Winter Growth Rings and Summer Growth Rings

This beautiful basket was made locally by artisan Linda Hartman

who lives in "nearby" Warner, New Hampshire.

A few weeks ago, we had a chance to meet her in a very relaxed

few moments during the opening hours of a traditional crafts

fair at the Shaker Village at Canterbury seen below.

There were many craftspeople there, demonstrating their work

and selling, and some of the things we watched or viewed

were more in line with my textiles background.

But the baskets spoke to me that day,

and this one, which I now own, has continued to fill my lamp.

Linda graciously talked with me as I used the strategies

I learned from my mother Helen who often "interviewed"

the people she chatted with to glean more when something

proved of interest to her.

Linda had a few things there in her booth to help explain,

particularly to young visitors, about how baskets are made,

where the stock comes from, what the process is like,

and so forth. Though I didn't get a shot of Linda demonstrating

this, the layers separation process to produce the wood

"sheaves" that go into making a basket begins with a certain length

of log of particular species of trees. A heavy mallet like the one

on the grass beside her is used to beat the log surface all along

 its length, with enough force to smash and destroy the softer,

 "spring" growth rings that exist between the more durable

"summer/winter" growth. Once the pounding is done,

the layers of the log can be "easily" separated 

in thin leaves . . . 

. . . which are then scraped to get them "cleaned"

and smooth enough for use in baskets, then further

split into the appropriate widths, and so forth.

This image is of Linda scraping the spline

using a modified "spoke shave" and a sawhorse

that my son Cory would recognize as some he uses

for other wood working applications.

Linda had a graphic for explaining the difference in the appearance

of the spring and winter growth that looks something like this:

Quoting from this instructional web article,

the light ring is spring/summer growth where sap is

flowing heavily. It is made of soft, spongy wood

that easily moves water and nutrients through it.

The dark ring is fall/winter growth with little or no sap flow

when the tree is dormant.

I have spent many moments studying Linda's basket.

As the tag explains, this is created from more than

one kind of wood, in the handle, rim, ribs and weavings.

(It does NOT use the sheaves that are explained above.)

To the touch, the strips that fill in the shape feel more

like leather than wood, and are taken from the outer surface

of the tree - the bark. 

You can see how she shaped the rib ends as they meet

at the sides of the basket, and decoratively masked

the "imperfections" that are an unavoidable part of

 the shaping process when the components meet up 

at the handle on each side.

My mind often dives into every thought-filled situation, to find

corollaries to life and Gospel teachings.

Not surprisingly, this hand-made piece has provided many.

The one I will focus on here, that put oil in my lamp

this past few weeks, has to do with the contrast

and balance between our "spring" times of life,

and our "winter" times. We are usually feeling happy,

and at ease when the sun shines, things are going well,
and there are pleasant happenings all around, 
showing the energy of life and the prospect of

a growing season. 

Even in the instant, we understand these moments

will provide contrast with the "winter" to come when the going

is much more difficult, when the days may seem cold and

dreary, lonely perhaps, with time for introspection and

perhaps even some self-blame or at least self-doubt

and soul searching as we wonder if we are succeeding.

Good times are great and to be hoped for, 

but just like the wood layers that

are "sheared" for the creation of baskets, the "spring" rings

may NOT be where the hardiness for challenge can be found.

The Amish had a name for this which was often captured

in the simple designs of their quilts.

"Sunshine and Shadow"

We need both of these - life is equipped to supply them.