Amberley

Great day at Amberley museum demonstrating traditional skills.  Today we were demonstrating the ancient art of Bodging.  Pole lathe turning to make  chair legs and other useful items.

I made a Dibber and a Spurtle.  Nothing fancy just simple shapes to keep the public amused and try and increase their understanding of Greenwood working.  I also got to spend a bit of time working my Yew long Bow.  No sooner had I started on it when I was called away to look at a tree that was in danger of falling down onto the cabin that serves as the Amberley bric a brac shop.

It was a Sallow with a rather nasty crack running along the main trunk.  A small gust of wind would have had it falling onto a visitor.  So it needed immediate attention.  I did have a chainsaw handy and I am not certified anyway.  I am rather used to Tree felling with an axe though.  Some out came my large Cegga axe.  A few  it swings to create a bite and then a trusty bow saw to make sure I missed the public and the shop and it was on the ground.  Shame to see trees chopped but this one was rotten and posed a danger.

I will turn some of the wood into bow drill sets and carve a few spoons.  The rest will either become a part oaf the dead hedge or be stacked to become charcoal later this year.

Tomorrow I am demonstrating Outdoor Cooking Skills so we needed to do some foraging.  We collected Beech, Hawthorn, and Hazel leaves for a pate.  Burdock and Dandelion for roasting to make a cordial.  Wild strawberry and blackberry leaves plus stinging nettle.  I have plenty of leaves.

What about the dead things I hear you cry.  Well I have decided to cook a joint of Beef coated in sea salt in the Dutch oven.