A large Douglas Fir had been felled not far from the entrance at Moorlands Nature Reserve, near York, and a small seat had been chainsawed into the trunk by Graeme, one of the site’s volunteers.
It was felt that it would become a perfect spot for a photo opportunity, it being the right size for children and grandchildren, so the saying “Mighty oaks from little acorns grow” was thought apt. Some people assumed the trunk must be oak due to the phrase, but I don’t think it’s a massive issue; in any case I don’t know many sayings about Douglas Firs.
The wood itself was quite frustrating, like carving plywood due to it’s sappy layers. Detail was definitely out this time. Just getting any sort of shape on the surface was a challenge, and I felt a bit embarrassed as visitors stopped and observed throughout the day; I felt compelled to explain how difficult the wood was to work with to anyone who’d listen, but as is usually the case with your own work, nobody else seemed to think it was as bad as I thought. Unless they were just being polite!
De-barking, drawing on the design, and outlining the leaf.
Shaping the first oak leaf and the acorn.
Working on the second leaf.
Drawing on the words.
The finished seat with the lettering set in place, and a couple of close-ups illustrating the difficult wood.
Smiling for the camera, and the seat freshly oiled ~ complete with warning sign!