Move Over, Mikey
The Story of Inspiration in the Woodshop
A Merry belated Christmas, folks!
On the day of Three French Hens, I bring you a story of inspiration. If Michelangelo were alive, he would like to read it, seeing how he could learn something from it.
***
Christmas crept ever closer. My list, small for Santa, seemed to stretch miles, but there was a final essential addition: The chickens. And mother. She loves them so.
They needed something.
An “apple tree” feeder seemed nifty, so after spying a rustic design at the farmer’s market, I set to work.
The twilight had started to gather as I trudged out to the pile of fresh oak brush, and set to work with the ol’ chainsaw.
The next day, things fell right into place, complete with a classic Christmas star. Two sharpened dowels were ready for apples, and I was ready for Christmas.
Or was I?
Needs a little something…hey, what about a wooden chicken for a topper?
The next day, the bandsaw hummed along, and a chicken emerged from the lumber. The tunes drifted through the dusty air, and all was merry and bright.
And, like a movie, things ground to a halt when I put the chicken atop the tree. I stared.
Houston, we have a problem.
I can’t give her that.
It looked…impaled.
I wandered out into the fresh, cold air. Maybe I could make a nest or something…
Then, inspiration descended from the heights, shimmering, golden, perfection embodied in an oaken form.
Michelangelo only dreamed of such an idea.
Photoshop. Print the template. Tape it to the board. Put it on the bandsaw.
Finished. Finished in teak oil. Installed.
Christmas day dawned bright. The chickens ate a bagel for breakfast as the Chicken Nativity looked on.
(See the Joseph rooster, Mary hen, and little baby Jesus chick?)
Oh, Mikey, those marble statues were nice….
But you should have tried oak.
Merry 3rd day of Christmas, and three wooden hens!
-Josh