Signs of Spring
Idea for a large plate
Called by the sun and warm air on Feb. 1st, and celebrating two of our "kids" being home, we headed out with three joyful dogs through the pine woods and out onto the lake. With so much rain lately, we wondered, is the ice safe? Sam forged ahead and broke right through two inches of soft ice, up to his ankles. The dogs were already way out, leaping and racing; we tentatively found a safer place.
The ice was weird- I've never seen it like it: a thin crust over six inches of slush and water, with ice under that. Some of us had leaky boots - not fun! We crunch, crunch, crunched out to the snowmobile trail, thinking it would be easier walking, but it was flooded with a foot of water. Later we saw intrepid snowmobilers, with water spraying high up behind.
We walked along the shore instead.
Sitting on the rocks at Tom's beach, Heather took her coat off, and we turned our faces to the sun and basked. It was noon and the sun was only half way up the sky, but every day is a little longer now.
An eagle flew by, low over the ice. They spend the winter thanks to the ice fishermen - I wonder how they are doing in this strange winter.
We've been watching the eagles in awe since they returned to Black Sand Island. I've always wanted to do something to express their elegance and power on my pottery - but that has seemed a daunting task. Now, like grace, a way comes to me- large plates with the soft lake colors of sky and water, and the dramatic unmistakable sweep of an eagle in flight in the distance. Two brush stokes!
On the walk home, I looked for signs of spring and was amazed to see the first white on the tips of the pussy willows in our swamp. Are they signs of spring, or is this a strangely warm winter? We've heard the maple sap is running - too early - not good for the trees!
Anyway there is one true sign of spring: the players arrive at spring training tomorrow. Hope springs eternal for these Red Sox fans. And we'll probably have plenty of cold and some blizzards before the real spring comes to stay.
For now it's a good time to curl up near the wood stove with some good books. I need to find a few books about climate change.
And it's a good time to try out some new ideas in the pottery.
Called by the sun and warm air on Feb. 1st, and celebrating two of our "kids" being home, we headed out with three joyful dogs through the pine woods and out onto the lake. With so much rain lately, we wondered, is the ice safe? Sam forged ahead and broke right through two inches of soft ice, up to his ankles. The dogs were already way out, leaping and racing; we tentatively found a safer place.
The ice was weird- I've never seen it like it: a thin crust over six inches of slush and water, with ice under that. Some of us had leaky boots - not fun! We crunch, crunch, crunched out to the snowmobile trail, thinking it would be easier walking, but it was flooded with a foot of water. Later we saw intrepid snowmobilers, with water spraying high up behind.
We walked along the shore instead.
Sitting on the rocks at Tom's beach, Heather took her coat off, and we turned our faces to the sun and basked. It was noon and the sun was only half way up the sky, but every day is a little longer now.
An eagle flew by, low over the ice. They spend the winter thanks to the ice fishermen - I wonder how they are doing in this strange winter.
We've been watching the eagles in awe since they returned to Black Sand Island. I've always wanted to do something to express their elegance and power on my pottery - but that has seemed a daunting task. Now, like grace, a way comes to me- large plates with the soft lake colors of sky and water, and the dramatic unmistakable sweep of an eagle in flight in the distance. Two brush stokes!
On the walk home, I looked for signs of spring and was amazed to see the first white on the tips of the pussy willows in our swamp. Are they signs of spring, or is this a strangely warm winter? We've heard the maple sap is running - too early - not good for the trees!
Anyway there is one true sign of spring: the players arrive at spring training tomorrow. Hope springs eternal for these Red Sox fans. And we'll probably have plenty of cold and some blizzards before the real spring comes to stay.
For now it's a good time to curl up near the wood stove with some good books. I need to find a few books about climate change.
And it's a good time to try out some new ideas in the pottery.
posted by Wayne Village Pottery at 10:03 AM
