Joyce Lee on sat 17 aug 02
Thank you for the many posts I
received about working with bamboo.
They're each going into a special file for another time; they WILL be =
used, but not as immediately as I'd expected: change of plans .......... =
BECAUSE what I really needed was wood ... branches, bark,
small bits, large pieces, a lot of them .... and knew that I
couldn't make my usual foray into the Sierras for all the wood I might =
need for
a clay project (smoke, fire, cordoned off areas), sooo I hoped to =
substitute bamboo. Suddenly dawned on me that I must start looking for =
wood when I DO go into the mountains again ...
and, over time, whatever time it takes, amass what I Really Need =
instead of trying
to Substitute the bamboo. I recalled a few
small pieces (big enough for decorative
bits) in the sand out by the six newly planted Bird of
Paradise. On the way out, I paused as=20
usual to examine the squirrel/rabbit/quail
homes scattered about the scrub acreage.
Whatta
dork! Thinking of these spots as "homes,"
I'd stopped "seeing" their construction
material. Would you believe it? Five large elm trees
that fell during various wind/sand storms over the past few years!! =
(Happens regularly in the desert .... tree roots hit ground water, grow =
reasonably tall, wind comes along and whamo! they're gone... cut off at =
ground level).
Yearly somebody suggests that the=20
property wouldn't look so "scrub" if I'd
have the wood cut up for the fireplaces or
truck it off to the dump. Every year I say,
"Thank you, but no .... those are homes
and protection for the sparse wildlife we do
have." BUT for this purpose I only need
use the branches which are reaching up to the sky, leaving a few of =
course as perches for the Head Quail and Guard Assistants to stay on =
alert and keep the others forewarned and safe from =
coyotes&roadrunners&ravens, beautiful predators, but predators =
nonetheless.
All this resulted in a closer look at the rest of the flat desert =
landscape .... discovered that those "small rocks/pebbles" sticking out =
of the sand were tips of large pieces of quartz ... many with veins ... =
some rose quartz .... apparently the pioneer (lived here in what we =
refer to as "the well house," but hardly
qualifies as such) who made this part of the desert
his home decades ago, carted in the quartz to line paths and mark =
boundaries ... a couple hundred linear feet .... all buried in sand, =
layer by layer, from countless storms.
Talk about not being able to see beyond the end of your nose. Wonder =
what else
I've missed meandering through life in my straight&narrow non-artist =
fashion, keeping my eye on the "goal" .... worked, I admit; I've met
lots of goals ..... but still wonder what I've
missed ..... (it's ok to wonder, to explore one's
inner landscape.. to see perhaps what's missing there, also... check on =
its aridity, poke at the spots that are covered up layer by layer ... =
look for hidden treasures.... natural treasures we each harbor. Doesn't =
mean I'm "sad" .... don't need to be cheered up, but
thank you for thinking of me. For me, the destructive person-set fires =
also create the blood-red, or fevered burning orange, sunsets, which =
sometimes look like a magical shinoed circle, with extra soda ash added =
...as suggested by the smoky wisps making random "loose" lines across =
the face ... )
Joyce
In the Mojave Desert of California U.S.A.
Rebecca P on sat 17 aug 02
Hello Joyce!
What a lovely journey - and for me a new exploration. Thank you for the
word pictures. Although I love this small island, the beach and the sea, the
waterways, the wildlife and the birds, I have never seen the desert. It is
something I would love to do some day. Yet the inner journey creates such
beauty and leads us to places we would not otherwise find.
Cheers!
Rebecca Pierre
Oak Island, NC
>From: Joyce Lee
>Reply-To: Ceramic Arts Discussion List
>To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
>Subject: Bamboo Journey Opens Eyes
>Date: Sat, 17 Aug 2002 09:43:08 -0700
>
>Thank you for the many posts I
>received about working with bamboo.
>They're each going into a special file for another time; they WILL be used,
>but not as immediately as I'd expected: change of plans .......... BECAUSE
>what I really needed was wood ... branches, bark,
>small bits, large pieces, a lot of them .... and knew that I
>couldn't make my usual foray into the Sierras for all the wood I might need
>for
>a clay project (smoke, fire, cordoned off areas), sooo I hoped to
>substitute bamboo. Suddenly dawned on me that I must start looking for
>wood when I DO go into the mountains again ...
>and, over time, whatever time it takes, amass what I Really Need instead
>of trying
>to Substitute the bamboo. I recalled a few
>small pieces (big enough for decorative
>bits) in the sand out by the six newly planted Bird of
>Paradise. On the way out, I paused as
>usual to examine the squirrel/rabbit/quail
>homes scattered about the scrub acreage.
>
> Whatta
>dork! Thinking of these spots as "homes,"
>I'd stopped "seeing" their construction
>material. Would you believe it? Five large elm trees
>that fell during various wind/sand storms over the past few years!!
>(Happens regularly in the desert .... tree roots hit ground water, grow
>reasonably tall, wind comes along and whamo! they're gone... cut off at
>ground level).
>
>Yearly somebody suggests that the
>property wouldn't look so "scrub" if I'd
>have the wood cut up for the fireplaces or
>truck it off to the dump. Every year I say,
>"Thank you, but no .... those are homes
>and protection for the sparse wildlife we do
>have." BUT for this purpose I only need
>use the branches which are reaching up to the sky, leaving a few of course
>as perches for the Head Quail and Guard Assistants to stay on alert and
>keep the others forewarned and safe from coyotes&roadrunners&ravens,
>beautiful predators, but predators nonetheless.
>
>All this resulted in a closer look at the rest of the flat desert landscape
>.... discovered that those "small rocks/pebbles" sticking out of the sand
>were tips of large pieces of quartz ... many with veins ... some rose
>quartz .... apparently the pioneer (lived here in what we refer to as "the
>well house," but hardly
>qualifies as such) who made this part of the desert
>his home decades ago, carted in the quartz to line paths and mark
>boundaries ... a couple hundred linear feet .... all buried in sand, layer
>by layer, from countless storms.
>
>Talk about not being able to see beyond the end of your nose. Wonder what
>else
>I've missed meandering through life in my straight&narrow non-artist
>fashion, keeping my eye on the "goal" .... worked, I admit; I've met
>lots of goals ..... but still wonder what I've
>missed ..... (it's ok to wonder, to explore one's
>inner landscape.. to see perhaps what's missing there, also... check on its
>aridity, poke at the spots that are covered up layer by layer ... look for
>hidden treasures.... natural treasures we each harbor. Doesn't mean I'm
>"sad" .... don't need to be cheered up, but
>thank you for thinking of me. For me, the destructive person-set fires also
>create the blood-red, or fevered burning orange, sunsets, which sometimes
>look like a magical shinoed circle, with extra soda ash added ...as
>suggested by the smoky wisps making random "loose" lines across the face
>... )
>
>Joyce
>In the Mojave Desert of California U.S.A.
>
>______________________________________________________________________________
>Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
>You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
>settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
>Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
>melpots@pclink.com.
_________________________________________________________________
MSN Photos is the easiest way to share and print your photos:
http://photos.msn.com/support/worldwide.aspx
Richard Jeffery on sat 17 aug 02
Joyce
loved the language - especially at the end...
you been eating the local vegetation again?
cheers
Richard
5th of about 13 warm days this year.......
-----Original Message-----
From: Ceramic Arts Discussion List [mailto:CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG]On
Behalf Of Joyce Lee
Sent: 17 August 2002 17:43
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Subject: Bamboo Journey Opens Eyes
Thank you for the many posts I
received about working with bamboo.
They're each going into a special file for another time; they WILL be used,
but not as immediately as I'd expected: change of plans .......... BECAUSE
what I really needed was wood ... branches, bark,
small bits, large pieces, a lot of them .... and knew that I
couldn't make my usual foray into the Sierras for all the wood I might need
for
a clay project (smoke, fire, cordoned off areas), sooo I hoped to substitute
bamboo. Suddenly dawned on me that I must start looking for wood when I DO
go into the mountains again ...
and, over time, whatever time it takes, amass what I Really Need instead of
trying
to Substitute the bamboo. I recalled a few
small pieces (big enough for decorative
bits) in the sand out by the six newly planted Bird of
Paradise. On the way out, I paused as
usual to examine the squirrel/rabbit/quail
homes scattered about the scrub acreage.
Whatta
dork! Thinking of these spots as "homes,"
I'd stopped "seeing" their construction
material. Would you believe it? Five large elm trees
that fell during various wind/sand storms over the past few years!! (Happens
regularly in the desert .... tree roots hit ground water, grow reasonably
tall, wind comes along and whamo! they're gone... cut off at ground level).
Yearly somebody suggests that the
property wouldn't look so "scrub" if I'd
have the wood cut up for the fireplaces or
truck it off to the dump. Every year I say,
"Thank you, but no .... those are homes
and protection for the sparse wildlife we do
have." BUT for this purpose I only need
use the branches which are reaching up to the sky, leaving a few of course
as perches for the Head Quail and Guard Assistants to stay on alert and keep
the others forewarned and safe from coyotes&roadrunners&ravens, beautiful
predators, but predators nonetheless.
All this resulted in a closer look at the rest of the flat desert landscape
.... discovered that those "small rocks/pebbles" sticking out of the sand
were tips of large pieces of quartz ... many with veins ... some rose
quartz .... apparently the pioneer (lived here in what we refer to as "the
well house," but hardly
qualifies as such) who made this part of the desert
his home decades ago, carted in the quartz to line paths and mark boundaries
... a couple hundred linear feet .... all buried in sand, layer by layer,
from countless storms.
Talk about not being able to see beyond the end of your nose. Wonder what
else
I've missed meandering through life in my straight&narrow non-artist
fashion, keeping my eye on the "goal" .... worked, I admit; I've met
lots of goals ..... but still wonder what I've
missed ..... (it's ok to wonder, to explore one's
inner landscape.. to see perhaps what's missing there, also... check on its
aridity, poke at the spots that are covered up layer by layer ... look for
hidden treasures.... natural treasures we each harbor. Doesn't mean I'm
"sad" .... don't need to be cheered up, but
thank you for thinking of me. For me, the destructive person-set fires also
create the blood-red, or fevered burning orange, sunsets, which sometimes
look like a magical shinoed circle, with extra soda ash added ...as
suggested by the smoky wisps making random "loose" lines across the face
... )
Joyce
In the Mojave Desert of California U.S.A.
____________________________________________________________________________
__
Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.
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