hah! it is as i suspected/feared/hoped:
according to this, i AM a southern girl. I AM!!!
I suspect this is all due to D's influence...

What American accent do you have? (Best version so far) Southern People used to hate Southern accents but now everyone wants one.

Click Here to Take This Quiz Brought to you by YouThink.com quizzes and personality tests.

i can haz cheeseburger new dog?!!!

hopefully, i can!
This is Tritan.
He's a goof, a great big galumphing mutt & for the moment, at least, he's all mine.
It's like this:
I've had a really, really bad dog year. You can review some of the stuff below, on this blog. But after our most recent rescued dog had to go back from whence he came, ie, Cincinnati, i resolved to take a break. No more doggies for me for at least 4 months, till after Renn Fest. I needed to work out some doggie karma. Obviously this whole rescuing adult dogs thing wasn't working so well for me, and my one remaining dog, Budgth, could really use some one on one time and attention.
So, resolution made.
Two days later, my whacked out (in a good way: hi Rick!) neighbor & electrician, Rick, shows up with an amazing German Shepherd in tow.
I should mention that Rick has the Best. Dog. Ever. in the form of Bob, Rick's German Shepherd. From the moment i met Rick and Bob, two years ago, i have had a HUGE doggie crush on Bob. This crush is so severe that in violation of all my beliefs and principals, i have repeatedly told Rick that if he ever bred Crazy, aka Bob's Mom, again, i needed one of the pups.
So, about a month ago, Rick shows up with "notBob" gorgeous German Shepherd. And Rick tells me that this is Tritan, Bob's littermate. Tritan was spending some time with Rick cause Tritan's owner was going through a rough patch in her life at the moment. Rick told me that day that there was about a 50% chance that i might be able to adopt Tritan.
I was ecstatic and stunned, overwhelmed by his offer.
And today, almost exactly a month later, D & i came home from dropping off the recycling to see Rick and Tritan in our yard, hanging out with Jill.
Rick asked me if i was ready for my dog.
I stammered, hemmed & hawed and said "sure, i'll give him a try"
So, as i type this, i have an amazing, only slightly skunky smelling dog sleeping at my feet.

Tritan was a city dog. He's spent most of his life in Charleston, chained up in an urban back yard. The last month, he's been getting into trouble out here in the country.
Apparently, Tritan is not Bob's favorite guest. Bob has taken Tritan on some adventures involving skunks & sharp rocks and at one point, while we were in Chincoteague, i got a call from our cat sitter telling us that Tritan was sitting on our porch, very muddy, skunky & content. Bob had lead him off, and gotten him skunked & then lost him out here in the sticks. We live 3 miles from Rick & it seems that Tritan recognized our porch from his previous visits with Rick & settled down to wait for Rick to come pick him up.
A sign, i tell you, a sign!
So, here we are, a girl & her dog, both newcomers to this whole country lifestyle, trying to figure it & each other, out.
Tritan chases rocks, is fascinated in a not healthy (at least, from the cat's point of view) by cats, loves to swim & is regal, aloof & very gentile & posh, except when he's not.
I really like this dog & am very much hoping that between us, we can make this work. I'd like to have another dog & Tritan seems like he could become not just an amazing being, but might actually become OUR dog.
Typing with fingers & paws crossed...

damn, i'm tired.
i know, i know, it's not really news.
But it is true.
Overworked, underfunded, overstressed.
My life & welcome to it!
Got back from an all too brief beach sojourn with my family on Sunday. (above, a portrait my nephew Will took of me-- uncanny, huh?!)
I had an awesome time, hanging with my sister & her kids who came all the way from Colorado. It was amazing, relaxing & too short. Will try to get some pics up soon.
(below, D & Will, the red croc wearing men of our family!)

After an almost tearful goodbye on Sunday morning, we crammed ourselves (including the awesome Jillie in this, she of 'platonic girlfriend' fame) into our tiny car & headed back west to our river valley. It was great to be home, but didn't get to savor it for very long. Had to get to work that evening. (nothing says panic quite like spending 7 hours in the car and then sitting down at the potter's wheel for an extra 6 hours of work on a Sunday evening) I really have become the 'mad potter wot pots at midnight'
Worked my butt off for a few days in the studio & now i've got to head up to Canada for my best friends wedding.
I am really glad that she's getting married, i heartily approve of this, but damn, the woman's timing sucks!!! She knows this is my busiest time of the year and yet she goes ahead and plans her wedding anyway. The nerve, i tell you!
Plus, my sweetie is getting sucked deeper and deeper into this whole Native American thing. He's going to an Sundance this week. He's not dancing, but he is helping his friend who is dancing. So Sweetie, aka TwoWolves, gets to literally carry water for his friend who is dancing for 16 hours a day for 3 or 4 days before he gets to the hard part of the dance, the description of which i haven't been able to sit through without cringing and whinging yet... i'll spare you the details, but what really freaks me out is that this version of the dance has been scaled back and is considered 'easier' than how it was done in the old days. {shudder}
Fortunately for the tattered remains of my sanity, Sweetie hasn't ever mentioned the possibility of HIS dancing a Sundance to me. Yet.
I'm really glad that he's getting in touch with his Native American roots & the spiritual side of him is re-emerging... he's much more the blue eyed Indian that i fell in love with 4 years ago, but it's also just one more thread in the very tangled, complex cloth of our life.
(above, the happy couple at the beach)
I remember a year or so ago bitching to Sweetie that he had become spiritually numb & that i wanted my 'blue eyed Indian' back. Well, careful what you wish for, cause i've got him & life is just more complex and complicated now, instead of less so.
Don't get me wrong, i wouldn't have it any other way. I just wish that while the universe was filling my requests (i've also gotten some wonderful for me dog news, more about that in another post. With pics, i promise!) that the one for financial stability, fiscal fitness as it where, had been closer to the top of the list. Cause things are very wonderful in life these days, except that the money issues are kicking our collective arse out here right now.
We're trying to coast through till Pennsic, but it's a hard run at the moment. Sort of like trying to coast UP a particularly steep grade this year.
Still, i'm pedaling and pushing with all i've got. And, while Terry Pratchett is right: "this isn't life in the fast lane, it's life in the oncoming traffic" and i do occasionally wonder where we're going and why i chose this particular handbasket, it has been an interesting and wonder-filled ride these past few weeks.
Will try to get some pics up from the beach and the wedding & pics of us dreading Sweetie's hair soon. But now, i'm going to sleep.
Love & exhausted, muddy hugs.
~Va aka the mad potter wot posts at 1:30 in the morning!

Toilet Mouse!

About a month ago on one of the numerous yahoo groups i belong to, someone posted about a renegade squirrel that had made it's way under their stove or fridge?! The poster was looking for suggestions about what to do to remedy the situation...

Well, this morning i woke up & stumbled into the bathroom only to find a juvenile mouse in my toilet.
He was alive, hanging out above the waterline, twitching his whiskers at me.
I had a horrible headache (pollen/sinus related) so i just flipped the rim of the toilet up, hoping he could then hop out. I then closed the bathroom door, used the other bathroom in the house, took some pain meds & went back to bed.
Got up about 4 hours later, cautiously peeked into the bathroom.
Yep. Still there.
Closed the bathroom door, went about my business.
About an hour later, my housemate/Jillie woke up. (brief aside) Apparently we've been doing, as she puts it "experiments in vampirism without the blood drinking" meaning we've booth been staying up all night & sleeping till 2 or 4 in the afternoon, then repeating this. One of the few perks of being self employed; you can work half days all the time & you even get to pick which 12 hours you want to put in. But i digress.
Jillie is up and about for an hour before i remember the toilet mouse. (my partner/husband Darrell was making his way home from a show this weekend, so no help from the male of the house)
Jill & i discuss options & come up with a plan.
We lock the dogs away at the other end of the house. Clear an escape route from toilet to door. Get the long leather gloves from the studio & pick up a croc (rubber clog/shoe). Ready for "Operation Toilet Mouse"
Wait. We need pics!
Pause for picture taking. (will post as soon as i figure out how to w/ my new to me camera)

Deep breaths, think calm thoughts. Approach toilet, murmuring reassuringly at frightened mouse.
Offer croc as potential sanctuary.
Grateful mouse climbs in & i begin a slow walk towards the open door.
Almost there, the mouse climbs out of shoe & up my arm, towards the gaping opening of the glove.
I think "if i were a frightened mouse, that glove opening would look like a good place to hide"
So, i brush at the mouse with my other hand.
Mouse drops from my arm to the floor & quick quick quick is under the sofa.
So, now the mouse is free, but we are imprisoned with just a bit of worry about whether it made it's way outside or is still lurking under the sofa.
The released dogs are unconcerned about the potential mouse harboring sofa, so we're trying to be as well.
But it's sad, really, to have spent all this time trying to free the mouse only to end up with it *somewhere* in the house.
I'm sure there is a zen parable in this somewhere.
Jill & i (ok, mostly Jill) did come up with some haikus about our adventure which i will now share:
1st haiku about our day:
alive but not calm
the mouse is in the toilet
waiting for our help

2nd haiku:
gloves & rubber shoe
almost to the door, but no
mouse loose in the house

and finally:
3rd haiku/ epilogue
mouse still in the house?
freed from latrine jail
but we are wary

And that is our day, so far at least.
Wishing everyone else a more mouse free day/evening than we have had so far...
Bright Blessings
~Virginia/Amber in WVa

This beautiful painting came from here:http://www.streetmorrisart.com
and the artist is apparently Robin Street-Morris
it's titled Firefly watching II

I've posted it because the fireflies have shown up just recently & i can't figure out how to capture their ephemeral beauty. I was poking about on Google Images and came across this so here i am, sharing it with you.
I am also sharing with you an invitation to come on out to Hearth Hill & experience our fireflies for yourself. It's amazing out here on summer evenings. The stars, the fireflies and the river, not to mention the incredible peaceful quiet.

We're having hoping to break up some of that quiet with a Summer Solstice Party/Campout. And basically, if you're reading this, you're invited. We've got lots of room for campers, both outside & indoors if you are of a more delicate disposition. Bring your kids, your dogs, yourself, some food to share, any music making devices you've got, fireworks if you've got those & come on out for a summer solstice celebration you won't soon forget.

I'm not going to get more specific than that in this forum, because i do have some worries about folks that i or my friends don't already know showing up, but if you are interested just drop me a line: mudcelt@dancingpig.com and i'll give you directions, dates, etc.

Hope to watch some stars, fireflies & fireworks with you soon!
Blessings,
~Va/amber