Friday 24 April 2009

Merry Go Round

Jump on and join a group of artists/crafts-women as they link around the world and tell you a little about their lives in art and craft.

Our question for this month is: What does Springtime Mean to You?

Springtime. Well, it's a busy time for the woodcutter and his wife!

We're now well into our second year of our tipi pole business, and we know from experience that Spring is the time we have to put all our energies into felling, stripping and drying new poles, ready for customers who will want them now, or for those who will leave it until the last minute for their summer holiday...we have to have plenty on offer.

We cater for very small child-size tipis right up to huge, 29ft ones. The woodcutter visits the forest daily to select and fell the trees, which he brings home for us to peel and then dry. We also fell 'to order' if people wish to de-bark their own poles. Many of these sets of poles we also deliver personally, nationwide, so we're busy busy busy!

The log chopping and sanding continues...!

Despite being nicely busy, I'm able to really enjoy the springtime here. It's glorious to be able to wake up in the morning and spot the new shoots in the forest...the beautiful fresh bright green leaves unfurling in the trees around us...wandering amongst the rhododendrons as they flower one after the other...embracing the flashes of colour from balloon-like tulips...watching the flutterings of delicate butterflies wafting through the air...trying to remember the juxtapositions of colour that nature throws together - it's SO inspiring...

Most importantly of all, it's the thankful return of sunlight that I really treasure. It's so lovely to be able to avoid harsh contrasts when taking photographs, and the days are so long I can sew into the night! I have always been a sombre, gothic lover of winter - but nowadays, this is most definitely my favourite time of year.

Please take a moment or two to pop in on my international blogging friends who're spinning on this merry-go-round with me (their links are in the sidebar). See what Springtime means to them!

Girls, I look forward to reading your posts in a week or so!

7 comments:

Easterya said...

What? Your rhododendros are blooming when mine aren't??? What world are we living in?!
Lovely pics! Love the smell of cut wood, and tipis, how exotic, I love the idea!!!

kendall.micayla said...

How fun! Lovely pictures, so much to look at!
Is there a site for this Merry Go Round blogging group? Or is this just a few bloggers that got together, it sounds like a lot of fun. :)

Mariana said...

It must be glorious to welcome spring in the middle of a forest. How do you manage the forest? I mean, so much felling, do you have to plant new trees? LOL otherwise youa re out of business in a few years.
All the best and many sells!

meherio68 said...

Ah well, I'm jealous of Fabs' poppies and she's jealous of your rhododendrons... The great cycle of life.
Love your pics. AND I know threee kids who would love to have a tipi...

Lily Pang said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Lily Pang said...

It's nice to know that the business is well. I am from somewhere that have no forest for cutting wood. I am very ignorant about poles. What are they used for?

I can image how wonderful with sun and flowers in your place. We have these all year around and that makes me annoyed.

Ruth said...

Love seeing all that wood! Great pictures and good to hear about this time of the year for you and what you are up to. How is the de-barking done? By hand or do you use a machine? As you can tell - I know nothing about the process. Glad to read it about.