Hubby Project: Ulu

The hubby finished this ulu for a friend. She said her mom used one as a collard knife. If you aren’t familar with them. You can flat out cut carrots, rutabagas, butternut squash in chunks, but quick.

Background: Ulus are an Alaskan construct from the Inuit people. There are lots of videos on Youtube of people making, using and discussing ulus. There is a similar blade type called a mesoluna, but it is a Mediterian knife. It has two handles vs. the single handle.

This particular ulu the hubby made out of a good used stainless steel sawblade. He cut it out with an angle grinder and a dremel tool. Since the steel was already tempered (hardened) he wanted to avoid getting it hot and losing the temper. (One day I’ll let him post about his metal working instead of doing it for him.) Once the rough outline was cut out, he smoothed out the rough edges and sanded it and got it right. He made the handle of mahogany (hard wood, expensive too) and polished it and sharpened it. The edge is wicked scary sharp.

Anyway cheers on this chilly Sunday evening, james

Finished birdfeeder

My finished bird feeder. Now I am ready for the birdhouse project.

I painted the birdfeeder and gave it plenty of time to cure before hanging it outside. Hopefully it will survive winter and squirrels. Cheers on this Saturday evening. james

Writing vacation

Me and the hubby took a vacation earlier this week to the Outer Banks. The weather was perfect, clear blue skies, not to hot or cold, just gorgous weather. (FYI: the water at Nags Head is coooooold!)

Anyway after supper the hubby would carve or play a game while I wrote. Mind you I wrote some while I was gone, but mostly I read. I looked with fresh eyes at pages I haven’t poured over in a month or better. (Yes, thank you, I am well aware I write slowly and eraticly. Spelling is also not one of my strong suits.) So imagine my dismay that on page 80 my healer slips two of the main characters a sleeping potion and on page 86 they are having a pow wow. (Do we see the nasty, glaring, plot hole looking at us?)  So it grabbed my attention and now I wonder how many other little holes are dotted in my story. I left the prevous 76 pages home in a small oversight, packed them in the wrong bag. So now when I get a break I can read the whole thing and get back in my story.

So the above quote is quite correct. Cause when the pen wasn’t flowing on the page, I was thinking about the story and how to get it flowing from the current point to the next point.

We saw this sign in a jewerly shop window and the hubby had to see what it was all about. The sign says “Gunz & Glitz, fine jewelry, firearms, and ammo”  promoting Dare Jewelers at Nags Head. Good way to attract men into a jewelry story. Lots of neat little shops and nice beaches up that way. Cheers and have a great weekend. james

Moon light, moon bright

Moon light, moon bright, I wish upon your light so bright. Guide me in your heavenly way. Make me strong and give my words flight.

Autumn moon, a cool breeze, and a chilly night. Could you ask for better October weather? I can’t, this is my favorite time of year. Since I am an October baby it makes sense. I feel so alive, renewed, in harmony with the world around me. Anyway thought I would share a beautiful Eastern North Carolina moon. Cheers, james