The spirituality of Osage

[upstatenybowyer]

I realize this may be a little "far out," but who else can I share my thoughts with on such a random subject?

Anyway, I've worked with quite a variety of woods, but Osage has this strange effect on me. It happens mostly when I'm chasing a ring... the smell of the wood, the shiny look of it's color, the crunchy sound of the drawknife moving through the early wood, I go into a kind of meditative state, and beyond that I really can't find the words. I sort of feel like I'm going back in time. Back to when things were simpler. No crazy technology, rush to succeed and get ahead of the next guy, phones, computers, strip malls, ect. I think it also has to do with the fact that I'm literally chasing away years of growth, targeting one year in particular when the tree grew well.

Anyone else ever have this sort of feeling? Just wondering 

[osage outlaw]

I know exactly what you mean. 

[Hawkdancer]

There is a certain feeling that we gain by trying to follow the ancestors that is mystical and comforting in many ways.  I doubt they were simpler times, though, what with the newcomer pale faces from the east, and the daily need to feed and protect the family and the people.  The feeling is worthy of a spirit smoke
Hawkdancer

[osage outlaw]

If you want to take it a step farther, hunt from an osage tree with an osage bow 

[upstatenybowyer]

Thanks for the responses guys. Good point HD, perhaps simpler wasn't the right word. Maybe "different" would have been a better choice. 

Glad to know I'm not alone OO. 

Maybe I'll get a chance to do that some day. 

[Eric Krewson]

I noticed the same thing, I can see an osage tree shining in the winter sun across a field and get a fuzzy feeling about the possibilities in that tree even though I will never cut it.

[FilipT]

Extremely jealous of you osage guys!

[BowEd]

Yes osage has that effect on most people.I can easily see why the natives held that wood in a very high regard.I like to call it rerod when dry heat bending it because it acts just like it.Nothing around here like it.I think even out does most amazonian woods with it's bow making versatility.

[Parnell]

Start flinknapping!

[JW_Halverson]

Ssssh, don't speak too much about it or you might scare it away.  Just feel the feels.

[upstatenybowyer]

I struggled with even posting this cause I didn't want to take anything away from it by lousing it up with words.

[BowEd]

Don't worry upstate.Much has been said and resaid about the wood.It's still gonna be here.Seems like it's been put on this earth to serve many purposes.The thing about it is that it does'nt take that terribly long to grow either,or if your in real osage country there seems to be an abundance of it.A very prolific propogater and grower,and for some a fairly prosperous wood to have around,but it'll make ya work for it that's for sure.

[bjrogg]

I still haven't meet formally with the Osage sprite. Some day soon, maybe even this weekend. For now I communicate with the HHB sprite for we both share the same land.
Bjrogg

[bjrogg]

The HHB bow I plan on hunting with this year came from a tree that stood  less than 30 yards from where I was standing when I shot my first Primitive Bow Deer. In fact all those staves I brought to Marshall last year did.
Bjrogg

[BowEd]

It's the little things in life that are the most fulfilling.