Spalted Maple

The wood in this clock is called Spalted Maple, Spalting: is any form of wood coloration caused by fungi. Although primarily found in dead trees, spalting can also occur under stressed tree conditions or even in living trees. Although spalting can cause weight loss and strength loss in the wood, the unique coloration and patterns of spalted wood are sought after by woodworkers.

I found a stencil that I liked for the numbers and then clear coated the clock for protection. It was a very hard clock to make. I had to push all of the wood pieces down one by one because they kept floating to the surface until the solid surface hardened. It was a fun clock to make and the results are very nice. The dimensions are 12 1/4" X 12 1/4" X 1"

Peacepipe

When I started working at the Granite Shop again, I worked with a guy who was part Native American and he made a Peacepipe out of 2 pieces of stone. Kevin and I were going to make one as well. I finally finished mine and it's pretty big and over the top! It weighs almost 9 LBS and is 26 inches long. It has just about the same amout of super glue and bondo holding it together as there is stone in it! Currently it could be used, but I'm going to plug it so it won't. I'm afraid that if someone got a hold of it and tried to smoke with it, that they may die due to the glue and fumes involved. I had a suggestion to sell it and so Amy and I will probably sell it as a decorative pipe on ebay.

The Great Outdoors part 1

The great outdoors is something Amy and I have experienced the last few days. Part 1 is what I am writing about and part 2 will be on her blog in the next few days or so. On Thursday we went up to the Temple Quarry Site in the mouth of the Little Cottonwood Canyon. I had never been there and Amy took me there to see how it was all done 150 years ago. I love history and I really like to see how things are done.
Click on pictures to get a better view.

After that we drove up Big Cottonwood Canyon and over Guardsman's Pass to Park City. Neither Amy or I had ever done that before. It was amazing and it was nice to be in the mountains.

Yesterday, we went to dig Geodes out in the desert at the Dugway Geode Beds. I hadn't been there since I was young and didn't quite know how to get there, but we made it, eventually!! It was a long way out there and we didn't find any Geodes either, but we had fun just getting out of the house. There were some amazing views all the way out into the desert like this one.

It was very hot and half way there, we stopped at a place called Simpsons Springs. There is a spring out in the middle of the desert. It was amazing to see it since it felt like 120 degrees when we got out of the car!! There was a small stone cabin there and a few other ruins of where houses stood. Simpsons Springs is part of the Pony Express trail and every 5 or so miles there is a marker showing where the trail was. Some of it was where we drove and some was off the road quite a ways. It is really cool to think about how they could ride a horse all the way from the Mississippi River to Sacramento, rain or shine, day and night, all alone! Kind of scary, but thrilling at the same time!
A big green rock called Limestone.

In the far background you can see buildings at the Dugway Proving Grounds. In the foreground is the Spring that animals, Native Americans and of course Pony Express Riders and staff used.


After Simpsons Springs we were driving alone and Amy was feeling a little sick and we saw the sign for Dugway Geode Beds 22 miles. We just about died, but Amy said that we were almost there, so we kept going and when we got there I dug some holes and looked around and we didn't find a thing! We saw a lot of lizards and this one was amazingly big which Amy will have on her blog.

When we were done looking for stones that weren't there and since it was getting late, we left and decided that we would come again someday. All the way out there I had told Amy about all of the amazing animals like Antelope and Deer that I would see when I would go to Topaz Mountain. We saw only 3 wild horses driving in and tons of lizards!

Then at a moment I saw a Pronghorn on the side of the road and skidded to a stop. It hopped away about 30 feet and stopped and looked at us. Amy got a few good shots of it and we proceeded on our way back to Simpsons Springs.

I kept saying that it sucked that we didn't see any herds of animals like I had seen before and before we knew it we passed the Springs and there in the road and all around us were about 50 to 60 Pronghorn (Antelope)! Amy got a lot of great shots and when I was rolling away to leave, we almost hit one that was just kind of strolling in front of us. He was good sized and very close so we got a great picture of him too! We got going again and eventually we came across dust just floating above the ground. We were both trying to figure out what was making it. The answer came when we got closer. There were Hundreds of Wild Horses moving across the plain. I'm not sure if they were Mustangs, but it was amazing to see!!! My Mother would have loved it!! Amy got some great videos and she will be posting them along with some really cool pictures. It was really neat to see wave after wave of horses walking up to where we were to a watering hole and then moving on across the road out towards Dugway Proving Grounds. Amy said, "that that was worth the whole trip!" It was also way too dark to see anymore, so we just got going and about an hour and a half later, we got home.

Where did 2011 go?

I'm ending this year pretty much the way I started it! I've had a couple of jobs this year. Some were fun and some were not, but I'm still unemployed and it sucks!! I do have a nice big reading list though, so here it goes in order of being read:

Rick Riordan

The Red Pyramid

Doug Robinson

Driven: An Autobiography of Larry H. Miller

Leolard W. Levy

Origins of the Bill of Rights

Heidi S. Swinton

To The Rescue: The Biography of Thomas S. Monson

John H. Groberg

In the Eye of the Storm

Proctor

Autobiography of Parley P. Pratt

John H. Groberg

The Fire of Faith

David McColluch

John Adams

Orson Scott Card

Pathfinder

Louis Sachar

Holes

Mark A. Shields

Gospel Symbols: Finding the Creator in His Creations

Tim Allen

I'm Not Really Here

Andrew C. Skinner

Prophets, Priests and Kings

Rick Riordan

The Lost Hero

Mary Jane Knight

Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Ultimate Guide

Gerald N. Lund

The Work and the Glory: Pillar of Light

Ethan Rarick

Desperate Passage: The Donner Party's Perilous Journey West

Pat McCarthy

Biography of Daniel Boone: Frontier Legend

Brandon Mull

Beyonders: A World Without Hero's

John W. Rockwell & Jerry Borrowman

Stories From the Life of Porter Rockwell

Richard Lloyd Dewey

Porter Rockwell: A Biography

James Dashner

The 13th Reality: The Journal of Curious Letters

Elaine Marie Alphin

Davy Crockett

Nancy L. Stair

The Bill of Rights

Charles Portis

True Grit

James Dashner

The 13th Reality: Search For Dark Infinity

Maureen Sherry

Walls Within Walls

Julie Wright & Kevin Wasden

Hazzardous Universe

Jeff Kinney

Diary of a Wimpy Kid

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules

Diary of a Wimpy kid: The Last Straw

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Do It Yourself Book

Walter Farley

The Black Stallion

Jane Yolan

Johnny Appleseed

Gerald N. Lund

The Work and the Glory: Like A Fire Is Burning

Cooper Edens

Classic Western Stories

James Dashner

The 13th Reality: The Blade of Shattered Hope

Carol Beach York

Casey Jones

Rick Riordan

The Son of Neptune

Obert Skye

Beyond Foo: Geth and the Return of the Lithens

Wonkenstein: The Creature From My Closet

Jeff Kinney

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Cabin Fever

James Dashner

Jimmy Fincher Saga: A Door In The Woods

Cressida Cowell

How To Train Your Dragon

James Dashner

Jimmy Fincher Saga: A Gift of Ice

Jimmy Fincher Saga: The Tower of Air

Jimmy Fincher Saga: War of the Black Curtain

Cressida Cowell

How To Train Your Dragon: How To Be A Pirate

How To Train Your Dragon: How To Speak Dragonese

How To Train Your Dragon: How To Cheat A Dragon's Curse

How To Train Your Dragon: How To Twist A Dragons's Tail

How To Train Your Dragon: A Hero's Guide To Deadly Dragon's

How To Train Your Dragon: How To Ride A Dragon's Storm

James Dashner

The Maze Runner

All are great books, but Diary of a Wimpy Kid and How To Train Your Dragon series are "freakin Hilarious!!"

A tough 26 months!

I have a job! After 26 months of heartbreak and lessons learned, I got a call from a man named Kirk. Amy and I were at a Pirates 4 when it happened. We came out of the theater and I had a missed call, but there was a message that told me a little about the job of polishing concrete floors and he was looking at my resume and thought that we could both benefit. He hiring me and my talents with polishing. I called him back and he hired me. I have never even met him yet, but he liked what he saw on the resume.

I turned in a resume 4 months prior to a job in Tremonton, Utah. A long drive, but doable for the money, then I forgot about it. 4 months passed and I was hired, out of the blue, without so much as an interview. The interview would be on the job to see if I liked it and if they liked me. The first job was in Idaho Falls and I would be leaving for a week to work in a Walmart that was being remodeled. I had 2 days to prepare. I showed up without anything that was needed. I was under the impression that I would be getting a food card for my food, but that was wrong. I had to provide my own and I would be paid back on my paycheck. $25 a day per Diem. I also needed steel-toe boots which I didn't have and needed on site. So Amy (bless her heart) had to find the money for me to pay for my food and I also bought boots on the job (bad idea), don't ever buy steel-toed boots from Walmart!! The work was ok, but I was quite nervous. I was around all new people, in an unfamiliar place, on my hands and knees, working graveyard, with little instruction to go on! I shared a room however with a return missionary. Dan is his name and he made it a little more comfortable, since I could relate to him religiously. At the end of the week, I was ready to go home. I was told that I did a great job, but to be truthful, I was completely lost on what I was doing. My feet were ready for a break too! I had more blisters than feet! My toenails are still black even 2 months later and I still get blisters like crazy. The job in Idaho was a week on/week off and so was the next in Long Beach, Ca. where we polished the floors of a new WinCo in Lakewood, Ca.

The job is ok, I don't really like! I hate being away from Amy, but it's a job and until I have another, I have to stick with it!

Thanks to all who prayed for us during our 2 year trial. The trial is not over yet, but it's a lot better than it was! I know that there are a lot of others out there that are unemployed and searching for work. Don't give up and keep on keeping on. Keep yourselves busy, donate your time to others and pray often! To my friends and family, thank you so much for all you have done and are doing for us, we appreciate it and we love you!

Where did 2010 go?

2010 sure went fast. It's the only year that I didn't have a job to speak of. My brother-in-law kept me busy with his own business when he needed help during the summer, which was a huge help to Amy and I. Thanks again Matt, your the best and a great friend! As all of you may have noticed from my last post, I did a lot of reading and I've done some more since. I read a book called: Walls Within Walls by Maureen Sherry. A great story about some kids who move into a new home in New York and find clues all over their apartment about the former owners and their treasure. I learned a lot about New York with actual facts in the book like: Sugar Hill, The Amiable Child, Grant's Tomb, Grand Central Terminal, The Staten Island Ferry, Ellis Island, The Kissing Post, Guastavino and tons more.

I also read a book called: Disneyland Detective by Kendra Trahan and Amy and I have some books about Sharks and Ancient Egypt that I pick up every once in a while. I already have a hefty list for next year that I want to start on.

As far as 2011 goes, it would be nice to find a job and I'll be spending a lot of quality time with my wife. She is after all, my best friend! Happy New Year

2010

Time sure fly's by and 2010 is no exception! Amy and I have experienced the worst and best of times this year. Not being able to land a job has been the worst. Finding them is not difficult, but getting them interested in you, is! I have been able to however, not to let the stress-stress me out! We are still alive and kicking and are trying our best everyday. I have however had a great year with reading. I have never been a great reader. I have a hard time with reading mostly because by the time I've read a book, I've re-read the book every few sentences and that is just plain discouraging! When The Lord of the Rings was released as a movie, I wanted to read the books (hopefully before the movies were out), just to see if it was better. The movies were good, but not as good as the books and now I feel that I love the books more. Don't get me wrong though, Amy and I love movies and we will continue to see them.

I just wanted to share the list of books I've read this year to see what I've accomplished:

JK Rowling

1. Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone
2. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
3. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
4. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
5. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
6. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince
7. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
8. The Tales of Beetle and Bard

Robert Ludlum

1. The Bourne Identity
2. The Bourne Supremacy
3. The Bourne Ultimatum

Brandon Mull

1. Fablehaven
2. Fablehaven: Rise of the Evening Star
3. Fablehaven: Grip of the Shadow Plague
4. Fablehaven: Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary
5. Fablehaven: Keys to the Demon Prison
6. The Candy Shop War

Did I mention all of the standing in long lines to have all of Mulls books signed. They were long lines!!

C.S. Lewis

The Chronicles of Narnia:

1. The Magician's Nephew
2. The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe
3. The Horse and His Boy
4. Prince Caspian
5. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
6. The Silver Chair
7. The Last Battle

Mario Facione

1. Mafia to Mormon: My Conversion Story

Stephenie Meyer

1. Twilight
2. New Moon
3. Eclipse

and I just couldn't bring myself to read anymore of this series, it's just toooooo sappy!

JRR Tolkien

1. The Silmarillion
2. The Children of Huron (started)

Michael Lewis

1. The Blind Side (started)

Rick Riordan

1. Percy Jackson and The Lightning Thief
2. Percy Jackson and The Sea of Monsters
3. Percy Jackson and The Titans Curse
4. Percy Jackson and The Battle of the Labyrinth
5. Percy Jackson and The Last Olympian
6. The Red Pyramid (almost finished)

Obert Skye

1. Leven Thumps and the Gateway to Foo
2. Leven Thumps and the Whispered Secret
3. Leven Thumps and the Eyes of the Want
4. Leven Thumps and the Wrath of Ezra
5. Leven Thumps and the Ruins of Alder
6. Professor Winsnicker's Book of Proper Etiquette for Well-Mannered Sycophants
7. Pillage
8. Choke

Tim Allen

1. Don't Stand Too Close to a Naked Man

My everyday on going reading is the usual whatever is on the Internet that catches my eye, my scriptures and the Ensign.

That is quite the list and I wonder what is in store for me next year?