Is camping out in your own backyard still camping? I hope so. Crossing that one off my "things to do this summer with the kids" list was really important to me. To make it more magical, I really wanted our tents to be encircled with lights strung onto high posts. It sounded great in my head until I had to actually dig eight 2ft deep holes for the posts. Did I mention that while gathering supplies for this project it had also started to rain? Not a light refreshing shower but sideways. I also decided that digging holes in my yard seemed quite permanent and just something else annoying to try to mow around. Since my greatest non-employable talent is making something out of nothing, I needed a plan B.
Buckets and a shovel.
I had an equally creative and equally soggy friend steady a post in a five gallon bucket while I shoveled in mud from the back of the garden. When the bucket was half full, I compacted the soil and then continued to fill to the top. The post didn't wiggle and would surely support a string of lights high above our tents. Success.
Now, is it the prettiest thing I have ever seen? No, not by day...
but by night...
it is magical. Just the touch I wanted to add to our backyard camping night. And the best part is it was free, using only what I had at home. It is a cinch to mow around, just drag the bucket a couple inches, mow and put it back. It could be as elaborate or simple as you'd like. The tents have come down but the lights stay up, always ready for a impromptu bonfire... a little wine... a little music... good times...
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