(A side note: All the rapid fire posts being made are actually based on content we originally posted to Facebook. Things will slow down once the site is fully updated.)
Every so often on an early Sunday morning, Katie and I will sit on the couch with a hot cup of coffee, and turn on the TV. We’re really not sure what’s on broadcast or pay TV these days, because we made the move to “streaming only” about two years ago. Switching to streaming really hasn’t reduced the amount of time we spend in front of the TV, but it does change the content. We realized, on a recent trip to see my parents at their winter home in Phoenix, that what we really got away from were commercials and a fixed schedule. So, on Sunday mornings around here, we often choose to spin the random wheel on YouTube. I love YouTube for many reasons, chief among them, is the ability to learn. If you have a problem, someone, somewhere, made a video on how to solve it. Just last week, the thermal fuse on our gas dryer went out… thanks to YouTube, I now know how to troubleshoot and fix our dryer when it goes down.
Along with the excitement of blogging our experience, we enjoy photographing and video-graphing our experiences. Christmas Eve, Katie received a gift from Santa – her pink chainsaw. Before Christmas, before knowing about her chainsaw, she knew we were planning to use timber harvested from our land to build our home, so on the way to Christmas Eve dinner with her parents, she asked me to swing into our local big box farm store. Now as you can imagine, I put up one hell of a fight… I mean what self respecting guy wants to go look at tools rather than get an early shot at fresh Christmas cookies, right? Alas, in favor of not upsetting the apple cart, I reluctantly agreed, and turned the truck towards the big orange silo in the distance. The item on Katie’s list? A draw knife, 10″, straight blade. After checkout and dinner, Katie got to unwrap her chainsaw. And that’s where the fun began.
Did I mention we get up early on Sunday morning? Well, Christmas fell on a Sunday, Katie was up early… too early. One goal in mind. At 0630, 6:30 AM for you civilian types, she poses a question: “Is it too early to try out my pink chainsaw?”
YES.
Later that morning (I staved her off till 9 or so), chainsaw idling in her hand, instructions given, Katie felled her first tree.
She made quick work of the limbs and sectioned off the parts of the trunk. I tried to play super macho man and haul the 12′ section of trunk under the carport… I made it, but my back let me know it disagreed with my efforts.
Once the log was on the sawhorses, Katie demanded the draw knife. She took a couple licks, and then said “get your phone out and take a video!” I pulled out my phone and began to tape what I thought was a 30 second clip of her shaving some bark. What we got was a full on attempt at her first instructional YouTube video (below). No edits. No second, third, or fourth takes. One shot all the way through. I don’t know about you, but I was genuinely impressed. I think this new tool (YouTube) might make for some value to others…. but I’m biased, after all, she is my leading lady!
Do us a favor and tell us what you think in the comments! We’d love to have your feedback.
-j