Iron and Fire

Road Trip

2012-01-03T13:28:00.000-08:00

This year we took a road trip out to my Moms house, it's located in Nebraska, in the middle of the prairie. She and my Dad retired there, to his hometown, and built a cute house, yes, it is a little house on the prairie. The above pic is not their home, that's me standing in front of our cute little cabin in Jackson, Wyoming, as the snow started to fall. We split shortly after this, and headed out on the snowy road. The Snowy, blowy, icy, dangerous Hwy26. Oh, not long after we left the huge blizzard hit ...
Here it is, the road of certain doom. What you can't feel are the 60 mile an hour wind gusts, the -10 temps, or my heart pounding like a drum every time a semi truck drove past us and everything went white. A complete snowy wall of white, it blocked out everything. You couldn't see ahead of you, or if you were about to collide with another vehicle. It was madness. Dan deserves a medal of honor for driving us in it. It got so bad we had to stop hours short of our goal that day, it took 8hours to drive from Jackson to Casper . Usually we could have made it all the way to my parents. Noway this day. Semi trucks were jackknifing, people were in ditches. The roads in central Wyoming became near impassible, and they did close some sections down. Oh Ma, I hope you know how much I love you! So we hid in our hotel room, listening to the storm outside.
The next morning saw it 15 degrees, sunny, and the highway was a sheet of compacted snow. It looked like the Arctic, and I expected a parka clad Sir David Attenborough to step into view and narrate to us about the glorious winter landscape. It was gorgeous, but honestly, I was too worried that we would lose control of the truck to care about the scenery much..
While the storm was over, road conditions continued to be dangerous, so we took it slow. 40 on a road that usually calls for 75mph.Eventually we made it to the Nebraska border, where the storm seemed to have stopped. Nebraska's roads were dry, bare pavement, and the temps climed into the 40's. We were both relieved, Dan drove like heck to get us to Moms by nightfall...another 300 miles away...We made it that night at 8pm..road weary, and needing needing. It was wonderful to be with Mom, she was worried sick.

We arrived safe and sound, and the next day, Dan played bagpipes for Mom. It had an interesting effect on the neighbors herd of Angus.... Here they come!

They were on the other side of the pasture when the first notes from the pipes filled the air. Then they began to call back, mooing gently, heads raised in curiosity, when suddenly they all came a running! The bulls, the cows, calves, all of them. Dan played on. when they reached the fence line they stopped. Fell silent and listened to the pipes. It was as if they were enchanted.This went on for the 20 mins Dan played, then after he finished they all stood. Blinking. Waiting for either food, or more music. Eventually the lead cow wandered away, grazing. She was followed by the rest. Some of them would raise their heads and look back at the house hopefully...

Yuletide Comes..

2011-12-12T13:31:00.000-08:00

The Giant Tree
We held our Yule celebration over the weekend, friends came by for feasting, drinking, and good cheer. To decorate we went out to a local tree farm to get a $5.00 Douglas Fir. These trees were so cheap due to their being slated for clearing, as the farmer wants to replant these 5 acres in hops. Always a good thing in my beer loving mind. So, the Hubby wielding the mighty Husquavarna, laid low this fine tree, and we brought home. Not only did it provide the tree for inside our home, BUT the limbs were used to decorate the pole barn for the party. All for 5bucks. Not bad!
The gathering was awesome, Iam still culling pics to post, but today isn't so awesome.
My lower back degenerative disc/arthritis hell is flaring up..and I feel miserable. So Iam feeling bummed out today. Trying to not slip into the death spiral pity party of regret, but it isn't easy.
You see, my choice of career isn't helping my back, having an artsy job with no health insurance, or really, much of an income sucks. alot. At 46 Iam faced with starting over..but how?

Clotted Cream Experiment

2011-11-09T09:06:00.000-08:00

My First Attempt
Okay, after years of watching cooking shows or travel shows from England, I had to attempt making clotted cream myself. Watching Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall slathering great gobs of the stuff on homebaked scones drove me over the edge. That's it. Iam trying this!
So I wrote to Farmer Paula in Devon, England, for her advice. She made it seem so simple, that even I an American could do it. Although I can't use the slowly cooling engine of my tractor to warm the milk, but that's okay. The stove top will do.
I searched the web for "How to" sites, ones with good photos of the process, as I wanted to see what it was I should be looking for as the milk transformed. I ended up watching a clip from Edwardian Farm to see how my experiential historian hero Ruth Goodman, and expert clotted cream maker Margaret Burra,(Iam sure I spelled her last name wrong! Please forgive me Margaret.) went about it. This was a great help. Seeing what the cream "does" as it begins to form, hearing what expert cream maker Margaret said about the process was beyond helpful.
This is one of those skills that would have taught to you when you were a girl, part of helping with the dairying, preserving, and cooking. You would know by sight what it was supposed to be doing. So I researched and after much hand wringing I got on with it. went to a dairy, bought some whole milk, straight from the Guernsey.

I did not take any pics of the process. I was nervous enough trying to make sure I had the water bath for the milk pan right, that I honestly forgot to snap pictures. Next time.

I also made creamscon es, not the big fluffy American kind, but a more biscuity kind, and I mean like American baking powder biscuits, the kind you roll out. I used the recipe found on the Cream Scone link, at the Historical Foods site. They turned out pretty yummy, I needed to roll them out a little thicker, but hey, they tasted great! I also used my hedgehog cutter from IKEA, any excuse to use the cute little thing.
The cream formed, after an hour or more of slow, slow slow warming on the stove top. I placed the pan of milk in a water bath, so it would not scorch on the bottom. Sure enough a shimmery film of cream began to form on the surface of the milk. I had read everything from 1-12 hours of cooking was needed. I went with 2 hours, then allowed it to sit for 24 before I skimmed off the Clotted stuff. I didn't get much, but I don't know if it was my technique(or lack of) or the fat content in the milk. BUT we did get about a cup and 1/2 of rich, creamy goodness..

The Hubby came in and helped himself to a warm hedgehog with a great blob of cream. He smiled. Finished that one off then had another, and another. Pausing for a breath he asked " Is it wrong to eat clotted cream and scones for dinner? Would it it be all that bad?"

So, I need to call up the dairy, and get some more juice so I can have another go, since my first attempt was such a big hit. After all my longing the cream truly was as fabulous as I had thought it would taste. Thank you Ladies of the West Country, I hail your dairying alchemy.
The Parsnip/Mandrake
I was yanking up some parsnips for dinner and this one came up with two "legs" twisted around in a neat spiral. I am always amazed by root veg, and what they get up to in the earth..It was delicious cooked as fritters, in brown butter, along side Wild Boar sausages.

Dragon Screen

2011-10-22T13:32:00.000-07:00

Hey! Remember that Dragon Fireplace screen from last year? No? I can't say as I blame you, I never followed up after I posted about the thing during production..I was not in a bloggy mood much last year, so here it is when I finished it in the fall. Sorry for the delay, I just got busy with everything else..
The Dragon Handles
Dan carved the heads on the handles, built the frame, I designed and forged the dragon on the screen, laid out the runes, and welded it all together.

Handsome Mr. Dragon
When it was finished it weighed like 100lbs..The thing is huge, and the clients don't even have the fireplace built for it yet..Knowing the folk who ordered it, I think this was a commision of mercy, as we were truly hurting financially at the time (still are) . Charity, no, honest pay for honest work yes. I was born in the wrong time, I need a wealthy jarl,to hire me to make this kind of thing for his high status hof..

Unearthing Photos

2011-10-22T12:59:00.001-07:00

Grinding Away the Excess
Here are some pics of a nice little project I did awhile back, I just unearthed them, while trying to track down pics of recent work, so I can upload them to our website. However due to both of us being the types who "Make piles of paper" rather than "Fill files and label". I can't find a damn thing in our photo files, as they are not labeled accurately.This means a file labeled 1/11/2011 , Might just be all about our cat being cute , OR it could contain photos of a finished handrail. Or pics of Dan posing in in his kilt at the Highland Games, or all three...Until I open the files I have screwed myself for knowing fo'sure what's in the files...Due to my lack of left brain organisy-ness.
Namesake Thor
So, Here is a detail of the little Viking age Dragons that I made into a fireplace vent grill...The runes are an inscription. It asks for the God Thor's continued protection and blessings on the family who commissioned the piece. Their last name started with Thor, and they are of Swedish descent, so they wanted to thank Thor for watching over their family line so well. I ask for forgiveness at this moment from any professional runologists out there, this was my humble use of Elder Futhark to spell modern English words....grammatically right or wrong, the clients were happy!

Mjollnir, It says"Thor Bless"

This was during the coloring and application of the beeswax mixture.

Cooling on the table, ready for install!

In situ
The clients were thrilled, and it looks so good in their home!They also ordered a drinking horn stand for the mantle. They are proud of their heritage as Scandinavians. I swear, if all I did was forge Dragons I would be very happy indeed! I would love to work on someones hunting lodge, and build hinges, chandeliers, etc...all in the Viking art style...

Blogging, no one reads this..

2011-09-18T10:29:00.000-07:00

Does anyone actually read my posts? I mean besides my mother? I think I alienate the "normal" folk I follow on other blogs because Iam pagan, or have tattoos, or am pagan. Or Iam just a dull blogger..? I wish I could post daily, but honestly, I don't always have something of note to write about. I will however say that Iam glad the rains arrived here, I don't have to water my gardens, as money is tight and frankly I can't afford to water but the most important plants.. I was ready for autumn to arrive, and she certainly has. Haws (berries) on my hawthorns are red, there are yellow leaves on the trees, my apples are already picked, and the 90 degree swelter is gone. YAAAh! Love the sunshine, but not the heat, it makes me cranky having to stand in front of a 1000+ forge in 95 d. heat...

The rain is pelting down, and all I want to do is go outside and do a happy dance. I think I will, then bake a fresh apple pie, have some hard cider, and hail the turning of the seasons.

Mountain Getaway, Road Trip!

2011-09-07T15:51:00.000-07:00

The Long, Slow, Hot, Wind up the Blue Mountains out of Pendleton

So we took a road trip out to Baker City Oregon last month. Dan was teaching at the Interpretive Center there. Old timey blacksmithing. In 98degree heat,with blast furnace breezes it was fabulous, he assured me. They do pay him pretty well, and he loves teaching. Even in sweltering heat.

At the Summit

The Ponderosa forest, it was so dry, but the forest smells green,and the air is clean.

Yep.

Those whacky Pioneers had a way with words..I think the name says it all about the place.To be fair, the view is gorgeous, and the forest amazing, after the long, hot, dull expanse of Eastern Oregon sage/grasslands the sea of green is a relief.

Casa-costaplente

While we did get to enjoy the hospitality of our freinds Devon and Rachel, however we did not get to enjoy them, well I mean their company. They were down in Californy, visiting family at the time, but they graciously allowed us to crash/invade their groovy rancho. Here is one of the outbuilding, weathered and surrounded by aspen.

Me Calling Mom So She Knows We Made It

The cabin is gorgeous,rustic, funky, lists to the left, infested with packrats and I would move in if I could.If you place a marble by the front door it will roll Easterly until it ends up in the kitchen. Rachael and Devon are blessed, hard working and lucky to have this amazing place. I admit Iam jealous.

In the Morning I had a Visitor

After Dan took off for class, I went back inside to make the bed. Out the window I noticed a flash of red, Miss Fox was eating choke cherries off the dry grass. I know, even as I could hear the neighbors chickens clucking , I stood marveling at her beauty. Sorry hunter friends, she was cool.

Don't tell anyone but there is a fox

She nibbled cherries for a while, until I came outside, and called " Hullo vixen!" We looked at one another, just for a second and then she dashed off. Good foxy, you should be afraid us humans. Now I hunt, and I understand the damage a fox can do to livestock, but this was special to me. Observing one so closely, and candidly. That was the theme for me this trip, wildlife. Plenty of wildlife.

Off on my Hike

While Dan was working and slaving away for us, I went on a nature hike. Up into the woods, to see the elk, deer, and owls. All the while thinking, "Please Don't let a Mountian Lion eat me today.." This is cougar country, they are part of the land, and we share it with them, the problem arises when they lose fear of us, and or we look just too much like dinner. Which in the grand scheme of nature, we are, dinner I mean.

The land that surrounds our friends ranch is owned by some groovy people who allow folk like me to hike it. It borders public lands, so there are bridle trails that weave their way across it.Along with these are game trails galore.There are also basalt rock outcrops up on the hillsides, which make perfect paces to sit and eat your lunch from or watch for your prey from. Especially if you are the resident male cougar. I was informed, after I returned from my hike, that He had eaten the neighbors lammas. I was told they hired a tracker to find it. The tracked it but did not shoot it, and so the "Big , no, HUGE male Mountian lion is roaming free." They tell me this after I found the big kitties fresh cache of a partially eaten elk stag, and after I realised I need to take a rifle with me from now on.

Meadow on the Hillside, an oasis of cool

The Sun rising over the Woods.

The Trail, There is a muledeer doe hidden in all that.

I just couldn't snap her picture, it was a moment.

Lunch on the Big rock

Sigh. I want to be there Right Now.

The View to the North

Entwined Branches, the Lovers Tree

Back Home, Sunset..

Loveley

We had a great visit, the bummer being Dev and Racheal were not home, but Iam hoping we can get over there asap and visit. Stop at Amy's in the Ochocos along the way, and spend some good times around a campfire together. It's a wonderful place, but unless you have money, or a way to make money here is no work in Baker. Iam lucky to know good folks who are willing to share their chunk of it.

Vine Hand Railing

2011-09-07T14:55:00.000-07:00

All projects start out as sketches. On napkins, beer coasters, or in this case the shop floor.

This was drawn to scale, then transferred to a plywood board.

Greenman Face

The finished rails, I need to get a shot of them installed, but we have all been busy, and so has the client.

Summer has blown by, we have been working, and I just find it harder to make time to blog.

The main branch is 1 inch and a 1/4 solid round, it was drawn out using the power hammer, and my right arm wielding a 4lb mini sledge.

The tip of the vine was wrapped using an torch, some tongs, and hammer. I heated the tip, and began to wrap it very carefully.Note big ugly MIG welds that need dressing...I would LOVE TIG welder, smoother joins, and less clean up..

Leaf and Vine

There is that mini sledge I use everyday as my regular hammer. There are a few more bits that went into these rails, the back plate for one..so you can bolt it to the wall.

Midsommer pleasantries

2011-07-01T21:20:00.001-07:00

'
Midsummer= Sunna high in the summer sky, peeking through Thor's oaks
Huge old oak trees, at Oaks Bottom Park, the site for Portlands Midsommer festivities.

Sunna shining through the sun hoop.
The two hoops represent, either the Moon and Sun, or a man's testicles. It's any folklorists guess, and Iam sure an elderly Swede would say ", Who knows what it represents, it's just what we do."
I like to think of it as the sun and moon, and I couldn't help taking a pic of the Sun shining through the garlanded hoop. It was glorious!

A happy cock for the top of the pole!
So, if the two hoops on either side of a large phallic pole don't give you a clue about the whole fertility aspect of this, then the big red cock on top should. The male force in nature is being venerated whether all these nice Lutherans want to admit it or not. Really though, the ones I talk to know exactly what's up with the pole, and don't mind a bit.

Mr. rooster, looking majestic

Up it Goes!

Our local Midsummer Maypole being raised
Midsummer has come and gone. The day of our local midsummer festivities was wonderful, we attended, along with others from our local Sons of Norway lodge. The sun shone, people laughed, children sang and danced around the Maistang. It was cool. No surstrumming to be had Iam sad to report.
But there was a beer garden, and lots of good stuff to eat, booths to shop for Scandinavian doo-das, and trinkets. oh, and an IKEA booth. They were handing out free yellow frisbees, with the blue IKEA logo on them. I snagged two as they will be fun at Summerstar, to fling around in the parking lot while I work at the check in gate.
I hope everyone had a good midsummer, and are preparing for the hot days ahead. There's some new ironwor to be put in here, so I'll try to post them soon.

Been busy! Midsommer is coming..

2011-06-17T06:37:00.000-07:00

Happy Midsummer! Tradtional fare,Surstromming , note bulging can..mmm! It's ready!

Well I have been fairly busy with new work, and orders for our Viking age stuff. This is a good thing! It means we can pay bills, eat and keep the lights on. We have had a rainy , cold and rainy spring so far. Great for slugs, not so great for growing anything except root crops, and even they have been sulking. June is shaping up to be another cool one, but that won't deter us from celebrating Midsummer, the Summer Solstice this weekend with friends. We also celebrate it on the Solstice proper, with a swim in the river, and a picnic. I suspect this year though, it's gonna be a quick dip, as the winter snow melt is still filling the mountain rivers with freezing cold run off. Hypothermia is not part of my plans that day. There is also the added bonus of our own local Midsommer festival on the 25th, (Midsummer proper in most of Europe). This event is hosted by the League of Swedish Societies, and has gotten so popular they've had to move it to a bigger park this year. They will have a maypole, but I bet there won't be surstromming, infamously stinky fermented herring. My Swedish friend Marta assures me I would love it!

Detail Of Hearts

Finished up a nice fireplace screen, bleeding hearts. I designed it, and forged out the pretty bits, and handles,Hubby forged the frame, stretched the screen.

Putting on the Beeswax Finish

We use a traditional beeswax/turpentine finish for most of our interior projects. Those are my lovely hands buffing that metal..

All ready to go to it's new home!

We also built this same client a handrail, but I need to get over there for some picture taking. They were thrilled with our work,and I can't wait to see this screen with a fire behind it. I love what I do and am truly grateful that I get to do this for a living!
Now it's off to get ready for the weekends festivities. Gte some spuds and dill, roast some ribs drink some good beer, laugh and celebrate the turning of the wheel!Have an awesome and wonderful, magical Midsommer, Sonnenwende, Midsummer, Solstice! The Sun is at her height, and will slowly descend back to her winter depths from here on out.

A year

2011-05-15T18:53:00.001-07:00

Pa helping Dan at the Norse Hall
Well it was a year ago today(okay, it was a Sat. last year) that my step dad Charlie John passed over to heaven, Folkvang, Elysium, the After Life, the All that Is. Now while he was not my biological father(that was Nick) he was in every other way as beloved to me as a blood father could have been. He was my Dad, and I wish truly he could have been there even earlier in my childhood, but hey, he got me during my broody, moody hormonal teenage girl years. Bless his heart, and he also raised three other daughters before me. One who is his only biological child. He was a hard working man, was expert woodworker, and draftsman. He could build anything, and I mean anything.
He treated my mother like a damn queen, and I could never thank him enough for being such an amazing husband and friend to her.
I miss him, and I know he dwells in the heaven of his faith, with his ancestors. If there is Rainier beer in heaven I know he is drinking one. Hail Pa, we all miss you so much, but I know you watch over all of us.

Recent Work

2011-04-27T08:52:00.000-07:00

Fireplace Screen
Recent work, Hubby made the frame I did all the fancy bits in the middle. Nothing from a parts catalog, all designed, cut, forged and shaped by me. This is now living in front of cute little hand plastered fireplace. It's beehive shaped, simple but fancy. I wish I was one of those mega-smiths who do huge public art, out of control rails etc..requiring a team of men and a crane to install. sadly Iam not. That's just not where we have gone with our business, unfortunately.

Flower Detail
Dogwood style flowers, to match those in the tiles that ran along the front of the mantel. The holes are slit open hot, then opened with a punch. You have to do this hot, or you could tear the sheet metal. No one wants that, as it is a pain in the butt.

Finished Screen
I use a torch and a linseed oil, turpentine, bees wax finish to get the dark color. That's the traditional way to obtain the black iron look. You can use paint, but that looks cheesey , and cheap and insults the metal. How's that for sounding artsy and pretentious!

Next up= Arts and Crafts tulips..
This is a sweet little handrail, for a Craftsman style bungalow.
The flower is the one above, it has a keyhole in the center, with the leaves of the one next to it on the right.

Better get to work!

The Wheel Turns

2011-04-25T11:09:00.000-07:00

Me and the Oldest Friend, Circa 1976
I have never been a girly girl. At the age of 4 I preferred playing with Tonka trucks to dollies. It was just who I was. My mom Iam sure wished for a dainty little thing, but she was a tomboy too, and so was her mother. So it is in the blood.

Being a tomboy it's not always easy to have friends, especially girlfriends. That not wanting to play jacks or dolls gets in the way. It didn't help that I was a nerdy, skinny kid with glasses, who the other girls thought was weird for wanting to play war rather than house.
So I was lucky to meet another outdoorsy/tomboy like myself back in 5th grade. She is my oldest friend.
My oldest friend and I are still in touch, we were instant buddies, and have know each other through everything really. Although there was a time in my 20's I was not as in touch I should have been. We live on opposite sides of the country, but can still have a great conversation when we speak, which is fairly often. We also laugh a lot.
She has been going through a ton of change in the last year or so, as her mother died, and the estate had to be sold. All of it, belongings and home. That was her parents wish. Had I the money I would have bought it. Alas, I am a poor artisan, with nothing but dreams, so that did not happen.
The family home belongs to a school mate of ours now, who I know will take good care of it, and I hope, use the farm for a working farm again.

It is all sad for me, and I know it was a heartache for my Old Friend, but she has moved on, and what else can you do? Life moves on, the wheel turns.
Somehow I still grieve, and I think it is more than just knowing I can never go there again, or missing my friends parents.
I think it is tied into being 45, looking back and knowing that that was the happiest time of your life.
Wishing you could escape the grind of adulthood, to once again be 10, fishing on The Pond, or hunting in the cornfields, the only thing you had to care about was being back to the house in time for dinner.
It is silly I know, but I mourn that loss of youth, and freedom.

Stringing the Hops

2011-04-16T08:31:00.001-07:00

The Maypole Waiting to be Strung
Spring has sprung and it's time for hops to be strung. Along with all the duties of running your own small, nay molecular, business, there are the farmin' duties. We actually strung the hops several weeks ago, before the Oak Grove Funnel Cloud hit. That's another post though. Suffice it to say we sustained no damage.
The hops started emerging in February , early really. March is more usual, and I attribute it to our lack of actual freezing weather this winter. Rain, plenty. Snow, well, not much here in the Oak Grove river valley, or "The Holler" as I like to call it. It has rained buckets, for weeks on end though. Turning my backyard into a muddy, mucky swamp. The garden beds like little islands in the murk. We built a wooden walkway to the shop from the house, it feels very Medieval village but without the feudal system. It's just depressing, and woe betide you if you fall off the wooden path..
As you can see things looks cluttered and needing picked up. Here in The County blue tarps are more than just a way to keep your firewood dry, they are excellent for building temporary structures that require no permitting whatsoever! Although the plan is to build a wooden overhang instead.
That's parsnips in the foreground, waiting for em to eat them. I forget what type, but they are sweet as heck.

The Hubbinator Tying off the Strings
We decided after much debate that the Maypole should be recyled into the hop rack. Every year we hold a May Day hoopla here at the Hof, but since the addition of the pole building there just is no room for such capers. The pole part is a lodgepole pine, that I topped with a lovely red cock, and iron ring for attaching the ribbons. The men would erect the pole, and the women would decorate it with flowers. Well, we decorated it before it went up, I should say. It was a load of fun, and everyone enjoyed themselves, the weather usually cooperated too. So we would have sunshine, warm temps. Usually.
The pole is 20 feet long, or so, and required us to toss the ball of twine back and forth. He'd catch it cut a strand, tie it off, and toss it back. I'd chuck it back to him. Repeating this until we felt we had enough strings attached, and /or got bored.
Note= Ugly teal paint on house was not my idea, we just have never found the time to repaint after we bought it.

Mister Rooster All Ready to Go!
We stuck him in his holder, and raised the pole up. Iam a little sad we won't be using him for our May Day fun, but the hop bines will love this to climb up. The red rooster watches over the property. A perch for flickers, song birds, and the odd Sharp Shinned hawk, who wants to eat the songbirds.

The Pole is up and Ready For The Hops!
You can see we live in a glamorous place. That's or neighbors boneyard for his work trucks and excavation business behind the orchard.
The horse head is what the hops used to be tied off to, but they are mature now, and need some room to run. Plus it will look so cool, living ribbons of green lushness on the Maypole. Or Maibaum as my ancestors called it Germany.
The Hop bines will grow up, and cover the end of the shop. Our hop varieties are Willamette, and I think..Fuggles. I forget it's been awhile..We do use them for breweing, they are organically grown, I use only the finest Welsh pony manure, from happy ponies who grazed along the banks of the mighty Abiqua River. For hop aphid control it's ladybugs who arrive in their hundreds to clean the leaves of pest.Lacewings show up too, and their larvae consume what the ladybugs don't.
The hops are now several feet high, since we took these pics. I'll have to get a shot to insert here.

The Massive Leek.
I leave you with this, the Uber Leek. I know I should eat it, but I can't yank it out yet. I over wintered some leeks, and for some reason this one grew most vigorously. Same soil, same everything, but for some magical reason this one did best. I have to look into the propagation of leeks, can I gather seed from it when it blooms out?
Here's to the Sun coming out here in the NW, so my hops can grow their one foot per day, and I won't go barking mad from lack of sunshine.

Freya the Cat

2011-04-02T20:48:00.000-07:00

All I wanted was a cup of tea
But I got a kitten on my back. The is Freya, our 7 month old kitten/cat. Dan rescued her tiny little , mewing self back in October, as she cowered near a boulder in the neighbors parking strip. Since she showed up Friday, He named her Freya, after the Germanic/Nordic Goddess of love, whom some say Friday is named for. I also call her "Widget", She is my little Widget, as in "Hand me that widget please."
She was wee, thirsty, and homeless so being the crazy cat lady on our street I took her in.

Alice our other girl cat hates her little guts, but we are working on things, they can sit in the same room now without Alice trying to corner and kill her, so that's a step forward.
Freya for her part stopped turning into a feline chainsaw every time she saw Alice, or heard the name "Alice", so maybe one day they will tolerate one another.

Freya and the Hubbinator, with Ludwig making a cameo.
She is cuteness personified, and we both adore the little nibblet. She started riding around on our shoulders when she was tiny, and weighed the same as a piece of toast. With butter and jam. Now she is getting to be kinda big for this sort of acrobatics. Having 7lbs. of cat launch onto your unsuspecting t-shirt clad shoulders will wake you up pretty damn fast.. She will also launch herself from heights, and it's a special kind of pain when she lands on your tender flesh.. Like hanging a bag of flour onto yourself with fishhooks. I try to resist the urge to scream, as that will only make her dig in harder as she climbs your head to get away from that alarming sound.
We are discouraging her from this behavior, but as you can see Dan is a sucker for her, and he wears a hoodie so she has more to hang on to. she ambushed me when I was getting my tea. I would never encourage such behavior from such a cute, little sweetie pie. never...

Dragon Grill More Viking age fun..

2011-03-29T19:41:00.000-07:00

Dragon, rough, fresh from forge.
I just finished this nice little Dragon Gill for a member of our Sons of Norway lodge, Grieg Lodge. Dan and I joined our local S.O.N lodge because we liked the people, and they didn't chase us away after we did a Viking age blacksmithing demo. Neither of us are Norwegian, maybe by invasion back in the Danelaw, but we both love Nordic culture, and Viking age history. Thanks to my many awesome Norwegian patrons I have done several of these dragon themed projects. Gates, fireplace screen, the one above , and now this grill.

Laid out on table, over original drawing
I draw out the design, on paper, or plywood, or the floor of the shop. Then I forge and sculpt the steel to do my bidding. I try to design with the limitations of steel and the laws of physics, but sometimes I forget and get carried away. This project was thankfully, easy, fun and creatively satisfying to build.

Close up
Since my clients family name is Thorsen, Son of Thor, he wanted to honor the God Thor some how. The central hammer reads, in English, but written in Old Norse runes, "Thor Bless".
I also wrote up a house blessing, and carved it into the dragons bodies with a chisel. It reads=
"Name sake Asa Thor, bless our hearth fire burning bright"

"Namesake" in runes

Heating Steel for Applying Finish
Using the torch to heat the steel so beeswax and oil can be applied. I use a mixture of bees wax, linseed oil, and turpentine for my finish. You heat the steel so the mixture will soak into the metal, leaving a warm, velvety finish.

Making sparks!
My awesome ability to measure twice and still screw it up, I had to grind off 1/8 of an inch to make it fit the space.

Finished Grill, all Done!
It turned out so nice, and I wish it was in my house! It is about three feet long, 6 inches high..I think..could be 9"..

Finished Grill in It's New Home
So, here it is, all nestled into it's new space!

Yorkshire Pudding

2011-02-15T15:42:00.000-08:00

The Pudding In Situ
Most of you (all 5 of you out there) know that I love to cook. I love cooking traditional folksy food, the kind that fills you up. Makes you warm, contented, whole.
The kid of food my grandmother made, and her mothers made before her. For me that would include food from Croatia, Ukraine, Germany and England. I'm a typical American Mutt, a little of this, a little of that.
So, as part of my attempt to connect with my culinary heritage, specifically the English side. I set out to bake a Yorkshire Pudding. No buying those horrid little frozen ones at the local Brit import store. Ohhhh no.
I scoured my cookbooks, looked online, Delia Smith had a good recipe, so I ued that but added an egg. It's all very touchy making the batter..Is the right runniness? Is it too warm? Did I beat it too much? Is the sun in alignment with Venus properly..There is alot to factor in, and honestly I was scared I'd screw it up. What if it doesn't rise, and just lies there in the beef fat, smoking and looking flat. Mocking me...You just have to go for it sometimes when trying out something new.
So I set the roast to roasting, and went for it.

TA DA!
I'd like to say I took lots of preparation shots, but I didn't, I was busy trying to not get eggshell in the batter, and keep the cats off the counter.The Hubbinator, who was out in the forge, kept coming in occasionally to look hopefully at the oven door and ask "Is it done yet? It smells amazing!".
No. Not yet, the roast isn't done. Now go on..I'll call you when it's ready..Repeat this pattern for several hours. When it was time, I called him in to watch the pouring of the batter into the hot fat. Other than my hair smelling like roast beef for the rest of the evening, it all went fine.
I poured the batter into the hot fat, it flowed like white lava into the pan. I shut the door and waited..
Okay. Everything is a go, now we wait...
Tick tick tick....Then it was time.
"My God you could ski down those peaks!" He exclaimed as I pulled it from the oven. I grinned. Success was mine!!!

No waiting or graces
So powerful was the allure of this pudding that the Hubby broke out his knife and started cutting a hunk out of it. Who could blame him? It was deeeeeelishcious, we managed to get the roast on the table along with the veg to enjoy it with, but to be honest, it was all about the fried dough.
The pic above shows it after the carnage had begun, and it's peaks had deflated.
Still. It was amazing, and I felt triumphant as a cook.
I think it might be time to do up another roast with pudding, this is making me hungry just looking at the pics.
Here is a great website, Historical Foods, they have recipes from every era, and taste.
http://historicalfoods.com/1033/roast-beef-lunch-recipe/

New Year

2011-02-12T09:11:00.000-08:00

Wow! I have not blogged in...oh...ages. Mostly I just have don't have enough to write about..
Only a few people read it, yes they are my freinds, and wonderful. Not for reading the blog, but for being awesome people. I have to admit wishing people liked my blog, and found me interesting enough to read it regularly, but pagan lady blacksmiths who swear and drink ale aren't popular.
Well, onwards.
We were in our local newspaper back in October, The Oregonian, here is the article.
Very fun, it brought us some new commissions, thank the Gods, but it isn't enought to keep us alive. Dan is hunting jobs in his field, archaeology, and Iam just trying to not be depressed 24 hours a day while I forge steel, working on the jobs we do have.
Life teaches us strength by trying to break us down, that's what I have come to learn. Either you completely break apart, or you rebuild yourself, stronger, wiser. It isn't easy, nor is it pleasant.

One of the "teachers" out there, for me, is an amazing woman who writes the blog "Milkweed and Teasle". Jennifer and her husband are survivors and thrivers, literally. I love reading about the life she shares with her husband as gamekeepers on an English estate. She and he have been through it, they make do and mend fences. They work hard and love their lives, exhausting as it can be. Iam grateful that she shares it with all of us, because it inspires me to not just give up on my dreams, and that yes, life is hard. But also wonderful.
She also has a cluttered house which I can relate to. :) No time for being Martha Stewart when you have work in the shop all day thanks..
Anyways check her out.

Road Trip, Fall rites..

2010-09-23T13:22:00.000-07:00

On The Road, The Gorge
Well, after a fine tour of these Great United States, well okay, just the Western bits, through to Nebraska..I return to write of the excursion. It was loads of fun, exhausting, but fun.
My father died this May, and so my Mother is alone out there on the prairie. We decided it was a good time to drive out and visit, make sure she was okay. Help out, etc..
We had planned on attending the Baker City Oregon Highland Games, and since we were already on the otherside of the state, well hell, why not just keep going?
So we did.

The Cabin, at Rancho-Costa-Plenty
Our amazing friends Devon and Rachael graciously offered their cabin for us to stay in while we visited. They lived in this amazing cabin for 11ish years, until they finished building their own house. Yes, they built the house themselves, with their own hands, tools and love. The Big House is wonderful, don't get me wrong guys.
But I love the cabin. I would live here always if I could I love it that much, cozy, nestled in the aspen, with it's herd of security turkeys ever alert to danger..

Blurry "Action" Shot of Turkey herd..they move damn fast..
The birds sleep high in the trees behind the cabin, safe from predators.
The above was taken as they made their way up the trail to the hill beside the cabin. Where, once they reached the proper high spot on the hill, they launch themselves in a flurry of feathers into the roosting trees. Smart fowl I say, working with gravity, not against it. It's a herd made up of several adult females and their young, long legged gawky teenage birds.

Off to Bed They Go..
Fast little hens, I barely got this shot with my crappy camera..

My Bonney Man and His Pipes
The Highland Games were great fun. We arrived late friday and had to set up during the start of the games, I was worried we would be a problem, but everyone there was just happy we came. The wonderful Marna sent the Boy Scouts out to help us set up. Devon and Dan helped the lads get our smithy set up while I put the forge together.
When my nose started running and my hands turned blue I realised I might need that sweater I had brought just in case. In Eastern Oregon in the high country winter can come in Sept. So people understand how to live with cold, but this was Labor Day weekend, late August.
It had been hot and sunny earlier in the week. High 90's there in Baker, so people were not quite ready for the shock. A cold front had rolled in, rain, snow in the mountains, temps. in the 40's. Were had a fire so we stayed warm, and everyone had a good time anyways. After all, this was more like weather in Scotland.

His Nibs, The Piper
Dan was invited by the Pipe Major of The City Of Trees Pipe and Drum Band to play during the parade..I have never seen my husband more excited or happy. I was very proud of him. They were a great group of folks. Thank you guys and gals, you made my Hubby very happy!

Bellows Boy
We both did demonstrations, meeting the good people at the games, and teaching the craft. We had a young man who was perfect at running the bellows. It is a tricky thing to do, and he caught on quickly. I wish I could recall his name, Thank you Little Boy Scout dude! You were a big help!

I'm too Sexy for My Kilt...
For those of you out there who care this is NOT my family tartan. We are Stewarts, and this is not. Donna our good friend and amazing bagpiper, gave me this kilt as a gift. What is hard is when members of this clan come running up to me arms thrown wide exclaiming how thrilled they are to meet another member of the clan. I just play along, as I don't have the heart to tell them the truth, it has only led to trouble in the past..
Stay tuned for Part Two of this saga..

Since arriving home I have been making apple butter, and canning it..

Before..
Fresh apples from my orchard. Lots of apples, the Wassailing back in January worked ! I ended up with three 5 gallon buckets from this dwarf mystery variety alone..

After!
Yes it looks like sludge, but it's really yummy apple butter..ready for canning or eating on fresh toast with melted butter.. Devon cream would be awesome with this..Sadly, some of us can't get proper Devon cream here to go with..sigh..some folks have all the luck.;)

Beets Two Ways

2010-07-26T08:46:00.001-07:00

On the road to babushkahood...
This years long cold spring gave me a fine beet crop. So yesterday I made two Ukrainian salads using fresh veg from my garden. Beets, carrots, onions, and potatoes. I got carried away, as
I tend cook enough to feed a small warband, even when Iam not trying. Both salads were yummy, although the grated beet was the favorite.
Smoked chicken from our favorite German deli Edelweiss, some braised kale, and cold hard cider to drink. It was perfect. The days have been hot, as it's nearly Lughnasadh, or August if you prefer the Roman naming. The feilds of grain shimmer under the hot sun like gold, ready for the farmers scythe..

This time of the year is hot here in Orygon, upper 80's to 90's, Not stifling hot like it was back in PA, we just don't have that humidity hell. It's a get your jog in early or you will roast to death later hot, but after this years endless murk of rain I am embracing it like it a lover.
So beet recipe, I owe this recipe to this nice woman and her blog on life in Russia. I was hunting for beet recipes when I found her page.
When I read the combination of beets and mayo I was dubious..but honestly it is delicious, addictive and Iam about to go get some for breakfast..

Shredded Beet salad that feeds several..=
4 medium /large beets boiled until they are just tender, a fork will just pierce them. You don't want them cooked to mush, just not raw hard crunchy. Allow to cool.
1 raw beet
Grate all the beets up in a bowl. Admire lovely color of shredded beets. Then pick off the flicked out bits of beet off the walls, your hair and the toaster.
Wash hands.
Then get=
Three tablespoons of good mayonaisse. Trader Joe's makes a damn fine organic mayo..or make yer own if you want. I don't.
1 cup of chopped walnuts, chop into small bits, not quite ground but close.
2 teeth of garlic(cloves) these you want to mince fine..
I added one Tablespoon of cider vinegar.
Pepper to taste, in my case that was about 1/4 of a teaspoon.

After you have grated the beets add all remaining ingredients, mix well. It should all sort of congeal together, and turn a nice lighter shade of ruby. It should not be a creamy mayonaissey mess, the mayo just binds it together.
I chilled it, and it was fabulous with the chicken. We ate until we could eat no more. Iam poor in money but Iam rich in good food.
Nastrovye!

Changes..

2010-06-11T05:52:00.002-07:00

Me in the May snow, in Laramie Wyoming after out running a tornado..no Im not kidding.

I think I have like, oh three readers and that's counting my Husband. Im just not a prolific writer, but this months abscence was not my lack of material. May was actually coming along quite wonderfully for things to share. We had a great Beltane/May Day, then went to the Oregon State Draft Horse ploughing competition, so I will write about that, as I got some cool pics.
One day I would love to learn more about handling a team, and actually own a pair, but that's not yet.
All was May, birds were singing, the garden starting to really take off.
Then what I had feared was coming finally came. My Father died from his lung cancer.
He lived long enough to celebrate his 77th birthday on the 3rd. It was almost as if that was the time marker signaling the end. The next day he failed hard, and I was called to come home ASAP. Now I had been begging to come home before this, and indeed we, the Hubby and I, had gone back in Feb. to visit. Iam so glad we did, because that was really the last time he was "all there". The illness started dragging him down after that, and by the end he was not the man he once was. No even a shadow.
My Mother is doing fine, given that her best friend and soul mate has just died. Me, well I cry, but most of the time I'm just getting on with life. That's all I can do, miss him, but live on well. He would never want any of us sitting about being maudlin, he hated that.
The Hubby and I drove back, through raging storm and snow, across the Rocky Mountains, over plains, saw plenty of antelopes, hawks, Golden Eagles, and cows. Lots of cows.We agree, cattle should be the national critter, as they are everywhere. Thought about Pa all the way, but it wasn't until I got home that it all came crashing down emotionally. I sat in my living room looking at daddies picture and just bawled my eyes out. All the the worry and stress of nearly two years of him being sick with cancer washed away with those tears..time to start a new chapter.

Dragons

2010-04-04T09:45:00.000-07:00

Iv'e got a dragon by it's tail
It's Ostern and I'm enjoying my morning with some coffee, reading my favorite farming, homesteading and archaeology blogs and updating mine. Ludwig the cat is sitting in my lap having a bath. It's all very cozy, as the weather is still cold, dark, and stormy outside.
Crappy weather and all the Ostern hare has been by, as there are colored eggs and chocolate bunnies to be had in the kitchen..MmmmMmmm!

Been working on a project for a friend from the Norse Hall, it's a fireplace screen, with a nice happy Urnes style dragon on the front. The above is the start of the tail, or part of it's tail.
This is 5 feet of steel, and when it's done it it will loop around the body. I love this kind of work, it's what I really enjoy about smithing, taking steel and transforming it into something useful or beautiful, or both.

Happy Dragon
Here it is laid out on the board, I have to get pics of the tail bits..Dan is building the frame,and the runic inscription that will surround the dragon, a passage from the Havamal, which I need to go get and post here..as shamefully I can't remember the exact words..Bad heathen..no mead for you.

Nature, and Healing

2010-03-27T13:14:00.000-07:00

Bleeding Hearts

Well, today Im making the attempt at working the garden. It's just too sunny and gorgeous to stay inside and be sad. The apple trees are blooming, and it might just be warm enough to lure the bees outside and into my garden.

Yesterday was truly a suck day, today is better, only in that the sun is helping, nature is helping. I forget that, and get caught up in the tailspin of depression. I forget that when I was a kid growing up in the country the only place I ever felt truly "me" was outside. Up a tree, climbing the branches to a place I could sit, and simply be. Gaze out over the pastures, and fields, watch the swallows coming and going from their mud nests in the barn eves. Hidden from everyone, safe. I was just me, and the land understood.

When I was sick I would beg to go outside, just so I could lie on the ground in the sunshine, smell the clean air, feel the earth beneath me. Once when I was deathly ill my Hungarian pediatrician told my Mother the best thing for me was to let me go outside and sit in sunshine, lie on the earth, feel the clean air, the antibiotics were not working, so maybe the sunshine would..it worked. Smart man.Old world wisdom.

So today I decided until the pain lays me low or paralizes me I'm going to dig in my garden, plant my veg and soak up Mother Earths life. It's the only thing I know that helps.

Elf-Shot

2010-03-23T13:52:00.000-07:00

The Austrian Oak's back, not mine. Mine is much smaller, and hurts like hell.
I suspect the cause is thus, I have been Elf/Alf shot!

‘Elf-shot’ is a concept which will need little introduction to students of Anglo-Saxon
culture, and the thrust if not the words of Singer’s statement in his British Academy
lecture of 1919, ‘Early English Magic and Medicine’ (1919–20, 357), will be
familiar:
a large amount of disease was attributed … to the action of supernatural
beings, elves, Æsir, smiths or witches whose shafts fired at the sufferer
produced his torments. Anglo-Saxon and even Middle English literature is
replete with the notion of disease caused by the arrows of mischievous
supernatural beings. This theory of disease we shall, for brevity, speak of as
the doctrine of the elf-shot. The Anglo-Saxon tribes placed these malicious
elves everywhere, but especially in the wild uncultivated wastes where they
loved to shoot at the passer-by.

Elves were thought to be invisible or hard-to-see creatures who shot their
victims with some kind of arrow or spear, thus inflicting a wound or
inducing a disease with no other apparent cause (elfshot). They appear to be
lesser spirits than the Æsir (Odin, Thor, Frigga) deities, but with similar armaments in spears andarrows. … This attack by elves was eventually linked with Christian ideas of
demons penetrating or possessing animals and people, who then needed
exorcism."
Ohhhhh...So That's what's going on with my back! Well at least that's what it feels like..I guess I better make right with the Alfs/elves so they knock this shit off.

So yesterday I wrote of my heinous back pain, I went for a nice massage, which helped calm me down, but still the nasty little spear man was jabbing me to death. I tried to watch the tube while not thinking about how uncomfortable it all was just trying to relax, but gave up. Chronic pain is exhausting, if you have experienced it you know what I mean.
It sucks all life and energy and hope out of you. It's like being hunted down, chased for miles and never really getting to rest. Or at least that's how I see it.
So I ate a handful of ibuprofen and laid in bed wishing I could die.
Finally after a crappy night of not much sleep it was time to go see The Dr. and see what could be done. I explained to her the situation with my back, and ribcage, the pain etc..Did I have a slipped disc? Did I need an MRI I can't afford? X-rays? A shot of tiger tranquilizers maybe..

'No," she explained "that I needed a good rib crunching, to put the ribs back into position, cold packs, REST, and a deep massage from the lovely and Mighty Alicia." So crack me she did.
I have to say Iam sore, but the truly deep evil pain is subsiding, just like she said it should.
She stressed the REST part, not even light yoga, certainly not laundry shlepping, blacksmithing, bodybuilding, or lifting anything heavier than a cup of tea or a cold beer.
She was even dubious about me doing dishes.
So the amazing Hubbinator has been handling the heavy stuff today, like mucking out the cat boxes, hauling the heavy laundry basket, bringing me tea..it's all very swell.
He is being very wonderful through this whole ugly episode, while I watch a Time Team marathon and drink green tea while lying on a frozen hunk of beef roast.
Pain relief and dinner thawed in one! Amazing!
Okay time for more cold pack, and another cup of tea. Here's hoping this all starts mending up, and I can get some damn sleep. I will also be sure to honor the Land Spirits more often and generously, being Alf shot sucks.

Hail the Growing season springtide comes..

2010-03-22T14:11:00.000-07:00

"Erce, Erce, Erce, Mother of Earth,
May Thor Almighty grant you, the Thunder Lord ,
Fields sprouting and springing up,
Fertile and fruitful,
Bright shafts of shining millet,
And broad crops of barley
And white wheaten crops
And all the crops of earth. "
Ahh happier days in the garden, just a few weeks ago.
Note how warm it was, me in no sleeves...and the sexy new tartan wellies..a fancy gift from Marta the Honey Voiced. My back not in it's current state of excruciating..

The Hubbinator and I decided the ugly raised wood beds had to go. Mostly they were home to a zillion slugs and snails, and too small to grow "enough' of anything really. That and we also were sick of trying to mow the lawn between them.
So, one truckload of bedding dirt later, there you have it. We laid down woodchip for paths, made lovely earthen rows for veg. I did NOT shovel, he did. I raked, and fussed and planted beets and peas. Heirloom English shelling peas, and Oregon sugar snap. mmm peas...
I have lots of plans for the garden, but if I can't get my back pain under control it's just gonna be beets and peas I fear.

My usual back issue is my lower back. The discs between L3 and L5 are trying to escape and shrink, and this causes great pain and a cramping of my normally active style.
BUT I have learned how to "deal" with it. Painful yes, but nothing compared to the latest adventure in pain.
One of my ribs is "out", the muscles just under my right scapula, and the surrounding muscles of my ribs are strained. The muscle spasm squeezing the hell out of a nerve in my mid back.
It is nonstop. Nothing helps.
It feels like (I would imagine) a red hot spear being shoved into my back, and then drawn across my ribs..All the damn time.
There is no escape, no amount or shifting, stretching, lying on one side or the other will stop this agonising pain. It has brought me to sobbing tears. Honestly, I wouldn't wish it on anyone, well, except a few people, like Hitler.

What did I do to cause this ghastly injury?
I reached back behind my head to brush my freakin' hair is what.
Yep. I reached behind my head when "WHAM!' the muscle felt like it had been hit with a hot poker under my right scapula. everything seized up.
I think I said"You have to be freaking kidding me!!! Noooooo! before collapsing onto the bed in agony.
I probably strained it doing squats, and the lifter muscles under my shoulder blade got so strained, but not enough to become a full blown muscle spasm. Then when I asked them to do something simple like brushing my hair they said
"NO."
So off I go to the chiropractor to get things reset. Mmm can't wait for that special popping a rib back into place pain tommorrow, but it has to be done.
BUT first I get a deep tissue massage this evening I hope it helps.

Life and blogging

2010-02-09T14:36:00.000-08:00

Hey? What are you doing in there?

This blog is a bit of conundrum for me. I'd like to write more intimate details of my life, and thoughts, like a journal, but I always think I sound whiny when I do. I mean sure life is hard, but I'm not in hell. But still.

As for a strictly technical blacksmith blog, well...I'm really not nerdy enough to prattle on and on about crucial temperatures for forge welding, which fancy steel to use, or other terribly geeky things. I'm coming at this craft as a sculptor. Technical stuff bores me to tears for the most part. I do love good working tools, just not chatting on and on about them. When Iam around other smiths who can prattle on and on and on about such things I tend to drift off.
So, I need to think about what I want to do with this blog.
hmmmm..think I'll go feed the cats..

Hard week

2010-01-16T12:05:00.001-08:00

Things are kinda hard around these parts. Dad's been in the hospital with pneumonia all week, he's home now.This is good, but Ma is not unpacking his overnight bags just yet. He originally went in monday, came home tuesday, and promptly went back in the next day. possible heart failure, lungs chock full of fluid, it was scary.
They also got his cat scan results. Unfortunately the lung cancer has spread to his liver. This is a bummer to put it mildly.
There isn't much I can do, just be there for my Ma when she calls, and think positively.
It's a bummer, but the earthquake in Haiti is a horrible.
I have tried to avoid tragedy overload all week, but finally watched the news last night. Crumbled buildings. Masses of bodies, throngs of survivors in the streets of Haiti. I watched and tried to not cry.
Then they showed a small boy with a broken leg, and head injuries. Both his parents dead. The medics began to set and wrap his leg, he began wailing his heart out, a cry like I have never heard in my sheltered life. A cry that I hope I never hear again because I know what sort of pain it means now..I wanted to reach through the screen and hold him.
It was then I burst into tears.
No more news for me, Iam full.

So today Iam focusing on getting things done here that need doing. Like splitting wood, spreading wood chip on the garden paths, doing the mountain of dishes in the kitchen. Cooking, and making the Hubbinators lunch, he's teaching all weekend, so I get a little time to catch up on haus verk.
Listening to Polka also helps me slog through the chores. I like all sorts of music, from Ancient to Viking metal, but Polka has a special place in my heart. So off I go to scrub some pots..

If you want to help the people of Haiti=
The Red Cross and
Doctors Without Borders are a great place to start.

Stuff

2009-12-29T11:30:00.000-08:00

Pennanular
One of the nice things about working with iron is making things for friends. The above pin was made for our friend Dawn Russell.
She gifted me with a gorgeous set of deer bone runes, in a buckskin pouch, all handmade for Yule. So, I forged out the above pin. She loves clothes, be they buckskin or Renaissance, so I thought she could use a pennanular for her cloaks.

Yuletide is still lingering around here, and until we wassail the orchard on the 9th of January, it's still feeling sort of "in-between" or like we are holding our breathe.

The tomte's gifts
On Christmas eve Dan set out a gift of risengrot and whiskey for our tomten.
Our tomte lives in the smithy and looks after things all year, so if a nice bowl of extra buttery rice pudding and a shot of hooch make him happy, that isn't much to ask for in return for his keeping things safe and sound.

Bavarian sign, finished and hung
After we hung it I honestly felt it could have been bigger, but budgitary constraints kept it smaller. I am proud of my German shop signs, they are fun to build. I get to sculpt, and that's what I love.

Hand painted by me.
Dan forged the frame, I forged the hops, stein, and the barley.
Not much else to report, the hubbinator needs the computer, so I have to cut this short.
Hope everyone had a good Yule, and I hope this secular new year doesn't suck as hard as the last one, to put it roughly.

Yuletide in Oregon..

2009-12-11T08:09:00.000-08:00

Happy Yule everyone!
Here Iam, well my hands anyways, rolling out pepparkakor, traditional Swedish gingersnaps. These are rolled out very thin, so the process takes a looooong time. Perfect project for a cold, dark evening. I love rolling and cutting out these yummy cookies. It's very relaxing, roll, cut, bake. They bake in less than five minutes, so you can't wander off and do the bills, or get engrossed in something.
After the baking sheet laden with goodness goes into the oven I take a sip of tea, maybe take another. Then Bam!Time to remove the little nippers from oven. Remove from tray, and repeat. It's all very meditational. I usually listen to the radio as I bake, this year it was the Food and Farming awards show on BBC4

Moose

And Squirrel!
Remember those smashing IKEA cookie cutters? Well they are truly cool. Foxes, hedgehogs, and the moose and squirrel. Of course you must say that with a bad fake Russian accent, like Natasha from Rocky and Bullwinkle fame...These are such good cookies, perfect with a cup of coffee in the morning.
"The house smells like Christmas!" exclaimed the Hubbinator , as he grabbed a handful of the warm, crispy little cookies and dissapeared back out to the shop.

Yuletide has hit here, and we have put up our tree. It's lovely, but no pics as yet. Today I promise. Speaking of trees,
Ever wonder where all those trees come from?
Well....

Christmas Tree Round Up!
Last week we made a run down to Mt. Angel, a nice little farming town nestled in the Willamette Valley. It was a cold crisp day, clear as can be. The full moon was starting to rise over the horizon as we headed back for home, and it was then the Hubbinator noticed the helicopters.
Yes helicopters airlifting huge bundles of freshly harvested trees. Doug firs, Noble pines, Grands.
All destined for homes the world over.
You see here in Oregon, we produce damn near all the Christmas/Yule/Holiday trees in the world. I know, there are other states who grow them, but for sheer scale, production, and quality, it's Oregon in the lead. We are the land of Yuletide greenery, from holly farms, to wreathes, swags, even mistletoe. Growing plants is the main AG industry, this includes wheat, barley, and ornamentals. Okay and cattle. We do have us some cattle ranching!

The Gorgeous Full moon

The moon rising over the horizon was huge. You can see the Christmas trees as a green band near the bottom of the pic. They await their fate. This spot on Wildcat Rd was achingly lovely, it was killing me that we couldn't just go hiking in those oak woodlands..

Here comes a load...

And another..The moon really was huge and hung like a silver dollar in the sky..

Coming in to the barn.
These were then loaded into trucks for shipping off to everyplace you can think of. All over the valley they have been harvesting trees this way. teams of workers go out into the fields, where they cut , stack and bundle the trees. Then the whirley bird drops a line and off they go!
Check out this little vid of the process...not mine..

Final load of the evening..
Note Mistletoe in oak trees...I wanted to ask the farmer if we could harvest some of it. I chickened out though...We always used a shotgun to harvest it..I know, the Druids used a golden sickle, we always just shot it out, or used a long poled branch cutter if it was lower down, to get a nice big ball of it. for a kissing ball.

Sigh, a gorgeous Oregon sunset, that is Mt. Hood in the distance. It was all so amazing that evening. The area we were in is where I would love to live, but alas, it is not meant to be. Yet.
Okay Santa...

Holy day baking

2009-11-25T08:38:00.001-08:00

The Annual Grating of the Kidney Suet
Sunna's day was the big day for making the Yuletide Pudding. After gathering everything up, apples, booze, dried fruits, almonds, eggs, flour, spices and the shortening: good old fashioned beef kidney suet. Hard as marble, and fluffy as snow when grated. I have to go to the "good" butcher's shop to get it. The above is me grating it by hand, which is the start of the whole process. Around this time Madame Sandra arrived to help with the chopping, and prepping. As well as Sunday dinner, which involved smoked hamhock and yellow pea soup..MMmMMm!

Wish I could have afforded something a bit fancier in the rum dept. But we do have organic barley wine, and English stout. It was at this point the Hubby came in for a toast, and stir of the batter. We all took turns stirring and making wishes, pouring some good thoughts into the batter. Did it occur to any of us to take a picture?
No.
So now it sits, the Pud, all steamed and waiting for the Big day!! Flame on!

Ahhh pudding time again!

2009-11-20T07:27:00.001-08:00

Antique pudding charms... I hope I get the sack of money!!!! Some one bought these clever charms, it wasn't me. I would love to make some out of silver..

It's that time of year again..Yes time to make the pudding for Christmas dinner. We just call the whole month of December Yuletide.
We do our thing, feasting and honoring the Old Gods on the Solstice, but on Christmas day I cook a goose, and have the family over for dinner. The family being my Catholic Mother in Law, who I love to bits. She's very open minded, funny, and kind.
Plus she loves my cooking.;)
Yuletide is one of those times in the year when Christianity and Pre-Christian traditions collide head on. The gift giving, the evergreens, the celebrations of life, the cooking heaps of celebratory food.
Like Pudding.
Yes, I seriously doubt my ancient pre-Christian Saxon ancestors ate puddings like the one Iam about to make for Yule, but my Protestant Victorian ones sure did.
This is a ritual that I take rather seriously every year. I spend time gathering up the ingredients, the right barley wine, Mad River's John Barley Corn for one, and then I gather it in one place and start mixing. According to the great and all knowing internet this Sunday is Stir Up Sunday, the traditional day to get your Christmas puddings in order.
I know what Your'e saying,
"But Heidi, what is a good Thor loving heathen like yourself doing making puddings set to any sort of Christian calendar?"
Well, it's like this, it's tradition. Since half of my mothers side of the family came from Britain and Christmas pudding was part of their celebrations I do it to honor them. Plus it's delicious. AND all those other pudding makers out there in the big world are doing the same thing as I am on that day. All those people thinking good thoughts as they stir the batter, excited children gearing up for the holidays, all that good energy linking us all..Christian or Not. Good old fashioned folk magic is what that is.
It can't hurt to tap into that, and share some of my good will and excitement for the season of re birth too.
This is something we can use around here. As you may or may not know we are barely hanging on financially. Yes we can eat, but that's about it. Being unable to get enough work has forced us to make some choices that are hard, but we have no other options.
Business loans that can't get repaid, mortages behind by three months,..it's dire. I won't go into the misery, or even the details. The crappy economy, our lack of business/marketing skills, my broken back, all contributed.
I know there are people far worse off than we are, no one is shooting at us, or chasing us with machetes, but still,potentially losing my home, business and security is pretty shitty.

"If you are going through hell keep going."
-Churchill
That's what we are attempting to do.

Working along...

2009-11-10T21:12:00.000-08:00

The above is the Bavarian sign started oh, ages ago, and along with other jobs trying very hard to be done. Today I cut out 100 little pieces of sheet steel for it. They will become the petals of hop cones. You see each little cut out peice had to then be cleaned up with a grinder, then they get hammer textured, a central hole drilled, then welded onto a pre-forged stem, each petal welded individually, then shaped into a hop cone.
Phew!So I stood in one spot, all the dang day, cutting steel with the plasma cutter, then grinding, grinding, grinding..Man am I tired!!!!
I'll get some pics tomorrow I promise, of what in the hell these things look like when done.
Maybe if I feel brave I'll be in them but lately I'm not feeling too foxy for pics. Mostly I feel tired, stressed out from the hardships of late, and this has translated in me looking like , well a tired, stressed out middle aged woman. Recent pics of me have been sobering, if not sob inducing for their horrible accuracy on the toll age is taking. That and my , umm girth.

Well meaning friends saying things like "No , really, you don't look THAT bad for a woman your age.." or " I think your beauty lies within." - do not help, trust me.
I might be a tomboy, but I do care what I look like.
Iam not ready to look like an 80 year old babushka, not yet anyways, Iam only 44!!! The girth part, well, Iam working on it. I admit to not being one of those beauty treatment mad kind of women, I try to wear sunscreen, I use facial scrub, but Botox? no.
I know, if I had just been more careful, didn't drink, ate only veggies, coated myself in goo each night before bed..
Maybe if I was wealthy lady I would just go get a face lift and have a month stay at some swanky spa to sort it all out.
Oh well, there are plenty of other waaay more important things to be worrying about, but sometimes a girl has to vent.

Me on youtube....

2009-11-05T22:17:00.000-08:00

Here Iam, talking about the dragon gate...

No, Iam not dead..

2009-11-05T09:05:00.001-08:00

A cart load of hops

Greetings to all and any who have wandered back here to see if Iam indeed, alive. Iam, but our old computer isn't. No excuse, not blogging all Sept. was due to laziness on my part. Then a truly nasty trojan horse infected our windows operating system. We pulled the plug, and thanks to the kindeness of friends (James and Karen) we have a new system, and a fancy flat screen!!! Ya see, we have only just upgraded from using tin cans with strings to cordless phones around here, so a flat screen is a big fat, luxury from the future.
Sept. was the annual hop harvest at the Lucky Labrador Brew Pub, and as shown above, here Iam looking a bit like Bellatrix Lestrange I have to say, with a load of our hops ready to be plucked.

Dan admiring our haul
We loaded up our contribution, and then went over to our freind John's house to pick up his fine crop of hops..Then off to the Lab.

Our haul seen from the back..
Happy, happy hops! I have no idea how many Lbs that was, alot is all I can say. The truck smelled of hops for days after, yellow resin was everywhere.

History Nerds Anyone?
Iam always happily amazed by who gets this one, and is amused by it. Here in the USA you have to be either an English Lit. major or a History nerd to get it, and I proudly count myself as one of latter.
There was one history boor who felt it was his job to point out(ad nauseum) that the Saxon's did not have automobiles, and therefore this just didn't make sense, nor was it funny.
Rolling my eyes...
sigh..there's one(or two) in every crowd of re-enactors.

Ben cutting down the bines at the Lab
We arrived to find folk gathering, and Ben one of the brewers at the lab, cutting down their hops out in the back lot.

Here is our pile.

Then it grew!
Iam sitting behind that wall of vines, it was amazing.
The weigh in final was over 200lbs. of hop cones!!WoW!
We picked hops all day, from midday to evening. It was a fun time had by all, all be it scratchy and itchy.

Updates= Most of you know my father has lung cancer, so here is the update. He's doing okay, had a nasty bout of pneumonia last week, but is home and getting better. The new drug he is on costs $6000.00 dollars a month, but as they qualified for a special grant it costs them nothing.
Whew! that's a good thing, as they are not rich, and neither am I. Their insurance only covered part of the drug's cost, so they are lucky to have qualified for the drug makers financial program,
- they waved the remainder of the fees.
This according to my mother who called me in tears at hearing how much it was going to cost to help keep her husband alive, and her relief when she found out they would not have to sell everything and move into a trailer.
He has to take the drug, as the chemotherapy was killing him faster than the cancer, and this drug is the only one his tumor is responding to...
This all leads back to my anger about our lack of affordable healthcare, nay, national healthcare.
Why my fellow countrymen don't want National healthcare is beyond me. If my folks had not gotten that grant they would have gone bankrupt attempting to pay for the drug.
Americans, out of compassion we can send thousands of dollars to help with foreign disasters, like the tsunami in Indonesia , but help your neighbor pay for their basic medical care? "Hell no!!!! That's communism! I got mine, and I ain't sharin!!!"
sigh...What a world.
As for us, well, things are hard, but we trudge on.

Bees, Barley and Bavarian Haus

2009-08-27T13:59:00.000-07:00

The result of those busy bees this last spring
The summer is winding on, the days are shorter, sad I know, but true. It is still hot, and sunny, the garden is still productive, but I can see that some things are looking tired. The morning does not come so early, and the hops are ready.
Even so, the honey bees are busy gathering nectar from all the flowering squashes, mint and sunflowers. We dig the bees , and I encourage their activities in the garden. After all how would I have gotten my luscious apples without them? I know some apples are self pollinating, but that's not my point.

The Sugar Shack
All seemed right and in balance in the garden, when I noticed an unusually large number of honey bees drinking from the hummingbird feeder. First it was one, then two. Then I went outside to have peek and WOW!! All the openings were choked with golden little bees having a good drink.
Their amber bodies wriggling and pulsating as they jockeyed for the prime spot to get at the nectar. Like WW2 bombers, flying away laden down with sugar water for the Queen..Bees so full of nectar they could barely take off, cruised slowly past my head off to the hive.. The feeder was so jam packed with bees, not even the normally agressive yellow jackets dared to have ago at it.
The hummingbirds had given up, and were nowhere to be seen..
I just stood and watched , mesmerised.
Last year the bees stopped by for a quick sugar water drink, then flew off. The song birds would nip in for a beak full too on the hot days ..But this year is waaaay different with the bees..
I was happy to help feed our local bees, but there was problem.
The problem was that the greedy little bees would climb themselves up into the feeder tubes, and end up drowning in nectar. Seeing their drowned little bodies floating at the top of the feeder, I realised something more sensible had to be done, so I called my bee keeping freind and mead maker Amy aka Wolfwoman..
"Ya need to build them a jar feeder. This time of the year they are trying to gather as much nectar as they can to keep the Queen producing eggs, and to store for winter, so they are really hungry. Iam feeding my hives , and going through a quart of nectar a day."
Who knew? So I got a jar, poked some holes in the lit, set it up on small stones, set that in the middle of a shallow dish, and there ya go! Bee feeder!

Flying in for drink Now I suggest that you set this thing up after it gets to be evening, or you will have as I did, a zillion bees climbing all over you. I mean climbing. Bees buzzing by your ears, face, arms, climbing my hands looking for sugar.. The thing is to just be calm, and slow in your movements, not so much because they will get agressive, but so you do not inadvertently squish one, or squish one between your fingers. Then you'll get stung for sure. It was amazing, the feeling of their wings beating air all around my face, trying to resist that primeval urge to run at the sound of so much buzzing up close. It was cool!!! they did not care a bit about me, except that I was bringing more nectar. Next time though, I refill the thing at night.

The Bar

The way they all lined up reminded me of some little gold bees made for a Scythian warriors garment.....or the sculpture of Diana of Ephesus, she wears a necklace of bees...
They flew past me, ignoring me as another obstacle..So they seem happy, and no more drowned bees.

Bavarian Inn sign
Barley, hops and beer..

The start of the spirals..Iam working on the stein today.
Well, Iam currently slacking off writing this! But the bees were so cool, I had to share!

Here is the study for how to make hop cones, and barley...
The white thing is the study, I think Iam going to use the layered method, cut out and shape the petals of the hops, and them fit them on a central "pin"....The Barley, I still have no idea yet..
This is a cool project, but I best get back to work.

A drawing.

2009-08-17T09:58:00.001-07:00

Sometimes I get to sneak in some drawing that is not work related. This is an illustration in progress of the Rune, Sowelo, the Sun. It was for a book project, but then things changed, so now it's just for my own pleasure. It's not finished, as he is standing in a field of barley, and that is not drawn in yet. They loved the drawing, but decided to go with photographic images, and that's fine. I will finish him, and am toying with the idea of doing the entire Runic Alphabet.

Most folks know Iam an ancient history nerd as well as artist. I have toyed with the idea of going off to school to finally become an official history geek, archaeologist/pre-Christian religion scholar, but something always stops me. Mostly money, fear, and well money.

So I have things in the works to combine my love of Viking age history, blacksmithing and art that won't involve hideous student loans.
So back to work..

Neo Gothic Hinges

2009-08-06T14:54:00.001-07:00

Neo-Gothic Hinges in situ

Greetings everyone! Well you may recall those Thistle hinges I was working on awhile back..No? Yes? Maybe? Well, they were finished ages ago, and languished about waiting for their new home to be built. Well happy happy joy joy, they languish no more!
Their new door was finished and the hinges were attached this week. Today was the big day they whole thing was installed on site at the historical Lone Fir Pioneer Cemetery, here in sunny, scenic Portland , Oregon.
Mike the Wood Guy built a great, heavy bastard of a wooden door for the hinges to live on. Out of solid mahogany. He, the Friends of Lone Fir and my darling Hubbinator were on hand to hang the door, ooh and ahh and revel in a job well done. I was back at the smithy slaving away on another project, so I could not attend.

The new door was built for the McClay family crypt's utility building, an old, musty brick structure known by me as the "spider palace"...there is a reason , a good reason I call it that...Iam not normally scared of insects , but when we went there to take measurements the abundance of blackwidows, and big , brown, leggy spiders hanging about, or skuttleing about, did make me a bit nervous....Think Ron and Harry deep in the woods, with all those giant spiders chasing them...or a certain Indiana Jones flick, dark tomb, lots of bugs, certain death..you get the picture..

A closer shot of the fabulous door
These will be here for another hundred years I hope, it was an honor to make them for the Friends of Lone Fir, and the McKlay/Kerr family.

Thistle head up close, with potentially deadly arachnid
Look! Look! I swear, only on the doorjam like ten minutes and the little buggers have moved in already! See I was not exaggerating!

Sacred Images

2009-06-15T09:00:00.001-07:00

Pictographs along Picture Gorge..

Welcome back to part 2 of our Eastern Oregon trip..I know It's only been a month, but honestly, I just can't stand sitting here for the hours it takes to write these posts. I also space out how long it's been between postings, and not that much exciting goes on in my life. Mostly it's work.
On the way back from Eastern Oregon we drove back along the John Day river, the only green for miles, with spectacular landscapes around us.
Part of this route winds through a narrow canyon, and named Picture Gorge. Named so because the Paleo people who lived here painted spirit drawings on it's walls. Some of them have similarities to the rock art found in Europe, which makes sense given the time period they were thought to be made. That and the primal human need for communication with the Gods/Spirits/Ancestors, to intercede, bestow or assist. It could all also just be graffiti, we will never know for sure..
Even though they built a damn highway through it, it is still a special place..

The Gorge Looking back...we stopped for a picnic and look at the river..

Taking a rest...and the hills around us..

Spirit drawings...

Standing below, looking up...

The sheer walls, twisting stones, the seat of eagles.
I stand before the sheer rock walls my neck craned back taking in the beauty. Behind me the river rushes past. Between me and the river is the road. Usually one has to put up with the danger of being run over by vehicles charging past, and their intrusive noise ruining the natural peace of the place.
Not today. No cars or trucks come rushing by today, so I can almost imagine how peaceful this place was, before the road came though it. I can't help but wonder if it was the present century, would they have blasted a road though here knowing what treasures were on it's walls?

More Natural Splendor
The route we took was awesome, but as usual did I take enough pics? No.
It was an awesome road trip, and this week we have another opportunity for blogging content.
This coming weekend is the Summer Solstice, so we are off to our local Fauxhenge as I call it, or the Stonehenge Memorial at Maryhill Washington.

Maryhill Stonehenge Memorial

Off with some good friends to camp out over night, get up early(Wait, didn't we just do that for Beltane?...) and watch Sunna/Sol rise over the mountains. Swim in the mighty Columbia river for a good cleansing off of any bad ju-ju, Then it's off to our friends James and Karen's wedding! Should be an action packed weekend all round.
So happy Solstice everyone! remember when the Sun was at her depths, and winter reigned? Now we rejoice at the warm days, the growing grain and the fruitful boughs! Build a nice bonfire, have a good jump over it, feast, swim in the fresh waters, make wreathes of flowers and oak leaves to wear. Laugh, be merry!Enjoy the longest day of the year!
I know we will.

Yeehaw!

2009-05-15T07:42:00.001-07:00

Wild Flowers of the High Mountains
Last week this time I was loading our truck for a much needed road trip to Eastern Orygon. Dan had a teaching engagement out in Baker City. He was also revisiting old haunts, places and re-connecting with freinds. Lucky me, wifey, got to tag along for the adventure.

We headed up the Columbia River Gorge, also called the Rhine of the West. More on that amazing place later. We drove for an eternity, along the mighty Columbia River, past Beacon Rock, Hood River, it's apple orchards filled with blooms, bees buzzing. The Dalles, on and on we drove..Until we turned right and began to climb into ponderosa pine covered forests.

The Elkhorn Mountains( Hunting horns blow loudly, Valkyrie's fly out of the clouds)
Behold the Elkhorns. New mountains, high , and dramatic they teem with Elk, deer, Mountain lions, and Wolves. Golden Eagles soar their craggy heights, and I stood in awe of their
beauty. During the day snow squalls dusted them, at night the full moon glinted off their peaks like silver.We we're headed for Dan's friend's ranch,
"Rancho Costa-plenty". Nestled at the feet of the mountains, they own 40 acres of land, three horses, two dogs, 2 cats and several little brown bats. They build their house together, and are some of the best people on Earth.

The Rancho, horse pasture, Washington Gulch, looking down off the ranch house deck.
Coffee and yoga on the deck every morning dahling, then a brisk jog down the road. Late breakfast, hiking all day..watching the eagles soar. Thanks to Devon and Rachael's hospitality I felt like I was at some sort of spa.

The Hills dotted with junipers..

Devon on his big , huge, trail horse.
This is the man you want on your side. Excellent horseman, carpenter, husband, and friend. Oh and funny...very funny..tells stories that will curl yer hair..tells jokes that make you groan..
We discussed politics and stories of life in the outback..

Me and Rachel and her paint, Flint Stone..
It was so damn great to hang out with another strong minded, type A, talkative, mountain woman who loves the land and is deeply connected to it. Italian and Irish, fair as a flower, feisty as a bobcat. Not just a fabulous horse woman, but an engineer/auto mechanic who worked her ass off to get what she has, Rides the trails with Her handsome Devon. We had such a great time laughing , blabbing, and getting to know one another. She made me feel so welcome, I didn't want to leave.
She was off to dressage class with her horse when we took that shot.

Here's the ritual:
I hide below the rock wall. YOU, the human get a stick. Then you throw the stick. I chase it and
laugh, and then return. No I do not fetch the stick, you have to get a new one.
Iam waiting....

Copper the red dog waiting for YOU to throw a stick.
Throw it already!

No! Don't go inside! Were having a game!!!

Okay, Iam still here..Throw the stick.
Repeat until you go mad.
Copper the red dog is still a puppy, she has enough energy to light up a small city.
She loves to run, run run. Oh and steal your shoes..try to find your boot on 40 acres..so you have to out them up high, or else Surprise!

Misha, from her website, I like an idiot forgot my camera, again!!!

We also had a great time visiting and meeting our new freinds Misha, Michael, and the lovely Starr, of Cove. The little town is nestled against the foot of the blue mountains, and frankly it is as gorgeous as can be there. The own and operate Shota Fjords, where they raise and train the amazing Fjord ponies, horse of the Vikings. Misha and I met a few years back, online, when i was hunting down a Fjord horse to ride in my wedding ceremony. Yes, you heard right, I rode a horse into my wedding, and looked damn swell doing it thanks. Well Misha connected me to her friend who lived closer to us., and since then I have tried to get over for a visit, but life gets in the way.

We finally got our butts over to Eastern Oregon and so we went to their amazing ranch to finally meet! Misha, Michael and their good freind Starr treated us to a wonderful dinner, with the best homebaked bread I have ever had. There was tons of yummy food, so much it would not all fit on the tabel!! After some plate juggling we all settled in for a feast.
We brought mead to share, and after dinner Dan taught everyone how to make fire using a flint and steel..We laughed, told stories and had such a great time no one wanted it to end.
This is a household of creative, talented and wise folks, both Michael and Misha are artists, writers and music is Michaels special passion. He is also very funny. Starr just rocks!
Misha's book Magpies and Tigers resonated with me, as a woman of the Earth and Sky in ways I can't express here.
Misha, wolverine sister who I am honored to count as freind, buddy and teacher thank you for opening up your Hof and home to us. Hail to your Ancestors, and Hail to the Spirits that keep you well!

After a good visit, it got later and we had to go. We drove away wishing there had been more time to stay, talk, and share more of our thoughts, tales, and silly jokes. That we were lucky to have met kindred souls.

After a great time visiting, and Dan's triumphant teaching was a happy memory..at the Baker City Interpretive Center ...We had, alas, to come back home to rainy Portlandia, but on the way we had some stops.
I am unfortunately not into snapping pics at everything, I missed a lot of shots due to my non-alertness..oh well, here's some I did get.

Wheels
Outside the carriage repair shop.
Wagon wheels, don't get any westerner than that!

The tackiness that only Western Americana yard sculpture can convey..Each cast in steel..
I have to confess to liking the buffalo alot.

"No." said my husband. "Just no!"
Fine then...hmph..
So we headed out, and around john Day we encountered something pretty damn cool.

Here they come!

"Oh you're gonna love this." says my darling husband.."It's a cattle drive!"
The truck winds down to a stop.
Wiry cowboys mounted up on bay horses come riding ahead of the herd. The bawling and bugling of cattle can be heard echoing down the canyon..Cattle dogs , squinty eyes and speckled like granite trot along beside the horsemen..The herd, a red, black, white and cream colored mass it moves with a slow, chaotic intent towards us. Iam so excited I can hardly contain myself.
This is something I have only seen in movies...or read about in books..

"Paula," I say out loud, "Is gonna dig this..."

I grab the camera.

Spilling up the side of the road.
Headed straight for us, 50 some odd head of cattle..The rancher is moving them down the way, to another pasture, or range. But all along the roadside is new, tasty green grass to eat, and so the herd is reluctant to move along. The herd is mixed beef cattle. Angus, Hereford, Charolais..

On the move
Spilling up the roadside...calves squeezing through fences, cows bawling after them, cowboys flanking them..chasing them back down onto the highway..
It's like a giant mooing amoeba...

Ca-boy on the hillside

Here they come!
The mooing and squalling of calves and cows is deafening. In the pitch of the mass the calves will get separated from their mothers, and their mothers are not happy. They holler and holler, looking for their babies..the babies squeal and squeal looking for their moms..All the time the cowboys move everything along..

We roll forward...into the mass of bovines..

Cute little calf.
Momma would not be happy if you tried to get too close.

Over HEre!!!!!!
The swirling herd, the loud bawling , the mooing, the smells, the big bodies inches from my truck, okay leaning on my truck..How do I convey to you what it was like? Being on a ship in stormy sea? While Nelson fires cannons over your head? The Cowboys yelling "Hyup! Ho! Heeyah!" as they use their coiled lariats to nudge the slow along, they canter by on the hillsides containing the mass of moo..

Mister Bull
I sit astonished as the big, well muscled Hereford bull saunters past the front bumper of our truck. I fumble for the camera, and manage to snap a pick of his rump..We are rolling along forward, the herd spilling away from us like water on a ships prow.
Mister Bull hustles over to the embankment to get in on the dee-licious grass his ladies have discovered, and sets to browsing.

Mooving along

Out of the past

It all felt like we had stepped back in time. The handsome cowboys, oh and they were handsome. Dressed in their work gear, they sported mustaches and suntans. Tall in the saddle, lean of limb, and confident in the saddle. Sparkling eyes like sunlight on a mountain stream...Wolf Woman I know you would have leaped from the truck and onto their horse!
The romantic image of the cowboy intertwined with the real thing.

Handsome Cowboy
Dressed in clothes straight out of the 19Th century, the blonde cowboy came riding up alongside the truck. I could only stare wide eyed as he sat on his horse, watching the straggling cows go by. Then I locked eyes with him. Sigh. Oh Wolf Woman, you would lose your heart to this one..Why if I wasn't a sensible married woman with a wonderful, handsome husband already...
I smiled and nodded to him..the truck jerked forward, and I tried to snap a picture without seeming a tourist..
He leaned forward in the saddle, tipped his hat and winked at I me.
I could not get a good picture, he was moving fast, and we were rolling.
It couldn't have been nerves..
"Oh gawd," says the Hubbinator.." Women and cowboys!"...
The Hubbinator rolled his eyes..and off we went..
I have to admit I did turn and look back.

NEXT: Picture Gorge

Bees and blossoms

2009-04-25T11:09:00.001-07:00

Apple blossoms awaiting the bees..
We have a small apple orchard in the backyard. I mean tiny really. It is comprised of two red delicious and two mystery trees that produce amazing, sweet, red streaked golden fruits.
They have only ever been pruned in a furtive way, as I was always afraid of really having a go at it and wrecking them.

I finally sucked it up and pruned the heck out of them this year, after consulting a friend who knows how to do such things properly. He walked me through it, and shared his knowledge of pruning, which Iam grateful for!
So, I waited, and the buds unfurled, the old , shiny cd's hung in the branches kept the bud eating birds away. Soft pink petals opened and smelled so sweet...on all but one tree.
One of the mystery apples decided to just give blossoms a miss this year: only one flower on a usually heavy bearing tree.
What gives?
Iam not sure why it's not fruiting.
Didn't like the wassailing year? Pissed that I pruned it after 4 years of not pruning it...we left plenty of growth that should have produced blossoms...the green buds were already formed and about to open when I finally pruned the tall, whip like branches from it's top..
Is it a variety that skips seasons? It never has before..Iam vexed.
Iam just starting to take this apple growing thing seriously, so more research is needed..

Little Miss Bee
Yesterday I went out to admire the garden and see if the bees were out fertilising my apple blossoms yet. It was 70 degrees, sun shining gloriously, birds singing from above... and only one valiant little honey bee flying from flower to flower. ONE.
This is a bummer because while it had been a bit cool, this was warm day, and there should have been many bees, including the Mason kind buzzing around the trees..We have plenty of resident Mason bees, they have nesting holes in the shop, fence posts, little wooden blocks we set out for them..but they were still snoozing apparently.
Iam not sure if it's colony collapse, or just the lack of local hives to explain my solitary honey bee, but there she was. All alone, systematically hitting every flower. Better than nothing I thought. Thank you little Miss Bee!
So I thought I would do my best to snap a few pics of her in action.

She was so intent on her job that she never gave me a second thought. I waited for more to arrive but it was only her all afternoon.. I hope she went home and waggled out some directions for her hive mates, and that the next warm day we have (not today, it's 50 out and raining) will find plenty of honey bees all over my fruit trees.
Or as I l like to say, "Happy bees having sex with my trees!"
Ironically as I sat hunting and pecking this out on the computer, Wolf Woman called to share with me her news, That she is now the proud owner of two bee colonies, and has started her beekeeping in earnest!
Pretty cool.
Here's to the bees!

Work! Thistle hinges...

2009-04-23T11:06:00.000-07:00

Drawing of hinges ...
Well as I have stated before things around here have been..well ...slow. Dan still has his historical/living history empire , axes, fire strikers etc... that always trickles in, but big ornamental jobs not so much. This of course has caused us much grief, since we have bills to pay.
Student loans, start up debt. etc... Like so many we have debt that grinds on us, and unlike some, I do not have a spouse who has a decent paying job outside of this work to lean on.
It's both of us in the same boat...
Being a sensitive and moody arteest it all started to get to me...bad. Winter did not help.
The Hubby had taken to calling me Denethor...brrrr.. not good!

So I have been making a concerted effort at being more optimistic, reaching out to freinds, and trying my damndest to not get mired down in fear.
As Churchill said "If you are going through Hell, keep going!"

That said with the warm spring weather and fragrant blooms of the green, growing things I feel more hopeful ...AND we have some new jobs. That helps , alot!

One is for a historical site here in Portlandia;
The Lone Fir Cemetery, the oldest cemetery in Portland. We were contacted by the Friends of the Lone Fir to build some gothic hinges for an old utility building belonging to the Mclay family..
seeing as how they are a Scottish family, I proposed a thistle theme..Sometimes my job is so cool...this kind of project is why I don't just run off and become a hermit...:)

More of the drawings and the template...
I started with the smaller drawing for the clients aproval, and then blow it up to actual size on the steel. I used tracing paper to transfer over the other half of the hinge.

Drawing on 1/4 inch thick plate

First hinge plate cut out with plasma torch.
Now I have to clean up the slag on the edges, give the thistle flower some detail work with a chisel, and hammer texture the entire piece. We are cheating and not making the actual hinge part, but welding on some pre- made ones...I know,...I know.... not very traditional, but niether ws using an electric torch to cut it out... To be pure and true I should have forge welded the arms onto the body, or split and the pulled them out, using a hammer and chisel...However this is not even pretending to be a piece made with only 19th century methods, I didn't charge enough for that..
Can't wait to show you what they loo like all finished!

Also, as Mayday is fast approaching, and being a huge folky nutball, I wanted to remind everyone to go on and get up before dawn on May 1st. to celebrate the coming in of Summer with your local Morris men and women!
The above hot link will take you to a great site to check out Mayday/Beltane events in your area, ours is with the Renegade Rose and Bridgetown Morris, at the Rose test Gardens..
It's great pre-dawn fun.
Check out this article allabout our local event, a certain fruit growing lady blacksmith is interviewed in it...

http://www.portlandtribune.com/features/story.php?story_id=120940177025452000

Life

2009-04-15T08:41:00.001-07:00

The Twins=Finn(on top) and Ulrich Aka Oolie
Last summer, in early July, we rescued two brothers from a life of crime on the streets. They are now officially one year old, and while not big cats, packed full of rambunctious energy . Their odd little ways, and different personalities bring me hours of entertainment...
Oolie likes broccoli and will go to what ever ends he must to procure it...Finn fetches toy mice and brings them back to you, He will continue to bring them back when thrown until you get sick of playing the game. Somewhere I recall reading that the Egyptians trained cats to hunt game birds, so I suppose he is just presenting a latent skill, that if I were clever , would exploit in the feild..alas...Iam not that ambitious to go duck hunting with my Finn.

,
Alice, Queen of All
The twins share the digs with Alice, who is seen here looking gorgeous, and Ludwig,

Luwig, named after the Bavarian King..with Finn looking on..
Viggy is the best damn cat. He is rides around on Dan's shoulders, talks loudly, likes to complain about the food, the service, and the other guests, but is always happy to see YOU.
Why am I spending time posting my cats pics and bios?

Well things have been so grim here and slow I have nothing to report really blacksmithing wise.

There are not enough jobs coming in at all. Last week a client canceled their remaining project, and so we are staring down the real fact that we might lose our home, shop and all.
I wish I could be all" stiff upper lip" and brave about this but Iam being worn away like rock on the shore..

Lambs Toungues

2009-02-27T09:02:00.000-08:00

Hellebore, or" Lenten Rose" blooming outside the smithy..
Spring!
Things are beginning to look like spring. Here in Orygon, on the West side of the Cascade range, spring arrives a little earlier than on the East side. We have more moderate winters, and so by the end of Feb. Mother Nature is starting to wake up. It's been a weird weather week, hail, snow, frost, warm sunshine, 55 degress, the bees show up, and then more hail. Bees retreat. I put on another sweater. I start the day in the shop wearing three layers of wool, by midday Iam down to a t-shirt. Oh and my work jeans. Don't want anyone to think Iam going all nudist blacksmith...Anyways, my point is that spring time weather has arrived, changeable and whacky. Soon the chocolate Easter/Ostara eggs show up in the stores(Cadbury dark chocolate with fudge center please.Mmmm...) and the red shafted Flicker's begin their rat-at-tat- tatting on the metal chimney covers...Go Spring! yeh!
Along with the weather's obvious turn to a new season, my shepardess friends(and Ewe know who you are) have all started to see the arrival of cute little lambs on their farms, and as this is lambing season I thought I would get into the spirit myself. Check out my lambs toungue:

Drawing out the "toungue"
Now a lambs toungue is that nice swooshy bit at the end of a handrail. It's pretty to look at and much better for the hand than , oh...a sharp cut off bit of metal. It looks like, well a toungue. Hence the name, given Iam sure by some smith of antiquity who made the first one. Probably a Roman..
Iam building these as We are working furiously on a straight forwardhandrail this week. No more artsy roses, herons, or fish. They languish on the work table. It's back to basic hand forging . The client needs this railing for his house inspection, and we need his money for the mortage payment. Then it's back to the artsy stuff.

Lamb Toungue, fresh from the forge. Note tounguelike shape... I draw out the steel, that is lengthen it, making sure it's thickness is constant all the way to the tip of the ..toungue. Then I put the curl into it, and bend it in the legvise. ViolA!

Finished Toungue

Note toungue-y shape...I have achieved my goal!Waiting to be welded onto the handrail, and then hauled over for installation.

Here is some of the Heron gate, in parts waiting more work=

Heron wings, body and tail all in a jumble...
The rusty colored piece is waiting to be chiseled, shaped and goes on the other side of the bird's body. She is a three dimensional piece...

More Heron, breast feathers, wing...Time consuming chiselwork...sigh...if only I was getting paid enough for this work. Iam not. The bane of all craftsfolk=underbidding our work..undervalueing our work. You try to estimate fairly, but somehow it always ends up being more time, money, effort than you thought.
Marketing, Self promotion..being a business person. It's not something that goes with being an artsy type generally, there are the exceptions to this, I am sure.
Iam proud of the work I do, it's the business end Iam wobbly on. See previous post on introspection and wanting a mentor...
Oh well, off to the shop, the morning is slipping away.
I hope spring is making some inroads where ever you may be!

Roses

2009-02-14T11:28:00.001-08:00

Rose Insitu
One of things I love(and hate) about about blacksmithing is being challenged. How does one go about making something they have never made before? Yes, it's a pain in the ass, but it is also good for educating yourself. I always bemoan my lack of training, so many others have way more training in this than I. Years of fancy arts college, then working for some awesomely talented established smith, learning their chops at the knee of some Olde Worlde Master in Czech, Germany or England. Slaving away as an apprentice, gaining the vast and arcane knowledge of this craft that I have only just scratched the surface of...Gawd it makes me nuts!!!!And bitter apparently...ha!
When Iam not being bitter and jealous, I have to invent, research and just come up with things on my own. Sometimes out of my own wild imagination...that's where the "artistic" part of artist blacksmith comes in.
Roses for a shop sign. I did some research, and dug up all the many ways one can make roses.
There are a lot. Some mind boggle-ingly cool and time consuming..Some I need to see made in the flesh first so I could ken the tecnique...Some just too.. well...ugly. Some kind of what I was wanting..In the end I just figured it out for myself.

Wild Roses
So I got some pipe, heat it and did things to it. Cutting out petals, shaping them with the hammer, fussing about until I had what I wanted. I used the large lobes of my brain, and figured out how to make wild roses..I didn't want to spend a million years on them, but I wanted them to look nice. Now I don't know if this is how they make roses in Praugue, but it worked for me.
All the pics I took were blurry, so no step by step Iam afraid. I can't take a pic to save my life, it seems to be a genetic affliction...
That all said,
There is nothing as good , well maybe laughing with friends or smooching the Hubbinator, as successfully creating something . When the image in your head is made real , your holding it in your hands, looking at it in this dimension..It's so satisfying.
Thank the Gawds I only had to make three.

Introspection..

2009-01-25T13:55:00.001-08:00

The Fish Gate in situ.

Things here at the smithy are chugging along, albeit slowly. The economy has tanked, so new jobs are getting pretty scarce. Things have slowed way down cash flow wise. It's not just us, other friends in various construction work (stone masons, carpenters) are having to scramble for new jobs. The jobs we do have we are backlogged on, causing clients to become cranky, add to that our savings drying up as we used it to maintain our house and home.
This is a bummer to put it mildly.
This all comes on the heels of a fairly crappy three years health wise for me. My lower back got so bad last winter it slowed production down to a near halt.

Working was excruciating. After welding a panel on a railing I was so cramped up I actually just slid to the ground to lie on my back. I couldn't stand up straight. It was all too painful. Anyways, I tried my best to be tough, but when your body revolts...well..
After enduring severe back pain for three years I sucked it up and went to the doctor(all out of pocket, apparently national health care would turn us all into Commie Pinkos which is much worse than bankrupting the working class for eternity....) to find I have degenerative discs smooshing into my nerves. Gra-a-a-te!
Then the depression set in, the frustration at not being able to run, lift weights, or just bend over to tie my fecking shoes.
This malaise led to a backlog, and cranky clients. We tried to catch up, but honestly, it's just we two little worker ants in the shop. I can't afford to hire anyone, so we got behind, and this lost us a job. So I have noone to blame but my own lack of fortitude.
Then the economy crashed, people freaked out and stopped spending money on house jewelry.
All of this drama has led me to do some serious introspection.

I know there are other more successful ironmongers out there, who are doing just fine. Most of the ones I admire(okay, am green with envy of) have been around for decades, have big shops, employees and more education, skills and business sense than myself. They do awesome work, obviously make good money, and enjoy what they do.
Lately I find myself wondering what the next step is for me is. Comparing what I do to the other smiths I admire, I feel like a complete amateur. How do I evolve myself into a successful, skilled blacksmith? What are the things I do that keep me from evolving and growing as a craftsperson?
Am I willing to put the energy and sacrifice into this business that it takes? Or am I fooling myself? Do really want to do this work at all?
I find myself thinking , Okay, if I asked for a mentor in this work, architectural ironwork, how would I do it? Offer to work for free at a successful smith's shop? Time is money, and no smith is going to want someone underfoot who can't contribute. I have plenty of self doubt about my skills, being primarily self taught.Then there is the "training your competition" issue...More education? -How do I pay for it when we are tapped out?
Well, It's time to act on this stuff. Find the answers, and make the changes that will enable me to move forward in my life. She says with a nervous grin.

Soothing the tired soul..by rocking out.

2008-12-27T15:59:00.000-08:00

Well, after this last few days of blizzards, house fires and general mayhem I am taking a day off to recharge. I got up today and decided that I needed to do nothing involving work if I was going to get my mojo back in order. Iam a tomboy type of woman, who enjoys physical activity to bring myself around to equilibrium. Like a good jog around the neighborhood, bench pressing heavy weights, or hiking. BUT the roads are way too sloppy and dangerous to go running, the gym is closed, so I fell back to plan B.
Music and film therapy.

Film therapy means watching Lord of the Rings from beginning to end, not in one go mind you, but over several evenings with the Hubbinator. If anything can get me feeling triumphant and uplifted it's watching the defeat of the Dark Lord and the return of the King to Gondor.
Hunky pants heroes overcoming peril, massive battles, gorgeous sets, gorgeous New Zealand, love triumphs over fear..blah blah blah..
I try not to go all swooney over the surly type A Boromir, but hey, it is Sean Bean, and Iam only mortal. Yes, Viggo is lovely, but I like them bad boys.- but not too bad.

I just liked the song, not the dude..
The music part involves me, the computer, and the groovy site called LastFM. While I blog away the dulcet tones of the sounds of the 70's burble along in the back ground. For some reason it's all those damn soft rock songs and Glam anthems from my pre-teen years that are making me feel less, oh weirded out by the days events. Bands like Sweet, 10 Cc, Pilot, Bread, Bay City Rollers, and Peter Frampton. His tune " I'm in You" brought me out of my funk..

Upon hearing the opening chords of that song I was transported back in time, back to a day when I had feathered hair, ugly glasses and my virginity..Back to those groovy days, when my best friend The Blonde Biologist and I would sit in her room listening to the lastest hits. On a transistor radio. AM yet. One tinny speaker, and a broken antenna patched with scotch tape.
As the tunes kept coming We'd discuss boys, how to catch a boy, which boys were "foxy" and, being country girls: horses. We were after all 12 . It was all about horses and boys in those preteen days...Hunters, jumpers and that cute guy who sat behind me in homeroom...No cares except homework, days of freedom riding horses, camping, and hunting. Simple days.
So it's no wonder that the Ball Room Blitz by Sweet can still make me feel like jumping up and down with estatic, happy joy. There is a time for Zeppelin, and a time for Sweet. Today it was Sweet.

Fire and Ice

2008-12-27T11:45:00.000-08:00

Off a snow shoeing...

The Neighbors House Before...
Some of you may have noticed my lack of blogging, or emailing, or commenting on your blogs as of late. Or not. Part of this has to do with the gigantic snow storm that hit us the week before Yule. Part of it due to a fire. We had almost two feet of dry, fluffy snow turn Portland into a Nordic wonderland. Temps hovered around 20 degrees f. during the day. We broke out the snow shoes and went on treks through the neighborhood, marvelled at how a snow fall can utterly transform the landscape into something magical. It was all very Currier and Ives, we were cozy in our house, a fire in the grate, gluhwien in my cup, a fully stocked larder of Yuletide goodies to eat.

Then the ice storm came and massive limbs off of the Doug fir trees started crashing down, ripping out power lines. Small trees fell over from the weight of snow and ice. Roofs caved in, thousands lost power. The falling trees blocked roads, and gave the already harried power company more work to do. Meanwhile the roads became passable only for those with tire chains and four wheel drives(like we have on our truck).
I know, people who live in Michigan and Oslo deal with huge amounts of snow every winter, but this is Portland Oregon. Snow down here in the valley is a rare thing, so when we do get blessed with the stuff the city shuts down, and everyone goes snow mad.
We had a wonderful Solstice/Yule evening. The Hubbinator, the cats, and Myself. Many dear and wonderful friends called to send their greetings of the season, warm wishes and regards.
The snow fell softly outside on the longest night of the year...

So fast forward to Christmas morning. The exact opposite of the serene solstice..
"Wake up! Wake up! The neighbors house is on fire!!!!" Iam being shaken awake by the Hubby.
Jolted out of a deep dream I awake to see my neighbors 5 year old boy, dressed in his pyjamas, standing by the bed, wide eyed and scared. Oh crap. They run back out of the bedroom. I follow.
When I enter the living room I see the neighbor's two boys sitting on our sofa, watching their house burn.. I don't know how to put it any other way. The teenage son is on his cel phone calling family. He sits next to his little brother, holding him. The adults are all outside watching in stunned horror, when I hear the fire engines roaring down the hill. Lucky we have a fire house just blocks away.
"Our kitties!" cries the 5 year old...He looks at me with those big eyes, and starts to cry..all I can do is hold him, and tell him he's safe..Try to distract him..."Look at the brave firemen fighting the fire.. watch them being so brave!" Brave like he is right now..His brother tells me their Aunt is on the way to get them..I go and round up some warm sweaters, some snow boots for their bare feet. Their Aunty arrives, and whisks them away to their Grandmothers up the road.

I see my Hubby and the Father of the boys jump in to help a lone fireman drag a huge fire hose to the fire hydrant half a block away..the snow makes it hard for them to walk.....the trucks hoses didn't charge at first..the flames leap higher...everyone looks panicked...Then the hoses leap to life, the flames are belching from the windows of the house as the water hits them. The black smoke turns to steam...

People come and go from my house. Endless cups of coffee. Shock, tears. Hugs. Trying to comfort our friends...making sure everyone has what they need..
I stand in my kitchen, the drama playing out before me drags me back to a cold, icy winter night. I was 12, standing in a sleet storm watching our house burn..the wind whipping our night clothes, the ice stinging our skin. The flames reflected in my Mother's tears..
The blaze beautiful in it's fury..Our lives changed in an instant that stormy night so long ago..

Iam snapped back to the present when I see our neighbor standing in the blackened door of his house. In his arms he carries the still, limp form of their beloved calico cat. He carries her out, and lays her down gently beside the two blanket covered bodies of their other cats.
Oh hell...I know he's heartsick..but he's being so strong..

The rest of the morning passes.. By early afternoon the fire is out for sure, the house is boarded up, the family is safe. They head out to relatives houses, thanking us for our help. We assure them it was nothing, it's what you do for folks when something like that happens.
The entire event brought up some old scary memories for me, but showed me that when the shit hits the fan I know I will respond calmly. My Hubby, well, he was amazing. I know that our Neighbors have a long road ahead....they lost their home, their beloved pets..They are rich with family who care, and friends. That's so important now...
How did it happen?
Our neighbors had just opened their gifts on Christmas morning. When someone heard the electric breaker box trip with a loud "Click!" Within in minutes the house was engulfed in smoke and fire. They had enough time to get themselves and their dog out. They tried to save the cats but they ran back in, and by then the heat and smoke was overwhelming...
The fire inspector suspects an overloaded power cord...but who knows for sure. The space that it started in is a total pile of charred mess..
So, go and hug your beloveds, check up on all your electrical, and make sure you have a plan. It can save lives.

Winter Comes...

2008-12-13T07:56:00.000-08:00

Frost and Fire
Winter is here, nature tells me this, not the Astronomers..Frost covered everything one cold morning last week.. It sparkled like sugar on the roof of our smithy, the fallen leaves, the branches of our apple trees.
The above picture captures it as it began to melt, the twisted damascus billet caught my eye with it's contrasting lines.
Our bellows and upturned forge were completely frosted. but it soon melted off.

Now we await a big , Arctic air mass to descend, and plunge us into Winter proper. With 5 inches of snow here in the valley, several feet of snow up in the mountains, and 20 degree temps. I know.. some people have long, dark, cold, snow filled Winters that would put our moderate ones to shame, what you have to understand is I love snow. I like it when the ponds freeze over so thick you can go skating. When the snow stays awhile.. school is called off, snowmen last more than an afternoon, the woods become cathedrals to Winter's beauty...so I say Wassail! Bring it on! Snow a blanket of white , the great equalizer.
Good thing we have a fresh stack of firewood!

Got Wood?The Big Dead Doug Fir Awaits Our Saw..
The wonderful Eileen offered us some firewood that was standing on her property. All we had to do was come and cut it down..So we did. For the last few days we took a break from forge work to go fetch firewood. It was truly a community effort. Eileen, Mother Hen, Big Phil, the Hubbinator and Myself chainsawed, bucked, split, loaded, un-loaded and stacked two trees.
Eileen owns one of the nicest chunks of Oregon woods you'd ever like to see. It's secluded, and tranquil and when I am there I never want to leave. It was cold and not raining when we got there, which is a happy thing.It stayed dry too, and the sun came out to warm us.
This brought out the fungus..

Fungus on the Forest Floor
The forest floor was covered in little mushrooms of every variety, some edible, some will surely send you straight to the underworld with liver failure..So we just admired them and skipped the potential dying part..

Long ago woodsmen used what was called a "Misery Whip", or a big, long two handles saw. Two men on either end of the saw would whip back and forth, putting their entire bodies into motion to get the saw through the tree. It took great endurance, will, and was miserable work. Hence Misery Whip. We however used a chain saw instead. Sure we love our living history nerdiness, but sometimes that can be impractical..
Dan elected to run the saw, manly man that he is..The rest of us stood back, well back and spotted the top of the tree. If it moved, even a bit, we had to yell so Dan (and the rest of us)could get the hell out of the way.

TIMBER!!!-Well, sort of...
Dan ran the saw, as Eileen gave him moral support, and direction on the cuts needed. I would have gotten a shot of him sawing, but I was too engrossed with the suspense of it all and completely forgot I had a camera in my pocket.....Some photo journalist Iam...
Chainsaw growling and buzzing like a mad hornet Dan made the proper cuts in the truck that would get the tree to fall in the right spot. He was calm on the outside, but I knew inside he was nervous..It's a dangerous thing sawing down a tree.
The tree began to gently sway, we all shouted "There it goes!" Dan and Eileen scampered quickly out of the way.The mighty fir began to fall, we all watched breathlessly when suddenly it stopped. It leaned like the Tower of Pisa, not moving.This was kinda of shitty to be honest.
We stood gaping open mouthed in amazement. Why was itn't falling? Seconds passed, Dan walked up to the thing and pushed it. Mother Hen gasped, I nearly had a fit. Another nudge with his boot, He backed away. We all heard a creaking sound...Then slowly, it began to fall again, heading exactly where we wanted it to fall, with a huge KeeeRunch!!! Of limbs, and branches.
Huzzah! We all shouted in unison. Smiles all around, back patting, gratitude for my Husband (or any of us) not getting squished.

Big Log
So the sawing continued unabated as Dan and Eileen cut the thing up into rounds. Mother Hen, Big Phil and I drug the things out of the woods. Eileen the Mighty and I split them into manageable logs for stacking. Phil drove the little tractor and loaded them into our truck.
Everyone worked their butts off. A group effort well done!

Isn't it gorgeous?
I loved this pic. They look like stars, the golden red wood , the lichen covered bark..
It is Lucia's day. Prior to the calendar reform - from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar in 1582 - Saint Lucia's feast day fell on the shortest day of the year, the Winter Solstice.
Hmmm...interesting...firewood, light, candles, the Solstice, Yule...
As I sit here a fire burns brightly in the hearth. It crackles and snaps merrily, warming our home. The cats vie for the warmest chair to sleep on, the one with the golden, creamy, silken sheep fleece from lovely Devon. All the way from Locks Park Farm. On the mantle stand two handsome straw Jul Swine, positively radiating ancient Nordic Yuletide prosperity..
On the sideboard in the kitchen brilliant yellow, sweet saffron dough waits. Soon to be made into Lussikatter, to celebrate the return of the light and the promise of returning life to the land.
How lucky am I to have such wonderful friends, old and new, near and far?
Thank you Paula, and Marie. Thank you Hubbinator,Eileen, Mother Hen, Big Phil and the land herself for giving so much to us all. May all my friends and strangers who read this little blog o' mine, know light and joy this St. Lucia's day!
Wassail!

Yuletide joys

2008-12-02T20:13:00.000-08:00

Scrumptious little, cream filled, bovine shaped Swiss chocolate joy
Is it wrong of me to love my Milka Advent calendar so much?I know they are meant to be spiritual aids, counting down and celebrating the lead up to the big event..
- But who decided that the days leading up to the Nativity would be even better if chocolates were somehow involved? I would like to thank them.
Our local German deli, the Edelweiss, begins stocking all of it's Frohe Weinacht treats in mid November. So if there is some little marzipan succulent, or imported chocolate treat that you can not live without for the Holidays (Like the above Advent calendar) then you better get your buns on down there toot sweet. I don't care if you still have Halloween candy languishing about, it's time to shop for Yule! -Lest ye be sorry, and it's all the goodies are snapped up by smart Grandmothers who shop months in advance..

So we wandered in last year, to Edelweiss, for a nice bratwurst mit kraut und bier, when lo! The shipment of Christmas goodies had arrived, and was being stocked onto the shelves...
Lebkuchen, stollens from Dresden, plump little marzipan piggies just asking for me to bite their heads off..Well it's good luck to do that in't it?
Then I saw them= The Milka brand Advent calendars. I know, I know Milka is owned by Kraft. But I did not know they were part of a huge meg-industrial food company when I bought it. I just knew I loved the fun little cartoon art, of happy villagers in the town square of their Alpine village. There were smiling animals decorating trees, horses pulling a sleigh...St. Nicholas bringing gifts to the children..an angel drinking hot cocoa...it was darling..

However, the best part was the amazing chocolates! Each one a detailed little sculpture. A realistic violin, a horse so cute I almost did not eat him. Okay, first I took it out to the smithy to show the Hubbinator. We duly admired the detail of the mold they used, noted it's cockle warming cuteness and then we ate him. Lovely and delicious.
So, I made sure to get ahold of one of these again, and Lo! they did arrive mid November. I snatched one up, because they "Sell out pretty fast." The clerk told me..
I bet they do...I thought to myself, with visions ofyummy cream filled Milka reindeer dancing in my head...

Seasonal rituals

2008-12-01T08:25:00.001-08:00

The Pudding
Well, it has been an entire year since last I gathered in all the yummy bits and pieces for the Christmas pudding. Stir Up Sunday 2008 was hotly debated on the web I can tell you. When was it this year? The 30Th? The 23? Back and forth and back and forth..so I settled for yesterday, the 30Th, since on the 23rd I had not gone shopping for Yuletide baking supplies.
Now I realise that it was the start of Advent, and not reeeeeally the last Sunday before, but it was now or never. I chopped, I minced, I grated suet..We each took a turn stirring in some wishes and love for the coming year. We asked that the powers that be spread that love and goodness around, so dear friends this means you! Now the pudding lies in wait out there in the kitchen..Ready to be steamed and put away to wait for Christmas day.
Before all this mixing and stirring could ensue, we went off to shop for the ingredients.So off we went, to get dried fruit, good English stout(Sam Smith's) and Barley wine(Mad River's John Barleycorn..)
We had a good day gathering all the bits. Downtown is getting all lit up, the big tree in the square is lovely.

All the shops are bright with color, and festive cheer.
I hardly ever go downtown for anything, but the Yuletide season makes it way more fun and magical..We wandered around downtown, window shopping mostly. But it isn't all Christmas shopping...

(the above was not taken yesterday. It's from summer a long time ago...)

Scottish Holiday
Yesterday was also St. Andrew's day, the patron Saint of Scotland. The below is from the Scottish Government's site, so they should know..
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2008/11/28083708
For the Hubbinator, who is proudly half Scottish, it's a day to wear his kilt, show some Scottish pride. For him it's notso much about a St. Andrew , or anything remotely religious. It's more about celebrating his heritage..
"It was once more popular than St. Patrick's day here in America.
-Until Thanksgiving took over." Grumbled the Hubbinator, "Now hardly anyone knows what it is, much less celebrates it."
Well we here at White Hart Forge celebrate it! SO on with his kilt!- Royal Stewart FYI...
We decided to have lunch somewhere nice, which turned out to be a Sushi place. The restaurant staff were entertained by a big, bearded, kilted Scotsman waltzing in for a bento box.

Wearing a kilt has a mystique all it's own. It's interesting the reactions He gets from strangers. Tourists take his picture. In the swanky shopping districts the well dressed "Ladies of means over 40"( for the record I am a lady over 40, but poor as a church mouse) go all swoony over him. They flash him brilliant, perfect Hollywood smiles, make comments like " Oh, it's so niiice to see a man in a kilt.." Flutter, flutter... like he's Sean Connery, or something ......I just smile and melt into the background.
Bikers give him a nod of respect(I'm talking real bikers here, not lawyers with expensive weekend bikes). Military types and policemen salute him.. No, it's true. The kilt for American males is a manly, manly- man thing to wear. You don't put it on unless you mean it. It carries a warrior mystique with it, I do not know if this is true in Scotland, but here it does. Add to that all those films about Rob Roy, and William Wallace..
Of course not everyone knows what to make of a man in a kilt.
Teenagers giggle or point like he's a three headed monster, but it is their job to be embarrassed by adults in general. As well as to be horrified by anything "uncool".... Hipsters look down their trendy noses, but so what.....The Hubbinator, to his credit, knows he's a big tartan rooster walking about grey old Portland. He is gracious about the attention, and I think secretly...he likes it. Okay not so secretly..!

Pa is home!

2008-11-18T18:43:00.001-08:00

Yippie skippy, just a quick note to let ya'll know that Pa is back home. Thanks for all your love vibrations, good thoughts, lit candles, prayers, and the odd sacrifice of a bull to Thor. Oh heh heh..that was us doing the bull thing..bloody heathens...! Apparently(fingers and toes crossed) he is on the mend, the broken rib is healing, although he is in pain he is able to waddle around the house unassisted. So that's a good thing. Mom is just relieved to have him home. He was not doing well last week, and I half expected to fly home at a moments notice...

His cancer is confined to just the tumour, nothing in his lymph glands(yaaaa!). So, early Dec. he starts radiation therapy to shrink the cancer cells into a blackhole of nothingness. Sigh..
Well, that is excellent news!
Thank you all for your support with this, it has meant a million to me, as well as Pa .

Autumn glory...blood sacrifices..

2008-11-12T20:32:00.000-08:00

Raven stone in the golden leaves...

Autumn glory, not in some hidden wood...

It's in front of my Hut, in the backyard.
The above is my private retreat from all things annoying. I call it The Hut. It used to be a potting shed, way back when.Chased the massive spiders out. Scrubbed the wooden floors. I insulated it, sheet rocked the walls, installed power, and turned it into my retreat from dishes. Or shop work...Or the Hubbinator, much as I adore him. But we are together 24 hours a day, so sometimes a woman needs a break.
It's cozy and good. I draw in there, burn some incense, do yoga. ..listen to some Viking metal. It's also the guest house when folks stay overnight, it even has a heater.

It's wonderful to sit in the doorway, sip some tea and watch the song birds feasting at the feeders. I tried to get a decent shot of one of the hummingbirds who hang out all year, but the little bugger was waay too wise to my ways.
The trees around us are golden, red, burgundy, -in short fall is in full blast of color. The pics did not capture the brightness of the yellows..I love this time of year, even though I know winter will be a seemingly endless rain fest. -Which, has started in earnest since I took these pics.
It has been pissing rain for the last few days. hard as hell rain sideways, pelting straight down, beating the leaves off the trees...flooding in the side yard, endless mud..Then this morning we opened the shop to find that the roof is leaking, so up the Hubby went on the ladder to patch the holes. Seems fixed so far. The wind blasting, the rain, Dan says it's almost like Scotland, but not as cold. yet.
Still it's autumn and I love it. Even the pelting storm.
Okay now for the Blood Sacrifice..

Thumb +Grinder =Blood Sacrifice

Here at the smithy we take safety pretty darn seriously..but even we, trained professionals can have an accident creep right up and bite us on the ..thumb in the Hubby's case.
Sometimes power tools show us who is really boss, and this is what happened yesterday.
The Hubby was grinding welds with a hand grinder(see above blue gadget), the welds are in some tight spots, so he was valiantly trying to get at them. Apparently(I was in the house having a tea break...) the grinder decided it wanted human flesh so it tore a huge, gory gash in his thumb. Well they call that tool a hand grinder for a reason...

Blood, blood and blood. Throbbing pain, cursing and me trying to channel all the first aid training I have. He washed it, I bandaged it. So far so good. I told him if he wanted to get out of his turn at dishes, he only had to ask. This was waaay over the top..
Things are looking good today, no gangrene, but it does put the fear into you.
It's so easy when using power tools to be lulled into a trance..esp. when you are grinding welds for hours on end. Unfortunately this grinder can catch on an edge and whip itself out of your hands and into your lap.
I know, I have had one of these try to saw my chest in half length wise...I was pretty damn alert after that, yesir-ee!
He still isn't sure how it happened, but if the shop Gods wanted blood this week they got it.Iam just glad he has an attached thumb and not a nub.

Happy birthday to me..

2008-10-15T08:49:00.001-07:00

The Arteest at Work
The above was taken two days before my 43 birthday. Since the 13th was my birthday that wasn't so long ago. I have to admit liking this photo alot. Not being photogenic in the least, I hide from cameras most of the time, so being kitted out as Iam for work or battle with the forces of The Empire(That's Darth Vader's evil empire, not our current administration as some of you may be thinking) is fine by me if it saves my lungs.
Since Pa has been diagnosed with lung cancer I decided it might be good idea to take my own lung health more seriously. I have never smoked, but welding off gases some evil stuff, and grinding metal makes for metal dust. I figured it was best to spend the money and get a decent filter mask, why tempt fate?
If I can cut down on some of the crap in my lungs that's a good thing.

Cold Concrete

What with the financial crisis, the impending Election, the high cost of everything, and our present lack of cash flow, it is easy to forget the good things in life we do have.
Things are grim out there, but Iam determined to not forget that things could be much worse, and that my life isn't nearly as bad as it seems sometimes. Sure Iam not rich and powerful, but Iam well off in so many other ways. Not being ethnically cleansed, and living in a Red Cross tent come to mind as major things to be grateful about.
Iam grateful for my wonderful Hubbinator, My Family, the fertile land, the blue sky above. Good friends.

This years birthday came and went. Too much work to finish in the shop so we stayed home. No Hood River trip.
Some good friends came by for drinks and dinner the day before. Wonderful well wishing from some amazing freinds far and near. I ate chocolate cupcakes , had a cheese burger the size of a dinner plate...sweet potatoe fries..plenty of good German bier. Mmmm...so good.
It was a good day all in all. Mellow and gentle...more later but now I have to get to work.

Well it's cancer then..

2008-10-02T19:58:00.000-07:00

After a few invasive and gruesome sounding tests( needle biopsy=big needle, through the chest, snip out a piece of lung tissue....)
the results have come back=
My Dad indeed has lung cancer. It's in his upper left lung.
The test that tells us if it's spread to any other part of his body won't come back for a few days..until then he has to heal up from the pneumonia that could have killed him. The illness that sent him to the hospital in the 1st place, and which, in a weird twist of providence, led to the discovery of the tumor.
On top of all that there is his collapsed lung from a post biopsy coughing fit. So until he gets better...we wait and see what's next..What the test says about any other cancer will determine the battle plan as it were.

My mother is being the strong and awesome woman she is about all this. I of course hung up the phone and cried like a , well like a woman who has just found out her father has cancer.

He is home tonight, sleeping in his own bed.
My Mom is tired, the concerned phone calls, the family members dropping by to see him. The whole drama of going to the hospital every day, wondering if he had cancer or not.
Being a nurse for 42 years she knows the drill. She cared for her father when he had lung cancer.

I know that Dad is not at death's door ..well, not now that the pneumonia is under control. Yet I know there is so much more to come, diagnosis wise, treatment wise, all of it.
I'll be strong and positive for my Pa, but tonight I'm a daughter who needs to take it all in..
Okay everyone , go tell your loved ones you love them.
Oh, and quit smoking.
Right now. Iam not kidding.

Please.

Cloudy days...

2008-09-30T09:53:00.001-07:00

The above sign was actually built a year ago...it was commissioned by our favorite German butcher shop/deli, The Edelweiss. It took us a this long to finally get a picture of it.
The picture is so damn dark, but that's kind of the mood these days. The National vibe is one of fear and uncertainty.
We muddle along, chin up working on projects, striving forward. It's all too easy to get lost in a spiral of worry and fear. The media injects it into our bloodstream everyday, so Iam going to try(good luck) to avoid the news for a few days. I'm no Pollyanna type, ask anyone, Iam as cynical as they come...But with a touch of optimism. I can't be a complete grouch all the time.
There are things is life so pure and joyful I have to be happy about them.

The only thing is today, on top of the financial shit sandwich we have all been offered, the Doctors have found a mass on my Dad's left lung.
I feel for everyone's financial woes, mine included, but the possibility my Dad might have a tumor trumps all that for me.
So We wait today and tomorrow to see what his test results will be. Iam personally hoping for a benign glob of easily dissolved goo. My Pa is a hard working man who grew up during the Great Depression. He would not want me to sit here and wring my hands in worry, rather, he would want me to work in my smithy. So off I go, but I can't help it if I stop off in the orchard for a good cry, and a chance to breathe the cool fresh fall air.

Hop Harvest

2008-09-18T20:06:00.000-07:00

Well the time finally came to cut down the hop bines and pick pick pick and pick some more!
It started last week really, when the Hubbinator and I looked up at the deep green vines and agreed it was waaay over due.
The Hubby put an ad up on the internet which read=
"MMMMM!! Fresh Homegrown organic hops! We don't use sprays. Gently caressed by the Sun! Carefully tended beds! Pony Poo fertilizer! Lady Bug aphid wranglers! Oregon's best liquid sunshine throughout the season!"
The phone calls began in earnest, and Iam happy to say it all went well. Over some coffee we sat in morning cool and picked hops until our fingers were yellow with the sticky resin, and the courtyard smelled like, well pungent, like good hops. Or it's cousin Cannabis Sativa, But that is a good thing, as it means the hops are ripe. People came and went, happy as heck to have fresh hops to brew with.
We have two varieties=Willamettes and Nuggets. The buyers wanted Willamettes most of all, so they went for a higher price, due to scarcity . The Nuggets sold too, and now we only have enough left for us to brew a batch of Yuletide ale with.
Note to Self= Brew Yule ale this week...

Hop Orgy at the Lucky Lab
We also went to the annual hop picking fest. at our local brew pub of choice , the Lucky Labrador.
It was a grand time and a record weigh in of over 125 lbs. of fresh hops! Mountains of hops piled on table tops, pitchers of real ale, happy people enjoying a day sharing a common effort=Bringing in the harvest.

The above is of Myself(in the big sun hat, with my mouth open...thanks honey...nice shot...ahem)
and Wolf Woman. We laughed, drank bier, discussed upcoming elections and realised too late that we should have worn long sleeves..hops are scratchy.
The batch to be brewed from this is called "Mutt", since all the hops chucked into the wort are different varieties.
Now I know that here in Willamette Valley entire families once earned their wages picking hops from dawn til dusk. It was hard, itchy work, little communities sprung up to support the migrant workers.
For some interesting old photos from the Depression era of Oregon hop harvesting, and a little history on it=
http://159.121.122.41/exhibit3/e30029a.htm

So Autumn is coming, just a few days away for the Equinox. But Nature has already starting showing the signs that the wheel of the year turns once again. It is these rituals of planting, growing, harvesting that make life full.
Whatever you harvest this year, may it be abundant and what you need.

Pine Cones

2008-08-09T09:08:00.001-07:00

Greetings everyone! Imagine my surprise when I discovered that some of my freinds actually read this blog! More than one and less than 20, so heck that's pretty good...I admit I am not a regular writer. I love writing, but since my back got all crunchy, sitting for any length of time was extremely painful. Also Iam not a fast writer. I like to drink coffee, listen to polka and really think about what Iam going to say here. So it takes a little time, and I don't always have time.
But today I do!
This weeks adventure=
Making Pinecones

Here Iam standing at our Little Giant power hammer.This mighty machine was built back in 1900 ish. Making it the oldest thing in the shop next to myself and the Hubbinator. No it's true. My Uncle Max(saint Max) from Nebraska found this mighty beast and shipped it out to us , thus saving our shoulders from eternal tendonitis. It has a 25 lb blow, meaning if it were to hit your hand it would be very very painful and messy.
Iam operating it by stepping down on a bar at the base, this engages the the gears and tells the machine to hammer slow, fast or "Holy Hell who let the horses out?!!!"
Some sort of a power hammer has been in use by blacksmiths since oh...the iron age. The Hellenic Greeks used them(Hail Hephestus..) Water powered hammers and then steam powered hammers have been used to forge everything from plough shares to the giant cogs of the industrial revolution.
But for my humble use this week, I was forgeing 2 inch square solid bar into pine cone shaped blanks.
Before and After

After I bash the heck out of the square stock in the power hammer I take it to my anvil and shape it up. I could build a fancy forming die to use in the power hammer but I just didn't take the time. I also wanted to enjoy the hand forging, and practice my skills. So, from square, to a wedge shape, then I round it up to a pine cone shape.

Forging away

The corners getting rounded, all the flats need to be curved so when I chisel it will bite into the steel. All this is hot work. I usually don't wear a glove on my hammer hand, but thick steel radiates some monster heat..and frankly I got tired of it. The handsome shield behind me was built by our freind Bob, who is also a smith and wily craftsman.

The Pink Fist of Rohan
This is an utterly staged pictured to give you an idea of how I chisel the pine cones open. I heat them to yellow, swiftly place them in the vice, and using a curved chisel, "cut" out the petals of the cone. Iam not being ultra realism driven on this , but I do want them to look real-ish.
So I slowly work my way down the cone, turning it, cutting into it. Laborious as heck.- and if some other smith has a better 'n faster way then please send in your tips for consideration.

It was hotter than heck outside the day I started this. There I was, in my thermal shirt trying not to get a radiant burn from 1500 degree steel, sweating my arse off. Some people go to fancy spas and spend big bucks to be uncomfortably hot and sweaty. I get it for free!
The Results

Ta da!

A pine cone. Now I have to make four more, add the branches and pine boughs(another process) and add it all to a handrail. I know I grouse about being hot , sweaty, tired and all but when something turns out well it really is satisfying.
So tune in later to see the rest of it progressing. Hope everyones Lunasa was groovy, and the harvest is abundant for you all..

Hops hops hops! That "wicked and pernicious weed!"

2008-07-12T19:55:00.000-07:00

Here it is, our glorious hop yard..well all 15 feet long plot of it.But it is our hop yard, all organic, Wassailed along with the apples in early January.
The handsome rooster stands proudly atop our Maypole, the garlands of mayday replaced by the deep green vines of Willamette and Fuggles hop vines.
They peek out of the earth around the end of March and every late August we cut the bines down, heavy with aromatic hop cones and haul it all to The Lucky Labrador Brewery
http://www.luckylab.com/html/story.html for an orgy of hop picking. We are not the only hop farmers (be it a tiny enterprise) to bring our hops. No this is a community affair.Folks bring their hops to the brewery and in a frenzy of pint imbibing and scratchy hop vine wrestling we pick the hops. We drink ale, we laugh, we celebrate a community harvest of itchy, scratchy goodness. Our hands become gummy with the resins, our hearts full of joy at being a part of something so ancient and good. Growing what we eat, growing what we drink. The magical brewers take our hops and brew it into a fresh hopped IPA. Crispy and bitter. Parking Lot IPA, as that is where we stand around barrels picking the hops. Out in the parking lot.
We have a lovely time.
Mmmm beer. Good beer.

Mister Rooster..
High atop our 25 ft. plus Maypole stands Mister Rooster. Mighty in his plywood glory, symbol of masculine fertility, he has weathered wind, rain and recently an awesome lightening storm..(actually after a huge strike right over the house we thought we lost him, but no, he survived old Thor's wrath!)
The hops have reached his eye, and since this was taken he is now wreathed in green. Little tendrils of vine reaching out to grow even higher if they could

Hop Cones to be=Burrs
Look closely at this picture...see the teeny tiny little "burrs on the light green bit? Those are baby Hop cones. Yep. Hop cones.
They start life as side shoots , that quickly turn into little burrs resembling burdock burrs.
By the end of July these will be full fledged hop cones. Like fish scales they lie one on the other. They grown up to three inches in length, and at the end of August they are sticky with resin.
Hop cones are the female reproductive parts of the plant. Hops are also related to another plant known for it's relaxing effects, Cannibus Sativa...Yes it's true. Would I lie?
For more scientific and other info refer to this groovy link, where I got the title quote above=
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hops
And if your feeling daring and might want to try your hand at growing your own =
http://www.freshops.com/

Ya see the thing is, there is a world wide hop shortage. many factors are involved, but it is a fact that hops are precious commodity at present. Worth their weight in gold..as it were.
Well..all I know is it makes me happy to watch them break through the earth in spring, grow like crazy all summer and in the fall we harvest them to brew good ale.
Here's to the hops! Here is to tradition! Here is to the folk who grow what we eat and drink!

Here piggy piggy...

2008-06-23T07:25:00.001-07:00

Wild Boar

Here he is a wild boar that I forged up three years ago, and only now hung up on the smithy wall.
I love Wild Swine, and I know they are pain in the butt to farmers, yes they are over running the vinyards of France and Germany but I like them still.
They were also sacred to my ancestors, so much so that they wore boar crested helmets into battle, see link=
http://www.wiganarchsoc.co.uk/content/News_Letters/news005.htm

I made this for the fun of it, a rare thing. Working in the forge is almost always for paying clients these days. I don't make the time nor have the time to just be an "artiste".
Too many other things need doin around here.

Thistle gate

2008-06-23T06:37:00.001-07:00

Thistle Gate in Situ
A few posts back , there is a gate drawing in chalk on our shop floor=Here is the gate coming together. It has taken way too long to get this gate built, partly due to other projects, and also to the challenge of engineering as you go, being challenged by every job to learn new skills and be a clever monkey..
The deceptively simply loop at the bottom of the pattern was not as simple as it seemed.
Steel or iron will bend to your will, but that's the problem too. It will bend were you "tell" it to bend. If there was a mistake on your part working out the steps to forming whatever it is you're wanting to form.
From forging a flower to bending an 8 foot loop there is a logical(well, sometimes) path of how to make something.
"If I want this then I have to do A before I can do B.."
This process of deconstruction to construct is part of creating ironwork, and a behavior that I and most blacksmiths I know engage in when we are out in the world. We can't help we, we look at ironwork and try to figure out how it was built...
"Look at those gates, they must have had to put the twist in first and then slid the picket in after, and then riveted it" Says the Hubbinator to I.
"Yeh, but look at this, " Says Me, " they obviously forge welded this to this.." Etc..
It's kind of wacky, but we can't help it, we like to figure things out.
Which leads me to the Jig of Mordor=

The Jig of Mordor
It took me several days of fussing, cussing and thinking to come up with a forming jig(a thingy to shape metal with, used when you have many of the same shape to make)
In fact is was truly a pain in my ass, and nearly ended my marriage. Yet, here it is, a big loop that accurately reproduces the same loop with curved ends. Looks so innocent sitting there doesn't it? So simple, how could this be so hard?
Well, it has to do with my fuzzy chalk drawing, the design itself being very precise, and and no room for wiggle at all in the way the peices fit together. The first jig was a tad too big, thanks to my fuzzy drawing which got tightened up.
The loops are made out ten foot lengths of steel, that must first have a curve put into them at the ends, then wrapped around the jig to make the loops. They have to be exactly the same or the eye will be drawn to any dissimilarity in the piece. The design is Art-Deco, and very clean.

-Then there was the butting of the heads between blacksmiths, the pressure of looming deadlines, a few stressful days .. well..you get the picture.
We prevailed and now the gate is ready for it's hinges and lock plate.
Can't wait to get it out of here!

Poppie heaven

2008-06-05T18:35:00.001-07:00

Here they are.The lovely poppy seed poppy.
Every year I await their bloom, and this year the huge plants that self seeded from last year have burst open in a riot of crimson, burgundy, and pink. An Art Nouveau dream.

They are sown by the wind, scattered by my wanderings through the garden. This year they are over 4 feet high, the nodding heads heavy, the ruffled leaves like the skirts of Belle Epoch ladies.
I can't help but think of them as fancy women from a late Victorian Paris nightclub, can-can on the stage, absinthe in their glasses.
In the late summer harvest the seeds for baking, sprinkled on Ukrainian braid, baked in sweet poppyseed cake. Their culinary uses tie me to the centuries of Slavic women who used them as medicine, in cooking and for sacred offerings.

And I love them for their beauty.

It's Hot!

2008-05-16T14:14:00.001-07:00

The month of May started cold, with hail, and snow, and lot's of rain. We were wearing sweaters last week this time. But not now. The current temp. is 91 degrees. The wind blows hot, the plants are drooping in the sun. Great for my hops which if you watch them, are actually growing an inch an hour. They love this weather. I do not. Sure I am a big fat wuss when it comes to heat. Some of my family comes from the sun drenched islands of Dalmatia on the blue Adriatic. My olive skin and long nose attest to this fact, BUT the other half of my family come from places that produce freckled, fair skinned folks. Britain and central Germany.
So while I love the warmer weather once it hits 80 Iam hot, bothered and sweaty.

Meanwhile, Iam crawling around on my knees doing a layout drawing for a gate. It's an art deco piece, for a truly lovely 1920's era manse. This is actually a pleasant job to work on , as the shop floor is cool, and Iam in the shade. But next week it's back before the fire, hot or not.

Friends ask us if we work when it hits 100, as it can here in the summertime. Well, yes and no. We work until we can't stand it, or we work in the early morning, take a break, and then return.
I know that blacksmiths all over the world where it is much hotter, work in far worse conditions temp wise. The ancient Greek and Roman artist's portrayed Vulcan/ Hephaestus in little more than short kilt and sandals as He worked. Or nekkid those naughty Hellenics.
Drawings of more mortal smithies show the men working nearly naked, and in 100 degree weather I can see why one would be tempted.

The thing is I stopped wearing shorts in the shop after I had a yellow hot peice of steel slip out of a vice and land on my leg. Ouch. I still have the scar.
So I prefer to roast away in long pants and leathers now.
Oh well back to the sweat box, and more drawing.

Avalon

2008-03-18T19:57:00.000-07:00

Spring is springing here at the forge. The robins are busy jousting one another out on the front fence. The male flickers are up early to drum out a tune on the roof. The testosterone is flying out there, and the girl birds look slightly wary of it all. All this groovy energy has me thinking and feeling about the things that make me feel vital in life. The elements of this earth walk that bring me joy, energy, passion and stoke my own inner fire.
One of those things is muscic although Iam not an MP3 geek. I am too cheap, and can't figure out how to burn a cd to save my life.
But I do dig internet radio, and praise to the odd free download. I can listen to music I like, over and over if Iam so inclined. Music I loved ages ago, music obscure, weird folk songs. Or New Wave hits from the 80's...
Like Roxy Music's "More Than This" or "Slave to Love".
I dug Roxy Music's album Avalon so much I wore out my cassette tape of it. Yes that's a cassette tape children, we had them back then, I even had a "Walkman". They have some in the Smithsonian museum if you want to see one. Along with a few Victrolas.
The thing is, if Iam having a crappy day in the shop my favorite 80's hits can bring me out of it.
Madonna especially. "Material Girl" or "Like a Virgin"..There I admit it.

Camping in Funny Clothes in the Snow

2008-03-06T08:21:00.001-08:00

Camping in funny clothes in the Snow
Here Iam attempting to look like an explorer. I only need to be pointing off into the distance...
Actually, my buddy Wolf Woman snapped this when I was trying to take a breather.
It is pure conciendence that I look so posed, and heroic-ish. A testimony to her skill with the picture box.
This was taken high up on a volcanic ridge we named Bobcat ridge.
A couple of weeks ago the Hubbinator and myself met up with some groovy freinds for a good old fashioned Fur Trade Era rendezvous. Check out this page for one of the big rondies to see what it's about =http://www.rockymntnatlrendz.com/
or our local event http://ppr.eddiespicer.com/Current/
The gathering we attended is a smaller affair, and is not a completely primitive event. Primitive meaning every person has to be in period attire, no modern nothing. Period. Tents made of canvas, clothes made of linen and wool and cotton, no rubber soles on them shoes either. Or you will be asked to change them. What seems like a pain in the ass is really a good thing, because you are transported back in time, and can get a sense of what life was like before..before this place was even a country. It is a history nerds(that would be me) dream come true.
But this event we attended two weeks ago is just a small local event. It is not primitive, more a camp out with black powder rifles , archery, and some of us in historical clothing.
You can wear polar fleece if you want to, but our camp will call you a pilgrim, or worse a tourist.
The location is deep in the high desert of Central Oregon, in a place called Millican. Horse Ridge is the actual site. It is a gorgeous place, juniper trees, sage, amazing red rock outcrops.
Coyotes howl at night, and so did we.

Warm inside the Tent
Our camp consisted of several good freinds, all re-enactors of some kind.
We had us , Wolf Woman, Mother Hen, Blonde Bear and Two Girls the fur traders. The nights were cold, so cold, but most of us have woodstoves inside our canvas tents, so there was a good warm and cozy place to escape the cold. Days we spent hiking in the warm sunshine, nights laughing by the fire.
A good amount of bullshitting did occur..

Fire and Ice
Those are not "orbs" in the above pic, that's a snowflake.
When we arrived at the site on thursday we found Wolf Woman building an elaborate stone fire back for our fire pit. She and MotherHen were yarding in big lava rocks to build it, filling the cracks with mud. They constructed while we set up our camp, and in no time they had the project done.
It was a work of art, and labor of love. Most of all ingenious.
It worked so well radiating the heat, that when the snow storm hit friday night we all stood out by the fire. The gently swirling falling flakes began to pile up around us, but we were warm and happy at the hearth.

Silence
The next morning I awoke and crept out of bed to see the entire world transformed into a snow scape. The sky was just turning a rose color as the sun came up behind the eastern foothills. All was still, and magical. The camp is ours, and inside the tent the Hubbinator is making coffee because he is so sweet. Soft fluffy white snow everywhere, the flakes sparkled in the dawn. I walked down the trail to explore, but the scent of bacon cooking in Wolf Womans tent lured me back to enjoy breakfast with the camp. Later that day we went for a long hike in the new snow, and that was when the pic of me on the rocks was snapped.
It was a good relaxed weekend with great freinds. We packed up on Sunday, reluctantly I might add, and returned to civilization.
It was like a tonic being out there having fun, I can't wait for the next adventure!

What I do of a Day

2008-02-07T14:05:00.001-08:00

My life is not the glamor filled orgy of fun and romance many think it is, what with being an arteest and all. Oh no. Sure it's fun to create ironwork that will grace and adorn our clients homes. The satisfaction of seeing them happy, or even elated over the finished work. I enjoy the creative aspects of being a blacksmith, but when you get right down to it, it's work. Like any other job, trade or such. There are days when the work is hard, fussy, dirty, annoying or just a plain old pain the ass. Did I mention tediously repetetive?
Then there is the on going tendonitis in my shoulder, the tendonitis in my elbow, and the cold concrete floor that turns my feet into ice blocks. Until oh, June.
The above pic is of Me self grinding away on welds for the tree project. They first part of the panels have already been installed, they turned out wonderfully, but there are so many steps involved in their production it's easy for me, with the short attention span, to be done with them in my mind. Really done , as in "Please No more trees! Can't I move on to the next project now? I swear I'll be good!!!"
Still, Iam working as an artist and for that Iam grateful. Although it would be nice to be a glamourous movie star, heck, I'd take independently wealthy eccentric who travels alot! that'd be fine too.
Back to the trees....

Turkey Showdown On a Lonely Road

2008-01-19T10:17:00.000-08:00

"Is that a dog?"

Recently we took a disposable camera in to have the contents developed. This camera has been knocking around inside our truck for just about a year now.
We had forgotten what was on it, and so our curiosity was happily surprised when we took a peek at the pictures contained therein.
There was the odd assortment of pictures from a Viking reenactment we attended. A Mountain Man campout last Feb. in 17 degree weather...But wait! At the end of the roll were three special pictures.
Could it be?
Yes..I had forgotten we took photos of him.
Yet here he was, in all his glorious might, Mr. King of the Road.
Standing tall and challenging everyone to a fight who dare cross his path on that lonely stretch of road. It all came back..
We , The Best Freind, Hubby, and I, on a lovely day in early spring, were out for a drive in the country.
The back roads are the best to view the flora and fauna, to find an old farm to admire. Maybe stop and take a stroll. We were cruising down (well, if 25 MPH can be called cruising) a particularly lovely farm road, when my Friend said
"Hey, Look at that dog in the middle of the road! Isn't he odd looking?"
I was in the back seat, so I had to lean forward between the seats to get a better view of the "Dog" who was standing tall in the middle of the road, apparently prepared to stop all traffic.

"Yeh, he is really weird looking.. He isn't going to get off the road it looks like." says I.
The Dog was now marching about, back and forth, making an odd sound.

"No.." Says The Hubby. "That's not a dog..." Drawing closer He brought the truck to a complete stop about 10 feet from the "dog", who was in actuality a Tom Turkey. In full territorial display challenging our truck to a duel. It was spring after all, and this was His stretch of road.

"You Shall Not Pass!"

We sat in the truck, listening to his manly gobbling. He strutted quite impressively all the while, puffing up, flexing his wings and dragging the tips of his feathers on the ground to make a
loud, ruffling sound. After a few minutes of this the Hubby decided to roll the truck ever so slowly forward. We watched as Mr. Turkey moved aside, puffing up to what I assumed was full parade dress for a turkey. It was then that the Hubby saw the cause of Good Sir Turkey's display of manhood.

"His Lady Fair"
A lady turkey stood down in the ditch beside the road, her plumage of red and cream was quite lovely, she was pretty as far as turkeys go..I suppose. Mr. Turkey was digging her, enough to stand down a Nissan truck.
The Hubbinator snapped some pics of the lovely couple while we marveled at Mr. Turkeys bravery, and hoped that Mrs. Turkey was sufficantly impressed with his virility.
We drove off to enjoy the rest of our drive, I assume they made lots of little turkeys last spring.
We have decided to try and find the road again, to see if He's still king of the road.

Wassailing and colds

2008-01-09T20:21:00.000-08:00

The wassailing went marvelously. Thirty some people marched out into our orchard, singing and shouting. We gathered around in a circle as the night began to creep in. The earth beneath our feet was muddy and squishy after weeks of rain. Happily, the rain held off all afternoon as folks gathered to celebrate the Capricorn birthdays and to wassail our trees.

We made toasts, and drank wassail. Each person taking a drink of the mulled ale, then shouting
"Wassail!"
To which the gathered friends responded
"Drink hail!"
Everyone drank a draught, the wassail bowl carried around the circle. When the last person drank, that would be me Frauklug, we all let out a great cheer. Then off to the warmth of the house, to enjoy a lovely feast by the fire. Some hung out beside the bonfire in the back yard, others stayed inside. Laughter and good cheer all around. It was a glorious good time had by all.

The only hitch in my giddy up was the cold I could feel creeping on. My day started with that odd, stuffy feeling. The first sneezes, that you hope are just from using the dusty shop-vac ..but then the sort of dizzy, sleepy feeling kicks in. More sneezing. In your heart you know, it's a cold coming on. No mistaking.
So I hoped no one noticed I sounded more congested as the evening wore on, or that I disappeared to lie down for a bit while party went on. I tried to be brave, but around 9pm I had to go to bed. The cold won, so I just let it go and run it's course for four days.
The little cold bugs seem to be done now, and that's fine. Time to get out in the shop, where I have not been for a week.

Yuletide and wassailing

2008-01-02T12:02:00.000-08:00

Hey ho!
Well, Yule came and went, the Solstice was glorious, friends and family gathered to celebrate. Ma and Pa arrived to celebrate this year, and stayed for 8 days.
We had a bonfire on the Solstice proper,with feasting and making merry until late into the evening.

Then came the build up to Christmas day, shopping , running around trying to get everything done before the big day. Geez!
My daily walk kept me sane, and my shitty back at bay.
All turned out just fine,with all the shopping done, family having a great visit, and the goose cooked.
We had a wonderful Yule, the pudding of infamy turned out excellent. Almost had a little pyrotechnic excitement when the brandy I was only warming burst into flames a bit prematurely, but hey, that was all part of the show!
Note to self=I need to forge up a special ladle for next years fun..one that keeps the warmers hand far away from the flames.
The family departed, New Years arrived, and here we are.
Time for the Wassailing of the orchard this upcoming weekend, and our annual birthday party for the Hubby, known as the Capricorn party.
We have it turns out , many, many friends who are all born under the sign of the Goat. So the Husband decided to pitch a big whing-ding for all of them, "It's just a practical idea, and saves money." Spoken like a true Capricorn says I.
We all troop out to the orchard, singing, hooting, making noise, and ask for the orchard to be fruitful and wake up the land. The children hang toast in the branches of the apple trees, and we pour out mulled ale onto the ground. After that we all retreat to enjoy the evening around the bonfire.
I hope this year it snows, that would be lovely.
Wassail, or "Good Health to you!"

Creativity

2007-11-30T18:17:00.001-08:00

Things are chuggin along on my latest project. The tree panels take about three days each to complete, and sometimes this sort of production work gets , well...boring. I'm standing there waiting for a piece of steel to heat. I'm staring into the fire, listening to the roar of the blower. It is almost trance inducing. That's when I feel the urge to draw, or doodle on my work table. Or the floor of the shop using a piece of soapstone chalk.
Usually it's birds, horses, trees, little scenes from nature.
Like the wolf over there on the left.
So I think that the waiting trance opens up my mind to being able to just draw. Without any self criticism, or worry "it's not good". My chattering left brain shuts up long enough to let the creative right side have at it.
Sometimes when I sit at my drawing table with a fresh sheet of paper laid out before me, I choke up. Mind foes blank, I get fidgity, can't come up with a thing.
I once read that this was called "Fear of the white page", something artists and writers both experience, it seems to be a part of the creative process. Pain in the butt is what I think.
It's just so hard to set aside a time to draw for pleasure. If it isn't for work I somehow feel guilty at drawing just to draw. Iam happy for my spirit, my heart, for my sanity the art comes out anyways.

Yuletide cometh..

2007-11-29T20:23:00.000-08:00

Yuletide is coming, the days are short, dark by 4:30 ish. We have had plenty of frosty nights, and even snow. Okay it didn't stick down here by the river, but it did show up long enough to get me excited about the season.
I love Yule.
Yuletide for me is about tradition, family, and ritual.
Ritual is important to me , especially the culinary rituals of holy days.
Take Christmas pudding.
It is so simple yet so involved. I gathered all the ingredients, figs, cherries, almonds, etc..weeks ago. I beseeched my favorite butcher for his best suet, the good kind. The hard white suet that is almost fluffy when you grate it.
I bought organic barley wine and thick black stout. I gathered everything together along with the biggest bowl I own, then I asked my dearly departed Grandmothers for guidance and got started.
It all went well, the Hubby came in and gave it a good stir for luck. We shared a big smooch to add extra oomph to it. Then into the pot it went to steam away. After coming in to check on it every so often it seemed done, at the appointed time.
So now it's all cooked and wrapped up neatly, awaiting dinner on the big day.
Next up are all the German cookies..chocolate pretzles, hazelnut spritz , crescents, shortbread...
But tommorrow is more smiting of steel..baking is later this weekend.
Wassail!

Fullmoon...

2007-11-23T21:18:00.000-08:00

The full moon is enormous. Last night was our Thanksgiving day dinner, so my best buddy Mdm. Sandra was over to share in the orgy of food. She has just recently moved into my town, and so we are once again neighbors. Moving is not easy, but she needed the change, I for one am thrilled she's here, even if she sometimes wonders "What in the hell have I done!"
Anyways, right at sunset we stepped outside to call the Hubbinator in for dinner when we both saw the amazing full moon. Or near full, as tonight is the actual big event.
The sky was lavender, and blue. Pale and cold. The vapour of our breathe hung in the still air, all was quiet.
There in the sky, silvery white hung the moon. We stood there together for a moment, awed by it's glory, in a silence of shared joy.
Then we both began to get cold.
But before we trotted back into the warm house, I told her how happy I was that she was there to share in the moment, and she agreed. We hugged, and got all choked up like the sentimental ninnies we are.
We laughed for being so sappy, but it really was cool moment.
We have known each other for almost 20 years. Maybe it is more than twenty now, I forget. Being able to share in a silent moon gazing is one of the many reasons why she is my best friend.

I hope everyone is enjoying this glorious full moon.

Rats

2007-11-20T21:40:00.000-08:00

We love the turning of the seasons here at Weisshirsch forge. Each season brings with it specific events that we look for.
Spring =the hops come up, Ospreys return to nest.
Summer=The berries ripen, and the hops keep coming up, and up..
Fall= Harvest the hops. Ospreys leave for Mexico, the Norway rats move in.

I was standing at my welding table, preparing to lay in a bead when a movement caught my eye. I turned my head and watched as a rather bold Norway rat sauntered ever so casually across the shop, and ducked behind a pile of sheet metal. Bold as day.
Oh great!Either it's sick, or has been around here so long it's unafraid of humans. Either reality is not good. I walked over to inspect , and could not find the rat.I did see a hole. This means they are moving in for winter, in the walls, between the sheetrock and the metal siding. All that nice, warm pink insulation to burrow in. A lovely cafe/compost pile outback, the odd snack left out on the work bench. Rat heaven. It's like going to a fancy lodge in Aspen for the winter.

A few weeks ago we suspected there were rats moving into our basement.
The cats had begun staking out the cupboard under the kitchen sink, and the compost bucket was looking a bit rifled through.
So Hubby went into the crawlspace/basement and left poison packets. He also blocked off the gap around the sink pipes so any rats could not get back into the compost.
After a few days the cats stopped holding vigil at the cupboard,so we figured the rats were no more. The draw back is that someone has to go into the basement and fish out the bodies.

So they are also setting up home in our shop, and this is not okay.
We can kill them off, but there are a million more out there waiting to take their place. It's more like keeping them at bay.
Time for a good terrier.

Worky worky work..

2007-11-14T09:05:00.001-08:00

Work! I don't sit down to blog much, and the main reason is work. That and my back killing me if I sit. Oh did I mention the back injury? Well, it seems two of my discs are trying to eject themselves into my spinal cord. That explains why Iam in pain 99% of the time. Degenerative disc disease, which is a nice way fo saying I'm wearing out.
Oh well, life goes on. Work eats up my energy, and at the end of the day Iam too exhausted to write, or rather to be clever.
What's new? Iam currently building/sculpting hazelnut trees. Big 8 foot long trees, for the handrails on a porch. 12 panels of them.Due by the first of December, they are lovely. BUT the deadline looms...
I dream about them, or rather not meeting the deadline, and awake feeling a dreadful terror..and my back hurting like hell.
I have net hard deadlines before. I can only do my best.
One thing though, this fall has been gorgeous. The trees are amazing, I stand in my shop door and am in awe of the trees, the sunlight pouring through the yellow leaves, the red maples , all of it. They lift my spirits, and I forge ahead.