The miscellany of life

It's been a lovely few weeks for the most part. I caught a cold that developed into bronchitis for the first time in ages and felt like death warmed over, but otherwise it really has been nice.  Everyone is doing well at our house.  Sarah continues to work too hard and on amazingly divergent projects at work.  She gave a lecture about dealing with dying pets and loss to 60 or so undergrads, vet students, and vets last weekend.  Around the house she's been working on the garden, doing some forging, and all the general stuff that needs done around Bassington Acres.  The big news is that Indy is going to have hip surgery.  This is something that she has needed, but we didn't know she would actually be able to have.  Her hip has gotten so bad that some days it's all we can do not to cry for her.  We're both excited for this opportunity and hopeful that it will bring her new vitality.  Keep your fingers crossed.  That's about it.  On with the pictures.

I've had Nathan's axe in my workshop for many moons, now, and finally got around to designing and making a mask for it.  You saw the prototype a couple weeks ago when I safetyfied the double bit axe for Sarah to carry at Halloween.  Above is my initial sketch for the mask.  Below is the cut and the fitting.  After all the pieces are pretty well cut and lined up it's good to glue them all together.  This holds the pieces in place for punching the stitching holes with the awl.

Hand punching and sewing is a little time consuming, but it's an enjoyable process.  I usually sit on the couch and watch some bush crafting show or outdoorsy documentary like Happy People: A Year in the Taiga while I stitch.

Back and forth, back and forth.  The edge is decorative and will probably wear through and break at some point if used heavily, but the working stitch is backed up from the edge and sunk in a groove for protection.  It should last a good long time.

Once the sewing is done, the mask gets a couple of coats of mink oil inside and out to waterproof it, darken it, and protect the blade from rust.  There's not a good picture of the clever closure mechanism on this one, but you can go here to see (or buy it).

Been doing some logging.  How's this for luck-skill?!  Branches fell on both sides of the truck.  As Adam correctly surmised, the preceding thought was, "It looks like the truck is probably fine where it is."  That estimate managed to be both technically correct and also wrong by about eight feet.  Haha!  All's well that ends well, they say.

My omnipresent supervisor.

One of my favorite things he does is moves around to stay behind me while I work.  I still check on him often, but really don't need to since he's always out of the way.  He does get covered in sawdust though!

Sarah and Vinnie and I met Jenn and Bob and Zhora at 1911 for a Cider festival near Syracuse in a town called Lafayette.  This place is pretty cool.  Mom and Dad will love it for sure.  There is a HUGE orchard where you can pick apples, a bakery, a little restaurant that serves great sandwiches, and a big bar.  The whole place is decorated with reclaimed barn wood and beams.

The decor is predictable but cool.  If you can make it from apples, they have and they sell it.

This is the ginormous slide at the "tree house" at 1911.  Sarah and Zhora and I needed a break from the cider, and the people, and the cider, and the band, and the cider, so we went out and played a bit.

Here they come!

We had a good time, but drank a lot of cider.  A lot.  In fact, I might never drink cider again.  Even apples are unappealing right now!

Some of you have heard us talk about the "Cayuga Sizzler" served at the little roadside hot doggery out by the barn.  This is a picture that the proprietor wanted to take for us in front of his station.  The diner itself is almost big enough for three people, including the cook, so we tend to order and eat outside.  The Cayuga Sizzler is a hot dog on a bun with spicy cheese sauce, onions, chili, and some other stuff I'm forgetting.  It's ridiculous and I can't believe I eat it, but man is it good after a windy ride with the horses.  The diner itself is ever evolving.  It now has an old RxR crossing sign with lights, some picnic tables, flags, and obviously the photo station.  The structure is made of an old train engine that was chopped down to fit on a trailer.  He's closed for the season now, but we'll take you when you come for a visit in the spring.  You won't be disappointed!

The stove days are upon us!

Squirrels!

Trying to design a meaningful, but simple stamp to put on my leather work and iron work.  IB stands for iron burner, which is the term for a blacksmith that travelled with the loggers in the northwest.  It seems fitting given all my interests.

Sarah and I worked on a gift for Cory and Laura last weekend.  It's so much fun to work with Sarah on projects.  She has such an eye and is just a great partner.

You can see the decorative twist has been put in the handle at this point and the iron is being reheated to draw it out and round it. 

Hopefully next summer we'll have a roof over our forging station and everything will be a little more permanent and protected from the weather.  For now, it works well enough to tinker.

An hour later; still drawing it out.

The almost finished product.  After this, I cut half the worm off and gave it another heat to pull the coils into a more uniform shape.  For a prototype, it came out pretty good.  Good enough to gift at least, but we definitely owe Cory and Laura improved models.  Best wishes to all.  Stay tuned for a post about Thanksgiving.  It may take me a couple days to get up, but I will post.  Hope to see pictures from everyone else's holiday too.  Cheers!