Saturday was a beautiful day. Clear and sunny with a high in the 70s. After a morning client meeting I walked through the Aquatic Gardens, taking in the sun and the air, then found myself at home. I had to stay outside. I started thinking about what I could do out in the yard.  Trimming the weed trees and pulling out the rest of the old chain-link fence held little appeal.  Instead, I grabbed my bags of chopstick blanks, some spokeshaves and planes, and headed out to my new bench.

I whittled the Holly twigs first. Then the Peach. I poured a cup of coffee and returned to find a Carolina Wren poking around the woodpile. It kept coming back until dusk; serenading and calling from fence to tree to bush.  The Apple branches came out next. I would whip off most of the bark while tapering them, leaving an inch or two at the top. By the time I was into the Sycamore chopsticks, the sun had cozied up to the trees. It had been an uncommonly relaxing afternoon and I wanted to keep going. But the light was nearly gone, and the wren had been replaced by a bat.  The bright side of stopping was that, since I was out by the woodpile, there was no need to sweep up.

Technorati Tags: bench, whittling, holly, apple, sycamore, chopsticks

ShareThis

One-of-a kind functional art corkboard made of used wine corks (all natural, no synthetics) with champagne corks spaced evenly along the outer rim. The corks are arranged in a radial pattern with split corks filling in where needed.  A cherry hoop painted red with milk paint forms the outside.

But -

Something round needs something interesting in the middle; a focal point which will help it be complete. In this case that focus is a freakishly-grinning bottlecap from a bottle of Schmaltz Brewing Co. Coney Island Lager series.

16 1/4″ in diameter
3″ thick overall
finished with garnet shellac
hanger provided

shipping weight: 6 pounds

Available from our online store at adrauglis.etsy.com.

Technorati Tags: functional art, coney island lagers, beer, wine, champagne, corks

ShareThis

The View From Mount Marcy, originally uploaded by A. Drauglis Furnituremaker.

I decided that after three years of going to the High Peaks that I should try and bag Mt. Marcy, the highest peak in New York. Not simply for the sake of doing it, but for the challenge, and because I find the sub-alpine and alpine ecology fascinating.
I left at 7am. It was partly sunny, though rain was a strong possibility. (I found out later that a revised forecast put the chance of storms at 90%).
By 1030 the occasional spitting had turned into a steady drizzle. I had 6/10 of a mile to go.
Then the thunder started.
There were only two rumbles, so I pressed on only to find that the ranger and summit steward had ordered everyone down to the treeline. The ranger said that he had just been electrocuted and that anybody wishing to press on should wait 20-30 minutes after the last thunder.
I resisted the urge to point out that if he had been electrocuted he would be dead; what he should have said was “shocked”, not “electrocuted”.
I was in the Krummholtz where tree growth is stunted and contorted. Not wanting to go lower, I moved about fifty yards up to a rock face about ten or twelve feet high with a slight overhang.
I heeded his advice and crouched there for twenty minutes.
This is the first time that I actually kept track of time while hiking; normally I rely on an internal sense of time combined with the position of the sun to know when it is. Experience has taught me that this system does not work very well in the Adirondacks and I wanted to make sure that i had ample time to make it back before sundown.
After waiting, I pressed onward; others did the same.
At the top all anyone could see was clouds. It was eerie and, if not for the others up there with me, would have been more than a bit discomforting.
For three guys summiting literally meant “It’s Miller Time!”. Another group was celebrating; one woman in a party of eight or nine had just become a 46er - someone who has climbed all 46 peaks in the Adirondacks higher than 4000′.
Even without a view, I wanted more time to look around, but the thunder had returned. I headed down the other side carefully but with great purpose. The rain grew more and more steady and rarely let up for the next five hours.
Mud and muck. Trails turned into streams.
After I turned downhill I took a few moments here and there to pause and look around. I really wanted to see more than a few glimpses of Lake Tear of the Clouds, but the rain was unrelenting and I was already well-soaked. I missed the cutoff to Lake Arnold, something which added a mile to the trip. If I had continued the hike would have been a a very tough 3 1/2 miles longer.
The trail to Lake Arnold kept disappearing into a swamp (or was it a bog?) and I kept thinking of all of the fun things Carly was missing. I also kept thinking that I wanted something warm to drink. Hot coffee would be great. Hot chocolate would be even better.Since we did not have and cocoa, the coffee seemed a more realistic hope. I found out later that Carly almost went to the little natural foods store on the road to Lake Placid to get some cocoa, but decided the coffee would do if i wanted something hot.
I guess i should have thought about the hot chocolate a little harder……
I could see one state from the top!

ShareThis

Stalemate, originally uploaded by A. Drauglis Furnituremaker.

Shortly after I started up the Powell Mountain Trail in Shenandoah National Park I noticed some movement off in the brush. At first I thought that I had flushed a Ruffed Grouse, but whatever it was had not gone very far. I moved up the trail a few feet and saw the bird again behind a tree. It was a juvenile Broad-Winged Hawk and it seemed to be injured or stuck. One foot was stuck inside of a trap or can. I took a few steps closer and saw that it was actually wedged into a box turtle. The prey had trapped the predator. The hawk had not yet learned that it was too small to lift something the size of a turtle. It was a Blue Ridge Mountain version of the Mexican Coat of Arms (an eagle battling a rattlesnake in a cactus). I have heard that some hawks will pick up turtles and drop them on rocks until their shells shatter; that was not going to happen today.

I thought that I might be able to assist the situation so I crouched down and moved to within three feet of the pair.

In order to free it I would have to use one hand to separate toe and turtle and the other to hold the hawk still. Not a recommended course of action. I thought that if I could go at the hawk from behind that the strategy might work, but if I got closer than three feet the hawk would roll back into a defensive posture. Not being able to get away, it was prepared to slash away with it’s free foot and beak. Not only that, but every time it leaned away from me, the wedged toe bent at an unnatural angle.

I have learned that observing wildlife is much more healthy and satisfying when one pays attention to the cues and body language of the animal being observed and reacts accordingly.
I backed away a few feet and then left them to their fate.

I wondered how long the turtle could keep itself boxed up, particularly if it was wounded. I imagined the toe stuck in there wagging around, stabbing and scratching.  If the hawk could not free itself by dusk it was doomed. It would be an easy picking for the first bobcat, coyote, fox, or bear to wander by. I should say a relatively easy picking; it would surely fight, but there would not be a chase.

The turtle won’t open up until the hawk is gone and the hawk won’t leave until the turtle opens up and releases the hawk’s toe.

Technorati Tags: box turtle, hawk, nature, shenandoah

ShareThis

The Vaso Credenza featured on Apartment Therapy is made from Dyed Cherry, Beveled Glass Insert, with Brushed Nickel Hardware

Aparment Therapy featured Art’s work and the Vaso Credenza as part of their “green week.” Apparently they not only dig Art’s style, but also his commitment to using as much of the wood as possible and limited use of power tools.  We acknowledge the occasional power drill or sander, but trust me most of the work is done with little hand planes and elbow grease.

We think that if Apartment Therapy liked the Vaso Credenza they should check out the Lux Prunus Corner Cabinet.

Lux Prunus Corner Cabinet is made from solid cherry with a distressed finish and brushed nickel hardware

And, of course, if those speak to you — you should definitely check out the amazing Atomic Table!

The Atomic Table is handcrafted and made from maple with a pickled finish and a glass top.

Technorati Tags: press, shout outs, apartment therapy, green, furniture, handcrafted

ShareThis

I saw a wild beaver for the first time last month, and tomorrow I will see a friend who has a resident beaver on his property, so I guess that beavers were on my mind….
May or may not be practical as a spoon, but the tail is large enough to be used as a small server or nut bowl

Mahogany and Apple

9 1/2″ by 5″ by 1 1/2″

24cm by 13cm by 4cm

Technorati Tags: artisan furniture, handcrafted, handmade, hand carved, spoon, beavers, wildlife

ShareThis

More at pictures and details at Flickr - Wenonah Chair

I find one of the most satisfying parts of woodworking is the planning. I love sketching, designing, making small models, and working drawings; it gives me control of the subject and provides a base to go back to when problems arise.

For this piece I abandoned that process entirely.

I took four pieces of Black Walnut from a friend’s farm and left them on my porch with little idea of what they would become. The pieces were debris from land clearing; split from the main trunks of trees by a bulldozer.

It appeared at first that they would become part of a new handrail and banister for my own home. When I stood one of the pieces up, I realized that it had the perfect shape for a chair back. I played around with the pieces some more and realized that all of them could conceivably become a chair.

I saw a ladder-back chair with a seat made of some sort of webbing. Once I started cutting I went from four legs to three, and bent Cherry side rail become Walnut. The seat became solid, then flat, and then a gently concave row of Apple and Peach twigs from my garden.

It was a different, more intuitive and organic process for me. I believe that this is shown in the work’s sculptural lines and naturalistic feel.

Technorati Tags: furniture, split rail, wood, chairs, artisan

ShareThis

Sweet, Huh?

Technorati Tags: deer, photography, wildlife, cute

ShareThis

Side Chair being made from air-dried and split walnut logs

Technorati Tags: chair, furniture, handmade, esherick wharton, live edge

ShareThis

We’ve only had this home-infused vodka straight up so far. The verdict is - it’s kind of weird. The first thing which you feel on your lips is a bit of fat, oddly. I used my unsmoked, home-cured bacon, but it still has a smoky flavor.

I am going to strain it again and try making a few drinks with it.

Thanks to Brownie Points for the idea!

Technorati Tags: bacon, bacon vodka

ShareThis