The busy season

There is a distinct feeling in the air around the town at the moment. The days are getting shorter as we race towards winter solstice. The sun no longer streams through the workshop roller door as it sits lower in the sky to the North. The smell of open fires is heavy in the evening air and the smoke can be seen quietly rising from chimneys up and down Piper Street. Every one seems to be moving with a bit more pace and deliberation, preparing for the winter ahead. Sort of like squirrels running around preparing for hibernation.

And similarly the pace has not slowed for our household. We are now in our own space and rental properties are again a thing of the past. But the special part about own new home is that it also has our new business attached to the front.

And here it is. What was until recently a lovely little restaurant, will be the future shop front for our business, Rundell & Rundell. I loved the way this late night shot of the shop looked like an old sepia photo, not withstanding my ute in front!

I actually met a fella today who told me the building was once a meeting place for the local town militia / regiment, who used to gather on the front verandah. I'm looking forward to finding out more about that in the future. The interior, although full of tables and chairs from the restaurant at the moment, is thankfully just the right blend of blank canvas and period building that we were looking for. It also has three open fireplaces in the shop, great for all those chair offcuts and rivings! 

In fact the last few nights we have enjoyed dinner around the table, right here with the open fire roaring in the background. Magic. One of those nights we shared the table and a few local ciders with friends Erin and Tim who were in town to start their chair making odyssey.  

Both chose vastly different but equally special blanks for their seats. Tim, a piece of my air dried Elm, from a tree I milled which once grew in South Yarra's Fawkner Park. Erin a piece off the end of a single board of birds eye Macrocarpa I just bought from a local saw miller a few days earlier. Both will make truly eye catching stools. 

The guys only had a limited time in the workshop and so will come back to assemble and add the finishing touches to their perches. I'll be sure to post some pics of the finished pieces as they will have another pretty special component to them which should set them apart from the crowd. Fitting material indeed, as it was a pleasure to have them both here for the weekend. Cheers guys.