i have really enjoyed following along with the gang from sons of sawdust on all of their fun adventures...if you haven't already, check out their instagram feed, as they chronicle these adventures in salvaging materials and repurposing them into tables and furniture...they are doing a great job of storytelling through words & pictures!
recently, i followed them for the day as they took apart an old schoolhouse outside of bishop, georgia. the owner of the building wanted to remove the building, but rather than just trashing it, he called in the guys to salvage what they could. there was lots of dust (and wasps!), but it was fun to watch them take apart the building, board by board. there was a beautiful patina to some of the wood, almost like milk paint, and a few remnants of the former owners remained like where they had scratched out a math problem on the wall or practiced their handwriting.
at the end of the day, the sons of sawdust guys hauled the wood back to their shop and will eventually turn it into furniture or they even had one request to turn the wood into flooring.
one of the highlights of the day was when a carriage pulled by two huge clydesdales pulled up and i was offered a ride around the neighboring fields...of course, i said yes!
it was a gorgeous day to be in the country!
words and photographs by rinne allen