Thread: The gift of the gift

A local arborist called me a few weeks back to advise of a large oak tree he was removing. I whipped around and picked up a ton (literally) of logs from which I immediately turned a couple of bowls to give to the trees owner. I passed the bowls on to the arborist (as well as a case of his favourite).

He called me again today just as I was finishing turning a Manchurian pear bowl to advise of 2 Bradford pear trees he was cutting down. I finished the bowl I had been working on and whipped around to collect, again, a ton of logs.

The old couple who owned the pear trees were having an afternoon nap, so I left the freshly turned bowl for them, with the arborist. He then told me that the owner of the oak tree was beside herself when presented with the 2 bowls; the tree had been planted by her mother 80 years earlier it had had great sentimental value. She had been deeply saddened at having had to have it removed. The bowls were all that she had left and so was extremely grateful for the gift.

Later in the afternoon the arborist sent me a text message: "Hi Phil, the (elderly) owners (of the pear trees) are absolutely over the moon with the bowl you left for them and said to say a very big thank you. There was a bit of a fight over who was carrying it inside; so they both did and filled it with nuts for their afternoon tea, it was beautiful".

3 bowls, 3 happy recipients, 1 happy arborist and 1 very happy wood turner who will enjoy the memories every time he cuts into the logs saved from the jaws of the chipper!!

What greater gift could a woodturner receive?