Magic Carpet Bench

Labor Day Weekend is here... not that it makes much difference around here...

I'm making progress on the latest project called "Magic Carpet Bench" from this 7,000 lb. piece of Indiana Limestone. 

  It'll have a flying carpet floating over a rainbow with the Sun underneath and billowing clouds on either side. 

 The view from the other side - a long way to go before it's finished... Here's a short video of 800 lbs. being trimmed off with the hydraulic chainsaw:  https://youtu.be/mCO52cmIlos

 While I had the saw out, I cut a 1,500 lb. piece out of another block of stone.  This will be the next project called "Truth"  or "Throne of Truth".  Here's a video of that process reduced to less than 5 minutes:  https://youtu.be/RrOodjnZGcc

 Stone is a good place to catch some rays...

... or catch some Zzzz's....

Eclipse 2017

Monday, August 21, 2017 was the Solar Eclipse that went across the entire country.  Meg and I decided to watch it from the Gardens of the Gods in Shawnee National Forest, Illinois.

All photos Meg White.

 We would never had seen this natural arch except that we had to walk up into the park for about 1-1/2 miles.

 We would check the progress of the eclipse through our 2x glasses as we made the trek.

 You could see the progress of the eclipse in the shadows of the trees - it was cool!

 Garden of the Gods has lots of strange rock formations.

 We joined a group of people on top of a large outcropping....

 ...and settled in as it started to get dark.

For about 2 minutes, it became night.  Lots of people whooping and howling from all the rock formations scattered around the forested area.  It was one big party.

 Some folks hung out even after the main crowds had started to leave.

Large telescopes and cameras everywhere - someone had a big drone.  We topped the day off with a stop at my favorite Owensboro BBQ place for a gallon of Burgoo, 3 lbs. of Mutton and a hickory-smoked chicken.  A long day, but very memorable.