I went a different route with setup this time. Since I have so many different sorts of things, I just had a few of each type out, spread around a bit. Then with the cups and bowls, I sorted by color. I think next time I’ll put out a variety of sizes rather than several of the same size.

I had a weird but good spot with a lot of traffic. The downside was that people would sometimes walk behind the shelves or table or try to sit down in my space to eat. That was uncool. I hope to have the same spot next year, and would add some shelving to be more aggressive about claiming my space.

Behind the tall shelves on Saturday. Note the snazzy crate storage (and bargain shelf at the bottom; I was glad to sell some old pieces). This shelf took about 45 minutes to ratchet together solo - not bad! Unfortunately, the manufacturer is making them a bit more flimsy now; I can’t buy more, but may find more, used.

This is the table I designed and fabricated. The only power tool involved was a drill. Staining was a pain - stay away from the gel stuff. Dowels are a dream; the whole thing would have been easier with a bit of a workbench. Fortunately my drilling skills held up; I messed up only 1 of 40 holes. It assembles in less than 5 minutes, with no tools. My preferred material for this would be plywood, because it’s dimensionally stable and has a pretty edge; however, I don’t have the facilities to work with large sheet goods.

As you can see, I had some really lovely sun and dappled shade. By noon I was almost entirely in the shade, with only a little sun coming through here and there. Perfect for the warm weather; I stayed nice and cool.

I may remake the table next year with clear polyeurethane instead of the stain. It would be nice to have more continuity in my furnitures, but I don’t much care for tablecloths, nor is my car very large. In fact, this stuff filled it to the brim! The perfect winter project…