Float

Down in the narrows where the shade is cool

Water has made its way

Sandstone rock turns to gravel and sand

Wind makes pockets

Signs of violent floods

Large boulders were pushed and carried along

Each turn has its own surprises

Sunshine makes it to the canyon floor

Sky opens up warm

The river flows with the good grace of the BLM

Where is that water going? California

18 Days in a raft through time

They said it was a guides trip

4 rafts, 12 people, lots of gear

35 cases of beer, some are day beers

We watch them drift slowly away down river

Poem by Phil: A woodworkers dream

I dreamed a piece of furniture made me

It used a couple of chunky walnut boards

that were aged 50 years

they had some nice grain and were solid 

along with some handsome knots

I was sawed and planed and run over the machines

until I got cut just right.

The grain matched well

and the joints were tight

a few well placed details was all I needed,

just a curve under my arm

and a smile on my face.

Some oil to make me be warm and glow

and now I'm ready for someone's favorite place.

Poem by Shel Silverstein

Bang Klang

I'm big Barney Zang of the railroad gang

My partner is Charlie o Flynn

And I hold the nails

for the big steel rails

And Charlie, he hammers 'em in

And most of the time

He does just fine

But now and again he fails

Maybe tomorrow I'll hammer 'em in

and let Charlie hold the nails.

poem by Shel Silverstein

Point of View

Thanksgiving dinner's sad and thankless

Christmass dinner's dark and blue

When you stop and try to see it

from the turkey's point of view

Sunday dinner isn't sunny

easter feasts are just bad luck

when you see it from the viewpoint

of a chicken or a duck

Oh how I once loved tuna salad

pork and lobsters, lamb chops too

till I stopped and looked at dinner

from the dinner's poit of view

Parts of the process

Mortises, they are fun, smokey, plungy, square cut holes

Two little tables

 These little guys are based on a design of a table my mom has. The oak is a sweet little number, the juniper with burnt base is a tribute to the fire we had in Oak Creek Canyon this past summer, I made two of these for a resort up in the canyon.