A New Year

Seems fitting to reflect a little on the past year as the new one starts today. I don't really find the years passing as a really big deal, but its still significant enough I guess. I good time to make an attempt at some goals. Mostly I just wing it...kinda like Jazz, I have a general outline to give a a general direction.

Looking outside at the snow and the thermometer always has some power to influence introspection, at least for me. I'm sitting by the wood stove in my cozy house sipping coffee, having a hard time getting motivated to get outside. The temps as of late are hovering around 0f/-18c. For those that are not used to living in these temps..that's pretty cold. When you add the wind chill it gets down to skin freezing temps. This sounds cold but it's not really that bad if you have some good clothes and eat good food that helps to keep you warm.

Winter is also the time for cross country skiing.....I've been looking at building a ski trail groomer so I can have nice trails to ski on behind my house. This will be really nice to have on some of my trails. Some will have to be maintained by skiing alone as my snowmobile can't get through some to the brush and small trees. I have a mix of back country trails and some old logging trails. April, two of our girls and I are excited to get skiing. It's great exercise! More on that in some later post.

Looking back at the blog this past year... I'm really thankful for all you folks who read this, my rambling, and more importantly enjoy it. It means a lot to me to know that folks find some merit in what I have to share, whether it be my work or my opinions on craft, workmanship, and the economics related. Thanks!

Looking forward, I have another trip planned to England this summer, more details on that later. I'll be teaching greenwood working classes all over the place and here at my place too. I'll be building a canoe this summer with a fellow from the Yukon, carving and selling spoons for the Greenwood Spooncarver's Collective. I'll teaching birch bark basketry at a National Basketry Conference too. Of coarse I'll be carving spoons and turning bowls whenever I can, which will be the main stay this year.

Family wise, this is a big one, my oldest daughter Isabella is planning on heading out into the world on her own this summer. She turned 18 in November.  Isabella studying hard and has been working in a wooden boat shop part time for a few months.  As parents we have to share our opinions or hold them back depending. For those who know me I'm a lot better are sharing them. I'm trying to convince her to go to wooden boat building school well I planted the seed anyway. She do fine with whatever she chooses. 

I have a few ideas that I want to explore more in depth here as well.

Stay tuned 

Have a great new year!