The other day while looking into the woods on my way to the mailbox, I saw a dead poplar that had lost its top. I also saw woodpecker holes in the trunk of the tree.
I walked over to have a closer look and what should I see inside? My favorite green-staining fungus at work!
I've previously worked with fungus-stained wood and was excited at the prospect of finding another piece that wasn't completely degraded. This poplar was destined to become firewood so with the promise of green-stained wood before me, I grabbed the chainsaw and got to work.
Timberrrrr...
I cut the tree up into pieces and hauled the piece I wanted to the house and split it into a more usable size with the splitting maul.
I could see that the green was mostly in the degraded part of the wood and it was unlikely that I'd be getting any decent pieces out if it. Not like this small stick that I found just sitting on the firewood pile AFTER I cut down the poplar. Just sitting there. No cutting needed.
That figures.
It wasn't a loss though, while cutting the poplar on the band saw I noticed some interesting spalting and a mark that looks like an insect body on this piece.
It isn't sturdy enough to be a wearable piece, but I sanded and oiled it anyway, just to see what it would look like.
I love the spalting around the bug hole and the marks that look like petroglyphs. (is that a monkey?)
You never know what's hidden in the wood. Could be something, could be nothing, could be monkeys.
14 comments:
I really enjoyed this post, Lisa. Not only the idea of you finding the tree and cutting it down yourself but also your perspective. Monkey, definitely monkey. Or maybe a brontosaurus.
Or an impala. :)
The part i love about you is "I grabbed the chainsaw and got to work." :D You are a natural marvel, dear Lisa :)
No Lisa, you're my hero! I've always wanted my own chainsaw you lucky girl.
I love that color of green, lucky you it was sitting there waiting for you :)
Jx
That is one awesome piece of wood! I wonder if you dipped it in resin or something if you could then make it into a necklace. It has such beautiful colors in it!
Peace~
Dawn
I love this piece of wood! When hiking with kids at the nature center we are always on the lookout for "bug art" left behind when the trees die and the bark falls off.
you are such a talented woman - impressive with that saw! the multi-coloured and patterned piece of wood you made is very cool. here's hoping you will find some more sturdy stuff like that soon.
you crack me up It's like let me just whip out the chin saw like it is a tube of lipstick!
totally a monkey! Or a fossilized tooth (too many sweets for that one). Lisa, I would love to see through your eyes some day. = )
This was such a beautiful post. Happy holidays to you and yours lovely lady.
i have only ever found green-stain as punky wood. i like the idea of you putting that tree out of its misery :)
you are such an amazing woman yielding a chainsaw
and that is no monkey business
That spalted piece is gorgeous! I should add that after the freak October snowstorm we had out here in Connecticut this year a friend came over with chain saws to help us clean up the carnage (lost a lovely tall pecan tree) and I got to use a chain saw for the very first time. Guess what I want for Christmas now--hee hee--the feeling of power!
you're so awesome. and kind of a boy. in a good way. i'm currently looking for a lost (escaped) rabbit in my woods. i fear he may have been carted off by a monkey...or maybe just a fox. tho' we're trying not to think about that. maybe i should look more closely at the wood out there. i wonder if we get that green stuff in our wood around here?
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