Does this count as progress?

Now that all the routine mowing is finished and Whistlestop is looking very shipshape I have time for some other projects.  I don't actually have a list of projects, although I am definitely a 'list' person, as any list would be very long and therefore somewhat daunting and demoralising.  Anyway, the project chosen for the remainder of the month is to repaint the partly completed 'garden railway' picket fence.  I built this small section of fence about 20 years ago and it hasn't been painted since construction, so it is therefore looking very shabby.  I definitely don't want it to deteriorate to the point of needing repairs, so repainting is required.  I actually enjoy painting, but like many others, I'm sure, I hate the preparation.  The fence was mainly built at that time to define the area there, which it does well.  Having it repainted will definitely spur me on to continuing it along our main track, as planned, though perhaps not 'finished' as such.

Because it had deteriorated so much I have elected to scrape all the loose paint off, wash it with sugar soap then prime it, which is the white paint in the photo.  After that I'll apply two topcoats.  It's probably overkill to prime it, but, well, that's me!  The topcoat is allegedly self-priming, but when I continue the fence I'll prime the bare timber first anyway.  The idea then is that the fence'll get a good clean and one topcoat every four or five years, which will be relatively easy, so I never have to do all this nasty preparation again!  The plan back then was to build a rock garden with a G scale railway in it behind this fence, but while this may still happen it is well down 'the list'!  The completed fence will contribute very much to the neatness of the whole front area, leading the way, as it does, to both the Miniature Railway station and the Trainbarn.  The weather has been fantastic and I've thoroughly enjoyed sitting there painting and dreaming and planning.  I really like this whole area!

An item that I found very unexpectedly in an Antique Shop is this Fowler (Leeds) radiator header tank.

As the area where I bought it had been a sugar-cane growing area I suspect this item is off a Fowler cane locomotive, but it could also be off a tractor.  Either way it is a very interesting item and a great 'find'.

All in all I'm feeling very happy and positive about the progress of Whistlestop in general.  Slower than hoped for, but progress none-the-less.