Thursday 14 April 2011

Saxon spoon...

A short while ago I was asked if it was possible to make Saxon style spoons for some battle re-enactors.
I gave Ralph.H a call and he kindly furnished me with some details.

bushcraft+spoon carving

Here is my interpretation...

bushcraft+spoon carving spoon carving first steps

At the same time I have been finishing of a batch of Kuksa...

kuksa spoon carving first steps

This is the last piece with these distinctive markings...

kuksa spoon carving first steps

I decided to add a little detail of my own. I have no idea if this is historically correct, but I liked the idea of adding one of 'Odin's' little helpers.

kuksa spoon carving first steps

'Munnin'

bushcraft+spoon carving spoon carving first steps

He is one of two Ravens that gave old Odin a helping hand.
'Munnin' who is memory and 'Huginn' who is thought.
They would fly around the known world collecting information for Odin...


bushcraft+spoon carving spoon carving first steps
 Anyway...
The shape of this spoon is correct for the Saxon times, with a little artistic license...
ENJOY...J





Monday 11 April 2011

Jons' Spring Time Pique Nique


This is a story I have cut and pasted from my other blog. You may have read it a while ago but I am re posting a couple of relevant stories for those that missed them previously...


Yesterday I packed a few things in my rucksack and went for a walk...
I wanted to find out how the woods are getting on after a long cold winter.
The leaf canopy seems to be a little late this year. I  didn't expect to find many plants showing through the leaf litter. I was thrilled to find some of my favourite salad plants have made an appearance...
The first and most obvious being the lovely....
Beech ...
( Fagus Sylvatica ).
You can eat the leaves early in the season when they are brand new.... 


I quickly gathered a good amount, popped them in my pocket and carried on through the forest.
On one of the lower tracks I encountered a very tasty plant.
We call it...
Jack-by-the-hedge....
( Alliaria Petiolata )
It has a rather nice garlic taste, very mild and perfect for a salad...




There are quite a lot out at the moment so I will pop back for a few more soon...
The next plant I came across is rather special.
The Pig Nut
( Conopodium Majus )




They are very small at the moment, I will post some more pictures later in the season...
What you have to do is very carefully follow the stem down to the ground, and with your fingers dig down...following the stem. The stem turns through 90 degrees as it nears the tuba. If you are successful you will find a tasty morsel in the form of a soft skinned nut. These can be eaten raw, as I like them, or lightly roasted on the embers of a fire...


They taste to me like a peppery chestnut...
You can quite clearly see the delicate stem turn before it meets the tuba...


And washed in the stream...


I found plenty of young

Goose Grass...
( Galium Aparine )
Quite a hairy little blighter, you will have to cook it, by boiling or steaming.
I have in the past eaten quite a lot of this plant, but to be quite honest it isn't a clear favourite.
Chopped and added to a stew to mask the taste is the way to go....


The next plant I found will have to be treated in the same manner.
But after steaming or a light boil this plant is a more palatable option...
Black Berry
( Rubus Fructicosus )
Pick and cook the young shoots...


A nice treat on a sunny day is the
Navel Wort...
( Umbilicus Sylvestris )
A succulent addition to your salad ...


So some of these little, green, round gems were picked and put carefully in my rucksack for later...
With my thoughts turning toward a super pique nique I wanted a hot drink to go with it...
Finding a suitable pine tree I took some young needles.
These will make a fine tea to go with lunch...


And just to give my taste buds a final tweak I picked a few leaves of
Wood Sorrel
( Oxalis Acetosella )


Now you don't want to go eating a lot of these tasty morceaux as they are full of Oxalates, which are not good for you, but gives this plant an apple peel citric taste...



And so once I had found my salad I repaired to the nearby stream and set about making my pique nique...




Boiling water for the Pine Needle Tea...








I had a splendid walk and a great Pique nique...





Enjoy....

My Mark...A short story by Sarah.


Jon always signs his work with his own special mark.

http://spooncarvingfirststeps.blogspot.com

He was asked about this during an exhibition and the story was much enjoyed.

It is his initials made into mountains and a moon.
It also represents the most amazing night we spent together when we were travelling in France.

We were travelling from Geneva into the French Alps. Jon had been in France for a couple of months. I flew out to join him as soon as I finished work.

He picked me up from Geneva airport in the late afternoon. By the time we were out of the city and heading for the mountains it was already getting dark.

It was a beautiful clear night and the moon was full and shining very brightly.
It was a special moon because it was a blue moon - once in a blue moon you get two full moons in a month.

The moon was so bright the mountains were clearly visible and the roads were the most amazing silver ribbons between them.

We stopped a few times on route just to take it all in. As we stood soaking in the view all we could hear was the song of the crickets.

It is a journey we shall never forget.
 J+S


I re-posted this story from our other blogspot...

Carving a Dragon Kuksa.

Carving a Dragon Kuksa.  I have been carving Kuksa from green Birch for 15 years or so, I’m self taught. From the beginning, I limited mysel...