I finally tuned up the kerosene heater and crawled out from under the cold or whatever it was I’d been dealing with for the last two weeks. It feels good to be back in the shop again, putting my tools to use.

I usually try to finish my spoons as soon as they’re dry enough but lately it’s been more about the rough cuts. There’s at least a half a dozen ready to go. They’re waiting – almost patiently – in the wood chips. It’s like they know there’s warmer weather in the forecast, and they’d rather make their first appearance in the open air and sunshine.

So I hunker down and do the work that’s in front of me.

I’m coming to recognize the importance of letting things dictate their own pace and not pushing the river, as it were. The willingness to live this way isn’t something that’s come easy to me for the greatest portion of my life, but I really seem to be taking to it these days…