Back from France

Well I've been away for two weeks in the Loire Valley, Two weeks away from TV and the internet has been tough but not carving has been tougher!.
We had a great time with friends and family and really enjoyed the stunning countryside!.
I thought that I would share some photos from our time there.



The countryside was full of wildlife from Crickets and Praying mantis to Buzzards and Kestrels flying overhead, the lizzards and salamandas were too quick for me to photograph!.



Elizabeth out collecting Blackberries, which tasted so sweet she ate more than she collected.



There were Oak trees everywhere all of which had been heavily Pollarded many years ago, the Acorns were huge too!.



We went to a fantastic wine festival in Aubigné sur Layon

Its a stunning village and a very well put together festival.
The wine flowed well indeed.

Birch and Willow spoon rack

I was asked to make a spoon rack for someone after they had seen the one I made myself for the kitchen.
Its made from Birch with a Willow handle and is styled on the one in the St Fagans folk life museum.



Its needed to hold spoons with quite thick handles so I needed to make sure that the Birch rack could fit them in.
The spoons in the picture are some of the ones that I make.
The Willow handle is secured by some Hawthorn thorns.

I hope they like it.

Birch Kuksa

I thought that I would make myself a large Kuksa style bowl for use around the house, I had some nice Birch wood left over so thought that I might aswell use that, I think its turned out great and its a joy to use.



It has been finished with the knife to leave the tool marks.

Sunday walk

Me and the family went for a great walk in a park near by, the park is called Marie louise gardens Its a stunning park with some fantastic trees, me and Elizabeth went collecting pine cones and found a big Bhutan Pine the cones from this tree are pretty big compared to the other pines.



There is also a fantastc big Scots pine.



And some pretty big Sweet Chestnuts.



It was a great day in fantastic suroundings.