At first I thought this was a very big owl, then realized it's a very big hornet's nest. It did not really become visible until surrounding leaves dropped. Although it's just across the yard we have not been bothered by stinging bugs. I guess they have been happy with being out in the trees.
Cloudy, windy weather continues, but the rain appears to have stopped, at least for the time being.
Stay strong and as always, thanks for stopping by...............*s*
I finally finished glazing and painting this teapot. It's looking pink and shiny due to the wax I use. Mr. Mark's Wax On. Remembering to take pictures before waxing seems to be beyond me.
The Gooneys are dressed in their finest for Carnival, which was the original inspiration for this and other pots. Also refers back to the 'walking teapots' I did a lifetime.....well, thiritish years ago.
I have called this post Bits & Pieces #1 because I hope to make it a continuing post about the oddities I make and think about. Things don't always fit into neat categories.
F/U to yesterday's Wordless Wednesday about Clarisse Cliff. The Color Room is a film about how she became Clarisse Cliff, I think I watched it on Prime, not sure where it is available.
Just remembered that I read a good article about women artists who bloomed in later life. I don't think she is mentioned, but of course Beatrice Wood came immediately to mind. You can google it. Hyperallergic has a free membership.
Thankful Thursday......just thankful that I don't have to go anywhere and can enjoy this sunny day.
Stay strong and as always, thanks for stopping by................*s*
I was going to post another photo of the morning glories, but it was quite cool when I went out to feed the birds so they weren't really open yet. Don't need. another photo of leaves. If I remember I will add a phot later.
I'm off to see my primary care doc. I know she is not going to be happy about my A1C. There will be discussions,I know. Perhaps if I start paying closer attention to my diet and exercise I can bring it down a bit.
I see my optometrist and retina specialist later this month. Too many appointments. I feel doctored out.
I used to think that clustering my appointments and getting them all done at once was the way to go. Mostly they seem to make me incredibly grouchy, so I am going to start stretching them out.
I know that I am most fortunate in that all my health problems are under control, but it still annoys me.
GRRRRRR!!!!
We'll see, grasshopper...............we'll see........
Stay strong and as usual, thanks for stopping by.....*s*
The morning glory tower is starting to bloom. This is not really a tower, just vines I trained to grow up the corner of the sun room. No frost in sight so toes are crossed.
I managed to lose two pounds. Not sure how as I have not been eating well, but I'll take it!
Stay strong and as usual, thanks for stopping by..............*s*
I do love blue flowers. Planning on a blue and white corner garden around my HoTai for next summer.
We'll see, grasshopper.............we'll see'.............
Stay strong, and as aways, thanks for stopping by................*s*
Hopeful
I don't really know why, since of late my general view of the world's been pretty grim. Terrible things happen and the world shrugs.......unless it's some rightwing agenda.
I take my news in very small doses these days. No news channels. No assaults on my ears and mind. When I read about itemsI can absorb at my own pace, contemplate, mull stuff over..
And today, reading about governors who refuse to knuckle down to #47, reading about artists who keep creating under any circumstances, I find myself hopeful that we will not only survive but be stronger.
I remind myself that things do get better
.Hitler killed himself in a bunker.
Statues of Stalin were toppled. (No discussing Putin)
The Berlin Wall fell.
In millions of small ways people are fighting and holding the line against the current state of affairs, or the slime that currently passes for government.
Two questions:
What rocks have these people been living under?
What happened the the Age of Aquarius?
Are we a teen-age country undergoing growing pains?
OOPS! That's three!
Stay strong and as always, thanks for stopping by.........*s*
Last night our very old hot water tank bit the dust. We knew ir was in process of dying, just did not expect such a spectacular demise! Went downstairs to water being sprayed out of the release spigot and water, water everywhere. Fortunately it's a cement slab so no flooring was damaged, but yes a mess, because water.....needing to be mopped. Cursory clean-up last night; not really what one wants to do at midnight!
Dealing with it all this morning.....looks like the downstairs will be getting a long overdue, very much needed, thorough cleaning!
No pictures of the mess. Instead a rather dark photos of Winter and LuckyPeach enjoying their nightly snooze.
Daddy definitely took the T-Bird away on this one!
Stay strong and as always, thanks for stopping by..............*s*
she said sarcastically! Gmail and Blogger in their infinite wisdom has decided it's okay to move photos around. Go figure! I know I sure can't!
See that? Above is a picture of teeny-tine morning glory buds. After various creatures finding sprouts the most delicious offerings, I broke down and bought some seedlings in mid July. Finally I have buds. Toes crossed that I will see flowers later on. Still crossing toes for a long frost free autumn.
Wishing all a happy and productive September!
Blogger, in its infinite wisdom, is being stubborn about posting new photos. Here are some old bunnies.
Stay strong and as always, thanks for stopping by...............*s*
Well FedEx almost did a misdelivery again yesterday. Fortunately my neighbor was home as delivery was being made, rescued package, and yelled at driver. The package was two fairly expensive brushes Proge (son) had ordered. I confronted driver, who relied on GPS and evidently cannot tell the difference Between addresses ten digits apart. I almost asked if GPS told him to drive off bridge would he do it, but I held my tongue.
Upton has replaced my order, but FedEx even though they make it difficult as possible will be hearing from me.
Rant over.....for now!
Stay strong and as always, thanks for stopping by...............*s*
AKA The AAARRRGGGHHH! Factor
FIE on you FedEx! FIE!
Delivered my order of tea to neighbor's house instead of mine. He was at work, his dogs absolutely destroyed the box and contents before we could rescue. I will definitely have words for FedEx and get reimbursement. I am also calling Upton to complain. Definitely not their fault but they should know what is going on.
Wrote the above while I was still spitting nails. I did call Upton just to let them know. They were not happy. The order is being resent......to my PO Box this time.
And to make things more interesting I am going through another period of not being able to post photos. I think I figured out work=around. last time this happened........we'll see, grasshopper......we'll see....
Stay strong and as always, thanks for stopping by.............*s*
From the way the various birds and bees have been acting I think they are looking for water. Rooting around among my artifacts I found this bird bath/platter what have you. I am pretty sure it's one of the first thing I made after switching from a high talc, low fire white to terra cotta, which would take me back to 1990. Have no idea of the glaze, I was trying various studio glazes and still learning to mix Mason stains. In the 'flesh' it's obviously over fired., but still usable.
I know the clay was the old Miller #25 terra cotta with 10% frit 3124 added. This clay body wears like iron. It's no longer available. I don't think Miller even exists these days. I am trying a body from tuckers which also has frit but haven't had a chance to fire it yet.
We haven't had a lot of rain in the last few weeks which is pretty normal for this time of year. It looks like hurricane Erin will be too far off shore to bring us any rain. The tides however are dangerous. Toes crossed that people have the sense to stay away from the shore........probably a vain hope.
Stay strong and as always, thanks for stopping by..............*s*
Doesn't feel like a week has passed. Toes crossed everyone has been enjoying tea none way or amother
This may be the teapot that inspired my love of tea, making teapots, and majolica. The handle got broken several years ago. I have the pieces so I will mend it at some point.
Thus was my Nanu's teapot which supposedly she and Gramp bought on their European honeymoon. I have my doubts as it says 'Made in Italy' on the bottom. Perhaps purchased at some sort of import shop? I will never know. The glazes probably are leaded so it hasn't been used in many many years.
One of the very first teapots I ever made waaaaaaay back when. It's high fire, so it was before I switched exclusively to low-fire. I would say ca.1988 when I had only been potting for a few years. I think I painted an Albany Glaze on and rubbed it off. The interior is lined with it.
I've been having a lot of fun unearthing old teapots. Perhaps I will go on looking for hidden and forgotten pots.
We'll see, grasshopper, we'll se...............
Stay strong and as always, thinks for stopping by........*s*
I bought this teapot many years ago at the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen summer festival at Mt. Sunappe, New Hampshire. Unfortunately I lost the maker's card. It's porcelain with this very pretty glaze. Holds about three generous cups and pours very nicely. The opening is big enough to accommodate one of my brewing baskets.
I always drink loose tea. Since I started using the baskets it has made clean-up whole lot easier. At one point I thought I was giving in to modern laziness. I have since found many antique pots with brewing baskets made to go with the teapots.
Stay strong and as always, thanks for stopping by.............*s*
Another so-called 'one hour teapot'. Made this a very long time ago. Unfortunately I don't remember the glazes, but the are most likely Spectrum. It's been sitting on shelf, not sure why. I like the handle and lid. It holds about three generous cups and pours very nicely.
I really should try for a better picture.
Stay strong and as always, thanks for stopping by......*s*
It's a perfect 'tea-for-me' size, which will be enjoyed on my deck this afternoon.
Stay strong, and as always, thanks for stopping by.............*s*
National Afternoon tea week is August 11-17 this year. I am going to try to post a teapot for each day. Operative word is *try*. May be pots I have made, in the process of making, or by other otters that I like.
This is a little two-three cup pot I handbuilt over a form I made. The process was originally posted on the Ceramics Monthly site.. I think it was called a one hour teapot. But....me being me I probably spent several hours on it. And then there is the decorating and my first time panting. grapes.
I made this many years ago long before Covid and my various, myriad health problems began interfering with life. It still sits on my unfired shelf. Perhaps when the weather cools and I get the kiln room sorted I will actually manage to do a firing.
We'll see, grasshopper............we'll see..........
Stay strong, and as always, thanks for stopping by.........*s*
Not really the way to celebrate a one year anniversary.
Thursday, August 7 was the one year anniversary of my hip replacement. This is one of the smartest things I have ever done. I am only sorry that I waited almost two years to get it done. Fear and anxiety are not good friends.
I can still be vey bad at judging seating heights. Went to sit on a toilet, forgot it was not the high riser I am used too. OOPS! BOOM! No harm done, but it was a surprise. As my sweet P. used to say, "Presence of mind, Suzi, presence of mind."
I hate that we are more than halfway through the summer, but as I have said many times in many places toes are crossed for one of our long, warm autumns.
Meanwhile I deal with the pool which is developing a myriad of problems.
It's always sumthin !
Stay strong, and as always, thank for stopping by................*s*
A few months ago I managed to absolutely destroy my wonderful little Bosch mixer. I used the blender attachment to make almond butter. Big NO! The blender worked well for everything else but nut butter completely did it in. It came with a three year warranty, but I bought it right after Covid began so that was long gone. And from what I can see Bosch no longer makes the compact. mixer.
I was not sure what I wanted to do about a replacement so I have been making a lot of batter breads and, yes, even buying bread. Looked at various mixers. What I really wanted was the Ankarsrum, but the price, grasshopper.......way out of my range.
A few weeks ago I was looking arounds and came across this KitchenAid factory refurbished mini-pro On sale, with free shipping directly from the company so I decided to give it a go..
It did arrive almost a week later than the original arrival date. My quarrel is not with the time it took, but the lack of communication on the company's part. It was listed on my card as sale pending. That note went away after two days. Complete silence and no response to my attempts to communicate. Then wonder of wonders, I got a notice saying the mixer was shopped. Checked and indeed the charge was on my card, and it arrived when they said it would. KitchenAid makes great items, but their communication skills are not great. This is not the first time I have been through this with them.
Rant over, the mixer is here in great shape.
I've only used it once so far to make bread. I like the stainless bowl and the coated dough hook and mixer blades. I haven't tried whipping anything yet the balloon whisk looks like it will do the job. One thing I like about the dough hook is the shield which keeps the dough from traveling up the mixer.
I will be using this mostly for bread and other large items. Most of the time I used my hand mixer, or immersion blender, both KitchenAid and still going strong after many years.
So now I can get back to experiments in bread without destroying my poor wrists. I want to save them for my pottery.
Stay strong and as usual, thanks for stopping by.......*s*
Reading Barb's post today about leaving car windows opens brought back some memories or....
WHY I ALWAYS CLOSE CAR WINDOWS
Many, many years ago I had one of the last VW Squarebacks sold in the USA. Loved that car, AKA The Little Red Schoolbus. The window opening went across the top and down the side, very nice when you wanted just a bit of air and a breeze. One day left window cracked, went inside, thought no more about it until following morning when then husband came in and asked, "Why did you leave your lights on overnight?" Me, "Lights on? I didn't leave the lights on I came home from picking Proge up. It was afternoon, it's summer and sunny. Why would I have lights on?." We go out to jump car. Little hand and footprints on car, BY THE WINDOW! Our little raccoon buddies had been visiting. Immediately pictured raccoon perched on car, reaching in with one arm and playing with knobs and handles and very handy lights. Even turned lights to high.
So a salutary lesson was learnedðŸ¤
Thanks, Barb, for the memory!
Stay strong, and as always, thanks for stopping by.................*s*
I started the morning with a reading of Sonnet #33 by the Bard himself. It somehow feels appropriate for our times.
I read the sonnets in no particular order, but simply open my book randomly. It seldom disappoints.
As always, stay strong, and thanks for stopping by.........*s*
Yes, we are having hot weather, but really it's in the 80ºF. with lots of humidity. I stay outside on the deck under my umbrella, with iced tea, and a fan. Actually got a heat advisory warning from the local police saying to say hydrated etc and listing cooling places.
Mostly I want to say, "Use the wits you were born with. Stay out of the direct sun, wear sun block, hat and sunglasses.
Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the noon day sun. Noel Coward
As always, take care and thanks for stopping by..............*s*
Lots of heat expected in our area although local weather says 80ºF-ish. That's entirely bearable in my book. I do have to resew a couple of rib pockets on the deck umbrella. We had wind yesterday. One heavy gust blew the umbrella off the deck and into the back yard. Fortunately except for a couple of torn pockets everything is still in good working order.
I remember when I started potting, low these many years ago, I had my first very heavy (motorized) kick wheel set up out under the trees. It was a lovely shady outdoor studio. Occasionally I would fire up the generator if I was working on a large piece but mosly I used it as a kick wheel and enjoyed the quiet of the woods. At that point we lived completely off grid, used the generator at night. I do enjoy living with power, but if I still had my back house I would seriously be going solar and off grid.
Happy memories.
As always, stay safe and thanks for stopping by.............*s*
I think of my mis-quote of Thomas Edison....Art is 5%inspiration and 95% perspiration.
The way to develop artistic ability is to work at it the same way you work at developing any talent. Work at it! That means keeping a blank book near by and making marks whenever you can. No computer drawing programs! There is a connection in the brain between eyes and hands that is re-enforced when actually putting pencil to paper. Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain is another way to start.
Developing any talent takes many exercises. Pablo Casals said when asked why he practiced at ninety said, "Because I think I'm making progress."
Learn to see what you are looking at. Look at a leaf. Draw what you see, not what you think is a leaf. Hold it. Feel the shape, the texture, the veins. Start to draw what you see. First attempts may be off, but keep doing. Little steps. How does a line define a space? How does the light affect the object. How does placement influence how we view an object?
Take a mug or cup you use often. Place it on the table or space where you normally use it. Now place it in a white, open cube or on a riser or box, preferably white, with a blank wall behind it. How does the location and space around this common object affect how you view it
Not everyone will be a Durer, or Rembrandt, or Matisse. But everyone can learn to create and enjoy the process.
Yes, developing an ability is work. You don't become a master potter, glassblower, weaver etc. over night. Why on earth would you expect to be proficient at art the first time you set pencil to paper?
This may be subject to more ranting! I hate seeing people selling themselves short!
As always, stay well, and thanks for stopping by...........*s*
As always, stay well, and thanks for stopping by.............*s*
WELL! Had my annual physical yesterday and man did I screw up. I knew that my abandoned eating since Christmas would be problematic, but no to the tune of sending my A1C up to 7.5. Sooooo...it's back to counting carbs and watching what I eat....such fun!!!
On the other hand my eyes are doing fine. My right eye which has the retinal tear looks like it needs surgery, but according to my doc in this case looks are deceiving. I am seeing very well, as long as I continue to do so, no surgery. He is mystified as to why this is so, as am I.
Everything else appears to be under control, my white blood count is looking very good. I do need to schedule a mammogram and a f/u colonoscopy.
I think being 82 takes up too much time being preoccupied with health.
Think I'll go work on my latest teapot, which for some reason I cannot post a photo of.
Stay safe and dare I say healthy? As always, thanks for stopping by..........*s*
I have been sulking because for some arcane reason blogger is no longer allowing me access to my photos. Yes, I know many post without pictures, but I don't......didn't.
Had my 82nd birthday last month. It rained. Still wondering how the f....I got to be 82. I don't think I am much wiser with age. But I am enjoying making some new pots.
For the first time in a few years I have been enjoying spring, now that it is finally here! I am in the process of moving from my upstairs winter space to my real studio downstairs. Also planting and planting new stuff. Trying to be a bit more sensible and get pots and planters ready before I go nuts buying plants. Key word here is 'try'.
Proge rigged up a pulley from the deck so we don't have to go out to what was the laundry area to hang clothes. The dryer has gone the way of all flesh, but with warm weather we are hanging clothes out anyway, so a new (used?) one is one the back burner.
Today I am starting on opening the pool. It's kind of a mess as it was never opened last year, due to my hip.
Getting a hip replacement was one of the smartest things I have ever done. I just have to remember to exercise regularly. Since I stopped dancing back in the dark ages exercise has never been a strong point with me.
As always, stay well and thanks for stopping by..............*s*
Lost our electricity yesterday with no warning and no apparent reason, until we heard the sirens going by. There was an accident down at the foot of the hill. Fortunately no ambulances to I assumed no one was injured. I think a telephone pole may have been taken down. We had to go out for some propane tanks and could see many truck and police cars if we looked the other way. It must have been a doozy as we were without power for about ten hours. Got out the inverter and the gas burner so we could have light and cook supper. Power came on around eight-ish, sans internet. That finally was restored at 12:00 PM, today.
One of the disadvantages to living in an all electric house is that when power goes we are up a certain creek. Power inverter and gas burner are always on hand. Unfortunately it was also raining so cooking outside was a large no.
We seem to be in for a bout of chilly gray weather with intermittent showers. But the daffodils are blooming and the crocuses are trying to come up. I need to clear their bed.
Since I am now able to get around easily I am just a wee bit impatient.
As always,..............thanks for stopping by........*s*
HAPPY IMBOLC
Although the springiest day was yesterday. The first daffodils bloomed, the sun was bright and warm, birds were chirping away. We even lit up the grill for the first time since Christmas.
Chillier and gray today, but it feels like we turned the corner on winter. I say this advisedly as it is not unknown to have sudden snowstorms on Easter.
I am ignoring large portions of the world as a means of survival.
We'll see, grasshopper.............we'll see.........
Thanks for stopping by..................*s*
WOW! Not sure where February went but glad to welcome March and longer, (toes crossed) warmer days.
When I was still working with my developmentally delayed students, pot hangers were always a favorite project. Considering that I retired fifteen years ago these have been around for a while. Standing bun is from a different series.
Whistles and 'whisky' sippers are my go-toos when I haven't been working for a while, or am just feeling at a blah standstill.
This winter has been a bit easier than the last few. I think due to several things. ! started preparing in mid September, got sunroom set up, set up SAD lamp, started St. John's Wort. But I think the biggest thing is being pain free for the first time in years. THR (hip replacement) was one of the smartest things I have ever done. Fear held me back from doing it much earlier......dumb move, grasshopper...
As always, stay safe, and thanks for stopping by..............*s*
Do you know how to whistle?
As always, stay safe, and thanks for stopping by.................*s*
Stay safe, and as always, thanks for stopping by................*s*
Old Christmas is past
Twelfth tide is the last
As we bid you adieu
Great health in the New.
As always, stay safe, and thanks for stopping by.............*s*
