Leather Bird Scares
In an effort to keep birds from flying into the windows of our cabin, I’ve made several distinctive bird-scare silhouette from thick leather dyed black.
How-to Hew Wooden Beams By Hand
I spent several days this week at the cabin collecting logs and hewing timber for a wood shed. I did most of the hewing by hand, though I used a chain saw on one very large timber for the first step. The process of creating a square beam from a round log, by hand, is...
Three Old Bags
The title of this post is not meant as a euphimism. Quite by accident I have started a collection of old backpacks. I decided to document some of my vintage backpacks here.
The Complete How-to Book of Indiancraft
My grandfather gave me this book when I was 10 years old. He was a true mountain man and loved collecting and restoring old rifles. His home was the ultimate young boy’s playground. I can’t watch Jeff Bridges in True Grit without thinking of my grandfather – the physical and vocal resemblance is uncanny. This...
Peterson Sherlock Holmes Pipe Tamper
I got this nifty pewter pipe tamper recently. It is made by Peterson Pipes, of Dublin, and the top is crowned with the bust of the world’s first Independent Consulting Detective, Mr. of Sherlock Holmes (formerly of 221B Baker Street, London). I’ve always been a fan of Sherlock Holmes, and to me, he is one...
One Day
One day, years ago, a day not unlike today, with large snowflakes gently falling from a heav grey sky, I saw a coyote. I was riding my bike along a forested trail near the river, on my way to work. The trail crossed the train tracks and I dismounted my bike to carry it across...
Axe, Meet Sheath
I restored this axe a few weeks ago. I cleaned up the bit and attached a new handle. This very sharp and moderately heavy implement has since been leaning against the door of my office — an accident waiting to happen. Last night I started to work on a leather sheath to protect the bit...
Aspen Candle Holders
Yesterday I posted a few rustic wood table accessories that I made from Aspen branches. Today I made two sets of candle holders from branches of another Aspen tree. Could Christmas gifts get any easier? I don’t thinks so.
Rustic Table Accessories
In the early fall, the power company felled a couple of Aspens near the power lines at the cabin. I never like to see good wood go to waste so I collected it for firewood. The larger trunk pieces I left at the cabin, but the smaller branches I brought back the city. The bark on...
Eight Axes And A Knife
I’ve been meaning to document my growing axe collection and now seemed like a good time.
Care Package: Molina Pipe
A few months ago, shortly after my brother passed away, I received an e-mail expressing sympathy from a friend and colleague. My friend had taken a year off work to travel around the world with her husband, doing missionary work and generally having an adventure along the way. When I received her e-mail they were...
The Joy of Plaid and Flannel
I’m so happy that plaid flannel shirts are back in this year. Nothing completes this late-Fall, early-Winter, time of year better than a soft warm flannel shirt.
Piratical Pipes
I’ve always had a fascination towards pirates. Ever since I can remember I have been enamoured with the history and mythology of pirates. Having recently taken up the pipe, I’m always on the look-out for pipe references in literature and film.
