Summer's on the wane and the 4 month old puppy is now almost a dog! We finally have ripe tomatoes!

New and good

It's been nearly a month since I've posted here! In that month we've made a lot of pots, done a lot of art shows and crafts fairs, .....and we got a new puppy.

Say hi to 8 week old Juno!

New Dawn rose

Living a country, rural life - making pottery for our living. Simple pleasures, like appreciating this 15 year old rose that comes back every year, without any special care, and spreads its shell pink loveliness far and wide.

What I'm reading

Picked up a used copy of A.S.Byatt's "The Children's Book" (html not working!).
I can't believe I've never read her before. (the author is exactly, almost,my age!).
A customer in my studio recommended this book, noting that my husband sometimes adds fantastical creatures to my pots, and she was right! I want to live in this book! Socialists with enough money to give magical garden parties! Nature, glorious details. Artists, potters! I'm savoring it.

Unomi

Today I made some teabowls in a "tumbler" shape. The Japanese call it unomi

I'm going to make some to use in the house as well as to add to studio stock.

We covered the cherry tree with bird netting this morning - to outfox the jays!

June!

Another recent benefit for Japan was called " 500 Ricebowls for Otsuchi" - Otsuchi is a sister-city to Fort Bragg, north of us. It was decimated during the earthquake and tsunami. I think of these people in Japan often - even though other disasters, other events have taken over in the media.
Anyway, I joined many other potters who donated rice bowls for the benefit. It is being held at the Oddfellows Hall in Mendocino, through July 3. Sale of the bowls will go to help in the re-building of Otsuchi. I went to the opening of the show on Sunday to find that all 10 of my bowls sold in the first hour of the sale! (pardon me while I preen :)

) Seriously, I'm just happy that people are supporting this worthwhile event.

Rapture

Today's the day, it has been said. Would that be EST or PST? It's much later in New Zealand. These are, I guess, notes to myself and to my 2 followers ! How are you two stalwarts? Glad to see you! Haven't tried to guide people here much and the few places that list my blog have an old first try that's out of date and no longer exists. That's o.k. (I'm not going on any sky trip unless I can take my little dog!).

Another old fur friend has passed away. Flora, my beauty, died in her sleep two days ago - just about 4 months after her brother and littermate, Bobo, also passed. They were both 14 years old, plus. I miss them both.

I'm still making pots. That's the forever thing. Trying to keep it all together.
Chris was asked to be a kind of visiting artist at the local elementary school. Pictures here are of him and the students making paper mache' salmon - that coincided with the salmon unit they were studying. He's enjoying working with the kids. And he's paid.

It's shaping up to be a beautiful spring and summer. The garden's starting to pop!