When I walk about Buffalo Jackson I smell leather. 

When I smell leather it takes me back to a small camp leather shop by wife taught when she made my first brief case/ my guitar strap.

She was the artist I fell in love with.      

I love a good sturdy bag for carrying my “ tools”  

Tools for writing, painting, recording sound or photos.

Even some of my working tools.   

I have a hammer that was my dads, it was passed on to him by a local blacksmith.  I went to see Mel Henderson that blacksmith not long before he died. My dad had worked for him as a teenager.. I told Mel I wanted to be a blacksmith.  He didn’t turn around just stood and stared out the screen door and said- you should make a good one son,

uh huh…  cause the best ones are surely dying.  I not sure that was true encouragement but.. 

I was already drawn to the fire and in love with the tools. I had one of his small hammers, I was connected.   I will pass that hammer on to one of my children who will hopefully pass it onto one of their children.   

When I put that hammer to use I am connected to history, to art, to family and projects.  I know that is a mysterious connection, but art and our love for art is mysterious.   

A  Real Old time hardware store sends me down that same connected road. Look around  Tools and seeds, fasteners, nails, widgets,  I love to made, build and fix things. It is in my DNA, when I don’t know how, I love to learn how.

I love to talk to people who do know how to do things.  

What’s this?   

Actual object from Dave at Hardware.  

Take your kids in a old hardware and find several things you have never seen before -ask about their use.  There is always someone who is willing to help and to teach.   

Samuel Yellin was one of this countries most famous blacksmiths.

He came to this country in 1906. 

He as a master smith but he was a teacher. 

There are stories of him going to Ellis Island to watch people come to America and see what kind of tools the trade they were carrying.

A carpenter would not leave his saw or chisels behind, a blacksmith had his hammer or tongs  a tradesman keeps his tools close.     

Yellin watched as men came off the boat.  What were they carrying on this new journey  He was hiring blacksmiths

.

I have a favorite hammer, a apron make of mule hide.

I have an English Anvil.

I have a love for art and good things.

I  hopefully will pass this love on to my kids and Grand kids.    

So what tools do you pick up.

What tools do you carry

What connects you to your past.

What connects you to your future.  

A good field trip might be in order.

Take a journal and take good notes,   

write us .. Tell us what you found.