In the fall of 1999, I resolved to build a bookcase to hold the
library at the Largo Canyon School. I planned it carefully and bought the
lumber but everyone told me that it was far beyond my skill level or capability
of my meager tool set. All those mortise cuts were foolish for a neophyte
like me! Well, in New Mexico, there is a tradition of carpenterial
assistance being sent from heaven on high if one asks Saint Joseph for
help. Saint Joseph was Jesus's father and he was a carpenter himself.
Our Heavenly Father took mercy on my plight and from out of the east
came a mysterious Dutch carpenter and his wife. They helped me build that
bookcase. It took us two weeks, and after the last box of books were placed
on the shelf, they disappeared as mysteriously as they came. Here
is a photo gallery of the event.
Mysterious Dutch Carpenter liked to sand. |
 Here the MDC
has a dead snake which was run over by an oilfield truck. |
 The wife of
the MDC starts placing the books on the finished bookcase. The Legend of
the Mysterious Dutch Carpenter is inscribed under the bottom shelf of the
bookcase. |
 Here the Mysterious
Dutch Carpenter and his wife stand in front of the Painted Desert, where
we toured among many other National Parks in the area. |
Adrie and Tineke Konings came from Holland to see the southwest and help me with the Largo Canyon remodeling project. They stayed for a month. We had a great time. I learned about baking leek pies, ate cheese and jelly sandwiches, learned to appreciate those salty little Dutch licorice things, and saw more National Parks than I had ever seen before.