carp fishing photos.

i finally managed to get the carp fishing trip photos sorted out,here included is my son jake with his two bream...

yew 2 ,cows and saxon burial mounds.

Ive been working on my yew stave outlining the rough shape,the grain is good and the blend of sapwood and heartwood could make a very striking bow.
ive started walking along the downs,this area isvery different to what im used to,the weather is felt much more,there is no shelter exept for a few trees here and there.i can visulise plains indians living on exposed areas and what they must have endured...the area i am walking has ancient saxon burial mounds,these have been excavated anda large 6ft 5 saxon chieftan grave was uncovered,these are hard to spot as they just appear as mounds.
parts of the downs have herds of cows roaming freely.
im using a map and compass to navigate around i hope to plot out a good route that i can walk regularly,and hope to see deer,and maybe some good prey birds, and flora and fauna..

wolfbushcraft: yew stave

wolfbushcraft: yew stave

yew stave

here is some pics of the yew stave,i split it using my leuku,and two hazle gluts,the stave itself is 5ft 4inches..

longbow

its been a dream of mine to make a long bow,ive tried once but failed,here in the uk yew wood is no longer great for making longbows as most of the good yews were used in the past..i found a good tree,growing in the dark,tall and straight,it had shed most of its side branches,so its knots are small,i hoping it works out,if not i will have a large flat self bow...more to follow..........

hernes challice...

pagan roe deer antler handled burr bowl ladle on eBay, also, Woodworking, Crafts (end time 25-Jun-09 18:35:32 BST)

bow stings

i previously mentioned about badger raids on bees nests,well ive found this going on alot ,this time i took pics,notice the bee..
im currently working on a new bow,im still fine tuning it so im not ready to show it yet..ive been working on the plains native american system of carrying the bow together with the quiver...

cattails,flint and steel.

Ash burl bowl

ive decided to put my bowl up for sale...
Rustic Ash Burl bowl on eBay, also, Woodworking, Crafts (end time 09-Jun-09 18:26:46 BST)

sap and fire carrying...

There i was happily walking along my trials when i decided to stop for my ciggy and tea break,what happens my lighter broke,i always travel light so only had my steel flint and char on me to light fires(my preferrred method),so i looked around for a way to light my roll ups..Its not rained for a while so i was lucky..i salvaged a birch poly pore an old net,king alfred cake,and some burdock leaves,and a couple of elastic bands..i lit my char,blew it onto the polypore and hey presto a smouldering ciggarette lighter,wrapped up in green leaves to stop it burning too quickly ,put in the net and tucked under my belt,and i was off.So there you have a woodsmans ciggy lighter..luckly no one asked me for a light.he.he..


I always see cherry birch sap oozing out from damaged trees,ive experimented with it to see if i could light it etc,but no luck.Any way asking around i found it has wound healing properties and has been used for many years..i got some and put it on a cut and it actually dries like second skin,forming a natural salve to protect an open wound..I also can see it being used to fletch an arrow,just run the sticky sap down the shaft and it would hold/not stick the feathers on while you tie them..its worth grabbing some and put it in your kit/medicine bag.It dries hard and non sticky,just put it in hot water when you want to use it..

A day out carp fishing...

pagan alter

i love nature,and i also have a special relationship with it.,i blend my nature with the intention of respect and honour to all living things,and of our ancestors long ago...i rebuild things and change them alot,change is a good thing..today i rebuilt my alter,its nice to have one of these in a special place,you dont have to be a new ager etc,its just a nice symbolismn of nature,put on it what you want,make it special,every new or full moon light a candle on it,make it yours,its a good way to give back what we take...