Loren’s ever present walking stick was used for about everything under the sun other than walking. He used it to examine things, wrangle snakes, clear trails of webs, knock on trees, overturn stones, scrape mud or snow off his boots, pull people up steep embankments, retrieve things from water ways, flip stuff up off the ground (one time I dropped my glove and as quick as I turned Loren flipped it to me with his stick), he used it as a measuring tool ~ often checking the depth of water or a mysterious hole in the ground, a signal tool ~ to wave or hold high, Loren would use it for a fire poker, carry suppies and so much more I have long forgotten.