Thanksgiving

A couple of weeks ago, Tina and I took the camper and headed down the road to Savannah for some R&R. OK, she took the camper on Wednesday, I taught on Thursday and drove down Friday. We had a lovely, fairly private campsite on Skidaway Island not too far from town where we nestled in between the live oaks, palmetto trees and Spanish moss. It sure didn't look like Ohio! We spent Saturday morning driving out to Tybee Island and seeing some big waves and the lighthouse. On the way back, we visited the Confederate Fort Pulaski and learned first hand how loud a 30 pound cannon can be ( The ball is 30 lbs, the cannon weighs a ton) The afternoon was spent on the scenic tour trolley and we got some interesting information about the history of Savannah. Down on the riverfront, we had dinner at Fiddlers and I had the best fried oysters of my life. Sunday was a quick trip north to Beaufort to visit Hunters Island Campground. It was not as convenient to Savannah but they have some excellent sites that are just a sand dune away from the beach. The town of Beaufort has the most classic old south district you will see anywhere. Big mansions and lots of Spanish moss. There are potters out that way that I would like to visit some day but there just wasn't time to squeeze it all in. Monday we were back hiking around Savannah and eating seafood. A guy could get used to it. We were blessed with an abundance of rain so I need to apologize for not taking more pictures These are enough to prove we weren't in Ohio.

Tuesday, we packed up and headed to a campground near Columbia S.C. It was really just a stop over for the night and Wednesday we were on our way to our final stop to have Thanksgiving dinner with our daughter Kate, her husband and 20 or so members of his family. Of course we loved seeing her but dinner went off without a hitch too. It was all good. Another day of visiting and eating got us to Saturday and the trip home so Tina could go to work and I could get ready for Holiday Fair tomorrow.

Couples Therapy

 

This is one guys approach to couples therapy

Thanks for the Help

Hey everyone. Just a quick update and some observations on social media. When I asked for blog comments "Please Help" I received responses from over 20 readers letting me know their locations. Last week I mentioned on the CLAY BUDDIES forum that I was about to teach my first adult wheel class and add the word 'Tips ?' I received over a hundred responses in just a few hours. People in the clay community seem to be extraordinarily responsive to requests for assistance. Thank you all very much for your help and words of support.

Speaking of Wheel class, it is going very well. On the first night, I had 6 of my 7 students. I brought in some very soft reclaim for them to use and everyone was able to center. A few small pots rose off the wheelheads as well. Last night they switched to regular clay and were still able to center and pull. We are having fun and everyone is very supportive of each other. My beginner who missed the first session showed up and she is a natural. Centering and pulling three little pots on her first night. She must have one heck of a teacher !

Other than that, I have been working on a slightly different cereal bowl that is a bit taller and not as wide. The lower profile ones I've been selling are very functional but I think a taller bowl will show off the form and glazes better. I'll let you see after I get some glazed.

I'm still in a puzzle about what to tale to Holiday Fair on the 6th of December. The booths are 8x6 and it has thrown me for a bit of a loop that I am actually going to have to leave stuff at home and put up a different display. I'm thinking mugs, slab platters, bakeware , and a few big vases. I'll get it worked out but just don't expect me to make a bunch of holiday themed trinkets and glittery objects. Be well. Be happy and thanks for stopping by. Have a happy Thanksgiving if we don't chat before then.

Show in the Snow

Thanks so much for your input on my survey last time. I would have responded to all the comments when they came in but for some reason, that usually makes people think we are all done with a topic and they don't join in. I had 400 or so people check in. I think when you ask for help on a potters forum you get a lot of responses. 20 people commented from Denmark, England Australia Japan Scotland Canada and none of the Russian, Ukrainian or Chinese readers had anything to say.

Thursday was a day I always look forward to every year. I take the camper south for a weekend of fun. I drive to Raccoon Valley Tn. and stop at the Escapees campground for their Thursday night Jam session. Mostly Bluegrass and older stuff that I like . I also like that at a mere 64 years old I'm one of the youngest pickers there. Man can those guys play ! When the clock hits 7, it's sit down and hang on. Everyone takes a turn leading a couple of songs and when it's your turn you stand up and sing. No fooling around scratching your head and trying to decide what to do. Just be ready and go ! In the 2 hrs we played there was probably not a one minute break in the music even though a couple of guys needed help getting to the microphone. Traditional music in its pure form. Can't get better. There was a good crowd too probably 30 audience and 15 to 20 pickers. Guitar, fiddle, upright bass, mandolin, banjo, dobro, and slide. And that was just Thursday.

Friday morning, I drive across route 40 to Waynesville, NC and take 74 west to Dillsboro, NC. This is the home of the best pottery show in the country every first Saturday of November and I go to wrap and schlep for my friends Mike and Karen Baum. Friday afternoon is fun and games to entertain and add to everyone's enjoyment of the weekend. Clay Olympics ran from one to two With Alysha Baier winning the overall title. I think it was the wonder woman crown that put her over the top.

Next up, as the weather turned colder, John Bauman, Roxie Clark, Laurie Faye Long and I played some music for the folks. John and Roxie brought the talent, Laurie Faye brought the youth and good looks, and I brought the nerve. Some people stayed, some went to get warm. We had a good time and got to know each other a little better. We could not set up until after 7:30 and rain had started. We got the tent up, the shelves set up, and the boxes stacked by 9:00pm without getting too wet or frostbitten but the weather was turning. I tuned in the one station I could get on TV and saw the forecast.The banner on the screen actually said DON'T GO OUTSIDE !!! Not just don't drive or be careful . Tennessee, North and South Carolina and Georgia were all in panic mode. 10 or 12 inches in the mountains, get your bread and milk and pull the covers over your head!

6:15 Saturday morning we were breaking ice off the boxes and stocking the shelves as a light wet snow fell on us. The forecast was calling for 50 mph wind gusts in the afternoon. By the 10 AM opening, the snow had pretty well stopped. The ground was warm enough that we had no accumulation although you could see it up on the mountains. By about 10:30, people started coming. They said stuff like " Honey, I wouldn't miss this for nuthin' !" We got cold but we sold better than we expected. Was it as good as the last few years? No, but it was better than most any other one day show in good weather. We had people from Ohio, from Atlanta, from Virginia. come to see potters from Minnesota, Texas, Michigan, Wisconsin, New York etc etc. If you ever get the chance you need to come see how a clay show is supposed to be. Sunday I left real early and hit a little snow from Waynesville NC into Tn. on I 40 but it was not stuck to the road and only lasted for 40 miles or so then again on Pine mountain South of Jellico before I went into Ky. That's enough words, here are some pictures. Thanks for stopping by.

Laurie Faye Long as Willie Nelson

Wonder Woman

Brant Barnes and Sarah Wells Roland
 

Doug Dacey watches Joe Frank Mc Kee watch Sarah Rowland

Travis Berning

Alysha Baier
 

Laurie Faye Long

Snow in the high country

John Bauman

John Bauman

Home Sweet Home

Please Help

Below is a listing of where my readers came from over the last week. It is really hard for me to believe that I have had 58 legitimate visits from China this week. France? Maybe a couple but not 42. 37 from Ukraine? You have to be kidding ! I wouldn't be surprised to find the NSA, FBI, and CIA. I can accept Canada and I know I have at least one reader each from Brazil and Australia but I really suspect that a lot of these are just hackers trying to get past the firewall of word verification and drop some spam or worse. Since I added the verification on comments, NO ONE ! has gotten through to spam me. I know it is inconvenient but it works. Just for fun, If you are from outside the US let me know where you are. Even if you are from the US drop your state in the comments. I know this is not real interesting to you but I am really curious. Thanks for helping out. Speaking of helping out, Next week I spend Friday and Saturday at the Western North Carolina Pottery Festival In Dillsboro NC. It's off 74 about an hour west of Asheville. Friday is fun and games. Some of us may even make some music after the throwing contests. Saturday is the show. 40 of the best potters in the country and a huge crowd of anxious buyers. I'll be in the Baum Pottery booth wrapping pots. Stop by if you can. United States	146
China	58
France	42
Ukraine	32
Canada	27
Germany	22
Russia	15
Brazil	6
Australia	4
Indonesia	4