From a Field of Corn

From a field of corn, came a vision.

Hold that thought.

First, let me welcome you back to The Timbrook Guesthouse blog. I want to thank you for taking the time to read my little stories about life here in Columbus, Ohio as a bed and breakfast owner. I am enjoying recapping and telling you about our dreams, team and happenings that make our inn truly a special place for us and our family as well as to all the people that are able to spend a night or two as our guests.
So, as I was saying…

Have you ever been down a certain road a zillion times and then look out your car window one day and say to yourself, “Where did that come from?” or “I have never noticed that before!”? Well, a couple of years ago, I had one such moment. I was driving down a road that I swear my car knew by heart and could literally drive itself if I let it, when I looked out into a field of corn, and an idea just popped into my head! I love when that happens.

Peter and I had been doing some brainstorming around that time as to what to make an outside aviary out of for our five full-flighted parrots. And then suddenly, I looked out in that field of corn that had a small patch of woods in it, complete with overgrown honeysuckle and brush. And there they were, two bent, rusted, falling down corn cribs that until I took a closer look, didn’t know were jam packed with poison ivy. But, how great they would be to reconstruct and turn into our very own outside flight cages.

I immediately turned around and went up to the farmhouse that I thought for sure owned this field and an elderly farmer answered the door. I asked him if I could get my husband to remove these dilapidated corn cribs and haul them down to Columbus, could I have them. I believe his answer was, “Knock yourself out!” I immediately called Peter and told him about my grand idea!

And grand it was. It was not difficult at all convincing Peter that this was a great idea. After all, he loves found material and re-purposing it so this definitely fit that bill. And Peter loves to work with metal and up until this project came along, most have his projects here at The Timbrook had been with stone. So, he immediately started making plans to dismantle and trailer home two very old corn cribs from a field of corn!

It took two months to dismantle the corn cribs. And we kept Calamine Lotion in business all summer long. One husband, two sons, and son’s friends, worked long and hard to get every piece of scrap metal left in that field. They finally succeeded with the help of a brand new generator that was bought so they could run power tools needed to complete the job.

I have to admit, my role was way easier than Peter’s!!! My role ended after that knock on the farmer’s door! And Peter’s role lasted for two more years. It took Peter’s fantastic mind for details and design and a lot of time and energy with the pieces of the corn cribs stored in our garden area to truly make our Boy’s outside flight cage a masterpiece! With additional supplies that we stumbled on along the way, it is almost 100% from free re-purposed material! A true work of art.

Now not only do I know that my husband is amazing, but Opu, O’O, Okole, Ono and Charlie do as well. They are very spoiled birds who just love the warm weather days to romp, play, swing, chase and fly in the best outside aviary in Central Ohio.

Come see for yourself all their aviary antics, guaranteed to make you smile!!!

Chow for now!
Jill Dole, The Timbrook Guesthouse Innkeeper

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