Well, we made it-
July in Cape Breton…what could be better?
A little bit of rain but hey, we’re home.
; )
A few days of unpacking and sweeping.
Cleaning out the cobwebs and dusting off another summer time season with a promise of life and the love of living.
I started to clean out the wood shop today and lit a fire in the stove this morning.
That wonderful smell burning away with lots of little shavings left over from last summers swift get away.
‘ahh- my rosewood bench dogs…’
I forgot them last year, sitting in my bench top- it’s nice to see them again.
These sweet little pleasures forgotten- so simple, a wooden bench dog.
Just the ease and the peace of mind it can bring while you work-
no metal to clang while planing away, creating God only knows what.
I made a little chisel rack in front of the window this afternoon from some off-cuts of cherry and poplar-
it’ll keep the tools safely at arms reach above the bench top.
new chisel rack over work bench
Each and every year I seem to forget about all of these little wooden treasures I leave behind.
Precious pieces discarded and off cuts that stayed behind when we moved to the city.
I assembled some of them this evening to sit with and reflect over awhile…
inspired by the sea~
Spalted beech wood collected years ago from a walk in the harbour with a little bit of mahogany and angelique for good measure.
Boat lumber reminds me- the salt water spray.
Yesterday morning we strolled the beach and found some nice little twists of driftwood…perhaps a door or a drawer pull?
I’ll leave them to sit over night and in the morning begin exploring a little further into the possibilities.
craft
conceive
concoct
construct
compose
devise
fashion
sculpt
shape
model
make
produce
assemble
form
design.
The July palette…its good to be home.
spalted beech wood- driftwood- angelique and mahogany
10 Comments
Lovely writing, Tom…I left the beach early a few weeks ago to get back to the mountains of East Tennessee and to help out my parents in their yard (both in their 80s and pretty healthy). I have a good question for you. Actually I could ask you about 500 but I won’t. A few years ago I ordered a Lie-Nielsen #4 smoother. I finally got it out of the box to use it the other day and I remembered that it is the 25th anniversary special with the bronze body. I can’t decide whether or not to use it…Should I? Or should I save some money and get another one? Decisions, decisions!
Welcome home, Tom now wheres me pint! and You say , “Its all the way back in Greenville, SC!” Now seriously enjoy what youve been given and Ill look forward as we all well to hearing from you again!
John
oops..I had just returned from the shop using the #4. I meant to say the #4 1/2! Heirloom or working tool?
john,
thanks for the comments- cheers to that pint…i’ll have one for you!
brent-
good to hear from you-
if it was me i’d use it…all the time- use it.
that’s what it was meant for after all. ; )
let me know how it goes-
Hi Tom,
I am envious- Last week had a chance to get out of Brooklyn and head down to the woods in Pennsylvania to camp for a couple days. Living in the city it’s easy to forget how much is going on in the middle of “nowhere”!
Cheers,
Niels
ps. Are you worried about your LN chisels falling out of their sockets hanging by the handles?
pps. brent- USE IT, but if you feel you just cant…. i’ll swap you for my 4 1/2
Niels,
I thoughts of that while I put them in and gave them a little tap to seat them into the sockets.
If they fall at least the floor is wood so no worries- back in the basement shop its cement so I’m always thinking about dropping tools !
keep well and thanks for the comments-
Good to here you are back in gods country I was on the Cape last week on business myself. it does have a way of inspiring one self. Really looking foward to seeing your newest creation.The rain is noso bad could be smog and humid
cheers
Tom -
Seriously man the vacation has got to end. Get back to work
hee-hee-hee…yeah, after my ‘vacation’ on the coast i’d better get back to ‘work’.