A Roadside Freebie, My Rescued Column

A blog I visited this evening,  Minerva's Garden  inspired me to remember my favorite drive by trash pick up item.  

It was probably twenty or twenty five years ago and Bill and I were out driving when I spotted the column you see in the picture above, just lying on it's side next to someone's trash can.  Not only the column, but a big square base that it sat upon.  It was peeling paint badly and Bill was incredulous that I wanted it. 

I convinced my husband this solid cement column was important for me to own to continue to live happily.  The home owner was approached and she was happy for us to take it, but not to help us load it.  I felt sorry for Bill as we struggled to get it into the trunk of the car.  It was half hanging out and the tires looked dangerously low.   The square solid cement base was equally, if not more heavy than the column.   He always blamed his hernia on this column.

It happily lived next to our front door for all these years, occasionally getting spruced up with white paint, but never too spruced. I found a pot that fit the top perfectly and over the years it dripped impatiens in different colors.  Some years pansies and other years it held huge ferns.  

Sadly it did not make the move to Florida last summer, but I took a picture of it on moving day for a remembrance.  My all time favorite roadside pick up freebie. 

Comments

Jeannie: This column and the way your have it decorated with the fern are just gorgeous, and someone was just going to throw it away?? So glad you were there at the right time and place to take it and love it! Maybe you'll find another column now in Florida! Thank you so much for the mention in your post as well, I very much appreciate it!
Kathy said…
Wow, that was a great find! I have a thing for columns these days. LOL That looks great. I am your newest follower from Curb Alert. :)
How cool! Also, your story totally sounds like me and my husband. Fun to know there are other junk lovers out there, with husband who think we're crazy :)

--Katie
Jill said…
Treasures can pop up just about anywhere - too bad you had to leave it behind.... but, there's always new finds to fill its place...
What a great story! I picked a quilt out of a garbage can years ago.. we did a drive by during the saw it and then went back under the cover of darkness to grab it. The house was vacant no one to ask.
Still one of my favorite quilts. A lot easier to move than a column!!

chris
Paulette said…
What a fun story, and a great memory. Loved it! Hope the new owners appreciate that column.
Diann said…
Definitely a fun and thrifty find! Thanks for sharing at TTF last week. I hope you are having a wonderful day!
awesome find! it spruces up any space and gives it an elegant appeal :) the ferns look right at home on top of it :)
That is a very cool column! I guess maybe I should try to get over my fear of grabbing things from the curbside!

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