Pottery. Photography. And All Things Handmade.
We enjoyed Christmas morning with our grown children and grand. We carry on the tradition of Citrus Eye Opener punch, Creamy Potluck Potatoes and Chex Mix. New Year's was quiet. Time spent reading, reflecting and watching collage football. Meanwhile we set out peanuts everyday for our resident squirrel and birdseed for the birds . .... Continue Reading →
Softening butter seems like a simple task except when you forget to soften the butter prior to mixing ingredients for Christmas cookies. I forgot to set a stick of butter on the counter to soften the night before. The morning of baking, I opted to place a fresh from refrigerator stick of butter on the... Continue Reading →
What better way to welcome the month of December? Snow! Squirrel was quite happy to see me set out peanuts! Just as I turned to go into the house, squirrel leapt off the tree branch and bounded toward the pile of peanuts on the back porch. The birdbath, filled with leaves and water, froze over... Continue Reading →
Believe it or not, tender sadness & sparkling joy are able to mingle. Surprisingly, bittersweet ache and hearty laughter can fit together like a hand in a glove. ~Linda Stoll Broken-Hearted Holdiays
Last week we took a trip to the mountains of Western North Carolina home to my side of the family. I wish I could say the trip was for pleasure but the goal was to attend to family estate business. Though my North Carolina elders have all passed, we were left to sort through contents... Continue Reading →
I had every intention of blogging and sharing photos from our recent trip to North Carolina. Instead, I'm sharing this photo: leaves in our back yard in full autumn mode during the last week of October before our trip. As luck would have it, my photo editing software updated prior to our road trip. And,... Continue Reading →
Robin visits every morning to bathe. Downy Woodpecker after carpenter bee larva in the swing set. The result of Downy Woodpecker finding carpenter bee larva! Second generation "Brown Squirrel Junior" visits. White Squirrel visits and has made itself comfortable in our back yard. Lazy afternoons on the back porch calls for a leisurely drink from the... Continue Reading →
Winter is on the way. I can feel it. Yesterday's storm brought high winds, rain, cooler temperatures and a double rainbow. We are to have our first frost this week but the flowers don't seem to know it. Delicate pink nasturtium caught my eye. Looks as if it is a watercolor painting. I strolled through... Continue Reading →
The calendar says it is autumn but the Cosmos say otherwise! Click on each image below for a larger view. Be sure to notice the pollen dust on the busy bee! Sunflowers are finished. I harvested their seeds for next year. Left a few for our resident squirrel. 🐿️ We had two special guests this... Continue Reading →
I have been busy with my last pieces of pottery for the year. Yes. Last pieces! Can you believe it? It seems as if I just started throwing yesterday! Pictured below are before and after pictures: Greenware pieces, dry but not yet fired, to be loaded into my kiln for a bisque firing in preparation... Continue Reading →
As summer comes to a close, so does a chapter in my life. My childhood home will be empty for the first time since we moved in forty seven years ago. Though my Mom and Dad passed away some time ago, my little brother continued to live in the house where he raised his two... Continue Reading →
Waves of memories. Waves of grief for a life taken too soon. But also waves of joy for the life we had together as sister and brother. Just as there are waves in the ocean, grief has waves too. Some waves are gentle. Some waves surprise me. And some waves knock me off my feet.... Continue Reading →
We had five spectacular sunny days in a row last week! I barely knew what to do with myself with so much sunshine. 🌞 Do I weed? Mow? Bask? Well, I ended up doing all the above: weeding, mowing and basking.😎 You may recall from my June 21st post, Notes From My Back Porch, I... Continue Reading →
It was May 20th when I finally sat down behind my pottery wheel for this throwing season. It takes me four to six weeks to create pottery from a ball of clay to a glazed piece. My newest addition to my standard mugs are my dragonfly mugs which came about accidentally! The first mug I... Continue Reading →
Summer is here! Things are heating up on my back porch . . . in between rain showers, of course. I've been working on dragonfly mugs for what seems like a long time. Now they are glazed and ready to fire. As I was rolling my kiln onto my back porch from the garage, the... Continue Reading →
Rain, rain, go away.Come again another day.Pauline the potter wants to play! "The Farmers' Almanac predicts a potentially rainy summer for Ohio in 2025, with the potential for above-average temperatures and rainfall, especially in the southern part of the state." My back porch pottery studio is open to the whims of mother nature so my... Continue Reading →
It was a busy week last week now that spring has definitely sprung. The dandelions are thriving IN the garden bed! I thought they looked so cheery and left them there. In fact, I decided to not plant a vegetable garden this year for a several reasons: Squirrels and rabbits eat everything and I mean... Continue Reading →
Warm but not warm enough. Lawnmowers on the back porch for maintenance. Folding chairs are in the back of the car along with blankets, coats and umbrellas for soccer season is under way. My pottery wheel tucked away against the wall waiting patiently. Meanwhile, my brother was back in the hospital for ten days. His... Continue Reading →
We are finally witnessing nature awakening with vibrant buds and colorful blooms. The secret garden bloomed and bloomed and every morning revealed new miracles. Frances Hodgson Burnett Meanwhile I am eager to get my hands back in clay. The temperatures for April, however, will be a little too cool for me to start throwing on... Continue Reading →
I knew it was going to happen. Why? Because it happens every year. Winter. Winter. Winter. Blah. Blah. Blah. Then WHAM spring! Everything is popping: our adorable yellow winter aconites, daffodils, tulips and forsythia. The grass is quickly coming out of dormancy. Husband predicts we could be mowing by the end of the month 😳... Continue Reading →
On the wind in February Snowflakes float still, Half inclined to turn to rain, Nipping, dripping, chill. –Christina Rossetti My view from my back porch confirms that winter is still here! I'm trying to take advantage of these snowy days working on things inside before the spring bustle of activity takes me outside but February has been a month... Continue Reading →
As I was attempting to summarize my thoughts on this past year and the new year, the following words from my morning readings came into focus: Teachable spirit Listening heart Speak less Fear is bigger than the fail Stories have power to teach and inspire HE is active in our story A shared story God... Continue Reading →
Back Porch Studio 