I painted several large frames that will get covered with birchbark. I always paint the raw frames flat black to tone down the effect of any gaps in the birchbark, probably not needed, but one step that I feel adds to the quality.
I will be visiting several of my willow patches in the coming weeks to obtain the several different sizes of willows that I will use to make trellises and pack up to take to the Country Living Show. As I have mentioned before, we look quite comical when setting out for the show. I can remember times when I went to Pennsylvania, Virginia or New York with willows sticking out the back of my van. I guess I could be accused of being overly obsessive in my preparations, but I always like to maximize my efforts when doing an expensive show. Three days can lead to running out of stock and disappointment for customers, so I like to stay ahead of the curve.
Wildlife viewing and fishing are taking a back seat this week. Idid see a flight of cormorants over the shop last week, and I saw a number of buzzards soaring high, perhaps two or three thousand feet in the air. I saw a skink on Sunday at Lafayette Trace, but I have not seen any at the shop, where sightings were commonplace last summer. I brought a large quantity of driftwood from the Mississinewa last summer. I always see skinks at Red Bridge ramp, and I think I imported them to Lapel in the driftwood.
