Another Year at the Fair...

Last night we packed up our booth at the 85th Annual League of NH Craftsmen's Fair at Mt. Sunapee Resort in NH. Despite the heat and humidity and occasional torrential rain shower, we sold lots of pots.

Our friends David Ernster and Alicia Bergeron, were kind enough to offer us lodging for the duration of the event. Their home is a nice respite after a busy day of interacting with people. They have a deck with a beautiful view and this very cool canopy of hops growing over it and up to the roof of their home.

Dave is an awesome potter. We have collected quite a few of his pieces over the years.

This year I picked out this "birch tree" mug from his booth at the fair. The birch design will remind me of my New Hampshire roots.

When the trailer was packed we headed to Wolfeboro to spend a few days with my sister and visit my Dad. We stopped on the way to pick up food for dinner and found lobster for $4.99 a pound. We bought two, along with the ingredients for a quick pasta dish. Way better than a frozen pizza! I sure do miss affordable lobster. Our plan is to buy a few more, the day before we leave, to cook and carry home in a cooler. Tonight we are taking my Dad to his favorite seafood restaurant on Dover Point. We are going to indulge while we can!

The End of an Era

Sassafras Tree Artisan's in Northwood, was where our New Hampshire pottery studio was located. The studio was in the back of the barn that housed the country home decor and gift shop. Prior to Sassafras, it was home to Northwood Pottery. There had been a pottery in the barn for over 25 years.

The current shop owner made the decision to retire this year. During our trip to New Hampshire, in October, Jeff went to help sort through the last of the pottery stuff, and pick up any inventory that hadn't sold.

Jeff Lalish was the founder of Northwood Pottery, and in the studio was a Japanese kick wheel that belonged to him. He stopped by during the clean out, and gifted the wheel to Jeff. He is so pleased to be it's new owner. I am sure he will use it occasionally, but I also think it will make a nice display piece in our gallery.

I have slowly started to go through the boxes of inventory and it has been quite fun to revisit work that we made over five years ago. In one of the boxes was a lovely little pot by JZ. It's one of my favorite glaze combinations that he used. I am not sure if it qualifies as a teapot, or just a pouring vessel... either way it's quiet little pot that speaks to me.

Sassafras is located on busy rte 4, making it a desirable commercial location. We all fear that when the owner decides to sell, the buildings will be torn down and in it's place will be McDonald's. The landscape of Northwood will be forever changed.

I am still here!

Tired and worn out... but still here.

The past two weeks have been a mad rush to move out of 1423. I will be honest. It has been totally overwhelming for us. Not only did we have a September 30th move out deadline to meet, we had to orders to fire and a wedding to go to. Despite hard work and long hours, we didn't meet our move out deadline. We fired the gas kiln on the 30th, and on October 1st we were on the road to New Hampshire for my niece's wedding. I wanted to cancel the trip at the last minute. The trip was not only bad timing, but a financial strain as well. Even with lower gas prices, driving 1800+ miles is hard on the pocket book. My sister was so disappointed that I couldn't let her down. Her disappointment made me realize that this was her first child to marry and she was sort of going it alone. Her husband passed away two years ago, and my Mom last year. Sure she has Dad, but he needs a lot of care and needs someone to care of him.

So we packed our bags and went.

And I am so glad we did. The bride was beautiful, the groom handsome, and my sister was so proud. Look at my Dad standing there without a walker!!! Back in June this moment seemed impossible for him.

 My great niece, the brides daughter, loves her Pepere. She spent a good part of the reception sitting with him, when she wasn't dancing that is.

There was no wedding cake, instead it was wedding pie. Perfect for a fall wedding in chilly New Hampshire.

Our whirlwind trip lasted 6 days. Four days on the road and two days with family. We returned home in the nick of time for the town council meeting on Tuesday night. Jeff took our application to the meeting and came home with our business license.

It's official, we can now sell pots in the town of Seagrove! We were very relieved that they gave us approval that very evening.
The last two days have been spent packing up the gallery at 1423 and packing for the CCM Fall Pottery Festival in Charlotte. That's happening on Saturday- detail in the side bar of the blog.
Did I mention that I am exhausted?
Well I am.

Road Trip to the North Country

Jeff and I took a quick trip to North Conway today to deliver some things to a friend of his. We also stopped at the League of NH Craftsmen gallery located in town. They carry Jeff's work and it was good to see in person, just what they have left. It's a beautiful space both inside and out. North Conway is nestled in the White Mountains, not far from Mt. Washington. It's a bustling place year round, catering to skiers, hikers, leaf peepers, and of course shoppers. Like many tourist areas the outlet strip malls have overtaken much of the landscape. But it's still beautiful and it was nice to get back there, even if it was brief.

The weather here in New Hampshire has been great. The temperature has been hovering around 73 degrees. Chilly enough at night for flannel jammies! Tomorrow we head south to New Haven, CT. 

A League of Our Own...

Our largest show of the year, The League of NH Craftsmen's Fair, is over. We had a slow start on Saturday but we weren't worried, last year started the same way. Sunday was a good day for sales and I was able to catch up with friends and family who came to the show. I even got to wander through the tents and see what other craftsmen were offering this year. It was an awesome day overall. Jeff and I felt rejuvenated after the weeks of prep and the long drive north.

We woke up Monday refreshed and ready to sell pots. The weather was once again perfect. The opening horn blew at 10:00 am and the people trickled in. Yes, you read that right... it was a trickle. Sales were dismal. Each morning we get a newsletter called "tent poles". Included in the newsletter are stats from the day before comparing them to the prior year. Attendance was down by about 400 on Monday alone.

Tuesday was the same. 

Actually, it was worse.

It's water under the bridge now. We have to let it go and move on. We have until October to decide wether or not we will come back next year. If we do return, there will be some changes made in regards to what we will bring for inventory. 

I hope that things turn around for the craftsmen that are there for the full nine days.

Here's a snap shot of our four days at the fair...

We kept a chair just outside the tent for breaks. This fairgoer commandeered my chair for over an hour one afternoon! She was totally oblivious to the fact that the directors chairs belonged to the craftspeople. My very kind booth neighbor had an extra chair for me to use.

The marionette guy was back this year. He puts on a great show set to Tom Waits music. His marionettes and stage are amazing.

From the deck at Spruce Lodge, there is a great over view of the entire fair. I took this photo facing the upper lodge. To the left are more tents. It takes a good two days to really take in this fair.

The League has a new director and operations manager this year. There were many changes and most of them very welcome. Tension from past years was gone. One welcome change is that booth holders with trailers now have a designated lot. It was closer to our tent and made going back and forth to the car and trailer much easier. Sometimes it's the little things that keep the people happy.

Inside tent five.

You know it's slow when there is no line to ladies room in Spruce Lodge!

The fair is behind us and now it's time for family. Wolfeboro, NH for two days, then on to New Haven CT. I can't wait to see my girl again!

Lakeshore

Dad's rehab center is in beautiful Wolfeboro, NH. Brewster Beach, on lake Winnipesaukee, is across from the entrance to the facility. Last night I visited the lakeshore in early evening. It was a pleasant break from the nursing home atmosphere.

Remnants of the day

Whirlwind Week

What a week I have had! Last Wednesday Danielle arrive in North Carolina. Just in time for a heat wave. Despite temperatures creeping up to 100 degrees, we had a great time and didn't let it stop our plans.

 I had been wanting to visit Old Salem since moving south. It seems it always takes out of town visitors for me to take a day off and explore my new home state.

Danielle attracts cats everywhere she goes!

 Technology meets the past. An Old Salem employee, dressed in period clothing, looking at his smartphone during his lunch break. I snapped this photo while waiting for a table at the Old Tavern.

Saturday was "take your daughter to work day". I had a some orders that needed to be finished so Danielle came to the studio and tried her hands at the wheel. She was a little frustrated because she is a perfectionist. She really did a good job for her first try and with some practice I think she has some potential.

Sunday was the day we had to say good bye. Jeff took us to the airport. Danielle flew off to New York and I got on a plane to Boston. I was able to find a flight that left fifteen minutes after her. We flew the same airline and our gates were next to each other, giving us a little more time together. I arrived in Boston to rain and a very chilly 52 degrees. From there I hopped on a bus to Dover, NH, where my sister's car was waiting for me. She and my niece had taken a bus to Boston a few days earlier and were now in Alaska. I located her car in the lot, found the hidden key, and drove to her home in Wolfeboro. It all felt like a covert operation! The next morning I went straight to the rehab nursing home to visit my Dad. It's great to spend time with him and despite being very thin, he is looking pretty good.

The other bonus of being here is spending some time with this little cutie. It had warmed up enough by early afternoon to join my niece Kayla, and great niece Arianna, for a lake front lunch on the deck at Wolfe Trap Raw Bar & Grill. Arianna and I both had the clam roll... you can't beat fried clams in New England!!
Today I spring my Dad from the nursing home for a couple of hours and take him to an appointment with his orthopedic surgeon. It looks like it will be a perfect day to stop for ice cream afterwards. I don't think they will miss him at the nursing home if I keep him out tad bit longer.

The Joys of Moving...

We have been eating out of the same few plates and bowls for weeks now. As I unpack boxes we are reconnecting with pots that haven't been used for some time, many haven't graced the dining table in years. The bowl in the photo is from Cornish Hill Pottery in Wolfeboro, NH. It was my go-to cereal bowl for years. Unpacking it inspired me to buy some Cheerios for breakfast! The mug is a long standing favorite made by Jeff Dean, here in Seagrove.

While in the midst of this move, I have decided to head to New Hampshire at the end of the month and help out with my Dad. My sister made plans months ago to visit my brother and his wife in Alaska. I don't want her to cancel this trip. Dad will still be in a rehab facility but we both will feel more comfortable if someone can visit with him everyday. Last year she had scheduled a trip to Ireland and had to cancel because of my mother's illness and subsequent passing. My sister deserves a vacation! It's not a great time for me to pack up and leave, but family is important. It will all work out in the end.

Next post should be photos of our completed kitchen... we are so excited!

Name that pig!

I have an order for a couple of personalized piggy banks. It was a nice reprieve after making 30 pigs, all glazed in green and white. The most fun thing with the personalized pigs are the names that I stamp on them. You may remember the "Murray" pig from last fall, that was a fun one. This first order of the year are "Ruby" and "Talulah". Aren't those just great names?

Of course the big talk of the day has been the giant blizzard that is about to fall upon the northeast. I don't even live there anymore and I am excited about it! I had a sudden need to dash off to the grocery store for bread and milk.... except I came home with bananas, a pork roast, and wine... as well as a nice IPA for Jeff. I hope that everyone in the great north weathers the storm, warm, comfy, and safe. Jeff and I will be living vicariously through your facebook posts, enjoying our libations, and not having to get out and shovel.
Cheers!

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.

Gerry Williams, you will be missed...

Last night I received an e-mail from a NH Potters Guild member with the news that Gerry Williams has passed away. The photo above was taken in June of 2010 at the last guild meeting that Gerry attended. He is the gentleman seated in the center, holding a cane. Jane Kaufmann's husband Dick took the photo of members gathered around the NHPG Community Wood Kiln. Gerry was an influential member of the potters guild and a mentor to many.

While Gerry was a great potter, many readers may best remember him as one of the founding members and long time editor of "The Studio Potter" publication. I fell in love with Gerry's writing when JZ and I started to date. He had nearly every copy of SP going back to it's inception in 1972. I spent many early morning hours at JZ's kitchen table, drinking coffee, eating pbj toast, and reading Gerry's articles. Gerry and his wife Julie roamed the countryside visiting potters in their studio for articles in the journal. His writing drew me in and I was mesmerized by each potters story. I was very sad when Gerry retired and no longer wrote the pottery studio visits.

Gerry Williams will be missed by many in New Hampshire and around the world. He contributed so much to the ceramics community through both his pottery and his writing. Colby-Sawyer College had retrospective of his work a few years ago. If you would like to know more about his life you can read a brief history on the Colby-Sawyer website by clicking here.

League of NH Craftsmen's Fair 2014 - Day One

Jeff and I had a great trip north. We actually left on time on Wednesday, drove a little over 8 hours that first day and arrived at Mt. Sunapee Resort in Newbury, NH a little after 2:30 pm on Thursday. The booth walls, pedestals, and lights, were up in about four hours. I think it was a record for us! Friday was spent securing shelves and unpacking pots.

We are really pleased with the booth this year. The freshly painted walls and additional lighting make a big difference. The fair limits wattage per booth. We are slowly switching to LED lights which gives us more lights at lower wattage. They are expensive up front, but worth it in the long run.
The fair attendance seemed up from the first day last year. I will know for sure tomorrow when they give us the daily stats. I am quite certain our sales were up. Lots of people spend two days at the show (there are 350 craftspeople) and in the past, Sunday has been better for us than Saturday.
and did I mention the weather? In the 70's and super comfortable... tonight I had to put on a hoodie.

Teapots and Dreams

 I don't make many teapots. I am not sure why. Maybe I feel intimidated by them. We really want to have teapots for our Southern Pines show in September so I figured I better get busy. Especially since Jeff is ahead of me in the teapot production.
The stress of getting ready to leave for two weeks is piling up on me. So many logistics; packing for a show, finishing work, arranging for our gallery to be open, cat sitters...

I have had weird nights of dreams, some really good ones and some frustrating ones. This morning I dreamed that I was washing dishes and heard the door open. A little voice said, "Hello, it's me". I knew the voice right away. It was my mother. She came into the kitchen and we hugged, she felt so small and real (she was a tiny woman in life). I told her I was feeling stressed, she held my hand and said she had to go. When I awoke it felt like she had really been there and that she wanted me to know that everything will work out fine in the end.

I just wish she had stayed with me a little longer.

Time Passages

 Spring View from my parents balcony - Dover, NH

It seems like forever since my last post on April 30th. On that day I was packing my bags. I was flying  to New Hampshire the next morning to say good bye to my Mother. At 2:30 in the morning on May 1st my sister called to say that Mum was gone. Her youngest brother Bert was with her, holding her hand, when she passed away.

It was perfect that he was there. They were very close, although my mother was sixteen years older. Mum was the third (?) of ten kids. Bert was the youngest. When he was born there were complications and my grandmother had to stay in the hospital and baby Bert was sent home. My mother left school to take care of Bert and the other younger siblings. She thought of Bert as her baby. When my grandmother recovered, my mother didn't return to school. She went to work to help support the family. I knew that my mother hadn't finished school, but I didn't know the whole story. My Aunt Rita shared it with us during one of our many long story telling sessions.

Pauline Lemieux - 1954, the year she and Dad were married

I stayed in New Hampshire for nearly two weeks. The first week was a bustle of activity. I never thought that my parents little apartment could hold so many people! We spent hours going through photo albums and boxes of photos. There was much laughter amidst the tears. We drank lots of wine, and lived on a multitude of casseroles, cakes, and brownies, delivered by many caring friends and extended family. 

After the funeral I stayed with Dad another week and helped him with paperwork and ran errands. It was good for him to have me there even though we were starting to get under each others skin. By Tuesday I was so ready to come home. I had an evening flight out of Boston with a connection at Reagan International in DC. As luck would have it, my flight was cancelled due to "excessive air traffic". I couldn't get another flight until 10am. There wasn't a hotel room to be found within 40 miles of DC. All of the restaurants in the airport closed at 10pm and I hadn't eaten since noon. At least I wasn't alone. There were so many cancelled flights that the terminal looked like a refugee camp. Everyone was scoping out the best place to spend the night. I found a sweet spot facing the window with a ledge that my suitcase could set on and act as a foot stool. The best part was I had an electrical outlet! My phone, computer, and kindle all stayed charged. The airport handed out little fleece blankets to everyone. Once I set up camp I prayed that I wouldn't have to go to the bathroom and lose my prime space! It was a long night of reading, streaming netflix, and playing "Candy Crush". I dozed for about two hours. The airport started to come back to life at 5am. I packed up my camp and found a Dunkin Donuts... the coffee tasted so good and I don't even care for Dunkin's. 

When I got off the plane in Greensboro and was greeted by the heavy, warm southern air, and Jeff's big hugs....

I knew I was finally home.

Family

My sister in-law, Gigi, texted me this photo yesterday of my brother Roger and their silly dog. The dog goes to work with Gigi everyday. They own a plumbing company in Wasilla, Alaska. Evidently she likes to stand on counters and desks!

It's been a rough couple of weeks for my family. Since I returned from New Hampshire my mother has taken a turn for the worse. She went for a pre-op exam before her skin graft surgery and they found a heart murmur and poor blood work. She was getting weaker each day. They hospitalized her, did some tests and diagnosed her with stage 4 colon cancer. I am so saddened that at 87 years old she had to go through the car accident trauma and now have to be hit with this news.  Up until this point she was very healthy and active... she has never been on any medication, unlike my Dad who takes a bunch of different pills everyday. Needless to say the skin graft surgery was cancelled.

Roger is flying out of Anchorage today and will be in New Hampshire tomorrow. Of course now all I want to do is hop on a plane and head back there to be with everyone. The reality is, I have work to catch up on here and I need this weekend to digest everything and decide what is best.

On the home front it's been hard to be productive. My greatest accomplishment this week was throwing the parts for 7 casseroles. At least today I won't struggle with what to do... they will need to be put together!

Heading North

My mind has been preoccupied, therefore I have had nothing to blog about. I can't say that I have gotten much work done either. I have spent a lot of time worrying about my parents in New Hampshire. Last week my sister Anita had to go back to work and my parents were alone for the first time since the accident at the end of February. They have lots of support, my aunts and uncles are nearby. A nurse comes nearly everyday and there are physical and occupational therapists a few times a week. Anita took a day off to take them to an appointment with the surgeon that will eventually do the skin grafts. Despite all the support, they had a tough week. Dad isn't sleeping, my Mom had quite a bit of pain, and was sounding grumpy when I called. When I got off the phone with her on Friday Jeff and I came to the conclusion that I needed to go. I will leave tomorrow, flying out of Charlotte, and spend a week. When I called to let them know I was coming my Mom was so happy she was crying. I made the right decision. No matter how much they sometimes (often) drive me crazy, I need to be there for them.

Last night Anita filled me on what to pack (light clothes, summer jammies, their apartment is 75 degrees!) warm clothes for going out (it's been in the single digits most mornings) and what to be prepared for as they are very particular in their old age. She also said that when I grocery shop, my Aunt Rita will stay with Mom and that Dad will tag along to the market... and will insist on pushing the cart. She said he is also a bad cart driver and you have to make sure he doesn't run over the other shoppers! We don't need anymore accidents.

The wonderful sister that she is, she left a bottle of wine in the fridge for me... she said I'll need it.

Jeff will stay behind and hold down the fort. He has been working on a large dinnerware order. I absolutely love it and I am hoping there will be a few extra pieces that will find their way into our cabinets. Large and small plates and mugs are done, as you can see. He is now making the flared rim soup/salad bowls, serving bowls, and a two quart casserole.
No internet access at  my parents. Since I only have a "dumb phone"I will be unconnected for most of the trip. Ya'll have a great week!

The Passing of Time

February 17th came and went and I didn't remember that it was Jz's birthday. I thought about it a few times before the date, and didn't remember again until the 18th. In the past I have grilled burgers (his favorite food) and sipped scotch to celebrate his life. This year it came and went without my marking the occasion.

At first I was sad and a little mad at myself for forgetting. Then I realized it means I have moved beyond grief and enjoy a happy new life with Jeff. It doesn't mean I have forgotten Jz at all.

On the New Hampshire home front, my Mom has had some rough days. Her nurse and physical therapist think she will see a big improvement by the end of the week. Thankfully my sister has been able to stay with her and Dad. As for me, I am trying to avoid the feelings of guilt for not being there. Not easy when you were raised Catholic. ;-)

Snow? Is it for real this time?

No, this isn't a picture of our yard in North Carolina! I pulled this photo from the archives... it was the first New Hampshire snow on December 9, 2009. Here in the south everyone is excited that we may have a dusting to 3" of snow today. Yesterday the road crews pre-treated the Pottery Highway in anticipation of this storm. I thought they did it a little early but evidently they can treat the road up to 48 hours before the snow and ice start to accumulate. We don't have to be anywhere today but right here in the studio making pots, so bring it on (and then melt it away quickly).

Speaking of the studio. I am working on an order for a set of piggy canisters. The largest will hold about two quarts and the smallest is about 18oz.

It was a little tricky getting the feet just right to stabilize the larger jars. Jeff threw the bodies and I am doing the assembling. We made two of each size, because you all know how special orders like to go awry. I also know that if they all are perfect (fingers and toes crossed) the extras will be an easy sell.

Piggy banks and piggy jars is what I have been making for a week now. Last night I dreamed about them. I will be glad when they are done and I can move on to something else.



Better late than never, but you can also view this and other ceramic blog posts on Sunday Ceramics

Home in time for Halloween

Over the weekend I realized that we would be home in time for Halloween. I have always loved Halloween, and I love to carve a jack-o-lantern. I also realized that I hadn't bought a pumpkin yet and considered getting one in New Hampshire and bringing it home with me. When you drive through the countryside in New England, there are pumpkin patches everywhere. I decided I would wait and get one when we returned to North Carolina... after all, the grocery stores all had huge bins of them before we left. Needles to say, I couldn't find a pumpkin of any size. They were all GONE. I had to make do with my cheesy store bought jack-o-lanterns. But let's face it, isn't Halloween all about cheesy?

Yesterday was spent packing orders to be shipped. I have a few more to do this morning and then it's back to clay. I am still not sure how my shoulder will handle it, but I am going to attempt small bowls to start. Before we left I did some slab dishes. Slab work is nice and easy on your body but it goes too slow for me. I like the speed of the wheel!

I hope your Halloween was happy and a little (or a lot) cheesy!