Friend or Foe

Rot, I've fought it for the last ten years. That terrible feeling I'd get when splitting open a maple log in August to find the black streaks that mark the beginning of spalting. Now I know that you bowl folks are crazy for the stuff, but to me, it just meant rot. I couldn't put the stuff in my chairs for fear of the weakening effect of the degradation. I suppose that this influenced my inability to see it as "beautiful"

But now, all that has changed. I've found that most of my apple trees exhibit at least some spalting down near the base of the trunk. I still seemed to avoid the stuff, but the other day I came across this little piece.  I love not only the way that the heartwood looks, but the way that the pristine sapwood reflects the concept of the living sapwood being protected from rot until it's cut down.



I'm afraid that this little spoon isn't going to make the spoon drawings, the Chairnotes covergirl used her veto power on that one (I guess there is a price to be paid for filling the living room with shavings!)

But here is the latest entry into the Spoons for Hunger drawing,

Once again, it's applewood, all heart this time,

This spoon is $50 plus $6 shipping.

I enjoyed playing with the slightly conical bowl on this one,

For more info on the project and how to enter, please click here.