Photos A Walk in Nature

[Just Tom.]

Just shy of ten easy miles along the canal again this morning.

 

[waynorth]

I see artisans at work in this thread. Those are some beauties waynorth. I only wish I could read what is on the upper stick - last photo.

It's not English - I think it is native Hawaiian!!

 

[Just Tom.]

I initially made this stick after I had a flare-up of my sore back several years ago, hoping I wouldn’t actually ever need it. I decided that if I ever do, though, the knob would be way too uncomfortable to lean on. I managed to dig another piece of black locust out of my shed, and made a proper head for it.

The shape was mostly dictated by the grain of the bit of wood I found - any resemblance to a duck is absolutely not intentional…

 

[Horsewright]

Sometimes nature happens:

 

[DirtDawg]

I initially made this stick after I had a flare-up of my sore back several years ago, hoping I wouldn’t actually ever need it. I decided that if I ever do, though, the knob would be way too uncomfortable to lean on. I managed to dig another piece of black locust out of my shed, and made a proper head for it.

The shape was mostly dictated by the grain of the bit of wood I found - any resemblance to a duck is absolutely not intentional…

Nice Topper for a nice stick. Looks good.

 

[DirtDawg]

I took a little walk with my newest trail partner, Fisk, the other day. While meandering around the treeline that nearly surrounds our local cemetery, I spotted an American Sycamore branch that had been tossed into the rough. This was Fisk's Maiden Harvest. And by the way, if you haven't picked up on it yet, Fisk is a "Super-Serrated Folding Lockback" of sorts. Also, if you haven't guessed, this is a hopeful candidate for a saunter/hiking stick. It should be plenty strong.
--Note! I did not cut from that stump. The county Sheriff's Department has been cleaning up the cemetery with a work crew comprised of temporary jail residents. It's just a good thing all around.--




This is a dry branch, so I cut it at 59", and will likely trim the top end some. The grip area measures right about 1-5/8" in diameter.


A stately tree, for sure.


I call this one Patch, for obvious reasons. I'm sure it will lose that appearance before I'm finished with it though, as I am considering sanding it down.


Removing the remainder of the bark should keep my Buck Ranger busy for a while.

 

[Just Tom.]

Nice Topper for a nice stick. Looks good.

Thanks! One down, 4 more to go…

4? Yeah, I found another fallen beech Thursday morning, again broken off when a larger dead tree fell on it.

It was quite a workout cutting this thing free with such a tiny saw, but I couldn’t pass by such an interesting shape, and didn’t feel like coming back later with a pruning saw. I was a little self-conscious carrying it out of the woods and through the neighborhood streets to my house, like some kind of crazy wannabe Gandalf, but you’ve got to own your eccentricities, I guess.

It will require a lot of work to carve it down to a useable weight, but that will have to wait until next year when it is dry…

A stately tree, for sure.

I love Sycamores, they are a prominent feature of my favorite stomping grounds along the Potomac. I try to keep an eye out for a suitable piece, but haven’t had much luck, and like you, I’m not going to cut a living tree to get one .

 

[CelloDan]

Another day another hike

Love the picture of your best friend
What's its name ?

Great morning walk today. Leaving for deer camp Saturday.

Good luck on the hunt

As requested, here are mine; Some finished and used!!

Thanks for sharing them Charlie. Very nice collection ! The diamond on diamond one is very cool . And the Narwhal ... WOW !

That one is black locust (that I stained black)

Very nice work Ron ! A variety of colours and shapes !

Google came to my rescue and helped me identify the fruit on the ground.
Osage Orange ... One os the hardest woods !
I was amazed at the giant piece of it that this woodturner manage to turn into a bowl !!! ... with sharp implements made of steel ... sort of like knives

I managed to dig another piece of black locust out of my shed, and made a proper head for it.

Very cool Tom
I turned a few bowls from black locust.
This is my last one from a piece a coworker gave me many years ago.
I like how the branch became part of the bowl.

Sometimes nature happens:

Yeap
My SAK to the rescue when a splinter from a dock got embedded while walking barefooted on one of my little boating adventures.

I took a little walk with my newest trail partner, Fisk, the other day.

Like your new partner Frank !
Keep us posted on the Sycamore stick once you finish it.

like some kind of crazy wannabe Gandalf,

LOL
You guys have been busy

After all this talk about walking sticks I decided to take one on our walk today
I bought it in New Brunswick in the Bay of Fundy while visiting the Hopewell Rocks.
It is made of Balsam Fir and is VERY light and it does seem sturdy enough however I am not sure if the wood is ideal for sticks.
Well made though.

From our trip last year

From today's walk.

 

[DirtDawg]

Thanks! One down, 4 more to go…

4? Yeah, I found another fallen beech Thursday morning, again broken off when a larger dead tree fell on it.

It was quite a workout cutting this thing free with such a tiny saw, but I couldn’t pass by such an interesting shape, and didn’t feel like coming back later with a pruning saw. I was a little self-conscious carrying it out of the woods and through the neighborhood streets to my house, like some kind of crazy wannabe Gandalf, but you’ve got to own your eccentricities, I guess.

It will require a lot of work to carve it down to a useable weight, but that will have to wait until next year when it is dry…


I love Sycamores, they are a prominent feature of my favorite stomping grounds along the Potomac. I try to keep an eye out for a suitable piece, but haven’t had much luck, and like you, I’m not going to cut a living tree to get one .

Ref: "I was a little self-conscious carrying it out of the woods and through the neighborhood streets to my house, like some kind of crazy wannabe Gandalf, but you’ve got to own your eccentricities..."
I'm at an age where I can do stuff like that and nobody even notices (sometimes my wife doesn't even notice, but that's not too often). I carried my latest Sycamore blank about 8-10 blocks in the street (no sidewalks), all the while using my short walking stick in the other hand. As far as Gandalf goes, I had to look him up. I'm not familiar with that story, but it looks like he has quite the interesting collection of sticks.

 

[screened porch]

any resemblance to a duck is absolutely not intentional…

I think it's an alligator.

 

[waynorth]

Thanks for sharing them Charlie. Very nice collection ! The diamond on diamond one is very cool . And the Narwhal ... WOW !

Thanks, Dan!! If I convert the Narwhal, it would be for display only I think;
too precious to go stomping around with!!

 

[Chui]

CelloDan - hope you don't mind me adding pics of a A Cycle in Nature..............my local park in London, along with my mini drop-point hunter by the talented Alan Wood

 

[Will Power]

Chui Some magnificent stately trees there, a beautiful autumn day and fine compact fixed blade too. Bushey Park?

Thanks, Will

 

[Chui]

Chui Some magnificent stately trees there, a beautiful autumn day and fine compact fixed blade too. Bushey Park?

Thanks, Will

Yes, some magnificent trees indeed - heard recently that there are, tragically, more ancient Oaks here in Richmond Park than all of Europe

 

[Will Power]

Dozen years ago I was lucky enough to visit Knole Park in Sevenoaks, Kent, England. Nice enough house and a fantastic Deer Park with many giant trees. Also saw Green Woodpeckers there on the first of the trees mentioned in the link- you can click them open to see individual trees.

https://www.monumentaltrees.com/en/gbr/england/kent/973_knolepark/

 

[Chui]

Dozen years ago I was lucky enough to visit Knole Park in Sevenoaks, Kent, England. Nice enough house and a fantastic Deer Park with many giant trees. Also saw Green Woodpeckers there on the first of the trees mentioned in the link- you can click them open to see individual trees.

https://www.monumentaltrees.com/en/gbr/england/kent/973_knolepark/

- indeed, Will.............Knole Park is wonderful too. Used to live very close by and went to school in Tonbridge.

There are many great old and properly ancient Oaks still around in UK, sadly though, within the last few years, some have had to be felled due to the poisonous Procession Moth.

We were down in the New Forest over the weekend, and a tornade had ripped through a few days earlier - not much damage to property, however it felled a lovely old Oak where we were staying..........looked and felt like I was seeing a 'dead person' lying on the ground...

 

[GmpaJim]

My Great Uncle Tom was a Renaissance man.
His many reels of 16mm film provide a time travel show into people and places of our area that are unmatched. Our local historic society created a movie and show it every few years in the theater and nursing homes.
He had a full sized rug loom in this Victorian home’s kitchen. I spent hours as a child playing with hundreds of his…lead…soldiers. (it shows)
The cane is animals from around the world. It’s one of my prize possessions.

 

[CelloDan]

.my local park in London, along with my mini drop-point hunter by the talented Alan Wood

Beautiful setting for walking !

There are many great old and properly ancient Oaks still around in UK

From the link Will shared about the Knole Park trees.
A veteran of the forest

I spent hours as a child playing with hundreds of his…lead…soldiers

Cherished memories indeed !
How fortunate you were able to keep these precious mementos of your beloved Great Uncle.
My Great Aunt was a central figure in my formative years and I owe so much to her.
She was both a mother and a grandmother to me. I miss her.

Today Diana and I went for a walk at lunch time on a trail very close to home.
We are trying to hit the magical 10,000 steps daily on our pedometers.

We walked for one hour and I only registered 6400 steps
It's getting cold here now ... it's hard to make up the rest inside our small home

I brought my Verijero with me

There where a few pumpkins along the trail. Diana told me she read the city had encouraged folks to do that after Halloween to feed wildlife and prevent them from going to the landfill.

 

[redsparrow]

Dan, you've probably already thought of this so I hope you won't mind if I share the obvious with you. When attempting to walk 10,000 steps take smaller steps faster.

Sweet!!!

 

[CelloDan]

When attempting to walk 10,000 steps take smaller steps faster.

Great idea mi amigo

I got this