Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Nature Notes: Patterns

Firewood


I rescued this piece of firewood from the pile because it's just too pretty to burn.

Hubby was amused, but apprehensive. "You aren't going to start collecting chunks of wood now, are you?"

"Maybe."

"Do you think you can do something with that?" He sounded dubious, but thoughtful.

"Dunno yet. Just don't burn it up until I think about it, OK?"

He agreed and suggested I take up wood turning on the lathe. I have actually considered it for a while now. Truly gorgeous bowls and containers can be made that way, but I find the machine too scary. When you spin a piece of wood at high speed, you risk having it fly out of the chocks and break your face. Or worse.

And anyway, I think something involving crosswise slices is more appropriate for this. The pattern is probably the result of some dread disease or infestation, but I love it.

So what do you think? Bookends, maybe? Something sculptural? Really big pendant for a necklace? Or ... ?


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12 comments:

Rambling Woods said...

LOL..I can hear my hubby saying something like that...I think it looks like some ancient symbols like people moving something. You could use it as an at home ink blot test.. what do you see? Great post... Michelle

Johnny Nutcase said...

ha! i'd do something like that too! i like the bookend idea! go for it!

eileeninmd said...

It is pretty, I would like the bookend idea.

Unknown said...

The bookend idea sounds good to me! How large is the piece of wood? What kind of wood is it? I agree the piece is lovely.

Caron said...

I wonder if you slice it thinly and put it in frames - get a few out of it and give a couple as gifts. I see ancient symbols, a man and a house or a tree, depending on how I look at it!

Carver said...

That is a beautiful piece of wood. I wouldn't want to burn it either.

Anonymous said...

If I were you I would go to a woodworking club meeting an have someone show how to use a lathe.
They will show you how to put the wood on the lathe so it wont fly off. Id make a bowl or a bandsaw box out of it. The box would look nice to. Having a woods you wont believe the wood that out there alot on the ground. You have a good day an look into it Bye Bye ed

Anonymous said...
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marina said...

I'm with "A piece of news": I would cut a thin slice and hang it on the wall...
great photo!

Leora said...

The pattern looks like a painting. If you do make something with it, love to hear.

myletterstoemily said...

beautiful. my friend sawed one inch pieces
of a log and then burned pictures to use
as a memory game for her kids.

looks pretty cool.

MyMaracas said...

I see mysterious symbols too, and I'm particularly fascinated with the perfect circle there. I'm thinking thin slices cut with the wedge shape of the piece of wood, beveled at the edges and joined to make a small pyramid shaped box.

There's enough of it to do several projects if the pattern continues through the whole thing. It's about 7 inches across at the outer edge, about 9 from there to the inner tip, and about 24 inches long.

Ed, we have a lathe and my husband could show me how to use it. It could happen.