Hi, I don't see a specific place in the forum for intros.  Feel free to move this note as necessary.
Name is Bill and I live in Sonoma County, specifically, Santa Rosa.. the place Luther Burbank loved so much.  I'm not really new to gardening.. but, I'm pretty new to fruit trees and a real "newbie" to figs.  Love to eat them.. but have never grown one. My neighbor has a few branches hanging over the fence and I can glean some every so often.  I have two questions I'll ask in a separate note(s).. but for now.  Thanks for this forum and I'm looking forward to doin' some learnin' ..

Edit:  I thought I'd add a photo of one of my hobbies.. Wood Burning, also known as pyrography.  I do many of these burnings, especially on wooden spoons and sell at craft fairs.

Welcome, Bill! All that is required is the willingness to enjoy them!

Welcome!

Hi ,
Welcome to the forum.
As to the branches of the tree ... I would cut them and root them. Don't make airlayers on the tree as that may piss your neighbor. Or ask him the permission to do so.
Well, people being people ... Go Ninja ... Don't ask, cut the branches and root them ... if he asks, say you got them at a farmer market or cregslist or something like that ... LOL ...
Good luck !

Welcome!  I love your spoon!  Figs are not that hard and when that tree goes dormany you can practice rooting cuttings and you can practice setting air layers now.  :)



In this forum everything's thrown together so you posted in the right spot.

Welcome, Bill!  I did a double-take reading your post, as my step-father's name is also Bill, and we lived in Santa Rosa for fourteen years before moving up to Washington.  It's a beautiful area to live in.  I really enjoy the climate there.   What part of Santa Rosa do you live in?  Thanks for posting.

rcantor.. thanks for the kind remark.  People seem to love the burned spoons.  I have no trouble selling them.

figeater.. I'm in N SR.  I don't know when you left.. but, I'm about 2 blocks east of Coddingtown Mall.  I have a couple of friends I worked with at Hewlett Packard here in Sr who transferred to the HP up there.  I think one loves in Camas and the other in Battleground.  Nice area.  When I'm visiting Portland and that general area, I often cross the bridge and visit another friend in Camas.

We lived close to Callistoga Rd.  My mom worked at the Child Support Division near Coddingtown Mall.    I'm glad to hear you visit Portland--I hear that there are a lot of old fig trees in that area!:)

Bill, very interesting hobby. Nice art work!!

Chuck,  thanks for the nice words.. It's a fun hobby.  I'm still learning how to shade with the hot pen.. but, it's all a learning process.. I can see areas in that spoon that could be improved.. :)

How do you get the colors?

IF I ever add color, it is simply to pull the eye to the center point of interest.  Say, a face... I will usually burn the eyes a bit that then add color to the iris'.  That's it.  In years past I used to do B&W photography.. there was really no color film.  After trying color, it left me blahhh.  So, back to developing B&W and then onto sepia.  I loved sepia.  Still do.  In pyrography, burning with fire.. that same interest is met.. except.. now I have to become an "artist" (highly debatable :D ).  But, to pull the eye to a desired focal point, I'll add a splash of color.. eg.. the eyes.  In a flower..probably the petals or stamens or ???  I'm doing a sunflower burning for my daughter.. and I've yet to decide where to add that splash of color.  I'm sure I'll leave the leaves burned and the center the same  Possibly the petals.. but, that's a lot of color.  Then there is the pollen toward the center.. that's a real possibility.

So, back to your question.. I added a touch of color.. in this case to the sweet meat of the fig.. I used colored pencils.  Whew.. do I have diarrhea of the mouth/fingers? :D

BTW, I didn't want this introduction to be about woodburning.  The signup asked what other interests I have.. so, I put it in my profile but decided to show the spoon cuz it is fig related.