Holly Jolly in Black Mountain NC -before dark!

  Starting at the Black Mountain Center for the Arts... here clay studio students and teachers display and sell their works. (I have been a member of that clay studio many years, and know these are really the best deals in town).

I park in the bank parking lot across the street kitty-corner. And then start strolling down hill. This is State Street (aka US 70).

I you don't have room for a whole Santa, here's a bust of one!

At the corner of Cherry Street, I turn to go downhill for this long block. I headed straight for my friend's pottery Shop, Sunshine Pottery.

Sarah Vekasi and I have been friends, and for a while were even neighbors since she moved here...and now she' had her own pottery shop for 2 years!

I walked down Cherry Street around 5:30. I'll have to cut off some of my photos and share them tomorrow. But this gives you an idea of all the activities...and all my friends who I saw (at least 7 from church!)

And more potters that I knew well...up those stairs. On the right will be My Father's Pizza, which is always a good place to eat! 

To the left is Geoff Bird's pottery store, which includes works by Blair and Matilda...a kind of co-op of potters.

This is a unique outdoor store...so only open on good weather days usually!

I asked Matilda to twirl around to show off her velvet coat and hat.

So Geoff did too, though he was talking on the phone!!

Their patio has one of the best views of Cherry Street.

Here come the Owen High School Cheer Girls

Some children are really shy of the strange man in red with that fake beard. I heard some big sisters say to the little girl in the family, "he's a fraud." What language from a 6th grade size girl. I can imagine what her family says while they watch the FOX news! But the dad did say to the little tyke, "These men (he didn't even call them Santas) are here to help gather the wishes for the real Santa at the North Pole."

More of the stores which had goodies free outside or inside, to entice customers of course.

A friend has been mentioning this little place (also up stairs) to try out sometime.

The "blue tree" global apparel would be of interest to browse on another day.

A group was trying to get kids to hula hoop, or grownups to throw the hoop over a wood tree to win some prize or another. I passed on both opportunities. 

At this tea and spices store, I saw friends Dawn and Tina checking out something.

There's more to come...

Today's quote is a Stop action animation ad from Apple -  have some tissue nearby!

Post from the past: New Neighbor - Potter

A talented old neighbor moved on, and a new talented neighbor moved in...well, is in the process!

Welcome to the neighborhood, Sarah Vekasi!

[This is the story of a day when I was living on Beech St. (Black Mountain) in 2012. I posted it to my blog Alchemy of Clay. I'm trying to move the blog posts that had more to do with my life into other places...so here's this snippet of our lives.]

I happened to be taking my pictures of pots yesterday with the porch/studio door open, because it was warmer outside, and the natural sunlight helped the colors.  So not much traffic comes by here, being a dead-end street.  There went Sarah in her car...to her new home.  I walked up to welcome her, with my camera still strapped around me.  So I was able to catch her first time looking in HER mailbox.

She walked down the hill to get my welcome hug.  I'll go visit her new house soon, but she was doing her first house walk-through (and smudge) by herself.

Anyone who doesn't do a smudge cleansing of their environment with white sage, well, where have you been?  House blessings are just done that way by most of my buddies.  I even do it in my home whenever I've been sick.  Get's the environment balanced again.

Sarah has over a couple hundred friends on FaceBook.  I don't know how many will be beating a path to her door...but I know they'll all be welcome.  You see, besides being a potter, she's an eco-chaplin.  She's also an activist for stopping Mountain Top Removal by mining in West Virginia.  This is a busy young woman!

2023 UPDATE: Sarah now owns her own pottery shop in Black Mountain! 

Today's quote:

Author Tom Robbins moved to Seattle in 1962, explaining, “I only knew two things about Seattle: one, it was a long way from racist, sexist, homophobic, hide-bound, purse-lipped, gun-toting, church-crazed, flag-saluting, bourbon-swilling, buzz-cut, save your Confederate money, boys! Richmond, Virginia; and two, there was reputed to be something not quite right about its weather.”

An Art Show...Art by the Tracks!

  June 4 was a fun Saturday. The Old Depot Association sponsored another Art by The Tracks fine crafts show downtown. I had to go...after all my sharing how I used to exhibit. And I did want to see some old friends too!

A bright morning, but low humidity and actually a bit cool that warmed up to 75 or so in the afternoon.

An interesting use of a bowl, to glue little planets (marble-like things) and paint the background dark blue, with some gold along the edge and call it a Cosmic bowl...

From fabrics on r, to wood working on l...with plants displayed everywhere!

Being a person with a very small apartment and more decorations than I can use already, I didn't find anything interesting to buy. My photos are just of things that caught my eye.

Vermont Maple Syrup was popular!

Hamlin Ceramics was displayed elegantly, which his pieces all are.

This sign was more permanent than the day-long art show. Our caboose has turned pink over the years...as the red paint has faded. It really needs to be painted a bright shiny red again!

A friend, Fred Feldman, makes these funny little guys in clay or wood cards...empty inside so you can write whatever you wish.

Another friend, Molly Keeny sits and talks with many friends in our community. 

On left is Sarah Vekasi who organized this event, and Fred Feldman on r.

A very nice chuckle at the wood sign which says "Wicked chickens lay  deviled EGGS."

Saying goodbye to Sutton St. and this art show. There will be another one in the fall...much bigger usually!

Along Cherry Street

Early morning (when August afternoons aren't that great for walking around) we did a bit of window shopping in downtown Black Mountain.

 Sassafras had lots of books as well as journals and cards and great gift things.

 Mountain Nest is one of my favorite places to see arts and crafts...

 My friend (and fellow studio potter at BMCA) Dori English had a small display of her horses and girls. She's been working on a series of goats in pajamas.

 The street was really empty and had few cars parked there yet.

 My friend bought herself a tree pendant...which is shown here not in the correct way - the silver ring should frame it...she got it fixed right after this was taken.

 Seven Sisters is a gallery as well as place that sells lovely jewelry and pottery (and cards.)

 Looking down the hill of Cherry Street.

 Another potter friend, Sarah Vekasi, had this display of her work in the window of Seven Sisters.

 Right around the corner (at the bottom of Cherry St) is Sutton St, with the Old Depot crafts gallery.

My friend Sally Smith has a lot of her work on display.  

I have a shelf of pottery there too!