We had work for the League of NH Craftsmen’s Fair, which starts next Saturday (EEK!) and a few vessel sink orders that need to be completed before we head north.

While the gas kiln cooled, we glazed the pots from the bisque kiln. Last night we reloaded the kiln while it was still quite hot. A fan helped to take the edge off of the heat.

In between the hard work, we have taken some time to enjoy the multitude of butterflies that enjoy the apples that have started to drop from the trees.

This little butterfly, with a half eaten wing, stayed attached to the apple when Liz picked it up. I guess it is fearless and perhaps that is why half of it’s wing is missing!

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My Dad is back at home after breaking a hip, followed by hip replacement surgery, and then a stroke. He has spent the last two and half months in the hospital and two different rehab facilities. He is an 88 year old fighter! Danielle has dubbed him “Sporty Pepere” because of his new wardrobe of track pants. My sister Anita will spend the weekend with him to help him settle back into his apartment. Visiting nurses will come for the next few weeks and time will tell if he can go it alone.

Thank you readers and friends who have sent good wishes, healing energy, and prayers for us!

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 July is always a busy month for us. We are getting ready for the League of NH Craftsmen’s Fair, hosting our anniversary open house, and then this year throw in the ongoing “move up the road”. All of this has given Liz the opportunity to experience life as a studio potter. It’s not just about making pots. There are glazes to mix, ash to sieve, pots to clean, price, pack, or put out for display. Kilns are loaded and fired. She has experienced the successes as well as a few failures… and the problem solving that went into figuring out why. We did yard work together; mowed the lawn, trimmed trees, and weed whacked. If you have a store front, it needs to look good. Just don’t look behind the studio. That’s where our glazing set up is located, and it’s not pretty.

Liz has also learned that country living includes lots of bugs in all varieties, shapes, and sizes.

She has marveled at all of them, and photographed many!

July is winding down and so is her time here. I hope that Jeff and I imparted some of our knowledge onto her as well as insight into the life of studio potters.

See Liz’s work at Glaze and Grow

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Adding to our happiness is the fact that our clivia finally bloomed! It obviously loves it’s new location and wasn’t at all happy in a dark log cabin… even though I took it outside each summer. I am really enjoying a sunny and bright house, where plants and humans can flourish. Maybe I can now have a Boston fern that survives the winter.

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We are fortunate enough to have an intern from East Carolina University this month. She took photos and a video of the process. It’s been great to have an extra set of hands around the studio. You will be hearing more about intern Liz in future posts.

This video is glazing one of the smaller sinks. The big sink was a real pain, and didn’t go as smoothly. I probably would have to edit out some of the colorful language in that video to keep the blog’s PG rating!

The kiln was loaded by 6:00pm. I bricked up the door while Jeff switched out a burner that was giving us trouble. Our day was done by 7:45 pm. Jeff lit the first burner at 7:00 am this morning. We are hoping to put her to bed by 8 or 9 pm today. We are so anxious to get the studio moved to the new house. It’s so much easier to live and work in one location.

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The power company was cutting back trees along the Pottery Highway. About a half mile from our house is giant stand of bamboo. Jeff stopped and asked the tree guys if he could collect some of the bamboo they cut. The said, “Help yourself!”.

Jeff went right to work creating tea and water scoops of various sizes. He also made us some cool new chopsticks. He designed the chopsticks after some that he used in Japan. They are square and much easier to use than the round ones. I don’t seem to have a photo of the chopsticks.

He is training the handles to stay in position. Once set, he plans to re-wrap them with copper wire in a neater fashion.

Can’t wait to see what he does with the giant stalks!

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The sea foam green bathroom is now painted a light gray. I bought two identical shower curtains from IKEA. I was able to make a window curtain for the shower window and a curtain to cover the “knee hole” under the sink. Eventually we will replace the vanity with a more modern one, but for now I think the curtain is an attractive way to hide the basket of cleaning products that is under there. We are still searching for a light fixture for over the mirror. Luckily there is a ceiling light and it works just fine for the interim.

 The kitchen transformation is amazing for us! All that is left to do is to put up a couple of pieces of trim around the window. I am having a little trouble adjusting to no cabinet doors on a few of the uppers. I keep trying to close them and I am constantly rearranging because I feel it looks a little cluttered. Jeff loves it. We still have the doors, and they are sanded and ready to paint if we change our minds. I painted the backsplash wall aqua to break up the vanilla.

We have temporary knobs on right now. Jeff is making wheel thrown, stoneware knobs. We haven’t decided on the color yet. Right now we have one glazed in shino. We are leaning towards our nuka glaze.

I went right back to work yesterday making pots and getting ready for the next show. We head to New Hampshire in three weeks for the League of NH Craftsmen’s Fair. We will be doing the first four days of the show, you’ll find us in tent five, booth 521.

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 I took a much needed break from the rehab center this afternoon. Not only did I need a break, but my Dad was looking like he could use a nap. The good weather and the tourists have descended upon Wolfeboro for the 4th of July weekend. The only route between my sister’s home and the rehab center is directly through Main Street. Traffic is bumper to bumper due to the multiple stops for pedestrians on the many crosswalks. I am sure the restaurants, shops, and galleries are very happy to see the multitudes.
                      
 My sister’s home is like an oasis. She lives in what once was a vacation lodge that has been turned into four apartments. Right now all the residents are women, each with a variety of cats and dogs. Both the humans and the pets are very friendly.

I will head back the rehab center around 6pm. Hopefully the traffic will have eased, and five minute drive won’t take twenty-five minutes. I can tuck Dad into bed and come back to this oasis and enjoy a glass of wine on the deck.

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