oldlady

Alice, this from wikiHow seems to describe how to use kindle fire pretty well. 
Anybody with kids at home Amazon audible has all their kids books for free streaming. 

A motorized wheel is an incrediable time saver over a kick wheel even a motorized one .
Enjoy the freedom. And now your leg can be the same size as your other one.
I have thought a few things may happen in the future once the Governor (whom we pay attention to in this state way more than the anyone else) lets businesses on the non essential side open again as well as the restaurants .I have a wholesale account at a popular one.I know the shops and Galleries will all want pots all at once. I'm planning now for that time. No one knows when this will be so I have zero idea on timing -i just know that my consignment outlets who get pots for free will want more .Just before the closure of galleries I got a large consignment order from my locally biggest selling consignment outlet. If this happens during the summer time it will be more than say spring time-if its fall then its a xmas deal and they will be even more greedy on the orders as the potsare free. As to wholesale I'm thinking depeending on how flush they are feeling the orders could me meduim size.I'm doing some stockpiling now for this situtaion in the future.
I have a large  order now for a few months from now-Its all made in the green state(finiskhed today) but needs bisquing and glaze fired.Its a simi annual order for many years now. That gallery is closed and the open date is a unknown as is everything  else but he wants the pots in a few months either way.Locally I have 5 food/market outlets that are still selling pottery but at a reduced rate.Folks still need food and pots are hard to find elsewhere so they still sell ok there.With the slow down of the economy I'm planning on a long period of time selling very little. Its a time I plan on making pots for the future. They do not go bad.
I have a plate full of projects and our acre likes to get mowed  alot in spring and garden needs planted as well as all the projects that I put off that now can get done .
As of this week I have worked harder than most weeks-anymore free time and it will kill me.I'm staying isolated as its my age group although my health is great (bad wrist and hand )but good lungs and no disease except a type A workaholic. I have yet to see that the virus preys more on that condition than others . I do have blood Type A+ but its only a small uptick on death rate on what I read.Since I;m usually at home all the time this seems just fine now staying home  all the time.I shipped out some pottery packages this week via UPs which is normal here-just put my flag out on fence and they take the box of pots away.
I do not want to feel overwehelmed when orders pick up so I'm planning for this now. I'm box up pots like crazy soon and will be ready when they are needed
.My other thought is when the world is ready for travel once again I want to get back to being underwater in Bali with a camera like I was last fall. I have a few diver friends all with the same idea and If I have the stock it will not matter time wise as much when I can go. So thats another driver to box up work NOW.Travel is a long ways off I know but it will come back. We just canceled a long planned trip to Iceland  in June where you can fire pots with geothermal power.Nothing like fire and Ice .
 

One thing that has popped up this week is more than usual one off small orders mostly mailed out a few UPS .They are coming thru e-mail or phone calls. Like today a call came in and I shipped out a garlic keeper to San Diego via usps all thru texting today as that was her prefered way to comunicate . Some like e-mail some want to talk. Two huge mugs (36-42 onces) this week as well to far away places.
Yesterday my local gallery called (they are closed) with a customer wanting a 8 square plate set and was wondering if I stocked that?
She also said the gallery was closed but my pots where the only thing still selling mail order from them-I felt good about that news.
Folks still want stuff and they are finding ways to find it. Since travel is out they are calling and texting and e-mailing.
I try to never use my personal cell phone # for business as I need a firewall from customers is some areas of my life. My cell phone is one of those walls
My wife hates business on the weekends when customers call I the am. On the land line.Slowling this is dissipating over time.It still happens-They call at all hours (I have said many times customers are clueless). For example I got a call a few days ago asking if I sell cones . Because  the local ceramic shop is closed (they still have a pick up service) but you have to leave a message.I often get calls on clay or lessons or can you fire out stuff.

Welp, got my papers today and I'm officially laid off!  
Starting tomorrow I will be a full time potter for the first time in my life.  But will I be throwing pots?
NO!
My first day as a full time Potter will be spent cleaning, organizing, and basically doing all of the things I should have been doing instead of throwing pots for the last 6 months.  I'll be setting up my studio to be a hybrid potters studio slash live streaming studio.  The racks outside next to my kiln will be cleared off, items tagged and boxed into totes, inventory taken, pictures taken, and inventory added to my store.  
It's time to get serious because I may be out of work until halfway through May.  It's time to make the best of the situation and treat this as an opportunity instead of a tribulation.
Once I get everything situated on the organizational end, it will be flushing out and producing a product line.  This is my life now.

not today but you reminded me of a breakfast in september in harpers ferry back in 2017.    my pieces plus a cream and sugar by del martin, a mug by seth cardew, and a thin waisted cup by john glick.   i made the square at a workshop with ellen currans in oregon.  marvelous time there.
the bacon looks excessive but it is paper thin and i microwave it on paper towels to take out the fat.   

not today but you reminded me of a breakfast in september in harpers ferry back in 2017.    my pieces plus a cream and sugar by del martin, a mug by seth cardew, and a thin waisted cup by john glick.   i made the square at a workshop with ellen currans in oregon.  marvelous time there.
the bacon looks excessive but it is paper thin and i microwave it on paper towels to take out the fat.   

not today but you reminded me of a breakfast in september in harpers ferry back in 2017.    my pieces plus a cream and sugar by del martin, a mug by seth cardew, and a thin waisted cup by john glick.   i made the square at a workshop with ellen currans in oregon.  marvelous time there.
the bacon looks excessive but it is paper thin and i microwave it on paper towels to take out the fat.   

very nice.   mugs made  for big hands.  those are very thick bats, hulk, what are they made of?

not today but you reminded me of a breakfast in september in harpers ferry back in 2017.    my pieces plus a cream and sugar by del martin, a mug by seth cardew, and a thin waisted cup by john glick.   i made the square at a workshop with ellen currans in oregon.  marvelous time there.
the bacon looks excessive but it is paper thin and i microwave it on paper towels to take out the fat.   

OH snow -well I like snow and this is how I like mine-1st it falls in some place that has rath for winter months long cold dark snowy nights. It melts and flows down rivers to the sea. This is where the process I like begins. That water is diluted with salt water and the ocean currents slowly take it towards the warmer latitudes where it slowly warms to the right temps-say about 82 degrees -then slowly tropical fish as well as other inhabitants take over and make it thier home-corals and such. My snow is shaded by a plam tree on white tropical sandy beach. Thats how I like my snow.-No shovel needed but fins and a mask will help as well as a snorkel.An underwater camera is the right tool in my snow world.

mugs and bowls

No bears in the city, however quiet it is! Lotsa jackrabbits though. And coyotes. 
Tonight, no one was particularly hungry because we’re not really active. Dinner was just pasta with a good olive oil, a big garlic clove, about a pound of pan roasted cherry tomatoes and some parm.  I did the pots. 
 
 

Pumpkin bread was yesterday.  I am going to try and Irish Soda bread today.  The pumpkin bread recipe was from my mother in law.  I use it as a base for banana bread or whatever.  It's almost fool proof and reminds me of winter and holidays and family.  And thanks @neilestrick for a great thread.  I am definitely going to try Mea's shoo fly pie.  I don't have starter for sour dough, but I love your photos!
Pumpkin Bread
1 cup raisins, 1 cup water, 4 eggs,3 cups sugar, 1 cup veg oil, 1 tsp cloves, 1 tsp nutmeg, 1 tsp cinnamon,1 tsp baking powder, 2 tsps. salt,2 tsp baking soda,1 cup chopped nuts,3 1/2 cups flour, 1 small can pumpkin (1.5 cups)  Combine all, and mix well, bake in 2 greased loaf pans at 350 for 1 hr. 
The platter was a gift and it was made by Catie Miller.  Perfect for Bread!
Roberta
 

not today but you reminded me of a breakfast in september in harpers ferry back in 2017.    my pieces plus a cream and sugar by del martin, a mug by seth cardew, and a thin waisted cup by john glick.   i made the square at a workshop with ellen currans in oregon.  marvelous time there.
the bacon looks excessive but it is paper thin and i microwave it on paper towels to take out the fat.   

not today but you reminded me of a breakfast in september in harpers ferry back in 2017.    my pieces plus a cream and sugar by del martin, a mug by seth cardew, and a thin waisted cup by john glick.   i made the square at a workshop with ellen currans in oregon.  marvelous time there.
the bacon looks excessive but it is paper thin and i microwave it on paper towels to take out the fat.   

not today but you reminded me of a breakfast in september in harpers ferry back in 2017.    my pieces plus a cream and sugar by del martin, a mug by seth cardew, and a thin waisted cup by john glick.   i made the square at a workshop with ellen currans in oregon.  marvelous time there.
the bacon looks excessive but it is paper thin and i microwave it on paper towels to take out the fat.   

not today but you reminded me of a breakfast in september in harpers ferry back in 2017.    my pieces plus a cream and sugar by del martin, a mug by seth cardew, and a thin waisted cup by john glick.   i made the square at a workshop with ellen currans in oregon.  marvelous time there.
the bacon looks excessive but it is paper thin and i microwave it on paper towels to take out the fat.   

not today but you reminded me of a breakfast in september in harpers ferry back in 2017.    my pieces plus a cream and sugar by del martin, a mug by seth cardew, and a thin waisted cup by john glick.   i made the square at a workshop with ellen currans in oregon.  marvelous time there.
the bacon looks excessive but it is paper thin and i microwave it on paper towels to take out the fat.   

a different 4 letter word, you californian, you!

Simple hand building project if anyone is looking for something different to try for a change of pace. My soft slab (olive) boat, it's an easy project, would be good for kids to make too. Turn it into a viking ship or ? I don't have any glazed right now but a couple bisqued ones in the last image.
Supplies needed:
Soft clay
Rolling pin 
1 1/4 - 2 1/2” diameter dowel wrapped in newspaper (or long thin rolling pin, diameter isn’t critical)
Pony roller or piece of plastic
Cornstarch (optional)
Supports if you use soft clay
1 - Template is 19” overall length, 4 1/4” wide. Each side measures 15 1/2”. Soft slab, cut out the pattern. Don’t worry about getting the ends exactly as I have them, you can just use one gentle curve from the point to the opposite side. If you want texture on the outside of the boat do it now.
2 - On the long edges use a pony roller and soften the edge. If you don’t have a pony roller just use a piece of thin plastic, hold it taunt and run your finger along the edge. (2a)
2a- Flip the piece over, if you want texture on the inside do it now. Soften the long edges on this side too.
3 - Cover up the ends and lightly dust the clay with cornstarch. Since my clay is very wet I don’t like to use a pounce, I just load a brush with cornstarch and tap the brush over, but not touching, the clay.
4 - Lift the slab and lay it cornstarch side down over the dowel wrapped in newsprint. 
5 - Press the clay around the dowel then flatten the bottom with a small rolling pin or pony roller. The dowel I use is a bit narrow so I lift one end up while doing this so I don’t crush the long edges of the slab.
6 - Moisten the ends with just a few drops of water if you are using soft clay. If you use firmer clay then use a tiny bit of slip. Bring the long edges together at the ends of the slab and pinch the lower edges together. I keep a slight overlap so I can fold the overlap over and work it in with a rib so the boat doesn’t leak. 
7 - Roll the top pointed ends into spirals, covering the join.  One ends rolls to the left, the other to the right. Transfer the boat to a drying board.
8 - Straighten out the rim, flute the edges if you like. I use bendable hair rollers to support the sides while drying. Clay coils would work too. I’ve found with my clay I need to dry these slowly or they lift up in the centre. You could also put a small weight in the centre to help prevent it lifting. 
Would love to see some other projects here!
(Sorry but I can't get the numbers to show up on the images, read left to right 1-8)


 

neil, did you notice how much your ductwork looks like a sculpture?   just add arms to reach the snow shovel.

neil, did you notice how much your ductwork looks like a sculpture?   just add arms to reach the snow shovel.

Work in progress, mugs for a soda firing that is postponed. Flashing slip sprayed on then bisqued then underglazed, complete with pencil lines and wax resist over the underglaze brushwork so kind of messy looking. Getting boxed up today and put away until who knows when to be fired.

my world has ended with the total closure of the library system.   usually i read constantly but i was caught on a day when i only had 3 books out.   have only 40 pages left on the last one.   i have a kindle fire and have had it for several years.   does anyone know of a tutorial on using it that i can find online?   i turned it on several times but there are always things that show up unannounced and look as though i will have to pay for something.   can't do that.
watching a lot of youtube but never found a definition of "subscriber".  is that something you pay to be or what?   and facebook and instagram shut me down. 
planting flowers in bigger pots was  today's big event. and washing the 22 saranwrap windows on the porch will happen tomorrow .  whoopee!  then i will be able to see more of the very odd birds that strut around in the yard.   ibis that are not in a zoo!  and sometimes green parrots fly overhead.  

thank you, liam.