Baskets, Mushroom and Flower

You wouldn't believe the contortions I went through to keep this driftwood handled basket intact. This basket is about twelve inches tall and six inches wide. It started to collapse in on itself. The strips are thin so the weight of each successive piece added puts pressure on the lower portions. I tried hanging it upside down on another pot and the bottom was pushed off. Then I tried sliding it onto a form and it started to scrape on the sides. Where is my hair dryer when I need it.

You can see I patched it up with some additions. Once I started adding them I decided I liked the patched look so I added more. The top edge folded over so I went with that as well. I'm anxious to see some of these fired. I've been thinking about glazes and also about how the clay will shrink so the handle will extend over the top a little more than it shows in the photo here. We shall see how all that comes about.

For a diversion I made this woven basket. It makes me think of the lattice on a pie crust. I continue to be amazed at what can be done with clay.

Gary mentioned there was an orange and black mushroom halfway down the driveway so I went out there and took a photo to show you. I like the fringed edge to the mushroom.

I noticed this orange flower on the way down the driveway. I think this may be a native butterfly weed.

At the Trash to Treasures sale the past two days we sold about half pottery and half other items. Other items are what Gary calls 'man stuff': tools, road signs, license plates, etc. I notice Gary sells more without me there. Guess I'm good at making and not selling. Ha. Although I think if we're both there we may be talking and folks are hesitant to interrupt. If only one person is there then people tend to come into the booth more often. There's a whole technique and skill to selling, one which Gary is very good at. Gary can just meet someone and within ten minutes a perfect stranger will tell him their whole life story. Gary is a good listener. Today we're finishing up the second half of resealing the driveway and going to the farmer's market. Thanks for reading and for all your comments.

Carolina Flora

We've been here just about two weeks and I find myself falling love with the countryside of the Carolinas. The area I am talking of is Upstate South Carolina and the Hendersonville area of North Carolina. Beautiful rolling hills and luscious greens abound everywhere. There are Japanese maples, multi hued evergreens and dogwoods in every landscaped yard it seems. And the blue hydrangeas and gardenias are blooming in profusion. I'm especially enamored with all the native plants growing here and there in abundance. Much of the land does not seem to be hampered with the invasion of non native plants from what I can see. Except of course the occasional mimosa and some areas of kudzu but it's not everywhere as it seems to be in many low lying areas of many states. Perhaps the winter cold here holds it at bay.

Peering into the woods here and there I see so many flowering plants blooming in abundance. Orange day lilies line just about every roadside ditch and there is profusion of queen anne's lace. Today I spotted this orange beauty and I have no idea what it is but I just love it. Do you know what it is? I would have gotten out of my car to take a closer look at the leaves but there was no where to pull off the road safely. You know this looks like a butterfly weed. Could it be? I also spotted a blue salvia a little farther along the road but neglected to stop again to take a photo. I may have to pick up a book of native plants for this area to learn all I wish I knew. I guess we're expecting more rain storms today. Good I got a fix of the outdoors while I could. White rabbit to you all. Thanks for reading and for all your comments.