Denison Farm

I sent my check in this weekend to Denison Farm for a summer farm share of fruits, veggies, and herbs. The farm is about 35 miles from Albany and a CSA member committed to organic 'certified naturally grown' produce. I am pretty excited to be a part of this, especially considering veggies make up the majority of our diet when we cook at home. The share starts up in early June and we pick up once a week from down the road. The vegetables rotate with the season, and if for some reason we can't do the pick up on a certain week our food is donated to a local food pantry. I don't even think I've ever eaten some of the crops listed on the site, but each type comes with various recipe suggestions. I have no illusions about ONLY eating local foods, but I do like the idea that my tomatoes won't taste like cardboard this summer ... I also have a goal of eating less processed foods (I am a big processed food lover) and this will obviously help move me in the right direction. Better yet, Jason is totally on board so it should be an easy shift to make.

There are also a couple of gardening classes coming up at the local public library. After last spring's herb garden disgrace I am interested in attending if only to find out what might possibly work to ward off starving squirrels. I have never seen anything like them ... every plant I put out last year got eaten. If I could just get somemint, cilantro, and basil going I would be a happy girl!

In Session

I have officially taken three pottery classes so far in my budding career in ceramics. My last class ended in November and since then I have had an opportunity to rent a studio space above the ceramic supply shop where my teacher has her studio. For $90 a month I can officially adopt 60 square feet of space and a view. I can use this space as often as I want, have 8 wheels at my disposal, and a kiln and supplies basically at my fingertips. It was too good to pass up ...

So for the past three months or so I have been coming here a few times a week to see what I can throw. I've experimented a lot. At first all I could think to throw were bowls. I would come up with brilliant new ideas I wanted to try, think all day about different forms to attempt, get to the studio, sit at the wheel and throw bowls. I probably have at least 20 bowls now, and these are the one's I actually kept. So the last few times out I have been playing with different forms. Pitchers, teapots, canisters, mugs. I love all these forms. Plates seem to be the bane of my existence as a potter. Something about getting just the right thickness and smoothness, without cutting through the bottom of the plate. Getting the rim to dry evenly, trimming the bottom. Not to mention trying to throw more than one plate that is close to the same size ...

Last week I learned how to work the electric kiln and fired my first bisque load (this was always done by my teachers in the past). There is also an amazing gas kiln on site which I may or may not get to use. I love the way the glazes come out of it, very earthy and rich. This Saturday I am planning to head to Worcester, MA to visit the art center there, and check out their studio setup.

Here are a couple of my recent pieces:

I call this my Star Wars pitcher. It's my first attempt at altering a rim

My second teapot and first handle alteration

Spring Update

It's been about a year since I've visited this blog site. I actually almost forgot about it ... but thought I might try to give it another go and see if I can't be a bit more consistent with it. Not too much has changed since last year. I am still in Albany, still working at the medical college. Jason and I are still together, still have the same crazy dog. We got engaged at the beginning of the year which is very exciting, but a little daunting considering it's been two months and we can't even pick a date nevermind a location or any plans ...

I was feeling very ambitious at the beginning of this year. Then I blinked and we were half way through March already ... so I thought I might put a few of my ideas in print and see if I can motivate myself to get moving. I started renting a studio space from my pottery teacher this year. I have been consistently inconsistent in going in, but as the weather gets nicer and the days get longer I plan on spending more time there. I will do some pottery posts later.

I have a few travel plans, the most concrete is a trip back to Boise in July for a baby shower/30th birthday party/engagement party/reunion (not all of them mine). There is also a November cruise with the family in the works. Jason's dad is trying to entice us back to AK for a 2-week kayak trip, but of course any travel plans depend on our wedding timeline and if we will be moving back west in November which we are talking about and I am pushing for. I am determined to check out Cape Cod this summer, and have secret ambitions to get to Bonnaroo in June which got sidelined last year. We did make it down to New Orleans a couple of weeks ago which was really cool.

Other than some pottery plans, I also hope to start taking some grad classes through SUNY while I am here. I missed the spring semester but summer sessions will be here before I know it. On the back burner is always my dream of a 1/2 marathon. There has been absolutely NO progress in this area ... something I hope to work on. Also looking towards summer I have been getting interested in joining a CSA food share (community supported agriculture) if not a community gardenening group. Just a budding interest at this point but the more I am aware of these type of movements the more I want to learn. I just recently checked out the 100 mile diet which is such a simple and difficult idea. Empty Bowls is a project my pottery teacher is actively involved in that happens in October so I plan on donating some time and bowls to that. Food & pottery are so intrinsically linked it is hard to throw myself into one without taking interest in the other.

So that is where I am currently at in my life and thought patterns.
More to come ...