two birds and a bunch of frogs.

Yesterday afternoon my wife and I went on frog watch to learn about how to identify the various frog and toad sounds we hear in the night. It is utterly fascinating how many species we have, and during each specie's mating cycle, they add to our nightly forest cacophony. To learn the sounds of each individual species can give greater insight into the health of the particular habitat that surrounds us.

I am also killing two birds with one stone, though I am speaking figuratively and would be haunted by remorse were I to actually kill two birds.

I am making some inlay as shown, both to create artistic badges of honor for donors to our local community center foundation, and to use in preparation for my upcoming tiny boxes class.

The material added to the ends of the stock are to make it long enough to pass through the various processes after it is cut into thin slices on the band saw.

The toads in the image above, taken on the playground at the Clear Spring School, are likely fowler's toads,

Anaxyrus fowleri.

Subscribers of Fine Woodworking will find a product review that I wrote on page 21 in the current issue, just arrived or due to arrive in the next few days.

Make, fix, create, and enlist others in learning likewise.