The past three years, I've noticed a couple from Ontario, Canada occupying one of the Gulf Side Cottages here in Miramar Beach, Florida. They somewhat stay to themselves but nonetheless are friendly in casual conversation. The gentleman is an excellent chainsaw wood sculptures/wood carver. He travels extensively showing his wares. His wood carving talent reminds me of another knife applied to wood talent...I'm taking about 'whittling.' Whittling is using a sharp pocket style knife and simply trimming away layers of wood from sticks or blocks of wood. The objective appears to be nebulous at best. Grandpa E. V. Bennett, when asked why he whittled said, "It aids my ponderin'."
I don't notice many old farts whittling as in the past. Perhaps they wish to avoid pondering or just maybe the old timers are not introduced to the 'pocket-knife' as those in my youthful generation. Most boys carried a pocket knife back in the 1940's. The pocket knife was, back-in-the-day a great school playground tool...we played 'mumbley peg.' I recall two mumbley peg games, which I played at recess. One was pairing up with another knife carrying Buddy and play at 'match me' game. The first player would attempt to stick his knife in the ground by throwing it in various ways. If his knife stuck in the ground then the next player had to match the throw sticking his knife. For any missed stick the player received a letter 'k-n-i-f-e,' i.e., h-o-r-s-e in basketball shooting. The other mumbley peg game was spreading your feet shoulders width and throwing your picket knife sticking it in the ground between your feet; the one closest to his foot wins. If you stuck it in your foot you were mubley peg King Of The Day. Some kids argued that you were 'Dumb Ass of The Day.'
(Touch)
The Art of Mumbley Peg
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