Kind Words about Jeff's Recent Demo

We recently received the nicest note from the organizer of Jeff's last demo.  We love to teach and inspire, and it is wonderful when we get feedback that shows that we've possibly met those goals:

  Jeff:

I'm sorry I have not written to you sooner, but I have felt gratitude to you every day since you agreed to handle the blacksmith demonstration.

I have heard nothing but amazing feedback regarding your appearance at the park (in that capacity), and among my regrets is that I could not be there personally to see you do all that you did for the kids (and so many adults).

Thank you for enriching our summer experience. Your participation is nothing short of wonderful. Certainly I hope you feel good about your involvement and your demonstration -- as you are most likely to get the call again.

Sincerely,

James

Demo at Mount Vernon Park

Last week, Jeff demo'd at Mount Vernon Park.  He had a great time demonstrating how to create his leaf hooks. Many thanks to Angela for sending us this photo!

We are currently planning our fall demo and teaching schedule so please let us know if you are interested.  

Scenes from the July Market Fair at Claude Moore Colonial Farm

Many thanks to a friend for sending the photo at the top and to our older son for the photo of me taken before the fair.  We had a wonderful time!  And, we want to thank Matt for coming out to forge with Jeff on Sunday!

Jeff Checks out the Farrier Aspect of Blacksmithing

Jeff and our good friend Steve had a great time the other day.  Steve is a farrier and was working at a local stable, so we went to visit him.  Jeff had a great time working in Steve's forge and hanging out!  

Baby Birds

This week has been hard.  One of our friends has died, leaving a wife and two young children. When times are rough, I've learned to carry my camera and look around, because a message is usually waiting.  Life suddenly appears, like a rainbow in the midst of a flood.

A Hungry Snake

Not my usual photographic subject, but at least the camera distracted me while my kids watched this snake try to eat its meal!

"Autumn Reflections" On View at Meadowlark Gardens

One of my photos, "Autumn Reflections" is currently displayed in a show at Meadowlark Gardens now through August 20th because it placed 1st in the Garden Views category for the 2012 Washington Gardener magazine. Enjoy! 

*** Please note that this photo was taken by someone affiliated with the Washington Gardener magazine.  Thanks!

  

More Photos and Video from Jeff at Claude Moore

Many thanks to Tom for sending these on and we hope to see you during the 3rd weekend in July at Claude Moore for another demo! 

What's Wrong With This Picture?

The blacksmith goes camping but forgets all his iron tools to manage the fire!  :-)

Enjoying the Lavender at Calico Fields

We recently spent an afternoon at Calico Fields on the Eastern Shore in Maryland.  Calico Fields is a small family farm and it was a treat to meet the farmers at the Wye Colonial Fair in May.  We also love their products (especially their lavender and peppermint soap!). One of the blessings about doing demos is getting to meet wonderful people and experiencing new things; learning about Calico Fields is a perfect example of why we love getting out and about, both teaching and learning!

Blacksmithing Classes

Jeff has been doing a lot of teaching this year.  For adults, he's done an intro class and a tool-making class and had a great time with both.  He's also found great delight in teaching older children in semi-private class sessions, with prior interviews and parental involvement.  These photos are examples of students' work -- they haven good reason to be proud of their accomplishments! It's a great match of Jeff's skills, since he has long been an educator and communciator in his other jobs so he is able to make blacksmithing accessible to students.  If you are interested in taking a class with Jeff, please let us know.  We'd be happy to chat with you and see if it might be a good fit.

More Photos from May's Claude Moore Colonial Market Fair

We always enjoy seeing photos taken by visitors at our demos!  Many thanks so much for our friend, Darci, for sending these to us.  We'll be back at Claude Moore for the next fair, held on July 20-21.  We hope to see you there!

Still Lifes from Pioneer Farm at Mount Vernon

Note -- these photos were taken using my phone.

Distracted by a Poppy On My Way to Work

Our Time at Stratford Hall -- Great Blacksmithing & Great Company!

We had an amazing time at Stratford Hall this past weekend.  We were part of an incredible blacksmithing line-up that featured a colonial horseshoeing, blacksmithing, and smelting.  But, this was not just any blacksmithing event -- it was held on a historic and beautiful property.  Plus, we got to spend the time with some wonderful folks!  What could be better? 

It was a real treat to forge alongside these fine smiths.  Our good friend Steve Walthall demonstrated his farrier skills and smiths Steve Mankowski and Lee Sauder built a smelting furnace and turned iron ore into a bloom of iron and then into an axe.  They even gave the finished axe to our son!

It's a bit of a running joke that I tend to ruin my historical accuracy when I am in colonial attire interpreting for Jeff because I can't help but grab my camera throughout the day.  It's all true....but the light was great!