Shed of the year 2024, Sponsored by 
it seems to tell a story, past and present
When I cast my eyes onto our present home, little did I know that I had found my favourite place, which turned out to be the rundown shed at the end of the garden situated within an overgrown area of ivy and nettles. It felt as if, a long time ago, I had been close to it. Anyway, I love it, for it is the place where I can recharge my batteries and feel completely free. The shed has been built of wood, maybe anytime from the 30th to the 50th, to be either a coach house or garage, and other than for it's original purpose of housing a carriage or car, it seems to have seen many items stored in and around it. So far it has been left untouched other than clearing the path of nettles and ivy to make it more accessible and recovering the roof to prevent rain from filtering through. It serves as my shed for garden tools, pots, other paraphernalia and all the odd items which are in between transit. Above all it gives home to all sorts of creatures and wildlife, like mice feeding on the spilled grass seeds, and around the shed there are frogs hiding under rocks and debris, butterflies flying around the buddleia and hovering over the nettles, as well as to so many birds. I also have had the occasional siting of a fox, even a whole family. I love it around there, whilst most of the time I only have time to marvel at it, but when in need of recharging my batteries I go out there to just potter around, more to just be than to get order like in all the other parts of the garden or the house. On a beautiful warm day, when the grass has not been cut for a while and it is littered with daisies and buttercups, nothing is more invigorating than lying in it, looking at the sky and taking in the smell and sound of nature. It is a world far removed from the constant strive for perfection and efficiency. Next to the shed there is an old cherry tree with a swing suspended, yes, it is heaven swinging on it or just dangling around. Lately I have done some tidying up around the shed, mainly so that the ivy stops growing into the shed, yes, even this one does like it in there, and I have used poplar logs to create a planting scheme, it also encourages for mushroom to grow which looks very attractive. The shed, just looking to it from all sides, does evoke a sense of mystery, what and who has been there before, even the path leading to it seems to have a meaning, but .....that is another story altogether. PS: It was not my intention at all to enter this shed into the competition, but after entering "My Mombasa inspired Pondhouse", which can be seen in the Cabin/Summerhouses category, it evolved from there.
15th June 2011 Yesterday evening I came across a poem which in so many ways reflects exactly what the world of my "Mysterious Shed" is about:
"Marigolds and butterflies and birds with tinted wings, are found in Nature's treasure box of many- splendoured things. Snowdrops fairylike and frail which nod on slender stems, cartwheels of the spider webs with frost-encrusted gems. Red poppies 'midst the golden corn the pansy's velvet face, the starry curtain of the sky hung out in time and space. Nature works with unseen hand with artistry and skill, upon this living tapestry her purpose to fulfil." by Kathleen Gillum
