New tool chest!

Today's volunteer workday was warm and sunny - not too hot. at 9.30am Matt and I were at the lumber store buying everything needed to replace the tool shed with a new, stronger, wooden tool chest.

We got to the garden at 11am with all the lumber cut and hinges, handles, hasps and so on ready to go. Matt set to work trimming some wood while Nate turned the compost heap.

I set up the watering hoses for a good soak - the garden has clearly benefited from the recent watering and rain and some plants have sprouted up quickly! Other plants still need a soaking to make it through. John helped me water, while Emily weeded and cleared trash.

I cut back the Leonotis leonurus in the brights bed to 1/3 of it's previous size. It was gangly and sad looking, though showing new growth after watering.  Should bounce right back. I used the branches cut off as mulch at the base (instead of adding the the mountainous compost heap) and soaked the plant thoroughly.

After the workday ended, Matt and I forged on, trying to complete the building task. We took a break for lunch at 2pm and finally got the chest completed at 4pm. We put away the hoses and wheeled down to Fregosi for storage,and put all the tools in the new chest with a sense of satisfaction.

The lid needs the be a little bigger - we'll get another sheet of plywood, and varnish it, hopefully tomorrow. But it's a very solid trunk with a good sloping lid to repel water and people who want to sleep in top of it - I hope it lasts for years to come!