Solstice

tomorrow is the Winter Solstice - the shortest day of the year. oh yeah, Christmas is right around the corner too. my buddies, Daniel and Joseph, who i mentioned in the previous post,helped me to understand that the holidays we celebrate are connected to the Earth's trip around the Sun, and to the thinking that existed before Christianity. no one knows the actual birth date of Christ, so it was deemed a good idea to use the Winter Solstice, since it was already being celebrated. our Christmas holiday was " piggy - backed " onto the pagan observance. and look into the history of Coca-Cola to find out why Santa Clause looks the way he does. in Europe, where Christmas began, he is depicted as tall and lean. that guy could more easily get down one's chimney. hmmm ......... start piercing the veil. it's a whole lotta fun !!! so, what does all this mean? we are still connected, in our thinking and actions, to something bigger ....... though we don't know it. i just came back from turning a kiln on and it is starting to get light in the Eastern sky and the traffic on Rt. 4 is picking up. being a potter is a lot like being a farmer. once into a cycle of production it is a daily thing. and i mean every day. seven days a week. it's a privilege to be able to work like this and to be outside before the Sun comes up. and to have this quiet time of day to think about it all ......

go in Peace

other things . . .

OK ...... so i'm a potter ..... but i intend to have different links and what-not here on my blog. the " usual suspects " in terms of pottery books, magazines, links, etc. are pretty well covered. if you are reading this you most likely have an interest in pottery and are already aware of all that stuff.
that being said, some interesting reading can be found in the work of Daniel Quinn. how we got to this point from the advent of agriculture. the first book of his that i read was My Ishmael and it was a real eye opener. don't be fooled by the seemingly simple writing.

along the same lines another hero of mine was Joseph Campbell. i recommend The Power of Myth, and that can be digested most easily in the interview format with Bill Moyers on dvd. his phrase " follow your bliss " keeps me making pots ............ and music. more about music and guitars especially in future " other things " blogs.

lovecompassionhumor and good Rock & Roll.