From Juan Cole's Blog Today

To read Juan Cole's entire post click here.

"Am I the only guy in this country who's fed up with what's happening? Where the hell is our outrage? We should be screaming bloody murder. We've got a gang of clueless bozos steering our ship of state right over a cliff, we've got corporate gangsters stealing us blind, and we can't even clean up after a hurricane much less build a hybrid car. But instead of getting mad, everyone sits around and nods their heads when the politicians say, "Stay the course."

~ Lee Iacocca

Slip Casting a Ceramic Cylinder ~Part 1

During the summer Larry does ceramic sculpture in the barn. I’m sure there are many ways of slip casting stoneware but I thought I’d follow him around with my camera and show you how he does it.

20 years ago he made half a dozen plaster moulds by pouring the plaster between two different diameters of tar paper rolled into tube shapes. The moulds in this picture he varied by lining the tar paper with bubble wrap before casting the plaster.

To make a slip cast ceramic cylinder he starts by mixing water and clay to make the slip.

Then he situates his plaster mold on top of a board with a drilled hole in it which he uses a cork to plug. He temporarily seals around the mould with clay to prevent the slip from leaking out and places the slip bin underneath everything before filling the mould with slip.

The slip sets for about 15 minutes depending upon how thick you want the cylinder walls. When he thinks it’s been long enough he pulls the cork out and drains the slip back into the slip bin. Once this is done you can carefully move the mould (which now has a thin layer of slip in it) out of your way to dry.

Drying times vary depending upon humidity, slip consistency, and air temperature but these set for about 24 hours. Once the clay has separated from the mould (much like a cake separates from the cake pan when it’s done) you should be able to carefully lift the mould straight up and off of the cylinder.

The clay is still going to be damp and will need to dry completely, remaining fragile until bisque fired. After firing it can be glazed, or painted, or smoked, or some combination of all three depending upon what kind of color or surface texture you are trying to create.

Tara's Quote

When I read this quote on Tara's blog I decided I wanted to reprint it here. I learned acceptance when I was little watching someone close to me relentlessly try and transform others, and be frustrated when she couldn't. As a result it embedded itself deeply into my being and I sincerely believe in following my own path, and appreciating others as they follow theirs. Tolle sums it up beautifully:

As far as inner transformation is concerned, there is nothing you can do about it. You cannot transform yourself, and you certainly cannot transform your partner or anybody else. All you can do is create space for transformation to happen, for grace and love to enter.

–Eckhart Tolle

Hanging Horn

I’ve been reading Annie Dillard’s For The Time Being and am just captivated by it. While some of the book reviews I’ve scanned criticize her for it’s disjointedness I can’t say that that’s bothered me. Her confluent examination of clouds, China, Teilhard de Chardin, birth defects, and Hasidism is sad, but also beautiful. The most interesting thing to me is that she uses these seemingly divergent subject matter as the basis for exploring the concepts of God, evil, suffering, and indifference; framing them and objectifying them in such a way that (perhaps cynically) human lives seem acceptably insignificant and at the same time miraculous.

Later in the week (once I’ve finished the book) I’ll post some of my favorite excerpts from it but what this rather convoluted association brings me to now, is Hanging Horn (a poster child for nature’s arbitrariness). In March I posted his story here. Our happiness last January when he shed his antlers was short lived because they’re growing back now and unfortunately some of his bone fragments don’t seem to be attached to the rest of his skull; leaving his new antler to dangle heavily in front of his left eye.

I suppose what he needs is a laying on of hands......... or a personal deity to answers his every prayer ...........or maybe just an antler scrunchie......I don’t know but he isn’t in any danger of being hunted for his rack, and he seems to be doing okay “for the time being”. Plus he’s beautiful......in an Annie Dillard sort of way.

Wild Thing...........

Gwen's Thread

(Filters: low hue saturation~poster edges~neon glow....click to enlarge)

Last week Gwen posted a great watercolor she did of a mug one of her friends had thrown. Yesterday Ruth wove that thread from Gwen's house in New Brunswick to hers in Michigan and today you’ll find it here with me in Wyoming.

(filters: ink outlines~none~high pass.....click to enlarge)

These mugs were given to me years ago by my brother-in-law. He thinks that they were made by Bennington Art Pottery in the late 1800’s but personally I don’t know anything about them except that they’re beautiful and earthy and feel weighty when held.

(filters: none~watercolor........click to enlarge)

I’ve never used them to drink from...........because of their age I thought it would be better to test them first, to make sure they aren’t leaching lead or something. I wasn’t sure what to do with the mugs for this post. So for those of you not familiar with photoshop I’ve just taken some photos and ran the very simplest photoshop filters over them.

(filters: none~poster edges~high pass............click to enlarge)

One winter morning after they’ve been tested I’ll empty all of the pencils, scissors, and rubber bands from them, give one a good wash, sit down with a cup of hot cocoa & write a different post............. probably one filled with longing for a warm and summery day like today.

Final Word..........Maven

Maven: an expert or connoisseur.

Goth is a frog maven...........strictly catch, commune, & release!

Note: Thanks Anet! This has been fun!!!!

Volacious..........

Volacious: Apt or fit to fly

Aeneous.......

Aeneous: bronze-colored / Brassy or golden green in color.

This is the hardest word of the week! In my mind bronze, brass, and golden green are all distinctly different hues and I didn't know which to choose, plus these shades are the colors which I have trouble seeing because of my colorblindness/impairment. I don't know what it was, but I just couldn't wrap my mind around this one. Nevertheless this is what I settled on. Goth's Dino Dig class yesterday was just half a day so we spent that time walking around downtown Sheridan. The city changes it's outdoor sculptures annually and this is one of 2008's. I choose her because she embodies how I feel once summer finally gets here.......... it's amazing that anything gets done this time of year and that we all aren't just standing in a field as still and joyful as she is!

Dino Dig Day One

By the time I get a grip on this parenting thing it’s going to be too late. Goth started a kids paleontology class today through our local college. She loves nature and has always enjoyed fossil hunting. When she was little and would go exploring I always reminded her (and Larry) NOT to bring anything live home. But this morning while rattling off my list of instructions (ie., sunscreen, bottled water, tampons, etc......) I failed to mention that wildlife belongs in the wild and that under no circumstances should she smuggle anything out of it’s natural habitat. In fact, it never even crossed my mind. Now there’s a horned toad in my studio in need of a lift home (100 miles round trip) and his name is Horton.

Daedal.......

Daedal:
Ingenious and complex in design or function; intricate.
Finely or skillfully made or employed; artistic.

I'm not a big "stuff" person but this is one of the few things that I keep for no particular reason. It's a child's llama bracelet that I bought in an antique store years ago for $6; it's just something that I like, and seemed to fit Anet's word for today..........

Vibrissae.......

Vibrissae: one of the stiff, bristly hairs growing about the mouth
of certain animals, as a whisker of a cat.

(photography by Goth)

Ort..........

ORT: "remains of food left from a meal"...........

Aestival

Aestival Wyoming

(click image to enlarge)

(click image to enlarge)

Aestival:(rare) of or occurring in summer....

A Gift From The Sea

This shell was a gift; I did not find it.
It was handed to me by a friend.

~Anne Morrow Lindbergh

Serial Cyber Theft

Once again Anet has saved me....... I was going to go postless today until I visited her blog and found this meme that she had stolen......which I in turn have stolen; thus sparing myself the anxiety ridden shame of having nothing to say. Okay, so maybe it isn’t that big of a deal but still I am grateful that (for at least the third time in the last couple of months) she has magically sensed my emptiness and gallantly came to my rescue. (Not too self absorbed, huh? :) Enough already, here’s the meme:

You’re feeling: Content
To your left: Pigeons
On your mind: Nothing, like I said I’m empty
Last meal included: Strawberries
You sometimes find it hard to: Get up in the morning
The weather: Warm and Sunny!!!
Something you have a collection of: Antique letterpress cuts
A smell that cheers you up: Freshly cut wood
A smell that can ruin your mood: Litter pans
How long since you last shaved: This morning
The current state of your hair: Hideous!
The largest item on your desk/workspace (not computer): A messy pile of papers.
Your skill with chopsticks: Non-existent
Which section you head for first in a bookstore: Psychology
Something you’re craving: Homemade peanut butter and chocolate squares
Your general thoughts on the presidential race: Dear God, please let Obama be sane and smart and competent and caring and scrupulous, and well protected and.......
How many times have you been hospitalized this year: Zero
Favorite place to go for a quiet moment: Under the covers!
You secretly think you'd make a good: Curator
Something that freaks you out a little: Flying, heights, slick haired preachers, small talk, crowds, eye contact, amusement parks, Walmart, traffic.......oh, the list is endless!
Something you’ve eaten too much of lately: Pizza
You have never: Owned a gun, heard voices, ridden a subway, eaten guacamole, written a book, drank a beer, traveled to Tibet, been enlightened enough to love everyone unconditionally, or had a chicken in my bed.

Sunstruck

Do you ever have those days when your mind swims incoherently from one thought to the next without ever lighting long enough for you to calm it? Well, that's where I'm at. It's sunny and warm for the first time in what seems like forever and it's calling me out......... What I'm getting at is that I don't really have anything of my own to contribute today. Goth is having a sleepover with her best friend and they stayed up late reading scary stories and watching Sweeney Todd. Her friend (13) is brilliant with 4 of her own blogs and is an amazing writer. So, since I'm empty headed today here's a glimpse at Keely's writing from one of her blogs:

Why govern yourself?
Sweet oranges, reds, yellows.
Fake happiness, fake this day, fake life.
Make it sweeter than it is.
You can do it.
A crystal shell around darkness.
Everyone else does it.
Why can't you?
You can. You will.

~Keely (last name withheld)

Larry For Veep

There have been rumors floating around cyberspace that Barack Obama is looking to Retired Military for potential running mates. I think The Muse (Colonel Muse to you) would make an excellent choice. I mean he’s a hermit so he doesn’t have any close friends to shoot in the face or to hold secret meetings with. And unlike Cheney he’s physically qualified to be a heartbeat away from the presidency.......... as he actually has a heart. Plus his hatred of war, torture, and loud noises makes him uniquely qualified to double as Secretary of Defense (but he says he’ll only do it on the condition that his code name is “The Ostrich”). And lastly, his lifelong mantra is to cheerfully remind me that whatever he’s done is “good enough for government work” (no matter what I think!). Besides, who else is going to deliver those all important Wyoming delegates..............

Happy Birthday Sandie!!!

Gosh, it doesn't seem like that long ago that I accidentally peed in your pretty new white boots............sorry about that,
it won't happen again!
Have a Great Birthday!!!!!!!!!!!!

My First Try...... All Vision and No Technique

We're going to hike up the mountain today
and see if any of the wildflowers have survived all of this rain.

So, with any luck I'll have some pictures to post tomorrow.

These images are from my first attempt at quilting.

I learn by doing so my lack of technical skill shows but I'd think in another ten or twelve quilts I might get the hang of it!!!! Still, I was happy enough with it for a first try and it does an excellent job of adding a little color to the living room while protecting the couch from the dog.

Goth's Art

This is a detail shot of a drawing that Goth finished yesterday. She started it by drawing the line art by hand, scanning it into the computer, and finishing it digitally with her mouse using Open Canvas 4.5. If you’ve ever attempted to draw with a mouse than you’ll understand how difficult that is. The characters are anthro creatures that she and her friends create on Neopets and develop story lines for. Some day she’s going to have to give me a few lessons!

Veterinary Ethics

I’ve been to the vet a lot these last few weeks. Purr, our large, 11 year old, 3 legged cat used to weigh over 17 pounds. Despite being wormed he’s down to just 9 pounds, a classic symptom of hyperthyroidism. Treatment options include medication at approximately $1 per day, surgery for approximately $800, or out of state iodine treatments for I don’t even know how much. We aren’t new to this. Hyperthyroidism is common in older cats and one of the best cats we ever had, Sylvester, had it years ago. The daily medication made him wretchedly sick, there were vet appointments, blood work, and finally surgery before finding out that he also had diabetes and kidney failure and had to be put down. I learned a LOT from that experience. What we did “for” him out of love we actually did “to” him and it was unforgivable. I won’t do that again.

My question is where do you draw the line? We have a lot of pets but only our 6 cats and two dogs ever go to the vet. I’m nuts about them, they’re family. I feel this deeply and sometimes it irritates Goth. In her mind an animal is somehow lesser than she is. As a general rule I don’t feel superior to a creature just because I have the larger brain. Yes I think I am more intelligent, but whatever soul I possess I suspect it is very much the same as their souls. The paradox is that if Goth needed a heart transplant or any other medical care I would kill myself getting it for her. But when it comes to extensive medical care for the animals I become uneasy. According to Consumer Reports spending on veterinary care topped 18,000,000,000.00 dollars in 2001 (Yep, that’s 18 BILLION....and personally I’m in for $400 just this last month!). When does chemo, hip replacement, and organ transplant cross the line from medical care to cruelty? And if we were to reduce our veterinary expenditures in half, what could be accomplished with the leftover 9 billion dollars? I‘m not preaching here, I’m asking....... I really don’t know the answer. I mean, I’m as guilty as anyone. I spend approximately $3 per day on meds for just Purr & Emily while half the world’s nearly three billion people live on less than two dollars a day. There’s something wrong with that.

Anet's Meme

I wasn't going to post today but Anet posted this meme which looked like fun so here goes:

1. One person who made me laugh. Ruth's comment the other day on her blog: "The mac and cheese, any recipes that involved Campbell's soup, and never tasting garlic that didn't come out of a shaker bottle?"
2. What was I doing at 0800? Yoga
3. What was I doing 30 minutes ago? Washing the dishes.
4. What did I do in 2006? Stupidly taking a troop of Girl Scouts camping even though I'd never gone camping before in my life! (amazingly no one died, but there was this bear....)
5. Last thing I said aloud? I think there are 10 mm per cm?????
6. Beverages? water
7. What colour is my hairbrush? wood
8. Last thing I paid for? pizza
9. Where was I last night? happily at home
10. Front door colour? rough cut pine
11. Where do I keep my change? In a large jar in the closet & in the little cubby thing in the car
12. What’s the weather like today? 45 and pouring!
13. Best ice cream flavour? Peanut Butter & Chocolate
14. What excites me? my family, animals, solitude, nature, the internet, my life, & cool, spiritual spaces
15. I want to cut my hair? Let's not even go there!!!
16. Am I over the age of 25? Yep.
17. Do I talk a lot? Nope.
18. What colour socks did you wear today? Navy socks and flowered, hippie, corduroy boots.
19. Do I know anyone named Steve? Again, lets not go there!
20. Do I make up my own words? What, like George?!
21. Am I a jealous person? No, not usually.
21. Name a friend who starts with the letter A. Anna & Anet
22. Name a friend who starts with the letter K. Do geese count???? ~Kitara
23. Who’s the first person on my ‘Received Calls list? nobody!
24. The last text message I received? Are you kidding? I don't even know how to lock and unlock my keypad!!!!
25. Do I chew on my straw? Nope, just my lip.
26. Do I have curly hair? I wish!!!
27. Where's the next place you're going to? The post office, we don't get mail delivery here.
28. Who is the rudest person in my life? My brain!!!!
29. What was the last thing I ate? a strawberry
30. Will I get married in the future? nope! Larry's it........
31. The best movie I’ve seen in the past 2 weeks? Damaged Care
32. Is there anyone you like right now? ........ I like authentic and gentle people.
33. Why did I answer and post this? Because I wasn't going to post today when I read Anet's blog and thought it would be fun........

Dear Hillary.........

I can’t believe it’s been three months since I publicly proclaimed my feelings for you............. and now it’s over. To be honest, every time I’ve heard your voice lately my mind has shut off like we were an old married couple discussing whether or not to get the dog fixed.......sorry about that but it’s been a long 3 months. I just wanted to say thanks. You hung in there even though at times it degraded you to have to play ball "old style" with the boys. You did what you had to do. I’m just sorry it didn’t work out. I’m proud of how hard you fought, unfortunately it’s a tough time right now and we Americans can’t resist a young, handsome, cock eyed optimist like Barack Obama.......Even you have to admit that he’s just dreamy, right? I hope you can try and understand that (in the words of George Costanza) “It’s not you, it’s me”. This doesn’t mean that we don’t love you. And as you spend the next couple of months licking your wounds remember you did good and we girls need you. Politics is as ugly a venue as it is powerful and you sacrificed a lot for us.
Thanks, call me and we’ll do lunch..... Sharon

A View from the Hammock

(click to enlarge)