August 17
What a hot summer here in the high desert. All of my plants are struggling to survive despite our watering them. No grapes, small fruit if any and flowers not coming up. The only thing thriving is the Meyer Lemon Tree that I put out for the summer - it is one happy, healthy little tree.
Funny story. We live in the foothills of the mountains so it is not unusual to have raccoons coming into the yard at night. We think this is because we have two small ponds. The water brings a lot of creatures [mostly birds] into our yard. Anyway, the other night the Ring captured five raccoons climbing onto the roof. We have had raccoons before but this time there is a homeless woman living in her car at the park across the street [the city won't deal with her]. She told a neighbor that she watched five raccoons come out of the storm drain next door and go over her wall. So now we know that the raccoons live and travel in the storm drains beneath the city. Lewis sets the cage and has for several years and not a single wiley raccoon falls for the trap. He hates them because they dig for grubs tearing up the lawn that he obviously loves.
We have discovered a baby goldfish in the pond. There may be more but we haven't seen more. I don't know what I am going to do if they keep reproducing. I don't know how long a goldfish lives but they are such sweet little fish.
Glass. Lewis took a video of me making both boro flowers and bullseye flowers. He has put up nineteen educational videos under "Wisdom Over the Ages" that are on his Youtube channel but it is easier to watch them on Facebook under "Dirty Looies Glassland". I'll put the Qr code here for the Facebook page. Lewis sculpts in boro glass and even though I watch him, I much prefer to work small.
Lewis is going to a glass event in Colorado next month for the Rocky Mountain Flameoff. I rarely go with him which allows him to focus on the social side of boroland as well as the teaching/learning side. There are so many excellent artists using boro and he thrives when he is with other artists. I need to go through the Moretti glass rods because no one is using them. I think the first few years I worked with only Moretti which I think is the best glass for those who are just beginning. I switched to bullseye after I attended a Gathering in Portland. The issue with bullseye is that it is shocky so you have to be aware of hot spitting glass. I also tried Japanese glass that was like butter needing to use it further out in the flame. I still have a box of shorts that I should get rid of. I imagine that when glass artists retire they wonder what to do with their glass. The cost of mailing it is now very high due to the Post Office and other companies charging so much. Costs are the number one problem with being a glass artist. I am lucky that bullseye has a store an hour away [I no longer buy] but for most, they have to order from companies that must mail it. Then there is the expense of oxygen. I have had a generator since a few years after I started working with glass. This was necessitated because I worked full time and if the tank ran out, I would have to wait until Saturday. Then I decided to buy a large propane tank to cut down how often I would have to go to the propane store. About five or six years ago, Lewis went from the liquid oxygen tanks which were very expensive and had to used constantly to prevent bleed-off to an oxygen system that has not only saved a lot of money, paid for itself ten times over but broke the reliance on liquid oxygen. When someone posts asking how much it costs to set up your studio, I wonder how anyone affords it. I worked full time so money wasn't ever an issue for me. Over the years, I did well but I never looked at it as a career that would support me like my 9 to 5 job. Lewis on the other hand has always had glass art as his career and he has been very successful. So there you have two sides of the world of torching. Your drive and talent will direct you.
The other issue that is sitting on my plate is family and heirlooms. I have a very small family and my only child doesn't want the heirlooms. What to do is something I just haven't figured out or does it really matter in the long run. What do we really leave behind except a glimpse of our lives that will soon dissipate like smoke. I was telling my mother that in today's society, families are spread out and closeness takes effort. Friendships take effort. I am an introvert by nature quite happy with my life but cherish my many friendships over the years. Enjoy life on your choices.
Barb
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