Taking a chance. . .

My confidence level is not very high with my pottery, but, here goes. This bowl was turned using Highwater stoneware clay, cone 6 electric fired, and glazed with John Hesselberth and Ron Roy's waterfall brown glaze recipe. I was surprised and pleased at how it turned out!

Close up of bowl rim with raised slip decoration.

Two weeks ago I had a modular studio placed near my house, facing the creek. The electric and plumbing are next. I can't get in much of a hurry due to the Holidays though. My former studio is on the property, but I have to go across a 1 lane bridge to get to it and my dogs follow me. I am fearful they may get hit by a car. Outside of locking them in the house, there is no way to keep them from following me and they will not go home until I do. Besides, people keep stopping by asking to rent the place! I finally gave up and bought the modular unit. I guess the rent from the old studio will help buy more dirt!

Riley

Buster Gus

Trudy Ann

Peace,
Penny

Chickens?

Good morning all!

It is a lazy Saturday morning here in the country. There is a little snow falling now and then. Just enough to get me into a Christmas mood.

My 10 year old niece Kiera is going to her first 4-H meeting today.

I sure hope she considers poultry keeping as her project. I surfed about chickens this morning and came up with this great website about all things poultry! http://TheCityChicken.com.

Chickens are wonderful and fun to watch and you get eggs! Unfortunately, I do not have enough time on my hands right now to keep them. A few years back, when I did not work as many hours away from home, I had 12 chickens and a rooster named Elvis. They were hatched in an incubator on the kitchen counter.

My DH enjoys organic gardening and is considering making a "chicken tractor" to use on the garden. If you don't know what a chicken tractor is and have a curious mind, visit the link above! We were young in the '70's during the last "back to nature" movement and remember all of the conservation efforts people used then. I don't think "green" was the term then though. I have to laugh when I see ads for rain barrels as if this were a new invention! Some of us bathed with water from rain barrels! Hooray for the go green movement. We should help take care of our mother (earth)!

Rest in peace little goat.

Peace,

Penny

Best seafood restaurant

On the way home from my wonderful, restful beach trip, we have an appointment at a little restaurant in McClellanville, SC. to interview the owner/chef. When we arrive for our 11 am appointment, we pull up in front of a little building, the street is deserted, no other vehicles in site. By the way, this is the main street in "down town" McClellanville.

My people

We go in and are seated on the attached porch whose screened walls are now covered in heavy plastic against the late fall weather. We take our seats at rough board tables and wait to meet Pete.

At 11:05 am, the entire restaurant quickly fills to capacity! People came out of no where!

11:05 am No parking spaces left, they even arrived by bicycle!

The kids in the background are on lunch break from the shrimp boats!



Lloyd Daugherty and Pete. He has owned this great little place since 2004.

Lloyd is doing a radio program about the best Southern dining experiences.

Boy, Howdy! This was it!

Now, I don't usually order seafood unless it is really good crab. I ordered crab balls as an appetizer and had to get another order! I have never tasted anything so good. He brought out steamed clams that he gathered himself - wonderful. We had broiled shrimp, village caught. Pete only buys "village caught" seafood. He supports the local economy. There is also a "secret sauce" and I hope he keeps it a secret so he will never go out of business! If you are ever within even 300 miles of McClellanville, South Carolina, do yourself a favor and visit T.W. Graham and Company!

Peace,

Penny

Beach trip

Two weeks ago I had the pleasure of being invited to go along on a research/vacation trip with good friends Lloyd Daugherty (of Dixie Angler fame), Keitha Kelly, and members of my family. We stayed at DeBordieu Colony DeBordieu.com on the ocean front. The first night the full moon shown on the surf - absolutely gorgeous! It was chilly some days, 50's. About mid-week I was able to sit in the sun in my swim suit along with some winged friends! My soul gets refreshed each time I visit the ocean. Not quite sure what it is!

Peace,

Penny

Long meetings

As I sat for the second hour listening to a teleconference I thought of a Lakota Indian saying - "When you discover you are riding a dead horse, the best strategy is to dismount." I vowed then and there never to belabor a point to death! Make a decision for Pete's sake! I would much rather be making or thinking about pots, but someone has to buy the grits.

Peace,
Penny