I am back to work following a six week shutdown. This means major undertakings in the garden need to either break down into 2-3 hour segments after work or wait for the weekend.
Leading into this weekend, the shipment of materials for our fence arrived.
I have wanted a unique fence design for our little wabi-sabi cottage since we picked up the extra property. The goal is to fence in the back two-thirds of our side lot, the bulk of our vegetable garden. Since the fence will come up to the front edge of our (and our neighbors’) house, city ordinances say it should be no taller than a four foot fence.
The fence ‘suggestions’ aren’t exactly enforced in our neighborhood, but I don’t want to build an obscured fortress. I want to discourage roaming dogs and potential miscreants.
Last year, I finished our side of the property-line privacy fence in the back half of the lot, resulting in the blueprint for the enclosing fence. (The back fence can be seen in the photo above.)
The plan is to build out my own panels: 2×2 frames held between 4×4 posts, capped with a 2×4 rail. Following that, I’ll inset architectural lattice panels and trim it out from the inside. All cedar, including an arbor with a walk-through gate.
It’s the little touches, right? I mean really, what’s the point of accumulating a lifetime worth of arts and crafts skill-sets if I’m not going to fill my life and home with details to make it just-ours?
So, I dragged out the hand-me-down router table from my sister. For the first time. It isn’t complicated, but is no longer just a 2×4 rail.
Overall, I’m pretty excited about framing out our wabi-sabi life…
our cattywampus cottage 
The router on those top rails is what separates an “ok job” from a stunning one. Those kinds of touches make it look like it was done by a professional. 👍