I just returned from a week teaching a bird bowl class at Pete Galbert’s in Berwick, Maine. I’ll be settling into my shop for the next few months with lots of projects in mind. I’ll also be thinking about 2026. Of course, I’ll be returning to Pete’s to teach some classes, but Im also excited that I’ll be demonstrating and presenting at the second annual Hand Tool Haven fundraising event May 16-17 in Butler, Pennsylvania.

Hand Tool Haven is a gathering of hand tool enthusiasts and vendors that raises funds for Plane Wellness, a non-profit organization founded by Jamie Harpster in 2023 with a mission to improve mental wellness through woodworking. You can learn more about Plane Wellness at the link above, and here is another link with Jamie being interviewed by James Wright of Wood by Wright if you’d like to learn more.

I hope to see you there. I’ll be making some chips fly both days and I might have a few things for sale. Vendors are still signing up, but tickets are already available.

Now a few more shots from Pete’s. Beginning with an overhead shot of the students’ goose bowls.

Lew’s goose flew south a little too early to get into the group shot, but I did get this shot of the nice texture Lew carved on the underside.

It was great to reconnect with so many students from last year and also to get together in person with some people I had only known through email. Every student had taken at least one class at Pete’s before. I’ll be posting my 2026 classes for Pete’s in the next month or so. I’m just thinking about timing and what exactly to offer. Meanwhile, there are still some great classes with Tim Manney in November and December, as well as some classes lined up for spring. Check out the schedule here.

Our second bowl of the week was the hen bowl. There’s Josh marking his hen’s beak to guide some cuts. Painting the hens was homework.

Jayna carving flutes on her hen.

Georgia knows that Scott has the biscuits.

There’s the crew with the guy who keeps everything running smoothly while I fumble about, Joel Paul (5th from left).

You may have noticed in some of the shots that chairs and stools made by Pete are all around. Lew found a good spot to sit and carve in a continuous arm rocker.

And speaking of sitting…if you haven’t seen Pete’s posts about this incredible bench he and Aspen Golan are making for the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, they’re worth checking out. Here’s one. The photo above was taken one evening last week as Pete worked up paint samples on test boards in preparation for finishing the bench.

Not a bad view from Pete’s shop/school after a day of carving.