lunch break

It's a quiet day in Crazy Green-land. My students haven't yet gotten into the habit of coming in outside of class, and while I always welcome the fellowship of others in the studio, I am enjoying some quiet time as well, although I am also ready to get some more classes going. That will happen, and this weekend my mantra is to be in the moment and be grateful, and not dwell too much in what's ahead. Yesterday morning I made a quick trip up to Weaverville and walked through the Art in Autumn show. I had to be back at the studio by noon just in case students came, so I didn't have time to linger. I also forgot my camera, which was sitting here still charging, so no pictures of friends who had set up booth there. Several potters there, and a few I didn't get a chance to go see up close after spending a little time chatting up friends. It was a bigger show than I had imagined, and I didn't give myself much time to make the rounds. Back at the ranch, it was time to clean and unload a bisque. Later in the afternoon, Helen came by to help me pug another batch of clay, and I started on a few bowls for Empty Bowls with a short evening beverage break when friend Holly stopped by.

So today, after a nice leisurely Sunday hike with Lissa and a trip to stock up vittles to make for the week, I hit the bowls again.

These are for the Empty Bowls event in October. Since I'm only at Odyssey on Mondays for the class itself, I'm making all my bowls here. These bowls will be bisqued in time for the opening party next weekend for decorating, with hopeful help from folks who come to the party, then either shuttled back to Odyssey for firing or fired here. Or maybe I'll get my next cone 10 kiln scheduled so I can fire before the event as well.

One visitor bowl in the mix - the finished bowl on the right side of the second shelf down is actually lunch. Today's rice cooker melange of quinoa, greens, winter squash, garlic and seasonings is in a Shawn Ireland bowl that is one of my favorite stew bowls. Even though I have no lack of pots here to use for meals, I still bring in my favorites from others hands. I have a small handful of those pots that I kept out of storage, and since my 'temporary' moving status has stretched into its 5th month, I am very happy to have these friendly faces around to make me feel at home. As the seasons change, though, I am more motivated to find a spot to unpack a bit more...maybe have a yard sale or two to scale down...but definitely to get the rest of my friends out of boxes and back into the mix for my own meals and those with friends.

Lunch is over, back to the bowls!