Hail the Mighty Oak

Latvian song at Summer Solstice in honor of the Oak Tree.

Comment by nauriss from 4 years ago:

 Before the lyrics, I’ll try to explain a few words:

Līgo - sway (name of the first day of Midsummer) Jānis - Diety of fire (name of the second day of Midsummer) (just in plural - Jāņi) Oak tree, oak tree, Your big width, Three days sun came, Yet couldn’t come. Oak tree, oak tree, Your big bushiness, Three days Partridge came, Yet couldn’t come. Oak tree, oak tree, Your big greatness, Daughters/Girls came singing, While breaking branches for the flowers crowns. Oak tree, oak tree, Your big eld, I was born, found you, I will die, you will stay. Gather along children of Jānis, Under the bushy oak tree, Under the bushy oak tree, There’s the Jānis’ place of honor.

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Glassmine Falls overlook, Blue Ridge Parkway

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"If you believe the earth is sacred, you have to do something to stop greedy and stupid people from destroying the very life-support systems that sustain us." 

- Starhawk, from her invitation to her 75th birthday celebration June 17, 2026.

A very wonderful book, The Comfort of Crows, by Margaret Renkl, offers some great words about oak trees.

"At the base of each new tree, Haywood sets a five-gallon bucket with a hole he drilled into the bottom. This was my mother's approach for keeping young plants alive, a poor man's drip-irrigation system. The slow release of water allows the tree's roots time to take up moisture. As it grows, Haywood moved the bucket farther out, coaxing the roots to reach, giving them a reason to set themselves firmly into the earth. Once a tree is well established, it's time to plant another.

and

"...more and more I ponder words like bounty and replete and enough. I think of what we are losing from this world and of what we will leave behind when we ourselves are lost. The trees. the stories. The people who love us and who know we love them, who will carry our love into the world after we are gone."

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Art in Bloom - Alchemy of Clay blog has some photos each day for this year's display of art with floral arrangements at the Black Mountain Center for the Arts 

 

Art sculptures - Gundi Dietz

 

Sharing with Thankful Thursday and Alchemy of Clay

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Tears are as natural to us as breathing and there is beauty in allowing yourself to be open to the pain of tears.

Art gallery with animals and more

  Yes, art is still flowing through my veins, as I appreciated the creations of other artists recently.

The Black Mountain Center for the Arts had it's 25th anniversary recently.

My friend Helen saw the exhibit in the gallery and urged me to see it, so we dropped by the week that the show was to close.

I immediately recognized this Libba Tracey ceramic sculpture. Her style of birds and putting them on wheels!

A nice photograph from Scotland by Susie Sweet, who's a friend from the BMCA ceramic studio where I used to make my pottery. I still don't know the story of the Kelpies.

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I'm cutting out a few of the art pieces here, but they are on the longer post over on my art blog "Alchemy of Clay."

Helen and the swan. We saw all the writing on the feathers, but weren't quite sure if there were many words. I think if Helen were to take any of the art home with her it would be the painting of the barn to the left in the background.

I say goodbye from the swan and hello to Saturday's Critters with Eileen.

Emilee's Walk (and where I had lunch)

I'm posting some art from the Black Mountain Center for the Arts at Alchemy of Clay

I love that someone has gone around town giving labels to trees that are historic. The two railroad spikes in this one might mean someone else thought this was an important tree.

I admit that I wouldn't have known this as a yellow buckeye.

I can't decide which shot of this view I like best, above has the path along Flat Creek, while below just shows the creek.

In North Carolina people look at the Wooly Worm caterpillars to tell if it's going to be a severe winter or not...and they are usually black or brown. So who knows what a yellow one means!

I like the shadows in this one cast across the water.

Taken on Oct. 3, there weren't many colorful leaves yet.

It's always a good idea to look up at the tallest trees around. Blue sky day!

And here's the view of Flat Creek from Ole's Guacamole Restaurant, where we had lunch. The motel is across the wide expanse of lawn, and sometimes children will go across the little bridge and play next to the water.

Ole's has some indoor seating, but we preferred to be outside on this beautiful day.

Today's quote:

"Water does not resist. Water flows. When you plunge your hand into it, all you feel is a caress. Water is not a solid wall, it will not stop you. But water always goes where it wants to go, and nothing in the end can stand against it. Water is patient. Dripping water wears away a stone. Remember that... Remember you are half water. If you can't go through an obstacle, go around it. Water does."

- Margaret Atwood (The Penelopiad)

 

500 issues of their blog!

Congratulations to Sepia Saturday! This is their 500th posting.

I sometimes share something of historic interest (to me at least). But I always find the other Sepians have some really interesting things to read about!  Since 2009 Allan and Miriam have put this theme out on blogger, with a prompt photo that I often can't match. But they are kind and let me post my dribs and drabs of old photos and stories.

Here's my first posting (or just about) from Alchemy of Clay Oct. 2010. I don't think I'd found SS yet.

And "When I was 69" started in Sept. 2012...HERE.  It was a blog that let me chat about other aspects of my life besides my pottery interets.

My first sharing with Sepia Saturday (on "When I was 69") was their edition number 150, Nov. 10, 2012...about phones and switchboards.  I certainly didn't post every week, whether on topic or not.  And usually if I didn't post, I didn't read the others' posts either. Shame on me.

What do I have to share on this momentous occasion? Head scratching, reviewing some old files...

I'll go with some seasonal shots from 2012...one of the few times I had family visit me (at least since I moved to Black Mountain NC and live in smaller and smaller places!) Since I started blogging about then, I may have actually posted some of these photos before. (Sorry friends, they aren't really Sepia, again.)

A sellfie with a digital camera (before I had a smart phone) of myself in red, and daughter-in-law, Kendra.

Son, Tai, and Kendra converse about the dinner...and I found when I visited them, they do this over just about every meal!  A couple of dedicated chefs!

Tai and myself visiting a good friend and neighbor.

 I love this candid shot of Kendra coming up with something interesting, while Tai watches.

The dinner was delicious, and I found candlelight is hard to take photos. But I was more interested in eating at the time!

And I noticed that before they arrived, I did post a Sepia Saturday about real black and white photos from the 50s...so I've posted it below, so you can visit my past Christmas.

I hope everyone has a happy Christmas, and enjoys the turning of our mother earth through the Winter Solstice and begins the next year with joyful hearts!

Friday, December 21, 2012

Christmas past

Posting this for the Sepia Saturday coverage...and to share some thoughts and pictures from my earlier life.  Can't post a picture of Christmas in the future anyway.  So lets enjoy the past.

In 1953 our tree was real (it may have been about the time artificial trees came out, but not for us)  I loved the colored lights (all different colors, big bulbs) and the tinsel which was strung carefully, one by one.
My gifts are on the right...and I don't know what the boxes contain, but there's definitely an orange in my stocking (lying next to my Betsy McCall doll).  I remember Betsy McCall paper dolls which I'd cut out of McCall's magazine.  The real doll was a disappointment, but I don't remember why, the capricious nature of a young girl of 11.  I did learn how to play a simple form of dominoes (right there in front).

This was taken a month before Christmas, our apartment is on the second floor, reached by the porch to the right.  I remember how snow was beautiful for about an hour in St. Louis in 1953, then the coal dust settled on it, making it all grey.  We had to be quick to enjoy playing in it.  Of course it was nice to have a coal furnace to keep us warm.  Our Texas blood (and probably clothes) made us cold easily.

The best place to sled was Art Museum Hill, though there was a lake at the bottom, and we always were scared we'd tumble into it at the end of the long hill.  My Dad was the pusher to get us going, I don't think he tried to ride down with us.  But he may have come and rescued us and pulled the sleigh back up the hill (probably).

This is my Sepia Saturday contribution for the next couple of weeks...they will be back next year!  Add your own link to the fun, if you wish, follow the instructions on their blog!  And enjoy looking at the interesting historical blogs that are linked there!

Latest work in clay

Wall Pillow - stoneware with a back, slip trailed design in glaze  $50

Monarch Butterfly on Milkweed - Wall Pillow stoneware with slip trailed glaze design work - $75 (must be held for an exhibit in September)

Plate with Tree Woman, slip trailed glaze design on white clay $75

Wall pocket, for hanging on wall, joyful goddess design in slip trailing in glazes $35

Moon Dancer plate, slip trailed glaze designs - $75

The Split Personality

My other self may be found here...Alchemy of Clay