I don’t even know why I started to whittle, all I know is that I desired to do so for a long time but was afraid to. In a moment of absolute bravado I just decided to try. I bought a starter pack filled with a knife, some small blocks of wood and instructions and set to work. It was so hard, the knife didn't make a dent...

I’ve spent some time today whittling a mushroom. It doesn’t look like a mushroom yet, but tomorrow, it will.Whittling is the one thing that can make me feel calm, no matter how I feel beforehand.Today, for instance, I was frustrated because pain levels are high these days, and that means that insomnia steals away a lot...

I love to explore new creative pathways, to find new ways to express myself. Last year, that new creative pathway was learning woodcarving, aka whittling. And that starts messy, because even if you would like to, you can't just paint the most beautiful artwork, or write the most successful book. You start with one word,...