Something to brighten the day with

Just because it is wet, dark and cold out today here in Seattle, WA I am going to post some photos to brighten the day with. Here are a few of my butterfly photographs I have taken over the years. Dry, warm and sunny.

Blacksmith example board part three

The horseshoe. What first comes into the mind of people when you say Blacksmith. It is one of the top questions we get at the blacksmith booth, "Do you make horseshoes?" or "Do you shoe horses?". Where upon I answer yes, shoo shoo, begone you horses. Yes coal smoke does give you bad humor.

This board shoes the steps to make you basic horseshoe. You start with a piece of flat stock, 3/4"x1/4" or 1"x1/4". Approximately 3/4" of both ends are hammered to a 90 degree angle. Then one side is bent into an arc and then the other side to match. A groove or can be chiseled in to help with the placement of the nail holes which are punched threw the horseshoe.

Blacksmith example board part two

This board shows the process to make a tomahawk. First you start with a flat piece of mild steel or wrought iron. Chisel out the pattern you wish it to have if any. Wedge up the ends and fold in half. Slip a piece of high carbon steel into the end (shown here is a piece from an old horse rasp). You then forge weld the two pieces of steel together (this is done by heating the steel up to its melting point, somewhere between 2400-2800 degrees Fahrenheit depending on carbon content, so the surfaces become molten, where upon you bring out of the fire and hammer them not to soft and not to hard but just right. This lets the molten surfaces mix together and form into one piece.) You then do final hammering to shape, anneal the whole piece, harden and finally temper the edge.

Blacksmith example board part one

While visiting my Blacksmith friend, Mike Carson, in California I documented some of his example boards. These boards show the steps in creating some of the basic forged works we would create. The one pictured in this post shows three different items, a leaf, a wizard head and a horse head. These designs can then be used for key fobs, bottle openers, grill work, ends for bbq and/or fireplace sets, etc.

Happy Burning Pumpkins Halloween to you all

Happy Halloween everybody. To celebrate here are some photos from the recent Jack-o-Lantern burning at the Hoes down festival in Capay Valley, CA.

I have been helping my friend Mike Carson, do the Hoe's Down festival at Full Belly Farms for a while now. And if I am able to visit California in the fall I always try to make this fair, it is that fun and comes HIGHLY recommended from me.

Well one year after a lone day at the forge (this is the time where you get a little loopy) we carved up some pumpkins. Of course one thing lead to another and it ended up on the forge to see how it would burn. Once we figured out you needed to cut a hole in the bottom of the pumpkin, flaming Jack-o-lanterns were born (eat you heart out Green Goblin).

We get a big turn out for this nightly display all from word of mouth, because it is not in the fair's program. Here are a few photos from this years Hoe's down festival. This years pumpkin burning comes with a small twist, a cheesy one. Cartman from South Park would love this, Cheesy poofs burn and burn easily. In most of these photos you will notice one Jack-o-lantern on the forge and the other with flames coming out of it. The flame source for that other jack-O-lantern is cheesy poofs. So if you find yourself without any candles at home or at the store just get some cheesy poofs, fill you Jack-o-lantern up with them and toss one lite match in, instant flame.

Wild Northern California

I was down at the Mother in Law's place during the last bit of September, 2009 to help replace some windows. My Mother in Law lives out in the country of Penn Valley, CA. Which is in northern California near Nevada City.

Being out in the country she see a large amount and variety of wildlife go through her property. What from birds to turkeys, rascillay rabbits to raccoons to deer to coyotes to foxes to mountain lines and even a bear. While there I was able to get some photos of the wild turkeys and deer.

Along with the wildlife you can also see some fun farm / ranching equipment around the area. I walked down the dirt road from my mother in law's place to go take some photos of this old truck with bits of old cars/trucks in its bed (see photos below). While walking I came across this old horse or ox drawn wagon under a big oak. I think the owner had it out there as a marker. One you can use while giving directions to your place. "Just drive up the dirt road for a 1/2 mile take the right fork and go up the driveway that has the old horse drawn wagon by it". Or at least that is what I think.

Idaho Statesman photo contest

Well the annual Idaho Statesman "Idaho Outdoors" Photography contest has been published. And of course my dad won the grand prize again, for the third time. He seems to be lucky on these odd years. Here is a link to the webpage.

My Uncle, Walter Kaiser, received two honorable mentions, his girlfriend Jennifer Rogers received an honorable mention and I received two honorable mentions (#'s 48 and 52). One of these years one of us will beat out my dad for the grand prize.

Here are the two photos that received the honorable mentions in the contest. One is from my photographs of the Bear that was cruising around the Easley Gulch and Baker/Newman Creek cabins this year. I captured this image while at my Uncle's cabin near Newman Creek in the Sawtooth National Forest of Idaho.

The butterfly photo is from 2008 and is a picture of a mountain blue. I took a lot of photos in this spot because the area was just infested with insects alighting themselves on the plant. The photo was taken just up the Easley Gulch road near our family cabin in Idaho.