The early morning sky was awash with color as the clouds were sweeping across the sky.
Unfortunately, the wind was coming in off the lake too.. which just makes it feel colder!!!

And it was. Many of the floating icebergs that had broken up over the weekend were now
frozen back into one large mass of ice & snow on the lake. A beautiful contrast of the
winter harshness against the sweeping pastel sky.

And when the sun finally made it’s appearance, it was only out for a brief moment…
before it became engulfed by clouds for the rest of the day. Glad I got up and went out
to play when I did. See what I would have missed if I had waited?

Today I passed a thousand “Likes” on my Fire When Ready Pottery Facebook page.
I was a little slow getting onto the Facebook band-wagon. And I must admit that I’m still not
a huge fan of it. But I do see the positive side of it for business purposes. I’d much rather
share my stories, my photos, my ramblings & my sunrises here on my blog. I think it’s a
much better place to tell a story and keep them as archived journal entries. Whereas
Facebook is more instant. So I also see the benefit to that. Not everyone has the time or
initiative to type in a website and read lengthy stories. Facebook is quicker, faster, and instant.
My stories & photos just “show up” automatically now in over a thousand people’s
Facebook News Feeds. And that’s kinda cool.

So here’s to my apparently eternal struggle…

Do I need to keep up with BOTH my blog and Facebook page?!
I think the answer is yes.

As I think they both appeal to a different demographic.
Either way, I’m just glad that someone out there is interested in my ramblings…
or at least putting up with them if only just to be nice?!

Look at what goodies my brother-in-law Scott found for me. Yeah!!!
Now I just need to figure out to do with a whole box full of fun.
I can’t wait to dig through the box to see what all is in there!

My adorable niece Taylor has decided last summer to show us all how to hula hoop.
She makes it look so easy… especially with a big flourish at the end. Needless to say…
Uncle Gary is still hopeless with the hula hoop.

Click here to see Taylor’s video tutorial… and stick with it until the “big finish.”

Let me just say this right up front… NO, I DID NOT DO THE “POLAR PLUNGE.”
I may get up for freezing cold, sunrise morning bike rides, but let’s not get crazy.

So this morning, when I made it down to North Avenue Beach, they were busy setting up
for today’s “Polar Plunge” for charity. There were tents all around, each one with a generator
running heating units inside. Just waiting for the “plungers” to come down for the big dive!

But with so much ice & glaciers along the lakefront, they needed to literally dig away huge
patches of snow & ice – just to get to the water! Without them… the “plungers” would be
climbing over huge piles of snow & ice just to make the big plunge for charity.

I’m sure they all had a great time diving into the freezing cold water. While I was glad to be
headed back home on my bike and home safe & warm before they ever go there. I’m pretty
sure that the “hole” they carved out will be frozen over & sealed back up by tomorrow!

When I stopped to take sunrise photos, there were thin sheets of ice “floating” delicately
on blades of grass. The lakefront path was glistening this morning as the sun came up…
with small crackling sounds as I walked through.

It was another beautiful morning today along the lakefront. Sure, it was a little cold.
But that’s what layers are for. The recent cold spell has allowed the “glaciers” to build up.
So this morning there were a lot of “glaciers” and “icebergs” along the lakefront. As well as
frozen puddles all along the bike trail… some more dangerous than others which I had to
stop and carefully walk across! Too slippery for my skinny little tires!!!

And the more the slushy waves came in crashing, the more the glaciers were growing
and building up… thicker & thicker. The bigger the splash, the thicker the ice layer!

Not only was the lake “frozen” but so were the puddles along the lakefront.
Shiny reflections all over place. And precarious walking in my bike shoes without traction!

I especially liked this section where the “glaciers” were breaking up and turning into round
floating icebergs. I thought it was cool how the outer edges were frozen and a bit “taller” with
a puddle of water inside?! I’m sure there’s some explanation… probably much like the
crashing waves building up the glaciers.

My friend Kristen brought her son AJ to Lillstreet today for a kid’s birthday party.
Kristen and I went for ice cream, hot fudge & more hot fudge while he played at his
party. Afterwards, AJ came up to my studio and made a few holiday star ornaments
of his own! So adorable. So much fun to have a little studio “apprentice” today!

Rolling the clay… pressing in textures… and cutting out stars. Instant ornaments!!!

Tonight was the “Empty Bowls Project” at Lillstreet Art Center.
There were tables & tables filled with bowls. And a lot of people eager to
snatch them up, fill ’em with soup and donate to the cause. Thank you everyone!

It’s always fun to see people walking around with one of my bowls in their hands…
without them even knowing that it is one of MY bowls.

At the “glitter gig” today, the florist was using ornamental pineapples in her work.
I loved the colors, textures, stripes and spikes!!! All in one place.