Susanna Freymark
Each small bird Libby Trezise carves is different. She lays 10 of them on a work bench at the Casino Community Men’s Shed.
“Here, feel this one,” she said. It is smooth with perfect curves to run your finger along.
She calls them comfort birds and apparently it’s a ‘thing’ on the internet – carving these birds for healing.
One of the birds is made out of camphor laurel and smells fresh, another is made out of red cedar.
It’s clear Libby is proud of each one. She’s been teaching other women to carve them too.
Eighteen months ago, the doctor told her she had at most three years left to live.
She has breast cancer and it’s gone to her bones, she said.
It was difficult getting that kind of news, but Libby said she has adjusted now – carving the comfort birds helps.
“I have 17 so far,” she said.
Having a goal of 200 birds gives her a purpose. She sands each one until it is perfect.
“I used to carve a lot and then I gave it up,” Libby said.
Here she is carving again.
“I needed to get into doing something for my community,” she said.
She’ll give the birds away.
She first came to the Casino Community Men’s Shed because she needed a bandsaw. Now, she’s right at home there, carving her comfort birds.
