"And now, let the wild rumpus start!”

During a recent 12 hour period I met with a landscaper, carpenter, plumber, electrician, air conditioning contractor & rented a floor sander. Indeed, the rumpus has started!

Just a few days ago my arbor looked just like this. Those rafters on top had once been the pine beams holding up the roof of a 100 year old garage. I'm into recycling, so when we had to take down that garage to make way for the TreeHouse, I reused them on top of the arbor. Everyone told me that at age 100 they were more like stone than wood. The part they left out was "as long they're under a roof". Oops. Now, in order to replace those rafters, over 900 lbs of bougainvillea & rotted beams had to be taken down. It took almost an entire day.

The remaining structure looks positively naked, so it's the first project to get started. Soon new cross members and a polycarbonate roof will be installed, then it's just a matter of time before those vibrant blooms return. In its new life, the arbor will become an outdoor room.

Lots of landscaping issues had to be addressed, including trimming trees, moving plants to better locations, removing ugly & dead ones and clearing swaths for newly designed garden areas. Amazing how much better things look when they aren't part of an encroaching jungle.

FUTURE LOCATION OF MY NEW SUNNY GARDEN

My most exiting project will be enclosing the TreeHouse's second floor deck. I'm planning on using mostly clear acrylic to maintain the inside/outside feeling, but with lots of screens to let the northern breezes in and keep the bugs out. I'm still designing the space & furnishings at this point, as well as a large garden structure inspired by an exhibit I saw at a Berlin museum.

Since I'll be wearing my designer/contractor hat for a while, I've taken off my baker's apron & won't be at the last few sessions of the Palma Sola Farmers Market or baking to order for a few weeks. But, I won't be hidden away. 

I'm part of a FANTASTIC YARD SALE THIS SAT MAY 18th. Four families, all across the street from each other in the Village of the Arts on 12th St West between 9th & 10th Ave West. From 8am - Noon. 

We're also sprucing up my former BONNI BAKES bakery/cafe building at 930 12th St W and installing a new a/c system (hint: never run an a/c system without a clean filter in place!) & refinishing the gorgeous 103 year old pine floors. Very soon it will become an extension of my home as a temporary POP-UP SHOP filled with furniture, kitchen items, pharmacy antiques, Spanish dishes (including cazuelas) & things I've collected during my lifetime. Now that I'm down-sizing it's time for them to be loved by new owners. And of course, my homemade yummy baked goods will be there too. I'll post details as I get ready to open the door.

I'm happily working with several professionals who do excellent work and are a pleasure to work with. Many of them built my TreeHouse. If you need a referral for carpentry, a/c, electric or landscaping just drop me an email at bonnibakes@gmail.com

Hugs from the RUMPUS,
Bonni & Twinkie (the OSHA inspector)