Seven Years

Seven years of Alchemy of Clay.

Oct 4, 2010 I began sharing my life as a person with one hand in clay, another on the shutter of a camera, one eye looking at Ancestry, and the other looking at the beauty in my own neighborhood of Black Mountain, NC.

This was my first post. Alchemy of clay, First Edition - Changes, that's what it's all about, in the alchemy of my life, and clay.

I also combined my interest in art with goddesses, archeology, my personal life, and a few rants expressing my opinion.  It is also noteworthy that I've deleted a few of the posts, so there are 196 remaining in "Alchemy of Clay First Edition."  That's because I've become a bit more discerning in viewing my own work, and I imagine as I continue to look back at my pots, I'll delete more posts.

This is my 1477th posting at "Alchemy of Clay and Living in Black Mountain," if the counter is correct.  I'm not going to question it.  I stopped posting to "When I was 69" which was more personal, and had most of my family genealogy posts.  Now I post that information here on the regular Alchemy blog.

The Booth home, Hillsboro, TX

I've also enjoyed meeting many new friends here in Blogland.  I list most of them in the column over on the right.  I'm so glad to have comments from a few of them.  I am interested when a friend may say, "Oh I read your blog all the time." In order for anyone to comment I've allowed anonymous comments to be accepted, so you don't have to have a blog to add a comment. I do still monitor comments. We'll see how much spam this generates!

I just had my iPad updated for newest version, and blogger no longer opens.  There's a new app which lets me read it, but without the right hand column.  Geese, now I wonder if anyone will keep looking at blogs.  I could just start writing things over on FB, where they disappear in a flash, and aren't read in depth, because everyone is rushing to say something themselves, rather than taking a moment and reflecting on each other's ideas.  Drat and dang.  I won't be able to read all my friend's blogs on the iPad at all anymore, because I would read what had just been posted by them over on that right hand column.

I try to have something scheduled here every day.  There are times it can't happen.

For the seven good years we've had together, salud!

A drop in the bucket for 6 years

In 2010, six years ago yesterday, I started a new blog.  I'd already been blogging, but this one I named Alchemy of Clay.  I've now published 1085 times here at this blog. I left the first version...

Alchemy of clay, First Edition - Changes, that's what it's all about, in the alchemy of my life, and clay. from 2010 to 2012 (191 posts)

 First post was here.

 

When I look back on these photos I'm so glad I've been continuing to make things, and maybe improve my skills!

Here's the post as I switched from first edition to the current one.  I returned to the Clay Studio (as you already gathered if you read here frequently) and grew a thicker skin, perhaps, or maybe the people who were less respectful either left of changed.

 I had already started (2008) and finished (date unknown) another blog "Goddess in Clay" which no longer is accessible for myself as an editor, though unfortunately it's still available through a google search.  Be careful what you put out there! It may just exist many years after you want it to! I am embarrassed by these sculptures.

My other more recent blogs were:

1) WHEN I WAS 69 (PERSONAL ARCHIVES) from 2012-2015 (672 posts)

 Here is where I shared many stories and research for my ancestors.

and...

2) Living in Black Mountain, NC - sharing my photographs of the the beauty of western North Carolina. from 2013-2015 (786  posts)

 

And I sneak in at least one weekly blog about my ancestors, or something else historical. Usually this is my Friday post for Sepia Saturday.

And Black Mountain is certainly part of my posts, though I don't give "tours" for visitors any more here.

Anyway, here I am, having faithfully blogged at both editions of Alchemy of Clay for 6 years, as well as been an active studio member for the same time, with a few vacations from both here and there.

What does that prove?

That I like both of these activities.
That I see that they do good things for me, and for others sometimes, and maybe even the world.
OK, that last is a bit far fetched.

But going around the world is proven by some of the comments on the blog.  Australia certainly counts.

It humbles me.
That's a good thing.

Today's Quote: 

We carry within us everything we need to know to 

make progress on our paths to self-realization. The outer

 world serves as a mirror. Or to use another metaphor, 

our inner world has a magnetic force that draws to us 

what we need to evolve to the next level. All we 

need to do to see that we already have everything 

we need is to let go of our belief that we need to seek 

in order to find. Daily Om

 

Check it out

My new blog starts TODAY January 1, 2013.  Living in Black Mountain  I won't be as chatty there as I am here.  Just the environment I love.  This will be the picture for linking to it.

And I'm concentrating on my ancestors, as well as journalling in kind of autobiography on When I Was 69.   There's already a link to that blog over there on the right.

So this blog will remain my home for chats, comments about creativity and ceramics.  And I'll be reading all my friend's blogs still.

Yesterday I walked happily around Lake Tomahawk.  It was 34 and sunny, and the wind wasn't much of a problem, because I figured out which way it was coming off the water, then walked so the wind would be at my back.  So I actually got quite hot with my puffy coat, wool hat, and 2 layers of cotton under all that.  Good, maybe there's a half pound of sweat I shed.

I ate a lovely breakfast, which put on at least a couple of pounds.  There was some left over cut fresh pineapple. And a coffee cake mix.  So I made pineapple upside down coffee cake.  Oh my, so delicious!  I also ate it for lunch, with a Clementine.  (Yes fellow Floridians, these Spanish oranges are the best available, and only at this time of year, which fits with the tradition of an orange in the toe of your Christmas stocking)

Do you have a word upon which to focus for this year?
I do.

FLEXIBILITY.

 Hope to see you next year everyone!  It's been a cat's meow this year!

There are two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.  Albert Einstein

Splitting my personalities.

My other self (the one that writes, does photography, travels, loves the cats, gets out in nature, volunteers and joins community groups...)  lives here now...

When I was Sixty Nine

and that's how I looked.

  Now I look a bit different...another year will do that to you!

I'm on the far right in this picture of friends who help each other in our Mud Buddies Pottery co-op which sells at the Tailgate Market here in Black Mountain.