Wood you believe it

After work and after whizzing round ye olde workbenche with more of the wood preserver I actually had a bit of spare evening.  Naturally, I watched a video about how to build a small desktop-sized portable workbench.  I don't know why, because I already own one, but now have some ideas for improvements.  Because, you know, I need more projects or something.

Far beyond my own capabilities were that of Pete the Fish, who built one of my basses.  It has bookmatched bird's eye maple facings, which in one light look mottled and plain, and in another light look pleasingly crinkled and three-dimensional.  No-one is quite sure how maple can acquire a grain like this, because you don't know it's there until you chop into it, but they think it might be some kind of genetic thing.  At any rate, I like its creamy yellow subtlety.