About

The old and honorable idea of ‘vocation’
is simply that we each are called,
by God, or by our gifts, or by our preference,
to a kind of good work for which we are particularly fitted.

Wendell Berry

I’m Henry Staples and here is yet-another-site-about-making. I hope you find it enjoyable.

I have been a software developer for my entire career, so I’m comfortable around pretty much anything to do with computers, whether it’s developing websites, turning Excel documents into apps, running network cables under the floor while in a suit-and-tie, or getting a Wireless card reader back online so the local sandwich shop stays in business. I’ve built things that have made people and their companies successful, but I guess for myself I’m more interested in the process and may dawdle a bit on doing because I enjoy watching it unfold. Don’t get me started on bees!

Speaking of which, I also know a good bit about plants and nature having volunteered through our Cooperative Extension service to staff plant clinics, give talks on seasonal topics, or just try to grow a giant pumpkin. It’s all fun and there’s so much to learn throughout the season.

Now, I’ve turned my spare time towards making. Right now, it’s mostly in wood but I’m always game for a project in mixed/multi-media, and there’s always a new tool or project available at our local Nova Labs studios. I find myself spending more time there, and while they have great tools, it’s really talking with fellow makers that get the ideas flowing, away from the YouTube videos, and hands on with what’s happening.

So, I’m blessed to have brilliant people near me, and that reminds me that in all of this, you won’t find me as the most knowledgable, the best programmer, or the craftiest maker.

Extending further, I’m not even the best communicator. Gads, why are you even here?!? But, alas! When I tell a story, I do find that people listen. I used to be a lot more active in giving presentations, speaking with the public, or providing education. However, a series of events just left me with, what I felt, was a loss of my voice. Both physically, I couldn’t bear to have extended conversations and mentally, I couldn’t keep a train of thought long enough for it to be interesting. Couple that with social media consumption and I found what I had to say reduced itself to short bursts, and not really clever at that. Sooo, here I am, putting in the time to get it back!

I am taking this moment in my newfound interest with making and retraining myself to produce. It’s going to be a bit embarassing while I get my feet underneath me, but here we go. To get started, I have taken pictures for the last year and a half while I learn about taking logs to dimensionalized lumber to final product and so I have at least 50 posts that I’ll work to produce.

Likely, the words here will be a little thick in techniques, to document it while I have it front-of-mind. That will make it handy for me to reference later. I’ve noticed the site has already been scanned by search engines and I’m planning on looking back on it using AI (with sustainability, hopefully!) to help jog my memory or to twist the content around for a new purpose. Feel free to do the same yourself!

While I was looking back at these events, it jogged my memory of what I was thinking about, or what the event reminded me of (a double dangling preposition sentence, nonetheless). So, with these thoughts, I’ll see if I can find an appropriate quote or a bit of poetry that fits the mood and include with the post. To give you an idea, I started with Wendell Berry on this page.

I actually came across the quote on vocation while looking for something appropriate for the great Chip Chase and what he and the lively crew have built at White Grass. And if you click the link and find yourself lost on their site instead of here, all the better. It’s an amazing place. But, of course, when something is found, it’s all too easy to turn the lens back on myself for applicability.

Anyways ….. may you find something here that fits or expands your own vocation.

All for now!
(I’ll say that a lot, it’s my thing)