Merry Christmas out there in the world. 
Now after the winter solstice we can start the slooow increase in daylight time.  Something most of us in the upper part of the US look forward to!

The ETSY Christmas rush is over, tree is trimmed, and fruit cake made.  Yum.

Now tonight we wait for colder temps and the bunnies to come out in the light from the yard light and frolic.

All is quiet.
Have a happy day.

December with the snow falling.

Wow, it's December 8th, lightly snowing and actually above zero. The wind is still (finally) and I have returned from the frigid studio's back room after packing a bunch of etsy orders!! PTL!  Shows are done and now my days are spent photographing pottery for etsy.  The kiln needs unloading from it's bisque run but it's been below zero since Tuesday, so I have no desire to be out in that!!
I think over the past year and am amazed at how fast the time went. It seems only yesterday (such a cliche) that I was so happy to have it 50 degrees at 6am.  We are so driven by the cycle of the sun up here north of the 45th parallel.  How can we not be? I find myself lingering in bed over that 2nd cup of coffee as I wait for daylight to show out the window and it's almost 7am.  Now I just wait for the temps to moderate a bit so I can go walking in the woods out back and check out all the animal prints.
Tuffy the cat is a constant reminder of how even house cats get housebound. During summer he spends most of his day out on a run attached to the clothes line where he can enjoy the day but not hurt any birds or become prey himself! Now he torments my attempts to get pottery listed on etsy!

Stay warm out there, enjoy the season. More soon

I had a fantastic time at the fall quilting retreat held at the Doubletree by Hilton in Rochester MN. This 3 day "sew in" was organized by Roseann from Rosebud's Cottage in White Bear Lake MN. Why would a potter leave the studio during the ramp up before the Christmas season of shopping and do this? Cause sometimes we must feed the spirit/soul to further increase the creative process. Doesn't that sound wonderful? Or, if you don't believe that line, cause it's fun and I have to sometimes get out of the studio. But I am back, and happy to be here. The kiln got unloaded, vacuumed out, and I checked inventory and emailed back to customers concerning some pots. I checked the mail, etc and hauled upstairs my sewing stuff to the quilting room. It is good to be home, but I miss my daughter and her family (where I helped out for a time after the retreat). Our show schedule for the rest of the year is November 23rd at the Rhinelander Middle School. We are in the left hallway as usual. Then after Thanksgiving Barry heads to De Pere to the Red Bird Holly Craft show. He will have a double booth in the Gym. Come visit us there or on etsy. Happy Thanksgiving to all.

Oh the sadness of fall, the studio is closed, we do more craft shows but the fun of fall is going on a fall quilting retreat to just have a wonderful time doing a non work type of thing. Namely, quilting. My daughter Amanda was there too, working on a batik quilt. Barry did the last outdoor show mid October in Green Lake WI. Now it's get more pots measured and photoed to list on TallPinesPottery.etsy.com for the Christmas season.

Wow, The month of June in northern Wisconsin seems more what I would guess Washington state is like weather-wise! In the last 2 days Saint Germain has had 2.2 inches of rain. But we need it up here. I watch the news at night and it's flooding south of us. And north in Canada too. God keep everyone safe. I am at the studio everyday and starting to watch the traffic pick up on the highway. This weekend will mark the offical (for us at least) beginning of the tourist trade. Already I've had several returning customers in for visits and shopping. Excellent to be able to catch up on their winter stories. We are blessed by the connections we have with so many folks. Weather permitting I try to get mugs thrown every day, and never enough bowls and cheese bowls. During my breaks I check out the garden, pull a weed or so and wish my tomato plants would grown better. Well, off to work.

It's June, but feels like May in northern wisc.

Gee, what have we been doing? Getting the studio ready and opened for the season, although the weather has been challenging. But, since I don't have the heartbreaking situation as those in OK, I am blessed. We have been spreading pea gravel, Barry's been fishing and I had the fun of replacing my relays in my Skutt kiln. Oh joy, but I think it worked!! We don't have a show until July 13th at Torpy Park in Minocqua. Hopefully the tourists will be up to enjoy the day! Until then you can find us at the studio everyday 9 to 5.