Walking Sticks and Rhubarb Pie

Bob and Mary Haderle are a dear couple in our ward who coincidentally are also close friends of Chris' grandparents. This evening they called and asked if they could come over and visit. Pleased, and somewhat surprised, we said "Of course, come on over!"

Last fall, Bob built a deck on the back of our house. Chris helped when he could but Bob came everyday and worked faithfully for more than a week putting up a deck from just some chicken scratch sketches that I drawn on scrap paper. It turned out so beautifully!

They are so generous with their time and talents and today was no exception. They came bearing gifts.


First in the door was the pie. Rhubarb pie. As soon as Mary heard that neither of us had ever had it before, well, you better believe that she set right to and cooked up a pie for us. I don't think that I had even seen one before. Now, I admit to being a bit picky about my food and especially the texture (stewed tomatoes, yuck). So, with great trepidation I slid a bite of pie into my mouth. I had no idea what to expect. It was sweet and yummy! Definitely a keeper. Chris, being a pie kinda guy, was in heaven.

Next came Bob with two walking sticks. And not just any walking sticks, oh no folks, hand crafted walking sticks! They are so beautiful! Made of Osage wood, stained with linseed oil, with our names carved in them.


Hard to believe looking at them now that they started out as fallen branches. After some bark stripping and labor Bob truly found the inner beauty of this wood.











In the recesses of our names, Bob applied a walnut stain. He makes it himself by boiling down walnut husks. He has found in the past that names applied just in stain would rub off with time and use but applied into the recesses it lasts much longer.

To finish the bottom, copper pipe pieces were expanded with heat them and then when cooled shrunk down to hug the wood in a tight fit.

Thank you, Bob and Mary. The walking sticks will be treasured always and the pie will be remembered with fondness!