Thursday, October 1, 2015

North Carolina Pottery Trail

Tracks of the StoneBear Copyright MMXV Uncle Hargus ALL Rights reserved

ROF= Ring of fire journey

OBX= North Carolina Outer Banks 

en route to Cape Hatteras National Park NC Outer Banks

Saturday September 21, 2015  OBX 8      


North Carolina Pottery Trail  Seagrove, NC 





I love North Carolina. It's like my 2nd home state. After a hitch in the Marines at LeJeune you become a Tarheel.

On a "96" hour pass I'd hit swoop circle at LeJeune for a rider to Atlanta to help pay for gas, head out through the NC back roads, up through "Fayett-Nam", up to Charlotte, I-85 south to Atlanta and onto Birmingham. 

Later years have driven the Blue Ridge Parkway and just love the NC Smokey Mountains. Growing up in the South there is a thread of Appalachian connection. Many years morning black coffee was from a North Carolina pottery mug. Morning coffee from a North Carolina pottery mug just tastes better. I don't have any scientific research; it just is.
  






I love the NC pioneer pottery and was fortunate to visit and observe master potter Aaron Britt in his shop in Seagrove, NC ON the North Carolina Pottery trail.. 








Aaron learned his throwing technique from Nell Cole Graves one of the real pioneer potters of the North Carolina Pottery Trail in Seagrove, NC.
Aaron's pottery work is very unique and amazing to see a piece of pottery come to life right before your eyes.



It was a unique experience to see Aaron throw some work and walk through his shop.  







Seagrove, NC is the heart of the NC pottery trail. Take some time to stop and see some of the best pottery in the US.  










 There are many really good pieces in Aaron's shop. I wish I could buy all I liked.





Some of the glazing on these pieces are unique, one of a kind from Aaron's craftsman technique of glazing recipies and style.


























Thank you Aaron. It was a very interesting to see a real master potter at work!  










You never drink twice from the same stream. 

StoneBearTracks Copyright Uncle Hargus MMXV ALL blog posts/photographs/video ALL Rights reserved 

I don't do commercials or ads on this blog but occasionally we highlight and make note of exceptional artists and craftsmen work. No money or royalties are paid to the blog, or me. These photos and short clips of art, music, and craftmanship are intended to be a gratis highlight of exceptional talent and a thank you to the artists.



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Saturday, September 5, 2015

Odyssey to Emmaus

Tracks of the StoneBear Copyright MMXV Uncle Hargus ALL Rights reserved

ROF= Ring of fire journey

2015

After a lifetime of odyssey some things can't be put into words.


Throughout this lifetime,... this brief time between the eternities has been a gift of journey,... an odyssey of the roads less traveled on the way to Emmaus.     

This was not an easy road. The 1st cards dealt into my hand were for sure not very good but through some discards and some draws on Marine Corps discipline and working my way through college made the best of it and played it straight up without any guarantees... without a net. There were no convenient stops at privilege, wealth, advantage. I was fortunate to pack a few good items in the backpack/ cart... a thirst for knowledge and exploration, resourcefulness, perseverance, independence, discipline - thank you Marine Corps - , and a little dignity to walk with a chin up.





Yes, there were a few bad items that got into the pack and learned to discard them on the road along the way and lighten the pack. You carry what you need. One of the many life rules; when you go sailing, leave the anchor at home. I count divorce as a personal failure. A poor judgement and choice on my part. Sometimes you have to get up from the table and walk out the door.



This lifetime journey, this odyssey,... has taken my life to the edge most of the time, not in extremists attempts at mountain climbing like Everest, although I've climbed up some pretty good hills to see some amazing views. ... or wreck-less choices of vanity.... it was to the edge of the road less traveled that most avoid because it's a harder climb up many mountain trails like Quartz Lake in Glacier, the drill field at Parris Island, hiked to the headwaters of the Colorado River, hiked through snowpack to dance around the sacred site of Medicine Wheel, ect.

It's Talladega Baby!



... and along the way I was able to write the days journal, take a few pics, always being thankful for the abundant blessings.  ... in between my double noughtin'.

I've hiked into places where white men pioneers went in never to be seen again.I've seen a lot on this journey and am glad to have journaled a few places with some pictures.  


I've seen many things, places, natural phenomenons like The Per-sides while above 10,000' above sea level- it would take me a few hours, maybe days to describe some of the shooting stars that night.    


This blog/ journal is my view, my observations of a lifetime of journey. 

You never drink twice from the same stream. 

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