When I was a little girl, while watching my dad and grandpa and uncles “whittlin” under the shade tree on Sunday visits, telling stories I was spellbound to listen to, I decided I wanted to do some “whittlin” when I grew up. At the age of twelve, I won a pocketknife in the magazine sales contest at school. With that I made quite a few fire sticks to start campfires with…never had that many campfires, and I lost the pocket knife on a family vacation.

About seven years ago I saw a sign advertising Wonders in Wood Show ‘n Sell at the Evansville Armory. By this time I had two nephews with whom I wanted to find something we could enjoy doing together. We went to the Show ‘n Sell and all three of us joined.

Besides just “whittlin” a stick away and listening to stories, I hoped most to learn how to do relief carving, where you carve a picture into a flat piece of wood. With all the expertise of so many fellow members at different levels willing to teach what they know, I’m learning relief carving, wood burning, and much, much more. Most of what I carve goes to family members, carvings for charity at the show each year, or is in process.

From all those years ago ‘til now, this has been the best club experience I’ve ever had. The friends and fellowship are a treasure of a lifetime…and stories continue to be heard.

 

Mary Lou Purtzer