June is here and, so are the jars

These are just out of the kiln and heading over to the shop.
Great detail on the lids.
I just love a jar, they are so useful for so many things, the list is endless on things that can go inside a jar.
Summer is here and that brings out all things bug along with creepy crawling things. I am keeping my eye out for those friendly critters,
We are open most of the time, if we are working, we are open, but just in case we have that odd day away be sure and contact us if you want to see us.
I hope June treats you well.
M

summer fun

or; this blue is for you.
Mark is really enjoying firing Ms. B. this is his third load since he put her back to work. When we built this kiln we were thinking about a few possibilities for her.
First off, the big kiln takes a lot more work to fill, glaze, load and fire.
Second off, the big kiln was built in 1986 and it has begun to show a little age.
It has some "bald" spots that I think could be showing up in the firing.
He was a work horse, but we no longer want to ride behind him, and, it is time to look at where or what we will do in that spot next, but that is for another day.
Third, and, last but not least, we want to work in some new glazes. We know that all things move in new directions, it is true, you must be willing to move with them.

In Ms. B we are working on different wood ash glazes, adding in a few softer, brighter glazes, trying new and different and a little of the old.
We use to make a lot of the Turquoise glaze with wax resist, we have stuck some test in this kiln, and, we are having some success. What we have to do now is look at the old recipe and compare it to what new chemicals that are out there.
If you read me here you know that we have had some issues with chemical changes, as have many other potters.
Nothing stays the same, more testing to come.
So, stay tune, ride along with us and we'll see what comes up next.
Enough about us, go look at pots.
M
 

Fridays roll

 Fridays roll around too quick these days.
They love to remind me of another passing week.
We are both in the last stages of throwing for the big kiln.
One bisque fired and another is cooking along today.
These creamers are going on the next load.

Little creamers are so useful.
I always think about who uses these and how they use them.
Not that many folks put cream out these days, maybe milk instead.
2%?

I found that these work well for things such as maple syrup. Just warm it up.
Salad dressings.
Summer flowers.

More "creamers".


Mugs are always in the kiln.
You must have coffee with your cream.

 This sweet little poisonous flower just keeps blooming.
There have been as many as 3 or 4 blooms a day.
It is drawing all sorts of friends to it, bees, wasps, butterflies and moths.
We are finally having summer.
Hot, sticky and humid.
It is still a far cry from last years temperatures.
It does make me happy that we have A/C in the work area.
Time for coffee and pot checking.
Cheers!
M
 

July is going to run right into August

July can sometimes be like January for us here.
 Like January with heat, lot's of oppressing heat that sends us moving quickly through the yard from one building to another, trying not to breath in, fearing if we do we will scorch our lungs.

 This July started with a bang with Company, heat and the 4th of July all coming at one time. I have found that 108 is really hot and I hope to never feel that one again. It did make the days of near 100 feel like nothing. We would just wave our hands and blow our lips out with a phish sound and say that is nothing.

Then there was the lack of rain that really did my tomatoes in and then too much rain. It has made me rethink myself as a gardener. I can go to the farmers market and help support someone else by buying their wonderful home grown goodness. I am thinking about just growing flowers.

 About the January/July thing.
 We pushed out two big kiln loads one and then another one 3 weeks later. So when Mark starting pushing me again I stood firm and decided we needed to approach the rest of this month a bit more slowly. He made pots for the gas kiln, well, I did some too. While I went into tile mode. I have made two rounds of tiles one with a white clay body and the other with the red rock. It felt good to build a little pile of the tiles since I will not get more time for these until, most likely, January. If I have learned nothing by making pots I have learned that timing is everything. It really is all about what you have the time to do and get done in a day. A day can go so fast here sometimes with those plans of what you are going to do and then the reality of what you really get done. We all feel very accomplished when we get a day to throw, But- throwing means there is work ahead.
For me I love the making and think of it as walking down new paths, moving ahead and not looking back. Then when we are up to our ears in pots the reality of the real work sets in. Now, the fun is over and we must get down to the tasks at hand. You really can not get those pots on the shelves without stepping off the first path.
So step off we are, pots are being ready for a firing in Ms. B the small kiln and I am stacking up tile for a firing in the next week or so.

Meanwhile I have given in to the gourds that have taken over the garden.

We have had two rains that flooded the shop and sent rain in the store.
Let's slow down on that rain dancing, okay.
Mark is back on the tractor this morning to see if we can repair the driveway from the last rain, what a mess.
Me- I need to go unload a bisque kiln and load another one back.
The temperatures have cooled for this week and that will make life more easy.
We sat out last night and marveled at the coolness of the summer night.
Time for tea and thoughts of the day.
Cheers! Go to work!
M

Summer time

Who knows why a shape will grab your attention at times and other times seems such a bother to make.
 I have not made cruets much at all the past year plus and then I make a dozen in the past two weeks.
 Other pots are being made as well, but I add in a few of these at the end of the day and the next thing you know they are piling up.
 I had swore them off after losing too many last year to glaze malfunction.
I decided I was done with them and would make nice safe bowls and such. No risky behavior for me, no walk on the wild side I was staying home and coloring inside the lines. But now...I am called back and here are more to add to the mix. The fun part will be next week as I step in the glaze pool and see how best to screw them up.

I also reclaimed two buckets of the red clay I use for tiles.
I put the dried clay in two buckets wet it down, left it for a week and then placed it in a sheet over a framed screen outside until the clay began to set up and water evaporate.
Mark and I brought it in and placed it on some plaster overnight and then the next day I was surprised to find he had wedged and blocked it for me, nice guy that he is.

It is so nice and fluffy and easy to thrown.
Very different from the bagged clay we usually have going that runs through the pug mill.
I am working on an order for the electric kiln and thought some fillers would be great out of the reclaimed clay.
Wee bottles are being made along with some other wee fillers- wheeee....

I had my camera with me as I pulled down the driveway the other day.
You can see how green everything is here right now.
We very much need some of the promised rain we keep hearing about.

The grass in front of the house is crunchy and dry.
I am keeping water on the garden determined not to let things dry up.
I put in tomatoes late this year and suddenly they are really putting some growth on.
I think of my father back in the 70's he meeked out a garden in the family back yard, tomatoes, corn, peppers, herbs, later blueberries and even a peach tree.
That was back when someone had thrown out the idea that you had to "talk" to your plants.
Everyday my father would go out and look at his garden shake his fist in the air and say, "grow goddamn you grow." He was talking to them and they did grown.

 I have my eye on this chard- soon to be eaten.
We had squash the other night, picked from someone else, and Mark took one bite and said this taste like summer.
I agree.
Last night was corn off the grill...taste like summer and blueberries out of the yard.
Summer is here and so are the good things that come with it.
Cheers!
M

Excuse me while I kiss this guy

Well boys and girls we have a problem.
My computer is not talking with the monitor.
So I am giving this a go on my wee little netbook while I figure out how to once again keep my granny computer going.
This would not be a good time to buy a new desktop.
I have been investing in teeth and computers are not on my list of things I must buy right now.

Instead I will distract myself and you by showing you pictures of the weekend.

Peaches-yummy!

Squash,eggplant,onions,garlic,tomatoes,about 1/4 cup olive oil, balsamic vinegar,salt,pepper,fresh herbs.

Roast at 400 for 20 minutes covered.

Uncover and roast for 20-30 minutes until very creamy- serve with rice or pasta- or as a side...

I love this summer dish our favorite.

Peach Jam! What could be better?

Customers taking a tour in the workshop.

I am off to see what trouble I can get into in the pot shop.

later,

M

Oh- why the title? I spent YEARS thinking this was what was being sung------kiss this guy. One day I asked Mark, who loves when I do this, and he says, sky...kiss the sky.

Oh,right...but sometimes I like mine better.

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.

Summer Past....

Another summer past ..... Mark and his grandfather fishing. In Florida about 1958- I like the double image.
On another note we bought windows for the building! Yahoo.
Load and fire the kiln tomorrow-- it feels good to be working.

Who Stole July?

I looked around and can't find July. I know we had a fire- I know we had to clean and scrub and paint and move Mark to Star. I know life went on around us.

But really- who has July and would they like to share it?

I can't believe it is now mid-August.

The leaves will soon be giving up their greens and move into their winter coats.

I love fall but it also the signal of how busy we will all be getting ready for shows and Christmas.

So I thought I would dig up a summer memory of past and what better then Sunflowers?