Dave and Bonnie Deal Raku

If the embedding didn't work, here's the link:

http://media.opb.org/clips/2932-potters_dave_and_boni_deal

Enjoy the exquisite Raku pots that this Pacific North West couple produce.
I would definitely not recommend his no tongs, hands only, pot removal technique for the uninitiated. 

As for me, I'm a day late finishing planting the last 3 perennials; and it's too hot now to do it; but at least I did find time to cast a few the past few days and enjoyed a lot of great time with the family at the river house. We even saw an adult bald eagle flying by the river in the late afternoon.

There was morning garden time today to hand water, dead head and pick some lettuce and snow peas for tonight's salad. After 3 days of rich, delicious party food and great wines at our son and daughter-in-laws ranch the past 3 days, we're ready for a salad and a simple grape tomato pasta dish tonight. 

Jim is off to the store for the grape tomatoes. There are small, green cherry tomatoes on a couple of my plants so it won't be long before we'll be eating our own. 

My garden charts/calendars need updating, and there's a few other things I need to attend to now while I watch some of the French Open tennis that I taped. Hopefully after dinner, it will be a bit cooler and if I have the energy to get out there, I'll plant one or two of those perennials and/or install the last plant hanger for the cascading tomato plant. Problem is that lately, by the time dinner is done, I'm too wiped to do anything more physical than typing and using the TV remote!