We don’t often get to the ReStore in Sarnia often. Sarnia is a 40 minute drive from the house, and the Re-Store closes at 5 during the week, making it near impossible with my job. I avoid any large city like the plague on the weekends because I don’t like dealing with the crowds (I don’t even like Strathroy on the weekend, and it’s population is only 20,000).

So when we found ourselves in Sarnia on weekday for a health appointment, Dave insisted we stop. I didn’t want to, but recalled that I almost always find cool stuff when I don’t want to go.

And this time was no different.

Yes. It’s a cauldron. And it’s cast iron! It’s not super huge… maybe 20″ across. It wasn’t in great shape – the inside was quite rusted.

But it was only $20. And if you’re looking for these types of things, you know even the small ones go for hundreds of dollars. And I knew Dave could clean it up enough to use it in the garden. It had four holes in the bottom already, so that’s probably what the last owner was using it for.

When we got home, Dave put a wire brush on his drill and got to work. Once the rust was cleaned out, coated the inside with liquid rubber and gave the whole thing a good thick coat of paint.

After that it was up to me.

On our last trip to Rona, I got some fire pit bricks. Then I cleared a little corner just outside Edible Alley. I pulled up the celosia I had planted in the catio, and the calibrochoa from the white boxes out front and…

My little cauldron is brewing up something wonderful!!!

Isn’t it so cute?

Next spring, I’ll figure out some perennials that give the same effect, but for now I’ll just enjoy my little witches brew as is.