Things are tight but retirement is a welcoming alternative. (Pic Heavy)

[Fred Arnold]

For the past ten years I may has well been retired as jobs in my expertise have been hard to find and shortlived. Last November I turned 62 and decided to draw My social security income asap.
Funds always seem short but by tightening the belt it's going to work and all of my time at home is enjoyable.
Thanks to all of you guys knowledge and willingness to pass it along you've turned me into a consumated addict.
Being fortunate enough to live on a small acreage with a spring fed creek, an abundance of game and trees, I'm turning into an old primitive hermit.
I'm waiting on my next check to purchase a few tools including a bow scale. In the meantime I've cut trees, chopped wood, gathered a 1/2 dozen staves and twice as many billets out of black walnut, elm, osage, and mulberry. Some are ready for the tiller tree as soon as the scale arrives.
And in the next 2 weeks a large garden is in the making. The soil has been disked and just need to rent a tiller to break it up and smooth it out.
Started my second plains style quiver last week (my son David had to have the first one).
Worked yesterday and today on a black walnut stave (branch) that was taken down last spring.
Let me know if you have any suggestions on how to finish it. Haven't decided on whether to "try" to make a C or D style bow. I left it 2+ inches at the handle area thru the fades and is still 1 1/2" thick. Measures 61 1/2" long.
You guys are great and thank you all for your help - Fred   

[Bevan R.]

quiver and stick look good Fred. I would think a bending handle bow out of that would bee sweet!

[Fred Arnold]

I'm playing with the quiver. Had it laced but took the bottom out to add some glued strips of leather inside for the points to rest on. I may open it a bit deeper and add some reinforcement to the sides for bh's. Going to use heavy remnants from the elkhide to decorate the outside. This is going to be my go to quiver. I really liked the last one but David didn't have one so I passed it on with a 76 Kodiak Hunter ( his birthyear) and a dozen arrows for last Decembers 35th birthday.
Getting low on elkhide, maybe enough for one more quiver, and Jeff will be 35 next year, but I stashed away a full buffalo hide in one of my totes about ten years ago.