Something in the air

It must be something in the air. Out looking for birthday presents, I found these books, a stone's throw from St. Mary's in Totnes.

Literally for a song. I would happily have paid, for each page, what I paid for each book. Some things are just meant to be.

The first was right next to the second. A fitting accompaniment, given that my interest in 17th century English furniture, was first piqued, by an exploration of American furniture of the same period.

Cantilevered cupboards.

 Hadley chests.

All the favourites. Nothing else to say.

Chickenopolis

When I'm not stopping buildings falling down, making furniture, carpentry, framing and joinery........I'm doing more carpentry! No, not really. Me and her outdoors, try to be self-sufficient in fruit and vegetables and eggs. She is more green-fingered than I, but it's quite handy that I can build all the infrastructure!

We used to have problems with rodents, until we built Chickenopolis. The raised houses give the chooks somewhere dry to dustbathe, their favourite activity, even in wet weather. It makes them easier to clean out and means the rodents have nowhere to get comfortable; wheelbarrow under the big door, open it and pull out the waste, then off to the compost heap. There is a covered way down the middle; for collecting eggs from the nest boxes, sorting feed out and storing tools. Having a dry space to do it all makes all the difference.

In other news, the new old van is on the road, with new livery.

Who put all those spoons in there.

I just went out to the home workshop to get a box to put some things in, but some silly sod (me) has put a load of spoons and ladles in there. Grab other box; the same.

Oh well. I picked this chest of drawers up for the daughter's bedroom recently. I replaced the plinth, because someone had used a few bits of old pallet in a previous restoration. A polish with some Fiddes and good to go. Minimum intervention is the best option sometimes. The top drawer is a writing desk for her studies. Definitely Early Oak, but she likes it.

I was going to make another bowl out of the other half of that Elm log, but nature beat me to it. This is Velvet Shank mushroom. It makes good eating. As well as being tasty, it also is notable as a winter growing mushroom. Never eat a mushroom unless you are 100% sure about what it is. There are two other mushrooms similar to this which are poisonous. To differentiate you can take a spore print; Enokitake has white spores, the other two don't.

Here they are, growing on another piece of Elm in the hedgebank bottom, a bit more developed. I don't mind if this log goes back to wildlife, and the added bonus of a tasty meal.

On my way back from the workshop, I grabbed some firewood and this piece of beech, which was near the edge and got wet, has Turkey Tail mushroom growing on it. Back in the hedge, into a pile of logs and cultivate this one also. Turkey Tail is known as Kawaratake (roof tile fungus) in Japan and Yun Zhi in China, where it is used in traditional medicine. It is apparently good for balancing immune systems, so you never know, it might help me with my joints!

The first shoot of this year's sweet chestnut planting, showed itself. Giving back what we take.

More elm

 So, I've been continuing to use the elm up, making bowls etc.

The bottom one is dry now and ready for oiling. The top two have a way to go. The log wasn't so green and it's being lying in the hedge bottom for a while. I only finished carving the smaller ale bowl a few days ago. It's the first time I've tried my new kuksa gouge. Love it.

I used all the bowl carvers on this one.

Dave Budd bowl adze, Karlsson bowl gouge, kuksa gouge, Karlsson dogleg, twca cam, axe obviously and twocherries 12mm gouge to finish.

When I split the log, the juvenile tree was obvious in the split.

I thought it would work to retain the outside of the sapling (on the right) and use it as a handle and spout, for pouring.

Starting the hollowing with the bowl adze.

I love the texture of the bowl adze on the zigzag grain of elm.

Elm is a strong contender with oak as my favourite timber.