Filed under: The Great Outdoors | Tags: Angling, hunting, sportsman, sportsmen, the sportsman's world, vintage
Last time we reported on “Sportsmen,” it was The Sportsman’s Wilderness, this time its The Sportsman’s World. Yet another amazing collection of vintage technicolor sportsmen, and women, conquering the wilds of our world. Published by Field and Stream in the late 50’s, the Sportsman’s World showcases the best in hunting and fishing found around the US and the in other parts of our globe.
If you are interested in the rest of the image set they can be found here.
Filed under: Craft, Eats | Tags: churnning butter, Foxfire, The Foxfire Book
To churn your own butter you need a 4-5 gallon stoneware jar with a wooden lid and a dasher. Fill it half way, or slightly over half, full with rich milk which should mostly be cream. And then get to churning the cream with that dasher you made from an old broom stick.
To pass the time you can try chanting this traditional chant said in time to the up and down movements of that dasher. When the butter gathers adequately, remove, rinse, and and some salt. Let it chill in the icebox before spreading on some toast. * As seen and described in The Foxfire Book by Eliot Wigginton.
Filed under: Angling | Tags: bamboo rod, Bob Clay, kispiox valley, Riverwatch, spey rod
Bob clay makes beautiful bamboo fly rods. While he makes several different types of single handed rod he is most well known for bamboo spey rods. The rods are unique works of craftsmanship that cast beautifully and also happen to catch trout. His company Riverwatch Rods is located in the Kispiox Valley in British Columbia, a destination for any angler in search of steelhead fishing.
This is a great short video of Bob talking about steelhead spawning in Canada, if you don’t want to watch the whole thing at least fast forward to min 1:05 and watch one of his rods in action.
*As seen in a Patagonia catalog
Filed under: The Great Outdoors | Tags: birch bark canoe, edwin tappan adney, Henri Vaillancourt, John McPhee, The Survival of the Bark Canoe
Over the weekend I started reading The Survival of the Bark Canoe by John McPhee, a favorite author of The Wildwood and one discussed here previously. The book describes the process used by Henri Vaillancourt to make birch bark canoes using the same tools and methods American Indians perfected. The canoes which are made using no nails, screws, or rivets are essentially lashed and sewed together.
While describing the constriction process and history of the canoes, McPhees book also goes on to tell the story of an eventful expedition he goes on with Vaillancourt through the Maine woods. At the end of the book are also a great collection of drawings by Edwin Tappan Adney of birch canoes.
While had been thinking about building a boat recently, I think these birch bark canoes are a bit to much for a beginner. If you are interested however you can find out more at Henri Vaillancourt’s site and more history here.
I recently learned of the artist Aaron McLaughlin, perhaps you have already seen his incredible art, but he was new to me when I saw his work in the most recent edition of This Is Fly. I have only seen his surreal collages, which combine sacred geometries with images of the natural world. The results are quite stunning. I hope to see more work like this from him.
See more of his work here…and here.
Filed under: Listen | Tags: E.C. Ball, Estil C. Ball, Face a Frowning World, Orna Ball
Born in Grayson County, Virginia, Estil C. Ball was an American folk musician who played mountain county gospel and finger-style guitar. A musician who probably did not get enough recognition in his life time, Estil used to preform with his wife Orna and their Friendly Gospel Singers in churches and on the radio. If you like what you hear check out Thompson Square Records who released Face a Frowning World, a collection of E.C. Ball songs recorded by other favorite musicians including Bonnie Prince Billy and Jolie Holland.
Wildwood 