The tour group came and went, and I'm glad I had done some cleaning before they arrived. 45 (or so) extra people in the wood shop meant that the place was very crowded, and to rub up against a piece of equipment wearing clean clothes meant dirty for the rest of the day. My guests were wonderful... Attentive, inquisitive, and experienced in making things themselves, or knowledgeable of the investment an artisan makes in his or her work.

Today Mario sent me a photo of a friend for the Blokes in Basements and Sheds, Geezers in garages series. Above you find Jim Long from Jennings Lodge, Oregon. Mario had met Jim over 40 years ago while they were waiting in line to buy concert tickets and they have been friends ever since. Use the search block above to find Mario in his Buffalo, New York basement wood shop. Like Mario, and so many others across the US, Jim takes pleasure in fixing and making things. What you see in the photo are conventional woodworking tools in a space flexible enough to pull in a car or boat for a quick fix. The shop is the size of a two car garage with the spaces aligned end to end and with a front room for wife Judi's gardening stuff. The blue tarp is used to divide the shop in cold weather so it is easier to heat. Jim's shop reminds me of my first shop in a small 1 1/2 car garage with exposed rafters. I will always have the fondest memories of my many hours working in it.

As a society we are caught up in inexplicable technology. We can't fix things or even understand how they work. The engines in new cars are sealed under plastic shrouds so we won't be troubled by the complexity, or be tempted to think we might be able to fix things ourselves. Unless we take positive action with our children, we may find the age of the American inventor and entrepreneur and back yard fixer and designer to be reaching its end. Why worry about fixing things when they are so cheap and meaningless in the first place?

On the other hand, I asked my 3rd and 4th grade students if they liked fixing things. "Yes!" they all assured me, "Yes!" Not a scientific poll, I grant you, but their enthusiasm makes up for what I lack in behavioral statistics.

I forgot to mention the blog to my guests yesterday, but I did have some cards available for them to take home with the blog address. If any of my guests are reading this today, I want to thank you for your visit and for your support of the arts.

My thanks also to Mario and Jim Long for the Blokes in sheds contribution. Those of us who make and fix are the cultural antidote for what ails the digital age. Sharing something of ourselves with others is part of the fix. If you would like to submit a photo, place yourself in the center of the shop, wide angle so we can see your stuff. Use the self-timer and tripod if you have one. Slow the exposure and avoid flash if possible, by using natural shop lighting. Tell just a bit about yourself, what you make, what other personal needs your shop fulfills. Submit your photo scaled to about 1 meg in size.