name plate | Flying Shavings

Deer course yesterday, photo report. Above Harvey learns the old art of releasing the hodfast. Like the nu mallet, WW1 style?

The soup and home-baked roll went down well. Yes some work was done too and everyone went home with a new pet:

But how it will fit in Harvey’s bedroom alongside his 6 foot t. rex head, I’m not sure.

David put a nose on his deer.

So these were sensible people spending a wet Saturday under cover learning hand drilling and round mortise and tenon joints and designing to their taste. Some space still left on next Saturday’s course and a Christmas present one coming up in January.

However, blimey, sometimes people just are too difficult to understand. Like the ones who use a flail machine to “trim” hedges, which involves thrashing small saplings half to death. O man! this really hurts me having to drive past the results every day. I’ll spare you a picture.

Then there’s the ones who just don’t put the right values on stuff. I found this in a skip.

I used to pass this house name when I was a boy, and at some point it was replaced by a pottery one. OK I don’t care for the pottery one, but why throw away this old etched and enamelled one? Really, I’ve got to find a home for this without either confusing the postman or changing the name of my business. If anyone wants it, drop me an email.

I’ve been having a little exchange with Tico Vogt about yew, its sources and uses as I’ve recently acquired a quantity of this poisonous stuff, I had a walk up to see what the grove of yew looks like at the top end of Strid Wood, where I rarely go.

(OK, there’s a massive oak mixed in there too.)

There are some that would be suitable for making longbows, I think, not that I know much about that, but again, why is this nice butt wasting away? And it will take some time!

Doh!

Anyway, there are some good vistas up at that end of the wood, no wonder people are always coming here for walks. Here is a view of ruined Barden Tower, once the home of the Shepherd Lord.