Mirror. . . mirror on the wall. . .

Our neighbor Joe did a small cap for the fireplace. The only thing that had ever been up on the mantle was the top board with the wavy edge. the rest was always just the bricks. Now, don't get me wrong, I think fireplaces are ok, but I personally don't use it for wood fires. Plus this fireplace was also gas, which still wastes the heat up and out. To much polution and heat goes up and out the chimmey. I had my plummer, Gary, come in and cap the gas line. We took out the old grate and faux logs. Joe took the grate for his patio fire pit and we used the logs to "critter" proof the bottoms of the wood fence.

Talking "green" here, the wood that Joe used was from the root cellar in this house. Old growth Douglas fir shelves had been down there since my parents bought this place. More than likely the old shelving was cut during the late 30's right before WW2. Victory gardens would have begun to spring up and the storage of "root" crops and canned items would have been stored down there. With the explosion population that began in California, and the urban sprawl up to now, the root cellar isn't used anymore, due to flooding, so hubby dismantled the shelves. Joe took the rest of the shelves, but used a couple for the cap. I also decided to have him put the "rough" side facing out for everyone to see.


And Joe being Joe, did the bit of trim on the bottom of the cap. Plus, here you can see a bit of the new fireplace screen I bought. A bit gothic, but when seen with the entire room, it's perfect. I still have to stain this piece to a redbrown. I am slowly darkening some of the wood pieces of furniture that was just coated with varnish way back aobut 25 years. Along with the wonderful glass front bookcase opposite the fireplace, the warmth of the darker wood against the flat white of the walls makes everything just "pop".


Here, Joe was using screws to anchor the top onto the cap. Hubby would love to be able to do things like this, but with his hands that shake, somethings he used to do, are becoming memories. Joe also helps Dave, with things like building new gates. Dave will do most of the work, Joe just kind of supervises, and cuts the wood on his table saws. Hubby loves the help and the "male bonding" thing with Joe. Joe, himself does woodworking. He has built his own kakak, dressers, his island and other various things. He owns his own pool business, and works for FedX not only for the extra income, but for medical and dental.