Californiversary.

One year ago I wandered into Los Angeles. I know my way around better now.

To celebrate, this evening I baked honey raisin bran muffins. I am looking ahead to commutable breakfasts, as I will start teaching next week.

When I was an undergrad in ol' Kentucky, my brother and best friend and I had a "MUFFIN OF THE WEEK". We three were living together at the time, and took turns making muffins. Another part of this responsibility was to make the obligatory sign to advertise the muffins...in our kitchen. My brother would make his in the middle of the night, and they were almost always chocolate.

Gosh. Muffins are interesting.

Arrowmont

So, earlier this week I heard some rather troubling news about the Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts. It seems that the land on which Arrowmont is situated might be sold, and developed......into a water park. Isn't that sad? or scary?

I've never been to Arrowmont, but it is a school much like Penland and Haystack. It is located in Gatlinburg, Tennessee.

Below is a link to a petition that was started to help save Arrowmont. I encourage my readers (both of you) (just kidding) to at least take a minute to read some of the thoughts written by those who have signed the petition. It's something to think about.

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/savearrowmont

Post-Penland.

Here's the auction crew-chief picture, taken at the annual sunday afternoon mimosa hour. Under the tent, after the insanity.

Penland was wonderful. I saw a lot of good people, old friends, new friends, and I stood barefoot on the grass as much as possible. Oh yeah, and there was the auction too, which went very smoothly and made a billion dollars. Well, $528,230. Hooray! I like to think they'd make half as much if my crew didn't scrub the dishes as well as we did...

I'm making final preparations for the fall semester; I start teaching on Monday. I'm nervous and excited and looking forward to being busier.

My friend Michelle Caplan made a nice mention of me on decor8. Michelle is a wonderful mixed-media artist and an all-around clever girl. She works at Henry Road, and will be the featured artist there this fall, after they clear out my work.

So Long, Suckers.

I'm in the Burbank Airport, waiting oh so patiently for my oh so delayed flight to North Carolina.

Purchases made in my shop in the next week will be shipped a week from today. Hope that doesn't cause any difficulty or sadness or feelings of chagrin.

But if it does, remember that those feelings make you stronger and build character.

Or so I've been told.