January angst.........

It's January, the bills are due, the cable has been out for days due to storms and I am on my primo carb fast.  OK side note...... who in their right mind thought it was a good idea to beam crap through the cosmic ectoplasm into my tiny little house?  Honestly if one of the nut monkeys climbs on that turkey platter bolted to my house or a bird farts, the signal is lost.  Most of the time I am just fine with this glitch, especially after Gov. Chris Christy gave his 2 hour mea copa.  Once again Chris, it's not all about you I think it was about the people sitting on the bridge for 4 hours or the lady who died waiting for EMS.  The stuff in the bottom of slop bucket has more appeal than your apology.  

But hey we didn't "bundle" with the Direct Tv people so I still have internet....... lucky for you because I can still beam out to the blogosphere.

Yup, we had a bit of cold snap here or Al Roker says..... Polar Vortex, because COLD just isn't good enough anymore.  Once again our TV was out, leaving me to my own devices to discover just how really cold it was.  And is there an antonym for Vortex?  When the Vortex retreats will we be in a blow out?   

I filled a pie plate with grapefruit scented Dawn and ran outside in my jammies to blow frozen bubbles. Had to, because there was a time lag waiting for water to boil so I could throw it into the raw polar air, making ice clouds.  It was mind boggling awesome until I realized my bare feet in plastic crocs were frozen to the ground.  Not sure my neighbor, looking out her kitchen window is off the floor yet.   

 Besides bubbles, look at my frozen slop bucket!  

 How do critters survive in this weather?  The birds need grit for their gizzards and I found where they had dug up dirt next to the studio door.  They ate it and dust bathed in the sun, it was Key West! 

The brussel sprouts that never made it to the table.  The rabbit war ceased for a few days and I hung my Elmer Fudd hat on the back hook.  Running back and forth to the studio they don't ever dart away during the cold; we have a treaty this time of year, anything left in the garden is theirs. 

The shelves in the studio were pretty full, my joints had all but seized up, right along with my creativity.  By Wednesday the weather had lighten up a bit, the sun came out and I hit the trail with my camera!  And why does 6 degrees feel comfortable?

This reminded me to try shellac resist on porcelain.... 

  

I was so stagnant in the studio and there were so many ideas outside.

So much porcelain everywhere....... 

Deer pruning ...... could they at least prune both sides?  

I have been trying to get a photo of this red fox all winter.  

  I'm pretty sure this is how Bilbo found Mordor.... follow that deer trail, I did.......

The homeless guy has been industrious and bet he could sell this idea to Mother Earth News!   Insulated with leaves and now nailing up tree bark.  Looked pretty cozy. 

Called the city to see if this guy was OK.  Sheesh won't do that again!  Next time I will bake a bunt cake and just go knock on his door.  Was told by a council woman to think of my personal safety.  OK I think I would rather die in an icy river than behind a computer screen in a cubicle.  The guy living here probably feels the same way......  I expect an new city ordinance on hiking soon. 

He's got a great view! 

It was so beautiful I decided to run to the lake....

Today it's much warmer and the January thaw is on! 

Last night I paid bills, checked my clay supply and grumbled ....... a lot.  I run pretty close to the bone here, mostly because I want too and some because I have too.  I know I can't do anything else or want to do anything else (well maybe garden), been down that road and there were casualties!   There are always trade offs; the $50 I spent on cast iron probably should have gone for clay or the electric bill or a new kiln fund.  But then it made a darn fine pan of biscuits!  

  I still don't know if the guy in the cobbled together hut is ok or not.  There were fresh foot prints yesterday so I'm gonna say, yes.  The chickens had a heat lamp and water heater, this person has none of that.  I'm think'n I have more in common with the guy in the hut than anyone at city hall..... 

I have let show deadlines come and go.  I no longer wish to be on the road, now how to make a living at this thing called pottery.  Going to be an interesting year here in the Falls...... glad I saved bean seeds!

and so January goes.......