Here, he illustrates 25 step-by-step weekend projects. He enthusiastically propagates the idea of growing your own vegetables and greening your lawn by judicious use of your own urine, diluted. He deals with all the usual such as soil types and remedies, plus compost from a hands-on, get-stuck-in approach.
The grown man with energy to spend builds box frames and tomato towers, a polytunnel and slug frame ... and has the workshop (circular saw, plane, sander, jigsaw, drop saw, electric drill, spirit level etc). He builds fences and raised beds, screens unsightly swimming pools and lays pavers. The handyman builds a water feature and stands in it. His enthusiasm is catching.
Who needs to go bungy-jumping when there is a whole world of adventure out the back door? Including stretching the hammock and falling asleep in the boat seat, presumably from exhaustion.
This is an attractively produced book that can be held in one hand and flicked through for an answer to the question of what to do this spring weekend without leaving home.
- Peter Goodwin is a Dunedin journalist.
