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Coutts Days come and gone.

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Coutts Days is this weekend and Jim and I have become engulfed in the process of getting ready for it. I’m not sure how it happened , but we have become very involved, very quickly in this little town. Every Coutts Days starts out the same, and has for years, as I mentioned in the last post. They have the Pancake Breakfast and then the parade. This years theme for the parade is Peace, Love and Tie Dye.

One group we somehow got very active in, is the seniors club, and I’m not even a senior. Jim got elected as president, he is a senior, but just barely. We do as much as we can for the group. Some of those people are very senior and often it is much like visiting “the home” when you attend meetings or pot luck suppers. The theme of the parade is basically the 60’s, but this is rural Alberta. Peace, Love and Tie Dye never did make it this deep into ranch country. During the 60’s, the seniors we are working with, were not aware of that culture, so trying to remind them about the sex and drugs and rock and roll is kinda cute. We are helping them build a float for the parade where they all will be Flower Children, they never saw listening and dancing to music they never heard. Should be fun.  Neither Jim or I can be apart of the float. I have the trade show and Jim is taking pictures and video of the parade. We are building the float Wednesday, but Jim and I will make all the signs today. We have the truck and trailer lined up, so the ladies just need to decorate.

Now skip ahead to Tuesday after Coutts Days. Or was that daze.

The decorating went okay. The day we said we could help, the other ladies couldn’t, didn’t or forgot to come. They decorated on Thursday. Jim had the music all lined up and working. They won first prize in the parade and as soon as they won, there was a glitch, it got unplugged, they didn’t see that it was unplugged so for the parade, it was quiet. It was the day the music died.  Here is the parade. 

The trade show went fairly well. Saturday was good and Sunday was a bust. At this point I would love to add pictures of the parade, the breakfast, the show, vendors, but we didn’t take any pictures??? I don’t know where our heads were, but not behind a camera.

The show was a fund raiser for the school, and the fund raising part didn’t do that well. We raised about 75% of what we did last year. People didn’t buy the raffle tickets or bid up the silent auction items. It is what it is, or was what it was. We worked hard and did our best. We will try something new for next year. Like the farmers that surround us, next year will be a good one.

Until next time,

Cindy

 

“A Change Is Gonna Come”

Coutts Days, Fun and Family, Life in a small town., News, Pottery, Summer Craft Show, , , , , , , , , , ,

Every third weekend in June, Coutts has their Coutts Days. The Coutts Grass Rodeo takes comes t town and a large home coming slow pitch baseball tournament takes place.

Hold on to more than your hat.
Hold on to more than your hat.
The pitch, the ballet. It is all in the technique.
The pitch, the ballet. It is all in the technique.
The line up for pancake breakfast. .
The line up for pancake breakfast.

The town has their parade and pancake breakfast. It’s a pretty big deal for this little town and has been for forty plus years without change.

The gym during the show. We had a great a turnout.
The gym during the show. We had a great a turnout.
The first year of vendors in tents.
The first year of vendors in tents.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have been working on putting together the Second Annual Coutts Days Art, Craft and Trade Show. Except for last year, there has never been summer craft show here in Coutts. Last year was our first year and it was a hit. Now this year, we are expanding the show  That’s where the rub is . This is a small town, 275 people small. There are people who have been here their entire lives and don’t handle change well. So when we come in, bring in new ideas and then doing something about them, it upsets some of the locals. I don’t know how many times I have been told that they never did that before, or  that’s not the way we always do it, why should we change now. I also hear that the new people, us, don’t understand what Coutts Days is all about. The idea behind Coutts Days is only about the rodeo, baseball and fun. Tell that to the vendors that are coming down, with their products, hotel rooms, travel costs, 3 days away from home. I have been working to get pots together to sell not just to show them locals. The vendors and I hope to make some money. Making money is a part of idea behind Coutts Days, it’s fun! Also the show gives those people in town something else to do. I am hoping and planning to have a good show.

This town is slowly getting smaller and smaller. Granted, 275 is already pretty small. What some people  need to understand is that, doing nothing is still change. People have been doing nothing since they changed  the border approach, and long but that’s another blog,and it has gradually gotten smaller  and smaller.  It has changed and still is, changing. This little town is teetering on the brink. We need all the help we can get, and a trade show that brings in people can’t hurt. Jim, my husband,  and I plan to make some changes in this town. If Coutts is teetering on the brink, we want to help push the town over to the productive and growing side.  We hope to make changes and change is good.

Until next time,

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Aging 101.

Aging, Art and Motivation, Fun and Family, Life in a small town., News, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

My Mom had her 101st birthday last week. Mother was 45 when I was born and have been watching aging first hand for a long time. She is in an extended care home, confined to a wheel chair and hasn’t walked in years. Mom suffers from dementia and lives a in half  of a hospital like room with another lady that is not as infirm, but everyone there is there for a reason. Spending the last four days visiting Mom, others in the home and the staff, Lesson #1 in Aging 101, is that aging is not for wimps.

Lesson #2 be happy. Make whatever choices you have to make to ensure that you have a life that makes you happy. Happy where it counts, in the pit in of your stomach where all the true answers are. Don’t make choices motivated by fear, money, comfort, what others think, or any other reason. Make choices  you honestly think that are best for you. Not easy to do, but as we learned in Lesson #1, aging is not for wimps.

Lesson #3, Work, it is imperative to healthy and happy aging. It keeps our sense of self worth and ego. Wake up everyday with a purpose. If you don’t have one, get one. Make lists that are far to long to finish in one day. Doesn’t have to be a “job” in the traditional sense, but work. Find a way to keep your body and mind moving and fit. It’s easy to slide into a slow and lazy life, again, we can apply Lesson #1 here.

Lesson #4, Don’t take life personally. That often is a tough one.

Lesson #5, Don’t life too seriously, no one ever gets out alive.

Lesson#6, Make your own lesson plan.

It was an interesting week, seeing my Mother and sisters. Mother is 101 and us sisters are not getting any younger either. As I have watched Mom age, if have watched us girls getting older too. We have all aged very differently and our lives have few  similarities. I have two sisters and they have the responsibility of Mom and I only get down there when I can.  It was good to get together, but at the same time, it was an education in aging. Aging 101.

Happy Birthday Mom
Happy Birthday Mom

I found this video after I posted, but just had to add it! It made me happy to do so.

Until next time,

Cindy

 

 

 

AKA Mrs. Clay

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Out of the Fire Studio

The Clay Teacher

Cindy-Lou, Cindy-Lee and more videos.

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Coutts AB is a village of about 250 people. Last week a customer wanted to mail me a cheque to pay for a bowl and she asked for my address. I sent her the address, but what I didn’t tell her was that she could just send it to ” Pottery Cindy, Coutts AB” and I would get it. There are only two Cindy’s living in Coutts. I am Cindy-Lee and the other is Cindy-Lou. We are both friends with the lady in the Post Office and Tracey, the post office lady,  would know which one is Pottery Cindy.  If for some reason Cindy-Lou got mail for Cindy-Lee, she would walk over to my house and give it me. There are only about 15 streets and avenues in total in Coutts, so walking all the way across town to deliver a letter is not a problem. Being new town, everyone knows where the new people live.

We have been busy in the studio making pots and making videos. Here are the next two episodes in the saga of Studio Life in Coutts.

 

 

 

Winter has returned. Last week we were out walking in our shirtsleeves and this morning I woke to -18C with a nasty wind. Dang….. I am looking forward to spring. I am hoping for a cloudy start to the day tomorrow and that little smelly groundhog does not see his shadow. Fingers crossed! No more winter.

Until next time.

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AKA Mrs. Clay

Old Blog

Out of the Fire Studio

The Clay Teacher

How does it feels to be shot?

Art and Motivation, Glazes, Life in a small town., New Video, News, Pottery, Studio Life, Throwing, , , , , , , , , , , ,

We have been creating videos and them putting up on YouTube for a few years. It is a little odd and uncomfortable to see yourself up there. Over the years I have gained, lost  and gained weight, aged and have gotten better at speaking. I have often said that I am much taller, thinner and younger than I am in real life.  This next venture or adventure is exciting. Recording my day to day life in the studio will be something that I, if no one else, will find fun to follow. To be able to look back a week, month or in time, years, and see what I was making and how I made it, will be, again, for me at least, interesting. To be able see how much work I do, or don’t do. We will include town people, friends, and anyone else who will let us aim a camera at them and talk. The interview with Sharon the Librarian was only the start.

How does it feel to be shot? I guess the best word I can think of is flattering. I am always sensitive to how I look, not being tall, thin or young, but we get new subscribers daily. People must like what we are doing and what I have to say. We all want to be liked. “They” seem to like the videos. It feels good to be shot.

Here is Episode 7.

Friday afternoon the kids came and we made Garden Gnomes. It’s not quite spring  or gardening time, but we will be ready with Gnomes when it is.

They made wonderful gnomes! It was a fun afternoon.

It was a good weekend. Winter left with temperatures in the teens and high winds to blow all the snow away. I am glad to see it go. I am sure it will be back, but tomorrow is to be another day of temps in the teens. I will enjoy the warm days while they are here.

Until next time.

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AKA Mrs. Clay

Old Blog

Out of the Fire Studio

The Clay Teacher

 

I’ve been shot.

Art and Motivation, Life in a small town., New Video, News, Pottery, Studio Life, Throwing, , , , , , , , , , ,

Jim posted the first few videos we shot and I have let a few days slip by and I a few videos behind. Here are episodes 5 and 6. Please keep in mind, I am much taller, slimmer and younger than I am in real life.

 

For more information about the library, here is a link. We have episode 7 waiting in the wings. I will post that soon with pictures of the gnomes the kids made Friday afternoon.

Until next time.

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AKA Mrs. Clay

Old Blog

Out of the Fire Studio

The Clay Teacher

 

 

 

 

Ugly new glaze and no seniors walking, except us.

Art and Motivation, Glazes, Life in a small town., New Year, News, Pottery, Resolutions, Studio Life, Throwing, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Jim and I have been am trying to get more people using the school. Here in Coutts, there is this wonderful old school that is no longer a public school but an Arts and Rec Centre. It houses my studio, the local library, a massage therapist, and a storage/ practice room for the local country/ rock band. There is some use of the facilities, but for the most part, it is underutilized. Monday was to be the start of the Senior’s Walk. The school has a gym and weight room that are almost always empty. Since I am at the school  and in my studio weekdays, I opened the doors to the local seniors. The idea was to get people out of the house and have a safe and warm place to get a little exercise. However Mother Nature had plans of her own.

 

Minus 20 Celsius and 70 Kilometer winds is not a good way to start the week, or to get seniors, or anyone else for that matter, out of the their house. The school was quiet this morning, so I cranked the music and cleaned the studio. She looks good, a great way to start the New Year. Clean and tidy. It won’t last, but ….. so

Looking at the wheel in a very tidy studio.
The studio after a morning of cleaning.
Another look at the tidy studio.
Looking the other way.

I should have had before pictures to go with the after shots, but trust me, it was an unorganized mess. I had the ladies clay classes with a Christmas party and then the kids class and party. There were orders to get out, a couple of little trade shows and the Galleria in Calgary. Last year, when I was done, I walked out and shut the door. It was on its way to Hell in a hand cart, but it got refused at the door for being too messy.

Last year I was playing with what I thought was to be a new blue glaze, but it’s not what I had hoped for. I plan on working on some new  glazes later this month, but I have never really liked experimenting with glazes. We will see how it goes and how much I get done. My next blue has to be better than this syrupy sweet, baby powder blue.  The test looked interesting.

Small light blue bowl.
Little blue test bowl.

But as it got onto larger pieces, it reminded me of eating chocolate. The first little taste is good, but once it gets big, it is just too much. Candy Blue will not be seen again.

Yucky powder blue platter with bland splash.
Yucky blue platter with bland washed out iron splash.
A table of an assortment of wet pots.
First pots in 2015.

It felt good to back at work today and in such a tidy work space. I use a blend of two clays, and I have to pug to blend  all the clay I use. Before the Christmas break, I pugged a couple of bags or so, and today I threw what was mixed. When I ran out of clay, I had the option of pugging more, or walking laps in the school. Jim came down and we walked in the school. Fourteen times around, the inside, is one mile, a bit boring and a lot safer than walking outside on the ice.

 

Until next time.

Cindy

 

 

 

AKA Mrs. Clay

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Wow, next year already!

Christmas, Fun and Family, Life in a small town., News, Resolutions, Studio Life, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Another year bites the dust and we are in the first week of 2015. Where does time go? When my daughter was about 3, I said that , and she told me “behind the clouds”. I never understood what that meant. My son, being a pilot, should be able to get me some time back…… Jim and I  have gone through a number of changes in the past year and I look forward to more in 2015. I often got melancholy on New Year’s Eve, sad to see one year go and other start. Not this year “Future’s So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades“. New Year’s Eve was a good one. We went to visits friends for a while. Friends we didn’t know this time last year. Then back home for midnight.

Every year at this time, a lot of people start making New Year resolutions. Next year I will be thinner, eat less, exercise more, and so one. They all talk about change and the changes they want to  make in their lives. The changes I want to make are the same ones I have wanted for years, all the ones I listed above. I have “battled the bulge” my entire life. Living here is different than most places. People accept you for who you are. It doesn’t matter what you look like. There are  of people all sizes and they accept me, themselves and everyone else, for who they are. If I want to loose any weight, it is only for me. The only Coutone’s opinion that should matter. This year I plan to be healthier. I feel much better when I eat properly and exercise. Healthy food and exercise, it is not as easy as it sounds.

The holidays are over. We ate, drank, stayed up late and watched way too much TV. Spent time with family and friends. It was a great holiday and a good break, but it is time to get to work.

I wish everyone all the best in 2015. May it be a year of health and happiness.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Until next time.

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AKA Mrs. Clay

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After the fall.

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John flying back from Calgary AB.
My son John flying back from Calgary AB.

Christmas Eve Day was quiet and lazy. My son John drove down the day before and we were just sitting around the house. He brought his dog Harvey, and Harvey was getting a little bored. I decided to take take the dog out for a walk. We were going over to the neighbours later that evening, and a tired dog is better alone than a bored one. Jim came along. We like to walk and before the weather had turned cold we were walking about an hour a day. The streets were snowy and icy, but we were careful, or so we thought. We had been walking for a few blocks, and all of a sudden Jim’s feet went strait out from under him. He tensed and arched his back and landed on the back of his head on the road. His head, when it hit, made a horrible cracking noise, he let out a breathy groan through clinched teeth, and rolled into the fetal position.  Now I don’t have a lot of medical training, but I thought this can’t be good.

He got up after a few moments and said he could walk home…. Yeah right……We didn’t take a phone with us, as we were just going for a short walk. I could have phoned John to come and get us. We went to a friends house just across the street from where Jim fell to call John to pick us up. I have only speed dialed John for the last few years, and in the excitement, I couldn’t remember his number. Lori, the friend, said she would give us a ride. I got in the back or her SUV with the dog, and Jim was to get in the passenger seat, but he just stood at the back bumper, not moving. I got out and helped him into the car. We drove the few blocks to home. He got out and waited outside by the door for John to come out and take us to the hospital. We went to the hospital, and as we drove, he couldn’t remember the fall. He didn’t remember going to Lori’s, the ride with her, or getting in John’s car. As we drove, he didn’t remember the fall or talking about it a minuet before. As I said,  I don’t have a lot of medical training, but I thought this can’t be good.

JimHat
Buffalo Jim.

When we got to town and turned to get to the hospital, he knew where he was and the memories started recording again.  He had lost about half an hour of memories. It was like the recorder stopped. The doctor checked him out and Jim is fine. He has a nasty bump on his head, a very sore neck and his body feels like he was bounced it off the pavement, but he is okay. He was wearing his Buffalo Joe hat .He is not as scary as he looks in the hat and unlike the boy, he isn’t a pilot, he just likes the hat. I think the leather around his head saved him from it being much worse. His naked head on the frozen pavement would not have fared as well.  We went to the neighbours for Christmas Eve, but we didn’t stay late.

 

John and Harvey opening gifts.
John and Harvey opening gifts.

We had a quiet Christmas and Jim stayed comfortable in his jammie pants. Boxing Day was laid back, and John went home that afternoon to his life in Edmonton.

 

 

 

The fall happened so fast. One minute we are walking and talking about Christmas, the next minute we are on the way to emergency. Jim will be fine, sore for a while, but fine. The fall made it very clear how fragile our life is, how quickly things can change. For Christmas, the gift I got, was to keep my  new life and the people I love, in it. How could I  ask for more?

Group hug Christmas 2012
The family Christmas 2012

Until next time.

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AKA Mrs. Clay

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New rug and our Christmas Tree.

Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of ………Christmas….???

Christmas, Fun and Family, Life in a small town., News, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Christmas time, and the livin’  is easy                                                                                                              the snow is dumpin’                                                                                                                                           and the drifts are high …….

This is the first year since for…..ever….. I am ready for Christmas. The house is clean, well as clean as it is gonna get. The baking is done, again, as done as I am going to be. I’m just waiting for Christmas. Oh don’t get me wrong, I am not complaining, it just feels weird. This time of year is usually so crazy busy. Last year we were working on the house here and overwhelmed by the size of the job. We had to drive back 600 K to Edmonton on the 23rd, 450 K to Grande Prairie on the 24th. Then back to Edmonton Christmas Day to finish packing up the house to move out by year end. The years before we were working right up to Christmas and then I had all the prep to do. The kid or kids were home. This year is so nice.

We celebrated Christmas this past week with the community here in Coutts.  We  went to the seniors Christmas party, a pot luck and gift exchange. That was a HOOT.

Me at dinner with a Santa hat.

We had a fun gift exchange of Rob Your Neighbour.  On you turn, you can take a new gift from the table, or if you like someone else’s gift, you can take theirs. It was a lot of laughs. We almost had to take home an old and re-gifted box of very smelly men’s stuff, but at the last moment, some one surprising took it. The box of chocolates Jim ended up with was much better.    Table of gifts at the dinner.

Next we had the ladies Clay Class party. We had some food , drinks and another fun gift exchange.  The girls made some wonderful pieces for their first time working with clay.

Friday we had the kids clay class party, but we didn’t get any pictures. We had 13 kids after their last day at school, just before the ski-doo party. We fed them some sugar, supplied the with all kids of paints and for some reason, we got busy and forgot to take pictures. It wasn’t until they had left in a flurry of parents, hugs and  goodbyes, that we looked at the mess in the studio and thought ….. shudda taken some pics. Next thought was just leave the mess and close the door. It will be there next year. We did just that.

My son arrives tomorrow for a few days of doing nothing and taking the entire time to finish. We plan to visit the neighbours for Christmas Eve and then just us three for Christmas and Boxing Day.  We will eat, drink and binge watch Netflix for a few days and then he goes back to Edmonton Saturday or Sunday.

I wish everyone a very Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and best of the season. I hope you all have a very happy, healthy, wealthy and wise New Year.

Relax and enjoy!

Until next time,

Cindy

 

 

 

AKA Mrs. Clay

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