Frac Sand & The Map

An old barn on 185 acres in question.

Here in Stockholm Township industry is testing the social structure for cracks. We live in a place of transition, a rural economy drifting toward an urban one, a place becoming a land of milk and wine. So far the urban folk have carried the day, descending in large numbers on Stockholm Township board meetings: angry, informed, and ready to fight. Some township residents throw their hands in the air–they think that maybe a frac sand plant proposal, when one is put forth, should be at least considered–they are getting angry too, but have yet to find a voice. Meanwhile big energy probes the foundation walls, looking for the cracks that form in every wall.

 http://www.startribune.com/local/159661755.html

I have been spending most of my time lately on the hydrology of Lake Pepin. The relative simplicity of earlier ideas for this map has faded into a maze of hundreds of little rivulets. I am beginning to recognize a character in the endings of my cut lines similar to the endings of certain black letter serifs. I am nearly a third of the way through cutting the blue blocks for the map (perhaps closing in on 100 hours), and I am just beginning to see what I’m doing. It took me 25 years to gain some understanding of this place where I live. There is much to be learned of both.

On the right the rivulets have been outlined with my trusty #5 spitsticker, and the larger spaces cleared with a mechanical router. On the left, the remaining wood has been cleared using first the #38 round scorper and finally the #42 square scorper. Of the dozens of engraving tools in my box, I use these three 99% of the time.

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