Photography

Photography is an interest I am pursuing with the camera in my I-phone. So far I am pleased with the results, especially in limited light conditions.

In the '70's I had my  own dark room and I recently spent 14 years teaching yearbook. I dislike packing  gear....but I love having a still and video camera that is nearly always there to take the shot. The lens and light capabilities on the phone are still limited, but I am still surprised at how well it works. 

If you click on the link below you can visit some of my recent photos.

Remodel

When I left construction there were people who would call to ask me to take on small building jobs or design projects.

I didn't leave construction to continue construction. Fortunately we were able to purchase a fixer-upper, tearer-downer that takes most of my spare time. So now I'm simply too busy between teaching and personal projects to take on additional tasks.

The original house is about 1000 square feet which we will eventually tear down. The new part includes a solar sunspace-workshop-laundry, a master bedroom suite, and a new entry.

The doors are hand built from recycled framing lumber. The locks from Habitat for Humanity are drop forged and cost $5 each. The heating is in-floor hot water running through six inches of concrete.

Working primarily with recycled and re-purposed materials has been rewarding and a challenge. Sometimes you are your own worst client.  

I have a few photos of some of the details here.

Wood

I like working with wood. In the winter of 2012 I purchased a scroll saw. The first saw was a box store special and it lasted about a week. So it got returned and was replaced with an RB Hawk scroll saw that was given to me at a very reasonable price. 

So far I have created jig saw puzzles, dovetail joints, and have cut out a number of images ranging from elvis to two seahawk logos. 

When I get the time I would like to create a wood gear clock to hang in the classroom.

I also like to build picture frames. I have oak left over from my construction days and mahogany from my brother-in-law's deck. The frames vary in size and include several posters.

 

Travel

When I turned 60 I discovered Miata camping. Beth and I would load our small car with a duffle including a tent, mattress pads, and sleeping bags. 

We have enjoyed exploring Washington, some of Idaho, and much of the Oregon coast with this setup.

As we have grown older, we don't do much camping....but we still enjoy traveling the winding highway with our small roadster and exploring the small communities that pepper the northwest.

The trunk seems to hold my fly rod, a few clothes, and a few treasures we find along the way. A few of our favorite short trips are Astoria, Port Townsend, and La Conner.