Willow the Wonder Dog

The wind has finally stopped blowing, and although there is a fine dusting of black ash in any room that had a slightly cracked-open window, the leaves and branches were blown off of my front patio and left me free from sweeping! I long for the time within a warm day to sit out at the potter's wheel and throw some plates for Dear Nava.

Willow the Wonder Dog came at an inopportune time when I felt total responsibility for her despite the lack of employment or spousal support. She has been a bundle of joy since Day One, and although she is a ton of work, she is also the joie de vivre. Her spirit resonates with happiness, and I adore her for her zany sense of humor, her innate desire to play all the time, her courage, and her undying loyalty. She and I have been working on walking to the arena with Tillie the horse...them on lead ropes, me in the middle....yes, a human wishbone. Having a 9 month old pup on your left, and a 4 year old horse on your right is not always the best combination if there is busy traffic and loud noises. One day a school bus sailed by and frightened Miss Tillie who did some fancy prancing, and sent Willow into "Oh no, I am going to be kicked and killed" mode, but we got through it, and to the arena we arrived. One gentleman stopped and said, "I think you have your hands full!" And I said, "Indeed! This may not be the best combination!" And he replied, "Are you going to be alright?" To which I said, "Yes, I am." And we were.

Willow was kicked by Tillie which caused minor muscle bruising when Willow was quite young. In a way, it was the perfect kick. Willow is so eager to be a best friend to everyone that her antics around the horses were terrifying. The hose popped one day, spooked Tillie, and Willow was in the way....thus, a sad, limping, crying puppy. My equine vet applied acupuncture a few days later, and Miss Willow was once again the Wonder Dog. I was relieved to see that she retained the lesson and is more cautious around horses. It is fun to watch her as we drive down the street and she sees other riders on their horses. It is the same face she makes when we go to the clay studio and she sees other people working on the potter's wheels. It's a look of acknowledgement, an awareness that she recognizes something from her own daily experiences.

Thus, today, I will attempt to attach a photo to honor this Wonderful Pup.

Wind and Red Shoes

It has been a long and tiring day without much sleep, but teaching a class at Zinnia is always a Good Thing. Not only does Tamara attract creative, enthusiastic, people, but they are good-hearted, positive, and full of life. I was very happy to have her share Chris' blogspot and see that Chris had not only mentioned me and Zinnia, but took the time to photograph each step of the origami box that I have been teaching, and posting it with excellent instructions (extra kudos for remembering that last step that makes the cover a bit zippier and more professional)!! WOWWW!!! The book-in-a-box project allows for so much versatility. It is practical, yet can be funky or crafty, and of course, useful. Who doesn't want a handmade box with a perfect fitting lid?? (I once said as I was skipping down the street in my new "sneakers:" WHO wouldn't want bright red shoes like these??! And the gentleman with whom I walked said, "Certainly not me." And any time he says, "If I were in your shoes....except, of course those red sneakers!" I have learned that even though is seems impossible, there are actually people who may not... Unbelievable of course. However, I am more confident about the boxes.) SO again, thank you CHRIS!!! You are the Gold Star of the Season!!!

It has been very windy in the foothills...so windy, in fact, it took my chain link fence down and I was 10 minutes late getting to class (a first!). As soon as I got to South Pasadena, the wind was gone and it was warm. As soon as I drove up Lincoln on my way home, I was once again Dorothy in Kansas (hmmmm...maybe a link to those red shoes...). Tons of debris is flying through the air, but I must tell you that my 4 year old Tillie horse handles this wind like a Champ. Most horses would be seeing ghosts and hearing mountain lions, but not my Tillie. She just whinnies for more food, and meets me at the gate for a carrot. I could see a thick black cloud of fire ash on the horizon being churned up by the winds as I sat here looking west eating my breakfast. We need a bit of rain to push this ash into the earth where it belongs (and will actually do some good). I wish I knew how and where to collect a few cups of that ash. I could make my own glaze for my clay vessels and call it Station Fire Ash (may be almost as popular as that lovely Mt St Helen's glaze that was so sought after years ago).

A blog is a strange, but good idea, I think. I am sitting here in my red cowgirl boots, and I am convinced that my best decisions are made when wearing red foot attire. Take my advice: buy some now and don't let anyone tell you that your wardrobe will not match. That is the point after all, isn't it: they are intended to stand out.

Closing on this blustery day.