COINCIDENTAL BOUNTY

A lot of these sticks were collected on family camping trips and hikes. Not knowing what they would be used for. Like the center one on the top rail. It has what Iam told is a Rust Gall (ball) on it. This is a result of some insect activity in eastern Oregon, where it is hot and dry. But we needed a lot more sticks.
A massage client of mine told me that there was a man who had a house full of sticks, and that he had had a stroke and wanted to get rid of all of them! I found him, and he indeed had a house full of sticks. He collected them for years, with the idea of building furniture. He bought this little old house to use as a shop, and now wanted to be rid of it. I believe I paid $50.00. Four pickup loads of sticks, all dry, mostly peeled, some sanded. He also threw in a big clear fir bench that was just the right height and length to stand on to sheet rock our flat ceilings. I later refinished it, and now use it in my massage room. He also through in all of the fir vee groove ceiling boards that he had taken down in the house. These became the faces of all of our cabinets. What a deal. And just when I need all of it.
My son ended up buying the little house. He remodeled it, moved in, had a fire, remodeled it again, lived in it for several years. Then he sold it to his mother and father in law.
Beside the spindles the sticks were used for a lot of the furniture that you will see later.
Oh yes, the top rail is the other trunk of Matt's plum tree. Carved a fish head on the big end, and fins down the body. It has chain imprints on it from the chain that held it together for years. I like to hear people argue about what it is.