Thursday, January 12, 2012 at 10:06AM | JudyPWright
Especially for those of you who have listened to KLDK for some time you (I hope) have noticed a certain frequent and very regular fuzz out. For some of us newbies we were sure it was our radio! Being the problem solving Electrical Enginer that he is Chuck made contact with the "radio guys" and set about diagnosing the problem. Turns out there were a few problems, all of which will be solved in time. Chuck and Clark ascended the radio tower up on the hill above Dixon to diagnose, what was now for sure, the transmission problem. Seems over time, with the main cable flapping in the wind, a split had developed so that the RF connector was essentially no longer attached. It did make contact, hence the signal but a very weak one. So, with tools in hand (most of the time, we did have one mishap that sent the brand new soldering gun crashing to the ground) Clark and Chuck climbed up and repaired the break. It was beautiful 51 degree day with bright sunshine. The view from the tower is breathtaking. Here is a little video of our very own Linemen.
Did anyone else see the fireball that streaked across the sky on New Year's Eve? I was heading home from the brewery on HWY 68 and saw it just above the hills in front of me. It disappeared behind one of the peaks and reappeared on the other side. The ball itself was not much smaller than the moon changing color from green to blue to orange with a tail thicker and brighter than any vapor trail I've seen -- a good omen for the new year, I am sure!
Speaking of fireballs...
One of the highlights of 2011 for me was conducting a Raku workshop at my studio in early December as part of the 2011 Dixon Studio Tour workshop series. Raku is a quick, dynamic firing technique that uses special glazes to create spontaneous bursts of color and crackle effects. Pieces are pulled from the kiln while they are still red-hot and placed in a chamber to encourage various results. Manipulating the atmosphere by reducing or oxidizing the chamber willl create various effects, and, watch out! Fireballs!
I woke up that morning to several inches of beautiful snow, swept the paths, made the coffee, and hoped the attendees would still be willing to make the drive through the canyon and up the arroyo to my studio. I was quite excited by the weather knowing that the contrast of cold and snow with the intense heat of the kiln would really add something special to the whole experience. The six arrived, four all the way from Albuquerque.
The workshop was designed so that even those with no clay experience whatsoever could take part. Normally, clay pieces are made and pre-fired without glaze decoration (the bisque firing). Then glazes are applied for a second firing, in this case the "raku" firing. For this workshop, participants could bring a bisque-fired pot of their own (go Lori!) or choose a pot I had already made and bisqued for them to glaze themselves. I showed everyone how to glaze their pots using the "dip and pour" technique and demonstrated how to decorate with wax resist. We loaded the kiln and fired it up. While we waited for the kiln to reach temperature (1823 degrees F in just an hour!), we practiced using the tongs and choreographed our unloading sequence... who would pull which pots out of the kiln when, and who would place lids on the reduction cans. The cold didn't vex us (well, a slight acclimatization process for the gals from Spain), rather it was a real treat to huddle around the warmth of the kiln together knowing we each had an important role to play for a successful firing. And a successful firing it was! All went smoothly as planned... a terrific team with the right mix of care, enthusiasm and creative energy. And lovely pots to take home!
Visit www.miyapottery.com for information on raku and wheel-throwing lessons, or call to organize a raku party for a group of friends!
For a more detailed step-by-step explanation of the raku firing process, see my previous post, Raku Sisters.
Friday, November 18, 2011 at 10:05AM | Vivác Winery
It's back! The biggest shopping day of the year at Vivác Winery! 24 hours of savings on EVERYTHING we have to offer: wine, jewelry, chocolates, Riedel glasses & so much more! Did you know we have games, books, beauty items & wine themed stocking stuffers?
If that isn't enough to get you excited, did you know that YOUR community winery, is getting national news? First with the USA Today article
but now Great Grape TV is airing its Pilot episode featuring Vivác Winery! Cheers to all of you in this incredible community for helping support us.
Thursday, November 3, 2011 at 10:56AM | Vivác Winery
Join us Nov 5th & 6th for new wines, new chocolates & new jewelry as we celebrate our 9th year on the Dixon Studio Tour! We will have live music from 2-4pm and patio heaters if need be. Artists on the tour will recieve a free glass of wine, we will stay open late so you can come "un-wine-d" with us!
If you missed the news, Vivác is being Nationally recognized by USA Today! Check out the link below to read the review.
"cuz there's nothin' strange about an axe with blood stains in the barn there's always some killin' you got to do around the farm"
–Murder In The Red Barn, Tom Waits
I awoke last night to the sound of something tearing and the bang of something on a metal roof. I sat up in bed trying to identify the location and cause of the sound. Then I heard the chickens. Chickens are silent in the dark, unless they are nervous or panicked. This sounded like panic.
I got dressed as quickly as I could, and scrounged around for a flashlight, but in the minute it took me to get out to the coop, something had run off with at least one bird, and left feathers and body parts strewn about as if in a tornado zone. I wasn't sure if the killer was still in the coop or not, and I had no idea what I might be faced with if I went inside, so I circled around and tried to get as good a look at the inside of the coop before I went in.
Thursday, January 12, 2012 at 10:06AM | 
