Gifts

Imagine my surprise this evening when I looked in our mailbox and inside was a box that was addressed to ME! Jeff has been ordering faucets to display vessel sinks, so we have gotten quite a few boxes lately. I saw the return address and it was from blogger friend Linda Starr.

I ran in the house and tore into the box. One of her towers! What a beautiful and thoughtful gift. The glaze on this piece is so warm and toasty. Jeff and I both agreed that at first glance you would think it was wood fired. Thank you Linda for a most wonderful gift.

There was also another surprise in the mailbox. Potter friend Stephanie Young is on a mission to walk everyday. The distance from her house to the post office is perfect for her to get some exercise. She decided it would be more fun to have something to mail everyday. Her mission is to send a vintage postcard from her collection to someone different each day. Today was my day to receive one. It's a card from Rosiclare, IL and the photo is of fluorite crystals. Interesting that this is the subject. It compliments Linda's tower, and Linda is a collector of rocks, driftwood, and all things from nature.
It is truly a gift to have so many talented and thoughtful friends.

P.S. Linda also sent some of those Cherokee Black beans that she wrote about the other day. Now that's a perpetual gift.

road trip home from NCECA

our last day in Tampa was so beautiful that we decided to take our time getting home.  after our tasty lunch at the Jerk Hut we drove to St. Petersburg to see some more exhibitions.  we were really excited to see the Chihuly Collection at the Morean Arts Center... neither on of us had seen his work in person... it is even more spectacular than i had imagined.  the Morean Arts Center is on the waterfront and it was a pleasant walk back to our car.  there were some cool banyon trees in the park across the street.

these trees are great inspiration for clay sculpture... jeff was very intrigued by them and i wouldn't be surprised to see them turn up in his work.
when we left St. Pete we drove as far as Georgia and spent the night.  the next day we decided not to hurry home and took a drive through Savannah.  Savannah is a beautiful city and we really want to go back and spend a weekend there...

the architecture, squares, parks and gardens of Savannah, are what this northern girl always imagined the south to be!