March Forth!

It’s March. The month of trees budding, daffodils blooming and St. Patrick’s Day. And time to move the clocks forward in my part of the planet. And the first day of Spring is this week!

With all the changes in and around my life, I’ve struggled a bit to keep going at times. But when I saw someone post, “march forth” on March fourth, I took it as my ‘marching’ orders. It’s time. Time for me to quit looking back in sadness and fear and start moving forward. 

Marching Forth in the Studio. 

In the last blog, I had a picture of a cone 6 kiln load. Even after all these years working in clay, I can’t predict how pieces will turn out in the final glaze firing. In that firing, some pieces cracked, some stuck to the kiln stilts and a piece warped. I did get 3 beautiful new red Lily Vases. 

Last week, I glazed and fired some big black and white leaf platters, 3 little polar bears and a new cat figure. I’m so glad this time, everything came out perfect! Whew!

Springing Forward.  

This year has had many challenges and the last few weeks have been no exception. My darling Darby got into something when I let him out for his last potty break. It was raining and I couldn’t see what he was doing but a trip to the vet was necessary. He’s fine now, but it was scary. 

I’ve been doing a lot of experimenting in the studio this year. Instead of throwing functional pieces, I’ve been doodling with sculpture again. Sculpture is where I started with clay and now I’m back to doing it again. This time, bigger animals with more detail. Where these will go? I don’t know. And that’s ok. 

It’s time to claim my new life chapter

Is throwing out and hand building in?

Work taking a backseat to fun?

I’ll take a clue from the daffodils,

Let it bloom

Hello February!

 

Wow, you’re here already! Even though the groundhog saw his shadow, meaning six more weeks of winter, I see small signs of spring. Little buds and more green are popping out. The birds are flying around and calling to each other. I know I might be overly optimistic but I’ve decided to enjoy it anyway. 

And remember, enjoy is my word of the year. What are you seeing that you enjoy? It might be a nice hot cup of tea while you look out the window at a chilly blue sky. 

Cooking clay. 

One of the most important parts of working in ceramics is kiln firing. I’d like to say, I enjoy it but I’d be lying. It’s stressful for me. I worry about loading each piece correctly. Firing the kiln for the right amount of time. The waiting and not knowing is hard. 

What do I enjoy? All the bright colors popping out. Feeling the clay change from wet to dry, heavy to light. Seeing new pieces stand on their own almost finished. 

Especially seeing new experiments come to life. 

Throwing things. 

There are many ways to work in clay. I love slab building and throwing. I started out doing slab building because I’d failed at wheel throwing. But I faced my failure and fears and now I love to throw things. 

 

I throw teacups, bowls and mugs. But it’s been hard to get back in the groove since our flooded home restoration. 

And today’s throwing day was more about getting my area set up again. Getting my chair in the right place. Fixing my floor props for my feet and pedal. I was frustrated. But once my hands were in that wet clay, it all went away. I really enjoyed throwing bowls. I don’t know why but bowls are my favorite. 

Enjoy Today.

Believe me, I know life is not always sunny. Just like the clouds change outside my window, so does life. As I get older, I want to see more, create more and love more. How do I do that? How do you do that? I think the answer is simple. 

Enjoy. 

Right now, this minute. 

Breathe it in. Sip it in. 

Or throw some clay. 

Whatever it is, enjoy your day. 

Springing Forward In More Ways Than One

 

It’s a week of change for many of us. Clocks spring forward an hour. Schools take a break for a week. And for us, it’s officially the first week of our home reconstruction. 

Appliances were removed. Floors were torn out. Oak cabinets, countertops and the center island were all taken out. Tile was chipped away. Water damaged insulation, drywall and subfloors were replaced. The open concept downstairs is now completely cleared and ready for new work to begin. 

Sad and glad. 

We helped design and build this home, so seeing it torn apart is an emotional rollercoaster. I was so mad when the water valve failure ruined so much of my home. And I worried about contamination, health and safety. So having it all removed, finally, was a relief. 

But it was also sad to walk into the empty shell that remains. Yes, the beautiful ebony wood floor is gone. Colorful tile broken in pieces. Oak cabinets removed. When I looked around, I saw decades of our family life excavated.

Years of little things: homework at the desk, birthday parties, cookie decorating, egg coloring, teenage sleepovers, holidays, graduations, bridal showers, cats and dogs and newborn babies. Down in one corner, only a single letter magnet remained. 

Embracing the new. 

But, just like the clocks, I’m moving forward. We’ve picked our selections for sinks, countertops, flooring and paint. The cabinets are being built. And next week, I’m hoping to see new paint on the walls and ceilings to get ready for the cabinet and flooring installations. 

Trying to see the new in the rubble of the old is hard. But as I went around watering my plants, I noticed the small, new leaves unfurling. On our walk, daffodils and hyacinth are popping up.  And next to the sidewalk was this lovely note and a group of canning jars filled with plum blossoms. I scooped up a jar of flowering branches and walked on with a smile on my face and a much lighter heart. 

Loss is hard, no doubt about it. But now, it’s time to open my arms and my heart, like spring, to new growth, new family events and making new memories. 

Creative Resting

 I’ll admit it, I’m not good at taking time off. I know resting and relaxing are important and healthy but sitting around for hours and hours at a time is just impossible for me. But after spending the last three months getting ready for my first virtual Ceramics Showcase, I know I need a few days off. 

The problem for me is how to take time off and not feel I’m falling behind. Because as a self-employed person, there is always something that needs to be done. Some of the things I love to do and some not. Either way, it’s my job to get it done. 

My lists have lists, if you know what I mean. But maybe I could take a few days and make another kind of list. 

So what is resting, relaxing and re-energizing for me right now?

Arranging flowers is one of my favorite things to do and this year, my yard is just bursting with lilacs. I love how they smell, the shades of purple to pink to white. So I spent some lovely hours clipping, selecting vases and arranging them around my house. 

Walking in the woods is a huge retreat for me. Hearing the geese honking. Watching an egret fly. Leaning against my favorite cedar tree. And marveling at a mischievous otter float around the lake on his back. I wish I managed to get a picture of the playful otter, but he was just out of camera range. I think trying to stay out of the way of the angry mama geese on their nests. 

Staring out the window and seeing faces in the trees. Reading a fun novel. It could be a ‘beach’ read, romance, fantasy or historical novel. Right now, I’ll admit to being sucked into the Bridgerton books from the new TV series. 

New colors, brushes and equipment. Oh my!

I couldn’t help myself. New colors of underglazes looked so pretty. A few new goat hair brushes. And kiln stilts that I just needed to glaze my new butterflies. 

I can’t wait to try them all. I see new little heart magnets in every hue. Newly glazed butterflies shining in the sun in pretty flowerpots. 

As I sit here on the window seat, looking over the hills with the sun shining, I realize I can be creative and rest at the same time. At least for a few hours anyway. 

Things are springing up all around. Plum blossoms. Daffodils. Tulips. With all the blooming comes wind and rain, but I am ready to embrace it all. This time of year, I’m reminded of a poem I just love by e.e. Cummings.

Here’s a small excerpt:

 in just-

spring   when the world is mud-

luscious 

and the little lame balloonman

whistles far    and wee     

and  eddieandbill come

running from marbles and

piracies and it’s 

spring

when the world is puddle-wonderful

One thing I don’t look forward to is the time change that happens in my state. Turning the clocks ahead one hour takes me weeks of adjustment. I have a hard time falling asleep and waking up and worst of all is trying NOT to fall asleep during the day. 

Thank goodness for tea. 

I don’t know how I’d be right now without teatime in the afternoon. Oh, wait I do know. I’d be falling asleep. I’m lucky to have someone in the family who brings home luscious teas from Barnes and Noble. 

Making a fragrant cup of Earl Grey or Tower of London has become a daily ritual that really makes my day. Holding my hands around a cup of hot tea calms me. And inspires me to make more colorful and joyful teacups and mugs. 

Flowering. 

All around me, the world is bursting with new life. The geese at the park are building nests. My peonies are peeking up from the ground. Pussy willows are popping out. Playgrounds are filling with the happy sounds of little ones. 

I don’t know about you, but I need spring desperately this year. With all the fear, anger and sadness, I need some comfort, light and happiness. And I do see glimmers: virus numbers are down. Vaccinations are happening faster and faster each week. 

Spring brings not just blossoms but a glimpse of the fruits of summer. So even on a rainy, mud luscious day like today, I look out my window and see the changing light. And hope. 

It’s spring. 

Here comes the sun. 

Springing Forward

Spring is one my favorite seasons for all the right reasons: new buds and blooms and freshness. It’s always energizing. I find myself taking bigger, deeper breaths clearing out the winter gloom. I feel lighter in my mind, body and spirit. 

With all this new energy buzzing all around me, new ideas and worked seems to be blooming too. My studio shelves are now bursting with work. I’m ready at last to load my kiln and fire it up. I see I’ll need to do 2 bisque loads and, probably, 2 glaze loads! For me, that’s a really significant amount of work in less than 3 months. 

Talking to the Trees. 

I’ve written quite a few essays about my journeys in the woods and my encounters with my wise trees. I know to some this may seem odd or even unbelievable, that’s ok. I get it. We all have our own ways to honor the spirit of creation in this world. And I believe that the more we honor that spirit of love, peace and knowledge around us, the better we will all be. 

Mother Cedar, as I call her, is always a place of energy and wisdom for me. When I lean against her trunk, I immediately feel the energy of connection. It soothes and energizes me. And if I’m lucky that day, I get a message of guidance. 

Today’s was simple: Be kind. I immediately took the words to mean, be kind to others. And then, I got another nudge. While being kind to others is important, the message was closer to home. What did she mean? It was clear. Be kind to myself. This is very hard for me to do, and a good lesson for the season. Spring up with kindness. 

Darling Darby. 

I am so thankful for my beautiful boy puppy. He is full of energy and playfulness. I didn’t realize until he came into my life that I’d forgotten something very essential to life: Play. As he sniffs and romps around the yard, I see the world in a new light. And I feel the lightness and joy through his simple enjoyment of what this day brings. 

Although what I do creating, throwing, painting and sculpting may make it look like I play all the time. The truth is, most of the time, I work hard. I push and pull and, yes, schedule my time. I may not work 9 to 5, but I block out hours and days so my work gets priority. This is an important part of the process.

But it doesn’t always have to be that way. Just like the buds, blooms and bouncy puppies, I can Spring forward. Sniff the freshness. Watch the buds open. Touch the earth, my work and even myself, with true kindness that helps us all bloom and grow. 

Creating and Rebirth.

It’s spring. The world is ‘mudlucious’ and robins sing. 

The lilacs bloom. 

Peonies bud.  

Ferns wake up reaching for the sky. 

Twig by twig a robin builds a nest on my patio. 

I roam around the lawn sniffing and trimming and clipping flowers. And wondering. 

What will this year bring?

It’s been lonely lately without my Jilly. I miss her trotting beside me up, down and around. She loved to smell the rosemary this time of year. I loved to smell the lilacs. She would have kept watch over the robin, quietly so as to not make the mother nervous. As I sit here and wait for her to accept my presence nearby, I feel a breeze of hope. 

Just like lilac blooms wither where new branches sprout and the crab apple blossoms scatter across the grass making room for fruit to grow, loss is part of life. Death and rebirth dance together in intricate steps through time. 

Creating is a process of making and letting go. 

Last week, I showed and sold my work. This part of the creative process is wonderful and hard work and just as mysterious as beginning a new piece. You never know which pieces will reach out to people and find new homes. Sometimes old work sells and new pieces sit patiently by. 

I am always amazed how art making happens. Like the lilac blooms that took me by surprise, I see new work is sprouting in my studio. Of course, I know I made it all. But when I’m in the making process, I only see the one piece in front of me. I put it on the shelf and create another. 

I don’t see the shelves filling up and it always takes me by surprise. Just like spring bursting from the depths of winter, grass growing from muddy patches, robins sitting in a nest on my patio, creating a rebirth when you weren’t looking. 

Spring Fever.

As I look out my window at the distance fog and hear the rain patter down while sipping a cup of hot tea, I wonder where is Spring? I see a sprinkling of blossoms on the horizon but sunshine and warmth feels very far away. I keep trying to bring it closer.

I bought daffodils by the dozens and sprinkled them around my house.

I clipped the few blooming hyacinths in my yard and brought them inside. 

I got out the bunnies and eggs and springtime colors. 

But a fog remains. Inside and out. I find myself looking once again, longingly, out the window. Searching for that light and warmth that promises new beginnings have begun. 

Until then, I sit and sip my tea, plant my own ceramic lily inside and hope.

Hope Springs Forward.

There's something about the start of March that fills me with hope. I know that the calendar shows March as the month of Lent, the Ides of March and Springing Forward but somehow even against all these unlikable things, I like March. 

Change is in the wind.

Go outside and take a good, long, deep breath. Fill your lungs. Taste and smell that March air. There is something definitely different out there. The snow might still be falling and the wind bites at your neck, but in spite of it all, there's a sparkle in it like bubbles in champagne that haven't burst just yet.

I look around and still see winter's stillness. There are no new buds or leaves on my trees. My garden is filled with very dark, damp dirt and the moss is thick on the ground. But I sense somewhere underneath it all, energy is building and change is happening. 

It's time to get out the primroses. 

Even though I know they won't last until next year, I plant primroses anyway. There's something about their bright pink, yellow and purple colors that lure me every year. I only buy a few to sprinkle around my front door but every time I pass by I feel uplifted and fortified and slightly giddy. I don't know about you, but with all that's happening in our country, I really need the energy of March this year. 

It's March. It's blustery and cold and bright like a promise on the edge of fulfillment.

It's March. It's a hint of the tide of winter changing to spring. 

It's March. It's hope springing forward.