Timbers!

I've been working on this stump at Timbers Apartments in Richland, WA.  I lost 4 days to rain and wind so when good weather hit, I dove in to finish my "modern story pole."

In this photo, the pole's shadow areas have been burned and painted before adding 2 coats of boiled linseed oil.  The oil soaked into this dry wood very quickly which provide plenty of protection in the years to come.  When conditions are right, I will seal the surface with a single coat of Spar Urethane.

Just 40 feet away from the story pole is a second pine stump to be carved. My original plan for this stump was to carve several life size squirrels searching for acorns. The more I pondered the design, the more I though it would be over powered by the story pole.  So I upgraded the design.

Stump number 2 is now topped by a giant squirrel :) This big fellow is holding a very large acorn while looking at the acorn garden lamp to his left.

Today {Thursday} I made good progress on the squirrel in spite of being rained out by 1:00 p.m.

Rained out isn't "down and out"!  At home, under the shelter of my studio canopy, I carved a new bear which is ready for the detail stage of his creation.

Rain, rain go away!

I've got work to do! With all this rain and cooler weather it's a wonder anything gets done. Shown is my 90% completed "modern totem pole" at the Timbers Apartments in Richland, WA.  My doctor tells me to not use electric power tools in the rain so this one is progressing very slowly :(

Forty feet away is stump number 2.  Squirrels and acorns are planned for that stump.