Last night's skies. Jupiter and Venus were getting together. Jupiter and Venus by Hanzo posted Jun 30, 2015 at 8:20 Monkey's birds, especially Harmony, really like chewing off the curls carved into little branches. This morning, I carved them into a spiral pattern. Seemed to get the other birds' attention more. Carved spiraling curls by Hanzo posted Jun 30, 2015 at 8:20
Don't remember if I posted this already or just uploaded the picture. We cut neem and pine for the monkey's birds. It's a jungle in here by Hanzo posted Jul 1, 2015 at 17:16 Once the sun comes up, it is warm. And then it gets hot. Wife said 90 degreed today. So far, not as hot as yesterday. Beautiful hot day by Hanzo posted Jul 2, 2015 at 10:01 But I am ready. Set up a cheapie blue tarp out back. Just waiting to add monkeys and water. Backyard bushcraft - just waiting to add monkeys and water by Hanzo posted Jul 2, 2015 at 11:17
Added water to the tarp, pineapple juice chilling in a puddle and the biggest monkey of all wallowing in the wet. Pineapple juice chillin in a puddle in the shade by Hanzo posted Jul 2, 2015 at 16:12 Spotted a lone hibiscus and got inspired to take her picture. Made me think of summer skies. Summer hibiscus sky by Hanzo posted Jul 2, 2015 at 16:12 After an hour or so, monkeys didn't join me and I was getting hungry. So some lunch and errands. So typical... sushi! Spicy ahi roll (was so big you cannot tell I took a bite out of it already) spicy ahi by Hanzo posted Jul 2, 2015 at 16:12 Hamachi, Chinese style sushi with ginger and green onion. Love it this way. hamachi by Hanzo posted Jul 2, 2015 at 16:12 A big soft shell crab roll. soft shell crab roll by Hanzo posted Jul 2, 2015 at 16:12 And the chef laid some freebies on. Salmon tempura (about double this amount) salmon tempura by Hanzo posted Jul 2, 2015 at 16:12 And a few pieces of ika, squid. Or as @Bear calls it, bait. ika (squid) by Hanzo posted Jul 2, 2015 at 16:12
On the way back, monkeys got drinks. And decided to have them in the tarp. Cooling off on a hot afternoon by Hanzo posted Jul 2, 2015 at 16:06 Invited a neighbor kid over to cool off. Cooling off on a hot afternoon by Hanzo posted Jul 2, 2015 at 16:05 Cooling off on a hot afternoon by Hanzo posted Jul 2, 2015 at 16:05 Monkey and her "shield" Cooling off on a hot afternoon by Hanzo posted Jul 2, 2015 at 16:05 Lots of tarp sliding. Didn't upload pictures and didn't put the really short video clips on youtube. The water felt great. It's so hot, I don't feel like working.
By the way, fyi, blue tarp grommets are single use only. Be prepared to alternative means, like clips or buttons.
Too hot to work, so whittling on the front porch. Carved a rectangular piece of bamboo to round. Got the end started. As the late Ron Hood would say, "Close enough. Good enough." Backyard bushcraft - carved rectangular to round by Hanzo posted Jul 2, 2015 at 17:37 Backyard bushcraft - carved rectangular to round by Hanzo posted Jul 2, 2015 at 17:37 Anyway, beats working. Do my make up work tonight.
Finished carving the rectangular stick into a round stick. Pretty round and pretty straight. Tapered on one end and blunt on the other. I call it good enough. Amused myself for 20-30 minutes anyway. And now it's cooling off. Backyard bushcraft - carved rectangular to round by Hanzo posted Jul 2, 2015 at 18:05 Front porch bushcrafting this time.
Monkey with alternate cooling methods. Hair up with light weight stainless steel chopstick from my friend, Mikhail. He owns Merkwares and the Emberlit stoves. Monkey keeping cool while making lemonade by Hanzo posted Jul 2, 2015 at 18:25 Hair up while making her most delicious lemonade. Monkey's lemonade among the best by Hanzo posted Jul 2, 2015 at 18:25
O.O ypu got the stainless steel chopsticks! Glad to see you putting them to good use =) BTW @Hanzo. You have beautiful girls
Mahalo @Ganado. Manufactured stainless steel and @Bear forged titanium chopsticks! The stainless is much lighter so a better fit for a hair holder upper.
My monkeys love Harry Potter and the like fighting with their wooden swords. So since I had a small piece of wood, I carved a dagger wand for the big monkey. Originally, I had a spine running the length of the blade. But I took it off the last half of the blade to weaken it and discourage them from getting too aggressive with it. Also blunted the tip, just in case. But I did sharpen the edge above the choil and it works great as a spell casting letter opener. It's very crude, but now little monkey wants one.
Sharpening knives is a good skill to have. It's been a few weeks since I last sharpened our kitchen knives, so while Mrs. Hanzo was out running and before the monkeys got up, I got to it. Always better with less distractions and people moving about you as you sharpen. They always seem to come around me. Plus my pocket knives needed attention too since they are no longer shaving sharp after much whittling and carving. They are back to sharp and smooth. And I touched up my small bolo knife. When I first got the bolo from the Phillipines, the edge was convexed so much that it was round and duller than my butter knives. It took about an hour to get it sharp. A belt grinder would have come in handy, but I always sharpen by hand. Sharpening by hand is kind of meditative. And I was remember once when the little monkey was watching me sharpen a bunch of kitchen knives one evening a year or so ago. She was getting sleepy and the rhythmic sound of sharpening was putting her to sleep. But I was impressed with how aware she was. As I sharpen, I can feel when the edge starts to move smoother on the stones and I can hear the difference in the sound. So in her sleepy state, she mentioned to me that the sharpening was starting to sound different. So proud or her. And then I explained why. Anyway, the bolo was just eye candy for the post.
@Hanzo I really like all the food pics and the pics of your children. You guys look like a very happy family
