Who does Polaroid's ??? What is a Polaroid ???

Days work at US Divers: … Captions by “Others” (Mike LaP.)

Working on a Non-SCUBA project .. Emergency Oxygen Supply for the US Bureau of Mines. Lead engineer: Mike B. plus test manikin.

Tree-Be-Gone .. Now I’m stumped !!!

Three musketeers … Team Triathlon

Michael.. swims, John.. bikes & Dan.. runs … Lake Mission Viejo

Just a quick Nun around the block

Yes-placed FIRST in the woman's divisionMary R. takes a gallant 2nd place

Summer and Winter

Business trips spread over the year offer multi-seasonal views.

UPDATE: Creating alternate tea storage ideas.

The more I think and plan making a Buddhist Alter inspired Tea Caddy,  I was favoring the style and wood coloring  pictured below, the more impracticable it becomes. I just don’t have the free space to house it and I abhor over furnishing.  So I’ll put in to the back burner on a very low heat. 

Imperial Measurements

What measurement system you use .. is best left to you.

Creating alternate tea storage ideas.

Lead up / backstory ……………

It’s probable ever since we had Tea we have had a need for Tea Caddies. Growing up in Scotland and literally having a score of Aunties, tea caddies were ubiquities and varied. Indian black tea was the primary tea being stored and served.

In addition we had a fair umber of Hong Kong Chinese families settled in an around Ayrshire. Going to Primary and Secondary school with the kids of Chinese family's I had early exposure to Guangdong / Hong Kong – Cantonese style of tea culture. Needless to say Scottish tea culture (stretching the use of “Culture”)  is vastly different to those of China … pause for nostalgic laugh

Having a sizable collection of Chinese teas allows me the opportunity to amass a number of tea caddies.  I have a thought of using the design and proportions of a Buddhist Alter, proportioned for use in the home, as a starting point for a new caddie.

Yes we are inching toward the metric system Couple of examples below.  Updates to come as the endeavor progresses. Watch is VERY interesting YT video from an extremely down to earth & talented Kiwi woodworker: A Buddhist Altar, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otvEJVPgKyA

Art, Artistry, Craftsmanship: Okada Yoshio

Three out of a bunch.

These three tools are all, now, very sharp, ready to use. The center tool is by Hirsch, my go-to favorite.

Hirsch Carving Tools

Europe's finest woodcarving tools. Manufactured in Germany continuously since 1780. Hand-forged of Germany's finest high carbon tool steel and tempered to a Rockwell hardness of 61.A bunch more (15) await their turn.

The Cutting Edge

Setting up to sharpen a number of dual bevel edge carving tools. Used for fine detail carving wood blocks. This is a little different than “standard” single bevel edge sharpening. I’ll be expanding on this over the next few posts.

The Hangi-to tool, the most useful and important tool in woodblock printmaking. (also called the kiridashi.  It is capable of cutting intricate, flowing lines that are at the heart of Japanese printmaking. All the outlines in the print are carved with this tool.

Single Bevel, Right-Handed Japanese carving tool.The back face of the tool has a Flat Face that may or may not be Hollow Ground (as above example)

Save the environment … Use Bio-Degradable fuel

As we see, alternate fuel used for personal transport in not a new idea.

Nothing speaks to Christmas like a LEG LAMP

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaI4Tib6te88f_P9r8w5Tmw

Pic. from the movie

Suddenly my day’s not so bad

Just a little fishy …

Not what I had in mind.

Now this is more like it.

A new (Six year old) Shu Pu-Erh on the menu

Yunnan Longrun Pu-erh Tea Cake-Chunhui (Year 2011, Shu Pu),357gAfter a couple of weeks and many infusions, I give this tea a strong recommendation. Nice strong rich tea with a interesting hint of licorice flavor, aroma is non assaulting but reassuring.

Web-Site: http://longruntea.com/

Mt. Fuji; Smoking, a rare event

A cool/cold mid-November morning, pictures by JaYoe

Postcard from Japan

                             Female Nude Seated in Water

水に裸女 Japanese Late Meiji era 1906
Ichijô Narumi (Japanese, 1877–1910), Publisher Japanese Postcard Club

                        1959 Japanese Postcard