There’s something about a weekend at the ranch that always turns into more than we planned.
We may go in thinking we’re tackling one project, but somehow the day becomes a mix of repairs, food, golf, planting, visitors, and a few unexpected ideas along the way.
This past weekend was exactly that.
Jason had a big job ahead of him with the old shed roof. It has always been a bit of an eyesore, and honestly, there is nothing sentimental about it. It was built by the previous owners, and while it’s useful, it has never exactly been the charming little ranch shed of my dreams.
But it does serve a purpose.
Actually, it serves many purposes.
It stores tools, shovels, rakes, leftover paint, forgotten flower pots, old decor I never really liked in the first place, extra chairs, tables, golf clubs, and of course, the very important beer fridge and Trader Joe’s wine.
So yes, the shed had to stay.
It just needed some serious help.
Fixing the Shed Roof
Jason removed the old tin from the roof, along with the rotten plywood underneath. Then he applied new plywood and covered it with ice and water shield, which I believe is called Armor Guard.
It was a lot of heavy, awkward work. He was lifting materials up and down the ladder on his own, which looked exhausting just watching it.
And yes, while he was doing that, I was golfing with our neighbours.
I felt a wee bit guilty, but Jason actually prefers working this way. At least that’s what he tells me. Apparently, I am more helpful when I’m not in the way.
Fair enough.
The shed still needs more work. The bottom third of most of the walls will need to be replaced because they were too close to the ground and exposed to moisture. A few holes have already appeared, so this is no longer just a cosmetic project.
Jason also brought down cedar siding for the right side of the shed, which is the side you see when you approach it. He won’t bother siding the other three sides because they’re not as visible, and honestly, that makes sense.
Sometimes with outdoor projects, you have to decide where your time, energy, and money will make the biggest difference.
The cedar will stay natural for now, and I think it will look beautiful against the patio once it’s painted black or charcoal. I’m still carefully deciding on that colour because with all the trees and the lack of light when the sun isn’t out, dark colours can go wrong pretty quickly.
It’s one of those design choices I don’t want to rush.
We’ll treat the cedar next year, so for now it’s another step in the right direction.
Outdoor Project Basics I’d Keep Handy
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When you’re working on an older shed, cabin, trailer space, or backyard project, the pretty part usually comes later. First, you need the basics that make the work easier, safer, and a little less frustrating.
These are the types of items I’d keep handy for outdoor projects like this:
- Heavy-duty work gloves — helpful for handling plywood, siding, old tin, branches, and rough materials.
- Outdoor extension cord — useful when working away from the main power source.
- Utility knife — good for cutting wrap, packaging, landscape fabric, and project materials.
- Measuring tape — always needed for siding, plywood, shelving, patio projects, and storage fixes.
- Safety glasses — important for cutting, sanding, trimming, and roof or shed work.
- Outdoor storage bins — great for organizing old decor, garden supplies, gloves, small tools, and seasonal items.
- Shop towels or heavy-duty rags — handy for paint, stain, spills, tools, and cleanups.
You can shop my outdoor project and ranch-style essentials in my Amazon storefront here:
[Tiny Retreat Outdoor Favourites ]
I like keeping these types of items grouped together because when a project day starts, the last thing anyone wants is to waste half the morning looking for gloves, tape, screws, or a decent knife.
The Future Fire Pit and Social Space
This whole area is slowly becoming more of a social space, which makes me excited.
The fire pit will be the main focus, but there’s also a pad for the BBQ and grilling area, plus the bar Jason is going to build.
He has some aged 2×12 boards and a couple of pallets, and the plan is to turn them into a custom bar.
That’s the part I love.
Not everything has to be brand new. Sometimes the best spaces come from using what you already have and making it feel intentional.
Eventually, this area will be a place for people to gather, visit, cook, sit by the fire, have a drink, and enjoy the ranch atmosphere. That’s really the whole point of this tiny retreat project.
We want it to feel welcoming.
Not perfect. Not overly done. Just comfortable, rustic, and inviting.
Fire Pit & Outdoor Gathering Pieces I’d Use
- Outdoor string lights — an easy way to make a fire pit, BBQ area, or patio feel cozy once the sun starts going down.
- Solar pathway lights — helpful around the shed, trailer, fire pit, or walkway areas so everything feels a little more finished and easier to navigate.
- Outdoor side tables — perfect for drinks, snacks, phones, small plates, or whatever ends up in your hand when you’re sitting outside.
- Adirondack-style chairs — comfortable around a fire pit and always a good fit for a rustic outdoor space.
- Outdoor throw pillows — a simple way to add softness and style without making the area feel too fussy.
- Fire pit accessories — useful for keeping the area functional, safer, and easier to manage.
- Outdoor blanket basket — great for cooler evenings when everyone still wants to sit outside a little longer.
This is also where my Amazon outdoor storefront comes in handy. I’ve started saving shoppable outdoor pieces that fit this kind of relaxed ranch style — practical, pretty, and not too precious.
Shop my outdoor living finds here:
[Outdoor Living Finds]
As the seasons change, I’ll keep updating it with pieces that make sense for real outdoor living — not just staged patio photos.
Golf, Nerves & A Nice Compliment
While Jason was working away on the shed, I golfed with Darren and Anthony.
I golf regularly with Darren at the ranch, but I didn’t expect Anthony to join us. He’s a good golfer, so naturally that made me a little nervous.
There’s nothing like golfing with someone better than you to suddenly make you very aware of your swing.
But it ended up being a beautiful day, and by the end of 18 holes, Anthony told me he was pretty impressed with my game.
I’ll take that.
It was one of those little confidence boosts that makes all the practice feel worthwhile.
So while Jason made progress on the shed, I suppose I made progress on the golf course.
Different kind of work, but still progress.
A Late Breakfast and a Surprise Plant Delivery
After golf, I made a late breakfast of scrambled eggs, bacon, and sausage for the three of us. I invited Darren too, since we had all been out golfing and everyone was hungry.
Jason had left early that morning to pick up a few things from Home Depot, and he surprised me by bringing back plants.
He bought petunias and a pretty little blue plant that I don’t know the name of yet.
He is no flower expert, but I have to say, he did a really good job.
The plants looked great, which meant I suddenly had a little project of my own.
After cleaning up the dishes, making pasta salad, and preparing burger patties for dinner, I got busy figuring out where to plant everything.
And honestly, I’m so happy with how it turned out.
There’s still lots more to do, but that’s exactly how this tiny retreat project seems to work. One little improvement leads to another. One plant softens an area. One repaired roof makes the shed feel less neglected. One design idea shifts into something better.
Little by little, it’s coming together.
Simple Garden Refresh Items I Like to Keep Handy
I didn’t plan on planting that day, but when Jason came back with petunias and that pretty little blue plant, I had to figure out where they should go.
That’s usually how my best garden updates happen — not from some perfectly planned landscape design, but from a few plants, a little trial and error, and standing back about ten times to decide if something looks right.
- Garden gloves — helpful for planting, pulling weeds, moving soil, and dealing with rougher areas around the ranch.
- Small garden trowel — useful for planting flowers, herbs, small perennials, and those surprise plants that come home unexpectedly.
- Garden kneeling pad — a back and knee saver, especially when one plant suddenly turns into an afternoon of planting.
- Watering can — practical for fresh plantings, container gardens, and areas that need a little extra attention.
- Planters or pots — great for adding flowers around patios, sheds, stairs, seating areas, and bare corners that need softening.
- Potting soil — always good to have ready when new flowers come home before you’ve fully planned where they’re going.
- Plant markers — helpful when you forget plant names as quickly as I sometimes do.
You can also shop my garden and outdoor decorating favourites here:
[Garden and Planter Favourites]
I’ll be adding more seasonal garden finds as we move from spring into summer and then into fall, because outdoor spaces really do change with the season.
The Lesson: Not Every Idea Works, and That’s Okay
There is always a lesson to learn with these projects.
For me, it’s usually about design.
Not every idea works once you see it in real life. Something that sounds good in your head may not look right once it’s beside the trees, the shed, the trailer, the patio, or the fire pit area.
So you pivot.
And that applies to the construction side too, which Jason handles. Sometimes you don’t know what you’re dealing with until you start taking things apart. Rotten plywood, exposed walls, moisture damage, and awkward repairs have a way of changing the plan.
But I think that’s also why I don’t mind the ongoing nature of our tiny retreat.
It isn’t a quick weekend renovation.
It’s a slow project. A layered project. A “figure it out as we go” kind of project.
And strangely, I think I like that.
It gives us time to make better choices instead of rushing into decisions just to say something is finished.
Exhausted, But Still Hosting
By the end of the day, we were both exhausted.
Jason had spent the day hauling materials, climbing ladders, and working on the shed. I had golfed 18 holes, cooked breakfast, cleaned up, made pasta salad, shaped burger patties, and planted flowers.
But of course, the day wasn’t done.
We still had dinner to cook for Darren and his wife, Sandi.
And as often happens at the ranch, the evening turned into more visiting as other ranch friends stopped by over the course of the night.
That’s the part that makes all the work feel worth it.
The projects matter, but the people matter more.
The shed repairs, the fire pit area, the future bar, the plants, the patio, the grilling space — it’s all about creating a place where people want to gather.
A place that feels easy.
A place that feels like us.
Easy Outdoor Dinner Pieces That Make Hosting Simpler
After a long day outside, I don’t want dinner to feel complicated. I want food that works for a casual evening with friends — burgers, pasta salad, easy sides, drinks, and things people can help themselves to.
For ranch weekends, BBQ nights, and casual outdoor dinners, these are the kinds of pieces I’d use over and over again:
- Large melamine serving bowl — perfect for pasta salad, green salad, chips, fruit, or anything you want to bring outside without worrying about breakage.
- Outdoor dinner plates — easier than using breakable indoor dishes when everyone is eating outside.
- Acrylic drinkware — practical for patio dinners, BBQs, fire pit nights, and casual ranch weekends.
- Burger press — helpful if you’re making burger patties ahead of time and want them to cook more evenly.
- BBQ tool set — one of those basic outdoor cooking items that always seems to get used.
- Outdoor serving tray — makes it easier to carry food, drinks, condiments, and napkins outside in one trip.
- Drink tub or cooler — perfect for beer, wine, sparkling water, and ice when friends stop by.
- Casual napkins — adds a nicer touch without making dinner feel formal or overdone.
I’m adding more outdoor hosting and BBQ-friendly finds to my Amazon storefront here:
[BBQ and Outdoor Hosting]
This is the type of section I’d keep updated as the seasons change — BBQ in spring and summer, cozy fire pit hosting in fall, and maybe even holiday cabin-style entertaining later in the year.
Little by Little Is Working
There is still a long list of things to do.
The shed needs more repairs. The cedar siding needs to go up. The patio colour needs to be decided. The soffiting needs to be added. Gutters need to be cleaned up or replaced. The fire pit area needs more attention. The bar still needs to be built.
But it’s coming.
Little by little.
And honestly, I think that’s the best way for this space to evolve.
Not rushed. Not perfect. Not copied from someone else’s Pinterest board.
Just slowly becoming our own tiny retreat, one weekend at a time.
I think that’s what I’m enjoying most about this whole process. It’s not a perfect before-and-after reveal. It’s real life. It’s rotten plywood, surprise petunias, golf nerves, pasta salad, design pivots, exhausted feet, and friends stopping by after dinner.
It’s messy and unfinished, but it’s also starting to feel exactly how I hoped it would — like a place people want to gather.
You Might Also Like
If you enjoy outdoor projects, simple decorating ideas, and creating cozy spaces little by little, you might also like these posts:
| Post | Why Readers May Like It |
|---|---|
| Tiny Retreat Series | Follow along as we slowly turn our ranch space into a cozy, useful, and welcoming outdoor retreat. |
| Amazon Outdoor Decor for a Backyard Resort Feel | Great if you want patio, garden, and outdoor living pieces that make a space feel more pulled together. |
| Outdoor Privacy Planters That Look Beautiful — No Fence Needed | Helpful for creating privacy around patios, seating areas, decks, and small outdoor spaces. |
| Small Backyard Ideas That Feel Like a Retreat | Perfect for readers who want a cozy outdoor escape without a huge renovation. |
| Budget-Friendly Outdoor Decorating Ideas | Useful for simple upgrades that make a patio, deck, or fire pit area feel more finished. |
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