Country Paradise: Bringing the outdoors in

So remember when I showed you something worthy of a horror movie?

Well, I've managed to finish the project.

Of course, I have to give a little background.  A few months ago, we had an enormous tree cut down and as  a special gift, the tree men left the big trunk cut up into pieces.  How lucky was I?  Didn't they just charge you less since they didn't haul it off?  Yes, Mr. buzzkill.  I prefer to think of it as a present for the mind because it takes mental fortitude to come up with ways to actually use these enormous hulks of wood.

See ginormous wood in upper left corner.
And yes, I took this photo through a window 2 minutes ago.

One of them seemed almost level, so it dawned on me. People in the country hunt animals.  Hunters like wood in their homes.  So I could bring it inside! (since we're trying to bring the country to Roeland Park)  Of course, my favorite example of country lodge decor is my aunt and uncle's home in Birmingham, Alabama.  They live in Homewood, which is one of the swankiest areas of the city, hardly the country.  But Uncle Charlie is a hunter and has plenty of wood furniture and animal heads in his house.  Perhaps it inspired his son Aaron to become an awesome carpenter and start his own business, Lane Woodworking.  His custom work is really gorgeous.  But now I can say that woodworking runs in the family because my little project is just as cool.*

So Ryan leveled off the stump and we set to work.

After 2 cans of primer, the stump appeared ready for the good stuff.

I decided the world had had enough to white, so I went a muted turquoise.  Katie actually picked it out.

I love how the cut end soaked up the paint in such an interesting pattern.  It has many coats of paint and yet isn't uniform at all.  Since uniformity is for the birds, I adore the way this looks.

Speaking of the birds (and their poop), I have to figure out how to get it inside. The bugger is heavy. Not holding-a-30-lb-toddler-for-2-hours heavy.  But break your back heavy-as-lead.

So for now, it shall remain outside while I guard it with my pellet gun.  It'll give me plenty of time to ponder what to do with the dozen remaining wood chunks.  

*This statement in no way reflects reality.  I am but a bug, not a master carpenter.

I linked up to Saved By Suzy, Miss Mustard Seed, Domestically Speaking, and The Shabby Nest.