I wanted to jump on here and say thank you to RD and family for inviting us to the Oshkosh event! Their generosity and kindness was above and beyond anything we could have expected. Desiree and I both had a wonderful time and were treated very well by everyone. First, let us thank everyone:
RD, Vicki, Ron, and Nick Coonrod ~ You made us feel more like family than most could have and it is greatly appreciated.
Milt & Ann ~ It was a pleasure meeting and visiting with you both. Thanks for everything!
The support/cleanup crew: Ken Trapp, Chris P., and the two who came on later (sorry guys, we didn't catch your names) ~ You all did a great job cleaning up after us and making sure we didn't trip on our own messes! Moving the logs and carvings around for us was a big help, too! Chris, hope you're feeling better, buddy.
The Winnebago County Fair Board ~ thanks for joining with Loghoggers to put on such an amazing event!
And, of course, the competition: Tim & Karen Barker, Laura & Dennis Reichart, Ryan Anderson, Joe Hintz, Dave Myers, Lance Kellogg, Travis Reed (and Maggie), and Jason Emmons ~ You all rock! Thank you for all of your help and inspiration! Can't wait until our next event!

And now, for the pics:


























Sawdustchaz
http://www.sawdustparadise.com

WOW!

If the experience was as good as the art, it must have been amazing.

Chaz, that saw you carved looks real man...

Chaz thanks for the pix, looks like a great event.

dick

Some cool pics there ... loved that first winged chair and the funky pumpkins.
Is that a smiling picture of Nic in there ... WOW !!
Thanks for the pics guys XX

Just a short fall into a swimming pool put Chris out of work for a few weeks.
I have been working 10 feet in the air on scaffolding carving an eagle. Tonight I was sitting in bed and dozed off, I had one of those quick dreams That I was carving and stepped back to look, the next thing I know I jerked up out of bed thinking I was falling. I hate those kind of dreams.
Thanks Chaz and Desiree for your concern about Chris.
A special Thank you To Tim Karen Barker for Patching him up so he could drive home without his shirt sticking to him. As you can see in the pic, He took a good fall.

Speaking of Tim and Karen, Those two go above and beyond helping out at carving events. If they aren't helping a carver with the lone of a tool or can of paint, they are helping with setting tents up, taking tents down or helping with loading rails or carvings for the promoter. I wish I had more time at the two events we carved together to just watch them carve. They make up about the best carving team I have ever seen and I am glad, actually Blessed to have them as friends.....
Mike Bihlmaier



www.7-sons.com

Mike, thanks so much for the update on Chris' condition! Please let him know it was a pleasure to meet him and we're glad he's on the road to recovery. I also need to apologize for putting Chris P. in my original post - must've been having a bad brain day ... I knew it was Bihlmaier, just couldn't spell it. Anyway, thanks!
As far as your feelings about Tim & Karen, we couldn't agree more! They are truly special people who go above and beyond in everything they do and we're proud to know and love them! You are right about all of their helpfulness ... it is amazing to watch and learn from them.
Take care, Mike, and nice to hear from you!

Desiree
http://www.sawdustparadise.com/

Thanks for the pics my good Neighbors!
Yea Mike, its a great bunch of carvers, all great folks, cept for Jim Denkins, he kept stepping over and cutting the arms and heads off my carvings. I just smiled and took it! hehehe
Chris, be careful out there, hate seeing a good guy like you getting banged up. Cheerio, Rick

Great pictures everyone, thanks for posting them as I missed the auction and later days of the event carving and now I get to see them. It was great to meet a few new carvers and talk with the ones we already knew. Nice little vacation break from the normal and great friends and carvings. I had a great time there. Thanks to everyone.

I'll try to squeeze these into one so I don't make a million posts just responding:
Dave, thanks for posting the pics, we have over a hundred from the event and just don't have the time and energy yet to go through and post them ... they will be coming though! It was such a pleasure to meet you, hopefully we'll see you again soon so I can "steal" more ideas! LOL!
Rick, you're welcome! Like I said, there will be more pics soon! Thanks for looking!
Milt, you're welcome, too! It was nice to meet you and Ann, finally!


Desiree
http://www.sawdustparadise.com/