I have always liked Photoshop and its associated programs but I truly think the newest version is amazing.
This is a panorama of the Blackwater Draw site taken from about 13 photos with vignettes removed, auto-aligned, and smoothed. The original is about six feet long and awaiting printing.
Click for a larger verion.
This is a double post from my other page but definitely worth reading.
“ancient pots were so numerous they were used for target practice”
“Around here, it’s not a crime. It’s a way of life”
This is an excellent article on the culture of pothunting and the recent repercussions in the way of arrests in southeast Utah.
I have uploaded more photos on the Primitive Gatherings Page. Looking at these makes me think that many will not make much sense or be of much interest unless you were there or are into the same crazy things. Hope they are enjoyable.
I am adding some new pages to organize things a bit around here. These will be under construction for a bit as I add photos and information. I hope to make this a resource for some hard-to-find pre-industrial technology.
See you soon.
I have a couple of road runners living in the yard and have for some time. They are usually skittish but have been hanging out on top of the chicken coup this spring. They built a nest under my carport in some vines growing there and I finally got a peak at the chicks. The mother goes out and brings back lizards and that’s when I snuck in. She caught me the second time and did a great injured bird impression.
The nest is kind of high so I just set the camera for “auto”, raised my arm up as high as I could reach, and just fired away. Most of them were no good but this one I liked well enough.
As a follow up. This was under the nest a little while later and I’m sure it was looking for a snack of baby bird. I hated to cheat it out of a meal but I took it a ways from the house and think it will do well on rodents.
It is a harmless bull snake so I wasn’t concerned for my safety. Even the chickens were relatively uninterested.
These are sandals constructed from the narrow-leaf yucca. These designs are based on specimens preserved in caves. These might not be much to look at but they are remarkably impervious to the many sines, spikes, and other poky things found in the deserts of the west. These are two and four warp designs and the yucca is only slightly processed. The leaves should be dried prior to use and then re-wetted just before weaving. This prevents the normal loosening associated with shrinkage during drying.
These are being diplayed at the Blackwater Draw atlatl and Primitive Technology day 2008.
I intend to continue to research these and will try to compare types through use.
I took this photo about two years ago. It is an amazing and enormous caterpillar on a willow shoot. It was longer than my finger and I think it is a Luna Moth.
The deer are thick at my house right now. Coming in for water and greens. I have had up to 17 in the yard at one time. I live in an area of industrial farming and radically dropping water tables so any oasis concentrates their movements.
The old truck is finally getting some paint on the camper. Also added a tractor swivel light and interior dome light. Wires are fitted for third brake light and more interior.
I added a bed to the truck. It was hard to find the right compromise between sturdy, light weight, and folding flush to the wall. Detailed photos on the Gypsy truck page.
Here is the new truck camper. The outside is virtually done. See more on the Gypsy Truck page.
Here is a photo of my favorite shaving horse. It is made from a plank chainsawed from an enormous pin-oak limb that came down during a storm a few years ago.
It weighs quite a bit but the weight means more stability when using it as a work bench. All my other horses have had an adjustable table but this one is set to a good angle strictly for working bows.
I don’t know of any good plans for these on the web (or elsewhere) but there are plenty of depictions in old art and many for every occupation in Diderot’s Encyclopedia from the 18th century. I made my plans based on several I measured and made lots of adjustments to my first one. I made sure it would easily fit cross-ways in my truck bed between the wheel wells. My second and third attempts got better and better.
Now I have a reasonable set of plans I will put up on my website soon. Here are a few others on my website: http://web.mac.com/paleotool/Paleotool/Tools_Woodworking.html
Cholla at Pecos Pueblo
October 18-19th, 2008
If you are on the southern high plains this October, be sure to check out the Blackwater Draw atlatl throw. There will be flintknappers, archery demonstrations, fire-building, and tours of the Clovis site throughout the weekend. More details later.
Looking south along the 1000′ cliffs of Comb Ridge, southeast Utah. More here: http://web.mac.com/paleotool/Paleotool/Comb_Ridge.html
Sunflower in the yard
Finished a new atlatl this morning. Created from a scrap of Osage Orange wood. The style is a generalized Basketmaker but a bit heavier than some. It has no weight attached yet but I will probably make one just for the “tradition”. It throws well; even with my heavy Clovis-style darts.
