The pump is much more powerful than the previous top load washer that we owned. So from day one we had a situation where occationally the water would overflow from the standing discharge pipe. Our laundry room is very small so we do not have a utility sink, nor do we have the room to install one. So I had an idea. What if I created a "sort of sink" out of a bucket. I had to put up a shelf that was strong enough to handle the possible 5 gallons of water that the bucket may hold. Once this was done I drilled a hole in the bucket and put in a connection to make a water proof drain to the standing drain. It works! Now I don't have to install new plumbing, as was the original plan.

Lego Pumpkin

My kids have been so into Lego's this past year. I thought it would be pretty neat to make a lego pumpkin. Here it is. By the way there is a 60 watt bulb inside, explaining the extereme brightness.

Understanding A Fox

Here is a poem I am working on. It is not finished yet. But thought I would share. It is based loosly on a childrens book called "The Old Country"


Yes I once was a fox
Wiry red coat with black for my sox
Stared in the eyes of the wily old beast
Transformed to the timid my body he leased

Chicks were stole, so off did I chase
To kill the fox, from this world to erase
Trailed him and hunted till body was worn
Found him sitting, waiting looking forlorn

Warned was I from tales of the old
A child takes no heed to all she is told
The wizened old woman said never to stare
In the Golden green eyes with star-bursting flare

Stalking up to this dog at the watch
Bow at the ready string in the notch
Before I release I hear a small voice
Confused, getting closer, bow still at the hoist

He spoke softly to me, convinced me to view
In his eyes I saw rabbits, fur wet with the dew
Lust for the flesh ran through my mind
Chasing and catching the meat I did find

Looking back at me was a girl with an arrow
Familiar she was, her eyes squinting narrow
The voice of the fox she produced raspy
Seeing now, I was the fox, and the fox was me

Girl says, to be a fox is splendid, I'm sure you'll agree
But people are cruel, so you must see
Sought you for me, now I will seek thee
If ever my house you come near to be

Lazy mans poem

Calling a paragraph a poem
Just ‘cause you use strange words
Is lazy as a stone garden gnome
Left lying, faded, in the woods

At the very least make a story
A picture to be observed
Something interesting, not boring
Maybe throw us a curve

How ‘bout a story on a frog
With a ring round its neck
Or what about a razorback hog
That fell asleep on the deck

Humor, sorrow, love, or hate
Draws them in for thinking
All good topics you leave for bait
Tears may be held back blinking

To walk away with faces puzzled
Should not be end all
To be rehearsed and not be muzzled
Is surely a poets call

Positive Thinking

I’m gonna try to be positive
Not so hard my angel whispers
Count your blessings one by one
1, 2, 3, 4 there are quite a few
Now count the blessings that
Don’t start all warm and fuzzy
Like the breakup that lead to you
Or smallish paychecks that come
When for some, they never do.
Life is good but has its downs
Like the crap I stepped in.
That was not fun.
Oh wait, trying to be positive
It’s harder than I thought.

Circular Logic

No idea what you’re saying
Fuzzy, fuzzy, fuzzy words
Spin, spin, spin, my head
Loud, loud, loud smack
Circle, circle, circle back
Repeat, repeat, repeat the point
Point, point, point at me
Blah, blah, blah I hear
Anger, anger, anger seen
Smile, smile, smile smirked
Point has been made
No idea what you said

Light in the night

Floating in darkness, wait for the flutter
Searching the night looking for supper
Distracted by a glow so blue white
I’m drawn without even beating my wing
So close do I get, enough yet to see
Those who’ve come before lying below
It’s funny that the light can gather
All those of different breed
Resistance not considered,
Desire to see the brightness closely
Try as I may the fence does block,
Must find a way, a way that’s unlocked
Over and under bouncing against
Finally seeing a gap that will fit
Mouth dry, eyes blinded besides
Tight fit, but I’m through,
Closer still to blessed revelation
To touch it just once is all that I needed

Nice stop motion video

"Overweight" lyrics by the band Blue October

ever carried the weight of another?
for how long?
or walk as far as they need to recover?
for how long?

i want to carry a piece of who i was before
so when i hit the wall i really hit the wall ( excuse me )
i want to tear away the death again
a whiter shade of the meth again
i want to stick to clues
i want to come unglued
i want to shape the world to fit the way you move
oh should i listened for a dress size?

I owned up, I've grown up do you remember me?
i showed up and so what if i'm the used to be
i'm here to tell you that i’m sorry i was sorry
but i’m happy that you're happy this is no longer about me
trade roles, switch sides for your beautiful eyes
let him be there through your beautiful cries
let him hold you up so you can touch affordable skies
and live your life just like a dream without the pain of goodbyes
goodbye!

ever carried the weight of another?
for how long?
or walk as far as they need to recover?
for how long?

i’ve been a drunk, disrespectful little street punk
unlock the back of my trunk, you see now take this bat
and bash my head into the street again ( street again )
no ones around so i keep beating it
I pull my hair back and look me in the eye
there’s a self-destructive meaning in the bleeding of a guy
it's the guilt of what reality has given me
making sense of all mistakes and my stupidity

when you're sick you seem to think you failed eternally
and that the people you let in are only crumbling
when you feel sick of faking life and this recovery
when my decisions paved the road that lies in front of me
so to the friends that even call that i don’t call back
i hold you deep inside my heart upon a hill
it seems to hide sometimes to run away and wonder
i’m really sick of saying sorry but i will

ever carried the weight of another?
for how long? ( Where were you? where were you? )
or walk as far as they need to recover?
for how long? ( Where will you be ? )

You're we scared to take the ride?
or dare to get inside...
i’m floating farther away
floating far away
floating far away... letting go

i wanna learn to walk with others as an equal
i wanna treat the ones who love me with respect
i wanna tell the world i’ll give them all a piggy back
and try to to take away my negative affect
i wanna kiss a girl and know i'll never lie again
i wanna call my dad and tell him that i care
i wanna let my brother know he saved my life
a thousand times throughout the years
he's been the friend who's always there...

floating far away
floating far away
i'm floating far away.....letting go

Recycler

By Nate Carman

You reclaim the fashion of the past. Your jokes at first were not funny and the third time’s the same. You pull out the old attitude of superiority over those that are not you. You fight the same change that you fought in your youth. Your wisdom is not yours, but a reflection of other who thought they knew. The used oil makes the fire. The tire is now the swing. You abuse the same body that you abused a day ago. The cigarette burned to the half is left on the sill for your return. Your bottle and can go into the bin. Everything is recycled, but for the love you had for me.

Extended Season

By Nate Carman

Grab all you can of the fruit of the vine. The harvest is long, and the taste so divine. To grow the ground in bounty, you thin the young and prune the old. For a branch that has too much is as bad a season too cold. And a row that is overwhelmed will only all die. Pull the fruit off as often as desired. The plant will recover and wait to retire. Don’t wait too long, the skin will be tough. The baby growth offers great sweetness enough. As the season moves on the field does yields less. Soon it will be time to clean up the mess. Cover the ground or to nature regress. Plan next season’s cache. See it in your mind. To get the best seed you save up the cash.

Diving deep

By Nate Carman
Inspired by “The Secret” by Peter Cooley

As I walk down the shore
the dead do roll, shaken about
by the incessant ebbs flow
The siren waters have beauty
That drags in the dreamers.
It exhales those who lived,
perished in fight, the dangers unreal.

Lulled to the surface, those golden ripples.
Swimming in silver the depth is misread.
Floating and sinking, splashing and drinking.
Down do we go, all good intentioned, thinking
this sea pulled me in. Tricked me, you brood.

Thoughts of self, replaced by the flash.
All those who’ve helped, all those
who’ve abused. Lights ray is dark green as
deeper you dive, Jonah’s great fish is absent
you muse.

The weeds do entangle, fragile stalks with
odd strength, pulling you in. You’ll soon
be one too, pulling in the next guest.
After straining, comes stillness
You no longer answer those
questions you asked.
Your thought of what’s real
too soon replaced by what’s true.

Not an apology

By Nate Carman

Lonely night
Stupid fight
Who was right?

me

Video "Video: RSS in Plain English"

Video "Video: RSS in Plain English"

I am going to have to try this. I do waste a lot of time checking on blogs that have no updates.

The grind

By Nate Carman

The daily tasks to complete
Start to feel cold defeat
Observing those who compete
Praying not to be found out
As a slacker who has no clout
Fighting the current, as a trout
Only the fittest do succeed
Braun was how to do the deed
But now the strength of a steed
Is relegated to a menial task
So repetitive you must ask
It’s no wonder we hit the flask
But alas, went I to school
Now I sit atop my stool
Wondering who’s the bigger fool

Heart attack

By Nate Carman

And I fell to the ground
All things new to have found
Breathe in the dust and the dirt
The unknown people I have hurt
This point forward to have in view
Regrets, they no longer will undo
Lifting off the dirty floor
Soon your face to adore
Desire to be at your side
In your presence to abide
Seeing those who were like me
Save for grace bestowed by thee
A choice made to follow, floundering
Makes the end truly the founding

This side of sleep

By Nate Carman
Awake, no more I fade
All plans of day are made
My thoughts are at your bade
Anticipating in the dark
To where my dreams may hark
Make the place all but stark
Dreams are a fickle friend
Come and go without an end
Some may be worth append
Running on an endless path
Sinking down inside your bath
Standing public doing math
Asleep no more, I wake
A refreshing breath I take
Now to the coffee that I make

Make your own comic strip with Batman and Robin. See label below.

.

This side of summer

By Nate Carman

Walking down a paved walk
Almost oblivious to the talk
Teaming activity all around
Eager hands at the hose abound
Really they aren’t there to drink
Filling the orb to the brink
Ignoring advice of my mate
Giving signs to separate
Having they received the nod
TAKE THAT! you filthy sod

This side of fall

By Nate Carman

The bird at the window
Thick as it sticks a toe
Into the cold bath
No feeling he hath
Preparing for the end
From instinct don’t bend
Gorging on the feed
Unknown that the seed
Dormant, forgotten it lay
Awaiting that warm day
The cycle nears its close
As frost bites my nose
The warmth shot like a gun
And still nothing done

This side of winter

By Nate Carman

Aching, the bend of wrist
Longing, the outdoor tryst
Stinging, the wind it blows
Seeking, the breeze that flows
Cracking, the branches break
Looking, the roots they take
Freezing, the waters crack
Dreaming, the stream to track
Hurting, the joints that bend
Wishing, the cold to end

This side of morning

By Nate Carman

The morning light will fade
The love's been made
The coffee is warmed
The toast is burned
The day comes strong
The night’s not long
Enough

This side of spring

By Nate Carman

This side of spring
What will it bring
The wind no longer stabs
The sky no longer drab
Water sprayed brings a shiver
Thoughts of harvest to deliver
Too soon it passes
Hurried on by the masses
Forgetting that it’s the best
All things new come out of rest

Valentine Poem for Amy 2010

The Urgency of Love
by Nate Carman

Love found young
Can lead to a sting
But for true love to bloom
Love found young
Can be that boon
For the less you are set
Love found young
Has less regret

A Poem that does not rhyme

By Nate Carman

Unrequited love
Like the undead
Claws at the box
Forever seeking
Blessed suffocation.


This does not represent my relationship with my wife. But after watching the movie "500 days of Summer" this popped into my head. It is kind of a depressing movie. Funny at times, but if you are looking for what I think is a realistic idea of how children of divorce grow up, this is a good example.

I will post the poem that I wrote for my wife next. After Valentines Day.

My first DIYtrying project, small as it may be

I made some colored water spray guns. Used some old spray bottles and added water and food coloring. Kids had a lot of fun. You can see they made a giant snow cone. They did not eat it though.

I love underwater Photos

Source

I don't have time for this!

Well, Like I said I don't have time for this, but I will try.