time flies

Time has been flying by it seems.  More internal journaling than outer, but happily life has also been more experiential of late so I give myself a break for not keeping up.  Here's a little taste of what's kept me busy over the last six weeks or so since my last post, in no particular order other than how they lined up in the photo grabbing queue:

I hopped down to Atlanta to celebrate a significant birthday of my significant (and older) dear friend Anne.

I said good-bye to Echo Gallery. 

I got the big gift (twice in a month too!) of hearing my friend Gwen
sing with her swing orchestra at the Grove Park Inn

I got an early spring cut and henna update.

I've been juicing - things that start like this...

and end like this (mug by friend heather)

I'm working part time at Sensibilities Day Spa,
assisting the very hard-working staff and soaking up good energy.

I volunteered for the annual ACN benefit and enjoyed a sunny morning at Sunny Point, then

I got a little more sun working the lunch at 12 Bones.

I'm back in the studio - playing with some fun new things - stay tuned to see what happens with these.

I'm taking a class about making pots for salt/soda firing with Linda McFarling (standing),
and we had Judith Duff as a guest instructor.

A glimpse at our first firing

I took a day off and went to Biltmore with my friend Matt
(this is how you act when you don't take enough days off)

back at work also means more mugs for the Chocolate Lounge!

recent efforts in both juicing and a piece from a recent salt/soda firing.

And that's some of what's been going on. I know I might normally go on a bit more about many of the events, but right now living them seems to be more interesting to me than a post-commentary (but I'm sure I'll get all wordy again real soon!).  And now off to the studio!

mini road trippin...

The official rule for the official day off is that even if I'm not taking the day off, it's gonna be fun.

And it was officially a good day, although I think I was in the car more yesterday than in the last month or two combined!

The first stop on the road trip was delivering wine cups and small plates to Mountainside Wine in Spruce Pine.

Outside shot only because they're in the final stages of putting the shop together for next Monday's opening (wine tastings and other events follow in the week). I'm not often in that area, so it was nice to finally see downtown Spruce Pine (faithful readers will remember my last attempt to make the Potter's Market, only to be thwarted by a bad fuse...). So locals mark your calendars and check out the shop - it's downtown on Oak Street, right next door to the Toe River Arts Council.

After the drop off, it was time for visits - I'd been stocking up on glazed bowls for Empty Bowls, thanks to folks decorating at 2nd Saturday events, so next stop was to see John Hartom at the Empty Bowls studio.

I arrived to find his driveway full of trucks and roofers! Seemed like far too much work to be going on, so I invited him to join me on my road trippin', and off we went to visit Michael Kline's studio.

It was also my first trip to visit Michael at his studio, which if you're following his blog you know has been under construction and in development - it's a great space and Michael was a most welcoming host.
John showing off his smile for the camera...behind Michael Kline's uniquely designed espresso cup...

John & Michael inside the studio and out in the kiln shed - great spaces, great views, great work being made!

I couldn't leave without my own prize!

I should have snapped a picture of Lissa - she was very happy hopping around in the tall grass, and only one tick removal when we got home!

Back in town after a scenic drive back through road construction on hwy 19, I made it just in time for a meeting, then hung out with friends and visiting friends at Asheville Pizza and got to see the shuttle launch. I've been a fan of the space program from my beginning, and it just never gets old - I feel the same way I did when I was 7, getting to stay up late to watch coverage or going outside my house in Vermont at 2am to watch it pass over us.

A good day off!

snow day!

I used to hate it when a 'snow day' happened on a weekend or holiday, took all the fun out of it. But today I'm really happy it was as much of a snow day as we get around here, and it's also on my 'day off'. It made it much easier to decide to actually take the day off!

No snow pictures of Lissa rolling in the snow - I had the camera, but it was too cold to take off my gloves, so that will wait. But we did walk down to the studio so I could open the cool kiln to take a peek at our latest glaze firing. Several studio members did some interesting combos and tests, and hopefully they'll be as pleased as I was. And if they're looking here, they get a sneak peek!

I also got my tax info sent away and am waiting for questions and requests from my tax bwana, so I lounge a bit, read a bit, watched a movie a bit, took Lissa for a long walk in the snow and even got a few more boxes unpacked.

Tonight I'm going to my friend Libby's birthday dinner, and I'm taking a gooey, chocolately dessert delight with me.

So much to do at/for the studio...gotta get some sample pieces done for a new product push, got commissions to finish, work to throw to fill a kiln, marketing, marketing, marketing...but today was a good day to take it easy. And with a snow day, it's nice to know there are others who just had to take it easy too!

is this fall?!?!?

Ahhhhhh...
it was actually worthy of a sweatshirt this morning, and it feels like it might be again tonight. Today is scheduled as a day off, which means that while I'm not on the wheel, I'm getting done a lot of the little things that don't get done when I'm on the wheel every other day in some way. Eventually it may actually mean a day off, but this felt like one to me even if I spent most of it at the studio!

Had a leisurely start, a nice, long walk with Lissa jumping in every available mini-pond in the park, then ran some errands. Got some work done on some admin/marketing stuff, got the phone line put in so the studio phone is now in the office area, jotted down some more glaze recipes to be tested, sent off materials for a show, answered emails and packed up a couple of pots for shipping.



I'm still working on a press release for the holiday show and I admit, did load part of a kiln, but now I'm sitting outside the studio, soaking up the cooling afternoon sun and occasional light breezes...listening to a Pandora mix on the computer and loving that there still are blooms around me. I even got Lissa outside for a little stroll around the grounds! Could be fall, could be a FALLse start, but it sure do feel good!

I think it must almost be time to go home, as I'm starting to look into the studio at work to be done, and I am commited to taking some time away, so perhaps it's time to take another walk...tomorrow is another teaching day, and then tomorrow night is the big ShowBiz benefit for Mtn Biz Works...gotta find some clean clothes that don't actually have clay stains as a part of their pattern! peace