The art of carving walking sticks and small wooden objects has always gone hand in hand with the lives of shepherds. During long periods of waiting, while the flock grazes, hands naturally seek refuge in wood: a branch gathered along a path becomes a personalised stick upon which impressions of the mind are transformed into figures, leaving marks that time gradually renders harder and more defined. Lines, geometric motifs, animals, initials, and human faces are engraved. The traces left by the blade become intertwined with stories, places, and seasons. This patient gesture, shaping moments of leisure, leaves behind traces of one’s passage through the world and speaks of stopping places, of the interaction between weather and vegetation. Each stick is unique and recognisable; it supports and accompanies everyday efforts and is handed down within families. Through carving, the shepherd tames time, puts thoughts in order, and leaves in the wood the discreet trace of his own existence. In San Giorgio di Crognaleto, Luigi De Angelis spends part of his days incising bark without detaching it, shaping the relief of mouths and eyes to make them express human emotions through a technique refined over the years and based on observation rather than invention. He readily accepted the proposal to teach participants in this experience how to select wood, hold the knife correctly, apply pressure and choose pastoral motifs according to their meanings. This workshop offers a small group the opportunity to experience this rare practice, spending a morning in Luigi’s home carving cylindrical keyrings under the guidance of the master’s hands and instructions, while listening to his stories and tasting his cheeses.