Skeppish- or Bearish?

Skeppish for sure. Since I keep hives on the roof of my house, neighbors and  those walking by with their dogs and babies (apparently can't have one without the other these days)  have asked if I am building a hive- by which they mean a skep- the ancient way of keeping bees pre-Langstoth (and many others), and adopted by the state of Utah to signify... well, I'm not sure. Hard working women? Hive mentality?

In any case, its not at that all. It's just trying to make something out of what anyone who has lots of apple trees has to deal with- the cuts of winter pruning.

The actually design, and concept,  like plenty of the things I draw and build (by choice) , wasn't by me at all, but by a good neighbor friend and mentor of mine, who happens to have just turned 6 recently, and said I needed to build a bear den, to show how bears come out of hibernation. The next day she showed up and we sat on the stoop in the winter sun and she showed me the plans, elevations, and sections she'd drawn in pencil, then dramatically paused, turned to me, and   said: "now let me show you the interior...". 

Which delighted me.

How is it that someone who is 6 can pretty much do what I do at 60, after a lifetime of practice? How is that even fair?

So- not that I know a dang thing about weaving, basketry, or Aboriginal american houses, and this sure isn't waterproof, but turns out I sort of figured it out. by trying Apple water spouts are forgiving, and weave more or less. 

The interior:

Lacking in this photo is the bear bed and reading lamp my young friend the architect had drawn. Which is, of course, forthcoming.

But without prompting, my other good friend, Ted Nugent, decided this was a good place to observe the world as well, watching primarily;y for other cats that don't belong here , but also (not a good thing) looking for birds I think- sort of a hunter's bird blind. He's too old to get birds, but that doesn't mean he doesn't try. Some day they'll get him I suppose, and thus come full circle.

And of course, being built for a small bear, not a fat cat, all his  parts don't fit, and here's the back of the wicker house. Why something that hunts has this big out of control thing behind it knocking around, I don't even know if Darwin could explain.