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Carving started this morning, on a nice piece of boxwood (laminate) that has been waiting peacefully in the storage room for somewhere north of ten years ...

I always feel a bit of a twinge when I pull out a block like that for use. I head up the stairs, pull out the box containing the blocks, select the one that seems right for this job, then put the rest back. I can't help feeling it's like a scene in a movie where a bunch of guys are on death row. Nothing happens for months/years, then one morning, they hear footsteps coming closer, keys jangling, then the door opening. Who will be the one chosen? !!

But perhaps on the other hand, they are all eagerly awaiting their turn to serve, and are disappointed when they are left behind ...

Here's a quick snapshot of the block when I came back from lunch. Next section due to be carved is one of the small poem cards (part of the kimono pattern).

It's pretty small. Here's a finger for comparison: