We got an order yesterday from the parents of a couple who are celebrating their anniversary. It came with a request for a gift card so we assumed it should also be gift wrapped.

My favorite shop partner, my wife Pennie, is on vacation this week.

Thirty five years ago a big storm came through with lots of rain and very high winds.

As difficult as it is to admit, I can’t go hard at it every single day anymore.

Okay, half day green turning didn’t happen today. I attacked the pallet of mulberry burl instead.

I’ve got a pile of logs that is calling out to me. The logs need to be cut into sections and turned into bowl blanks.

Pennie and I have been married for 43 years. Yesterday was her birthday. In celebration of that momentous event I made a bowl, of course.

I had a great visit with my former workmates and enjoyed our tour of the Biltmore House.

In the late 60's and early 70’s I lived in Asheville and the surrounding area including Barnardsville and Big Sandy Mush. It was an interesting time.

I was able to finish two bowls today and have two more nearly finished. One of the bowls was a second slice off the ambrosia maple burl I found on Friday.

I have been working. I announced my intention to put up at least two bowls every day until the end of the year. I have made at least two bowls each day since that post but I haven’t put them up yet. I’m busy at night with baseball.

This time of year I’m possessed! I’m finish turning like a wild man. My shoulders know what time of year it is.

I’ve collected a lot of small blocks and narrow planks over the years. They are to thin to make bowls but not to make dishes, jewelry dishes that is.

I finally heard from an administrator at my domain host. It’s pretty good news. “First of all, I'd like to clarify that visits to your site, no matter how frequent or repetitive in nature, do not represent a security threat to you or your site.

So I’ve written about my visitors from the east in previous blog posts but things took a decidedly different turn today. Last night I had 168 visitors with unique IP addresses from China look at a different single page

Half of the people who visit my shop do so as a result of a Google search or from a Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest link. I get some from Yahoo, LinkedIn and some other random referrals.

The bowls I’ve made the past couple of weeks have a high wow factor. They have showy grain and or stunning color. They came from planks that I’ve saved for years.

I’ve taught a few classes in woodturning over the last few years with mixed results. I don’t do it for the money (I don’t charge nearly enough)! I teach to help shorten the learning curve of my students.

Claro walnut is one of my favorite woods to turn. It grows in Northern California, Oregon and Washington. It is commercially important for lumber but also as rootstock in English Walnut orchards.

I’m a big fan of figured maple. In general, maple turns very well. The grain is tight and takes a good finish. There is a great range in the types of figure you see in maple. Names like “blister”, “cloud”, “sausage”