a little here

 and a little there.
There are no groceries in the house, but I am getting some work done.

It seems as if there are just not enough days in my weeks right now. I am going to work on some tiles and just not think about it.
After all the sun is out today, and that, is a good thing.

Labor

We were able to take off over the week-end for some family time with our son and his wife.

Today our plan is to load a kiln and I am back on the pots that need waxing.
I thought I would post some of the planned shelves for you to see, giving you an idea of the variety of pots that fill a shelf.
Each of the boards on the ware-cart is a planned shelf.
You can see that the various shapes and heights.
This helps get some heat around everything.

It also takes out the guess work on loading.
Although, I am known to rearrange if I see that we need to open up an area or close it down a bit.
After all, one should never feel that they can not mix it up even when you think there is a set plan.
My favorite loads are when I get every planned pot in the kiln.
It is like having your cash drawer come out to the penny.
The majority of the time there will be a few of the pots left over.
Those are sat aside to be planned into the next round.
Better get on it,
M

August ends and September begins and so does the next firing.

 It is the end of August, the end of summer fun, the end of long days and soon the end of the butterflies.


 I had an email from a customer who wanted to use one of my butterflies on her website. Of course I said yes. I enjoyed being able to share one of mine with her and her audience.
We meet so many folks in our little shop here in Seagrove and many times they know what we do for a living, but we don't get to know what they do.
It is just as interesting to us to know how other folks make their way in this world.

We are at the end of our throwing, turning, making cycle and I have started the planning for a firing.
We plan around the size of the pottery that goes on what we call the crown shelf, the last one in the stack with the tall pots on it. I use the size of these to plan the rest of the kiln around them.
The bottom two shelves, back and middle are always 9 inches.

 Then I plan for 3inch up to 8 inch shelves up to the top.
The idea when we are planning and loading is not to create hot spots and cold spots in the stack.
If it is too open it can make that area too hot.
If it is too tight, we find that that area might not fire the way we want and the reduction can be spotty.




Finding a balance as I plan each shelf is extremely important.

I try to pay attention to the pots that are placed at the edge of the shelves.
These can take quite a bit of flame and that is where I place our filler pots.

 Then, if they do not match their cousins, it is not as much of an issue.

Then again it is pottery, should it match?
No, but that is another post.

The count on planned shelves for the firing so far is 14.
I always plan at least 21 shelves. I know that of the 7 left 2 of those will be tall, crown, pots.
That really leaves me with 5 more for the inner shelves.

Of the 21, 3 always have the same placement and size across the bottom. Of those 3, 2 will always be 9 inches and the front one is always 6 inches.
If those pots are made it is a good place to start.

It does not take me long in planning the load to figure out if we have made all the pots we need to fire.
I can get into the bisque-ware and see pretty soon if we need to step back to the wheels and toss out more pots.

Yesterday we knew that Mark needed to make a few more tall pots. We have one shelf that is 21 inches tall for a lamp order. It is better for the kiln not to have one 21 inch shelf and then 2 at 12 inches.... that makes that 21  inch one a real hot spot.
By making more taller pots we can even out the space at the top of the kiln.

Now, if your head is spinning then take a minute to just look at the butterflies.
That is what I do.

Meredith

We are packing the kiln

 After a week of sleep, work, sleep, work and a little more sleep we are ready to finish loading the kiln and, and,  find a non- tropical storm day to fire.
There is nothing like a little rain delay or weather delay to make things all exciting around here.

To the right are some of those "crown" pots.
The new addition is the tall narrow jars that Mark has made to hold pasta, think spaghetti, Linguine,Capelli d'angelo.
I own a jar like this and do love it so.

 In talking about new and different shapes to add to the crown area of the kiln we thought about this pasta jar.
I am sure you could fill it with anything you want other than pasta, we would not care.

I am already in love with them all.

A nice fat jar.

Other news is that it is doing nothing but raining around these parts the past week or so.
The skies must be crying for me since the kids went home.
The rain is great for the garden but there is a point that this much rain starts its own set of problems.
We did cover the potato bed yesterday since we have been greedily digging up some of the best tasting new potatoes we have ever put in out mouths.
The red ones are so good and since they are so fresh they cook so fast.
So, since we are so-ing here and making up new words, I am just cooking until done and then tossing them with some olive oil, salt, pepper and maybe a tad of balsamic vinegar.
Goodness, those potatoes, along with fresh cucumbers, broccoli and some local goat cheese are just tasty and yummy!
Mark and I realized that the meal we had the other night was just about as local as you can get.

We buy what we don't grow from a friend 10 minutes from the house.
Good eats!
 

Here is the back stack of the kiln that went in yesterday.
We took a break at 4 and never went back.
We have been running on the summer schedule this week. We are up early and there are days that we are at work at 7-8 am. Then we don't feel too guilty about quitting early, taking a break and getting other things done.

On another note:
Here is a link to a couple of potters who have had a major disaster hit there lives.
Maybe you could pass this on or help.
http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/save-clark-wood-fired-pottery

I know what it is like to have your life change overnight.
I always felt lucky that we had our home, and that we did not lose more in the fire, and, yet, I know that it has taken me close to 5 years to feel like I have a sense of normal again.


 

Cheers and peace in your house,
M

While we are waiting for the kiln to cool down

 we should talk about pie.

This particle pie is one that Mark and a few of the other male potters in the area enjoy.

Back when I had some extra time to spare, before life took me over for awhile, I use to make one that the 3 of them would split. 

This pie and coffee was all it took to make them happy.

Hum, may need to try that again.

It is in many ways a very simple pie, but not one that everyone who has tried it likes.

For the simplicity of the ingredients it is very rich.

I suggest if you are a pie lover that you give it a try.

Shoofly Pie from, The Doubleday Cookbook

I recipe of a good flaky Pie crust
Filling:
2/3 cup of boiling water
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup of molasses ( I use grandma's brand)

Crumb topping:
1 1/2 cups sifted flour
1/4th tsp. salt
3/4 cup of firmly packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup butter


Preheat oven to 350
Prepare or buy a ready made 9"pie crust.
Make sure this is deep dish, you will need it.
Do not bake crust.
Make crumb topping.
Sprinkle 1/3 in bottom of pie crust.

Make filling, I know looks weird as heck, but trust me it is fine, and pour directly on top of crumb mixture.
Cover with remaining crumb mixture and bake on center rack for 35-40 minutes.

I usually place this on a pizza or small cookie sheet in case of some overflow.

Cool and serve slightly warm unless you are Mark who prefers this cold the next day with coffee.
This is a pie you either love or hate.

Meanwhile the kiln is slowly cooling and we can see that some pots that look good. There is an iron red pitcher right at the front that is lovely.
Mark made a lot of lamps for the crown of the kiln and the ones we can see look good.
Now, to wait until tomorrow.

Cheers,
M

Front

Later-------M

Blanks, babies and collards

This week we are finishing up our throwing cycle which we will follow next week with glazing.
Mark has been working on "crown" pots.
Here you see the blanks all freshly thrown.
They were covered and let set up enough to stamp, carve and add handles.

Then I did some what can you do with 10 ounces of clay pots.
Wee bottles nice and fat.
This wee bottle is really nice for those wee flowers that kids pick for you.
You know the ones with no stem.
Grubby faced, smiling and excited kids who shove a flower at you and say "here" then quickly run off....ah, another dandelion from the yard.
You have to have a place to display them and these are perfect size for those stemless beauties.

Then what is fall in the south without collards.
Lord have mercy these were so tasty!
They were so beautiful when I brought them home that I wanted to put them in a vase, but I could not find one big enough to hold them.
I thought of placing them in a bowl to admire, but, why admire when you can eat.
And eat them we did.
Got to have your greens, with some sharp vinegar...
and cornbread- did I even tell you about the cornbread?
It was good as well.

When I was shooting this picture I must have reset my camera wrong and this is what it was doing.
Just like me to only know how to shoot a picture set on auto...
Here is another one it took before I reset it back to auto.

 Have a great weekend!
M

Knock knock-who's there?

Saturday night Mark and I had the fun of sitting with two 5 year old and a 4 year old at a cookout.
The night was filled with knock-knock jokes.
Knock-knock.
Who's there?
Banana.
Knock-knock.
Who's there?
Banana.
Knock-knock.
Who's there?
Banana.
Knock-knock.
Who's there?
Orange... it was looking like a long night.
Then at this age your attention span and bad broccoli take over and you are on to the next thing.
It was fun to watch their interactions with one another.
Our future.

We are working along on the gas kiln and the test for the back splash.
I fired my small test kiln yesterday and found that just a few degrees hotter and the glaze I wanted to use goes from a warm, glassy, golden yellow, that I want, to a more subdue green. Oh well- it was not me picking up the wrong brush it is the glaze.
Buggers!
I have other glazes that I can use that will not be so fussy- best go back to them.
Just allow me one minute of whine------ there- I'm done----- moving on now.

Yesterday was wet and a bit cooler.

This sassafras tree has been turning color while so many of our trees have not.
We did go up to Greensboro on Sunday and took some "wares" to the farmers market to sell.
It was not the best show ever but it pays a bill.
We did see that the Hickory trees are putting out a nice show of color and the other trees should be close behind.
I like it if they all turn and drop their leaves.
There was a year the Oaks held on and we had ice in November.
The combination was not good- with oak branches full of leaves that broke off and tried to remove the roof of the house.
So I have my eyes on those oaks.
They are showing just a tad of color.




I have not been able to get blogger to work with me on pictures.
I use to be able to load several at a time and now I spend way too much time trying to get it to even open my pictures.
Then I am back to one at a time.
And that is only if I cross my eyes, hold my tongue right and cuss like a sailor.
Ang has suggested I need to go to one of the new temtpales.
Well, that just takes time I don't have this week or next.
So- I will give it a go later and see if that helps.

Meanwhile! Send out word that the Clay and Blogs show comes down Sunday.
Go right now, jump in the car and go see it!
Also I am going to give a talk about it a week from Friday- more on that later.
Back to work!
M

Throwing in the towel

Do you ever have those times when you feel like throwing in the towel?
This week has my brain pinging all over the place. The show- you have heard about the show- is coming up so fast.
I have been spending some time trying to pull together the last element of the show.
A page from the potters blogs.
I really feel it would be hard to have this show without letting the public look at someone's blog, or at least a post from their blog.
Really this part has been fun. I finally figured a quick(?) way to do some cut and paste and I like how that has worked out.
It does not give the true blog page but it gives you the story, since that is what this is about, and some pictures.
I added in about me page that I am pretty happy with.
I grabbed (stole) what I thought I would like to have from potter's websites.
I have learned even more about the potters, who they are , where they studied and other quirky bits.
Now- don't get me wrong my mind is like a sieve these days and it will quickly drain away.
Someone will ask me where did such and such study, live, climb a big mountain, eat their first taco and I will have to say there is this nice book of pages over there to look at and I highly suggest you go look them up and read their blog.
There are moments like the past week where I love the tool the internet provides for us.
A quick search can give me good choices for material.
And boy you have to love cut and paste.

Then there are those pots to be made.
Mark is making the crown pots and this one was covered up waiting for handles.
I just thought - I know how you feel- a towel over the head would be nice right now.

I am making a few orders and some fillers- love those bottles.
I know I have said it before, but it is a favorite shape for me.
Comfort food maybe?
I know we all have favorite things we make bottles just grab me.
Comfort shape maybe?

This coming week promises to go just as quickly as the last.
I still have PT twice a week.
I think this will be it for me I am feeling tons better and get bored with going.
I think that is good.
And now that I have said green ball and my homework I usually toss myself on the floor and do my exercises.
Like I should be doing now....

Happy Sunday!
M

Someone was working...

It seems that one of us was working as I sat on ice and heat last week.
I called about x-rays yesterday and there are no fracture.
Good news there.
But it is still slow going with the back, I can feel it is better then it was last week and I  have more movement.
I did ask them if there is anything I should do differently yet- no was the answer.
So how do I tell Mark I should become a Poodle on a pillow?
That I should just sit around on ice or heat and take pain pills-all day.
Hum, for some of you this might sound great, for me- it sounds like hell.
I was done on day two.
I like about 2 days of nothing then I am itching to do something.

Mark is glazing the crown pots for the gas kiln.

I did get myself set up where I can sit at my wheel and do some glazing on tiles.
I mean once I am there all I have to lift is my arm.
It keeps me out of the bars.....

Today I plan to do a little without overdoing it .
I still think some moving around is better then just languishing away on a pillow.

another tree sent by my sister Leslie.
You have to love this one too- look at all those twist and turns the roots have taken.
It's a bit like life don't you think.

Off to the studio today- baby steps.
I did get Mark to bring out a stool with a back on it. I put a board behind me, a towel and can slip my ice or heat against my back while I am working on tiles.
Hum- gives new meaning to my Poodle on a pillow.
( just so you know- I do like dogs!)
Cheers- now go make pots!

Moving along on Wednesday

I would love to just be carving tiles-am I crazy???
But I have to keep the pots going as well to help Mark fill up the kiln.
I love to warm up on bottles.
yesterday they all wanted to be nice and fat.
No problem for me I like a fat pot.
Seems to fit me.

While I am making bottles, plates and jars Mark is back to those "crown" Pots.
He does a lot of these in two pieces. Throwing the bottoms first and then capping them off with a second thrown piece.

Sometimes there will be a third piece.

You can see where he has started stamping the shoulder of this one. Next he will do the fluting.
The cap you see is for a nice tall, fat jar.
Today I might be able to creep up on him and shoot some while he is fluting the bodies.

 

And here is my side of the room.
Not as organized and I am sure you can see the chalk line down the middle of the room. There would be more room if we did not need things like heat and air...... which are on Mark's side of the room.
I have been thinking of ways to reorganizing my side and set it up different, but right now it is all I can do to learn how to put contacts in my eyes.
At my age learning to stick ones fingers in ones eye is a feat unto itself.
It takes me a good 20 minutes not to fold them in half while sticking them in my eye.
It I was 12 I think I would have no problems.
The good think about this is I can now see your face across the room.

I was having problems with road signs and face recognition and this seems to help that out. The trick is going to be learning to put these things in.
For a dollar I let you watch!
Off to make some pots-