Pine Wood

I love the smell of fresh cut pine wood.

Seeing a house being built is always fun. In particular, looking at, or better yet, walking through the framing – when all the workers have gone.

I am not sure why it feels so happy to do this, but it does.

Perhaps it’s seeing the essence of the house coming out of nothing – an empty lot.

Perhaps it’s the smell of the wood.

Or perhaps it’s a sense of adventure – exploring.

Perhaps it’s the figuring out of what room is where.

Or perhaps it’s imagining, for just a few minutes, this is our new home.

My grandfather was a carpenter. He built the house I grew up in. I often imagine him building each room - a time when the house was still lumber and plaster mix.

I enjoy cutting wood, and carving wood. It feels to me warm and still alive. I love to see and feel wood shavings, even sawdust.

I remember going into a meat market when I was very young, and there was sawdust and wood shavings on the floor. It was so much fun to slosh through it all, and kick it up a little here and there.

Perhaps next time you see a house being built, you might want to wander over and visit the living trees that have become planks and framing and pine fragrance.