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John,
We ordered the block wagon the summer of 1989. We had admired it the year before but being pregnant now gave us an excuse to buy it. Our son was born Jan. 30, 1990. We received the wagon shortly after as agreed. It is beautiful! For a few months it looked great just sitting in his room. I really thought it would be a long time before he would enjoy playing with it. Well - he loves it already! He started to crawl in September and every time I put him down in his room he goes straight for the wagon. Now he pulls himself up on it an is taking steps holding the handle. He thinks its great. So do we!
We thank you for your beautiful work and he thanks you for a great toy!
Sincerely, Tim, Tama and Blair
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Over my first twenty years as a toymaker I made this wagon with doweled joinery on the corners like the picture above. But in the more recent twenty plus years I have used dovetail joinery like the detail picture below. I like the look and more importantly the strength.
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Click to watch my 9 month old granddaughter Marlowe trying out her new block wagon.
Click to see a movie of Lucy walking with her wagon.
I wish every newborn could come home from the hospital with a set of wooden unit blocks. I know of no other toy as full of educational value and play value over more years. Blocks engage the child's mind and creativity in different and more complex ways each year. They truly grow with the child as they help the child's mind grow.
. . . . . . . . .john
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Isabel & Louisa
Back to John's home
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Dear John,
The blocks are beautiful and the wagon a craftsman's delight. We think is is lovely that our grandson has toys that are worthy of heirloom status some day. His parents are as pleased as we are.
Did you see the TV special on PBS about Frank Lloyd Wright? Mr. Wright said that his childhood influences that he considered important in turning him to architecture included his blocks - Froebel blocks he called them. I'm sure Mr. Wright's blocks could not have been so wonderful as those you make.
Thank you for the beauty added to David's life.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .Eleanor
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Dear John:
Back in October or November of 1995 we ordered one of your block wagons for our son, Joey, who was going to be one in December. I remember that you worked hard to get the order out in time. Since then, we added son number two, Christopher, in March of 1996.
Well, Joey is now 3.5 and Chris just over 2, and I can't tell you the amount of time that they spend with your blocks. They become everything from Airports to Zoos, and literally everything in-between. They are (and have been) such favorites that we've even taken "official" (you know, the one year old, two year old, etc) shots with the block wagon from time to time (I know I have some extra pictures of one of those and I'll send it to you as soon as I find it again).
I've been meaning to write you for quite some time, but I've never gotten around to it. I just noticed (from you latest mailing) that you have an e-mail address, so as I finish catching up from work undone over the last week or so, I wanted to take just a minute to let you know how you've touched our family.
The quality of your work is amazing. Honestly, I've had friends who are woodworkers come over and they've marveled at the consistent quality of the blocks (not to mention the construction of the wagon). It's held up very well. With the exception of some scratches on the side of the wagon (courtesy of our brick fire place) and a single chewed piece(courtesy of our youngest daschound), well, it looks almost new.
John, I apologize that this note is getting to you so late. I really wanted to find the time to tell you about your work much before this point, but I just never put my mind to it. I'm sorry that it's been so long, but, at least this is one of those better late than never kinda things.
All too often I think we all get into the rut of being able to find the time to criticize but not finding the time to compliment. Well, please understand just how much fun your craftsmanship has provided our home. It's been immense!
Thanks again, Martin
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Hello,
We wanted to drop a note to you to let you know how much Amaan loves the wooden block wagon that you made for him. He figured out how to push it very soon after he received it (which I took as a good sign that he may be able to start mowing the lawn before too long). He then proceeded to push it from one wall to the other (complaining if we did not turn the wagon around once he reached a wall).
It has been exciting to watch how his use of the blocks has changed as he has developed (he will be one year old in about a week). First, he simply took blocks out of the wagon and gnawed on them (usually the cylinders). Then he started to destroy the objects that I would build with the blocks (who says he is the only one allowed to play with them). He has recently started dropping blocks on top of objects that I build which I believe is an attempt to help me construct things. He has also started taking blocks off of the floor and placing them back in the wagon (although he hasn't yet figured out how to make them fit "properly"). Needless to say, we have enjoyed watching him develop almost as much as he has enjoyed playing with the wagon and blocks.
Now we are thinking of buying a few train cars for a 2 year old son of a friend of ours.....
Dave
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Hello, John. First of all, we love the wagon and blocks our dear family friend sent us upon the birth of Cricket, our daughter. When they arrived in June my husband was so thrilled that he packed the wagon and her up in the car and drove over to the house I was painting so that he could show me the gift immediately. The blocks and wagon are gorgeous; they instantly attract anyone who comes into the living room,from my five-year-old niece to the the 17-year-old kids in our church youth group. Cricket is almost walking now, and it's hilarious to see her push the wagon across the room, stopped only by a BONK! against the futon.
Next, our friends in Seattle would like a catalog, please.
Thanks much, Amy 1995
p.s. We think that you should add something in the description of the blocks and wagon about it being a great group gift for a family or office shower. We never would have/could have spent over $200 on a single gift for Cricket, but of course now that we have it we realize it's worth more than ten $20 gifts....and hey, everyone could play with the blocks instead of stupid shower games!
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I never saw a discontented tree. They grip the ground as though they liked it, and though fast rooted they travel about as far as we do. They go wandering forth in all directions with every wind, going and coming like ourselves, traveling with us around the sun two million miles a day, and through space heaven knows how fast and far!
John Muir
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Some species of trees have been ‘read out of the party’ by economics-minded foresters because they grow too slowly, or they have too low a sale value to pay as timber crops: white cedar, tamarack, cypress, beech, and hemlock are examples. In Europe, where forestry is ecologically more advanced, the non-commercial trees species are recognized as member of the native forest community, to be preserved as such, within reason. Moreover some (like Beech) have been found to have a valuable function in building up soil fertility. The interdependence of the forest and its constituent tree species, ground flora, and fauna is take for granted.
Aldo Leopold
Sand County Almanac 1949
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