Benches

Didn't get the big snow last night but got enough to make things white, winds made for some neat looks of snow blowing off buildings.  In a follow up to the gardening piece last time, I have been told by a reliable source that the time to plant tomato seeds indoors is on Town Meeting Day; they also recommend using the milk cartons from school instead of buying those fancy trays.  Sounds like it could be a plan.

My great uncle Harry (Staton) made these benches probably around 1925; they have been painted several times and the one corner was chewed off by my dog name Blue while he was locked up in the mud room at the farm (but that is another story).  Anyway, Uncle Harry lived with his grandmother and when she died he came to live with grand dad Kidney (mom's family).  Grand dad had a nice shop so Harry took it up on himself to build these benches.  He joined the Army for two years and then was called up for WWII where he became a MP and spent his time riding the "prisoner of war trains" in the United States.  He eventually wound up in Billings Montana, joined the police force and stayed out there until he died of a stroke and is buried there. Some where along the line he married a woman from Arkansas- I have no idea what happened to her.  Mom told me the story tonight and I thought I needed to share it with others so maybe it won't be forgotten.  WWII and the prisoner of war camps are really interesting parts of history-in Central Missouri near the town of Hermann, the camp was one that allowed   many of the prisoners to work in the community; after the war, many stayed  to make their homes there.  I am sure there are some good stories there too.

So here are the pictures of the benches, the top is 15" square, bench is 18" tall; perfect for shucking corn or snapping beans or for just sitting around and talking with friends.  Thought we needed a little snow pictures too.   Much peace in  your life and remember to measure twice and cut once.

January

First, I discovered that some how the "comments" section of the blog was blocked-sorry about that and now I have it fixed, so if you want to say anything, now there is a place to do it!  More snow expected for New Hampshire tonight, the piles of snow are so high it is hard to see when one tries to pull out into traffic.  But the schools are open and life just goes on-no inappropriate weather, only inappropriate clothing!

The daughter and I have started talking about what to plant in our gardens this spring and what seeds to start early.  We like to order seeds from  the Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds company in Missouri-may cost a little more but better, stronger, bigger plants.  Me, I am thinking about sweet corn, green beans, peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, peas and potatoes-nothing like creamed peas and potatoes fresh out of the garden!  The thing about planting out here is that growing season technically does not start until after Memorial Day because of the danger of frost.  Lettuce, radishes, garlic can go in early but the rest of the stuff later; for that reason I want to start tomatoes early, let them get a couple of feet tall, maybe even with blooms, to plant in June.  We did that last summer and got really good tomatoes by the 4th of July.

Painting a pintail and a mallard miniature ducks flying-slow going but will be decent when done.  Finished sanding and feathering a couple of shore birds today, started a 1/2 size loon so guess has been a good day.  Will post some pictures tomorrow.  Also have a couple of pictures of some benches that were built by a great uncle early in the 1900's-amazing what we find when we move.  Will get the history from mom.  I have down sized the patterns to use for Camp Woodworking classes-built some last summer and they were really pretty cool, especially after the kids painted and decorated.

A very good friend sent this address to me-pretty cool stuff, so check it out.
http://www.facebook.com/l/e169cZVev3OjZI7A4fwus4KdthQ;www.americancraftsmanproject.com/gallery.html

Snow is coming, need some sleep, so not going to worry about 'measuring twice and cutting once".

It's Friday and it's still snowing

Another day, another snow day plus Sunday's temps are supposed to be -22; too many jokes to be made about that temperature so I won't even go there!  I like to look at this snow as getting good water into the lakes and streams to fish this spring.  One of the son in laws has a new snow blower and has created a "luge course" in his back yard, complete with steps up to the top of the slope.  The other day he took them to a sledding hill and stayed until they were using head lamps to go down! That is hard core!

Since we have down sized and I have lost the garage as my shop have been trying to figure out a "plan b"; I think I may have found one.  As a coach we always joked that we never had an original idea, just "borrowed" from each other.  One of the key items that a carver needs, other than a sharp knife, is a good bench; my question has been as I have smaller spaces, what do I do for a bench?  While checking out other carvers, (remember no original ideas) found a bench idea on "Big Sky Carvers" site.  I think that I can adapt some of this bench to include a vise set up that might help and really like the small drawer under the bench.  The surface is small enough that I can pull it close plus it is small enough that can slide back into a corner and put a flower on it (my wife would like that) when not in use.

My dad made walnut planters for mom back in the 40's; we still have a couple in storage-they just need some love of refinish and glueing.   So here we are again, looking at what woodworkers did before us and hoping that what we produce might be valuable to our families down the road.  I am sure that they all measured twice and cut once.

Snow and Ice

Sounds like a dance company or a jazz group but that  describes the New Hampshire weather and one of the reasons we moved here.  Looks like it could be another snow day tomorrow plus today is the last day when the temperature will be above 30-just have to love it.

I have posted some pictures of Santa cut outs that I made for the daughters as gifts; I have included some detailing with the carving.  These go a lot quicker and do make  nice decorations for cabinet tops, fireplace mantles, window sills; my wife doesn't like most of them because they are only finished on one side.

I had a conversation with another carver at Christmas and he asked me what my "philosophy of carving" was-I know that I have written several philosophy of teaching and coaching papers during my working years but had really never thought about carving.  I don't lay awake at night thinking about this but I do believe that I carve because it is fun, relaxing and when working with wood you work with what you have.  I told my daughters that is how we teach because not all are created equal and our job is to teach them all; so same thing with carving.  Look at the piece of wood, visualize what might be, draw some lines and start removing anything that does not look like a duck or a santa.  I want to make each piece better than the one before and I don't want to repeat the same carving over and over.  Our ancestors recognized the importance of wood, whether it be building shelters, cooking or warmth; the decoys that carvers built before us are prized as pieces of art and the hands that carved them are no different from any other carver today.  We hope that we can only carry on the tradition.

Remember to measure twice and cut once.

decoys

A group of carvers got together
To try to create a wooden feather;
With a knife and a hatchet, to see if they could
Make a real bird out of a piece of wood.

A real bird they couldn't make,
But an old decoy they did create.
And when them old carvers are gone on their way,
That old decoy will be there to stay.

And if later, someone looking at that old piece of wood,
Would say I know who carved that, he was pretty--good.
Then it would be worth those lonely days
Knowing, although we've gone, part of us stays.

Wayne Davis-Core Sound Decoy Carvers Guild


A lot of snow on the ground, really cold outside, more snow headed our way on Tuesday, hip hurts too bad to get outside and exercise so trying to get back to some of my birds.  Have several other bodies that need heads but have these close to completion; these just need  some final sanding, burning and painting.  Will try to keep updated pictures.  Came across the poem above and thought it appropriate for a carving site.  The Core Sound Decoys Carvers Guild also has a great web site.

I remember my first decoy was the result of me being too poor to buy one at a DU banquet; my wife stated the famous words "Oh you can make one of those" and away I went.  Of course my first pintail looked more like a quail on steroids-it still rests on a shelf in storage.  Just can't bear to part with it.  Guess that is the best thing about working with wood, if you have a fireplace, if you don't like your work, it burns well.  I had never really thought about leaving a piece of me, here after I am gone in the form of a decoy, santa or shore bird and I am sure that early decoy makers were more interested in putting meat on the table than being remembered for their work.  I have a decoy that Ed Teenor gave me; he hunted the rivers and ponds in Northwest Missouri; it has no markings as to who carved it but the decoy has character from being tossed around plus some stray pellet holes.  He also gave me one of his shotguns; he had no sons to pass them on; he was my dad's best friend so guess I was his adopted son.  We hunted quail on our farm, he always had a bird dog that made the hunting much easier.  Since the quail population has dropped in the area we have started planting native grasses as part of a Missouri Conservation Program.

I know that spring is close, mud season and black flies, so will may have hard time remembering to "measure twice and cut once".

A Chair

Snow bound today, so much reflection time available as we watched 18"-20" of snow pile up.  We have a sewing rocker in our living room; no one sits in it, because too low and I doubt if any of us could get back out of it.  Pat bought in at the sale we had at the farm several years ago, think she paid $65 for it; it had no back in it and was pretty dirty.  The chair had been stored in the rafters in the garage for years and birds had used it for a roost so cleaning it up was a challenge, but Pat got it cleaned up and we intended to have it caned.  Nothing happened until we moved out here and the moving company damaged the chair; Pat contacted a restore person and asked him to cane the chair after he repaired the pieces.  He did not make any new pieces but glued parts back together, then caned the back but left the seat because he said that the plywood seat was more valuable.
Started talking with mom today and I know that she had told me the story before, but I didn't remember. The chair belonged to my great grandmother Whitman from my dad's side.  They lived across the road from the farm, well actually south and across the road; when they passed on the chair went to Aunt Edie and Uncle Bill who took over the farm-there are a whole bunch of stories about Uncle Bill-but nothing about the chair.  We used to go over to Bill's house but I never remembered seeing the chair; mom said that the chair was probably up stairs in one of the bedrooms but she and dad did not get it until Bill and Edie moved off the farm.  She always said that they planned to get it caned but just never got around to it (sound familiar).
The chair has to go back to the 1800's but plywood did not come around until the early 1900's and according to the restorative guy pre made plywood seats were sold in the early 1900's so that is the reason he did not take the seat off because the seat is more valuable. I guess what I would like to know is more of the history of the chair but those who would know it are gone-some one told me that when an older person dies that it is like a wing of a library burning down because all the stories are lost forever!  Mom has provided us with much of the history and we try to listen to all the stories-there are 3 walnut dressers in our house , one bought with money from raising a runt pig, another is a wedding gift to grandma and grandpa Richter-they have both been gone for 50 years! and the other was my dad's grandmother's. Family history, probably more interesting to me than to you, but I would be more than happy to listen to any of your family stories.

Also found out today that Senator Foote of Mississippi attacked Senator Thomas Hart Benton of Missouri with a cane in one of the early Senate debates.  Benton is a big time artist from Missouri-check it out.
Snow has stopped so we just need to remember to measure twice and cut once.

It' Snow

People are funny-as adults we are just as excited about the upcoming snow fall as any school age person.  Mom even said that she might wake up at 3:00 a.m. just to watch it snow, like she has never seen a snow fall before.  Been a long time since I have gotten knocked down by a cold but this one put me down hard, but guess the big news is that after 4 years of whining, going to get a new hip early in February.  The doctors way 4-6 weeks with good rehab and will be back wading the New England trout streams with no issues; for someone who has never spent a night in the hospital or had anyone cut on me, will definitely be an experience.
The  whole visit was cool because one of the doctors addressed my as papa Richter-had most of his daughters in Camp Merrowvista woodworking classes; so I hope will make it easier as I feel being done by part of the summer family.  In preparation going to take some H2O classes, supposed to improve some strength, cardio work and flexibility without much hammering of joints-starts at 7:15 a.m. twice a week; so just how dedicated do I want to be?
Remembered that I have a loon and a couple of blue heron bodies to work on; they are in the shed so will probably have to wade the snow to get to them but I need to get them roughed out.  Will be exciting with the snow, so pictures to follow.  Stay healthy and remember to measure twice and cut once.
Peace

The New Year

We always have such good plans for posting on a regular basis (I really enjoy hearing my self talk) but then the common cold comes calling and down you go.  While watching NCIS reruns I heard Jethro Gibbs played by Mark Harmon-who is building a boat in his basement-talk to a girl friend while using a wood plane on a rib of the boat.  She asked why he didn't use power tools because it would be faster; he had her close her eyes and use the wood plan again.  He then ask her how the feel, the smell and the silence could ever be better with a power tool?  Guess another reason for wood working.

Christmas tree is down, and the santa inventory is stored; being in bed, the wife does not encourage carving-something about hard to sleep-so now addressing some projects started but not completed. I will post some pictures tomorrow of the duck, a cardinal and a couple of shore birds but is nice to have some down time.

Supposed to snow tomorrow and Saturday, so may have the time to start back up.

My mother will celebrate her 96th birthday tomorrow, I just got finished with my  69th birthday;  friends and family wished us both birthday greetings-my Facebook page was filled with wishes.  Mom got a bunch of cards from Missouri family and friends and tomorrow she wants chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes and a cherry pie-think that we can do that.  I have a grandson Spencer who just turned 9 this past week too.  But I think of all that mom has seen in her 96 years, especially spending 50 years with my dad.  He built most of the buildings on the farm, he did much of his furniture in walnut-we have dressers that he put back together, refinished and are beautiful pieces of furniture.  He built plant stands out of walnut, he built me a sled and a tricycle of walnut during the 40's.  These pieces were lost in a shop fire during the 60's.  I still have a walnut coffee table made during my one adventure into high school shop classes!

 I have a great friend who builds great beautiful pieces of furniture from oak, cherry and walnut.  He bought 80 acres in the Ozarks, found a grove of pine tree planted by the CCC in the 30's and started harvesting some of the bigger trees for lumber. But the coolest thing that he did was find all the smaller volunteer pine trees around the bigger grove, harvest them and build pole pine furniture that he sells in mid Missouri.  Each piece is unique and although functional as furniture, still considered a piece of art (at least by me). He doesn't have a web site, because he doesn't want to have to work too hard on his hobby and it might cut into his quail hunting and playing time with his grand kids.

Hope that some of you may be finding a piece of wood and a knife and looking for something in the wood to carve.  Don't forget to measure twice and cut once.

The End of the Holidays

Having been an educator for 40 years and having just retired I still find the Sunday after New Years to be depressing because school resumes tomorrow.  But my day involves taking the recycling back and making some doctor appointments, but will probably get up and get ready to go to school anyway.

Back to wood-did you know that in New Zealand there are natives that have a long list of taboos to observe when wood carving?  Never leave food near wood that is being carved (sounds like a New Year's resolution to me); it is also forbidden to "blow away" the wood chips or shavings, because wood carver's breath might offend the spirit of the wood.  (How To Carve Wood-Richard Biitz).  I know that when might dad would cut down a tree to burn in the fire place that he planted 25 trees to replace the one-the farm is thick with walnut, oak and hickory trees;  the native American prayed if they had to cut down a tree.  Each piece of wood is unique, even if it comes from the same tree.  Often the carver does not know what lies inside especially if working with wood other than basswood.  We are a nation of instant gratification wether it be food (think Wendy's and Micky D's) or relationships-we aren't willing to pay the cost of hand made as compared to machine made.  Woodworking and wood carving requires time from the design to the initial cutting, finishing and carving and cooperation between the wood, your tools and you. I carve wood wizards into pieces that the grandkids bring to me-they always tell me that the wizard is there, I just have to find it!  I don't want to get to philosophical and I understand that educators never joined the real world, but perhaps when we look at how we are living life, we should think more about the "wood" that we work with-patience, tolerance and knowledge make the event more fun even if it does take a little longer.

I also learned the formula for fixing the duck heads and eye location today by reading a book that I had in my library but had neglected to read that chapter-didn't have the time before but that is another story.  Holiday is over, time to get back to work.

Remember to "measure twice and cut once"; much happiness to all.

January 1, 2011

A day of eating, watching football and generally being a veggie in my chair.  As I watch some of the games I really wonder why I ever became a football coach; putting your life in the hands of young men ages 14-18 is always dangerous.  Especially when the public has the expectations that these players will perform at a level of the Chicago Bear; how many high school coaches get fired for not winning when they simply don't have the talent to compete with their schedule.  But anyway was fun.

I have posted a picture of the beginnings of a Santa-plan to have the santa either holding a walking stick or a fishing rod.  I still work with pine because it is more available but plan to look forward to using some basswood.  Right now I have a cardinal, a couple of shore birds and a shoveler duck in the works-I will get some pictures posted of them too.  Look forward to getting the rest of the Santa pics posted by the first of the week.

Glad you stopped by, read the blog and hope that your new year is filled with good health, safe and fun.  Don't forget to keep your lines tight!