Quite a while ago now (a year or more ago), we had a large branch come down from our very old Maple tree. A part of it was relatively straight; a part of me was relatively creative, and a part of our garden shed was relatively useful. The straightest section was sliced up into 1″ thick discs and, after sanding and many coats of clear gloss …. became 5″ dia (approx) wood coasters! I sent Melanie (my daughter) a set of six.
Earlier this year, I made my annual visit to stay with Melanie for two weeks and, while we were having one of our many conversations, I looked at one of her coasters and did something totally on impulse … I put it on the carpet, and gave it a considerable push. I don’t know what I expected it to do but, with its natural weight and very smooth surface, it rocketed across the carpet and almost hit the opposite wall!
I asked Melanie to get one and do the same, after which we decided that we had a basis for a game. we did need a target to aim at though. Once we had rigged up a target, and with three coasters each, we basically had a lawn bowling/curling scenario!
I recently lost a couple of dear friends (a couple), and their two children (now adult with children) are in the process of adjusting their lives. While I was with Melanie, the son wanted to visit along with his wife and young girls and so a date was duly arranged. During the get-together, somebody brought up the subject of Melanie’s unusual coasters and the story was told.
The son and I decided to have a game (which Melanie and I had determined to be “Bonkers Conkers”), which was a lot of fun and aroused the interest of his girls! The eldest one challenged me to a game, which was followed by her challenging her Dad … and soon the whole family was taking it in turns. Who would have known?
By the end of their visit, I had offered (and it was accepted), to make a set*** of “Bonkers Conkers” for them. I am now looking at it all complete and ready to be shipped out to them on our West coast. It should be there well before Christmas!
Who would have thought? A game from a fallen tree branch. Fun from re-cycling, and the cost was little more than time … but the reward of seeing happy, smiling faces … priceless!
*** A whole new story there for another time!
A New Direction Perhaps? 
A simple idea and so much fun. Patent it Colin! You’ll make a fortune!!
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If life was only that easy! 🙂
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Exactly. 🙂
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🙂
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You could play shuffleboard.
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Yup! Lots of possibilities, and all from a broken tree branch! 🙂
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That’s so cool. I wood burn designs on the ones I make but never thought about creating a game with them. Bravo.
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There you go then. Make some thick ones (the weight helps) , and have some fun! 🙂
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👍🏻
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Great idea of use 😀
I love the natural wood too and have different kind in my house.
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Creative wonderments strike when they will; you just have to be open to them! What a great thing!
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That is so true. This was not the result of creative planning, but just from an impulse followed by some action! 🙂
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I remember those coasters. They were cool and definitely creative!
I can so see you and Melanie playing that game and who else but you 2 could come up with the game and the name! A fitting name in many ways. LOL!
You just should have came up with the game when we were there. 😃
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Yes … timing was a little off there! 🙂
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This is marvellous! Very creative and such fun. Well done. 😀
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Thank you and, being a lover of natural wood … very pleased with the end result.
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Sounds like fun. Maybe you have to be a little bonkers to come up with something that’s fun, but totally unexpected.
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You’re probably right. I’ve been called that (and quite a few other less complimentary things) many times over the years! 🙂
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You can always expect the unexpected from Colin and his daughter! 🙂
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Yes … it confuses a lot of people which is, of course, to our advantage! 🙂
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Haha! I sympathize with those “people!”
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