This past week I found myself thinking a lot about family. Which led to a convoluted mental journey to thoughts of my grandfather. For some reason, he has been on my mind more and more since I started this challenge. I'm not really sure why, but I do find it curious. Maybe it's because I committed to doing this while sitting in the woods out at the ranch or for some other reason that hopefully time will only tell.
After my grandfather's passing, my grandmother gave me his pocket knife. It was probably one of the best gifts I have ever received. I think I've carried it maybe two or three days in my front pocket as I was just too frightened that something would happen to it or it would be lost. So I have left it at home in a safe place comforted with the knowledge that it was under safe keeping. Now that seems really weird, and in some ways wrong, to have something so sentimental just sitting at home not being used, loved, cherished. I also think my grandfather would have disapproved... he would have wanted it to be a part of daily activity as this was his most resourceful tool. So this week I put it back in my pocket!
Funny, or maybe tragic, how much we tend to protect the things and the people we love the most, sometimes to the extreme. Not wanting it or them to get hurt or for anything to happen to them. It reminds me of the overprotective clown fish in the movie Finding Nemo.
Moving on to this week's project... it's a vessel turned from mesquite with a deer antler horn finial. The wood comes from an old dead tree out by the tank at the ranch (that's a pond for my northern friends). Mesquite is a very dense wood and it's hard on the tools but seeing the beauty and depth in the grain makes it all worth it.
Love you all.
"You aren't wealthy until you have something money can't buy."