![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 22 of 22. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Kath on August 28, 2008, at 14:56:50
Husband, 32-yr-old daughter, 24-yr-old son went camping to Pinery Provincial Park, in Ontario (Canada). There might be pictures online - dunno.
Miles & miles of sandy beach with sand dunes behind, sand-dune-grass, sand-dune-surrounded valleys, more sand dunes, cedar & pine forest, then campsites (if you're lucky enough to get a site "backing" onto the dunes & water). Our site was like that. Huge site & pretty private.
We were disappointed at the amount of campfire smoke wafting around. Decades ago I was in India & smokey air is one thing I really remember (among lots of amazing, wonderful things that I DID love about India). As we drove into the camping areas of the park, the air quality was pretty bad! Reminded me of all those years ago.
Apart from that everything was wonderful; mostly great weather.
My daughter caught a beautiful bright green snake with black eyes & she & her brother let is 'visit' with them, twining through their fingers etc. Hubby, son & I went on a canoe trip down a river & saw 41 turtles!!! And also a chipmunk swimming across the river & right in front of our canoe!
And I saw a hawk (I believe it was a red-tailed hawk) VERY close - about the distance of maybe 3 car lengths. Took a movie of it with zoom lens & it is amazing. It knew I was there; didn't even care.Yesterday my friend & I did a Raku-firing out at a fellow potter's farm. I fired a wall-sculpture & a wall-pouch & several necklaces, for which I'll buy the chain & little rings, clasps, etc. The results were great! Stupendous metallic colours - like spilled oil on water colours.
My pottery sale is mid-November, so I'm hoping I can get myself potting.Nice to see a lot of activity on Social while I was away.
:-) Kath
Posted by Angela2 on August 28, 2008, at 16:34:39
In reply to Back from a week of camping/making pottery, posted by Kath on August 28, 2008, at 14:56:50
That sounds really neat Kath. Glad you had fun!!!
Posted by Phillipa on August 28, 2008, at 22:20:57
In reply to Back from a week of camping/making pottery, posted by Kath on August 28, 2008, at 14:56:50
Kath glad you and you family had a marvelous time but I admit to missing you glad you're back!!!! Love Phillipa
Posted by WaterSapphire on August 29, 2008, at 0:59:06
In reply to Back from a week of camping/making pottery, posted by Kath on August 28, 2008, at 14:56:50
Only 30 minutes from Ontario here. I am so glad you had such a nice time. It was a refreshing read and sounds like the pottery making was really fun. I have always wanted to try that...
Peace
Chelle
Posted by Kath on August 29, 2008, at 10:28:11
In reply to Re: Back from a week of camping/making pottery » Kath, posted by Phillipa on August 28, 2008, at 22:20:57
> Kath glad you and you family had a marvelous time but I admit to missing you glad you're back!!!! Love Phillipa
******thx Phillipa (((((you)))))
We still have 1 more week away. We leave Saturday Sept 6 (or 7 whatever it is) for a week at a little cottage up near Parry Sound. I should look & see if they have a website with photo. It's lovely up there. It's the same place DH & I went on our honeymoon only we now rent the cottage that's quite near the water.Hope all's well with you P, luv, Kath
Posted by Nadezda on August 29, 2008, at 12:27:24
In reply to Back from a week of camping/making pottery, posted by Kath on August 28, 2008, at 14:56:50
Wow, pottery and camping!. That's almost too healthy and relaxing and creative!
I'd love to see the photos of your trip and your pottery.
Nadezda
Posted by TexasChic on August 29, 2008, at 12:31:19
In reply to Back from a week of camping/making pottery, posted by Kath on August 28, 2008, at 14:56:50
That sounds like paradise!!! I'm glad you got to have that experience. I'd like to do something like that someday. It sounds so peaceful.
And your jewelry sounds SO COOL!!! Try to put some pictures online sometime, or email them to me, I'd love to see them! They sound like just the type of thing I would love (and love to make too!).
-T
Posted by Jay_Bravest_Face on August 29, 2008, at 12:37:58
In reply to Back from a week of camping/making pottery, posted by Kath on August 28, 2008, at 14:56:50
Kath:
Yep, I was in the Riverside campground at the Pinery.(My brother wanted electricity..so Riverside was the only choice of course.)
I have spent many, many summers of my life at The Pinery. The river running through the park is called 'The Ausable', I think...as far as I can remember. I remember going there first when I was about 13, back in 1983 or so, and I always fished from the Dam there over the Ausable river. I've been canoeing up and down the river a few times.
Did you go into the water at Lake Huron? The beach is gorgeous, eh? Best sunset in the world...for sure! (Actually, National Geographic magazine gave it that title quite a few years back.)Now I wanna go back...and the summer is ending.
:(((((( I was/am ALWAYS so sad at the end of summer.
Even as a little boy/young teen, I just hated it. I think I mentioned this before, but I found my first 'true love' at the Pinery, a girl named Jennifer from Rose City, Michagen. Fawn-like eyes, blonde, tanned legs....wooooowhoo! To a pubescent boy, that was like nirvana! lol. I really, really wish I had kids, a wife...a family to take there. Well, maybe some day. (Been saying that for a long time..lol.)Glad you and your's had a good time! My thoughts are with you about your son. Such a wonderful family thing, though, eh? Camping in Ontario. Hey, I've got some pics actually....I'll try to post them up. Glad you are having fun with Pottery.
Take care,
Jay :)
Posted by Kath on August 30, 2008, at 20:48:21
In reply to Re: Back from a week of camping/making pottery » Kath, posted by Nadezda on August 29, 2008, at 12:27:24
It is truly a goal of mine to get my husband to help me transfer some of my photos onto the computer & help me figure out how to post them!
I have NO idea when it will happen, but lots of people have asked to see my pottery and holiday pics also. I haven't forgotten. It also depends on how 'enmeshed' I am in my son's life. It's really hard with him living with us right now, for me to get on with my own life. I often feel like I don't HAVE a life! Or that I don't have "me" - who am I. It's really not healthy.
Anyway - I DO plan to show some photos eventually! Maybe I can get hubby to help me with it while we're away at a cute little cottage for a week the 2nd week in Sept.
:-) Kath
Posted by Kath on August 30, 2008, at 20:51:38
In reply to Re: Back from a week of camping/making pottery » Kath, posted by TexasChic on August 29, 2008, at 12:31:19
It was pretty nice. The VERY nicest thing was early in the morning the day before our last day my son, daughter & I went down to the beach for a swim. NOBODY else was there! Just huge Lake Huron (any lake that I can't see across, I tend to think of as the Ocean!) & the miles of endless sand & dunes etc. It was wonderful. I was so teed off with myself that I hadn't done it every day!
Thx for your interest in seeing pictures.
I truly want to post some. Will try to get hubby to help me figure it out! But it might take a while.
:-) Kath
Posted by Kath on August 30, 2008, at 21:06:40
In reply to Re: OMG..I was at Pinery just two months ago!, posted by Jay_Bravest_Face on August 29, 2008, at 12:37:58
> Kath:
>
> Yep, I was in the Riverside campground at the Pinery.(My brother wanted electricity..so Riverside was the only choice of course.)***We were at Burley - site 981 - backing onto the dunes - yay!*****
> I have spent many, many summers of my life at The Pinery. The river running through the park is called 'The Ausable', I think...as far as I can remember. I remember going there first when I was about 13, back in 1983 or so, and I always fished from the Dam there over the Ausable river. I've been canoeing up and down the river a few times.
*****Yes The Ausable. We put the canoe in at the bridge on the one-way 'Day Use' road bridge & canoed towards Grand Bend. That was where we saw all the turtles & the CHIPMUNK swimming!!!**
> Did you go into the water at Lake Huron? The beach is gorgeous, eh? Best sunset in the world...for sure! (Actually, National Geographic magazine gave it that title quite a few years back.)
*****We didn't canoe in Lake Huron, but certainly swam in it! I love when there are the huge waves! But I wasn't as free & easy in playing in the water, since 2 years ago I got REALLY sick from getting water in my mouth. Some years I guess the bacteria count if BAD. I kept my mouth closed while in the water in the big waves. (It's hard to have fun & scream etc with your mouth closed!!! LOL)*****
> Now I wanna go back...and the summer is ending.
> :(((((( I was/am ALWAYS so sad at the end of summer.****This summer has been so un-summery as to weather. I didn't even put my warm clothes away this summer, since one never knew if it was going to get cold! I sort of depend on LOTS of dependable HOT weather to relax me & recharge my batteries & sort of fortify me for the winter!!! Yikes***
> Even as a little boy/young teen, I just hated it. I think I mentioned this before, but I found my first 'true love' at the Pinery, a girl named Jennifer from Rose City, Michagen. Fawn-like eyes, blonde, tanned legs....wooooowhoo! To a pubescent boy, that was like nirvana! lol. I really, really wish I had kids, a wife...a family to take there. Well, maybe some day. (Been saying that for a long time..lol.)
*******Yes, I remember you saying about you first love at the Pinery! I still remember my first love - one of the cooks at a summer camp where I was a counsellor! I think things like that etch a special place in our brain! I hope your dream comes true. Sometimes when we least expect it, we get what we want.****
> Glad you and your's had a good time! My thoughts are with you about your son.
******Thanks Jay. I really appreciate that. It means a lot to me to have people who I haven't even met, but feel I know supporting me & there for me.****Such a wonderful family thing, though, eh? Camping in Ontario. Hey, I've got some pics actually....I'll try to post them up. Glad you are having fun with Pottery.
*****Yeah - it really is a very nice thing. I wish there were camping places though, where the sites were further apart - that gave one more of a feeling of being in nature & without the smoke, etc. i guess there probably are - maybe further up north; I dunno.
Thx about the pottery. It's really good for me to get into it. it's probably one of the very few things that can get me anywhere near happiness now....one of the few things where I can sort of get so into it that I just "am" - without worrying, having anxiety, etc.> Take care,
> Jay :)*****Thx Jay - you're a sweetie. :-)
xo Kath
Posted by Nadezda on August 31, 2008, at 18:48:51
In reply to Re: photos......... » Nadezda, posted by Kath on August 30, 2008, at 20:48:21
I hope you do get the photos up, Kath.
You need to have a little bit of a life-- and it isn't that hard to get photos online. You could even put them on Flickr or one of the other online photo sites. All you have to do is download them into your computer, and then go to the site and upload them. You literally tell the site to upload, then browse through the photos on your computer, and pick the ones you want to upload by clicking on them. It's that simple.
It must be hard to detach at all from your son's issues when he's going through a crisis or transition-- there's so much at stake for both of you. But maybe it's better if you do have a enough of your own life to keep you amused and feeling effective and creatively satisfied-- without of course at all abandoning him. He must worry about you, too-- and not want you to lose too much in trying to help him?
Id' love to hear more about your pottery, the methods you use, as well as the photos. I've never done pottery, but it sounds awfully interesting to me.
Nadezda
Posted by Kath on August 31, 2008, at 21:55:02
In reply to Re: photos......... » Kath, posted by Nadezda on August 31, 2008, at 18:48:51
> It must be hard to detach at all from your son's issues when he's going through a crisis or transition-- there's so much at stake for both of you. But maybe it's better if you do have a enough of your own life to keep you amused and feeling effective and creatively satisfied-- without of course at all abandoning him. He must worry about you, too-- and not want you to lose too much in trying to help him?*****You're absolutely right, of course. I know that's true. It is almost like an obsession with me. I can tell how "well I'm doing" by how much of a 'life' I actually have! When I'm doing well, I do my pottery & am not having son-thoughts/worries going around in my head all the time.
I guess I don't let him know how messed up I get. I would LOVE to truly think of him as an independent competent 24-year-old. I try to not let him know how much I worry, etc, because what would that be saying - that I think he's not capable; can't take care of himself, etc.
> Id' love to hear more about your pottery, the methods you use, as well as the photos. I've never done pottery, but it sounds awfully interesting to me.
>
> Nadezda****I don't use the wheel. Most of the time, I use a device called a 'slab roller' - almost like the old-fashioned washing machines that had the 2 rollers that you put the clothes through to press out the water. I put a patted-down lump of clay through & end up with a slat piece of clay (like a rolled out piece of dough for pie crust). I usually make it at the studio of the Guild I belong to & put it on a board, bring it home & sit on the living room floor to make the pottery.
I love little things, so some of the stuff I make is miniatures. Teeny-weeny's.
You put the item on a flat surface & put plastic over it so it doesn't dry too fast & crack. At that point, it's called "greenware". Very fragile. It is then 'fired' in the kiln to make it firm & porous. (First firing is called Bisque-firing.) Then you dip it in liquid glaze. The porous quality makes the item absorb the water out of the glaze & the glaze sticks to it. You can also spray glaze on, & use other methods to decorate. I sometimes paint on the miniatures & some jewellry with tiny brushes. I paint butterflies & dragonflies on quite a few things (I love both). Then the item is 'fired' a second time at a higher temperature. The glaze actually goes liquid & turns to a glass-like finish.
Then Raku-firing is another matter. It's done outside. Bisque work is glazed with special glaze. It's fired until the items are orange-hot & the air around them is SO HOT that you can see the orange heat-waves - my friend & I call it 'atomic'. You turn off the propane that fires the kiln & use long tongs to carefully take an item out, carry it to a prepared bed of sawdust. As it hits the sawdust it bursts into flame & you quickly put a metal lid with some newspaper in it (I like using a turkey-roasting pan or lid) over it & quickly pack sand around it to seal it. The flame burns up all the oxygen & then affects the glaze, sort of 'pulling' out various metals in the glaze to create all sorts of amazing colours.
Raku isn't great for the health, as it's hard not to breathe ANY of the toxic smoke that's created. One has to be as careful as possible.
In making my jewellry, sometimes I roll the clay into a spaghetti shape & play with it until it looks interesting.
Our Guild provides classes for the public & I usually teach 2 of the 8 classes in any given session of classes. I do what's called 'handbuilding' (as opposed to wheel). I enjoy teaching it because people have such fun & generally really enjoy the classes!
SO - there's some pottery info & it makes me realize how much I enjoy it!! :-)
The picture thing does sound pretty straight-forward. I hope to get some off my camera onto the computer when we're at the cottage & then onto here so people can have a look.
Thx for your support.
hugs, Kath
Posted by Nadezda on September 2, 2008, at 13:46:46
In reply to pottery......... » Nadezda, posted by Kath on August 31, 2008, at 21:55:02
Kath, thanks for so much information about the pottery! I'm going to have to digest that for a while!
I wish I had time to try it. I love the glazes that you can get. I'm extremely interested to see your work!
best, Nadezda
Posted by Kath on September 3, 2008, at 17:27:53
In reply to Re: pottery........., posted by Nadezda on September 2, 2008, at 13:46:46
I DO intend to post pictures - honest!
When away next week, plan to have hubby help me set it up.
Hope that you get a chance to try pottery some time.
Handbuilding is TOTALLY different from using the wheel.
At our Guild, people must take a handbuilding class before they take a wheel class. That way, they get to have a 'feel' for the clay.
When I took a wheel class for the first time it took me WEEKS to be able to learn to "centre" the clay on the wheel. It's not as easy as it looks.
:-) Kath
Posted by Phillipa on September 3, 2008, at 20:20:46
In reply to Re: pottery......... » Nadezda, posted by Kath on September 3, 2008, at 17:27:53
Kath took a class once traded my Aerobics classes for pottery classes bartering. Well the wheel was a total disaster as the thing just slid down into nothing. Love Phillipa
Posted by Kath on September 4, 2008, at 9:33:26
In reply to Re: pottery......... » Kath, posted by Phillipa on September 3, 2008, at 20:20:46
> Kath took a class once traded my Aerobics classes for pottery classes bartering. Well the wheel was a total disaster as the thing just slid down into nothing. Love Phillipa
***yup it's sure not as easy as it can look. With hand-building one's creativity can just take over.
The funny thing is that at my first class, years ago, I had NO ideas! We'd be taught a method of making something, then could use that method to make whatever we wanted. I had a TERRIBLE time thinking of what to make. But I loved playing with mud!!! LOL
Somewhere along the line, a big shift happened & it's almost as if my hands are being used to help the clay turn into what it wants to! It's not always like that, but often it is & it's such an amazing feeling.
Did you like to make mud pies as a kid Phillipa? For me, making stuff from clay is a very 'nurturing' thing for my 'inner child'.
Hope you're well these days.
luv, Kath
Posted by Phillipa on September 4, 2008, at 19:15:28
In reply to Re: pottery; mud pies; inner children........... » Phillipa, posted by Kath on September 4, 2008, at 9:33:26
Don't think made mud pies as a kid. Just was something to learn as I felt so well then. Love Phillipa
Posted by Nadezda on September 6, 2008, at 10:14:28
In reply to Re: pottery; mud pies; inner children........... » Phillipa, posted by Kath on September 4, 2008, at 9:33:26
Yes, I think that's what tends to discourage me at the beginning with things. I don't have ideas--
I tried sculpture with clay once-- and that was the problem, I just didnt' know what I wanted to do. So of course, it went nowhere.
It's encouraging to find that when you have some ideas about how to use the material, you do start to get ideas.
I'm finding that with metal=working (jewelry-making)-- at first I was at a complete loss, but now I'm starting to find things to make-- ideas just come out of doing the work, and seeing what other people are doing, especially the teacher who works with us, at times.
I hope I get a chance to do pottery some time.
Nadezda
Posted by tina on September 15, 2008, at 20:33:40
In reply to Re: pottery; mud pies; inner children........... » Phillipa, posted by Kath on September 4, 2008, at 9:33:26
Kath....You're awesome. Just felt like telling you that....in case you sometimes forget.
I love ya.
Posted by Kath on September 17, 2008, at 17:01:08
In reply to Re: pottery; mud pies; inner children..........., posted by Nadezda on September 6, 2008, at 10:14:28
Oh - metal jewellry!!! I'd love to see photos - do you have any?
I'm pretty happy today, because i went into a beadcraft store to buy copper chain, rings, clasps etc to make the chains for my raku jewellry that turned out so great. The lady asked me if I made raku beads & it ended up that I'm going to make raku pendants for her to sell in her store. And the great thing is that she just wants the pendants themselves - she'll put them in little plastic bags & the people who buy them can choose whether they want chains, or cord or whatever - finish them, themselves!!!
I am REALL excited about this!
:-)))))))) Kath
Posted by Kath on September 17, 2008, at 18:59:29
In reply to Re: pottery; mud pies; inner children........... » Kath, posted by tina on September 15, 2008, at 20:33:40
Hey Tina - that's 2 times within mere minutes!!!
:-) Blush.
I'm feeling pretty good about myself over the past couple of days.
Being more firm & straighforward with son about how I am seriously considering whether or not I'm going to continue to be supporting him in the way I have been. I said I'm going to watch & see y good to be STRONG!
:-)
Not to say I'll always feel this strong (smile) but I'm enjoying it while it happens
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Social | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.