Harvest Table – Part Two

The rest of the story….haha, did that sound like Paul Harvey?  (I am sure you younger readers have no clue who that is! – dang and since I do, I guess that puts me in the Old category!)

Part two of the Harvest Table has been hard for me to write.  The story is very special to me and the table turned out even more beautiful than either Dad or I imagined it would.  But it means the special project for Dad and I is done, it means the time spent together building the harvest table is over.  However, knowing that building this table will always hold a special place in my heart and the memories of the time spent with Dad makes it all worth it.  And knowing that Dad and I have built the foundation for years of family time spent together for generations to come, makes the closure of this story a little easier.

When Mike and I came home in July, after Dad and I built the harvest table top, we had planned on making another quick trip up to the lake house to work on the table again.  Ends up, our schedules didn’t work out and we had to put phase two on hold.  However, Dad and Cheryle still made the trip and their neighbors (Don and Shir) joined them.   (FYI- this is a strong 7 hour trip from our house to the lake! – One must plan these things!)  There was lots of work to be done on the harvest table, stuff I didn’t want to do, like sanding that sucker!

Cheryle sent me a picture while I was at work of their progress.

I have to admit, when I first saw this picture, it brought a tear to my eye.  All I could see was Dad and Don building “Dad and I’s” table!  Then I studied the picture and realized that Don was only watching Dad work and noticed that it had been all sanded down, someone did a LOT of work and I can appreciate that!!  (Thank you Cheryle and Shir)

Day two – I get this photo –

This time I cried!  Dad and Don are building the table.  I kept telling myself, stop it, you are being ridiculous!  Even though I had no idea how to do what they are doing, I must have had some big vision in my head of Dad and I doing it together.  After I composed myself, Cheryle and I came to the conclusion that the table had lots of work left to be done (that Dad and I would do together) and that I was just having a menopause moment!  Don, I know that you and Shir read my blog and I want to thank both of you for all your help with this table and for being great friends to my parents after all these years!
(love, Judy Joanne)

This is where I should start a new post and make you hang on for more, but I am too excited to share the harvest table with you……….so again, in my best Paul Harvey voice, The rest of the Story!

My Aunt Myrna and I packed up the car and headed North for a long weekend at the lake.  Hopefully a relaxing weekend for Aunt Myrna and for me, to finish the harvest table with Dad.
First thing on Friday morning Dad and I headed to the garage to attach the table legs and skirt to the table top, getting it all ready for the final step, stain and vanish.

Cheryle, Aunt Myrna and I spent the next three days staining and varnishing the table.  I can’t tell you how many times all of us said, “beautiful”, “I can’t believe how beautiful it is”, “I never thought it would turn out this beautiful”.  I guess we didn’t trust ourselves and now I think the Amish community needs to be scared…………there is some competition in town!!!  These Two ↓

Hard to believe it turned out so beautiful when look back at what we started with (check it out here)!  Even more beautiful than the table itself, are the memories I will forever hold in my heart of the precious time I spent with my Dad while building the table.

The four of us hauled the harvest table from the garage to the Lake house (not a small task!!) and enjoyed the “first meal” where I am sure there will be many more for generations to come! 

Yes – we covered the table – the stain was hardly dry!  We were so excited to get it inside we didn’t care!!  Take a look at how well it fits into the new dining room!

I wish I could invite all of you to the lake house to see just how beautiful this table turned out.  A little bird told me that even Dad, the man that never brags, made a point to tell the carpenters who are working on the lake house remodel, how proud he was of the table “he and his daughter” built.  FYI – I’m pretty proud too Dad!

Cheryle, Aunt Myrna and I even took the time to pick some flowers and do a little photo shoot!  These pictured don’t do the table justice…….it is even more beautiful in person!