Imperfection? Or character?

More and more I love wood. Living trees are wonderful but even in their deaths, they provide beauty and joy.

Look at each of these "sticks". Each one has knots and imperfections. And it's these imperfections which add interest and beauty to them. Besides the grain, it's the knots that tantalize the eye. If you were on the open ocean, it would get monotonous after a while. Suddenly an island pops into view. Well, that's a knot.

I am making walking sticks because I like to work the wood into an art form. Oh, and it gives me something to do. But even after we move into the house, I'll still carve them. I'm going to sell them on consignment at the museum in town.

These sticks are unique. One is very old and dry. I found it on the ground all dried out. Useless? Unattractive? Maybe. But that's the kind that absorbs stain the best, and this will really bring out the grain and design of the wood. The design. Somebody designed that piece of wood of purpose to look just like that.

Another one looks almost perfect. That's because I cut it off a thorn tree. I have the bloody hands and arms to prove it. I had to strip the bark off the wet wood, then use a sharp to slice off the thorns and there were many. Then I had to cut the leftover branch stubs off, leaving behind the beautiful knots. Then I let it dry for a couple days. Believe me, around here, two days and it's ready for sanding. In Tennessee, it was two weeks. That stick will look nice but had to be prepared for beautification.

Another stick is gnarled and curved. Obviously this one had an interesting life. Well, until I cut it off the tree...

Like I said, even dead, trees are beautiful.

If you compare them side by side, you might be tempted to judge one to be better than the others, or one to be more unfortunate or less useful than the others. All of the ones I have chosen are special to me for different reasons. They are mine and I worked them over and corrected weak spots and I know every detail of each one and love it for its uniqueness.

They will all serve me and give me joy and I had, and will have, pleasure in creating them.

It was on this one, that I realized how a stump could be cut off and manipulated into a beautiful knot. The outside of the log is cracked and dry and the inside is gorgeous.

Aren't most of us like this?