Hulk

Ok, here's my custom swingtop lid on the growler.  Wasn't too bad!  I'm using a silicone gasket, it's a little stiff, but it holds water, is very nice and tight with a good solid click when its locked.  Basically a miniature jam jar setup.
I didn't want the typical grolsch style cap, it comes with too many design restrictions.  So I'm glad this came out well.  

Cinnamon buns for my family, just out the oven, vanilla icing when cooled a bit. Mug of tea for me (in one of my mugs).

 

I have been making chalices of late, and thought maybe folks would like to see the process. I start by throwing the bowls, as they are easier to keep damp while I throw the stems. The series above shows throwing the bowls off the hump with the standard centering.  Remember when throwing off the hump you don't have to completely center the entire piece of clay, only the top completely.
Opening up is a little different for me, as I open out into a pancake with thicker edges.   Using the fingers of both hands I then turn that pancake into a form by bringing it up to the shape in the third image. This process allows the clay particles to align in the bottom and come up around the form still aligned. . . muc different than making a floor and then rising the walls with a pull.
The fourth image shows texturing the image. This particular one was done using a fondant texturing sheet from a clearance sale. I try not to distort the pot too much, but don't really worry about it. The last image shows the form bulged out using a long necked throwing rib often attributed to Asian cultures. I have not shown the finishing of the form, but it is pretty standard to pull up the neck and add a slight curve to the form at the lip. A word about chalices for Communion: often chalices are thought of as being drinking devices, but often with Communion they are more about dipping the bread into the wine and serving the celebrant. So many of my chalices have a wider cup form. If the chalice is to be used more as ceremony for the minister's personal use, a narrower cup is appropriate.e Here are the stems being thrown, off the hump again. I don't do the pancake opening here, as these always get trimmed and have a hole in the bottom so that there is not any trapped air in the stem after being joined to the bowl. Standard centering of the hump, donut shaped opening up. Pull a narrow cylinder, necking in on each pull.I use a series of curved wooden ribs for final shaping and finish the rim slightly rounded.
I trim the stems using a chuck I have made for the job using standard plumbing parts and a Griffin Grip.  You can see that I use a hack saw blade to even up the base, whether it has a base or not. The other trimming tool is one of my favorites for its great number of curves and flats in a single trim tool. Last image shows the set up for joining the stem and bowl together. The bowl has a trimmed area to allow the stem to fit into the bowl area. I use  magic water and scoring to join the two sections  while the wheel is turning.  This assures that the two pieces are aligned . level and centered.
I hope this helps some of you maybe thinking of trying a chalice or if you already have maybe some room for thought.
 
best,
Pres

I made a big thing. 
Because I can. 
It is still drying.
(actual shot of the workbench even)
 

Haha!  We lived in a small airstream borrowed from my grandparents for a few years growing up, and I ended up buying a manufactured home and land when I became an adult.  It's a lot more fun when you embrace it

The canned stuff was GROSS! However, they tried to do what they could. Ssgt pay was not great even with family perks, and other. My daughter saw a picture when she was in HS showing 3 of the four kids with mom in front of the trailer, taken probably in 1953 or 4. Her loud and disbelieving comment was "You were TRAILER TRASH!  Oh well!
best,
Pres

We just let ours go to seed. They get really tall and look like a fern. Apparently you're supposed to let them do that when you're done with harvesting (if you harvested at all), as the fern top collects sun energy and makes for stronger plants the next year. They'll also make little berries/seeds that can be planted.
https://www.aveggieventure.com/2018/10/beauty-of-asparagus-berries.html

Our garden is on year 2, and we got even less than last year, lasst year we had 3 super skinny stalks, this year it's one super skinny stalk that's about a foot and a half tall.   Not sure if I'm supposed to cut them when they come up this young or just let them fern out, but it sure gets bizarre if you leave them alone

Growing up on the front range in Colorado, my grandma used to take me out to pick wild asparagus. I never liked to eat it, but hunting for it was wonderful, especially because I got to hang out with Grandma. I'm still not super fond of it, but I'll eat it. We've got a very small patch started in our garden, and there are currently 4 stalks coming up that are a nice thickness. It takes forever for it to get established and spread. This is the 3rd or 4th year in our garden, and we're finally seeing stalks that are good for eating.
https://www.modern-forager.com/colorado-wild-asparagus/

We used to go pick the stuff in my grandma's orchard in Penticton. I like it lightly steamed with lemon zest and butter. If I'd had it canned, I think I understand not liking it! It's not supposed to be mushy.
 

I used to hate asparagus, as when growing up in a military family, most of asparagus we had was canned! Nothing worse in the day. Love it now fresh, wife sautes it with garlic and italian herbs in light oil until just enough to soften the stalks.
 
 
best,
Pres

I don't have a photo of it but I made roasted King asparagus from my garden.   The asparagus is so huge that you have to peel the stems like a potato.    I rub some olive oil on it and sprinkle with garlic salt,  roast it at 400 degrees 10 to 15 minutes.  Before I serve it I sprinkle a little dry cheese on it,  my husband who was a little skeptical told me it was the best dish he had in a long time.  Very tender and juicy!   Denice

Breakfast this morning, 1/2 c.oatmeal, oatmilk in the bowl 1c., cinnamon 1/2 tsp.,  5" on 7, one small honey crisp apple cut up, 2' more at 7. garnish with vegan butter, dried honey oat granola, Swerve brown sugar replacement. Very yummy!
 

It’s not food, but I did make them in my kitchen. I have trouble buying lip balm in stores, because these days they all contain ingredients that make me itchy (shea butter, aloe vera, menthol). Why can’t I buy a basic mixture of beeswax and coconut oil? Now I know why, because it is way too easy and cheap to make it yourself. The store brands need to add fancy ingredients so they can charge $3.99. These tubes cost me about 25 cents each.

I fired my top loading wood fire raku kiln that I made earlier this spring.  Plan to experiment with more small pieces this summer.

Watched a video by Mathew Kelly so I thought I would try one as well. First time at anything with a face.

One of the QotW topics brought up by Hulk included throwing thick or thin. I mentioned at the time that I am throwing floor vases, and throwing thicker to make certain the weight is enough to limit them being tipped over easily. I usually throw with a narrow bottom, and could have gone to a different form, but my wife likes the ones I am doing. Here is one going through the process of a textured thrown vase.

best,
Pres

Half a veg omelet - local broccoli, kale, green and white onion, cilantro, mushroom quick in olive and sesame oils - with a bit o' cheese; pint o' IPA and toast slice onna side thar (spouse ate t'other half!)
The egg floats in a bit of butter, gotta butter! Try a spash of beer in the eggs, whip it good just before pouring in hot pan - the bubbles make it fluff up like

Ok I moved them from the work bench to the truck and then took all the little piggies(12 boxes) to market (a gallery) -just in time before the pig factories closed down due to sickness.
Now the factories are ordered to stay open but the workers are all out sick. Just maybe the top piggy will work in the factory and keep the piggies moving??
Strange time for the piggies
Time to make some new little piggies for market

Did some more screen printing today.  A harbinger of things to come.  
 

It is ok to vent your feelings away from the home hearth. Folk here can empathise with your situation because many are facing similar situations.
It is healthy in fact.  Sounds like you have good people in your classes so if really and I mean really brought home that any state of unwellness in self or at home, -dont appear,( I know it is not a 100% er),and that everyone treats each other with respect and maintains the hygiene required for a food safe prep area, I feel pottery classes are a possible go to..when working folk tend to be very focussed on own projects...1/2 on wheels half on  hand build..lots of thoughts...take home buckets for scraps and waste??
Scrub up or down as enter room, ditto on leaving.
Nothing is eaten or drunk in clay shed anyway.
We pay tax on a presumed income based on previous years.....so I too am awaiting a return to Babs as we scale down due to age........our worrying does nothing to the roll out speed from those departments....
I am almost learning these gems of wisdom in my septuagenarian years :-)))))
My kids early on spent weeks making their own versions of board games..sets of cards , pieces to move etc etc Their rules were brutal. I kept them and handed them over. Hate to think they binned them but prob did.

"Did anyone live through the chalk blackboard era...."
yeps, and music class as well
 

Finally getting some mugs ready to go into the kiln. Despite being in lockdown, I haven't spent nearly as much time in the studio as I thought I would. Seems there's plenty of other things to get done, and the kids are starting to feel stressed about being stuck at home so I'm spending more time with them. But anyway, firing this week! All that haze on the black will disappear in the glaze firing.
 

For a break in stream of turkey and related left overs, pizza of the deepdish
 

Half a veg omelet - local broccoli, kale, green and white onion, cilantro, mushroom quick in olive and sesame oils - with a bit o' cheese; pint o' IPA and toast slice onna side thar (spouse ate t'other half!)
The egg floats in a bit of butter, gotta butter! Try a spash of beer in the eggs, whip it good just before pouring in hot pan - the bubbles make it fluff up like