Water Dog 

Out on the plains, the cottonwood tree shows where the water is located: a lone tree guarding a small spring or whole groves of cottonwoods along creeks and rivers. With the exception of a rare Methuselah tree, most cottonwoods have a life span of about 80 years. A small section of the weathered-out shell of a dead cottonwood giant serves as the door on Water Dog, the split halves joined by a “vein” of roof tin. Door and drawer pulls are brass spools from worn-out windmill checks. A mystery McCormick-Deering, International Harvester part tops off the cabinet.

Salvage lumber with two coats of post-salvage milk paint forms the cabinet case. Blue beadboard reclaimed from the porch ceiling on an open-air dormer now clads the side of Water Dog.