Mark C.

I just turned off the gas at cone 11-1/2 on car kiln-to late the shop has sailed . Little kiln went off at 3 pm as well. Heat wave spring day here -was 77 degrees today-darn lawn is growing again-I think I can hear it.

I have a nasty case of plantar fasciitis in right foot and am not allowed to walk much or ride a bike -I'm icing, infrared red lighting,stretching, swearing, rubbing and hoping after 4 months this will get better soon.I am trying hard to stay off my feet which for me is near impossible .

I have a nasty case of plantar fasciitis in right foot and am not allowed to walk much or ride a bike -I'm icing, infrared red lighting,stretching, swearing, rubbing and hoping after 4 months this will get better soon.I am trying hard to stay off my feet which for me is near impossible .

yesterdays glaze loads stack and ready to fire to cone 11.
I like a lot of space so pots can BREATHE-ok its a myth at least for me in a reduction kiln-I like it packed tight. 
In the  salt kiln its more true
The little kiln a 12 cubic updraft and the car kiln a 35 cubic downdraft.
Little kiln is off now an the cone 11 is almost 1/2 and about to be shut down.
then two day cool-no rush at all for these pots now
 
 

I just turned off the gas at cone 11-1/2 on car kiln-to late the shop has sailed . Little kiln went off at 3 pm as well. Heat wave spring day here -was 77 degrees today-darn lawn is growing again-I think I can hear it.

yesterdays glaze loads stack and ready to fire to cone 11.
I like a lot of space so pots can BREATHE-ok its a myth at least for me in a reduction kiln-I like it packed tight. 
In the  salt kiln its more true
The little kiln a 12 cubic updraft and the car kiln a 35 cubic downdraft.
Little kiln is off now an the cone 11 is almost 1/2 and about to be shut down.
then two day cool-no rush at all for these pots now
 
 

yesterdays glaze loads stack and ready to fire to cone 11.
I like a lot of space so pots can BREATHE-ok its a myth at least for me in a reduction kiln-I like it packed tight. 
In the  salt kiln its more true
The little kiln a 12 cubic updraft and the car kiln a 35 cubic downdraft.
Little kiln is off now an the cone 11 is almost 1/2 and about to be shut down.
then two day cool-no rush at all for these pots now
 
 

Ok not on my workbench yet -but really this does not fit on any workbench.
Todays greenware load-just loaded at 7pm and candling a few hours.
This is one and a 1/3 glaze load-stacked to the moon with most forms full of other forms.Some tumbled stacked large platters and rectangle footed sushi dishes on top .I still have one more bisque like this one to do in a week as well.
Most is a future wholesale deal-no matter what the world is doing I make pottery -its what I do.
 

I make french butter pots and fire them together as one in a glaze fire-zero issues. They are a pain to make  and weigh a ton when you have 30 in a box.
 
Callie I usually flip or edit them on my computer as I load all photos from there-I got lazy as I was sending lots of photos to customers and then quickly did the crab one without much thought. I never send from phone directly.Mac has a good edit program thanks
mark

A diver friend gave us some fresh live Dungeness crab yesterday-From a safe 20 feet away. I backed it and steamed it with fresh baguette and hot butter with salad and milk.
Yum- we may be isolated but are eating well
sorry image is flipped

A diver friend gave us some fresh live Dungeness crab yesterday-From a safe 20 feet away. I backed it and steamed it with fresh baguette and hot butter with salad and milk.
Yum- we may be isolated but are eating well
sorry image is flipped

A diver friend gave us some fresh live Dungeness crab yesterday-From a safe 20 feet away. I backed it and steamed it with fresh baguette and hot butter with salad and milk.
Yum- we may be isolated but are eating well
sorry image is flipped

Some work is better than none-You should contest that ruling as its a mistake.Our state has a covid deal with unemployment I heard

Here is a photo my wife took back in February  2017 in Indonesia of snow the way we like it along with a snow suit and required snow gear to enjoy the snow.Once you experience snow like this you to will like snow better this way.
 

 

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.

Some work is better than none-You should contest that ruling as its a mistake.Our state has a covid deal with unemployment I heard

Ok not on my workbench yet -but really this does not fit on any workbench.
Todays greenware load-just loaded at 7pm and candling a few hours.
This is one and a 1/3 glaze load-stacked to the moon with most forms full of other forms.Some tumbled stacked large platters and rectangle footed sushi dishes on top .I still have one more bisque like this one to do in a week as well.
Most is a future wholesale deal-no matter what the world is doing I make pottery -its what I do.
 

Ok not on my workbench yet -but really this does not fit on any workbench.
Todays greenware load-just loaded at 7pm and candling a few hours.
This is one and a 1/3 glaze load-stacked to the moon with most forms full of other forms.Some tumbled stacked large platters and rectangle footed sushi dishes on top .I still have one more bisque like this one to do in a week as well.
Most is a future wholesale deal-no matter what the world is doing I make pottery -its what I do.
 

Ok not on my workbench yet -but really this does not fit on any workbench.
Todays greenware load-just loaded at 7pm and candling a few hours.
This is one and a 1/3 glaze load-stacked to the moon with most forms full of other forms.Some tumbled stacked large platters and rectangle footed sushi dishes on top .I still have one more bisque like this one to do in a week as well.
Most is a future wholesale deal-no matter what the world is doing I make pottery -its what I do.
 

Ok not on my workbench yet -but really this does not fit on any workbench.
Todays greenware load-just loaded at 7pm and candling a few hours.
This is one and a 1/3 glaze load-stacked to the moon with most forms full of other forms.Some tumbled stacked large platters and rectangle footed sushi dishes on top .I still have one more bisque like this one to do in a week as well.
Most is a future wholesale deal-no matter what the world is doing I make pottery -its what I do.
 

Ok not on my workbench yet -but really this does not fit on any workbench.
Todays greenware load-just loaded at 7pm and candling a few hours.
This is one and a 1/3 glaze load-stacked to the moon with most forms full of other forms.Some tumbled stacked large platters and rectangle footed sushi dishes on top .I still have one more bisque like this one to do in a week as well.
Most is a future wholesale deal-no matter what the world is doing I make pottery -its what I do.
 

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.

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.

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 .