Best time to walk the dog? 

Early morning when the air is crisp and pungent with the the mix of smells and aromas from the grasses, the apple and cedar trees, the late summer flowers. 

Bo is interested in that squirrel scrambling up the tree, the tasty treats (we call them bugs) on the ground and those smells only he's aware of. I want to stop listen to the few birds that are talking, the far away sound of cars on the highway, the silence of the trees around me.  

He wants to go.

Everywhere.

Now.

I woke up before the alarm, again, to the sound of the sandhill cranes to the east discussing something.  Weather? Which route to take today? Who leads? Is there a leader?  I don't know.  Their call transports me millions of years ago.  I try to imagine this land that I live on before people were here. Before the ice age that changed everything for this place. I can't.

Every morning is special here.  If I can get up early enough, I can own the silence. At the end of August there's an urgency to get up early and not miss one.  Winter is coming, and it's just as wonderful to sip my coffee outside on a brilliant blue sunny winter morning, but the moments don't last like today's. 

When I can sit outside on my painted bench and take a Door County mini vacation.  

Hurray----It's summer in Door County and...........

it's hot and humid right now, I left the air conditioner in the gallery on this evening and I'm sitting in coolness enjoying myself and writing this letter. I think I'll sleep here!
Door County was called the "Air Conditioned Playground of the Midwest" years ago for years but not anymore. We have steamy hot days and nights when the fan doesn't do much but move the sticky air around.
Anyway, that's not the only thing that's hot here at the studio. We just had a firing and John unloaded the kiln today. You can go over to our Facebook page and see the new pots right now.

Work in Progress......

and..........    

Completed.  

     
Here's one John and I created together. We think it's amazing. Can't even tell you how I felt when I saw it this afternoon. Stop in the gallery. We'll have the pots on the shelves by Monday.Or you can wait a week and come to our Anniversary/Birthday party on Saturday, August 22 from 1-5 and party with us as we celebrate 41 years here at EBP and John's 72nd birthday. I wrote a blog post sharing my thoughts on anniversaries and birthdays which you can read here.
We'll have cupcakes and refreshing beverages and stimulating conversation all afternoon. Please come.

UPCOMING EVENT!
Our September 'AMOST PERFECT POTTERY SALE' is coming up soon. It's one day only--Saturday September 12, 10-5. I'll send a reminder early September, but put it on your calendar.

ON THE BLOG!
A delegation from Jingdezhen was in Door County in July and they came up to our studio for a short talk and visit. (Eleven years ago Jingdezhen and Door County became Sister Cities; and two years ago John and I were members of a Door County delegation that were guests of Jingdezhen.) The delegation consisted of doctors and an administrator and they were most interested in learning about our health care system in Door County. They got to experience a good ol' Door County potluck and brat fry, visit some of the our parks and meet people. I've got more about that experience on our blog.

Thank you for reading.
Diane

PS

One more thing. We're on TripAdvisor and we'd so appreciate it if you would leave us a comment or review. If you have a suggestion or criticism, email us. We're always looking to improve everything we do. Thank you very much.
dm

https://tinyletter.com/ebpottery

I still think and dream about China.  We flew over so many mountain ranges and they were beautiful.  The cities were full of an amazing variety of people and food and each building qualified as an antique.  History in every step.  And this history goes back thousands of years.  I still don't grasp this. 

John and I were in China in 2013 as members of the Door County Sister City delegation.  We were all guests of Jingdezhen and they provided a hotel and food and transportation and tours and entertainment for three full days.  

So when we heard a delegation from Jingdezhen was coming for a few days in July we knew we'd have to be as involved as our crazy summer schedule would allow.  We joined everyone involved with the Sister City relationship in sharing a uniquely Wisconsin tradition: a barbecue.  A brat fry, more specifically.  

The next day everyone came to our studio to visit and hear John and I give a talk about our work and so many photos were taken.  Of course, we all love taking photos with each other.

In our gallery we have a small display showcasing some of the porcelain pottery made in Jingdezhen, the home of porcelain.  In fact, the Chinese were pioneers in the technology to fire pottery at high temperatures using wood.  And no pyrometers.  Just by using their ears, eyes and brains.  Amazing. 

Here's a list of some articles from the July 2015 Jingdezhen delegation to Door County.  

http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/story/news/local/door-co/news/2015/07/11/chinese-medical-professionals-visist-door-co/30007373/

http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/story/news/local/door-co/news/2015/07/14/chinese-visit-door-county-ministry-hospital/30162531/

An article about the 2015 Door County delegation visiting Jingdezhen in April 2015

http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/story/news/local/door-co/news/2015/04/22/door-county-delegates-visit-china/26169541/

I mark my days, weeks, months, years by what's happened in the past.  Two years ago this October we went to China. Twenty-one years ago John and I married. Seventeen years ago John's Dad died and my Mom died.  There are birthdays and holidays and weddings scattered throughout these years. It's easy to forget how much my past influences my decisions today, so making a point of remembering these moments and even celebrating them brings my attention to how important they are to me now. 

Actually, since we work hard every day making pottery, mowing the lawn, washing the dishes, weeding the garden, talking to customers, demonstrating in our studio, vacuuming the gallery floors, sweeping the cobwebs that re-appear daily, making a big deal of an anniversary may even seem like one more chore on my To Do list. And I even groan and whine to myself, why do I have to throw a party, again. 

Because we should pay attention to what we've done. We should honor the hours spent in the studio or gallery or on the lawn mower, that kept us here for forty-one years. We should stop and appreciate our own selves, and then share that amazement with our friends.  We are amazed that it's already been forty-one years in Ellison Bay at EBP.  

It IS a big deal, and on Saturday, August 22 from 1-5 we're going Celebrate our 41st year here AND John's 72nd Birthday all at once.  We're going to eat cupcakes and sip something cold and refreshing and toast ourselves and YOU, all of our friends.  We'd enjoy ourselves a whole lot more if you were here to celebrate this with us.