To get the grain that I was after I ended up using two large Cottonwood forks. Here's one.
Material sourcing success!
These logs were sourced on the City of Fergus Falls property in Otter Tail County, MN. The city was replacing a section of the main water supply line near their water treatment plant where it draws water from the Otter Tail River. (BTW my studio is downriver on the Otter Tail). These trees were removed in February 2023 to gain access to the water main for replacement/repair.