They call me Woody Gray Squirrel

Most of the time when Paul would come by the shop, he would find me messing with a piece of wood and then I went to work at the Canebrake in the woods so he started calling me Woody.

One day at work we were placing 6” X 6” posts up on a deck and I needed to be on the ground and looked down and decided that it was to far to jump. Seeing a hickory sapling not to far away, jumped grabbing on to the tree which leaned away from the deck while I swung to the opposite side and it let me off on the ground. One of the workers on the deck said “damn he looked like a Gray Squirrel” and that is the moment the name came to life.

Woody is becoming my alter ego, my split personality. When Kris feels he is being stepped on or picked on Woody takes over. You need that rock moved, don’t ask for Kris, find Woody to do it.

There ain't nothing easy in them woods,
Woody Gray Squirrel

Minni Stretched Bikes

Dave showing off his new addition to the Minni Stretched Bikes

The first bike Dave stretched was pink, for some reason he thinks that is funny.

Test rides are a common place now.

Ride on

These are 12 inch child's bikes that we stretch the seat post and handle bars. We now are at 5 bikes with one in Okemah Oklahoma at the Woody Guthrie festival. It is the show model of things to come when we return to Okemah for the Red Dirt festival this fall. Till then we need to work on our tight spirals and unison riding.

Ride on,
Kris

More Flood photos

More rain came in today as I was leaving for my interview with the Canebrake resort.

Taylors Ferry public swimming area.

Water is down a foot, clean up will be a mess.

Farm road east of Wagoner.

Last year the farmers had no rain for their crops. This year they can not get into their fields to work. Thought about an arch but we are to busy building 12" bicycles into big boy bikes. More later about them.

Lake Fort Gibson flood of 2007

Fort Gipson Lake Bridge on HWY 51

Clarence one foot below max flood hight

Harv at the base of the bride

From Harv's lake house deck

Edited and Photos added on 07.11.07

Today was a drive out to the Canebrake to fill out an application and talk with some people about employment. Once that was finished the decision was made to drive out to Fort Gipson Lake to check on the water levels there. My first stop was at highway 51 bridge to get a photo of the water level there. It was about seven feet from the bridge. I then drove out to Western Hills State Park to get some pics of the golf course. Several of the holes were inaccessible. On the way back pulled over at the White Horn Cove public swimming area to take a few photos there. While I was there a Park Ranger pulled in and we got to talking about lake levels. He said that 554 was the normal lake level and that it was at 578 now (24' over normal). In a day or two it will be at 582 and at 584 it spills over the dam. Unfortunately, all this drive was an after thought and I forgot to take my camera and all the photos are on my phone, but the cable for done loading is missing or does not exist in my possession. I will post the photos as soon as I get the technology to do so.

The Canebrake is a restaurant, spa and resort now in progress. The restaurant and yoga barn are open for business. For more information visit - http://www.thecanebrake.com/

Kris

Okie Cats

Dakota now is the owner of a new house, at least that is his take on it. His favorite spot is on the cutting board where he can keep an eye on the back yard. Smokey has had some trouble with the adjustment though he is a lot more sociable now then he has ever been.

Kris

Okie Boy again

I have moved in and the computer is up and running. Dave's shop is hopping at night. We planned to play, and the next thing you know the place is full. I think he should start charging a cover charge. They decided to play electric tonight which meant I was run out fast.

If it is not music night then it is poker night. It is said that it takes till three am to play poker, though last night we played till five thirty am. One of these night I would like to get back to a regular routine. Until then, Jam on.

The adage stands, Poker takes till 3:30 am (photo taken at three am)

More Later,

Kris

Oklahoma

Some where to the left of the bridge is where I will be.

The decision has been made, two weeks notice has been given, boxes are being filled and down that road man I’m gonna go. Next week I will be back in the foothills again and easing back into that slower pace of life.

Memorial Day Weekend I will attend a small festival out at Fort Gipson Lake started by my good friend Adam a few years back that I endearingly refer to as Trailer Trash Weekend. It is a small nit group of friends that he has made over his life span and a great group of people and their families. Night and day you will hear the sounds of music coming from amongst the trailers in the woods. It is there that most of us form that sacred bond. Teaching, learning, creating and communicating with the vibration of sound, it is a ritual that I gladly partake. I will do my best to take notes and photos for up coming blogs and will be off line till the computer has a new home.

Oklahoma, here I come, right back where I started from,

Kris

Trip to the Foothills

I got back from a trip home spending Sunday and Monday in Claremore with family. Monday made a garden and planted corn, tomato's, basil, garlic and a pepper plant. I look forward to returning for a nice Italian meal. Monday evening after dinner I headed off to Wagoner to Dave's barn. Once I arrived people started to come out of the wood works and the poker table was set and the instruments were placed on there stands and the party began. At times it was hard to play over the noise of the poker players but we made it happen and on the most part it was great music that was produced. Tuesday I can not say the same for the music, but I had fun trying. The trip reinforced my need to return to my roots. It has become a calling for me to return and I do believe that it will happen by the end of the month. I had planned to stay with the Nelson-Atkins till after the grand opening of the Bloch Building but it gets harder and harder for me to make that goal. I will keep anyone that reads this blog, if any, posted about the change. I do plan on continuing with the Blog and am hoping to increase the frequency of my posts as I get closer in touch with my creative side. I feel that I have become stagnant in letting out those creative impulses. The photo's are one of only three I took on this trip and all three were of the same plant.

God's speed,

Kris

Smokey Boy's nap time

When I finally get this printed it should be close to 2' by 3'. In its small version it seams a little out of focus but at full size it looks much better. I am planning to print several photos as series.

Kris

Return to 43rd and McGee

Easter Sunday was a bright and sunny evening and I took this shot of 43rd and McGee. Original photo is located at the bottom of the page.

Kris

Spring has sprung in the Yard

Daffodil

The Pansy

Tulip tree next door

Tulip tree close up

Vinca Minor

It was good to get out in the yard and getting the soil under the finger nails. Does have a nice therapeutic effect on me. The gardens are filling in nicely and plants that I thought were lost just a few days ago were showing signs of new growth. Three banana plants came out of the basement today with one going in the front garden and the other two in a pot on the porch. If it gets to cold the one in the garden will probably die while the two on the porch can be brought in. I plan to plant at least seven more bananas in the back yard and will be documenting their growth over the next several months. Hope to post a photo of both front gardens soon.

Garden on,

Kris

Presidential $1 Coin

United State Mint Photos

I received an email the other day entitled THE NEW DOLLAR COIN. It was interesting looking back past today how quickly I was sucked into believing it to be the truth. In it, it stated that the coin did not have engraved on it the words In God We Trust and E Pluribus Unum. Today I received my first Dollar Coin from circulation and found there on the edge of the coin was the engraving. The whole problem stemmed from a mistake believed to have been done by quality control. The process for making the coin is in two stages, the stamping of the coin on to the blank and then to another machine for the engraving of the edge. I guess that after stamping out several billion coins in the same fashion they moved to the next coins set up and forgot to send them to the next step before sending in to circulation. There is believed to be at least 40,000 to 50,000 out in circulation all coming from one mint, Philadelphia.

They are at about $50.00 investment at this time and have been in circulation about 1 month. Think about that.

Kris

Arachnid

Arachnid #1

Arachnid #4

After receiving an email from an old friend in which he gives his take on the previous post that it had arachnid likeness. After thinking about that for a while it occurred to me that I could do a butterfly using one cat eye and one ear. This is the out come and yes in some sense it was a failure in its conception, yet it works on some level.

"Disturbingly feline & arachnid hybrid images (I know you probably didn't intend that). Reading into it, it seems to have included comforting images (a warm, cozy, furry, house cat-archetype) with an undertone of fearful imagery (the multiple, arachnid-style eyes watching the man)." Mike M.

Kris

Evolution of Eye #24

Eye #1

Eye #2

Eye #4

Eye #12

Eye #24

Eye #24 is the latest creation and is meant to be viewed @ 100% actual size. This can not be done on a computer screen but you get the idea. I hope to do a full size photo quality print of it sometime. That is Dakota Too as the model.

Kris

The Gathering

I find they look even better together.
Good mixture of verious stages.

During my recent experimentations with feathered shellac finish on my small carvings I have found that fine sandpaper can be your best friend. When creating a mirror finish on a surface, you must foremost fill the grain. This can not be performed with much grace. You need to build the finish, take it back down by sanding and this is where you need several grades (use light preasure and do not over sand). I like the 400 grit paper for removing rough surfaces and smoothing off any brush marks and also in final sanding after carving, filing and scraping is declared over. Next is the 600 grit paper which I tend to use to diminish the sanding marks left behind by the 400 grit paper, it might sound redundant but do not skip this step (you might find a different grit like 800 works better for you). My final grit is 1,500 grit paper where I am able to polish it to a mirrored finish (move fast and a slight harder preasure then with other papers). Remember that you are using shellac and you can always go back wards and still not have to start all over. My end objective is to magnify the grain and the beauty of Mother Nature’s art work.

The piece I am working on now I am thinking of calling Japanese Drum (Landscape). It has two surfaces that are flat and need lots of attention and patience.

Kris

A visit from Oklahoma

Something strange happened yesterday here in Kansas City. A red dirt covered everything during the storms yet there is no red dirt in Missouri. The day was a beautiful day to be outside, though most of mine was spent inside at work. It was warm, sunny and most welcomed after ice, snow and more snow. As the sun began to set the clouds began to form. It soon caused heavy rain that turned into a thick coating of pea size hail. Earlier down in Central Oklahoma from the land of the Red Dirt Rangers this red dirt was sucked up into the jet stream and carried Northeast at least 400 miles only to be pulled down by the storms here in Kansas City and crusted on to my van. It was nice to have Oklahoma come for a visit.

Fall and Winter in Oklahoma

Feb. 2006 sleet storm

Fall 2007

My Macro was on so it focused on the tree.

Fall 2007

Jan. 2007 Ice storm

Jan. 2007 Ice storm

It seems that several of my trips back to Oklahoma have been during some of the toughest weather. Though by the Fall photos you can see why Eastern Oklahoma is the place I want to be.

Waiting to post

Bought this cause it was 100 years older then I. Sold at a small loose on eBay.

Just to let anyone know that I am still here I make this post. It has been hard for me as of late to post anything that has any relevance. Even though this does not contain any relevance to any thing at least a post was done.

Japanese Landscape final

Here are some final photos of the Japanese Landscape. I think the white spots are from the wax that was used. Will try some things to see if it will come out but you can not see them with the naked eye.

Kris

Wood Scape

(Click on photos to enlarge)

Japanese Landscape top

Japanese Landscape side

Test photo for a larger one later

Here is a review of some Photos I have been working on. I hope to add actual photos of Japanese Land Scape. These are meant to be seen on a large scale, at least 100%.

Kris