And the days keep passing, slowly but surely. A lot of the big hotels opened for business on Thursday. Hope all goes well. We've been having some wild weather lately. Two days ago it was 107 - tomorrow it might not even make 80! And the WIND has been BLOWING. By Tuesday it is still supposed to be relatively cool and no wind so we hope to take one of the drones somewhere so Bill can play with it.
We've also had some pretty sunsets.
And sunrises.
I have continued working on the necklace. All the tubes are done here and I was starting to make the loops.
Also started another project, an applique picture of a Japanese Lady. I've had the pattern for years. Just picking out the material here and making the pattern. It will be a quilted wall hanging - or not. I have some embroidered Japanese Ladies blocks I've also had for years - so maybe a larger quilt.
A really pretty sunrise yesterday morning.
I finished the necklace.
A closer look at the loops.
And am continuing to work on my Japanese Lady. Next step is the applique work. Using the sewing machine. The the embellishments and finally the quilting, if I get that far. The big blue circle is an umbrella with the embellishments it will look like one.
Been watching lots of NASCAR. Today the #18 came in second. Getting to be more like he should be. Yesterday he got TWO speeding penalties in the truck race - not the way to win! Sorted through all my bead stuff and found a couple more projects I started sometime in the past. Will try to get them finished. Bill uncovered and got the Jeep running and out front. We'll be using it again for a while. Hopefully Tuesday when it is supposed to be nice and not windy.
Finishing up on our visit with Tico. We went there a few times, and I tried to take different pictures each time. So this series may be a little disjointed and out of order. Going out into the back yard to see the beginning of the process. Just outside the back door. A small kiln.
Another time we came there were pieces of clay on it.
Here is the clay he uses. He gets it from the hills just outside of town. A pile of the clay after he has collected it. Needs to be sifted to a fine texture and all rocks etc. removed. He keeps the clay moist in a covered area. Puts it here after he has sifted and cleaned it.
Shoeing us a plump of the moist clay.
Covering it back up to keep it clean and moist.
Some pieces that are defective sitting on the ground around the big kiln.
Looking at the big kiln.
His grand father made this kiln It is pretty old.
Looking up at the back of his home.
Just some pretty flowers growing in the yard.
Bill is always learning.
Their broom.
Back out front. The pieces of leather floating in a bowl of water.
Lumps of clay waiting to be worked into useful objects. He uses some dry clay to keep the piece he is working from sticking to the table. Like flour with dough.
The front of his home.
Bill talking to him about some wood.
One day there was laundry on the line fence.
A couple of bowls drying.
The dark room holds molds and odds and ends that he uses.
The mold for the small bowl.
And that concludes my post. Hope you enjoyed our visit with Tico as much as we did. We sure hope that Tico and all the people we know in La Noria have managed to avoid the virus. They are all interesting and wonderful people.
Going to write about an experience from last winter as nothing is going on around here now. One of the days we were out and about - going to La Noria we made it a priority to find the local potter. First we found out his name - Tico. And after asking several people we got direction to where he lives. So off we went. Tico's home, he was out on the porch working on a large bowl. See it sitting in front of him.
He is turning it and smoothing and shaping it. He turns it with his foot.
Another shaped bowl drying on the sidewalk. It will eventually have three feet to hold it up.
More shaping and smoothing. He uses a piece of wet leather to smooth the outside of the bowl.
Trimming the edges
More work shaping. Notice the roof of the home. The main part of the home was over 100 years old.
Putting the bowl out to dry.
We went back again and I took some videos. He is using a glob of clay that he flattens by slamming it on the table to smooth out the bowl. Working on making a large bowl - both videos have sound. To view full screen Click Here Then he made a small bowl part of a mortar and pestle set.
Showing it to Bill. The wet clay is over his template.
The template has a design etched on it so it leaves an impression in the wet clay. The inside of the bowl he was working on. He also scallops the edges to finish it.
Making the pestal.
Sorry it is blurry. Inside his living room. Lots of pots, vases, cups and other items that he has finished.
takes a lump of clay and flattens it. Gets the template and puts the damp clay over it. Showing us the wet leather - from Home Depot - that he uses to smooth the work. Putting a foot on the bowl. Here he is working on one of the small bowls. < To view full screen Click Here Here he is showing us the strength of the bowl. Mark is standing on it!
Showing us some of the other items he has made.
A water jug.
These are all items commonly used in Mexican kitchens and homes.
Vases, jugs and turtles.
This room is part of the original home, built over 100 years ago. The ceiling.
Salsa any one?
I will stop here for today and continue our visit with Tico tomorrow.
