another kind of handmade
This was the 'other kind of handmade' beauty that I referred to a few weeks back. A gorgeous cedar-strip canoe, built by Steve's father and his partner twenty years ago, and just recently gifted to us. To say that we're happy to have this is a huge understatement - we're thrilled, honored and much more. And at a full 18 feet in length, it's just perfect for our family of five. This past weekend was it's first trip in the water in years - a short little trip in which we confirmed that the youngest among us is not such a fan of the water - not this year, anyway. (And I can now add paddling to the list of odd times and places in which breastfeeding has proved to be a lifesaver). Nevertheless, we were happy to be in this special boat and on the water, and are greatly looking forward to next weekend when we can get back out there (and Adelaide can have a very special solo date with her grammie).
Naturally, all this talk of how it was made and by whom has greatly inspired the 'makers' around here. Once I talked Calvin down from his grand plan of a canoe big enough for all of us (at least for this year), he shifted to a little bit of a smaller scale. After a visit to the woods, and then our art cabinet, we now have a little birch-bark canoe production happening.
The future for these little handmade beauties? Inspired by the fabulous 2000 mile adventure in one of our very favorite children's books - Paddle-to-the-Sea - these boats be headed down-river soon. We can only imagine what kind of adventures they'll have on their journey out to sea. All three miles of it.
oh wow! paddle-to-the sea!! that was one of the first books i ever checked out of the library in elementary school. i must have been maybe 6 years old. the beginnings of my life-long love affair with reading. 45+ years later, i can still tell you the author: holling c. holling. have you read pagoo?
Posted by: wordybird | July 31, 2007 at 07:28 AM
What beautiful little canoes! My son and I loved reading Paddle-to-the-Sea; there is actually a homeschool curriculum that uses all of the Holling C. Holling books to teach kids about geography, history, animals, etc. Very enjoyable :).
Posted by: Leah | July 31, 2007 at 07:53 AM
What a beautiful canoe - such rich colors, and it's size! I went to a canoeing camp as a kid. That is so wonderful that you will be able to share this as a family. My boys and I will look for the birch canoes to arrive in our creek here on the farm in GA in many months. We love that book too.
Posted by: Madeline R | July 31, 2007 at 08:05 AM
Oh canoes! One of my most favorite ways to travel. They have such a calming effect, the paddling, the rippling of the water next to the boat. Reminds me every time of Camp Tan De Ko. What a wonderful gift! First the table and now this?!?!? You must be in heaven.
Posted by: Eren | July 31, 2007 at 08:09 AM
Oooh...I can't wait to make these with my kiddos - What a wonderful idea! You are a never ending source of inspiration!
Posted by: Julie | July 31, 2007 at 08:10 AM
thou shalt not covet thy not neigbor's canoe. thou shalt not covet thy not neigbor's canoe. thou shalt not covet thy not neigbor's canoe.
Posted by: robiewankenobie | July 31, 2007 at 08:13 AM
what beautiful boats (both of them!). it's so wonderful that your children are inspired by everything around them and actually go ahead and make their own versions- no matter what shape or size they may be.
Posted by: Julia | July 31, 2007 at 09:06 AM
Fantastic! That photo of your sweet little man with his boat is the best. Such a squishy little rogue :-) Can't wait to check out that book! We made boats out of toothpicks and wine corks a while back, but my guys didn't want to let them go down the creek. I finally convinced them to let them go upstream if I promised to stand downstreem and catch them. And the canoe? So jealous!
Posted by: Stefani | July 31, 2007 at 09:18 AM
Oh, that picture of Calvin with the little canoe, it gave me goose bumps. The big canoe is just gorgeous. My hubby got a free canoe about the same size off craigslist and is itching to refurbish. I will show him yours for a bit of inspiration.
Posted by: marytree | July 31, 2007 at 09:39 AM
Well,, Calvin's canoe is just as lovely as can be. What an accomplishment :-)
Posted by: Melissa R. Garrett | July 31, 2007 at 09:43 AM
Oh that is so neat that your children know Paddle-to-the-Sea. I'm from the Great Lakes area and that is a special book to us for sure.
I hope you really enjoy your new old canoe :) What a treasure.
Posted by: amanda | July 31, 2007 at 09:43 AM
Oh, so beautiful! And made even moreso to know that it was handcrafted with love by someone close. How wonderful that it inspired your little ones as well!
Posted by: Lisa Clarke | July 31, 2007 at 09:50 AM
Beautiful! My dad is working on his own (similar) boat this summer and my little guy is in awe when we visit. Have you seen the book "Cedar" by Hilary Stewart? It looks like it's out of print but there are used copies available if you really look. Amazon maddeningly doesn't give a glimpse of the hand-drawn pictures, which give it such charm, but I have this strong feeling Calvin would be enchanted with all of the uses (it's a book "for adults," loved by many children).
Posted by: Beth | July 31, 2007 at 10:08 AM
Wow!!! this is just amazing!!!
You have such an inspiring life!
Francesca from Italy
Posted by: Francesca | July 31, 2007 at 10:19 AM
oh, what a beautiful canoe! there's been lots of talk in our family of building a canoe (the real deal), but we have a few other things to finish building around the house first. happy paddling!
Posted by: stephanie | July 31, 2007 at 10:33 AM
Calvin- Your canoe rocks!!!
I also showed your creation to my boys and they think you're a very cool dude.
Posted by: Sarah | July 31, 2007 at 10:39 AM
holy smokes. that is so beautiful. how cool that you guys get to go exploring in such a great handmade creation together. it looks like it could fit your family of five and then some. :)
and of course the little creations are quite precious too.
Posted by: kristin | July 31, 2007 at 10:41 AM
Oh my ... I can understand why you would feel so honored to have been gifted that conoe. It is beautiful and truly a priceless family heirloom. Wow. And Calvin's canoes going down river to the sea? Very inspiring.
Posted by: Grace | July 31, 2007 at 10:47 AM
PS: Loved your breastfeeding remark and also in the middle of a very long and involved crafting dream that I had last night, I had a copy of your book AND book #2! LOL.
Posted by: Grace | July 31, 2007 at 10:55 AM
The canoes are beautiful. Always a pleasure reading your posts. Thank you.
Posted by: Natalie | July 31, 2007 at 11:00 AM
Ha ha, I had to reread that sentence about talking Calvin down from building a canoe big enough for the family... when you said "at least for this year," I thought you were hinting that the family would be bigger next year, and that you were preggers....!
But now I get it. Please resume regularly scheduled programming. :0)
Posted by: Michelle | July 31, 2007 at 11:24 AM
Wow! What beautiful handiwork. Now wonder you felt honoured to receive such a gift. That canoe is absolutely gorgeous. Love the birchbark canoes, too. We're trying our hand at doing the same with birchbark (from a tree that was dead but not completely decomposed) we collected on a recent paddle down a local river.
Posted by: Katherine | July 31, 2007 at 11:50 AM
What a beautiful canoe! Definitely a treaured gift. And love the one Calvin made too. Thank you for sharing!
Posted by: JaimeLeigh | July 31, 2007 at 12:05 PM
Yesterday, WE (read that as ME being sat on and tickled into submission) ordered Seabird and Pagoo from Amazon. The same author I think from reading your other comments? I wonder if you have those?
Fabulous canoe of Calvin's. Most impressive.
Posted by: bigbucketgirl | July 31, 2007 at 12:52 PM
wow! what a BEAUTIFUL boat!
Posted by: kelly | July 31, 2007 at 01:10 PM
Love the canoe, the life sized one and Calvin's.
Posted by: tamara | July 31, 2007 at 01:51 PM
That is a beautiful boat!
Posted by: Christina | July 31, 2007 at 01:52 PM
We have a copy of Paddle to the Sea that was read to my husband's father when he was young, then to my husband and now to our kids. It's one of our family treasures. Great job, Calvin!
Posted by: Wendy | July 31, 2007 at 02:54 PM
What beautiful canoes!
Posted by: kimberly/tippytoes | July 31, 2007 at 03:10 PM
that canoe is so beautiful with possibilities that it makes my heart ache....
Posted by: Marnie | July 31, 2007 at 05:59 PM
The kids canoes are gorgeous!!! (and so is yours)
Posted by: melody | July 31, 2007 at 06:02 PM
lovely - what a wonderful "hand-me-down" treasure. and i LOVE calvin's canoe - the birch bark takes me back to spending summers in the adirondacks at a very similar lake. do we sense he may become somewhat of an engineer? such a creative mind!
Posted by: jennifer | July 31, 2007 at 07:07 PM
Amanda! I have the perfect book for you guys....if you havent already read it. ~grin~
After reading the above comments about canoe books it triggered my memories of fall and sitting on the floor and couches with my kids and reading *Three Days on a River in a Red Canoe*.
Love, love, Love this book!
I can say without even knowing you personally that you guys will love it too.
ahem...speechless about how blessed you are in your gift of that canoe...priceless.
Posted by: Lori | July 31, 2007 at 07:30 PM
Wow. That canoe is beautiful. Ever since moving to the end of Lewis & Clark's trail and learning about the Native American canoe builders here, we have been very interested in handmade canoes and kayaks. They truly are a work of art and ingenuity. Congratulations!!
Posted by: Amber | July 31, 2007 at 08:09 PM
What a beautiful family heirloom- how lucky you and your family are!
Posted by: Angie | July 31, 2007 at 09:47 PM
wow! no doubt that canoe was gifted to the right family. oh, and calvin, as always... very inspiring.
Posted by: heather | July 31, 2007 at 09:59 PM
that boat is just amazing. what a treasure. It is my dream to build a wooden boat someday...
and of course calvin made his own too -he is unbelievably creative.
Posted by: UNIFORM Studio | August 01, 2007 at 09:12 AM
i'm just dying over that third picture of calvin. don't you just love it!!??
Posted by: molly | August 03, 2007 at 01:23 PM
What a beautiful canoe! I grew up kneeling in the front of my dad's canoe, paddling to the meadow on the lake or steering around rocks in the river... You and your kids are going to have such great memories of times spent in that canoe!
Posted by: Steph VW | August 04, 2007 at 09:31 AM
Wow- so beautiful to see a cedar strip canoe. My Dad (who's always been a bit of a maker) made one a few years ago, and after that (his appetite whetted) he moved on to build a small sailboat using the same cedar strip technique for the hull. It's an amazing crafting process to build them. You're so lucky to have one. Who knows, maybe your little ones might build a full size boat one day?
Posted by: di | August 04, 2007 at 07:03 PM
cool boat. it must be exciting to one day paddle out to sea! :)
Posted by: Lee the Red | August 17, 2007 at 04:55 AM
Paddle to the Sea! I haven't thought about that in years, but I never read the book. I saw the movie back in elementary school. I remember it being wonderful.
Posted by: Gift of Green | August 22, 2007 at 09:11 PM