My garden

I love my little garden! The first thing I do when I get home from work is to visit my garden. The tomatoes are doing pretty well. They aren't growing as tall as last year - that may be good - small tomatoes showing up already. My cucumbers are blooming and seem very healthy. It's interesting to note that most of my tomato plants are grown from seeds donated to a school's FFA class by a local farmer. I love being part of continuing chain of local produce production. I intend to save my seeds and share them with friends and family. What a great way to grab a little self sufficiency!

Random thoughts

Traveling in Canada for a week has brought us many wonderful sights to remember. Mountains through the Canadian Rockies are magnificent. The Grand Canyon is called "upside down mountains" by Native Americans. I couldn't help but wonder when I saw the Canadian Rockies, if you could grab the mountains, flip them upside down and fit them down into the Canyon for a perfect puzzle fit.
We were able to see a grizzly bear, four black bears, countless deer, a moose and a few elk.
One highlight of the trip was a visit to an ancient forest. Giant cedar trees estimated to be between 1,500 to 2,000 years old. The largest seen by one of our group was 16ft. in diameter. We had to hike to them through snow that was knee to waist deep in places.

new garden

Hi
I am excited about my little deck garden. Last years tomato plants grew about 6ft tall. And yes, that means more plant than tomato - but still enough for my family. I have planted about a dozen tomato plants in pots this year - trying Cherokee Black tomatoes for the first time - can't wait to taste those! I love German Johnson's and have an additional three plants of cherry tomatoes. Growing cucumbers, squash and carrots as well. I also am trying gourds - have to wait and see if that works. I have mixed in plenty of marigolds and zinnias for color and pest control.

Christmas at the kiln

I was beginning to feel that it was time to retire from pottery - until I opened the kiln this time - success makes it all worth while.
A good kiln day feels like a great Christmas morning. Love it!

Day three

The potter goes into the studio with big plans. Clay is prepared, water for the wheel, tools gathered, ideas taking shape, sitting at the wheel, reaching for the clay and slamming it down on the bat, hands begin to shape the clay into something close to the imagined plans. A compromise between the potter and the clay. A compromise that retains integrity for both the potter and the clay. The piece grows and the potter feels joy. Satisfaction at successfully creating a piece worthy of keeping. But the process isn't quite finished, hands have to smooth and complete the piece.
Careless hands, a slip in concentration, the piece begins to wobble a little out of control. The potter pushes the clay a little too far, the integrity of the clay is compromised. The final result looks nothing like the one in the potter's mind. It didn't turn out the way expected, or wanted. It started well, it had potential, but something intervened.
But the potter doesn't stop when the piece rebels. Clay is resilient. It can be reclaimed, reworked, reformed, hope rekindled as long as hands keep working. Starting over, beginning again the potter finds the form the clay wants to be in the end.
Disaster, disappointment, dashed dreams, anger builds. Life has a way of not turning out the way we thought it would, or should. People don't always participate according to the roles we write for them. Life may not work quite as well as the reclamation of the clay works, but some of the principles are the same. We may not reach the goal we set, but the trying is important. Reaching forward, working through obstacles is important. Not giving up is important. Learning to be flexible is important. Not breaking is important. But most importantly, not giving in, not changing who we are is important. Remaining true to who we are and what we believe in keeps us strong. It is this core of integrity that keeps us from becoming something we wouldn't recognize in a reflection.
Life knocked the potter sideways, the potter got back up and sat back down at the wheel. It took a few moments to catch a calm breath again, a little while longer for the hands to stop shaking, a little while longer still for the potter to find center again. The potter's wheel began to turn, the clay began to rise once more.