Sal Admires an Unusual Collection

On a brief visit to the campus of Shawnee State University, Sal and I saw a collection that caught our fancy.  Here is the most significant (for Sal's purposes) text from the sign accompanying the display:

Retired physician Spencer W. Miller, M.D., a member of the International Wood Collectors Society, discovered his passion for collecting different types of wood and wood carving by accident when he created a hand-carved salad fork and spoon set for his prospective daughter-in-law as a wedding shower gift.  Later, that accidental discovery developed into an extensive and elaborate hobby that found him traveling the globe in search of different types of wood to add to his collection of some 500 sets of hand-carved salad forks and spoons...

Since Sal is made from lovely wood herself, she had to have her photo taken with part of the collection.  There were several display cases containing identical -- except for the type of wood -- sets of salad forks and spoons.  I have to say I greatly admire Dr. Miller's determination and persistence as he pursued his goal.  I wonder whether his family and friends were supportive as he did what must have seemed -- at the very minimum -- to be a bit eccentric.  (I'm drawing a bit of a parallel with my wish to visit lots of places with Sal and take many photos.  This may strike people as a little nutty -- though it certainly doesn't rise to the level of Dr. Miller's pursuit of exotic woods!)

Sal sitting on one of the many display cases of Dr. Miller's salad forks and spoons.

Purists may say that I should not include a photo that doesn't include Sal -- and I would agree 99% of the time -- but I thought people might be interested in seeing this photo of Dr. Miller, which was included in the display.