Walk the Woods - Steps of Sanity and Sane Living

Today was a special day mixed with interesting work. I met with the National Trust head of forestry here in my County and we talked about the mass of trees down. I couldn't help but notice that rare quality of human life called humbleness as he shared how grateful he was that though the pay may not be the best, he loved having the opportunity to live as a lifestyle forester  fulfilling hi vocational calling. I seldom hear these kinds of words of meaning anymore because I so rarely meet people who meet their calling and go for it no matter the cost. I spent three hours on my own digging through the undergrwoth, listening to the river and talking to myself in the woods. Climbing trees and looking at damaged specimens for my work, I saw nature at its best in removing weak or diseased specimens, limbs and so on to return them to the earth. The woods smelt wonderful after the holidays indoors and I wandered from spot to spot until I got too tired and ended up down at the seashore and then Penrhyn Docks. The tide swelled and eld back the river and so the river flooded the fields until tide turned and the wall of water turned in front of me. Soon the sea birds would scour the shoreline and probe the muds for food. Tonight as I type, the winds have picked up again and the coldness of the driven rain is whipping up a frenzy in heavy furore until it then then subsides.This last storm threw the trees together in a tumbled mass in a couple of areas I have yet to reach. Phil and I plan a trip there next week all being well.

Here is a massive scar this beech will have to handle.

As I walked I checked out the nesting boxes I put up earlier this year as small birds usually gather and roost for warmth during inclement and stormy weather like we have been having lately. The boxes work great and we have a short series on making them yet to edit for woodworkingmasterclasses soon.

The downed limbs are amazing when you look at them for texture. Rotten aspects of the grain inside the crotch caused this weakness and unfortunately it wasn't seen from below, otherwise we might have had the chance reduce some of the damage.

This oak limb split from one end to the other, about twelve feet I guess.

Oh, and I paced out a 90-foot beech tree that fell near the secret garden up by the entrance. That's an amazing sight.

I had bought a new Woden plane on eBay and paid highly for it because it was in pristine condition. I had been concerned because this was the first plane I had found in new condition with the box and instructions still fully in tact. The packaging was the best wrapping i ever encountered with brown paper taped to the outside, bubble wrap for the next layer, an inner shoebox wrapped in bubble wrap again and then inside the shoe box styrofoam panels. Inside this lining was another layer of bubble-wrap around the actual manufacturer’s box and inside that, peanuts, soft wrapping and the original wax paper of the plane manufacturer. I was very happy with this plane.