I'm in love with wood. It all started for me while chopping firewood. I'd split a log with the axe and stop and ponder the possibilities. I have imagined a whole house full of furniture in a single cord of spalted alder. That wood is unreal. Its like a bowl of mixed neopolitan ice cream, all swirls of chocolate, vanilla and strawberry. Alder is a sadly under appreciated wood.
The smell of wood is possibly its most universal appeal. If I said Cedar you could probably recall the smell. I'm reminded of the bad smelling wood too! "Monkey's ass" is how Orange Doussie was described to me. While I'm not familiar with the real thing I can bet it smells no worse than this wood. "Lemon Pledge" is another apt description for a wood that I like in small doses - Port Orford Cedar. African Blackwood smells of Earth - like mushrooms. I dusted the room with it once while cutting it on the bandsaw and didn't care that it was filling my lungs. I liked that musky smell.
For a veritable feast of wood check out the gallery at A&M Wood Speciality - one of Canada's top suppliers.
