slabs, dogs and pizza.....

Neighbor Baber has been cranking out the slab pots this week. I'm fortunate to have his help from time to time, and take advantage of it when I can. I think all the slab plates for my Christmas orders are now done, and almost all the slab trays and platters that I'll need to get me through this year. With such a large kiln, it really helps me out knowing I don't have to fill it up all alone!

The best dog we've ever had was a Chesapeake Bay Retriever named Jake. Unfortunately, he died a few years ago at age 10. Beau and Bella, and their owners, paid us a visit yesterday. B and B are Chessies also, and very well trained. Beau retrieved a tennis ball, over and over and over, and dropped it into Slate's lap for him to throw. Having had a Chessie, it's hard to settle for anything else.

I'm really looking forward to my trunk show next weekend, except for one thing.....we'll be too whipped to grill pizza on Saturday night :-( Basil pesto made a few days ago, goat cheese, roasted tomatoes (from my garden as well), salame and fresh basil topped tonight's supper. Maybe we'll order from A Slice of Life, but as good as that is, it won't be the same.

recent stuff.....

Throwing pots, planting dwarf fruit trees and grilling pizza -- that's what I've been up to of late.

 

update.....

School is back in full swing, and for me that means awaking to an alarming noise at 6am, Mon-Fri. I've never been a morning person, preferring to awaken at a more civilized hour, like 9 or 10. Nevertheless, parenting is the most important task I've ever been given, and one I thoroughly enjoy, just a little more so in the summer, on weekends and school holidays :-)

In other news -- Brenda drove up from the coast and spent last weekend with me. We grilled three pies Saturday night, and had a coupla friends over. We made a few batches of soft cheeses, mozz and ricotta, and were pretty pleased with our results. I'll have to admit she is far more tenacious than I!

Ron slid in on Tuesday for an opening at the Randolph Arts Guild, where he and a few of his buds were exhibiting. We ran into MH while there, spent a little time hob-nobbing, and returned home to grill pizza :-) Hmmhhhh, I think there's a recurring theme when folks visit, huh? Nah, I don't wait for visitors to be honest. 

The next three pics are from the exhibit............

And lastly.........well pardners, there's a new chicken wrangler on the ranch.

quiet weekend.....

With Slate at his mom's, and Tina half way 'round the world, it was a very quiet weekend around here. It was kinda like the calm before the storm. School starts back this week, and that means waking up and moving about at 6am :-( I have thoroughly enjoyed not getting outta bed until at least 8, sometimes even later, but those days are over, for now. 

I threw and trimmed a few bowls, spent a little time attempting to clean up my garden, waited on a few customers, and went to Zimmerman's Vineyards Saturday night with my friends Jeff and Michelle. Our Two Cents played the blues, and the wines, as always, were tasty. I wrapped up Sunday night by grilling a pie for myself -- goat and fresh mozz cheeses, mushrooms, roasted tomatoes and salami, with a little fresh basil and hard cheese grated on top after it came off the grill.

Although most days are still in the 90's, it won't last forever, and it's time to get my head pointed in a different direction. Cooler weather is around the bend, time to plan my fall garden, and get cranking in the studio. All for now.....

post seagrove potters for peace.....

I keep an online calendar now, events I have to attend like doctor's appointments, etc., stuff I'm participating in, and stuff I'd like to do, like Saturday nights at Zimmerman's and special events in Asheboro.

A little aside here.....Asheboro voted in alcohol sales two years ago, and I still feel weird going into a place and ordering a glass of wine. I guess you have to live around here to understand how weird this really is. 

So.....most of my son's annual doctor's appointments have been completed, school starts next week, the Seagrove Potters for Peace event is now behind us (Tina, above, sprucing up after the first onslaught), and I'm gearing up for Clay and Bloggers at the Campbell House in Southern Pines October one, and the Celebration of Seagrove Potters in November at the old Luck's Beans plant. Oh yeah, and a trunk show at my sister's in Wilmington sometime in October. Whew. 

In between, I'm still planning my wood burning oven, and grilling pizza. It seems like everybody is doing it now, and has found their own technique, which is just way cool. BTW, the pic above is of the first pizza from a customer's wood burning oven. She used the recipe from Reinhart, the one I have been using in my oven for a while now. I think we're gonna have to start a chapter of Pizzaholics Anonymous. "Hi, I'm Tom." "Hello Tom." "I'm addicted to pizza." "Unh-huh." Of course, we could turn it into a covered dish kinda meeting :-)

OK, that's it for now. More adventures from around the Gray abode to follow.

serendipity pizza.....

I think I'm starting to get a grip on this whole grilled pizza thing, and last night everything just clicked. For the story, technique, recipe and <more>