You did a nice job with the finish in making the wood pop. Birch can be really nice.
Seems to me you should be looking to nab some beetle kill pine, too. Dunno if the Chugach got hit, but you do have some lodgepole around, if I remember right. That and lots of spruce.
I got some really nice bluestain in two miracle units of three-inch laths. Some Canuck mill, old LPP, kilned to perfection, milled splinter free, dead nuts straight. Made lots of cabinet doors and face frames out of it. Eye candy, wish I could find more without having to buy a whole unit.
