Soda fired Jar

Here's a jar from my latest soda firing - my attempt to get more color on these orange, flashing slipped pots. The green is much brighter than the picture shows. I definitely need Joy Tanner's photography class next month!

Yesterday was busy with some young potter friends, Joy Tanner and Will Baker coming in the morning to pick up some firebricks. I pulled enough for myself to make some more kiln furniture and raise my bag wall, and in the process, dropped a 9 lb firebrick on my left toe which is now piece of art work with the most wonderful shades of purple, burgundy, and black!

Today is the first "no rain" day in a long time, where I'm actually free to do some planting, so after breakfast I'm going to try to get as many of these things in the ground before the heat wilts me completely. It's going up into the 90's today and the humidity is oppressive, so I'm going to have to start early and work fast.

Tonight is porch sitting with our friends, Jim and Laura. Jim picked up a lot of munchies in Asheville yesterday after he got the car serviced, so I'll just have to prep some raw veggies for the the dip.

Variegated Weigelia blooming

Here's a shot of the variegated weigelia in bloom. This is it's third year and it's coming along nicely. I just love the contrast of the variegated leaves against the delicate pink flowers.

I got the second bisque fired yesterday. It was a little worrisome when the thunder started; but fortunately we got through without a power outage.

It was too hot in the studio with the kiln on, so Karin and I did a bit of weeding before the thunder reminded me that it wasn't a good idea to be out there with a metal weeding tools in our hands during a thunder storm.

We had our Friday porch sitting with our good friends Jim and Laura and after we finished off 3 bottles of wine, I'm a bit foggy this morning.

Jim will be going to Walmart after breakfast for more mulch. Karen will be back to continue weeding and mulching and I'll be in the studio glazing. We still have all the planting beds in the front of the house to weed and mulch but the flower beds in front of my studio are done and all the vegetable terraces are done.

I picked a few more strawberries this morning when I took Bodhi for his morning walk. I didn't check the flower beds, other than a quick peek out the kitchen window; and it looks like the first peony is opening. Maybe I'll get a better look later.