My mini 120v kiln is up and running off the generator (center pic). I plug it in at the 20amp outdoor plug and run my big 7000w generator. This fill my solar battery while firing the cone 018 load for 1.5 hours. If I ran it just off my off grid 1000w system, the little kiln drains the battery ASAP.
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I love taking shots of pieces as they come out of the kiln. It's like christmas over and over! Though china paints are usually true to their paint-on color, they do smooth out and look slighlly different after a firing. So its always a pleasure to see work in its next colored stage.

After a long pause, I come back to the studio eager to begin again. It's been since January that I spent much time here. But it's time to prep for Christmas sales and a new piece for next Olympia Spring Artwalk.

So much has happened this year. Maybe I have said it before, but I spent 7 years traveling thousands of miles helping my cousin take care of my grandparents while they journeyed into dementia and alzheimers. After they passed last year I found myself recovering, but joyous too. I could go back home again and stay for good. 

After my cousin and I closed up my grandparent's house I loaded my old van with a lot of my grandfather's tools and things no one wanted.
After getting home, I found myself using so much of what-reminds-me-of. I donned my grandpa's old apron to work in the garden. I used wrenches in the plumbing remodel and odd drill bits in wooden boxes. It seemed every day I was using things that celebrated my connection to my grandparents. More laughter than tears.....
They were thrifty and would have loved to see those useful things get a second life. 

A pent up energy was waiting in reserve to move forward, to be at home. Even before spring sprung, I remodeled my tiny house. I ripped up the floor, put in bamboo. I ripped out smelly osb steps and made pine and redwood stairs, next I built new cabinets. And It didn't end there, I made and bought all new furniture, remodeled the bathroom. AND finally added hot water to the INSIDE of my house.

In almost a frenzy as a result of all that waiting come to an end....
​Then summer came: I built more gardens-food and flower. I invented a greywater system (more about that in my off grid blog-click). I cleared a big piece of land to extend my 9 vine vineyard to 40.  I made a goose coop and a chicken tractor. I built a bee house! AND yes I drank a lot of coffee.

​New birds came to the mini farm.......big chickens joined my dutch bantams......and beautiful GEESE! 
​Like a Grimm's fairy tale, the geese chitter chatter, chase raccoons, do goose yoga and gaurd me and the chickens. They travel in a gang roving the land for fresh grass and fallen fruit-watch out!

​Staying at home, letting the world pass me by I came out of a cocoon of sorts. Chaotic and organized creative energy sparking all year.

So now as the leaves fall it's a good time to start back to work in the studio. In addition to getting a sculpture ready for Spring Artwork at Childhood's End Gallery in Olympia, I have mushroom ornaments, moths and bird sculptures to finish for the Holidays.

Also looking forward to 2026, as I will participate in a show with three artists....owls....hawks and many fabulous pieces are in the sketchbook already....Boxes of clay waiting to be used.

Today I crank up 'Chilltrax' on the computer....set up the worktable.....then I open the amazing array of sparkling china paint colors. I unscrew bottles of medium that smell of cloves and lavender. The cat door flips open and Werewolf comes in, joins me on the workbench and we begin again.