Author Archives: ren

Print: 2025 Ice Cream Social

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Originally printed at the Ephrata Cloister Ice Cream Social in August on the English Common Press reproduction at the Cloister, this was reprinted with my APA number on my 6.5×10 Craftsmen Superior for submission to the Amalgamated Printers’ Association. 170 pcs – 9/25

Colophon:

  • Historic Ephrata… / 18 pt. Bernhard Gothic Light
  • 2025 / 36 pt. Lining Gothic
  • Ice Cream… / 48 pt.. Dynamo
  • Sundae graphic / First half 1900’s cut
  • APA 1023 / 12 pt, Garamond
  • Paper: French Paper Co., Construction, Steel Blue 100# Cover

Ukulele Number 17

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The Kala Waterman Aqua-Blue Glow-In-The-Dark Soprano Ukulele was appropriately bought at the seaside where many of plastic ukulele probably found its strings. Jolene bought it for me in Rehoboth Beach. I don’t remember why… but other than my indestructible polycarbonate Outdoor Ukulele is the only plastic uke I have. In spite of that it sounds pretty good and after all is part of Kala’s Beach Collection.

Certified Wildlife Habitat

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Our yard has been an official wildlife habitat long enough for our sign to fade to the point of being unreadable, so we just got a new one.

And right now we have the wildlife to prove it. Squirrels, opossums, rabbits, and raccoons. The skunks are around as well, but not seen this week.

At the Top

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Nearly 22 years later Ben and I finally have our picture taken on the summit of Mount Washington. We climbed it by way of Tuckerman’s Ravine and descended by way of Davis and Boott Spur trails. Our most memorable hike which of course means the most painful and poorly executed one. The bear, appropriately named Tucker, was a gift after and sports a t-shirt that says: I Did It – 8-17-02. We did not take a summit photo at the time because waiting in a long line of tourists who had driven up or ridden the cog railway seemed pointless. The fatigue of hours of climbing may have been a factor as well. In this picture we are two of the cog railway tourists.

Art Supply and Easel Boxes

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I did these some time ago but just discover the photo which I don’t believe was posted. I woodburned my wrens onto boxes I bought. The small one has compartments for all kinds of art supplies and the other folds out into a table easel with a drawer for supplies.

Fraktur Easter Rabbit

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I took a class at Mennonite Life, formerly the Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society, to create a copy of an historic folk art rabbit in a grain painted frame. Of course adding to Jolene’s rabbit collection was one motivation for taking the class. I was particularly enamored by the grain painting and can’t wait to do some to accompany projects in the print shop like the cover I made from the practice papers we did in the class for the ring notepad below..

Groundhog Day 2024

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Early this morning we traveled to Myerstown to observe the Grundsau Lodsch Nummer Siwwezeh am Union Kanaal (Groundhog Lodge Number 17 on the Union Canal) consult with their groundhog “Uni” (named for the “Uni”on Canal) make his fearless prognostication on the arrival of Spring.

In the video above the forecast is given in Pennsylvania German, which all local groundhogs appear to be fluent in. For the language challenged the video below is presented in English.

Pine Pepper Grinder

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The first project of the new year was accomplished due to unseasonably warm temperatures allowing not only work in the shop, but even outside on the picnic table. I had this pepper mill, and another for some time to turn a base for, but ran into problems with the blanks that I got for them. They were too small even though I bought them in a set to go with the grinders. Instead, I found this piece from the pine tree Ben planted as a seed in kindergarten a perfect match for the size needed.