Summer's Almost Here

 Happy Memorial Day!  Growing up listening to Navy stories from World War II makes me appreciate what our fighting men and women have done to preserve liberty.  I hope it is meaningful for you.














Although it is a little hot today - and supposed to be even hotter tomorrow - the weather has been great and everything is blooming and in full swing.  Our apple trees are loaded, having escaped the late frost, as are the pear trees and figs bushes.  The day lilies are in full splendor and Susan's transplants from the parsonage are starting to take root and bloom.  Summer is close! 










Lots of things have been happening to keep me from my blog.  Heart of Virginia Festival in Farmville, Virginia, getting ready for Mom to move down to live with us in North Carolina, school will be out at the end of this week, and the summer festivals begin.  Trying to gear up for everything at once is getting "tiresome", but the end of some of these things is near.  Graduation is this Friday night and, other than the few students who didn't believe that I would really make them come back to school to work off detentions after school is out, I will have a break from dealing with students.  This has been a long weekend and I took advantage of the extra time to throw 25 pounds of clay - working on some bigger pieces and trying out some new methods

One of the methods I am trying is using paper resist and mason stains to decorate the pots.  It is a method that is recommended for earthenware, but I will see how it works on stoneware.  I have had pretty good success with mason stains and clear/transparent glazes.

June 11 is the first 2nd Saturday program in North Carolina and I will be at Edenton, demonstrating and selling my work.  If you are not familiar with 2nd Saturdays, check it out at http://www.ncdcr.gov/2ndsaturdays.asp or look for the ads in Our State magazine.  There will be crafts people and artists at most all the historical sites around the state each month.  I will also be in Edenton in July, but am looking for maybe a different site for August.  If you are close to Edenton, come by and see me.