so on friday morning in the 12 degree air, i was the only visitor in sturbridge. but then, thankfully, a bunch more came in the afternoon . . (only three visitors came during the storm on thursday).
the freeman farm . .
the friday farmers at the freeman farm . .
the oxen and cows . .
at the blacksmith shop where they told me about making boot scrapers and iron forks . .
they needed a special hot chisel tool which was missing, so the master blacksmith made a hot chisel from a cold one . .
it had to be heated several times to bring it to the right hardness . . here he's waiting for the "purple" to creep down to the tip at which time he plunged it into the water to halt it's progress.
and then it was ready to split the iron . . the one on the right will be stretched and shaped into a copy of the fork on the left. the iron is softer than the chisel tool which was steel (iron mixed with carbon).
keeping warm . .
warm woolen mittens, a quilted bonnet, and a knitted scarf (made by morgana).
and her favorite article of clothing for the day: the purple wool cloak.
