Who Says Bigger is Better?

Friday, February 9, 2018Friday, February 9, 2018 ~ George Crawford ~ 4 Comments

Okay, in some cases maybe. This cute little combo caught my attention a couple years ago and I’m just getting around to posting it. A truly minimal teardrop trailer that I suspect can just sleep two with about one suitcase each. I found it labelled “The 1941 Kozy Coach Travel Trailer ” but a search around the internet didn’t turn up anything confirming this. My only real fear in pulling this micro home on wheels would be the complete lack of rear visibility.

perfection — A perfect little combination.

All I have is conjecture and observation for this one. If anyone knows more and wants to share then please post in the comments section. As a scooterist myself, I’m a bit jealous of this rig.

CMAonScoot — And for some continuity, my great-grandfather on his brother-in-law’s scoot just after the war.

It’s Food for Thought

Friday, February 9, 2018Sunday, January 6, 2019 ~ George Crawford ~ 3 Comments

There are so many good reasons to have a home garden, even in the city.

Starting fresh in a new place means we’re in for some work this spring. Although I suspect that many things have grown in this yard in the last century, other than the small plot I turned over last year, we have mostly lawn. Even our lame little herb and tomato plot yielded some great results. Our worst pests are definitely squirrels, with birds and raccoons running a close second. The seed catalogs are in, orders are being placed soon, and preparations are ready to begin.

With the risk of sounding like a nonconformist, I really feel that every creative act minimalizes our interaction in a consumer economy, is a small personal victory. Our war is a personal one now. Planting food, mending clothes, buying local (or not buying at all) is a triumph of the will. Knowing where our food comes from is a good beginning on a path to a better life.

For many Americans, simply planning and making a great meal from scratch feels like a success; and it is. It just takes small steps and eventually, these skills and habits become second nature. Your food is better, your health will improve, and you will have an invaluable skill. Teach your children well.

And finally, food preservation is the next logical step. With refrigeration as the norm in the industrial world, we should take a little time to ponder what happens when the power goes out. Hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, or acts of terrorism are all very real things, even if we don’t feel them every day. There is a thin line of convenience that can be quickly swept away and a little preparedness goes a long way. One great start is the Ball Canning Jar Company’s Blue Book. It has been around for over 100 years and has helped people preserve food without much experience and at a low cost. Even though there some initial monetary outlay, remember that most everything is re-usable.

A good reference like this keeps you healthy and safe. The modern, up-to-date version is readily available at nearly any retailer who sells cookbooks.

If you haven’t grown your own food, or you haven’t in a while, consider making this your year for better food.

Back in Business

Thursday, February 8, 2018Thursday, February 8, 2018 ~ George Crawford ~ Leave a comment

DSC_0119 (7) Greetings from the great middle west of the United States, where I currently reside. The vardo is in the outbuilding awaiting some much anticipated upgrades and paint. I have projects and side-projects and unfinished work to complete in every direction I turn; not to mention the fun little things set aside to try on a rainy day. There’s a new energy happening here and I hope to share the good stuff when I can.

I have back-orders I let slide and half-finished items to put out for sale; three upcoming talks to write, an article collaboration, and more. I’ll catch up or die trying.

DSC_0045 (1) — All dressed up and no place to go.

Be back soon…

Making a Spanish Guitar in the 21st Century

Wednesday, February 7, 2018Wednesday, February 7, 2018 ~ George Crawford ~ Leave a comment

My friend Bob sent me a link to an excellent video documenting the construction of a Spanish (i.e. Classical) Guitar. The man is obviously a real craftsman with a purpose-built shop and this is definitely not a one-off project. If you are like me and like to see how things are made, this half hour video will more than fill the bill. And there is a nice soundtrack to accompany the work. Sit back and enjoy.

Have any of you made your own musical instrument? Do you want to share the experience?

Victory Gardens

Tuesday, February 6, 2018Tuesday, February 6, 2018 ~ George Crawford ~ 2 Comments

Springtime is just around the corner. Now that we’re in a more hospitable growing environment, I feel obligated to get a better garden growing. Of course, it is some work but the payoff, even for a small garden more than justifies the effort.

It’s always a good time to grow food.

In times of crisis, it is wise to have a bit laid aside. Try canning and preserving if you have never done so. It’s easy and rewarding throughout the year.

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The Sexual Embrace

Tuesday, February 6, 2018Tuesday, February 6, 2018 ~ George Crawford ~ Leave a comment

“The sexual embrace
can only be compared
with music and
with prayer.”

via Marcus Aurelius says:

Visit Zen Pencils for a graphic interpretation of Marcus’ thoughts.

https://zenpencils.com/comic/aurelius/

Scout Staff Hiking Stick

Monday, February 5, 2018 ~ George Crawford ~ 4 Comments

Sometimes I wish carrying a walking stick was more acceptable in daily life. Maybe it’s just my yeoman heritage or my fondness for the old ways…

To do so now, you tend to either look like a hoodlum or the walking wounded. Living for so long in wild country I found that a staff was a handy tool that lends some confidence when encountering a wild hog, a rutting elk, or dog. In my professional work as a field scientist it isn’t common to carry one either due mostly to the logistics of carrying a map, notebook, compass, GPG unit, pin flags and the like. The reality is, you only have two hands.

The author with his antler-fork walking stick and his dog begging for a walk.

However, in the perfect world of semi-fantasy that I inhabit, I tend to keep a walking stick nearby and have several on-hand at any given time. I’ve wavered over the years as to whether or not the extra burden is worthwhile and the truth I have settled upon is “yes, mostly.” Other than the confidence it gives in an unwanted encounter, a staff really helps a walker crossing a stream or other rough terrains when heavily loaded.

As the great traveler Colin Fletcher wrote many years ago, “it converts me when I am heavily laden from an insecure biped into a confident triped” The Complete Walker.

The staff instills confidence and provides stability for the walker.

Here are a few other ideas for a walking stick and its many uses found around the Web. I’ll post a few more pictures of my own in upcoming posts.

In the mean time, if you are contemplating becoming a walker yourself, or already are, you may enjoy Henry David Thoreau’s short essay on the subject. It’s a favorite of mine from a surveyor and philosopher who spent much time walking in the woods.

Walking, 1862

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Wood Carving; Spoons, Spatulas, and a Whiskey Noggin

Saturday, January 20, 2018 ~ George Crawford ~ 6 Comments

Now that I’m back to spoon carving it feels great to actually finish some decent pieces. Most of the nicer wood I have on-hand is kiln-dried, making it much more difficult to work. More patience, more sharpening, and smaller cuts are necessary to accomplish a desired form. However, this weekend paid off with a few nice utensils coming out of the work room.

I finished an assortment of spatulae and spoons for an upcoming craft show but I have no idea if there will be any real interest. The Osage orange eating spoon at the bottom is a gift but the rest will be for sale. It is a ridiculous amount of time for the monetary return but certainly allowed me to relax and focus on the crafting and creation of each form. To me, a handmade item is far nicer and more valuable than something stamped out in a factory far away.

The top spoon ended up as a gift and the bottom one sold quickly. Walnut is a beautiful wood.

It holds a two ounce shot of your favorite beverage with a little room to spare.

A little walnut oil brings out the grain.

A few items from my table at a recent craft show.

I’m trying to keep busy in the dark and cold months. I hope you are too.

Three Men in a Boat (a book of subtle humor and deep philosophy)

Friday, December 29, 2017Friday, August 17, 2018 ~ George Crawford ~ Leave a comment

“Let your boat of life be light, packed with only what you need—a homely home and simple pleasures, one or two friends, worth the name, someone to love and someone to love you, a cat, a dog, and a pipe or two, enough to eat and enough to wear, and a little more than enough to drink; for thirst is a dangerous thing.”

~ Jerome K. Jerome. “Three Men in a Boat.”

I highly recommend this little book as an English classic about three young and idle gentlemen in need of a holiday; filled with good humor, philosophy, and observations about life.

Making a NATO-Style Watch Band

Wednesday, December 13, 2017Wednesday, December 13, 2017 ~ George Crawford ~ 6 Comments

Taking a break from work to make something for myself…

I don’t wear a watch every day but when I do, I like it to be comfortable and not at all flashy. I was never a fan of wearing a watch when I wasn’t working but having a crew who expect regular breaks and a lunch hour made sure I owned one most of my adult life. Now we live in an era of cell phones with fancy clock features, timers, and alarms which makes the humble wrist watch an anachronism at barely 100 years old.

NATO Watch Strap — My inexpensive but excellently serviceable watch.

I don’t desire or need an expensive watch and have always considered them to be somewhat disposable. I bang them up pretty badly so it is rare that I ever have one costing more than about $40. If you’ve ever changed a modern band and don’t like to fidget around with the little pop-off axles that hold the strap on you should consider this simple and elegant design long-favored by the military. A quick search on the internet will yield you plenty of cheap and interesting versions of this type and they can be changed in a matter of seconds. It’s even fashionable to have several styles and interchange them regularly. Imagine that… I’m a fashionista.

NATO style leather watch band — I made this one before dinner.

I considered making an extremely simple tutorial for this style but it is so incredibly simple, I think actual words would only confuse the matter.

The real genius of this design is that it is a single belt that goes behind the watch, keeping the metal mostly off of the skin. It should be clear from the photo above that there is really no trick to attaching it to the watch itself. I have rather thick wrists, so I add about an inch and a half to my bands when I make them for a better fit.

And finally (I know, you shouldn’t start a sentence with a conjunction but we all do it) you don’t have to even limit this design to leather. You can make it from cotton or nylon flat webbing or could even branch out to making your own cloth band. Just save back the buckles and keepers from any old watch and sew them to your own creation.

Time for me to get back to work.