Another year shot to heck

Well it’s been just short of a year since my last long winded rambling here. I haven’t updated these pages in much too long of a time. Sorry about that. It’s not that I haven’t wanted to, it’s just that I haven’t had time. The days and weeks can go by so quickly in recent years. I work 7 days a week and still never seem to get it all done. I waited all winter for ‘the blizzard’ that would shut everyone down for a few days and figured I would do my website updates then. It never came. Finally I just had to do it. 15 straight hours later I am almost ‘there’. (Update after the fact: it took 20 hours to get it all done, sort of.) The big change was adding my ‘items for sale’ pages, which meant creating about 25 new pages and modifying about 3 others. That’s done, so go check it out. It sure wouldn’t hurt my feelings if you bought something while you were there.

In the past year I have been doing ‘more of the same’ but improving my game in each of those aspects. I did a few property consultations, built a mess of furniture, and did a lot of milling work for others. Together with a friend we started making some nice Wood sheds and an order for one turned into orders for 4. That’s a lot of lumber to mill and that was my part of it. The sheds were built in a shop on rainy days, then delivered and installed at various clients. They all seemed happy and that is the goal.

Work with mushroom logs continued of course and I built a pair of full log inoculation systems for Catskill Fungi, which we tested with a class in November. They were a big hit. I don’t recall how many logs I harvested last year, but somewhere around 700 or so sounds right. So far this winter I am just over 400 but orders are still coming and I have some scheduled through the spring and summer already for classes.

Furniture building continues apace with several larger contract builds in the past year. A dining room table, a large heavy white oak picnic table, an outdoor work bench with locking cabinet for storage, and several other jobs. I also have a bar build in the shop now that started 2 years ago without a client, but now I have a client and am making it to their desire. This one is gonna look neat!

Reviewing the past year in my head (as scary a place as you’ve ever been) and comparing to the previous 2 years has made me aware that this year was quite different for me. The previous years I had a pretty careful plan of what I wanted to do and how I was going to get there. It was a building process in progress. That did continue in the past year with some planned improvements such as a newer and better table saw and a brand spanking new woodstove that heats the shop much better and with more control. But on the other hand, the year in general got away from me. I allowed orders and work needs to obscure my need to keep up with the routine non-income producing needs, such as firewood. Consequently I have been suffering through all winter with a hand to mouth system for firewood and burning stuff not fully dried. I should know better. Frankly with all the time I spend cutting trees, logs, and making lumber, firewood is not as much fun as it used to be. But it’s something I have to do. I’ll try to do better this year, especially with the new stove working out so well.

On the other hand, I have upped my ‘social game’ a little. This became pretty hard when COVID hit but is easing up now. I managed to finally stop in and meet a fella I have been wanting to meet for several years now. We hooked up and have become friends, he has helped with a part of my business too, which I had not planned. I also made a point to connect with a woodsman who I had not seen in 40 years and we are getting acquainted again. He was 14 or so the last time I saw him. I managed also to attend the NY Woodsman Field Days up in Boonville which has long been on my ‘list’. We spent 3 days looking at equipment, kicking tires, watching competitions, learning, and buying ‘stuff. I didn’t spend as much as I had planned for and could not find a lot of what I hoped to buy, but my buddy probably came home 60K lighter. I arrived home with a smile on my face and COVID in my body. That took about 3 weeks to clear and over 6 months later I am still having some ‘energy’ problems. But, it was worth it.

I was also able to do a few shows I enjoyed working which has nothing to do with my business and everything to do with my well being. At the Woodstock Invitational Luthiers Showcase (where I run the workshops) I was able to hook up with old friends between work. (Photo at left is Larry Campbell, who I had not seen in 3 years. He very nearly died from COVID and was the first person in Ulster County to be confirmed to have ‘it’.) Most folks know him better for his Grammy winning musical skills. I did miss out working at the Summer Hoot because of my COVID, but I did a little bit when nobody was around. There were a few parties and social gatherings that we were able to attend, but still missing were the shows I had planned on doing back in 2020 to show my goods. I am hoping to break the ice on that one this year and if anyone can recommend some small local shows to them where they think my stuff will fit in, please drop me a line and I will check them out.

So all in all not a bad year. I am still here and more importantly, still able to work, although my energy levels are not what they were even a year ago. My back issues come and go, but my Chiropractor takes great care of me (if you need a reference I know your guy) and without his care I could not do nearly what I get done. Each day I enjoy sunsets and sunrises more and more, I enjoy the birds and the critters I get to see, and I take wonder at the new things the natural world presents from time to time. I am thankful for the people I work with and I am grateful for the special folks that choose to do business with me. It’s not just the income, I enjoy the visits and interactions. Somehow and so far it seems 99% of my clients are wonderful people. I’d call that a pretty good average.