A simple exchange

by dot farmer

Community

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Saturday, Dec. 06, 2025 Saturday, Dec. 06, 2025 at 1:21:15pm PST

File name .:DSCN6372.JPG..File size .:360.2KB(368803Bytes)..Shoot date .:0000/00/00 00:00:00..Picture size .:1600 x 1200..Resolution .:72 x 72 dpi..Number of bits .:8bit/channel..Protection attribute .:Off..Hide Attribute .:Off..Camera ID .:N/A..Model name .:E995..Quality mode .:NORMAL..Metering mode .:Multi-pattern..Exposure mode .:Programmed auto..Flash .:No..Focal length .:23.8 mm..Shutter speed .:1/3.9second..Aperture .:F4.3..Exposure compensation.:0 EV..Fixed white balance .:Auto..Lens .:Built-in..Flash sync mode .:N/A..Exposure difference .:N/A..Flexible program .:N/A..Sensitivity .:Auto..Sharpening .:Auto..Curve mode .:N/A..Color mode .:COLOR..Tone compensation .:AUTO..Latitude(GPS) .:N/A..Longitude(GPS) .:N/A..Altitude(GPS) .:N/A — Abraham Lincoln - Carved in 1997 - Maple on Walnut base.

One has to be careful in making portraiture. Corporate entities love to copyright images of public figures. They couldn’t do it with Honest Abe.

One of my nephews has repeatedly expressed interest in this portrait of Lincoln, yet has never asked me to price it. My theories about that are that he thinks he’ll get it for free upon my eventual demise or he thinks his wife would object to it. This nephew is as irreligious as I am, but his excessively religious wife thinks almost any kind of art is sinful. She would likely faint if she saw my nude figurative study of a female entitled “Wood Nymph”.

A few days ago, I happened to encounter the proprietor of a tree service at a routine doctor’s appointment. He’s already cut several trees for me in exchange for wood carvings. I told him that a slippery elm was over-topping our stable to the point of threatening its structural integrity. I no longer have any economic need for that stable, but Barn Owl roosts and sometimes nests there. Stable belongs to Owl.

He came out and examined the tree, then came in our house to look through my carvings. He chose Lincoln and a hawk in exchange for removing the tree.

The following day his crew came out to remove the tree. It took two truck loads to remove the ground up limbs plus a third truck to remove the short logs and get the tree down to a three foot tall stump.

The following day he showed up to pick up Lincoln and the hawk.

My nephew has yet to stop by and notice Lincoln’s absence. He had adequate opportunities.

Owl likely objected to all the racket but was in the stable when I checked it this morning. Owl was a little jumpy and departed out the back entrance upon my approach.