MUD

Yesterday I posted a memorium, of sorts.  I kept thinking that the blog is a place where I share so much of my life.  Should I include this, or leave it out?  I decided that it's definitely part of the cycle of life, the birth and death of beings, how nature and humanity go through changes.  So I said a minimal amount.  I hope that when the day comes that I can no longer write blogs, someone might notice and post something in my memory.  Just a thought.  It would have been so easy to pretend to you that this event never happened.  But it did, and I prefer to try to integrate all aspects of my life, rather than compartmentalize it too much.

This blog was originally supposed to focus upon how clay brings me inspiration and creativity.  But it also has become a community of people, not just pretty pictures.  

This morning's breakfast I left out my usual toast.  I found some frozen homemade pancakes and toasted them in the toaster oven.  Then opened 2 lovely new jars that I'd purchased yesterday.  Stirred up the almond butter and plopped a bit on each pancake.  Then plopped a dollop of orange marmalade on each, and spread them to the edges.

Mmmm, what a lovely treat of flavors.  Then on to the studio to wedge the recycled clay.  Do you recycle yours?

I've got a little plaster bat with a plain white pillowcase over it.  That's the size of it.  I tuck the edges under the bat, and it sits on a little sturdy table that's a bit bigger than the bat.  On one side I lay slop of red clays, on the other white clays.  Whatever is in my slop bowl after throwing, that goes onto the bat.

In a day or so (or more with our great humidity) the clay is ready to wedge.  Then the next bowl full goes on it.  Of course I don't do that much clay work...just trimmed 6 plates the other day and that made the sludge for today's recycling.

I've found I don't need to wait for the clay to be bone dry before reconstituting it, I just take the shavings out of the drip pan and throw them into a bowl of water.  When it settles a few hours, I pour off the extra water, and wait for it to dry out another day till it's slip/slop.

I'm so glad that I get to read what other bloggers are doing...whether they are potters, or farmers or gardeners or photographers or writers (or other creative people)...many very thoughtful people are posting here, and sharing their inner feelings with each other...and me.  I'm very touched, though of course they didn't chose me, I just happened upon them.

Thanks everyone for reading and commenting if you feel like it.