Friday, June 24, 2011

Yoshizu

The weather's been fine the last couple days, but it's surfer weather--windy, with high waves breaking close to shore. I ended up buying the kayak (I can't believe the owner let it go for so little, but I'm very grateful), and I'm itching to get out and spend as many hours as I can getting used to it.

So I took out my frustrations by going to the local guy who handles bamboo and other garden materials: stones, wooden gates, huge rocks, etc. For some reason we hit it off right away, and I got lots of info on which bamboo to buy (winter bamboo, not spring or summer bamboo), and which fertilizer product is big among the gardeners, and why he uses eucalyptus in his office wood stove, and why his yoshizu (bamboo screens) will last for four or five years while the ones you get at the DIY centers only last one or two.

I ended up buying more than enough stuff to build a frame over the deck (wood and bamboo) to support a yoshizu (a bamboo screen) roof. Got a ride home in the truck carrying the load, and was serenaded the whole way (10 minutes) by the driver, who--when he found out I was from Tennessee--insisted on singing two verses of "The Tennessee Waltz", in a very nice voice, I might add.

Wasn't particularly planning on getting into it right away, but the waves were still full of surfers and it was only 4:30pm, so I started putting up the posts to see how difficult it was going to be. It wasn't, and I ended up finishing the frame and most of the roof. I started out using screws and wire and wasn't at all satisfied with how it held up and how it looked. Started using hemp rope instead, and it was awesomely easy--everything held, everything looked good, everything felt right. So tomorrow I'll redo the screws and wire part and start with the rest.

I realized I could build walls of bamboo screen as well, ones that can be lowered and raised, and M can have an airy room overlooking the sea that will let the breezes in while blocking most of the light. Can't wait to get cracking at the rest of it. One more visit to get more hemp rope and some more yoshizu.
 

1 comment:

Maki said...

I am so much looking forward to giving massage on this deck in the nice, airy shade! Who wants first one??