All done. I got the steel backs finished and applied a great patina. The patina is relatively unpredictable so it's a great thing when it comes out as nice as this did. The set is waxed, wrapped and packed. Tuesday morning they're off to Florida with me.

I've been wanting to carve another "Cottonwood Movements" triptych since I joyfully parted with my last set in Memphis last October. Cottonwood is one of my favorite woods to carve for several reasons: it is native to my region, it grows quite large, and it has terrific color and grain characteristics. I usually have easy access to cottonwood but this year it's been pretty tough for me to come by. So, it was great news when I heard from my friend Doc Bob that he had the remnants of a cottonwood that fell last summer for me to inspect. On a cold and breezy day a couple of weeks ago I loaded my saw and headed for rural Battle Lake. After a meandering tour of his farm we eventually arrived at the object of my interest. It really wasn't much to look at but there was enough to hold my attention.

With some help from Doc Bob I managed to get a couple of sections crosscut and readied for ripping. Take note of the choppers and stocking cap Bob's wearing....they are mine. The temp was in the single digits fahrenheit so not too cold there however the wind was blowing out of the NW at about 25mph so it was a bit nippy.

I was moving pretty quickly to stay warm. Not long before I had my blanks field dressed and ready to go.

I've already carved the set and they are in my drying chamber. I was fortunate to get three sound blanks out of this trip as there was already a lot of dry rot and fungal activity taking its toll. Stay tuned, it shouldn't be much longer before I have a finished "Cottonwood Movements" to share with you.