In early 2011, I found myself once again curious about exploring something new... burl bowls.   Burls are growths on a tree that are caused by some kind of stress, such as insects, wounds, or even a fungus.  Burls can occur on tree trunks, limbs, or underground on root systems.  Every burl is different, and it is always exciting when I get a chance to carve into one of these mysterious works of nature.