More springtime photos of my neighborhood

Happy Easter everyone!

 Someone dropped an arrow-leaf plant beside the dagger leafed day-lilies.

My building from the downhill side. The downstairs apartments have their entrances on that level...but they don't have the advantage of a pocket balcony like I do. They have their entrances into their living room, but nothing off their kitchens. My main entrance is off my kitchen (not shown on this side of building) and then the balcony is off the living room.

 A lovely dogwood blooming away!

There are all 3 of my windows and my pocket balcony, on the second floor. I'm so grateful that I can leave the blinds and curtains open to see the mountains across the valley.

 Love seeing the azaleas starting to bloom, as well as dandelions!

Today's Quote:

To the artist there is never anything ugly in nature. -Auguste Rodin, sculptor (12 Nov 1840-1917) 

The Greening of the Mountains

 Tuesday, April 7, Black Mountain NC, looking south from State Street (aka Hwy 70)

This shows the tufts of green trees only go about halfway up the mountain.

 A cloudy day gives deeper color green, and looking through the bare maple to the dogwood and some more colorful ones on the other side of the building. But the sides of the mountain are very grey still!

April 9, Thursday, sunshine and a clearer view of the colorful trees in the valley.

 Dawn on April 10.

 The early light makes everything golden.

Today's Quote:

Set your life on fire.

Seek those who fan your flames.

Who gets up early to discover the moment the light begins?

What was whispered to the rose to break it open last night was whispered to my heart. 

You’ve gotten drunk on so many kinds of wine. 

Taste this. It won’t make you wild.

It’s fire. 

Give up, if you don’t understand by this time that your living is firewood. 

Set your life on fire.

Seek those who fan your flames. 

The lamps are different,

But the Light is the same. 

To change, a person must face the dragon of his appetites with another dragon, the life-energy of the soul. 

What is the body? 

That shadow of a shadow of your love, that somehow contains the entire universe. 

This being human is a guest house.

Every morning a new arrival. 

A joy, a depression, a meanness, some momentary awareness comes as an unexpected visitor. 

Welcome and attend them all!

Even if they’re a crowd of sorrows, who violently sweep your house empty of its furniture, still, treat each guest honorably.

He may be clearing you out for some new delight. 

The dark thought, the shame, the malice, meet them at the door laughing, and invite them in. 

Sorrows are the rags of old clothes and jackets that serve to cover, and then are taken off.

That undressing, and the beautiful naked body underneath, is the sweetness that comes after grief.

You haven’t dared yet lose faith - so, can faith grow in you?

Gamble everything for love, if you’re a true human being. 

If these poems repeat themselves, then so does Spring.

 

—Jalāl ad-Dīn Muḥammad Rūmī

this being human is a guest house

My work plus other interesting info

The juicy red dogwood right outside my front door is a great reminder of how I like to put blossoming trees on my mugs.  So I've got a new one to share. (more tomorrow!)

I had fun making roots go under the base of the mug with Mayco's Designer Liner, which is formulated so it doesn't stick to the shelf like a glaze would.  This mug is celadon glazed with the trees drawn then waxed, then dipped.  A final dip around the lip in Plum gives the drippy look which I love.  It's a blue-ish plum.  I tried to put some plum blossoms on the tree with Mayco Stroke & Coat, which almost disappeared, but I look at them as just a suggestion of blossoms.

And for the ambidextrous drinkers like me, another branch with blossoms on the "leftie" side of the mug.  As always, there's a Celtic cross thumb knob.

And just so you know I love other potters' work still, here's another memory from Marshall's Potters of Madison County.

Though Steve has left us, his work with his wife Becky Lloyd is still here on display.  May he smile down upon the continued appreciation of his art forms.

A pair of potters were right next to Joey Sheehan's booth, but somehow I didn't get their names.  I loved the whimsey of their sculptures however.  If you recognize the artists, please message me in comments below. (Michele told me! Thanks! It's Fred Johnston and Carol Gentithes!)