I look forward to the Thursday carving sessions with the Panama Carvers (AKA The Long Island Wood Carvers Association). I pack my tools, my project of the day and my camera in a shopping bag and drive to the Senior Center in Merrick…
As you enter the room, on the far left, is a smiling woman who always says ”good morning”. That’s the last nice thing you hear until you get to the smaller room with the carvers settling into their work.There is an intent group of four ladies playing Ma Jong…They rarely look up.”One bam—two crack- North” I have no idea what’s going on, but they look happy, they just don’t look up.
And then we have the poker players who never look happy.
”How could you bet like that? It’s not a good bet.”
“It’s my bet..That’s what I bet.”
“You shouldn’t bet like that. It’s not good poker.”
“Look at the money? Who knows from playing? You?”
The Panama Carvers are always happy…That’s BIG ED, Howie and Ed. (Second Picture)
Howie has been working on his beautiful walking stick.He just added a wood spirit wearing a crown…It’s good to be the King.(Picture's 3 and 4)
Meanwhile, Ed saw BIG ED working on three projects simultaneously…”Why do you do that?” asked Ed.
“I have a very short attention span.” Replied BIG ED.
Pete
Pete brought in a few finished carvings His cowboy on a pony racing away from the law, a nice one of Willy nelson and
also a pair of horses..All great.
Harvey brought in two projects..One has a hand on a brick wall and the other is a small lady… Roy said,” Ha! That’s not a spoon!” Roy is the spoon king.
Charlie brought in a spoon carving with a star of David as part of it. Charlie has lived in Long Beach, my hometown, for thirty eight years. I left LB before he arrived and together we knew some of the old history as well as the new.He has a nice polar sweatshirt but does not do the polar bear winter swim….Smart man
..
Meanwhile I sat next to Eli. Eli was back to carving chains.. He said that he hates carving faces..”They terrify me”…I’m sure he could do a face as well as anyone…Maybe Jacob Marley’s? Think of the chains he could put on that guy.
Don was carving a Santa…Even me, as an untrained relatively new carver, can see how much he has improved over the last two years.
If things go as planned, next week will be my last appearance at the Thursday sessions until next spring..I enjoy writing about the events of the day as much as I enjoy the carving itself. ###
