Bowls

Seasoned chestnut logs

I have been keeping a secret - about our Ian's birthday present. Today has been his birthday and now I can reveal all.

Thirty seven years ago, Ian picked up a conker. He was only three years old. We planted that conker in a plant pot and it germinated. Soon we had a tiny horse chestnut tree. Thirty four years ago I planted that little tree in our garden and it grew year by year till it towered above the ground. I estimate that the topmost branches were, in the end, forty feet high.

Then two years ago, for several reasons, we decided to have the tree felled. Most of the wood was taken away by the tree surgeons but I kept back a few logs. I put them under our house close to the gas boiler. I thought if I put them there they would hopefully season quite nicely after two years.

And so that is what happened. The heavy logs lost their moisture.

I hunted around to try to find a skilled wood turner and came across this man who lives south of Chesterfield:-

His name is Rick Dobney and he kindly agreed to accept my commission - to turn a bowl or two from the horse chestnut logs that I took to his house. 

After a month, Rick e-mailed me to say that he had successfully turned two bowls from the wood and I could go back to his house to collect them.

They are beautiful works of art and Ian was overjoyed to receive them this morning. Beforehand, I had taken a few pictures to share in this blog...

BOWL ONE

BOWL TWO 

I am so pleased that I had the idea to do this and saw it through. Thank you Rick! And Happy 40th Birthday Ian!

from Yorkshire Pudding https://ift.tt/2MDbPV4