Unique Items For Sale

As many of you know, I have been experimenting with knotwork over the last 6 months, and it's time to clean house.


I am getting rid of all of my one-of-a-kind projects that are accumulating around here.


Please go HERE to view all of the items for sale.  They are all one-of-a-kind, meaning when it's gone, it's gone.


Thanks for looking,


DonB!

Jolly Green Giant on Vacation

The last cukes being given out

Well, today was a bittersweet day.  Good and (sort of) bad.

During the school year, on Thursdays I have been dressing as the Jolly Green Giant and participating in snack time at the elementary school here in Mora.

I challenged them with broccoli, carrots, celery, jicama, cucumbers, fresh green beans, snap peas, and mixes of many different vegetables.  Some kids tried the samples easily, and others were hesitant, if they tried them at all.

Well today was my last day for this school year, and the kids took my advice and ate up all of the cucumbers. This Jolly Green Giant disguise really works.

5 lb Basket

Being my last day, I received many hugs and goodbyes from kids.  Some even asked if I would be going to the other school with them as they move up next year. And from Mrs. Norby I received a giant fruit-Veggie basket as a thanks for volunteering.  It was a wonderful way to end the year at the elementary school.

Who knows, maybe Jolly will be back, or maybe I'll figure out some other character to play next year.

DonB!

The Meaning of "Disciple"

While visiting the church website of my good friend, Randy Christensen, I saw a neat anagram for the word "disciple", and I wanted to share it here with you. It caused me to stop and examine my own motives and methods.  Enjoy.


Core Values

Do everything in love.
I don't have to, I get to.
Seek to understand before seeking to be right.
Compassion is a bridge over which truth is carried.
I am free to fail so I am free to succeed.
Praise in public, rebuke in private.
Leave it better than you found it.
Everyone matters to God.

Isn't that great?!  I really like it.

DonB!

DonB's Latest Hobby/FUNdraiser

As some of you know, I have been playing with fancy knotwork for the last year and have just completed my next set of projects.


I have completed my first 5 fancy hiking sticks, or "staffs" as many refer to them.

Dad - Mom - Red - Mine - 4 Red Rings

Five different styles, using five different methods and knot techniques.

#1 - The first one is called DAD, based on who I made it for.  It is a larger diameter staff, with a double half-moku knot pattern, topped off by 2 tripled Turkshead knots.

#2 - Similar to the first one, but named MOM, because I made it for her.  It is a single-strand St. Mary's hitching, finished with 2 smaller turkshead knots, on a smaller diameter staff.

#3 - Simply titled RED, it is a full moku-hitching pattern, with 2 turkshead knots, done in red dyed cotton.

#4 - MINE.  Can you guess which one I'm keeping for me? It is a 3-strand ringbolt hitching, with the usual turkshead knots finishing it. This pattern makes for the most comfortable grip.

#5 - 4 RED RINGS was my experiment with 2-strand St. Mary's hitching. The red line is added for 12 rotations, making a 3-strand hitching, then back to 2-strands in white. I like the way this one turned out.

All of them are topped off with a leather strap, as well as a keyring through the top to attach accessories such as bear bells or whistles.

As a fund raiser for my ministry work, I figured I would make some of these for purchase.  Depending on style, and which wood I use, they will sell for $50-95.00 each. The ones pictured are done on light colored birch.

If you are interested in one for yourself, or if you know someone that does a lot of hiking or trail walking, please let them know about these.  They take about a 2 weeks to complete.

Alright, it's time to get some other work done.

DonB!

A highlight of this year

Last night was a great night. I'll tell you why.


In every field of employment there are "heroes", or folks that set the standards that others attempt to live up to.  Computers have Apple. Circus has Ringling Brothers & Cirque du Soleil. Well, in magic there are also those that have been pioneers and leaders in various aspects of magic and illusion.


In 1991, while watching a television special, "The World's Greatest Magic", mixed in with all of the big illusions, fog & wind machines, a man walked out onstage holding only a rope in his hands.  Then, for the next 5 minutes he absolutely fried the brains of magicians all over the world.  The way the rope melted together, the ends came right off and then magically jumped back on again, and the fluidity of his movements made for a lot of talk the next few weeks among my magician friends. He was doing things with a rope that no one had ever seen or done before. I said to my wife, "If he EVER releases that routine, I would pay a LOT of money for it." Thankfully he released it 3 years later, for under $50.00, and I have been performing it for the last 16 years.


To see that actual footage, click HERE.


To actually meet one of these "heroes" of magic is a real privilege.  Last night, I was very privileged to spend almost 7 hours with Francis Tabary.

I drove to St. Paul, and from 5-7 PM I, along with 2 other magicians, had lessons from Mr Tabary.  I showed him what I did with his routine, and he proceeded to teach me another 20-30 tips, tricks, effects and handlings for that routine. 

To see the extra work he taught me, take a look at some more recent footage of Tabary, and watch how many amazing touches have been added to the routine.  


Then at 7PM he began his magic lecture for 18 magicians from around the Midwest.  It was fun to watch the facial reactions and audible gasps of those in attendance, as they watched Francis perform the routines he had just taught 3 of us.


I then purchased his book, that is getting more difficult to find all the time, and had him sign it.

DonB! - Tabary

To top it off, 6 of us then went out to dinner with Mr Tabary and talked life, magic, and optical illusions. We then found out that Mr Tabary is also a specialty sculptor, creating real 3-dimensional versions of 2-dimensional optical illusions.  He had two of them with him,so I snapped a couple of pictures.  Amazing to see an "impossible object" live and in 3 dimensions.

Well, now I'm super tired, and I have a show at Bethel College this evening, so I'm going to go take a short nap.


God is good, all the time.


DonB!

Last Weekend's Adventures

Last weekend was a busy, yet strange weekend.

On Thursday Deb & I headed down to the Twin Cities for the grand re-opening of Sears Imported Autos.  The night's theme was "Cabaret," and I played "Joel Gray on Stilts".

Loren Daniels, DonB!

The next day found me wandering around downtown Minneapolis, attempting to deliver a 6-foot long submarine sandwich, for a film short by Norm Barnhart.  We got some good footage inside the IDS building before being kindly asked/told to leave.  When I spotted a beautifully long escalator in the downtown TCF bank, the security there actually invited us to film in their place.  We utilized the escalators, and filmed in the spiraling staircase for almost an hour.  I can't wait for the editing to be done, and when it is I will send you all a link to view it.

DonB, in the parking ramp.

What a life!

DonB!