a wood life

Morning comes, I awake to see the wooden features of my room, looking out to check the weather, the wood deck and balcony. Living in the woods, I scan the forested hillside for feathered creatures.

Then I shuffle my feet across the faux-wood floor to the fireplace to coax lumber scraps, branches and firewood to a warming fire. After gaining some sort of lucidity, I can prepare the evenings firewood from the piles outside .

Now , on vacation from the university, I'm a carpenter full time. How did this happen?

As I head to work, I may stop at a lumber supplier, or my favorite used materials yard at the foot of the village, where the best boards are gray , painted and weathered on the outside, but generally are prime old forest woods, harvested decades ago. Here, I can feel at home amongst timbers from my native land, smell the smoke from the Douglas fir fire which burns cutoffs.

In the workshop behind Le Marais, I'm improving with basic joinery, but still taking many shortcuts as developed over the years. After a month's time, we have only made a few projects, mostly tables, chests or shelves, but every project gets better and more efficient. I continue to supplement and stock the company with tools and equipment, work space organization. The lumber racks have more variety , slowly and the offcuts pile up: we make decorative items from scraps such as country craft folk art, clocks, decorative embellishments.

The days are spent cutting, sanding, glueing wood, and the evenings removing slivers from my hands or dust from my pores.

I didn't plan this. It just happened. I first played with woodcraft 25 years ago in school, and have tinkered ever since, being encouraged by family. Where this will lead, no one knows. But for now, I can support my wife, practice a hobby which pays, and work indepently in a suitable environment.

Le Marais is doing well. The locals say that breaking even for the first 6 months is a sign of future success. We're doing that and more for our modest operation and have to consider what kind of growth we're ready to envision. The competitors have got us on the radar. The DIY/carpentry shop crowd is pretty small , so everyone knows about us by now, and we are finding out about them. A specialist visited upon recommendation from a competitor saying that the latter was ' nervous' because of our already growing reputation. What we offer the local market is creative flare, color and life and mixes of urban chic and country craft. We are also reaching the target market, and get to deliver our stuff to the nicest, weathiest homes in Jeonju.

this is my merry christmas message

To all the readers and followers of eyesage:

Have a happy Christmas filled with love from friends and family!

Thanks to everyone who browses this blog and sends messages of positive feedback. Thanks for your support and encouragement, apologies for the scarcity of content.

from Gongdok , with love

no blog for ages

Saree is enjoying her escapades to the forest getting wet and covered in burrs and seeds. her hair is getting longer, but not long enough to keep her from shivering sometimes with the cold weather.


Le Marais is doing well. Here are some photos of our creations.
Sales are okay, few customers visit but the ones that do are ready to spend money at the unique store. Most live in the upscale apartments nearby. Yeonmi ( and I, her laborer and technical consultant) is filling orders for custom made objets: tables , book holders, decorations- whatever. She is always tinkering andmaking more stuff, so the repertoire grows. The photography has to keep up for our catalogue. The Bali things are selling, slowly, but most of the big furniture hasn't moved. And , all the teak is cracking from the dry fall climate here, so future furniture from Bali will likely not happen.


Business is okay, we are just approaching one month and the sales are consistent. I spent most of my Le Marais time in the last two weeks building a rough studio in the back. It is about 28 square meters, enough room for a couple benches, table saw, wood storage and work space. With a heater on, it was quite warm during the Saturday night session as the snow flew outside.

We need more tools, obviously, and my old saws need replacing: Yeonmi needs to learn how to use a properly fuctioning table saw. Sanding technology needs improving also, and high quality hand tools are also needed for fine work.

We will slowly build the inventory, perhaps order some more decorations , go online. We have to produce quite a few of the the same items at the same time for stock, as well as develop our own brand and style. Regardless, Yeonmi's vision and taste are exquisite , and well regarded by the clientele. I will ahve a bit more time after finals in two weeks, maybe lots of merchandise will be made then, over the xmas season.


As far as the job goes, the uni has kept me far too busy. This will be my last week of rising at 6am for the professors English lecture course. My vacation duties include four weeks of the same course, offered at two different levels, leaving me with almost 6 weeks of vacation. During the 4 week course, I can foresee enough shop time to produce a good number of products.

I booked a ticket to Thailand for early January, as well as a two week stay in Canada in late February- combined, worth less than a Christmas season fare to YVR. I'm really at the end of my tether with the long endless work weeks, the cold dark looming winter and about a million more compounded subconscious stress factors.

Having said that, my university semester has been the best teaching experience ever. I've had excellent, attentive, active students coupled with my increased skills and efforts, makes for a very fun and rewarding time. The future at CBNU doesn't look so good. We were offered a terrible-offensive to me- contract for next year with only 8 weeks of vacation (scattered in random pieces- down from 16weeks the first year) only a 2% raise ( less than the inflation rate) and 5 clear violations of the Korean labor code. So ...the future is a bit uncertain, I would like to continue on there, but not be treated so poorly.

grand opened

The center table, I also made, it's meant to be a console for the hall. the tile is hand glazed Italian ceramic- very expensive gorgeous material.

Our first custom order- pine desk


No there isn't a loft, I just held the wide angle to the ceiling.


From the lovely cafe 2 minutes walk from here: a bear cookie spa-pucinno.

Well... we opened the store almost 10 days ago, and it went well. As usual, I haven't the time or energy to blog. Furthermore, it has been 2 weeks with unreliable Internet connection at home.

So here are a few pictures from the opening day. We sold quite a bit of decorative stuff so far, so we have to keep on supplying. We have made 2 custom pieces (tables) and sold another, locally made, but only a couple small Balinese items have sold -aside from decorations.

Yeonmi is totally happy to make art all day at the shop, so although she is working long hours , she is satisfied. Since mid - October, I have been doing my heavy teaching work- over 30hrs of classtime- plus easily 30-40hours of carpentry at the shop. I feel a bit out of sorts, without exercise, eating too many take-away meals, and general exhaustion. The dogs haven't been walked so they break away at every chance to roam the street and woods around our village.

Yeonmi went to Seoul today to get more stuff for the shop and I stayed here , a mate came to keep me company. Our lovely village 'older sisters' came to check on me. There was only one real customer, she promised to return tomorrow.

I'm working on a workshed in the back to have a permanent set up for making stuff. We need to continually make furniture and decorative art, so all the tools and wood will be here for convenience.Ii prefer to work at home, but the home shop is much too small. Also, DIY classes seem to be a popular request, so we'll have to set up for that as well. The other part of the plan for the shop is also taking shape: interior contracts. The kindergarten around the corner asked for a quote for a decorative overhaul, it's about a 10k job, but it may go ahead if we trim our budget and she increases hers ( the owner). We would hire carpenters and only profit a little , but we have to get the word out and build the reputation- and pay the rent of course.

So to summarize , after 2 weeks ( only) Le Marais is doing alright. We are getting our target customers ( artsy fancy ladies with spending power) mostly because of the location ( they take notice of the lovely design) but also some word of mouth visitors. Everyone knows and says it is totally unique for Jeonju and stands out from all other shops- but many think it may be a cafe.
My future in Korea may have a lot more construction and carpentry in store for me.

thanks to all the visitors to eyeSage and to Le Marais.
thanks for all the messages of congratulations and well-wishes.

we are set to open November 14th , scroll down to enjoy pictures, see the map

Apologies for the confusion. We will have opening receptions (sans speeches) on November 14th.
Please join us in launching ' Le MArais'.

Le Marais -= Grand Opening- November 7

still no name..

..and we open this weekend.

WOODeco, DESIGNature, Chez Nous, Gepetto's, Rainbow tree, have all been considered, with about a dozen Korean names or phrases I don't have time to type out here..

It is a mess but changes have taken place. The front facade is changing, from the previous- pictured below.
And today we spent all day putting this hardwood floor in, used material again. Actually all of the renovations have consumed post- consumer materials except for glue, cement and fasteners. And at least half of the furniture will be made from recycled wood as well.
This was the shop's previous incarnation.

WOODeco

Since Thursday, when we got the keys and title to the lease for the store, we have been busy renovating the premises to suit our needs. Except for Friday, we put in long, 12-14 hour days and the transformation is progressing.

We first demolished some walls and shelving space which took valuable floor space. We are remodeling one room to act as office, workshop. Yesterday we started to apply some of the mountain of wood bought and delivered, sitting in the back of the shop. This again came from the used material lot at the foot of our village, saving us hundreds of dollars and ensuring that our decoration is unique and distinctively styled.

The shop was a very stark white and black, and the wood is giving color and life. The walls have been plastered and are getting sanded to a fresh blank canvas. We hope to open around Halloween, granted the Balinese merchandise arrives.

I think we have settled on the name WOODeco, as opposed to Rainbow Tree. I told Yeonme it is more representative of the contents of the store.

Pictures will come later, showing a progression of remodelling.

Gongdok photo album

Here in the hidden valley village of Gongdok, fall rituals are taking place. The local residents are harvesting grains, seeds and pulses to dry in the sun before removing the husks. The roadways - used mostly for non automobile traffic ( scooter, bicycle, tractor)- are partially covered with tarps drying everything from hot peppers, sliced squashes and tubers, and rice, making travel more restricted. The plots are slowly denuded from the lush greens to dry auburn and impoverished red soils. Fall crops such as cabbage, daikon radish and onions still sit thriving adding colors of life. Elsewhere, the shrinking weedy greens of untended patches reveal MASSIVE untamed pumpkins.

Locals and strangers alike make daily rounds to harvest persimmons and fallen chestnuts in the hot and clear sunny days. The harvest moon of last weekend marked the start of the culminating stretch of labor before late November's final cabbage harvest and kimchi making.

Meanwhile, at our house we work away at the wood and DIY decorative projects. The planer, saws, grinder and sanders hum and whistle away over the tranquil village. We take over the lease on Yeonmi's store, possibly named 'Rainbow tree' after the Mindinao Gum (Eucalyptus deglupta ) which we saw and were enthralled with on Maui, on the 15th. We have made plans for the destruction and remodelling of some key features of the current clothing boutique.

We will cover the sign, re-do walls and floors, turn a back room to a workshop and maybe open in a couple weeks when the goods from Bali arrive. Hopefully we won't need workers, but I only have 3 days a week to put in. I will only do severe technical work and Yeonmi all the beautifying and decoration. I'll post before and after photos in a couple weeks when we announce the shop opening.

In the meantime , I 'll leave you with this link to a set of photos taken around the village. I never have taken as many as I wished of our village or it's residents. I usually move about with great purpose, and without a camera. I hope to accompany my current writing project- about villagelife and building the house- with a few choice images.

Chusok time

..in a Korean garden...

Dawn: Iksan. We set off as the sun rises in a clear autumn sky to Jochiwon, the t'ain't of Korea. It ain't the city and it ain't the country. But it is the home of Yeonmi's Kim clan. The town of Amisan was founded by her ancestors over 400 years ago, and they have continued residence there since.

We always visit the family home since our marriages a robust hanok over from the late Chosun ( 19thC), where the eldest uncle and patriarch lives with his wife. The two remaining uncles hold court in the family home while their sons and their families visit, and a continual troupe of relations come to pay respects and catch up on affairs.

A massive breakfast was served after honorific rituals, prayer and meal offered to the ancestors. The eldest sons all studied genealogy charts (below) copied from old Chinese scripted documents. It was about 930 when we set off with full bellies to visit the tombs, which are dipersed on slopes all over the countryside in Korea. This family's remains were collected from several locations and now reside grouped in 3 different locations , less than one kilometer from the home village. Yeonmi and her siblings lived in the village until the mid 70's before moving to Seoul.


The first stop was a set of tombs we ( I) had never been to, and there we found, "our grandfather's grandfather's grandfather." To the left and another pair of full prostrations was his son, then his son ( all first sons). So while I'm trying to do the calculations we continue on, while waving and nod-bowing to passers by, others visiting neighboring tombs who were somewhat familiar to the male cousins: all of which are distant relatives. Next was great grandfather x 8 ( going back 8 generations and the 18th century). I lost count after a dozen tombs and was worried about a possible pop quiz. I was happy to be explained most of the connections after deciphering the bilingual kinship titles. By the time we got to Yeonmi's real grandpa, and his two wives, I knew where we were and maybe who was who. But except for those two dames, we visited mostly men's tombs because as you know,"women are not important in Korean culture," as the wife said it. All the daughters ( unless maiden ones perhaps) remain with the husband's families tombs. ....It's all very confusing and complicated keeping inventory with countless scattered, unnamed graves.

Now, I understand why Koreans are so much slimmer than their Western cousins: after the biggest meal of the year they go and do the rounds of tombs, often climbing major slopes in the process and performing several rounds of full prostrations ( a pair each time). This requires a fair deal of fitness. We finally got to the other plot where her father rests and we did another six sets of bows. We were out of liquor ( we toast and pour a glass for each ancient) and food and fruit ( also left at each grave- the reason why fall is Blue's favorite season for running wild in the forest, there are snacks at every big mound of earth) and believe it or not, probably going to have found room for a bit of lunch. It was quite probable that most of the people roaming the slopes were all related somehow, kind of an interesting turn for the rootless Canadian who upon questioning, admitted that we rarely, if ever, visit our ancients, let alone know where they remain.

It's very reassuring to be accepted and well-loved in the family as the visible outsider. The children and cousins all attempt(and perform) English phrases, the women dote over me ( a bit) and the uncles show their pride by having me sit when receiving more relatives. I made up some framed photos of the family and rustic home scenes which were well-received and praised, prompting requests for more photos by the younger gals (below- all spouses of male Kims with Yeonmi).


The meals included the seasonal treats of Soongpyeon( a sesame filled rice cake), Jeon ( battered and fried little patties made with tofu and mixed veg, or pieces of fish, sweet potato, squash-whatever) bulgalbi ( braised ribs, or stewed pork/beef) loads of kimchi and banchan side dishes) and a new experience for me : home made mook. Mook is a jelly/ tofu like brick made from acorns. The second uncle ( in his 70's) collected the acorns from the mountain and his wife made the mook at home. Like tofu and kimchi ( and all Korean cooking) I imagine mook to be very labor intensive, but this one , served in a warm soup with dried seaweed was fantastically rich and robust in texture compared with restaurant varieties. Geun ammonim (eldest auntie) also made home made Yak-hwa, a cookie/pastry -rare in Korean cookery- heavy in syrup , oil and calories.

And so we drove back to Iksan for yet another meal, this one in the restaurant to save the women more labor ( men in Korea help with domestic chores? never) with Yeonmi
sister who, of course, spent her thanksgiving with her husband's family.

Yeonmi with a jack bean from Uncle's garden, for seeds to plant next year.

Not much happening here at eyeSage, but over at NonDit9 the home creations keep on rolling. Here are some of Yeonmi's latest decorations.

I'm just the photographer.

As usual everything made here is with wood scraps, all reclaimed/recycled materials.

l
Here is something to enjoy so you're not disappointed to visit eyeSage and see the same old stuff. Although I am less than pleased with this year's scuba photos, there are still some interesting things to enjoy...and it keeps my 'priorities' in focus. From Bali, August 2009.

And this is actually from Singapore...

doggonegoodtimes

We had Mi-yongs( a village neighbor) dogs here overnight while she was out of town. The poodle thing is a few years old, but the yellow lab only 10 weeks, and the short-haired hunting dog was rescued from a dog meat farm. This pointer is up for grabs, as in , good home needed, but it won't be here. They grow really tall ( which is why the dog farmers have it) and it eats so much it hasn't stopped eating and pooping for 24hrs. Mi-yong's brother breeds the retrievers.

cool school

Back to cool school for me week two. Last week , I went thru a bit of a meet and greet outline with the freshmen students. I have almost 300 again over 12 classes of conversation English. So far, this terms Students seem really sharp and clean, and much higher levels overall than before. This means I have no lifeless vacant students or slackers warming seats, mouth-breathing and consuming precious air. It's quite a stroke of luck to have great, active students from strong departments unlike some in the past like phys.ed. , 'human ecology' ( read: housewife training)...
And again, I get a high level group of former students where we can do more challenging activities.

My schedule remains unchanged, with Wednesdays free all day. I added the Classroom English and Presentation Skills class for faculty which I taught twice in the summer . I do that mornings at 730, which makes for a longer day, but it's light duty and also enjoyable.

Our office staff is unchanged and we continue the fine relationships we've cultivated over three semesters, with a revolving door cast of teachers filling in other time slots.

The students are a great pleasure. Some take courses with me again. It's fun to see them mature; going from post high schoolers to young adults and the physical transformations. Clothing styles change and glasses get replaced by contacts, revealing their folded eyelid surgeries. Braces come off and hair gets permed as they get into the dating game. Now I've had over 1200 students which means on campus and around the commercial district about 1 of 25 people was a student of mine, so there are frequent hellos , waves and bows.

It's great to be on campus and am slowly meeting more and more other professors and interesting people, building a community. Not studying Korean this term as the lunch time slot is much too hectic.

Otherwise, here in the ROK, the fall weather is as usual. September and October offer clear blue skies , warm days and cool nights. The house is a constant delight and sanctuary. The garden, still in bloom , is lush with tall towering blossoms, and but a few vegetables. The current yard project is a stone patio beside the workshop, and around the barbeque-fireplace. I've been rescuing flat stones from the mountain streams, mixing cement and using logs as well.

The village harvest rituals are commencing as is my own pre wintering activities: collecting forewood. Thankfully, the city has been helping by collecting cut logs from the hillsides using temporary labor a a make-work project. We had to apply to the district office to ask for the wood, so we'll cut it up and share it amongst our village wood-burning neighbors. For now there is about 6 cords stacked, so to cut it will be my community service, to ensure a good kimchi supply through the winter.

Otherwise, Ive been hiking frequently with the pups. The younger one, Sari, is getting a little more fit and used to the hot walks and appreciates the detours to the ponds and streams for refreshing dunks. Meanwhile, in the forest, I have been collecting Reishi mushrooms where possible. I'm getting better at identifying their environments and thanks to the long season and their robustness, I'm able to find several. I need to learn which other mushrooms are good to collect, next.

Here's a poor video- and unedited because I'm not a video guy- from Manta Point, Bali.

You can see how large and close we were, and near the end how many divers in the water. There was a big swell hitting the nearby cliffs and the whole group swayed several meters back and forth under water, while the ray just glided through smoothly. It was neat except for the poor visibility from the swell.

yes, there's actually pictures of me for a change.

before and at the temple anniversary of Wayan's village

That's me with fishes

Paradise found!

these are the Wayans i know...

All the best photos can be seen at this link to the Picasa web album.