how to weave a basket

on the way to the farm house in LeHave, on the south shore of nova scotia, there were signs posted to tree trunks just off the road:
"I HEAR YA," one said.
"SURE YA DO," said the other.
we sat in the car, all caffeinated and slightly carsick, all private but all together.

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sweetfern tea, the ferns perfect little shapes at the bottom of our mugs, and ate homemade meat pie with turnips & a lattice crust, fresh sourdough bread and home-churned butter.

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"we take the withrow from the top of its growth, only what's grown in the last year, where it splits in two like this, you see? when we come back next year this part will have doubled in its growth because of our help. we'll be coming here every year, and as far as i know there are no other basket-weavers in all of the south shore, so we're lucky to have this place!"
we were unable to identify the good withrow later.

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in order to make a good basket, you must first have good branches.
in order to select good branches, you must know how to make a good basket.