*Brrr..Not going to Florida this year?

Bill & June, Wildfowl Artists

It’s 21 degrees outside!  Still too cold to be  puttering around in my garage or outside.  Symptoms of “Cabin Fever” are starting to emerge around here.  June’s adapting better than I had originally expected to her “new life” as a retiree.  She goes from one project to the next around here.  Translated, that means that I’m also kept more involved than before.  I even had some “surprise pancakes” for breakfast yesterday.  She’s  ready to apply a second coat of paint today to our dining room’s library table.  It will be moved tomorrow to our great room as serve as a temporary stand for our new 50″ Panasonic 1080p Plazma TV  to be delivered Friday  by Best Buy.  It will hopefully be replaced this Fall with a new TV Stand  and the library table goes back to the dining room.  We will shop the Sauder Furniture Outlet Store in Archbold, OH when we attend the Woodcarving Show there later this year.  We’ve  been impressed with their selection and prices.   Over the years, I’ve steadily evolved into a “Prime-time TV Addict” and am excited about the new flat-screen we’re getting in a few days.  By the way, the anticipated TV was part of our decision to NOT do our previously-annual-trip to Florida this year.  My current carving-efforts have been to finish the six-Shore-bird Stick Decoys for 2010. All that I have remaining to be done, is to insert the bills, sand, apply the sealer and sand again.  Then, they go to June’s paint table to be painted.  As some are aware, for the last five years, we  have donated one of these at each Carving Show Carver’s Banquet that we attend .  One of them goes to a carver at each banquet as a door-prize.  We get to keep one each year for our own collection.  This year it’s the Black-necked Stilt.  In a few weeks, I’ll send-out our e-mail announcing our Spring Class which starts in March.  We will have a great time for ten weeks carving the Red-headed Woodpecker.  Can’t wait to get started!

Happy birding and carving,  Bill

 

 

*Today’s Blog Stats & Looking Ahead

Forever Young

 

Today is significant to us as the first day of our second year publishing this blog.  Our exact and actual 365 day Visitors Total  was 3200!  That’s nearly 9 visitors every day. Notice the “Hit-Counter” at the “Top-Right” of the Main/Home Page.   The Blog is set-up to NOT include any access by me to the Number Count Total!  I’m enjoying the blog very much as it is a convenience to us personally and to our woodcarving friends who read it from time to time.   If you are a Hamonhaus Carver, I hope you consult our pages which are primarily directed at you; i.e: ….My Commentary, Calendar, Class & Show Schedules, Photo Albums, etc. Also, if you happen to share interests that I might have more than personal interest in; i.e: Family, Faith, Patriotism, Sportscars, U.S.Marines,  golf, etc, feel free to share right back from time to time.  If you are a Hamonhaus Carver and  have a new bird-carving, send me an e-mail attaching a digital-photo of your carving.  I’ll add it to your portfolio page.  If you are digitally challenged, bring it over and I’ll do the deed for you.  I hope you are with us as we are planning our calendar with classes and woodcarving shows.  It’s a full agenda of three 10-week classes, Spring, Summer and Fall as well as  five Shows.  On top of that schedule, I have what you might call my “New Year’s Resolutions ” to carve “daily” as much as possible, subject to schedules and weather and to complete all of my “Special-Projects” of uncompleted woodcarvings.  I can hear a few of you laughing already. As I’ve recently mused about myself, “why slow down now when I’m just getting the hang-of-it?” 

Happy birding and carving,   Bill 

*1998 Saw-whet Owls #3 & 4 Projects (Resumed) Page 1

I’ve just resurrected two more carving projects that have rested on the shelf in my shop since November 0f 1998; Pieces 107 & 108, Saw-whet Owls # 3 & 4.  In all, when these are finished, there’ll be five of them completed. #1 is in our son’s collection in KY.   Saw-whet Owl #5 was sold last year in the Cincinnati Show and #2 Sold years ago.  A close look at these two will show only the penciled marks all over both of them that I sketched-in today. It’s still too cold to be out in my shop, so I’m finding a few tasks to do in my easy-chair.  I’ve just heard from the “Paint department” that she wants me to finish-up on the half-dozen Shorebird stick decoys that I’m in the final stages on as we speak. This will be our 5th year to donate them to the Carving Shows whose banquets we choose to attend to be handed-out as a “Door-prize” to another carver.   Yes, I can attach their beaks whilst lounging away in my easy chair.  I hope to soon also resurrect my Red-tail Hawk #3 project. Getting there!  Keep an eye on the Owls Category or the Bill’s Special projects Category to track my progress on all of these “almost-left-behind” projects.

Happy birding and carving,  Bill

*Maybe This Is What Our Winter Hiatus Is All About!

Happy New Year Carvers and Friends.  We hope that all of you are well and are prospering. Our new Year is “Crowned” with June’s Retirement.  She’s getting used to the changes that confront her.  She mentioned today our “Newly-wed” days, when we both worked every day.  She recalls how much she was able to accomplish by sticking to her strict schedule of tasks to be done at certain times and certain days of the week.  I can easily remember those days.  I kinda think that she’s reverting to those early days and is seeking to establish schedules that will accomplish those results of yesteryear. Today was great!  We feed the birds constantly.  I’ve been working on a couple of class-projects for 2011 yesterday and today.; for the “Gamebird Class“, it’s the 2/3S Ruffed Grouse.  For the “Songbird Class”, it’s the L/S S  Baltimore Oriole.  Nothing is definite, but I do like these birds.  Both of them were carved, ribboned and sold .  I’ve not previously taught a class on either of them.  My intentions for my on-going-winter-carving  is to personally carve when the mood strikes and the temp is 32 degrees or higher.  I expect to e-mail and so advise my more recently “active” carvers, so that they may decide to join me and carve along.  My personal project-focus is returning to older projects which await my attention; namely, that 1993 Bald Eagle, that 2006 Great Horned Owl and the Red-tailed Hawk.  Several of you have been awaiting June’s schedule and the weather to allow her to give “paint” instructions.  She’ll be watching the weather and will e-mail or call you. We’ve kind-of decided to post-pone “Florida” in February.  I basically want to get a new flat-screen TV instead.  As usual, I need to do it on “the cheap”.  Any tips are welcome.    In 13 short days, this blog will have it’s first anniversay (1/20/2010).  Visits to it to have recently exceeded a 12 month record of 3000 visits!  My deepest thanks to all of you for reaching out and keeping in touch. 

Happy birding and carving,   Bill