At Last!

What I call the ARRRGH FACTOR!!!  Safari, for reasons known only to itself decided to log me out of here and give me a runaround when signing in.  Finally remembered that when this happened on my MacBook I went through Chrome.  

In retrospect I don’t think it’s Safari but Chrome changing stuff.

Enough said! I’m baaaaaaack!!!

The little trees were part of a Christmas challenge that Caroline Gault did on FaceBook.  Of course I only got them fired in March. I like the way they turned out, but think I will do some with openings so they can hold a tea light.

Terra cotta with Spectrum #799, Majolica White with Mason stain, single fired to ^05+.

Yet another amaryllis is going to bloom in the next day or two.  I didn’t have any blooms at Christmas which is sort of the traditional time for them to bloom indoors.  (I bought a new one so I would have a bit of color)  However, they have been blooming steadily since March.  My Christmas cactus are also budding up.  Go figure, Mother Nature keeps her own calendar.

I am recovering from my surgery quite steadily.  I am still not doing heavy lifting or huge exercise.  I am walking around the yard on good days.  I missed so much of spring daffodils that it is a joy to see things flowering.  White bleeding heart is lovely.  The columbine is ready to burst.

I haven’t done any clay at all.  I am waiting for the right time.  I may glaze some bisque this afternoon.   It’s fairly mindless and needs to be completely dry before I start painting, so it’s a good way to start.

I am still staying at home in self quarantine.   It’s very strange to think of myself as being in the high risk group, but there you are! Proge does all the shopping; I drive but don’t get out of the car.

I hope all are safe and well.

As always, thanks for stopping by.............*s*

Sunshine

Happy Easter to all who celebrate the day.

My amaryllis have been blooming since early March.  I am not sure why but their blooms have been welcome in these dreary times.  The lighter, orange flower is a baby from one of my older bulbs. I just noticed last night that there is another bud stalk on its way.

About two years ago I jammed all my bulbs into a planter I had made and wasn’t using.  The idea was to summer them over and replant into more pots in the fall.  They did so well that I left them in the planter.  Since then I have been rewarded with many blooms both big and small.  I do need to get more bulb fertilizer though.

On the health front I am making progress.  Pain is much less and controlled with Tylenol.  Stamina is something that I need to build slowly.  I find that one ‘chore’ a day is my limit. Today it’s laundry.  will not be carrying anything, but I will be able to do the rest.

It’s a beautiful, sunny day with temps expected to get into the high fifties.  I am looking forward to a little walk around the yard and a visit to the fish pond.

As always, thanks for stopping by...............*s*

And So It Goes.

We live in a ruralish area and don’t do a lot of going out in the world.
Prior to going into the hospital and before Crovid I was doing reasonably well, even though surgery was in the offing.
I fired Big Mama pretty successfully.  I was planning on cleaning and changing my studio a bit, which is something I like to do every spring.  I was even thinking about being able to do some selling at Christmas!
Now that I am home I am realizing that recovery is going to be a long, hopefully steady, process. I just have to take it on a day by day basis.
The most difficult thing has been to try to accept that I am almost seventy-seven and recent cancer surgery survivor.  I will make it a point to avoid people when I am able to drive. Others can do my errands; there is no need for me to go into places.
Doc follow-up appt tomorrow.........we’ll see, grasshopper......we’ll see.
As always, thanks for stopping by......*s*

Sumthin'

The kiln goddess was good. 

I managed to finally fire my kiln before going into the hospital.  (More about that later.)

I have had many conversations about glazing and firing purchased terra cotta pots.  Here is proof that it can be done.
However, there are caveats:  1. Pots from Italy seem to be more successful.  Examine them carefully for hairline cracks. I spray mist to bring out any hidden problems.   2. I have used studio glazes
successfully, but there is a greater chance of crawling and bubbling so I am sticking with Spectrum
Majolica White #799.
This will be great outside over the summer but I will put it in a safe dry place before there is any chance of frost.

Now for the not so fun part.  I may get fairly graphic so if talk of bowels and such turns you off stop reading.
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In late January I saw my primary care doc for my annual checkup.  She did not like the looks of hemorrhoids so recommended I see my gastroenterologist ASAP.  A week and a half later I was having a colonoscopy (which I was due for anyway).  Hemorrhoids taken care of but discovered a one and a half centimeter polyp which she removed and biopsied.  Came back cancerous, so within three weeksI was scheduled for upper bowel surgery. Went into the hospital March 24, had surgery, was well enough  to come home yesterday, Friday.

I seem to be recovering well.  But I am still trying to get used to thinking of myself as ‘at risk’. I guess at 76 and cancer survivor those are the breaks.  Staying away from people out here in the woods and enjoying early spring.

The good news is that a CT Scan showed no others problems.

Stay well and safe.  Get that colonoscopy; the prep is worse than the procedure.

As always, thanks for stopping by...............*s*

















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Goonie Variations

I have been looking at the original Goonie Birds (shown below on my New Year’s Day Post) and thinking about how I could come up with variations.

These first efforts came from the pinch chickens and ducks that I make.  Obviously they need a lot of work with wing, feet, etc., but they are a beginning.

We’ll see, grasshopper........we’ll see........

As always, thanks for stopping by.......*s*

Twelfth Night

Old Christmas is past,

Twelfth tide is the last,

And we bid you adieu.

Great health in the new.

Wishing everyone a Happy Twelfth Night.

As always, thanks for stopping by...........*s*

Happy Birthday, Mother Earth

Never a Christmas Morning
Never the Old Year ends
But Someone thinks of Someone
Old Days,  Old Times, Old friends