Let There Be Light!

I've been doing some on-again off-again ruminating all summer on the subject of outdoor lighting. I like the little solar lights we have along the edges of the beds, but while they're pretty, they emit very little usable light. And given how nice the patio can be at dusk, it would be great to have a lighting option that doesn't require a fire in the firepit.

Somewhere (I don't remember where, but I don't think this was an original thought of mine), I got the notion to find an old chandelier, wrap it in outdoor Christmas lights, and hang it in the tree closest to the patio. M and I chatted about whether other options would be easier or more practical, but as the Cathy/Harvey engagement party approached (which was, in theory, going to be outside), we knew we wanted to get something done on this topic.

So I found a $20 chandelier at the ReUse Center, bought some black chain and a hard-core extension cord, and with lots of help from M and Awesome NeighborTM Tim, it all came together beautifully! You can just see the glow of the lights in the upper-right corner of the first photo below, with close-ups in the other two photos.


The photos look a little odd, but during the day, you barely notice the chandelier at all -- it's tucked up in the branches a bit. But at night, it gives off this gorgeous ambient glow. Even Tim and M -- not terribly likely to be awe-struck by outdoor decor -- were really impressed. Thanks for the help, guys! :)