November

I guess that summer and fishing is over for the year. The winter will soon be here, but if winter comes, spring cannot be far behind. The seasonal change from summer lushness to the quick flash of fall, to November's blowout which leaves the trees starkly bare,seems to go more quickly with each passing year. In just a few weeks, we find ourselves on what seems to be a completely different planet. I always enjoy this radical transformation. It is marked by the seasonal migration of birds. It will not be long before I hear Sandhills flying over Lapel. I will also see fox sparrows, tree sparrows, juncos, eagles and osprey and be able to track animals in the snow. I have already got my wood stove going, and it is very relaxing to sit by the fire. My buddy Paul VanDuyn came by the other day to take me to lunch at Woody's. It is always great to see him and he shared a couple of his very spiritual poems with me. John Bundy comes by regularly and customers sometimes stop in as well.

Business usually slows in the colder months, but I try to stay busy replenishing my stock. I will take my handmade rustic willow furniture over to the Frankfort library later this week for their 34th annual Christmas art show. My stuff will be part of the Nickel Plate boys display. The show theme this year is The Natural World, right up our alley.

I will also take my handmade rustic willow furniture to the Arts Depot in Union City the next week. This is the fourth year for me to show there and although it is a long way and sales are never terrific, I enjoy being part of what the Randolph County Arts Association is doing with the wonderfully restored train depot. It is just down the road from Bear's Mill and we have made some good friends there who also support Arts Depot. It will also give me a couple of chances to stop at the Bartonia Restaurant for some walleye, and slide by Summit lake, to see the migrating waterfowl. There are usually a great variety of ducks that are easy to see. I also might stop at Sparky's for a ham sandwich. This part of Indiana has not changed much since the middle 1800's and I always seem to be drawn to this area and the sparsely populated farmland.

The week after that, I will take stuff over to Lewisville for the Christmas Bazaar at the Houston Brick. All these deals get me away from the shop and running up and down some country roads, something I do not do nearly as much as I used to.

November:


Fox Sparrow:


Paul Van Duyn:


Arts Depot:


Bartonia:


Houston Brick: