Cryptic Meg

Eight months ago, Nicholas and I went to a craft fair. We signed up for a couple of workshops, including one on spoon-carving. Nicholas has experience in woodwork, so took to spoon-carving like a duck to water. The same could not be said for me! By the end of the two-hour session, the piece of wood that I had hewn was still looking decidedly log-like. Only the outline that I had drawn in pencil as a guide provided the subtlest suggestion of spoon-ness…

Spoon-carving was clearly not my forte, but Nicholas was excited enough to order the requisite equipment. We both intended to finish off our spoons in the following weeks, but other commitments and projects intervened. So let us fast-forward to last weekend, when Nicholas finally found himself with time to spare, and the motivation to finish the job. Inspired by his resolve, I too took up my carving knives…

Several hours later I was delighted to behold what was unequivocally a spoon, complete with pleasing bowl and rounded handle. I almost went too far – the handle kept getting narrower and narrower as I tried to perfect it, but thankfully I stopped short of whittling it away to nothing. The spoon is now smoothly sanded off, and surprisingly serviceable. How satisfying to be able to tick this project off my to-do list!