Green

And, just like that, in the blink of an eye, I can not see the forest for the trees.
There is a riot of green going on out my window.

I am fascinated by the green outside my windows and doors today.
Is it possible that there really are that many colors of green?
Yes,I think that there really are a million shades of green.

 The green leaves in our potato bed.
I didn't give this much thought until a friend of mine said, " I love how pretty the leaves of potato plants are....".

Seems I was not paying these the attention I needed to, they are lovely.

 I have been eating the lettuce from the garden, and it is full of greens.
There is the bib lettuce.

There is the red leaf.

   


And, where would we be without the Romain?
All of this, picked fresh, have been used in some form, as either lunch or dinner.
Fresh, lovely,tasty green.

The pond  surrounded by the trees wearing their best green outfits.

Don't we all need a little color with our green?

And, then there is us...

Let's enjoy this before I am posting the brown of summer.
Cheers,
M

Do you

remember last summer when I planted some gourds in the garden just because I had the package?
I was amazed at the color palette that the gourds had.
I would say that there was probably some gene tweaking going on.
I read some about how to cure the gourds, that were in a bowl in the house, and it said that they would get nice and moldy while they were drying out.
And it said that one should not leave them in a bowl in their house and breath this mold.
Oh.
 I moved them out of the house and let them do their mold thing in private.
Today I looked at some of them and thought I would love a glaze that looked like these moldy gourds.
I know I am not going to develop this glaze so I did the next best think and took pictures instead.

 
 Yum, just look at that mold.
I read that I need to wear a mask while I clean these and I can sure see why.
I am not sure what I will do with them since they are all pretty small.
I had thought bird houses, but I think there is only one large enough for a bird.

Do you remember that wedding vase?
 It is coming along.

And, while I have your attention, are you still with me?
 We spotted 4 fresh water otters today on the pond.
 How cool is that?

Life is just full of little gifts.
(Happy Birthday Lee)

Oh those summer nights.

Night before I last I had to walk over to check pots and as I walked out the door I was blown away by the sky.
 I could not remember the last time I saw such color.
Spectacular!
This is just a taste of what I saw.

Then last night Mark comes in to tell me that Mrs. Spider has laid her eggs and is now not as fat as she was. Like a tire going flat.
I know you wanted to see what was going on.

The eggs.

Plus, there was another great sky going on .
I don't know if this has anything to do with storms that could be coming, but wow, just wow.
(far out...)

Mark is out there glazing right now and I need to go join him for our glazing fest we have going on here.
Here is a good start on a bottle he made.

And what is happening with my future butterflies?
I am watching and they are now resting, that means soon they will go into stage 2.
I really want to see if I can catch them changing.

I was able to get a few shots of them.

Future butterfly 1

and number 2

Lunch and then work.
Enjoy this fabulous day.
M

Where is my camera?

You know I have gotten in the habit of carrying my camera with me every day until recently.
 I would just pick it up in the morning and carrying it along but for some reason I keep forgetting to pick it up. Where is my camera I would think?
 Oh, yeah, in the house or in the basement or in the pantry or in the kitchen. Anywhere but where I want it to be.
 So- when we loaded the kiln I did not get any pictures at all. This is not like me where is my brain? I really do like to take pictures when we load to go back and look through when we fire again. I feel it is really useful to see what was where and how well the glaze did or did not do in that spot. BUT- I seem to be falling out of the responsibility and being a bit lazy about it all. This will be the 6th (?) firing in the small kiln and we have been hitting some and hitting the wall with others.
Good, bad, good, bad, good, good, bad. Maybe I think too many pictures are going to just jinx everything. Maybe better to just wing this stuff...

While we were up in Virginia in May I spotted this display cabinet/nook in the spare bedroom at my mother's house. She had used it for her miniatures, but was not using it any more. Can I have it? She had picked it up at a yard sale for 5.00. I offered her 5.50-sold! (I think I still owe her some money.....)

 We wanted to put this on the outside of the shop but it was not going to hold up to the rain. It went up, it went down, it went up and it went down. Finally Mark made a place in the store for it. It is well suited for the store and I fine that something sells from it almost anytime there are customers.

I am glazing tiles..... I like this radish pattern and try to get it on a tile in some form every time I do a round.
It is just fun.
It says eat your veggies to me..

I have decided that the gourds are going to take over the garden completely.
I noticed a vine is working it's way towards the backdoor of the kitchen. I am wondering if we will wake to find the gourds crawling on the house trying to get inside like some alien from outer space.
Give us your young, we are hungry, we have already eaten your tomato plants, but we want more. 
I look everyday and there are more with more varieties showing up.
 

Here is the seed packet I have spotted several of these and there are many, many up high.
I am holding out hope that they do not eat my moon flowers that I put in. I see one good vine of the moon flower out growing the gourds.
GO!GO!GO! Run- I want blooms in September.

Tomorrow is a cool down day for the kiln.
Fingers crossed.
Maybe this firing will be in the good.
M

Hello August

How does it happen that August is here and I somehow feel as if I am waking from a deep sleep and contemplating all those things that I was going to do in the month of July. Oh, I know I have been working, but to tell you the truth I could be working harder.
Yes, I could.
Somehow I find that I can easily distract myself, like now, and fill my time with many other things. Like this morning. I baked bread, cut up peaches and cleaned the kitchen all the time thinking I would be at work by 9.
Then it was I will be at work by 9:15....okay, how about 9:30.maybe- 10 and I can still get a days work in we are only glazing.
See how this works? If I am not out there between 8:30-9 the bargaining starts.

 I did make it out there and work is happening, just not as soon as I thought. What I am doing now?
 Well, I don't work for a monster boss, I am allowed a break.
I am taking a break.
Join me.

Beer Mugs- bigger and better

Pots going in glazes

what happens to my wheel when I am making tiles

Gourds

 I did get through the garden on my way to work and I am getting a kick out of all these different gourds.
This is going to be fun to see what comes out of the mix. I like this green one above.
And look at this pale yellow on yellow.
I think it is time to get out the seed packet and look at what is there.
I am so glad I did not toss it out after planting so I would know a little about what the varieties are.

Shoot, I had better go back to work.
I have to at least pretend I work here.
Later,
M

No, your other left.

Mark often says this to me if I am driving and he is giving directions.
To say I am challenged when it comes to right or left it to say the sun will rise and the moon will set.
I am challenged when it comes to many things, but especially when it comes to left and right.

When I sit down at the computer on any given morning I have many things I plan to do while I am here like write a press release for the 30th anniversary we have coming up in October on the 13th& 14th here, at Whynot, on the farm, with guest and... well you see I am taking a left.
If I sit down and open FB then I am just mindless in my scrolling to see what has happened while I was sleeping.
And, if I left over to Pintrest- good grief that one will suck out your brain, I can be darn right lost.

I have to take a left back to the reality of paying bills and making pottery.
Because if I don't make pottery the bills do not get paid.
This is simple math, impressed?

In this next kiln firing in Ms. B we have two clay bodies we are testing. One is dark and one is light and if you ask me what they are I have to go out and look- wait! 308 and... something else, taking another left in the brain I see.
We looked yesterday and pots are drying slowly so we are going to throw a few more days before we glaze.

I have a stack of tiles under plastic all carved up.
I found that if I rolled the tiles, placed them on the right size Sheetrock, then layered them in a tomato box that has handles, I could take them to the Co-op with me.
Something to work on while I was there.
It worked really well, as long as I swept up after.

 The green beans are busy making tiny beans and I see lots of them there but I am wondering if this heat is just holding them back. I, we keep watering and hope we get some to eat at some point.
I see baby gourds, that are about the size of young squash right now. I am getting excited to see them get bigger.
See how well I made that left turn from pots to garden? I do know my left from my right.

It's time for tea and thoughts about the day...but maybe...a peek at FB.
M

Yawn...excuse me, but I am a wee bit

tired.
It has been a really busy week getting the kiln unloaded and sorted.
Some pots went in the store.
Some pots went in boxes and were shipped away.
Some pots go to Raven Pottery for the store in Southern Pines.
And, some go to the Co-op in Seagrove.
Almost done.
Almost.

Some days that big kiln makes for some big work when all the pots come out. They need to be sorted otherwise where would we put the next round?

back stack- lots of blue going on..

We are nearly finished up and then next week it is back to the wet work.
We are already making mental, need to get them to paper, notes of what we want to go in the next load.

On the home front we had rain. Luscious wonderful rain. A bit much rain the other day, but rain non the less. The heat was so bad that the flowers I had started from seed and watch them get big enough to think they would produce were dying one by one. One a day, another a day and another. I finally have blooms on the ones left and I plan to enjoy everyone of them.
Then there are these eggplants. These are dinner tonight, finally! I have been watching them for weeks and give them some real rain and they double in size overnight.
Swiss chard, climbing spinach, green beans have made it through, but the tomatoes really suffered and may not recover. I am lucky to get some from friends and neighbors but my plants were dropping blooms in the heat and now too much water, they still are not happy.
Even just a small vegetable garden can be work and heartbreak.
Although, I planted some gourds, what was I thinking, and they are like weeds climbing and grabbing everything around to climb up as far as they can. Mark, with my help, put together some bamboo very high and we tied twine back and forth to give them a real boast up so they would, I hope, quit attaching to everything else in the garden. It was one of those wonder what these will do here moments. Oh, I should thin those out. Oh, I should string those up. Oh, good grief those gourds are taking over.

Just a few move pots to sort and we will bore you all with pictures of pots.
Well, really, if I can get to it, I will shoot more that came out of the kiln.
Have a great day.
Tea time,
M

Testing the waters and, yes, I can see you.

Okay, this time I took pictures, loaded them to the computer and got them in a file.
 I had a good subject in the garden hanging out on the Lemon Balm.
 Lemon Balm being in the mint family will grow anywhere and anytime.
We are never with out this plant that I first planted about 30 years ago.

Need some?

The small kiln is loaded and we are taking a break before we brick up the door.
 We wanted to fire tomorrow, but the weather is still calling for thunder storms most of the day.
 We are going to bump up to firing on Thursday instead.

I am going back to poking the computer, more glazing tomorrow as we head into loading the big kiln. It's a bit more than one day of glazing.

A lot of fun happening here come on and we will let you help.
 Cheers, M

Kiln Opening May 26th 2012 9-5
October Open house TDA

are you eating your colors?

We must be in the purple month because everything we are eating seems to be purple.
We are eating eggplant from the garden:

and we are eating purple potatoes and purple carrots.
Note- use a paper towel when you are peeling the carrots and handling them at all otherwise you get a purple hand.
The Blueberries are coming in- kinda purple.
and we are picking blackberries- well so there is some black in there- maybe we are eating until we are black and blue.

This I will tell you- purple carrots and purple potatoes cooked and mashed like mashed regular potatoes look like some one spilled grape juice in your food.
Close your eyes on this one because they taste really good but the visual is ...not so appealing.


I found this great cluster of mushrooms the other day, but being a bit cautious about eating anything wild unless I watch you eat it first, I only took a picture.
They looked good, but then again they were not purple so maybe off my June list.

Off to see what's for lunch- something purple maybe..
M

Bite?

I just came in from cutting this Swiss chard that we will add to tonight's dinner.
I have noticed that someone has been enjoying some bites out of or even stripping off a leaf over several nights. It took me several days to realize we must have a slug coming in the garden. I don't mind as long as they stick to one leaf but you know how that goes. First they taste, then they have to "share" the good news and next thing you know all their friends have moved in to share the bounty and we will be left with the shredded and tattered leftovers.
We are now planning how best to invite them to an all night party and not have them leave.

You know the if you play you have to pay.
Well after taking 4 days off to see family the week-end before we had to ignore all things going on around us and get the big kiln glazed and ready to load.

We just put our heads down and do it.

Nothing left but the loading and firing.

Mark is involved in another project so it will be Thursday before we load and Friday before we fire.
Meanwhile I am still galzing.
I moved back to the electric kiln and have a load there I am working on.
Stay tune- more bites later.
cheers,
M

You say tomato and I say ToMAto

Last year we planted corn in this raised bed and it was funny to watch it try to grow.
We did get some corn, but it was very wimpy.
This year Mark put more good mulch in the bed and when I was given some tomato plants I saw a perfect opportunity to pop them right in this ready to go bed.
Then two weeks later I went to a plant sale and picked up some heirloom varieties, two Thia Basil plants and filled out the bed.
The toms were coming along great when Mark reported that one had been sniped off at the base.
Cutworms!- I went on line and read this great trick- put three toothpicks around the base of the plant and the worms can not curl around them and cut them.
Worked great and just to be sure I used 4-5 toothpicks.
Then time for staking them up and Mark did a fine job.
That and some rain did wonders for the plants.

We are still waiting for Baby G- but seems she will be coming by Friday if not sooner.
So I have called out the reserves, my sister Lee, to come and stay and run things here in Whynot.
I have packed a bag to go and help out. (hold the baby)
You will soon be able to add Grandma to the list of things you call me.
Well- watch it there could be children reading this!

Some little dishes before I hit the road.

It's not easy being green

Mark took this picture of a zinnia which I had cut out of the garden and placed in a vase in the kitchen. I have it up on my desktop on the computer. I am really drawn to the all the delicate pedals and the color.
I thought I would try these chartreuse green ones and at first I was not thrilled with the color. Then I realized after I cut them the color developed more depth the longer they were in the vase.




I have been watching some caterpillars eat the dill. I saw them one day and they were very tiny.
The next time I looked they were much bigger and very fat. I wanted to get their picture and before I could remember they were all twisted up and tucked away for the "change".
I took this picture in hopes you can see the Chrysalis.


It blends in very well with the dill. Don't you love how mother nature covers up the tracks of some animals or bugs to protect them.


I don't know what happened to his/ her buddy because I have looked and looked for the other one and it appears to be gone.


I watch everyday in the hope I will be right there when he/she comes out.

Your Cheating heart and I have my eye on you.

I wanted to post the results of the "cheating" pot and also thank all the bloggers who left comments and telling me how they "cheat" while making pots.
I found it very interesting.
It made me think about the potters here close by who cheat and make gorgeous pots in doing so.
If you have not taken the time to look at some of the blogs I follow please do.
I am enjoying following Alex Matisse's blog.
He talks so eloquently about his journey into the world of pottery making. He is posting up some really great pots and just spent time at a work shop with fellow Seagrove potter David Stuempfle, who is an ultimate cheater!
Alex posted some great pictures of the students learning a technique David learned while was studying in Korean and Japan.
Mark Hewitt, another of the great cheaters, has put out some fantastic potters. He brought his techniques he learned with him when he settled in North Carolina. He has trained some of the best and does it with all the grace and charm that is Mark. Sharing and teaching, giving back.

Many years back when my Mark and I were interested in learning to make pots we spent time just going to the local shops like Seagrove Pottery, J.B.Cole's, Jugtown and ML Owens.
They were kind enough to let us stand there and watch.
We would watch Dot Auman throw pot after pot.
Virginia Shelton at Cole's would throw dinner plates and then pick them up and throw another-- no bats here!
Melvin Owens was always a treat, full of stories along with the pots.
And we wandered in and out of Jugtown.
No one chased you away and they were all so giving of their time.
Of course if you were smart you just found a quiet corner and watched.

There are a lot of potters I know who have opened their studios, their lives and themselves to teach others. It takes time and effort to do this. I think you have to have a good balance in your own life to open your life up to others.
On another note there is a great discussion going on over on Ron's blog. Ron is another cheater, teacher and one who gives thought and caring back into the clay community. I have enjoyed peeking into the lives of so many potters this past year. Ron is one who draws me back time and time again.

And here is my delight this summer.
I have not had a garden in many years and I just picked eggplant and my first tomato!