FLOWER>BOWL

(Bowls by Gary Rith)
Whenever I see pansies or viola I think of making little flower shaped bowls. I added a little notch to the edges here for the first time, inspired by those bowls down below.
So, a little gardening around the house. Masses of weeds still need removing, but the little pots are full of pansies, and I have plans for a flower garden in back. Pansies suit me, as they last for months, grow easily and don't ask for anything. I also planted some marigolds, the other flower that can handle the incompetence and neglect I offer my garden.
BTW-I did not make the planter pictured here, as nice and large as it is, but got it for a dollar last fall at a garage sale.

lotus flower bowls

OK, remember you're reading this backwards. As I say below, I saw an item of a type I have seen before, a lotus flower bowl at Cornell's Johnson Museum, and it is exquisite. Much like the celadon bowl here from an antique dealer. Can you believe you could (for a lot of money) buy something like this?
The lotus flower is an inspiration for bowl design, including the maker of this white set of bowls. I am appalled that I am showing you a set of mold-made dishes from a designer, but they are pretty.

Japanese horse

(horse from Cornell's art collection at the Johnson Museum)
There is an exqusite little bowl at the Johnson Museum that I can't find a picture of, but they have this horse. Many hundreds of years old, saying it is red-baked and hard fired. That is not an entirely clear meaning to me, but I suspect it means that the horse was low-fired with maybe straw and wood until just hardened, so that it wouldn't fall apart under water, but not fired as high as a vessel used for food.
Gorgeous, eh?
The Johnson Museum has this top floor that is open but hard to get to, full of POTS and SCULPTURE, just amazing stuff, and the views over the hills, rivers and lakes!!! On the ground floor by the entrance is the 'Two Naked Guys Cafe', with coffee and sandwiches and two larger than life anatomically correct bronze sculptures of 2 naked men. This is ithaca.

Mrs Potsblog Holds Forth on Important Topics

My gorgeous and amusing wife telling me something important here, then she asked why I had taken her picture. Some questions you don't answer, you just start singing Minnie Ripperton's 'Loving you is easy 'cause you're beautiful....lalalala...'
You see, there is much I plan to post today, but you know, I don't have any pics quite yet. So this is a place holder.

Do you want to

Tunes o' the day, Franz Ferdinand, 'Do you want to'. Funny line in there about somebody's arty friends. No wait, the whole thing is hysterically funny!

YOU CAN MAKE YOUR FRIENDS AND RELATIVES HAPPY TOO!

(Cameron turns three and starts saving)
My old pal Gordo got his son one of my piggy banks to celebrate his third birthday. Don't make a mistake with somebody's gift, give them my pottery and you cannot go wrong.

Penny on my belly

Mona's word for the day is belly. Here is Penny on mine. There is something wonderful about a compact dog who likes to be snuggly. Penny was fixed a week and a half ago, and she has a scar on her belly.

sometimes you're not in the mood for piggies

(pottery by Gary Rith)

Audioslave, tunes o' the day

Audioslave, 'Be Yourself'.

Handmade clay ray guns?????

Our old pal Gordo checks in with this link for hand sculpted clay ray guns. That's pretty cool, Gord, thanks!
Gordo is another one of these folks I met at another site and have met in person a couple of times for lunch etc. Gordo is nicer and funnier than you might imagine, also a whole lot taller and wicked smart too. I don't know why smart people hang around here. Gordo has also (hehehehe) filled his house with a collection of my pots, but I am really grateful for this ray gun link. Who knew???

JUSTIN'S DESK

(Justin's desk at BigCorp, with my mug and pig)
Justin is a VERY IMPORTANT executive at BigCorp, and he has sent us this picture of his desk. Remember this folks, my pottery will take you places.

Justin and the OTHER Penny check in

(Penny the Jack Russell terrier, cow mugs by Gary Rith)
Remember: hang around me and I WILL blog it. Justin writes about his order of cow mugs, and tells us about HIS little dog named Penny:

"Hello Gary!

I was out of the office yesterday, and it was killing me to know that the mugs were waiting on my desk when I got there. And this morning, I tore it open in a flash! (Well, a very careful flash of course.) The mugs are amazing! Even better than I imagined! The glaze is fantastic-blues and purples-very nice! Even the tiny pot that came along with it is...well, awesome. My co-worker Erica promptly filled it with some small purple flowers and it now adorns my desk at work, right near my piggy bank. I even attached a picture (a bit blurry-the office has fluorescent lights and I can never get a good pic between flash and no flash). I am so happy with everything! I check potsblog daily now. I didn't want to "hijack" your blog with something about me, but I have a little dog named Penny also! She's a Jack Russell, and with some free time I made her a website. (I know it sounds a little nuts, but I was playing with a new website program and she seemed like good subject matter.) So if you h
ave some free time between pigs, you can check it out at http://home.comcast.net/~penny-pasta
Keep up the great work - I love the large bowls posted today on potsblog!

Justin"

Listen Justin, hijack away, esp. if you want to say nice things. Justin is an aspiring potter, and now we know he has a little dog named Penny too. The site has cute pics and movies. Awesome.

pig and cow, tortoise and hare

(large bowls by Gary Rith)

CM: GUEST DJ AND GUEST BLOGGER

(afghan by CM)
CM is a Canadian we met at another site over a year ago. She ordered some pottery last fall, and said 'hey, why don't I drive down for the weekend?' and she did. We were pleased she was not an axe murderer. CM is from the Maritimes originally, went to university in Montreal, landed in Ontario and is a geek wrangler by day and rocker by night. And weekend. CM has been my earliest and biggest supporter here at potsblog, and is now quite a good friend to Mr and Mrs Potsblog.
CM is expecting her first niece or nephew, and made this exquisite baby blanket. I asked for a picture, but people who know bloggers should beware. If they say 'hey, let me get your picture' or 'hey send me a picture of____' it may be posted.
I am so pleased by all the creative things my visitors and friends do.
CM has wide-ranging musical tastes and:
I was flicking channels when home sick the other week, and came across this video on MuchMusic. Was pleasantly surprised to find it was Feist. She's been around a while apparently, and is the next big thing up here. A friend stayed at her house in Calgary for a weekend once.
Feist, 'My Moon, My Man' for tunes o' the day.
But YES, CM, we know Feist down here, OH YES we do, here's 'Mushaboom' which has rec'd loads of airplay here in America.

quick dry

(pots by Gary Rith)
I need to fire the kiln Thursday, so stuff needs to be dry in 18 hours. The kiln is warm so some pots are on its top, and I am filling the sunny back deck with stuff. My clay body is very tough, and does not crack when subjected to quick drying.

I walk around and see other people's gardens and they are so pretty and tidy and I am just at a loss: I guess ten years in the woods has spoiled me for a nice cultivated garden. I have no idea where to start, although filling some pots with purple flowers on the porch may be a good start.

NOT FEBRUARY FIRST

(Penny and Buster)
Glorious day. This is what we dream of on February first. This is why people retire to make pots. Feels like winning the lottery, soft, warm, sunny spring day and the chance to walk and play with dogs outside.

Penny's pretty darn funny, isn't she?

I guess all of us had become rather old and quiet, but this little beagle pup sure has brought some life and liveliness to the household.

sip, swig, savor

(pots and plaque by Gary Rith)
I am part of a traveling art show, headed to restaurants and wineries and wherever people might imbibe. I am a little short on details. ANYWAY, this is, if you hadn't guessed, a sipping pig, swigging bunny, and savoring dog. There will be writing on the scroll there. Today I am making some of the actual pieces, goblet, stein, mug, plus maybe pedestal pot.

Audioslave

Noisy tunes o' the day from Audioslave: 'Show me how to live'. Big names came together to form Audioslave, Chris Cornell from Soundgarden, the remains of Rage Against the Machine. His life reads like many other rock stars: had been messy, now as his mid-40s approach, a little more clean and sober.

glazing, throwing

(in progress by Gary Rith)
So, luckily this new dog is easy to care for and not demanding. She sleeps most of the time, alongside the others. But, you know, it is a bit of a disruption in the work schedule. SO, glazing and firing now, clean the muddy kitchen etc before the vet comes over, more bowls and mugs after lunch, and by Gawd, the lawn needs cutting (NOT SNOW SHOVELING)
I am also working on a special project, more on that later.

daily dose of dog

Actually got a picture of the four of them napping together.

Visiting Vets

I have a feeling my readers don't need to be introduced to James Herriot, the Yorkshire vet and writer. Excellent books and BBC episodes. I have read the books at least once, and we are watching season 3 (of 7 or 8 seasons) of the program. Although some people came to his office, on many other occaisions he visited his patients at their homes.
The point? Our vet works out of her truck, she only does home visits, and she is coming over this morning. Penny shall be inspected and give a blood sample and the rest. Penny has not been told all of this. Our vet has beagles at home too.

I have to say, when Sammy passed 3 weeks ago here at home with the vet, the trauma was much less for everybody, sitting at home, and saying goodbye. It was the very best it could be. Today it is a visit to say hello!

PACK OF PIGGIES

(piggies by Gary Rith)
Fired at last, a range of piggy sizes. Jumbo, large, small, sitting mall, mini, micro.

TEMPLE OF THE DOG

Let's revisit one of my favorite videos: Temple of the Dog, 'Hungerstrike'. Makes you wonder why Chris Cornell and Pearl Jam didn't do more together.