"Like Watching Paint Dry"

The beads will go in the jar at the very back...

Checking on the drying of yesterday's projects...

Glazing over beads with a color I call "Fort Blanket"...

Multitasking in between drying coats of underglaze...

We used to make a blanket fort in my childhood...

And, the blanket/cloth was this same comfortable green...

Sanding down the little jar...

Sanding down the beads to see the chartreuse underneath...

Into the kiln...

A mango banana smoothie reward...

Switching Back to White Clay

Here's a pitcher with a shorter handle...

This is a wall piece with round flowers...

Pitcher with a large loopy handle...

Here's a brush holder, made with leftover kid clay scraps...

Wet Clay Day

This is the back of the large wall piece...

Making flowers, both large and small...

Having a glass of water while the backs firm up...

Making leaves...

Wall pocket with leaves and flowers...

Wall pocket with simpler design...

Larger wall piece, titled "Mi Amor"...

Another Obsessed Homeowner: Sarah Winchester

Winchester Mystery House

The hayloft above the carriage house...

The holy trinity of snacks...

The back of the main house...

The long-suffering work foreman's house...

Tower visible from the highway...

Excited tour patrons...

Lots of windows, means lots of light...

Spider web windows...

Greenhouse on the grounds...

Statue at the front of the house...

These looked like they were zinc plated...

Turret on the front of the house...

Disturbing gift shop greeter...

My plate was the only one with the pig logo on it...

From Berkeley to Betty

My sister did a lovely job babysitting my pooch...

To Berkeley for some hot chocolate, or a cocktail...

Ironically, Walt's next-door-neighbor...

Hilarious window display at Diesel Book Store...

He's got birds on his ears...

Everyone is so friendly in this barnyard...

Optometrist window display...

Bought myself a little treat...

A lovely surprise in the mail from Betty Spindler...

William Randolph Hearst: "Voracious Collector"

On the way there...

Thanks to Chris, Richard, and Stephanie for a wonderful weekend at Hearst's Castle at San Simeon. My first visit to this park was when I was in fifth grade. My next visit was as a recent college graduate. This weekend, I felt that I appreciated the genius of Julia Morgan, more than on previous visits. I also understood the desire to bring a bit of Spain, Italy, and Greece into one location. There were many trademarks of those three countries. I especially enjoyed seeing the ceramic tile and the Greek urns this time around.

Oh, and I learned some new catch phrases during the trip. And, Richard taught us the importance of daily milkshakes. "Isn't that something!"

One tower visible from under the orange trees...

The influence of Spanish tile...

Waterfowl at the pool...

Spanish balcony embossed with gold...

A resigned lion...

Art Deco statuary...

A Grecian outdoor pool...

Many decorative frieze styles...

Door grille with whimsical faces...

Alhambra lion...

Dusk on the patio...

Spanish door grille...

Bedroom door frame...

Antique bedroom ceiling...

Above the window in the same bedroom...

Ventilation in the bedroom wing...

Ceiling of Mr. Hearst's personal office...

Della Robbia wreath with nun bust...

Exquisite Byzantine indoor bathing pool...

Exterior of the back of the main house...

Perfect palms in the garden...