On the way, just off the trail were the remains of a downed old beech tree. On inspection I saw an interesting curve among the half-rotted and scraggly branches, and decided to cut off a piece on our return trip.
We were too tired when we got back but I returned the next morning, and cut off a six-foot length of a branch- about 6 inches in diameter and rotted inside. Beech is a hard, heavy wood and it wasn't easy carrying it back across the brook to camp. Once there, I cut off more, and took it back home to Oneida with us in the car.
At home in the workshoop it became "Sea Critter".
Charles E. Page
We had finished splitting the big wood blocks in Uncle Ed's woodshed.We talked about my wood carving and the challenge of making something interesting from odd shaped pieces of wood. Uncle Ed picked up a plain chunk of stove wood about six inches in diameter and with a twinkle in his eye, said, "Here, take this home and see what you can make out of it."
There was nothing "odd" about it to give me nspiration. He thought he had me "stumped". I thought so, too, but I took it home. I pondered for days but got no ideas. Finally, I started idly splitting off small pieces of the block. All that resulted was a growing pile of kindling.
Then I came to a little knot. Sometime in the past a branch had been broken off the tree trunk leaving a small "nubbin". The tree had repaired that injury by growing over it, and, as the tree grew, left the nubbin completely covered up.
I removed the nubbin which left a small hole. What could I make out of a hole? I shaped the wood around the hole making sort of a handle. There was a tiny "ladel" or a "little dipper".
I had found the hidden treasure!
Uncle Ed didn't "stump me"! (please excuse pun).
Charles E. Page