Hello! How are you all doing? What do you think about during the shortest month of the year? I get a lot of alone time thinking in the studio, especially when throwing bowls. Today, while musing about what can I tell you about the process, I looked down and saw this - a bowl direct center with rays of sunshine emanating from the piece. Then it hit-- this drab, messy, monochromatic and very soothing, methodical time of throwing work is just the beginning of a process that ends in something very colorful. Like a caterpillar metamorphosing into a butterfly.

But it takes time and right now in the studio it is slow going. Pieces are taking their own sweet time to dry.

Like for instance, I'm working on a large tile project. It takes a long time for the individual pieces to dry so the tiles do not warp. During this time, my space to work is limited to the edges of my work table.

Seems like the message of "Going Slow" is showing up all over today. In the Facebook Group, Clay Buddies, a post came up of go slower and be more efficient, have less mistakes and actually work faster.

Going to the post office over lunch, "Going Slow" kept me from wrecking the car. Let me give you the back story: Post office, 3 miles from house, all large hills. It's snowing, but not necessarily hard at house, first mile of road clear, next two (which are on steep hills) not so clear and the flakes are falling heavier....and the road is getting covered. Cresting the hill, I see a stalled car, slowly I manage to go around, seeing if there was anyone inside (no), and start to fish-tail. After fish-tailing twice, I make it to the post office, drop off packages and prepare for the return trip. Very, very slow - like 15 mph for the two miles up and down the hill. But I made it safe and can type this story.

** I would have loved to take a photo of the crest of the hill into Makanda, but considering I was driving it wouldn't been safe, here's a view of what I was driving through from my house.**