iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Dave Haldiman @opposablethumbs.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

A few years ago a peach tree in my back yard couldn't fight off fungus infections any more, so I regretfully cut it down (years of delicious peaches). Of course I had to save some of the wood. This bowl is from a single slice of the tree and epoxy resin with pigment. #woodturning #woodworking

A lathe-turned bowl, 5-1/2 inches across, with curving sides, made with peach wood and epoxy resin. There are cross-cut views of three branches, showing the wide growth rings.

5548

Dave Haldiman @opposablethumbs.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

A new piece made from ash burl, claro walnut, and a $10 antique mall glass bowl. #Woodworking #Nature

A sea turtle made from light-colored ash wood burl for the top shell and fancy-figured dark walnut for head, flippers and lower shell, carries a blue, frosted glass bowl on its back.

Closer photo from above, showing the lovely grain in the wood: A sea turtle made from light-colored ash wood burl for the top shell and fancy-figured dark walnut for head, flippers and lower shell, carries a blue, frosted glass bowl on its back.

Photo from above of the turtle without the bowl. The grain patterns in the wood look like water waves and ripples.

5546

Dave Haldiman @opposablethumbs.bsky.social · 30/07/2026

Some California Poppies from many dawns ago.

Early dawn photo of California poppies, taken at flower level, the flowers folded and about to open.

170

Dave Haldiman @opposablethumbs.bsky.social · 27/07/2026

Yard rodents spoiled a broccoli head so I tossed it in the direction of the compost bin. But Baxter intercepted and tucked into it with gustatory gusto. I looked up broccoli and dogs and found that a small portion is just fine but too much can be bad for them. #Dogs #Gardening

A fuzzy mutt of gray, black and white, probably standard schnauzer and boxer mix, is stretched out in a back yard, munching on some broccoli.

0182

Dave Haldiman @opposablethumbs.bsky.social · 24/07/2026

The past two years I've put this sign in my yard and at the corner stop sign. Every year, young men in green caps go door-to-door, pushing people to spray their lawns with poison, and now ~60% of lawns near mine get it several times/year. A lot have flowering plants growing around the houses. (1/2)

2192

Dave Haldiman @opposablethumbs.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

Frankie’s second cousin (?) Baxter is sending some by proxy.

040

Dave Haldiman @opposablethumbs.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

This was along a stream near Nashville, TN taken around 1982.

140

Dave Haldiman @opposablethumbs.bsky.social · 12/07/2026

A chalice made from Wisconsin red cedar and clear epoxy resin. Five inches high. #Woodworking #Woodturning #Art

A chalice shaped, lathe turned piece, made from red cedar and clear epoxy resin. The cedar has many streaks and waves of dark reds, magentas and yellowish tan. The resin has formed its own streaks, revealing gaps and knots in the wood.

5424

Dave Haldiman @opposablethumbs.bsky.social · 10/07/2026

Burls are a tree's reaction to infection by bacteria, fungus or virus. The tree can continue to grow for many years, as it's burls create fantastic distortions in the wood. This bowl was lathe-turned from a cherry burl. Nine inches wide. #Woodturning #Woodworking #Nature #Trees

A round bowl made of cherry burl wood, with wild patterns of various browns and tans in the wood.

4322

Dave Haldiman @opposablethumbs.bsky.social · 03/07/2026

Are these swans captive or free? In the hills above Malibu, CA, late 1980s #BirdOfTheDay #Swans #Photography

Two adult swans and their three cygnets have paddled up to the camera and seem to be posing, with their wings swept up and back, and their heads turned. The pond's surface is smooth, reflecting trees off-camera. But there's a net almost enclosing this part of the pond; the adults are at an opening that might or might not allow them to leave the pond.

2190

Dave Haldiman @opposablethumbs.bsky.social · 29/06/2026

Sir Baxter the Vigilant, dedicated to protecting raspberries from marauding bands of ravenous chipmunks. Good boy. #Dogs #Gardening

On an aged wooden bench there sits a bowl of around 4 dozen freshly-picked red raspberries, close to the camera. In the near background, a few inches from the bowl, a fuzzy-haired gray and white mutt stares into the yard, as if keeping watch over the berries.

2190

Dave Haldiman @opposablethumbs.bsky.social · 28/06/2026

Table boat, spalted hard maple, 16" long. From a decaying log left at a free wood bin last year. I cut away the softest bits and gradually carved the core as the wood slowly dried (it stunk). Spalting patterns are made from fungus in the sodden wood. #Woodworking #Nature

Photo of a hand-made, double-prow boat, 16 inches long, carved from spalted hard maple. The sides are about 3/8 inch thick and sanded very smooth. It's finished with semi-gloss polyurethane. There are elaborate patterns in the wood made from fungus that grew throughout the wood-soaked log from which this was made. Also, small grooves and spots made from insect larvae.

3211

Dave Haldiman @opposablethumbs.bsky.social · 21/06/2026

And the second of two. Challenging indeed.

250

Dave Haldiman @opposablethumbs.bsky.social · 21/06/2026

Here's the first of two selections from the 2x4 challenge exhibit. Loads of creative variety and inspiration in a small exhibit.

240

Dave Haldiman @opposablethumbs.bsky.social · 17/06/2026

Thank you, Laura. I've got a couple of pix but I'll take a few more the next time I'm there. Bax's Backyard Barkathon is getting a bit better under control. He's such an eager, alert fellow. Here's a pic of him bravely taking shelter in the basement with me during a tornado warning (no twister).

A close shot of my scraggly, undeniably cute mutt, Baxter, on a basement couch. He looks concerned, as there had been plenty of thunder booms that evening. Also, he could be modeling the "before" picture of a dog shampoo ad.

140

Dave Haldiman @opposablethumbs.bsky.social · 16/06/2026

The local creators space, where I putter around, had a challenge event - make something out of an 8' 2x4. Here's my attempt. It's meant to be a tribute to spring and trees (zipper going downward). But it could also be about trying to hide the algae in the Mall Reflecting Pool (zipper upward).

Titled "Season of the Trees," this is a wall-hanging sculptural piece made from a single, eight foot 2 by 4. The bottom part is a vertical wooden zipper over a brown-stained piece of wood. It "opens" to a spreading wedge of blue-stained wood over which are set many freely-shaped ovoid wooden blobs colored with two shades of green. This is meant to be a leafed-out upper portion of the tree. 26 inches tall.

3254

Dave Haldiman @opposablethumbs.bsky.social · 11/06/2026

Here's a viewing pic that's not made for downloading

A yard sign that reads "Do You Like Butterflies? And Bees and Moths? There aren't many around here any more. Please, do not spray pesticides on your lawn. If you need weed-killer, just spot-spray them. Spread the word. Thank you."

090

Dave Haldiman @opposablethumbs.bsky.social · 04/06/2026

"So an impala, a wildebeest and a zebra walk up to a watering hole . . ." That one always slays 'em, heheh. (photo thanks to) www.popsci.com/environment/...

A photo featuring two female lions and a little cub, all with their mouths open and eyes squinched, as if laughing.

1130

Dave Haldiman @opposablethumbs.bsky.social · 25/05/2026

Stunning! Someone wearing this surely rocked the red carpet at the Sekhmet* Gala. *Ancient Egyptian Goddess of War and Healing

1153

Dave Haldiman @opposablethumbs.bsky.social · 25/05/2026

My dog has a mowhawk or mullet, depending on my mood and his tolerance.

A close up photo of a mutt looking at the camera, a long growth of hair on his head teased into a mowhawk.

140

Dave Haldiman @opposablethumbs.bsky.social · 21/05/2026

... epoxy resin included in the bowls, to which I'll add some color (I like green or blue for cherry). But that'll be a while. Roughly hollowed, the pieces will have to dry - 2/3 years of sun/air drying or maybe 8 mo. in a drying kiln. Meanwhile, here's a smaller cherry burl bowl from last year:

Photo of a curvaceous, free-form, hand-carved cherry burl bowl. Some bark has been left on part of one side. The burl grain makes swirling patterns in the wood. Finished with semi-gloss polyurethane.

1142

Dave Haldiman @opposablethumbs.bsky.social · 21/05/2026

So, two big pieces, roughly round, good for bowls that keep the natural contours/exteriors. Chisel off bark, evict a few carpenter ants. Start with a big drill bit, then chisels and mallet, finding plenty of softer wood inside, some in pockets, some in grain patterns. That'll mean lots of ... (2/3)

A photo of two large, approximately round, rough chunks of cherry wood on a much-used work bench. Both have many knobs of burl wood. One has been very roughly and somewhat carved out, in preparation to become a bowl someday.

1131

Dave Haldiman @opposablethumbs.bsky.social · 21/05/2026

I've been asked about the process when making things from wood. Here's an example - some clumps of burl from a large cherry log that lay on the ground for a while, so there's some decay, which can make things interesting. First, cut up the log and see what's in there (1/-):

Photo of four pieces of wood cut from a cherry log. A bit of burl and some decay are visible.

1162

Dave Haldiman @opposablethumbs.bsky.social · 10/05/2026

A new candle holder made from a cherry branch with some burl, plus some lime jello. Okay, it was clear resin with green pigment. Nine and a half inches tall. #Woodturning #Woodworking

A nine and a half in tall candle holder for three inch candles. The base and top are circular, made from cherry wood. The column is fluted, made from cherry wood with burl and translucent green epoxy resin.

6356

Dave Haldiman @opposablethumbs.bsky.social · 07/05/2026

A couple of classroom maps from the 1950s seen on a coffee house wall the other day. Rather obsolete, methinks.

Photo of a classroom map from the 1950s, titled "World-Relations Climate." It shows all the oceans and continents, except Antarctica, with currents and climate regions defined with colors, arrows and lines.

Photo of a classroom map from the 1950s, titled "World-Relations Temperature." It shows all the oceans and continents, except Antarctica, with lines and colors defining temperature regions.

0204

Dave Haldiman @opposablethumbs.bsky.social · 02/05/2026

Baxter's still new to the neighborhood, here meeting the local fauna. #Dogs

A salt-and-pepper colored mutt pauses during a walk on a sunny morning. He's pushed his head through a short, white, ornamental picket fence and is fascinated by small, ornamental deer that appears to be looking back at him.

1273

Dave Haldiman @opposablethumbs.bsky.social · 21/04/2026

He's a love-bug, about 5-6 years old, with bursts of puppy energy. He's very personable with people he gets to know, and it's hard to believe he spent much of his life running feral with a dog pack. There are some issues to work on but I think we'll agree on them with time.

A close-up of a salt-and-pepper standard schnauzer plus other breeds dog pressing toward the photographer (me), with a gaze that could mean I love you, I love treats, I love belly rubs, I love ear scritches; really, all of that, I think.

250

Dave Haldiman @opposablethumbs.bsky.social · 18/04/2026

David Niven as Phileas Fogg in Around the World in 80 Days (1956).

120

Dave Haldiman @opposablethumbs.bsky.social · 17/04/2026

Meet Baxter, mugging for the camera on our road trip from TX to his new home with yours truly in WI. He was rescued from the street in Houston, where it's estimated there are 1.2 million stray dogs and cats. Many adoption agencies will arrange transport to other states for you. #Dogs #RescueDogs

An almost unbearably cute mutt looks at the camera with his tongue lolling out the side of his mouth, in a hotel room.

2201