SOMETIMES I WONDER

The original Rocking Horse, made of maple from our own property.
hat's our oldest grandchild. She now has children of her own.

One morning recently, one of the bloggers I read each day wondered about a very old book of fables she’d purchased at the brocante. The little volume, recovered in fabric, was printed in 1803. It’s a wonderful pastime to wonder where such treasures have been all these years. Who touched them, took care of them, and passed them on.

A later version, this one made of cherry.
Our second brood of granddaughters have this one. 

I often wonder what will happen to some of things Frank and I have. I wonder what, in years to come, people will make of the monogram he burned into most of the wooden objects he made. It’s a J combined with a capital Å, for Åsgard. (In the 80’s, we moved to a place where there were no house numbers, so the folks there named their homes. We chose Åsgard, home of the gods. As in ye gods!?)

Katie again with her doll buggy and her scooter.

From small boxes to a grandfather clock, from kitchen utensils to Stickley or Shaker style furniture, of all the things he’s made, and we have albums full of pictures, the things I wonder most about are the toys. Yes, who will admire them and wonder who made them, who will touch them, play with them, cherish them, and pass them down to their own grandchildren as they will be passed down from us.

Katie's mom had some professional pictures done of her and her toys.Who'd have thunk that the hay wagon would really ever hold hay? 

I WANT TO BRAG

This is the gorgeous Adirondack Gruide Boat that Frank
made in our New York basement workshop!

Frank is out of commission for a while after his shoulder surgery, so I thought I’d pay a small tribute to him and the body of work he’s done during his retirement years. Many of you know that my husband is one of the handiest guys on earth. There’s very little that can go wrong around the house that Frank can’t fix, and, needless to say, he’s done a lot of work updating and refining this house and our three previous homes in New York. But most pleasing to him – and to me – are the many things he’s made for our home and for our grandchildren.

This cradle was made twenty-four years ago for our first grandchild.
I had the opportuity to make some digital photos of it when it was brought east
from Texas for the three new grandchildren in South Carolina.
It's now back in Texas and has already cradled our first great-grandchild.
The cradle will swing on the stand or rock on the floor. We designed it
around a small cradle mattress and the result, in cherrywood,
is one of our treasures.

This is the fourth edition of the rocking horse made for that first grandchild.
The original mas made of maple from our own property.  This one is cherry.
Of all the things from the shop we are proudest of the rocking horses.
We planned the first out from a photo in a country decorating book. The photo was no bigger
than this one. We marked it off, and judged the sizes, and were so pleased that when the head went on it balnced perfectly!  Kids love this rocking horse, and especially when
they're not feeling too well they can just rock and rock.

Just after he retired I was smart enough to begin keeping lists of what he made and for whom. He’s worked in wood and wrought iron, and even done some stained glass work. Over twenty-five years later the lists are extensive – everything from kitchen spatulas and spreaders to a wonderful Adirondack guide boat. He’s made many toys, large and small, for our grandchildren. He’s made all the beds in our house, and most of our living room furniture and lamps. Do you think I’m spoiled? I am – and I am soooo lucky.

We’ve kept two fat scrapbooks of pictures of the things Frank has made, but not too many of the photos have made their way to my PC files. Here’s a small selection of what I do have for you to see.

All made of cherry, Frank made the side table, mazazine rack, foot stool,
lamp, couch, and the rocking chair made to order for my not-inconsiderable
measurements.

Frank made the wrought iron lamps, the little butterwood chest, the
cherry Shaker style high chair, and the maple buffet. Again, the maple
came from our own property

The wrought iron Owl Court owl.

  

Here you see, on our front porch, a mirrored plant holder and
part of a quatrefoil Frank copied from one we saw in Volterra,
in Tuscany

For post-stroke therapy Frank began chip carving. This box he made
for me is one of my favorite things.

Just rowing along. The guide boat is one of the fastest man-powered things
afloat - and beautiful too.

Post script on Sunday, March 3 - I discovered that I had, elsewhere in my digital picture collection, two pictures of Kate and her first toys made by her Grandfather.



Here she is on the kiddie car, holding on to the doll carriage that Say -
she called her Grandfather 'Say' - made for her.



And here she is on the maple rocking horse.