Tuesday, November 19, 2019

better weather, cold work, and gun nuts


Last Thursday it was overcast and rainy drizzly and cold and other than my sister and I going out for an estate sale in the morning, I got nothing accomplished all day. I know, I know, I've said the same thing about the previous days and then listed everything I did but Thursday I was so cold I spent the entire day on the couch under a blanket under the heat vent with the electric heater on and I didn't warm up til 6:30. Friday was warmer and I did more cold work on the heron box and the snowflake ornaments 


and picked up more pecans, ditto Saturday though we had a Friendsgiving with our little social group on the street in the afternoon...chili and cornbread and a salad and several deserts. It was a pretty day and fairly warm until the sun went down and it got cold again.

Also Saturday my frames/shadow boxes from my brother came so Sunday and Monday I worked on those doing a final sanding and starting to paint them but I ran out of paint so that's on the agenda for today and did more cold work on the heron box. Weirdly enough, when we re-fired it I guess it consolidated more ie more air was compressed out because I lost an 1/8” of height after I reground the bottom flat (though I didn't take that much off the bottom) so I'm having to take an 1/8” off the bottom of the neck of the inlay piece. I also worked more on the line down the front where the flashing was. I'm happier with it, not happiest, but happier.

the white line down the front is where the flashing (raised line where the melted glass oozed through a crack in the mold) was, the white will be finished out but the line where the flashing was will still be visible under certain lighting

new mounting for these tiles from last year, took them out of the expensive stands and attached them on a piece of plywood that replaced the glass from these hobby store frames for hanging on the wall

We've been having some really nice weather, supposed to be in the mid-70˚s all week, sunny, a few rain showers later. My trees are still dropping pecans, I'm picking up about a gallon's worth every day. I've shelled all I'm going to shell I think, 14 pounds, so now I'm just waiting till they stop falling to take them in and sell the rest. The gingko trees still have not turned yellow which surprises me, getting there but still more green than yellow.

So I've pretty much stopped trying to engage certain people, MAGAts and gun nuts and by gun nuts I don't mean all gun owners, just those who don't feel safe without a gun at hand all the time, because what's the point. And to that end I did not directly reply to a new commenter on Steve Reed's blog who commented on one of his recent posts about encountering crazy but essentially harmless people on his walks with his dog. Anyway this woman commented that she lives in Texas and carries precisely because of crazy people and even recounted an episode when she reached for her gun because someone in another car flipped her off. Personally, I don't think a stressed out driver who gives someone the finger and maybe says fuck you because you cut them off or refused to let them in to be worthy of brandishing a weapon but that's just me, especially here in Texas where open carry without a license is permitted and too many people think a gun is the only solution to every annoyance. Because I didn't want his other readers to think that she represented Texas, I simply commented without directing it to her that I too was from Texas and didn't carry or own a gun, that it wasn't crazy people you encounter on the street that worried me but those who go around armed all the time. So even though my comment was several down from hers, she read it and commented again @ me specifically. First she lectured me on the gun laws here (as if I'm ignorant of those facts) and then this...You had better be afraid of us carrying a gun because we won't be playing with you and stupidity”...belligerence and threats. She made my point for me far better than I could. I'd feel sorry for people who live in so much constant fear that they have to carry a gun all the time if it weren't for the chance that they would just as soon shoot me as walk away if I pissed them off.

And so to end on a more pleasant note, the wrens have been very active the last couple of weeks screeching at the cat and poking around. I was ready to close up the shop last week and there were two wrens in there and they would not be shooed out so I had to wait til later and then the other night there were two in the garage when I closed it up for the night. They also would not be shooed out though they can get out of the garage when it's closed up unlike the shop and I've already found two dead wrens in there that got trapped. And they often come investigate this corner of the house where I sit and look out clinging to the screens, checking out under the eaves, looking for wasp nests I guess being the wasp and bee eaters that they are.

Alright, time to get busy.




15 comments:

  1. I read her comments, and was shocked- especially on Steve's blog- wanted to respond but held my breath- not my battle...She is fucking frightening!
    I LOVE your work, Cheered up my day to be sure!
    Sorry about dead wrens.

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  2. The heron is beautiful. You do such nice work.

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  3. I just had to skip over her comments, but I was glad to see yours & where Steve agreed with you. Ugh.

    I LOVE THE HERON BOX! There, I said it, so it doesn't matter what you think (just kidding). I also love the snowflakes - especially the two on the left. And your tiles look great in their new frames.

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  4. I saw her first comment and then your response later on but I haven't gone back to read her threats. Talk about crazy. Whenever I hear the term "license to carry" I'm reminded of a man I met who was so thrilled because he'd just gotten his and I realized that because of either age or a disease process, he was barely able to get his fork to his mouth.
    I think that says it all.

    That heron box is going to end up being well worth all the trouble. At least that's what I think. It's beautiful.

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  5. You can't argue with stupid and lets face it, anger is a far more endorphin high than love. Some of them will end up in jail for assault.

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  6. The box is looking good. I have only one thing about guns. There should be a law that people who want to carry a gun for protection should submit to a psychological exam by a reputable doctor in the field. Then also the person who is granted a gun license should be made to buy owners insurance.

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    1. I would add x number of hours of training every year.

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  7. Your work is beautiful!

    That person made a threat and she does not even know you. Imagine what she must be like at home. She is a danger to anyone around her.

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  8. The heron surely is beautiful, but I still like that sunflower. There's something about it that just shines. I missed you last year -- tell me again then when and where of your show. I'd love to see some of your work in person.

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  9. For what it's worth, I saw the heron at the pond on Monday, after being missing for the entire summer. But the sun was so bright I could not locate it in my viewfinder.
    This latest round of politics certainly has separated some of us from the rest. My final two R friends (we never, ever discussed politics) took stock of me and cut the ties. And that's that.

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  10. As they say, you can't fix stupid. Unfortunately, stupid can be armed. The says of civilized discourse is pretty much over. Such a shame. That heron box is wonderful!

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  11. The glass pieces are looking fabulous, as usual!

    I wasn't sure what to do about the commenting. I try to let people say whatever they want to say without interference from me. I didn't interpret Angelicastar's comment as a direct threat toward you -- although rereading it now, maybe I should have -- but at the same time I tried to let her know I agreed with you. Maybe I soft-pedaled it but I don't want to be censorious. And I usually try to be so non-controversial! LOL

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    1. I have no complaint about how you handle comments on your blog. I didn't address her directly for the very reason that I didn't want to argue the point on your blog. I was surprised that she even saw my comment but when she replied to me specifically, well, I couldn't let it pass. I almost sent you an apology for responding to her. anyway, I do the same, let comments stay though I have deleted a few that were personal attacks on myself.

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I opened my big mouth, now it's your turn.