June in Christmas

Although it seems everyone has a little bit of the sniffles, we're persevering and managing to have what feels like a lovely spring holiday. I took Indy out this morning in my t-shirt and flip flops. (For the literalists out there, I was also wearing pants). All three of my regular readers have been on our minds a lot this season.  We miss you all and have thought of you often. Hopefully you are enjoying yourselves, too.

I actually got started pretty early on the forging, but still managed to not get much done.  Most of you will be receiving little trinkets, do dads, and burnt pieces of iron in the upcoming weeks and months... As Ian so elegantly said, "winter season" gifts.  Anyway, I'm having fun playing around.  The horseshoe fish are coming out pretty nicely. 

In spite of our best efforts, several people have given us wedding gifts (thank you, that is very thoughtful and it feels good to be loved and wished well). This was without a doubt the most interesting... Pat got us a 4 tonne wench. The Leatherman is there for perspective. The thing weighs 40lbs. Anyway, we're looking forward to not having to mess with the chainsaws this season, we'll just pull the trees out of the ground. 

Life is good. 21st Amendment's winter offering has been a favorite this season.  And, despite the weather, we've gotten to run the stove pretty regularly in the evenings.

Adam gave me a challenge in rehanging his Yosemite hammer. It was quite complex, but I enjoyed using the new portable drill press dad gave me and using my metal working skills to peen rivet the brass rod that secures the head. Hopefully it holds up to a bit of abuse. Send it back if it needs repaired, and I'd suggest wearing safety glasses... and probably a helmet as well. 

On Tuesday, Sarah and I both took the day off and headed to Allegany to spend the day with Adam, Leanna, Gina, and Tony. Originally we'd planned to go skiing, but as there was almost no snow, we opted for a hike instead. It maybe wasn't as exciting, but it provided a nice atmosphere to chat and cost us about $400 less.  We walked on a skimobile path, that was blessedly free of skimobiles, up to an area called Thunder Rock. Jonas came too and managed to get us all there and back as a group. We headed into Ellicottville afterward for some dinner and window shopping. As usual, Ellicottville Brewing Co. was fantastic.  Sarah's favorite story from the trip is about walking into an upscale outfitter and looking at a display on there wall of brown pants, a flannel shirt with a Carhart vest and a Stormy Kromer hat. She says it looked like somebody had deflated me and hung me on the wall.  Anyway, we all got caught up talking about our jobs and dogs and misadventures of various kinds, and must have been having so much fun that we all forgot to take any pictures... So the day will remain as a memory. 

I stopped at Erik's the other day to get some paperwork run by him and found Sebastian and dad working on a gingerbread house. I am always surprised at what a romantic this curmudgeon can be around Christmas time. 

I'd say they did a nice job. 

Sarah and I had a quiet Christmas morning at home. Jonas was like the little kid, interested in the presents and encouraging us to tear in. I was beginning to wonder if one of the ohio crew sent beef jerky or something, but I think he was just remembering everyone. 

Sarah got a sewing machine from mom and dad H!  Although, I'd say the machine will hardly need her.  I'm surprised it didn't come with a robot to feed the fabric in. At any rate, the instructions and possibilities will keep her busy for awhile. 

"Wow! There are A LOT of stitches and patterns and options!"

Jonas got into the holiday spirit...

And so did Eva... Kind of. 

We lounged and chatted on the phone with some of you for most of the rest of the day, then packed up and headed to Jenn and Bob's for the evening. Zhora was in full Christmas glory, running around trying to show us all of her loot at once. She got a scooter with a water bottle. She also got an awesome runner sled from Veneta. Hopefully we get some snow so I... I mean she... Can try it out. Z

I think this watch belongs to Zhora, but Bob was pretty stoked to try it out. 

Now he can call in the princesses whenever he's in danger. 

My favorite shot of the night. Set up and execution by yours truly. 

Gangy helped Zhora try on her new leggings and scarf from Grandma Karen

We sat down for some nice family photos. S

And wrapped up the night with an interesting card game... The best you could say for it was that Veneta learned some new words from her daughters. Meeeeerry Christmas!

Forgin with Nathan

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!