Blogging, no one reads this..

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!

 

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

 

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

'
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..

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

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

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

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

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

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...