I was given some Yucca stalks yesterday... about a dozen of them. So now I have some experimenting to do.
I also started another hearth-board out of a Poplar limb for a "one-stick-friction-fire" experiment. I also have the other branches I cut off it for making the bow and the spindle...but I'll get to that part in a few days.
The machete is a blur in this one but you can see how easy it is to control in the slivers I am getting thinning down the end.
So...now an experimental spindle and a different hearth
Then today I went back up the the area I have been exploring lately to get some other photos I needed, try out the yucca, and walk around exploring some more.The woods are already filled with the sounds of falling leaves and the Autumn colors are popping out.
My favorite way to see poison Ivy...
I still think this is a type of Sumac..
and I'm sure this is.
Different natural tinders are popping out, but I didn't see any thistle today.
I found some grape vines and marked them on my map too.
I found quite a bit more Ocoee in a few clearings.
And I stalked this hornet for a while trying to get a decent picture...but the only time he was ever still was while I was busy trying to change the file size. He's about 2 inches long, maybe a little longer and I think it's from the nest I photographed a while back as it's only about 100 meters from where I'm taking the pictures.
I found an open area to try out the yucca. Since the new yucca spindle is so close to the same size as the Cedar spindle I have I decided to try it in the old socket in the hearth board. I also decided to take Tony's advice and thin the hearth board down some, especially considering how soft the yucca is. Man I just love how this machete handles.
I got a coal after a couple of tries and readjusting my string. The yucca stalk is soft so the bow string compresses it and then the string gets too slack. Definitely ground away more of the spindle than the hearth. I really want to harvest some Basswood soon to try with this yucca.
And the top of the spindle held up a lot better than I expected.
After that I went wondering around exploring again. I think this is another type of night shade.
Lots of Polk Berries and Autumn Olive, the birds will definitely eat well this year.
No idea what this is yet.
Some seedy scat.
I found a Persimmon tree loaded with fruit...both Persimmons and Muscadines. I am definitely going back when I have more time and see if I can spot a small one or two coming up around it.
This picture just screams Autumn is coming!
And of course I had to much on a few muscadines...will be a bit before the Persimmons re ripe.
Then a few shots I took just because I liked them. I was so caught up trying to focus on the spider web catching the sunlight that I didn't even notice the berries until I got home and cropped the picture.
Not sure what's on these leaves.
Lots of bees on the flowers. I even saw some honey bees though was never quick enough to catch them...so there is a honey tree around here somewhere.
Then a shot of the moon between the trees as I was on my way back to the truck.
.
I also started another hearth-board out of a Poplar limb for a "one-stick-friction-fire" experiment. I also have the other branches I cut off it for making the bow and the spindle...but I'll get to that part in a few days.
The machete is a blur in this one but you can see how easy it is to control in the slivers I am getting thinning down the end.
So...now an experimental spindle and a different hearth
Then today I went back up the the area I have been exploring lately to get some other photos I needed, try out the yucca, and walk around exploring some more.The woods are already filled with the sounds of falling leaves and the Autumn colors are popping out.
My favorite way to see poison Ivy...
I still think this is a type of Sumac..
and I'm sure this is.
Different natural tinders are popping out, but I didn't see any thistle today.
I found some grape vines and marked them on my map too.
I found quite a bit more Ocoee in a few clearings.
And I stalked this hornet for a while trying to get a decent picture...but the only time he was ever still was while I was busy trying to change the file size. He's about 2 inches long, maybe a little longer and I think it's from the nest I photographed a while back as it's only about 100 meters from where I'm taking the pictures.
I found an open area to try out the yucca. Since the new yucca spindle is so close to the same size as the Cedar spindle I have I decided to try it in the old socket in the hearth board. I also decided to take Tony's advice and thin the hearth board down some, especially considering how soft the yucca is. Man I just love how this machete handles.
I got a coal after a couple of tries and readjusting my string. The yucca stalk is soft so the bow string compresses it and then the string gets too slack. Definitely ground away more of the spindle than the hearth. I really want to harvest some Basswood soon to try with this yucca.
And the top of the spindle held up a lot better than I expected.
After that I went wondering around exploring again. I think this is another type of night shade.
Lots of Polk Berries and Autumn Olive, the birds will definitely eat well this year.
No idea what this is yet.
Some seedy scat.
I found a Persimmon tree loaded with fruit...both Persimmons and Muscadines. I am definitely going back when I have more time and see if I can spot a small one or two coming up around it.
This picture just screams Autumn is coming!
And of course I had to much on a few muscadines...will be a bit before the Persimmons re ripe.
Then a few shots I took just because I liked them. I was so caught up trying to focus on the spider web catching the sunlight that I didn't even notice the berries until I got home and cropped the picture.
Not sure what's on these leaves.
Lots of bees on the flowers. I even saw some honey bees though was never quick enough to catch them...so there is a honey tree around here somewhere.
Then a shot of the moon between the trees as I was on my way back to the truck.
.
okenest: . Cheers
