Mtn Pencils

tnartist05 · #1 06-11-2008, 12:33 PM

A few months ago me and my wife thought is was time for a wk end treat. We stayed near the Gatlinburg,Tn. area but not right in town. We rented a really nice cabin on a mtn that only had 3 cabins on it. Ours was the one on top for thats what I wanted.I knew I wasnt going to be doing any hiking and all but least Id had a great view of everything.

Going down the mtn there was a little store and on Sat. local people would set up selling things near that store. Mostly junk but I saw an old man that was just sitting by his really old run down pick-up truck. Sir how are you doing I asked him as I drew nearer to him. Ok!! is all he said!

What do you have could good today??I asked. {{Pencils}}He grunted. I thought to myself,I dont need any pencils!! But he walked over and reached in his truck bed and came up with a fist full of these tree branch pencils. I leaned over and looked into the trucks bed,man there was alot of pencils piled in there. Sir what you get fur them?? I sells them bys the dozen. Theres was larger ones and reg.size ones.

He gave me a used paper bag, Get what U's need! {Memphis we say,Yall here in the mtns they say.U's}I got 2 doz of the bigger ones & 2 dz. of the smaller.reg.size ones. I still hadnt ask him how much they was. How much are they?? He told me and I thought Id faint,OMG they was so cheap!!

I might want alot of pencils again,whats you name Sir and whats your phone number?? My name is Ed Jones,I dont have no phone! Hummm I thought.How can I call you should I want alot more of your pencils?? You just come here to the store,they knows me and will sent someone far me's. I thanked him and told him I will be back this fall and ask for you. ook kk~Ok is all he said.

The art show I will be going too next wk end the 21/22 is 62yrs old this year,its the Rhododendron Festival in Roan Mtn,Tn thats 15 mins from my house. The Rhond. its bark looks just like mtn laurel plus its a tree/like bush also like the laurel but the Rhond has different colors of flowers on it where the laurel flowers are mostly white/or yellowist mixed white. The leaves are about the same. Theses I carved and painted are the colors of the ones that have grown for 100's of yrs on top the Roan.

I planted a bush last year and another one this year,which shows to all I belong here. A home or house with out a Rhododendron growing in your yard. the locals even if your home cost millons of dollars dont think much of it.
The smaller pencils are 5 3/8 inches long from the end to the point.The carved area on them is,1/8 th to 1/4
The larger ones are,7 inches and the carved area avg,is 5/8 of a inch. One is 3/4 thats my big boy!! LOL
Im not depending on selling alot of theses for I will give away alot of them. I have several people that buy somethings from me at my shows every year.{ I have about 4 people I put things under my table I sit at with certain things I save for just them} And course they can have a free pencil........glady! Im glad to have them!!

Sorry this was so long but thanks for ckn out theses mtn pencils.
Your thoughts or comments are Welcome, Forrest

{{{{Correction}}}}}the old man had told me he'd melted & poured lead into the pencils,you can only melt and pour lead as thats used in weights for fishing,etc The lead as we call it in a pencil is natural carbon. I didnt know this myself till late yesterday evening,I though also,how could he or anyone pour a hot liq into such a tinny hole that was in these home made pencils. I cut one in half, NO Lead was all the way through theses pencils,he'd added real carbon which is known as Graphite what he call lead into the ends and points of theses pencils which is better now, for I carved some Real pencils.

Blinky Bill · #2 06-11-2008, 01:15 PM

That's certainly a nice lookin' bunch of pencils you have there Forrest, wish I was close enough to duck over and buy some from you.....but don't think I could justify the plane fare to my wife LOL
Thanks for the story and great pictures although I still don't understand just how he installs the lead...would be very interesting to see it done.
John

sharon cottrell · #3 06-11-2008, 01:23 PM

Forrest, real pretty pencils! We have lots of wild rhodies growing were I live. They have pink flowers.In bloom now. Just about everyone around here has rhodies growing in their yards.Pretty fantastic all the colors they come in. My favorite is a white one called Elsie Fry.Smells absolutely heavenly.Done blooming though till next year.Anyway neat pencils...sharon

tnartist05 · #4 06-11-2008, 01:27 PM

John he drills a hole all the way through the tree branch{pencils} then pours melted lead through the whole pencil from the back end. Yea flying right now is for the birds,ones like the goose that lays the goldren eggs at that,due to the fares being so high in flying now! Im glad old buddy from down under you stopped by plus thanks for your nice thoughts. Forrest

tnartist05 · #5 06-11-2008, 01:30 PM

AWwwww Sharon,I didnt know they had them out there! Kool~ Plus yes they are beautifull flowers. Thanks so much for your nice information and comments. Forrest

Kenny_S · #6 06-11-2008, 01:31 PM

Great looking pencils Forrest. Love the painted Rhododendon flowers . Great

for sure. We have a Rhododendron bush planted and here in SEK are hard to take care of but you are correct, beautifull color flowers. However, I have had the Rhod plant for about 5 years now and I don't think it is any taller than 3 foot.

Thanks for shareing your carving and painting talents and also your Story tell'in

sharon cottrell · #7 06-11-2008, 01:45 PM

Forrest, we have a rhodie show here, there's a couple of nurseries that specialize in growing them. Most of the soil here is real acidic, so they do great. My folks used to grow a few in their nursery when I was a kid. We also have a native fragrant white azalea that's not to common that grows along the rivers and creeks here. We have lots of wild pink ones on our property.pretty,pretty, pretty! Just love them.

tnartist05 · #8 06-11-2008, 01:48 PM

Kenny,ones here love the rain and snow,seems they grow better?? They are beautifull flowers,Id not seen any of them before I moved here in the mtns of East Tn. Plus seeing you have one,Heckkkk you must be a mtn man too! LOL I do appreciate your nice compliment and hearing about your Rhon. Thks for stopping by,Kenny. Forrest

sharon cottrell · #9 06-11-2008, 01:50 PM

Kenny, If you don't have mulch around yours, try some leaf mold or a good thick layer of pine needles or bark. Some are just naturaly small though. Don't put it up to the trunk though.

Kenny_S · #10 06-11-2008, 03:41 PM

Thank you for the reply Forrest and Sharon. Forrest, You can keep the snow. hehehehehehehe. Acidic soil eh???? May be the problem here in SEK. I do have it mulched with cypress though. Maybe some bark would help. It does bloom and the flowers are pretty. But, it does not grow high. Maybe it is to shady where I have it. I have noticed that where ever I had a pine and they died, nothing grew high in their places. I have what we call a SnowBall Buch and it isn't growing tall either but the ones we planted else where are at least 10 foot high and I have to trim them. The SB bush where the pine was is about 3 feet high and planted the same time as the others and Rhododendon.

Thank, will check the soil!