G’day
At the weekend we took on, on a whim, the horrid job of trying to rip-out of the garden an ugly bench that has been the bane of my life since we bought this old wreck of a house….I had painted it a couple of years ago in a creamy putty colour and tried to disguise with pots, but really, it was not a place that invited you to go and take a pew.
Then recently I found a bench I liked the look of though originally it was meant to be new seating for the deck, but when I got it on there, I didn’t actually like it too much, it looked too formal and stiff…but it seemed perfect for the spot in the garden with the old bench on it…
This bench was concreted into the garden, I think really if it wasn’t for me it would have been here for life
…after much discussion, whacking with a sledgehammer, trying to prise it out with a crowbar and much muttering from Mr BC we brought in the professionals…Mr BC was co-ordinating this with ‘heave’…I was not shouting ho…I was grimacing and wishing that a few servants came with this place…
I am pleased with my new bench in this spot though, even after having to suffer seeing Mr BC in that red DIY t-shirt again…
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I have decided, in my wisdom, that this spot will be where we, the BC heave-ho crew will open Christmas presents this year and I am really hoping that I will be able to pull-off me some Pioneer Woman Cinnamon Rolls to go with this Down Under style gift opening. It is real baking for real bakers, but I am gonna have a go…I have been frantically googling maple flavouring with no Australian luck, I might have to wing it on that bit…
Anyway, I am off to do some Christmas wrapping and I made some Christmassy clay tags today that I need to thread…I am gonna sit out there in the fresh air on the bench and do it…
See ya BCer’s
Be good..
p.s. having a BC Giftcard Giveaway soon…after I enjoyed the breakfast education I received last week I am on a roll…;-)
Gosh, who concretes a bench into the garden? People do some funny things, don’t they! Your new bench looks so peaceful & lovely…I just want to transport myself there right now – nice cool drink in hand and reading a good book – yes lovely! The cinnamon rolls sound delish – enjoy your down under gift opening.
wow, what a lot of work that bench caused! i actually purchased that same bench for my pool area a couple of months ago. i love it and it’s quite comfy too! been thinking of buying a second one too… looking forward to your next giveaway….
You even make a “bench” post interesting! It looks great there! I’d love to sit there and relax with some sweet tea!
Enjoy your wrapping!
The new bench looks wonderful, well worth the effort. :0)
Absolutely wonderful and one day I hope to sit on it with you! Today it’s 19 degrees in North Carolina US and it’s just unheard of around here. My furnaces (we have 2 one for upstairs, one for down) have been running for three days straight!
I’ve made the rolls Sarah, for work morning tea – a huge hit, and I am a slapdash, enthusiast in the kitchen but by no means a ‘baker’ and they were great if not quite as picturesque…just use maple syrup (or fake maple syrup – I think it’s what she meant anyway). And my tip is to buy some of those small aluminium BBQ trays from the supermarket and bake them in those, then you can freeze some for random drop ins because that recipe makes an enormous amount!
Ooh….love your new bench!
We are covered with a foot of snow here……I can’t wait until spring so that I too can get out there and do some yard projects!!!
Now that we got the piles of snow I’ve been wishing for.. I’ve been dreaming about summer and garden! LOL.. so glad you give me a dose of that on these blustery day!
Your white bench looks so pretty in it’s new location. It is a good thing you are more persistent than the concrete that was holding the old bench down! Enjoy it much.
Love the new bench! It looks terrific and that would be a perfect place to open Christmas presents.
The spiky looking plants DO look just like yucca plants. DO they get tall, white blooms? Like a dozen or more flowers to a cluster?
The new bench looks great, love the white hydrangas!
This is such a lovely post. I wish I were sitting in that bench right now! Beautiful!
I betcha P Dub would send you the flavouring for those cinnamon rolls! I saw it on the shelf next to the vanilla flavouring just this morning at the grocer. But when lacking a dab of maple syrup might be a good substitute.
Love the bench – so worth the family’s effort! Bravo!
Great new bench and what fun to sit on it and open presents this year – great idea!
The bench is lovely !!! A really good size also, some are so tiny there is no way you could sit comfortably on them. Bask in your sunshine dear you deserve it !
Hey Sarah – maple flavouring in Australia
http://bakingpleasures.com.au/p466/lorann-maple-oil-flavour
hth Mary
I think concreting things into gardens is a very Australian thing from years past. I seem to remember most ornamental things getting the concrete treatment. Maybe the hubbies did it cos then there was no way they’d ever have to move it again!
I would just use pure maple syrup in the rolls. I’ve often thought about making them but was a little intimidated! I have an idea- why don’t you make them first (before Christmas) and then report back to us!
Donna from Brissie
That looks so good! Lol, I painted my fences that same blue colour too (they were all different shades of green and brown). It’s a lovely spot for opening presents, I hope it’s a nice morning for it.
If you want something with cinnamon and easy and quick I’ll let everyone in on a secret I learnt from a good friend of mine. Get some puff pastry sheets. Let them soften up up a bit. Sprinkle lots of some kind granulated sugar, the finer and sweeter the better(except for icinng sugar not that) or some of that yummy vanilla sugar of yours would work a treat too, for a BC twist. Sprinkle as much Cinnamon as you like. Roll the pastry up into a roll and slice the roll as thickly or as finely as you like. Bake until it’s all a nice deep golden colour in a 180 degrees preheated oven. Let them cool and tada!!! Bobs your uncle and they will be delicious to eat. Yum, I always whip these babies up when unexpected guests turn up at the house.
Adore your new bench…looks perfect!! Happy present opening in this lovely spot!!
Oh Sarah your bench looks so pretty:) I have just snagged a similar looking one on ebay which I will pick up Monday and then of course it needs to receive the obligatory coat of white paint. I adore the white hydrangeas as well hmmm not sure how they grow in qld but I’m going to check it out. Your blog is my # 1 fav – thank you.
Love your BC garden Sarah
xx
These decorations are just beautiful. I love white and silver together. It makes a beautiful setting. I would love to be able to decorate like this. My Christmas plans are to stay home with family, but I really wish I could go to Texas to be with my son.
Thanks, you’ve given me inspiration to reuse the benches I was planning on tossing/eBaying when we move to the central west.
And Alice thanks for the cinnamon pastry recipe, will go down a treat with my coffee this morning.
The first comment from Alison got me laughing: “Gosh, who concretes a bench into the garden? .”
Part of the reason we don’t have garden furniture is that we live at the southern tip of what is known as “tornado alley” in this part of the country (I’m in northern Texas), and if someone isn’t really secured, it could easily get blown away, so the idea of setting a bench in concrete around here would have its merits.
Having said that – I love your new bench, Sarah. We bought our home two years ago – it was new construction, and our backyard is just grass… we have yet to tackle doing anything out there, but it would be nice to have something pretty out there.