"Carl's Lounge" (Off-Topic Discussion, Traditional Knife "Tales & Vignettes")

So I was talking to my step mother yesterday.

We got talking about knives my father had gifted me (one in particular I recall asking him when he was in the hospital that last time but coming home if he would prefer I used it or kept it safe, he laughed at me but never answered)

And she went oh, he had one knife left he kept in the house by his chair. Oh? I have no idea what it is but she is going to send it to me
Oh and she found his p38 (might be the p58 I had gifted him)
And so she is going to send me that as well.

Bittersweet memories but perhaps more sweet and a little less bitter
It's been a touch under two months and it still doesn't seem real yet
 
Rsmith that's nice that you will be able to get that surprise knife and see what it is, and why he liked it so much.

Tonight after work my wife and Dad go out into the woods and tapped more maple trees. We're up to about 250 tapped now. Dad mostly handles drilling the holes, and my wife hammers in the spiles, and I run around bringing buckets and lids to each tree, and then hanging them up.
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Rookie82 said:
Rsmith that's nice that you will be able to get that surprise knife and see what it is, and why he liked it so much.

Tonight after work my wife and Dad go out into the woods and tapped more maple trees. We're up to about 250 tapped now. Dad mostly handles drilling the holes, and my wife hammers in the spiles, and I run around bringing buckets and lids to each tree, and then hanging them up.
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Very cool, Carl! I help my son and DIL with their family maple syrup operation. They make enough to give to family and friends, and my grandkids help out too. We're in Central New York, and should be tapping pretty soon I think.
 
Peregrin said:
Very cool, Carl! I help my son and DIL with their family maple syrup operation. They make enough to give to family and friends, and my grandkids help out too. We're in Central New York, and should be tapping pretty soon I think.
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It's a fun and addictive hobby. My family has been doing it forever. I'm the 5th generation to make syrup here in the same woods as my great-great-grandfather did. We do the same as your son, make enough to give to close family and friends, and sell a bit to folks by word-of-mouth. We don't make enough to sell year-round at farmers markets or to supply a grocery store. On good years we break even on expenses. Most years we don't. :p
 
Rookie82 said:
It's a fun and addictive hobby. My family has been doing it forever. I'm the 5th generation to make syrup here in the same woods as my great-great-grandfather did. We do the same as your son, make enough to give to close family and friends, and sell a bit to folks by word-of-mouth. We don't make enough to sell year-round at farmers markets or to supply a grocery store. On good years we break even on expenses. Most years we don't. :p
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It's great that you have that family connection through 5 generations.
We just started a few years ago, but it's a fun family project.
 
dantzk8 said:
We don't have any maple here but we don't lack birch trees. I harvest birch sap at the end of winter when the sap begins to rise. Less tasty than maple syrup but very good for your health.

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Dan.
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Interesting Dan! I've never even tasted Birch syrup, although I have heard of it. Birch trees are not as abundant in my area.
 
Rookie82 said:
Interesting Dan! I've never even tasted Birch syrup, although I have heard of it. Birch trees are not as abundant in my area.
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I've never tasted birch syrup either. All i know is it takes a huge amount of sap, about 100:1, to get birch syrup. Birch sap tastes like water, just a bit acidulous. That's why it's often called "birch water".
It's analgesic and anti-inflamatory for painful joints, carries minerals and vitamins, making it a tonic. It's also an organic cleanser.
The fact is that i feel in good shape after a 3 weeks cure.
Not sure though it works for ingrown toenails.

Dan.
 
At 5:40 am, as I was snug as a bug in a rug, my Driveway Camera caught our plow contractor cleaning up for the 2nd or 3rd time since yesterday afternoon. I don't feel so bad about hiring him now. It still took me a half hour to dig the car out, and clean up the walks.
Just so you know, my My Boker BFF and FP Laguiole were on my dresser!;)
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waynorth said:
Ha Ha!! We had to shovel a little snow twice this year!! A minor reason why I left WNY!!! :D
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We've had about 66" of snow this winter, which is well below what we usually have. Average is about 115" depending on where you look. This is the first year I've had a plow contract since I retired 11 years ago. Seeing the plow 3 times in 24 hours made me feel better about the whole contract thing!
I lived in Niagara Falls for a few years back in the '70s. I do recall some pretty hefty snowfall!
Can't blame you for moving, Charlie! If my kids hadn't settled close by, I'd be considering my options!
 
Peregrin said:
We've had about 66" of snow this winter, which is well below what we usually have. Average is about 115" depending on where you look. This is the first year I've had a plow contract since I retired 11 years ago. Seeing the plow 3 times in 24 hours made me feel better about the whole contract thing!
I lived in Niagara Falls for a few years back in the '70s. I do recall some pretty hefty snowfall!
Can't blame you for moving, Charlie! If my kids hadn't settled close by, I'd be considering my options!
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Fortunately I waited until I moved!! All my kids were born in BC!!!
And my Grand kids!!! And they all stayed pretty close!!

Hope that's the last of it for you, Gary!!!
 
I walked up the beach about a km and immersed myself in the warm Pacific water...there was no one around ..just me. I explored up a dry creek that runs onto the beach...strewn with tons of broken timber and driftwood...barefoot of course....in the marram grass I almost trod on a what i think was a small eastern brown snake ..it slithered away very fast...lucky me ...if it tagged me on the foot I likely wouldnt have made it....
 
meako said:
I walked up the beach about a km and immersed myself in the warm Pacific water...there was no one around ..just me. I explored up a dry creek that runs onto the beach...strewn with tons of broken timber and driftwood...barefoot of course....in the marram grass I almost trod on a what i think was a small eastern brown snake ..it slithered away very fast...lucky me ...if it tagged me on the foot I likely wouldnt have made it....
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close call but tragedy averted... we don't have to locate someone to write this year's forum knife label 🤪 😉
kids don't try this at home... always wear heavy boots when walking in snake or spider country (Australia 🇦🇺)😯
 
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