Jerry said, "This is Western White Pine. After the demonstrations, these usually go right into the fireplace! Why waste the good wood when you can't do it justice?"
I took a moment to sit down in the spectators' gallery in front of the tank. I sized up the crowd. Lots of families with their kids of all ages. Loners like me were the exception; couples holding hands, pointing, smiling, laughing, and 'oohhing' were the order of the day. Or maybe the other loners were just keeping their distance!
I saw three people demonstrating woodcarving with hand tools. The first was Jerry Carson, over by the Fish. He was shaping a duck decoy. I joined a couple of others watching him, and commented that I also preferred the Pfeil 'Swiss-made' gouges. 
He agreed that they were one of the best. We discussed his choice of wood for the demo.
What can I say? Dennis is a good carver? Great carver? He has won his share of ribbons, and then some!
Throughout the day, donated items were raffled off. Hourly drawings pulled tickets to the cheers of the winners. The grand prize raffle item was the first-place Best-In-Show winner from last year's event. I understand that next year the club will raffle off the winning entry of this weekend's competition.
As the afternoon drew to a close, the fund-raising auction began. Several well-known artists donated signed and numbered limited edition framed prints. Among the items to be bid upon were prints of birds by Pam Stoehsler, a mule deer and buck by Joe Garcia, and a beautiful Snow Leopard.
In three-dimensions, there were a number of 'cocktails' and 'miniatures', head studies, and decoys by well-known carvers. Some of the winning entries also went on the block. A one-piece split bamboo rod with Penn reel, vintage 1930, caught several bidders' attention.
There were only a few serious bidders in the group. They were interested in only a couple of the lots, however, so there was room for those of us that still had bottoms in our pockets! Yours truly went the high bid on three items: the Garcia print, a beautiful miniature puddle-duck on a manzanita stand, and a nice palm frond decoy. I was quite pleased to support the organization and obtain some great art for bargain prices.
I was not relishing the walk back to the truck in the rain. Yes, El Niño had sent me a little note, telling me how much rain hated me, too! As luck would have it, I scrounged up enough plastic to cover my loot just as the rain stopped and the sun broke out again.
I stepped out into the sunshine, looked out over the bay and across the Pacific Ocean. I lifted my fist into the air, and shouted, "STOP TAUNTING ME, EL NIÑO!!!" The security guard glanced at me and smiled. I told you, the people down here are friendly, even if you do go a little nuts once in a while.
I'm already looking forward to next year's show! It will be held on February 13 and 14, 1999 at the Del Mar fairgrounds - also known as the Del Mar Racetrack. I know where that is. Coincidentally, I am writing this account while sitting in the shade of our motorhome awning in the Del Mar parking lot. The wife and I are at a dog show that is being held there. I just hope that next year they don't move the Racetrack like they did with the Holiday Inn. And that it doesn't rain . . .
Information on next year's competiton is available from
Pacific Southwest Wildfowl Arts
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