Feeling foxy!

Today was largely spent up on a scaffold applying sculpting epoxy to the large sign for the Fox and Hounds Pub. Sarah and Hailey stayed on the ground mixing for me - a tough job. But they did it without any complaint - as always. 

Today, we used the most basic tools imaginable... our hands and a sharpened paint stir stick for the detail. The shiney bits poking out of the sculpting epoxy are crumpled up heavy duty tinfoil which is used to bulk out the parts I want to build up. It saves the expensive sculpting epoxy and also speeds up the process.

We managed to get the fox's head done and tomorrow we'll do our best to finish the fox's neck as well making the sign ready for paint. Stay tuned for more progress...

-grampa dan

Early morning miracle

This morning came much earlier than usual today. We host Pipsqueak Paddocks (a miniature horse rescue society) www.pipsqueakpaddocks.com on our property. In January we recieved a small herd of horses, two of which were with foal. Since then we, and folks from around the world have been patiently watching and waiting for the babies to come. Since the horses were rescues we had no history and no due date.

This morning, early, was finally the time for the first one. There is nothing quite as miraculous as a baby being born and with Phoebe sitting on my lap we had a front row seat. Things went well and quickly. The baby filly came out strong and healthy, and within a very short time was struggling to find her feet. 

To give an idea of scale... the momma horse is 32" tall at the withers (shoulders). She is doing well and taking good care of her new baby.

-grampa dan

Last piece on

Work continued today on the Fox and Hounds Pub sign. It is looking bigger all the time. I glued on the last piece of Precision Board today, and now it is on to the final carving and then the sculpt of the fox head. That will be done from the comfort of a scaffold, not something we often do on a sign face.

It won't be long until we are into paint. Stay tuned...

-grampa dan