999

"WHY DO WE READ POTSBLOG?"

In another post or two, likely tomorrow, I hit 1000 posts. Sure, most of it is fluff and junk. For some reason, a selection of nice people visit each day. It is a mystery to me.
Any takers?
Consider yourselves a focus group: why do we visit potsblog?

blurry caterpillars

(bowl by Gary Rith)

goofing off at Taughannock Falls and everywhere else

(Mr Potsblog on the road)
Taughannock Falls is the tallest of Ithaca's 150 waterfalls. Taller than Niagara we are told, but it is just a small river, unlike Niagara. It is a rather incredible walk up the river gorge to these falls. It is somewhat disconcerting seeing all the boulders on the trail which have fallen from the cliffs above, but I was not flattened as you can see.
Tremendous fun has been had here with Mike. Gave me an excuse to be a bit of a tourist. Off to my parents' farm, briefly, then goodbye and back to the weary grind of making bunnies and pigs this afternoon.

Ultravox

Tunes o' the day, Ultravox and 'Vienna'. Man with a little mustache, that's Ultravox.

What is New England redware? Stephen Earp

Talking about my friend Mike and redware, here is a link to Stephen Earp's work from Massachuesetts. Mike says 'colonial work, deeper red than terra cotta'

ULTRAVOX

Ultravox, 'Dancing with tears in my eyes'. Terribly sincere.

Mike comes over

(Mike and 2 of his pots)
As mentioned yesterday, there is a visiting potter at 540 Main, my old pal Mike from New Hampshire. He came bearing gifts, not just a 12 pack and a bag of corn chips and salsa. Many of Mike's pieces are reproductions of New England Redware from the 1700s, like the red vase here.
Many potters are not especially nice. Mike is the nicest guy in the world. Many non-pottery adventures planned for today.

a cup for GR

(mug by Gary Rith)
OK, what am I working on lately? I am following a direction, a slender and sleek shape, with little foots--trying for something that is both relatively simple, but still has an elegant and unusual shape. Creativity is shooting an arrow at a target with a blind fold on: you have something in your mind's eye, maybe just a tiny little ill-defined idea, and you are trying to make it work in reality. Enough deep thoughts, we had that last Friday. I will say this: this type of thing is complicated enough by itself that it doesn't call out for a pig on the handle.

My old best pal from New Hampshire visits today trough Wednesday. I have some of Mike's work and can do a little special on him tomorrow (I will tell him I did it after it is posted, you don't want somebody to say NO). When potter friends visit potter friends, inevitably there is raucous talk of glaze recipes, handles, footed vases and even bowl shapes. Quite interesting, to potters anyway.

mini piggy banks

(pots by Gary Rith)
Holds a penny. That's it, all you get!

ULTRAVOX

Tunes o' the day, Ultravox and 'The Voice'. I could live on a diet of this stuff, second helpings of Ultravox, Echo and the Bunnymen, Depeche Mode, New Order, Flock of Saegulls......and extra big scoops of early B52s and Talking Heads.

Back from Kingston, Ontario

Grand day with Gordo, Grego, Alan and BR, Gorthos couldn't make it. I love Kingston. These are great guys and great bloggers, and I would link them all to their blogs but I am too lazy right now. Thanks guys, good blogger meetup today.

CM AND CELESTE

You may have noticed that CM and Celeste, two friends of ours and each other, in Toronto, complain about my unicorns. Guess what? Hypocrites that they are, their favorite pub is the Unicorn Pub. I am appalled. Please: feel free to chastise them and abuse them here.

Guest DJ CM gives us THE DROPKICK MURPHYS!!!

Carrying on the theme, travelling from Chicago to Boston and the Dropkick Murphys doing the traditional Rocky Road to Dublin. The only time I saw them, I was front row of the mosh pit, off to the right. Ended up bruised and battered but left a few bruises in my turn.

Thanks CM, this is a remarkably NOISY clip.

Penguin bowls and hitting the road

(penguin pots by Gary Rith)
On my way to the great white north Sunday for a petite blogger meetup. I am packing my parka, snowshoes and enough beef jerky to last 5 months, just in case.
If you are not some sort of bizarre stalker, meet me, Gordo, Greg and Gorthos in Kingston, Ontario's Brew Pub, downtown, at noon. If you are a bizarre stalker, you will find us in Toronto at Ghost of a Flea's.

Artistic Guest: Unicorn Lady

Unicorn Lady, not really my cup of tea, but it gets your attention, doesn't it?

tea break

(pots by Gary Rith)
As mentioned last week, Don asked for a teapot and some kind of strainer which could be removed. This set up is most successful and handsome looking. I love teapots and making them, my favorite really, BUT, ahem, drink mostly coffee and when it is tea time, I just use a, you know, tea bag. But I can try to make customers happy.

back in fake court again

OK, my services as a volunteer juror are needed again. Am I in a mean mood? Will I crush all defendents with guilty verdicts? I am considering pretending that I am firefighter with ten kids. Maybe a retired pro football player. Bring em on.