"Sleepers, awake!" crows Chanticleer atop his brass pole. He sports silky blond feathers, tail plumage in three rich colours, red comb and wattles, and powerful carved legs. 48"Lx43" H. Hand carved of Basswood.
For the treat of a lifetime, go visit Lark Toys in Kellogg, Minnesota. It is a treasure trove of handmade wood toys and vintage toys with one of the most remarkable carousels you might ever see. My grandkids and I have been going there for years. It is a 25-year-old family business that was started in a garage by a hand carver. It grew like topsy over the years with many different kinds of toys, both modern and hand-made, and now has a restaurant, candy shop, a mini-golf course, and a gift shop under one roof with the hand carved carousel the major draw. $1.00 gets you a ride on one of the animals on the carousel.
"And the seasons, they go round and round,/ And the painted ponies go up and down./ We're captive on the carousel of time." Joni MitchellClick here to see more camera critters posted by bloggers from around the world.
I cam almost hear the music.
ReplyDeleteMy goodness, I have never seen such fine workmanship on a childrens carousel.
ReplyDeleteIf I lived there I would be making trips to see it too.
Beautiful craftsmanship - what a contrast to the graffiti of the Theme Day post.
ReplyDeleteI've never before seen a carousel like this one. Great photos and great carousel :-D
ReplyDeleteCharming!
ReplyDeleteI love the Moose. I can't believe it's only a dollar to ride- that seems like a deal in this day & age! I'm sure the grandkids love it.
ReplyDeleteOur daughters would love to ride such a beautiful merry- go- round! Maybe they would even let me ride too?!
ReplyDeleteNice graffiti theme day photo yesterday, Great Kate!
Wow! The carving is amazing! I would LOVE to see this in person and so would my husband!
ReplyDeleteWonderful shots of the carousel. The bunny is my favorite.
ReplyDeleteKate, thanks for visiting my blog and also for your kind comments. My question is - How do you manage to do 4 blogs?
ReplyDeleteI came here thru camera critters - love the carousel..... we have visited the St. Paul area and have relatives there... Have a wonderful day!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like an amazing place to visit. The workmanship on this carousel is beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI am always interested in carving and did it for many years. I really like these animals on the merry go round. I still got some basswood chunks I bought years ago. Haven't used the tool in forever.
ReplyDeleteI remember we went to Christmas, Michigan once and saw some excellent wood carving there too.
gorgeous pieces thanks for sharing
ReplyDeleteThose are AWESOME and beautiful! What wonderful craftsmanship!
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful carousel, and a great take for Camera Critters.
ReplyDeleteGreat Photos this week! Carousels evoke such nostalgia.
ReplyDeleteWonderful craftmanship indeed!
ReplyDeleteAny hand-carved sculptures, especially of animals, I am always drawn to. These are exceptional, great photos!
ReplyDeleteNever have I seen a more beautiful and unusual carousel. What a fun place to take children.
ReplyDeleteKate, the artistry in these animals is amazing and I hope that the tradition continues. I love carousels and have a running list of those to photograph when I return to Paris.
ReplyDeleteThis one at Lark would be worth a trip - wow!
Bon weekend!
Genie
I love carosels and that one looks delightful :)
ReplyDeleteGreat photos. The moose is my favorite!
ReplyDeleteThis is a very cool carousel. The 'critters' are fantastic!
ReplyDeleteI want to ride on this magical carousel! Thank you for giving us these marvelous views of its artistry!
ReplyDeleteWell, since I can't go in person, thanks for taking me along with you through these fantastic photos! It is just the kind of place that I'd like to visit over and over again.
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