Oh, baby we have been waiting for you

Every spring, since 2000 when I planted this sweet flower, I watch daily as she gets ready to bloom.
I am usually graced with a bloom or two a day and then she will have about 10-12 open.
This year we have had a lot of rain and as I walked out today I got a whole bunch of open flowers.
Boom! here she is:

 She is just grand.
And her sister is putting it out as well.

I thought I would just walk through  the various gardens that I have going and the rain has helped everything.
We have a salad garden going and this year we are looking at a good crop with actual heads of lettuce and Swiss Chard:

It does not take much to see the weeds, but if you look hard you will find Thia Basil coming up from the seeds Mark shook off the plant from last year.
Then I went over to check the sage which I love to look at, but am not a fan of eating.
I don't know why I don't care for sage- I have tried but we are just not meant for one another.
I do love the flowers though.
Maybe that is enough for us, just a little luv...

As I was admiring the sage that little voice in my head said- check the mushrooms.

Oh boy mushrooms!
These are cut and sitting on the counter waiting for me to throw a pasta dish together for tonight.
I love getting these and hope for more.
( maybe I should add some sage to them....naw.....)
All this and some pottery making going on.

I started out with a short fat one and then decided it was not me and switched over to the other one.
These are small guys that will get no handle.
Just a wee pitcher for those times when you want a wee bit of something like Salad dressings, Maple Syrup or cream.
Just a good pinch of something.
I have also just finished up some berry bowls and small batter bowls.
I find I use the small batter bowls to hold homemade salad dressing and if you are in the mood Gravy works great in them.
We serve gravy about once a year around here, but when we do the batter bowl is the ticket.
Maybe I should put some sage in the gravy.......
Cheers,
M

A sign of the times

It's time.
It's time to get a new sign made for the end of the driveway.
This one was done in 1994 and it seems a bit dated and worn.
Tired- time to retire.
We have yet to find the time to come up with a new sign but I think we need to chuck this and start over.
When we had our first sign done it was before computers made it easy to design your own.
Yea, we are talking back in the dark ages, before the earth cooled.
It was 1982 and a fellow potter student had a back ground in graphic Arts and she designed our sign, stamp, business card and logo. There is no font that matches what she did back then and we have had others try to repeat the logo without much success.
But- things change and what seemed up and coming then seems more like the hair-do of the 80's.
You know how you look back and think- gee, did we really wear that, did we all go for the poodle perm look- guys fess up some of you were right there getting yours done too.
It is time to maybe start anew.
Time to think about changing the look- new colors maybe.
One of our hesitations has been that we have had problems with folks who think our sign looks better with rocks and eggs added.
I know- we were not thrilled with the additions, but they liked it enough to come back more then once.
There is also the issue of the open/close sign.
We paint one, they steal it.
We paint another one and take it down every night for a year and then get lazy- they steal it again.
We go to the hardware and buy one of those tacky looking ones, you know the ones, and they even steal those.
We have thought of ways to keep them from stealing them but it might mean jail time for one of us.
So we are still thinking about how best to attach an open/close sign which does not grow legs in the middle of the night.

The orchid is still blooming away.
She has one more pod to open.
She has started dropping a few of the blooms.
Seems our days are numbered, but I have enjoyed her everyday.
I am thinking about taking her back to the Orchid place when she is all done to see if they can lay hands on her and bring her back for someone else to enjoy.
Our days are numbered.

Mark and I took a long walk the other night.
We went up the back pasture and walked what will be a new road into the back of the property.
Today the we had someone here to plant grass on the road bed and sorta fix things up a bit.
I took this picture because it showed how different the soil is from one area to the next.
Look at how red that soil is at the top.
It might be worth trying to make a slip out of it.
Then I have to show you our trees.
See that sweet little pine tree sticking up?
We had all the land replanted after it was cut last fall.
Oh, I didn't tell you all about the cut.
Too painful- but life is full of pain and changes and sometimes you just have to roll with those changes.
Me- the tree hugger had to have the timber on the farm cut last fall.
I dealt with it pretty well considering all that had gone on before and since we cut.
Changes- you don't get to live this long with out them.

So what are we doing in the pottery?
Throwing- how about you?
M

The potters are in house- seagrove style

In David's workshop

I can not even begin to tell you what it was like to have Doug, Hannah and Angela walk in my house.
It was a thrill.
After meeting on line, reading each others blogs and facebooking there they were standing in the
USof A in Seagrove NC.
How sweet was that.

In the morning we headed down the road about 10 am to see David Stuempfle, Micheal Mahan, Mary Ferrell of Westmoore Pottery and Jugtown Pottery.
Then back to the house for lunch.
Then a mad dash to the NC Pottery Center, Johnston and Gentithes and Bulldog Pottery.
It was all I could fit in for the day.
There were several more I would have loved to drag them to but it was pack them off and send them off with Ron.
Now to start planning our trip to their part of the world.
A special thanks to Tracey for taking a day off to join us.

Angela who is developing a grand southern accent.

It was a blast!

At David's new kiln

From the ground up- Michael Mahan

What a day!

Stay Tune

Hannah, Doug and Angela are in house- Today is Seagrove Pottery tour.
Last night we had a meet and greet potter style-food, beer and wine.
No pictures---- I was having too much fun.
Today I promise pictures!
Tracey Broome is on her way to join us today.
It should be great fun.
Come along!
M

Mud and Suds in the Yard and the Celebration of Spring Kiln Opening

Day one down and day two just starting.
The sun is shinning and we are all set up for day two.
See you there!
M

What is life if not an adventure?

And they say the show must go on.
There is nothing like the forecast of a little rain and wind to worry us all that our Spring kiln Opening is in peril.
Many of the potters spend hours getting ready for the customers to come out and see what is new in the pottery shops after the long winter months.
Many of us clean our studios, bake cookies, bread- put on the coffee pot and in general just get ready to welcome you out.
Then the weather man tells us that we could have storms.
We have made alternative plans for our guest to be in a safe building rather then out in the yard under tents.
So get out you galoshes, or your fancy new boots and grab an umbrella and come out for pottery, cookies and other treats.
What is life if not an adventure?
Right Toto?

  After all I have some interesting cookie stories to tell.
M

Lemon Cookies or Don't turn your back on me cookies.

You know- you try.

Yesterday was baking cookies for the kiln opening this week-end and I thought I would make some Lemon cookies. I have made these before.
Simple recipe- in fact I will pass it on to you.
Just because I love company in my misery

Basic Cookie Mix for Lemon Cookies:
4 cups sifted flour- I use cake flour
4 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups dry milk powder
1 1/2 TBS baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. salt

Place all your ingredients in a large bowl and mix very well.

Store in a tightly covered container and this will keep up to one month.

To make the cookies:
2 Cups of the base

 1/2 cup melted butter

1 egg beaten

1tsp lemon extract

1TBS lemon juice

1Tbs grated lemon rind, yellow only

Mix this all together and shape into a log by wrapping in wax paper and chill.

Cut into small pieces- I weigh them out on my kitchen scale- just like making balls of clay.
Roll into 1" balls and place them 2 inches apart.
I bake on parchment paper.
350 for 10 minutes- or 12 it says but this is where the trouble came in.
I burned the first round.
Hit the second round and those are beauties.
Then turned my back on the last round- burned.
Little buggers.......

These are in the notes I made:
Batter does best chilled
Don't put too many on a pan
Try not to burn.
Hummm- TRY NOT TO BURN!!!!!! would be better.
Or note make these on days you have nothing else going on and can give complete attention to baking these cookies because if you do not they will come out like sweet, very sweet, hockey pucks , but note that dentist all over the world are cheering you on since you could break teeth on them.

With all this said we will still have some wonderful cookies at the opening.
So come on down and have a few.

Mud and Suds in the Yard and the Celebration of Spring Kiln Opening

 Mud and Suds in the Yard.We started this last year and loved it enough to have it again this year.
This year back again is Anne Raven Jorgensen from Raven Pottery.
Anne and I go way back.
We met when she was a pottery student at the local community college.
She was holding down the home front while her husband was off in Korea.
She would later move to the area with her family and become a potter in the Seagrove area.
The older girls have gone off on their own, but with one more in the nest they family moved about 45 minutes outside of Seagrove.
Anne still makes pottery, but has taken a detour into Jewelry making.
She will be bringing both with her to the event.
Come and see what is new with Anne.

The other Mud person will be Laura Weant Johnson of Snowhill Tileworks  whose studio can be found at 220 S. Churton St. Hillsborough NC
Laura will be featuring handmade ceramic tile and porcelain jewelry.

I meet Laura when she was making tiles here in Seagrove and if you don't know I have a big crush on her son Judson.
He is one of those boys that steals your heart, plus I knew him even before he was born.
So we go way back!
Laura will be bringing a nice selection of tiles and her Jewelry.
Better get here early.


And where would we be without the suds?
Coming again will be Laurie Abela.
I stole this right off her blog!
I'm a soapmaker, massage therapist, and gardener, with a history in cardiac nursing. Living a simple, green lifestyle is my passion, and something I continue to learn about. The gardens here grow food, flowers & herbs, some of which I use in my soaps. 
Laurie has such a soothing personality and does a good job of keeping my feet on the ground.
Then there are her yummy products.
She made me the best rice bundle.
I can't call it a sock because it is bigger then a sock.
I put it in the microwave for 2 minutes and use it for my sore muscles or better yet I toss that baby in the bed before I get in and warm my icicle toes with it.
Me and the rice bundle are close.
I think even Mark steals it away for his back.

We have added one more person to the mix and even though he is not a mud he is the partner of our
Ms. Suds.
Joseph Ezzell will be here with some of his sculpture.
From J's Etsy Site:
Creating art is my football I guess...I'd rather be out creating something than sitting in front of the telly. The wonderful homestead that nurtures me provides the peace and place I need to do my work. My creative, supportive partner encourages me. The magnificence our world possesses inspires me. And my fellow humans continue to supply the junk and cast-offs I use for most of my creations. It's perfect!

Put this down on your calendar of things you must do in April
Rain or shine - we can move then insdie if we need to.
Come on out:
 Saturday April the 16th 10-5 and  Sunday the17th 11-4.
Tell me you read the blog and I will have a surprise for you!
Cheers,
M

What's shaking?

Whew- we have just gotten back from one of those whirlwind tours of seeing family.
Raleigh, Norfolk, Raleigh and home.
There were moments of grand fun and moments of those things that needed to be done.
But we had some baby time and you know we loved that.
The Grand baby is crawling and ever so active which makes for loads of fun and loads of quick moves.
She's fast!

the smile is for her Mama who she thinks can rescue her from Opa

She is getting ready to launch into action!

I won't pull out the 100 photo's but here are two from the recent trip.
I also won't bore you with tales of really good Thia food that we enjoyed, but know we were not, I mean, we were thinking about you all as we ate...( little lies are good right?)
Back to the pottery today and getting ready for our spring kiln opening weekend.
Like I said- whew!
Cheers!
M

A helping hand

I have given many thoughts on how best to help out with the Japan disaster.
I found myself thinking more and more about helping someone directly.
I wanted to know that my money would go straight to the person and not through so many channels.

When Mark and I experienced the overnight loss by fire to our work studio I remember how difficult that was.
After years of making our living by making pottery we were in a sense homeless.
We had a lot of great support and help from  the neighborhood and our pottery community.
What helped the most at that time were the money donations that were given and sent to us.
They bridged a gap for us at a time when it was most needed.


With this said I plan to give some money to Euan Craig euan.craig@gmail.com by using paypal.
I was going to send a check but felt it might take too long and not be as quick or as easy for him with all he has going on.
If anyone else is interested in helping him please do.
I know how much his writing and voice have touched me.
I also know how hard it is to find yourself without your sense of place.
I look forward to watching and reading while he works his way forward.
We are all blessed in many ways.
The connections we are building daily through our blogs touch me deeply and make me want to give back.
I am off to make a donation in hope that it will help him and his family.
Peace -and may your day be filled with good things, but be dull and free of chaos.
M

Hanging out in the hood

Last night I took a ride down to Starworks to sit in on the slide show by glass artist Robin Cass.
I found her work to be very intriguing.
I enjoyed the way her work had developed over the years and really fell in love with her large wall pieces she is making.
I wanted to scale them down and wear them.
Here is a link to her work - go take a gander.

Mark and I rode back over today to watch the work in progress.
What is it about watching an artist, any artist work that is so fascinating?
Watching the rhythm of the team is amazing with glass folks.
They really pull for one another and give their all to make it all work together.

After leaving there we took a quick ride to see David Stuempfle's new kiln.

The kiln is just a work of art.
They will start some heat tonight....

This all made me think that there are days we are hanging out making art back here in the back woods of NC and that is our hood.
So just us hanging in the hood.
Cheers,
M

For Lee

Happy Birthday sis- we miss you.
You would have loved this day.
It is warm, sunny and the birds, bees and flowers are all busy.
Just like you liked it.
Hugs,

M