With Slate at his mom's, and Tina half way 'round the world, it was a very quiet weekend around here. It was kinda like the calm before the storm. School starts back this week, and that means waking up and moving about at 6am :-( I have thoroughly enjoyed not getting outta bed until at least 8, sometimes even later, but those days are over, for now. 

I threw and trimmed a few bowls, spent a little time attempting to clean up my garden, waited on a few customers, and went to Zimmerman's Vineyards Saturday night with my friends Jeff and Michelle. Our Two Cents played the blues, and the wines, as always, were tasty. I wrapped up Sunday night by grilling a pie for myself -- goat and fresh mozz cheeses, mushrooms, roasted tomatoes and salami, with a little fresh basil and hard cheese grated on top after it came off the grill.

Although most days are still in the 90's, it won't last forever, and it's time to get my head pointed in a different direction. Cooler weather is around the bend, time to plan my fall garden, and get cranking in the studio. All for now.....

I keep an online calendar now, events I have to attend like doctor's appointments, etc., stuff I'm participating in, and stuff I'd like to do, like Saturday nights at Zimmerman's and special events in Asheboro.

A little aside here.....Asheboro voted in alcohol sales two years ago, and I still feel weird going into a place and ordering a glass of wine. I guess you have to live around here to understand how weird this really is. 

So.....most of my son's annual doctor's appointments have been completed, school starts next week, the Seagrove Potters for Peace event is now behind us (Tina, above, sprucing up after the first onslaught), and I'm gearing up for Clay and Bloggers at the Campbell House in Southern Pines October one, and the Celebration of Seagrove Potters in November at the old Luck's Beans plant. Oh yeah, and a trunk show at my sister's in Wilmington sometime in October. Whew. 

In between, I'm still planning my wood burning oven, and grilling pizza. It seems like everybody is doing it now, and has found their own technique, which is just way cool. BTW, the pic above is of the first pizza from a customer's wood burning oven. She used the recipe from Reinhart, the one I have been using in my oven for a while now. I think we're gonna have to start a chapter of Pizzaholics Anonymous. "Hi, I'm Tom." "Hello Tom." "I'm addicted to pizza." "Unh-huh." Of course, we could turn it into a covered dish kinda meeting :-)

OK, that's it for now. More adventures from around the Gray abode to follow.

Tomorrow morning starting at 9am, twenty four of us will have teacups/bowls/mugs/etc. for sale in support of Greg Mortenson's Central Asia Institute. I have 20 teabowls for sale for $16/ea. Better get here (Seagrove, that is) early before they're all gone!

My chickens have pretty much stayed on the ground until now. One girl found her way atop the Carolina Jessamine earlier today.

The Cicadas are making a LOT of racket at night, and now I know why. If I were shedding my exoskeleton, I'd be screeching too.

Everyone who knows me well also knows that I like FREE, and with that in mind I attended a mushroom foraging workshop in the Uwharrie's today. <MORE>

pugmill is stove up,

no ac in studio,

zip work happening.

oven envy too,

this belongs to customer,

mine is in my mind.

Slate, his bud Patrick, and I spent a few hours last night at Peacehaven Community Farm in Guilford County. Peacehaven is becoming a type of group home for adults with developmental and physical disabilities. It's a sweet piece of land along the side of a beautiful lake, with a vegetable garden, cattle, goats, pigs, chickens and sheep. I think we'll be spending more and more time up there. Slate and Patrick both can't wait until next week, when we hope to return.

A few of us tried to shore up the tomato plants. They had gotten so large and heavy they had broken their trellising!

Patrick, Buck and Slate, goofing off after the pot-luck that follows volunteer work days.

Tranquility. The sun setting beyond the barn.

Seagrove Potters for Peace

Saturday, August 14, 2010 - 9a-5p

Back in the late '70's and throughout the '80's I made lots of jars -- honey pots, spaghetti jars, sugar bowls, jewelry jars, spice jars and cookie jars, etc. I guess I got burned out on lidded pots, 'cause I haven't made very many since then, until recently that is. My latest two firings included quite a few little jars, which I've discovered work well as salt cellars and garlic roasters too. I still have a few left in the shop, and hope to make more between now and the Celebration of Seagrove Potters in November.
Little jars are kinda like bowls -- can you ever have too many?

I think I'm starting to get a grip on this whole grilled pizza thing, and last night everything just clicked. For the story, technique, recipe and <more>  

Meredith has posted her "Friday Nibbles" in regards to "Clay and Blogs:Telling a Story," a show in the Campbell House in October.

The latest edition of "In the Grove" has just been posted. Be sure and pick up a hard copy to share with your friends whenever in Seagrove.

Wild mushroom foraging workshop at Starworks Garden August 7th.

Don't forget the Seagrove Potters for Peace fund raiser August 14th. Click the link to find out who is participating.

Jeffrey Sachs paints a good picture of what economic recovery (sow the seeds of long-term growth) should look like. It makes sense to me. 

There will be a workshop on CSA's and organic gardening techniques at Goat Lady Dairy on Monday the 26th. at 6:00PM. You have to pre-register to attend. 

Finally, I've been playing with a new blogging platform, as if I had nothing better to do. It's the simplest blogging concept to date -- you can upload via e-mail, including images, even from your phone, and post other articles with just a click. My page is at tomgray.posterous.com. If you're thinking about this whole online journaling thing, posterous might work for you.