A whole lot of love

If you've worked with us or follow us on social media you'll have seen a whole lot of love in our correspondence and our posts. That's not a 'marketing ploy'. It's real. 

It's all about the love that David and I have for the work we do and how grateful we are for each and every one of you.

   

In 7th grade, I was fortunate to have had a truly inspirational teacher.  He inspired and encouraged my love of acting and writing and set me on a course that would have a huge impact on my life.  At the end of Grade 7 which was the transition point from Elementary School to Junior High, my beloved teacher, Victor Wilson gave me with a copy of 'The Prophet' by Kahlil Gibran with a personal note of love and encouragement inscribed on the inside cover. I will never forget that marvelous teacher and have always felt The Prophet to be my own personal book of psalms.
When I consider my life and my work, a single phrase from Gibran often comes to mind. 

"Work is love made visible."

Here is an excerpt from Kahlil Gibran
'On Work'
 
"And what is it to work with love?
It is to weave the cloth with threads drawn from your heart,
even as if your beloved were to wear that cloth.
It is to build a house with affection,
even as if your beloved were to dwell in that house.
It is to sow seeds with tenderness and reap the harvest with joy,
even as if your beloved were to eat the fruit.
It is to charge all things you fashion with a breath of your own spirit,
And to know that all the blessed dead
are standing about you and watching."


This is how David and I approach our work. 

After almost two decades of Touch Wood Rings and working with folks from all over the world, it is still just the two of us and our hands and hearts committed to you, your beloved and your rings.  That's our guarantee. 

When an individual or couple chooses to work with us ~ we are honoured and humbled.  By the time David is creating a ring for you, we count you among our friends. You become part of our family. That's our promise, With Love. Always.

The dairy cow shelter built by Jenny Barlow

If you've been with us through a season or two, you've likely seen a few photos of this little log cabin. It's one of my favourite scenes to photograph; covered in snow or surrounded by willows and wild roses.
Yesterday, a friend asked me for the story behind the cabin so I thought I'd share it here as well.   The couple we bought these 48 acres from called it "Jeannie Meadow."

This wee cabin of hand hewn logs was built by Jenny Warde; a Cariboo pioneer. She ranched and trapped on this property and built the shelter (I think in the 40`s) to house her dairy cow and her chickens on cold nights. The building had no roof when David and I arrived and was almost crumbled beyond recognition. We took it upon ourselves to save this last remnant of pioneer history. We carefully numbered and dismantled the logs, chose a place of distinction at the entrance to our place, put the shelter back together and created a new roof with handmade shakes.

Jenny was born at Meldrum Creek about 1909. In 1981, the local Tribune newspaper interviewed Jenny and wrote a lengthy article about her life. As Jenny tells it, she always loved to be `way back in the woods`.   She was 7 when she started trapping with her older brothers. Until she was 16, she attended school during the days and tended the trap lines after school. She had 10 siblings, quit school after grade 8 and went to work to help support the family. Jenny married Doug Barlow when she was 23. They had 3 sons; Norman, Dean and Bud (Bud and his wife Jeannie are our closest neighbours and good friends). Doug Barlow died alone of a heart attack when he was out on their trap line. Jenny says it took them 8 days to find him.

Jenny worked with Eric Collier as a hunting guide for a few years. He`s the fellow who wrote Three Against the Wilderness. Collier used to say of Warde that she was `108 pounds of dynamite, and could shoot the eye out of a squirrel at 150 paces.
Jenny is legend in this neck of the woods.
We are humbled and honoured to have this little cabin in memory of her pioneering spirit and as a tribute to the work of her hands.

Touch Wood Rings and Design decisions.

Every day brings delight; new inquires and old friends alike. Not having access to telephone on the meadow; we do all our communications by email. It's more time consuming than using a telephone but I find that it's a pretty cool way to get to know people.

I have a lot of fun talking with folks by email; answering questions and offering assistance with wood ring design ideas or chatting about sustainable living. We meet the most amazing people.

One couple was especially creative with their emails. One of Jamie's emails included this Photo shop mock up of Frank ‘thinking seriously’ about his wooden ring design. They were kind enough to let us share this image with you. Great Fun!! Thanks Jamie and Frank.