Blogger A Day Call: Hello is Derek there?
If you go to Nova Scotia, visit a small village on the north shore called Sea Foam. Find the Sea Foam Woodturning Studio. Step inside and watch the woodturner, Derek Andrews, as he works. When he comes out to talk to you, if you’re a blogger tell him that. He’s a blogger too.
Then be prepared for a rare and wonderful conversation. It’s not every day you get to talk to a man who left a corporate life in England to be a woodturner in a tiny, rual community in Nova Scotia. Derek’s an adventurer, a pioneer, a man who followed a dream across the ocean.
We talked about how he made the decision to move. His wife and he decided that it was change worth going for. She liked the idea of returning to her homeland. They took on the adventure together. They built the store and shop that’s over 10 years old now. Derek’s description of that life-changing decision led me to quote Christine Kane’s lyrics, “Some choices ties us down. Some chances set us free.”
That beginning framed our entire conversation around the woodturning business, the people who come into his shop, the readers who visit Derek’s blogs, and how woodturning and blogging are reflections of life and the people who are attracted to them.
At one point I said that Derek’s studio was like a living blog — a sort of bloggy performance art. His work behind the glass with visitors watching would be the blog post. When he comes out to talk to the visitors, that would be the comment box.
Imagine that — a rural village woodturning studio as a metaphor for a blog. Or do I have that backwards?
B.A.D. Blogger Quote
You never know what you’re going to find when you start cutting into the wood. When you cut off a piece, you can’t go back. It’s like life, whatever you set out to do, you often end up somewhere different.–Derek Andrews
Stop by Derek’s Blog, The Tool Rest, and say hi!
Thanks, Derek, you B.A.D. Blogger!
–ME “Liz” Strauss
Want to be a B.A.D. Blogger see the. . . a B.A.D. Blogger? page in the sidebar.
Hey Liz,
Congratulations on the B.A.D. project. I am discovering some very interesting blogs through it, so I just wanted to leave the feedback.
Thank you, Daniel,
It’s a most amazing experience! Bloggers are exceptional people! I appreciate you telling about it.
This is an enjoyable story, I grew up in a small, rural, cold village on Lake Champlain on the New York side. It was a mining and paper mill town, You know every body and there is charm all around. The little store is a meeting place and a vital link to the sence of community
Thanks Liz. It was a great pleasure talking to you yesterday. Thanks for the links about getting more comments too!
Hi Jim,
I’m delighted you found memories inside Derek’s story. It was a most delightful experience for me to be part of it. 🙂
Derek,
It was a pleasure speaking with you! I so enjoyed visualizing everything about Sea Foam Woodturning and your life there!
I’ve always wanted to visit Nova Scotia–my father went there and couldn’t stop talking about it–and your post brought it into focus beautifully.
Hi Michelle,
Thank you. 🙂
I hope that means that you’ll stop by Derek’s blog and start a conversation. He’s a most interesting guy to get to know, and he’s got plenty of information.