My 2020 garden - one for the record books!

If you've wondered where I've been, rest assured all is well. I went a little overboard with the garden this year, and most of my spare time has been spent dealing with the joys of caring for it. 

I started many of the plants from seeds, and as they grew, 

it felt a little like Jack and the Beanstalk!

 Of course - I can't find the photos of the first day that plants went in the ground, but this photo shows the garden starting to sprout.  

Here it is - today. My cup runneth over! 

Whoever said plants don't grow in the desert doesn't know what they're talking about! 

These perennial artichoke plants are the first to start producing, and it seemed like every week, I was taking artichokes to friends and neighbors. I have two plants in the yard.

I lost count after harvesting 3 dozen 'chokes... what a bounty!

Then... the zucchini mania started. Oh, it started off slowly, with blooms and mini zucs - but wow, 

once the plant matured, it was a little out of hand. 

The leaves grew so large, they hid much of what was growing underneath. It's possible that the leaves provided some relief from the sun, and that's why things were growing like weeds.

 Next thing I knew, there were mutant beasts popping up everywhere!

 When they grew too big, they were perfect for stuffing. 

 It was a little out of control, but slicing these and throwing them on the grill makes for a wonderful meal! 

Then... the onions started asserting their dominance. Whenever I buy scallions at the store, I save the root end and stick it back in soil. I shudder to think of all the times I didn't do this, because I didn't know that they would grow. 

 I don't have to buy scallions from around March - November, and the new growth seems like its on steroids. I mean - who has ever seen a three foot long scallion? 

Then the tomato plants started producing...... 

and producing

and producing

and producing

and producing

and producing. 

I was harvesting about 2-3 pounds a day, and giving them to everyone who would take them! 

On top of that, there are 30 pounds in the freezer, for winter marinara.

There were a few visitors in the garden who didn't fare too well - this tree rat's skull was lurking in the soil,

 and this poor gecko ended up in some mud. 

While trimming some palms...  I found this leaf ready to sprout. Mother Nature has a marvelous sense of design! 

I'll get back to posting about woodworking soon - we're making some great tables in the Tablemaking class, and new classes are right around the corner. 

Stay tuned!

We lost a giant in the Las Vegas woodworking community

It's with a great deal of sadness that I write this post - I just learned about Ed Garcia's passing. 

Ed ran probably the most well known lumberyard here in town - if you ever saw a sharply dressed fellow walking through the stacks of wood, with his safety vest on, then you know who I am talking about. 

Over the years, Ed and I had many a conversation about the state of woodworking in this town. 

Ed's office was next to my saleswoman's desk, and I can't tell you how many times I peeked inside and saw him at his desk. Sometimes we chatted for a bit, and he'd share family stories or some crazy woodworking gossip. 

In fact, when I started Sin City Woodworkers in 2009, I needed a location to hold our second meeting, and Ed generously offered Peterman's warehouse to our group. 

I'm going to miss his charming smile and his leadership there. 

RIP, Ed. 

The Vegas woodworking community is a little dimmer without you in it. 

A beam compass - my lifesaver today!

A project I'm working on needed a piece of melamine cut into a circle. Instead of cutting it with a router and compass jig, I decided it was just easier to draw it and cut it with a bandsaw.

 It didn't have to a be perfect circle, so it was fine to simply draw it on the panel, and cut it by eye. 

I pulled out my well used compass, 

but unfortunately, it wouldn't open up wide enough to draw a 17" circle. 

This radius would only draw a circle about 15.5 inches. No bueno.  

Then I remembered the beam compass that I purchased years ago. I don't use it that often, but when I need it, it's the perfect way to draw larger circles. 

The kit comes with these two heads;

 you supply the "beam." 

Any strip of 3/4" wood works for the beam. Of course, I had just gone on a cleaning binge at the shop, and threw out all of my scrap, so I found a couple of strips of plywood in the trash and made a beam. 

It didn't have to be pretty. 

And it wasn't. 

I set the points 8.5" apart, which would give me the 17" circle that I needed.

 Find the center and drawing the circle is a breeze.

 Bam!

 It was perfect, and the beam compass made it simple. 

You know what's NOT so simple? 

Keeping the shop cool when this is happening!

By the way, if I had it to do over, I might buy this compass.

Here's a good one, too:  FATMAX Chisel Compass

Stay cool, everyone - Summer is past the halfway point!

"You had time"... to build a Tie Cabinet

This shutdown (and the imminent re-opening) of Nevada has been a mixed lasting for a lot of businesses. Quite a few of my peers have told me that business is brisk, and that this period has been a blessing in disguise. 

For me, it's been a mixed bag. Not a day goes by when I don't hear from students who are yearning to get back into the shop. They miss the camaraderie, and the access to the tools. 

Frankly - they miss making cool stuff!

Speaking of cool stuff - I finally finished my tie cabinet. 

Back in the day, I used to wear neck ties. And I amassed a very nice collection of them - everything from hand painted silk ties (with woodworking motifs!) to some really fun designs. 

Who doesn't love a Mr. Potato Head tie?! 

A few of my ties have woodworking and plumbing designs, too! 

When I used to volunteer for the local AIDS task force, this condom tie was a big hit! 

I LOVELOVELOVE these pop culture ties, like this SPAM design and this Batman tie. 

And this Pink Floyd tie got a lot of use, back in the day.  

I had to thin out the collection - there were just too many!  

This cabinet had its start 17 years ago, when I made these doors at an Anderson Ranch design seminar. 

These doors hung in my studio for a long time, and every time I looked at them, I made a mental note to get that cabinet made. 

When I had some free time...

The shutdown gave me the time I needed - in fact, I've built myself a couple of pieces in the last few months. But this tie cabinet is one that I love the most. 

It features three drawers, 

and one removable tray. 

To commemorate this period, I lasered a small plate for the back. 

The shop is re-opening to the public this coming weekend, and it will be very interesting to have people back on the tools. 

It feels good to check this cabinet off of my "to do" list.  I'm looking at this shutdown as a blessing in disguise - I'm so saddened by the loss of life, the loss of people's livelihoods, and how some businesses have simply disappeared.  It's mind boggling to realize that some of these things are... simply... gone.   

But we're a resilient bunch, and we'll figure this out someday. Meanwhile, just "having time" will have to suffice. 

Here's one of my favorite Ani DiFranco songs - You had time.  

Enjoy!