COULD IT BE A MIRACLE?

Many of you know that a year ago, December, I began turning bowls on a lathe. I use wood that has been harvested from our acreage - most of it has been set aside for burning in our fireplace insert. When I started, I did not know how I would do, but I thought that it would be a wonderful avocation for my transitioned life.

I have turned mulberry (compliments of Jerry Nicolaus), walnut, oak, black cherry, birch, maple, sumac, and hickory and have discovered that each wood, and each specific piece has a uniqueness all of its own. Kind of like snowflakes; no two are alike.

And so throughout the year, off and on, I turned bowls. I've tried several bigger ones (10" diameter), but most of what I've done have been small. I believe it is what you need to do to perfect the process of making a bowl. The summertime was off because I was busy with the garden. I've also had to break for mission trips to China and Guatemala.

I am really indebted to Bill Anderson (Stevens Point) for helping me get started. He gave pointers, provided a few tools, and simply encouraged me. I hope I am making him proud.

Of course, there was a substantial purchase of tools:  the carving tools, a dust collector, a band saw, and a few other choice items. But now I'm set (so I believe).

I have discovered that it is fun, relaxing, and extremely creative. When I begin a piece of wood, I have no idea what it is going to turn out to be - that happens as I work away the wood. Sometimes I am surprised, sometimes pleased, sometimes excited, and sometimes, the bowl breaks, or is tossed off of the lathe, and it is only good for the fire (Bill once said to me,"If it doesn't turn out good as a bowl, it will always make a good piece of firewood.)

Last summer, I never would have believed that I could make a covered bowl. Wallah! Tonight I did it. I turned the bottom of the bowl this afternoon, and tonight, I went out to the shop, saying to Karol, "I'm going to make a cover for this bowl."  Unbelievable! It turned out really good - and the cover sits snugly on the bowl. If you ever stop by the house, I'll be proud to show it to you.

I would never have believed that I could make bowls of such quality and creativity. So, to me, it is a miracle. I certainly feel blessed by God to have such gifts to create such wonders!

My first covered container (bowl) made out of black cherry. It wasn't as hard as I first thought, but you need to be very careful of the measurements so as to get the top to fit correctly. The bowl is made out of a piece of cherry that I cut in half lengthwise. The pattern on the bowl even matches.

When I begin, I don't know what the final piece will look like. It is usually a surprise to me. Knots, grain, and the design of the wood often surprise me.

The top center piece is a low bowl made out of oak. The three side bowls are all made out of hickory that comes from a jointly owned property, Aspen Acres. Let me reiterate: if you want to see the bowl, you've got to come and visit.

In my workshop working on the large lathe. Since the time of this picture, I also purchased a midi-lathe (table top) at Sears on a tremendous clearance price.

I love the spalted birch in the center. To the left is maple and to the right is birch.

Most of these bowls are no longer in our home. They've been given away. People (including Karol) have suggested that I sell the bowls. That would be too much pressure for me. So I give them away. If you ask me for a bowl, I'll happily give you one, and I'd also ask for a generous gift for ISM.

Daily visitors to our home now are turkeys. The flock numbers 20 or 21 and they come for the corn that I scatter around in a larger area under the trees. We can easily see them from our great room.

We've been working on this for a while now. Before the squirrels eat the sunflower seeds, they fold their paws in prayer, thanking their Creator for the undeserved gift. [:)]