Members Freeman Keller Posted December 15, 2016 Members Share Posted December 15, 2016 Some of you might remember the guitar that I built a couple of years ago out of hundred year old barn wood from an old homestead near where I live http://www.harmonycentral.com/forum/...924-barncaster I donated that guitar to the conservation group that owns the land and they auctioned it at their annual dinner for a nice tidy little sum. After the auction a guy came up to me and said that he had been bidding on the guitar to give to his son for a Christmas gift. I said, "you know, I have some more of that wood and could build another one if you would donate that amount to the Land Trust". He said he would. Then I thought to myself, my son was interested in that guitar, maybe I'll make one for him for Christmas and likewise make a donation to the Land Trust. Then I thought even more (that's a bad sign) and decide that maybe I should make a third one (actually forth when you count the original) - either I can keep it (and make a donation) or someone else might buy it (ditto). So, three more little pine wood tele clones out in the shop So then I get a call from the Land Trust telling me that the owl's nest in the barn is in danger of collapsing and wondering if I thought we could do something to stabilize it. It turns out that owls do not build their own nests but "appropriate" the nests of other birds - hawks or ravens - and momma owl was unlikely to fix the nest on her own. Well, since one of my other hobbies besides making sawdust is climbing in the Cascade mountains I called another climbing buddy and we went up to the barn yesterday. When we opened the door to the barn the owl flew out - she roosts there all winter (don't know where last year's babies went). Sure enough the nest is falling apart We had an extension ladder and some climbing gear with us - the ladder wouldn't reach the top of the barn so we climbed up as high as possible, threw a rope over a beam and pulled the ladder to the peak of the roof That way we could climb up to the nest and stabilize it with a network of ropes under it Once we got the nest stable we hauled up a couple of buckets of twigs and made the nest better - if momma owl wouldn't do it I guess we had to. The Land Trust told my friend and me that if there are two babies next year they will name them Mark and Freeman. ps - it was ten degrees F when I left my house to go do this little project - reminded me of my old ice climbing days.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Freeman Keller Posted December 15, 2016 Author Members Share Posted December 15, 2016 I dug back in my archives and found a picture of the baby owl from last summer. Cute little hooter, eh? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Les Paul Lover Posted December 15, 2016 Members Share Posted December 15, 2016 Only partially guitar related...... Tut tut tut..... But Thanks for sharing all the same! Lovely story! Hope thw owl comes back and doesn't feel thw nest has been "disturbed" by the improvements ! I suppose the barn is too good a shelter for that owl to miss out on it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Grant Harding Posted December 16, 2016 Members Share Posted December 16, 2016 Awesome stuff! I have to admit I've come THIS close to asking you to make me a Tele several times over the last 12 months but always chickened out. If you do think you'll have one for sale I'll gladly put my name first in line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Freeman Keller Posted December 16, 2016 Author Members Share Posted December 16, 2016 There is a lot of scrap wood up there....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Grant Harding Posted December 16, 2016 Members Share Posted December 16, 2016 Hmmm... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members t_e_l_e Posted December 16, 2016 Members Share Posted December 16, 2016 *lol* have not one, but 3 projects running and all 3 will be finished before this christmas? *wonders* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Freeman Keller Posted December 16, 2016 Author Members Share Posted December 16, 2016 There will be a card in the box that says "return to Santa's workshop" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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