A black and white housecat was observed sitting in the window of a room belonging to its rival, an orange tabby. A neighbor took notice because, although the two share a house, they are kept separate after a history of animosity.
“What is Sunny doing in Opie’s window?” the neighbor wondered. She alerted Sunny’s owner at work, who instructed her to go over and make sure Opie was still alive. Opie was found unharmed and appeared indifferent.
An unopened bag of catnip belonging to Opie, that is always kept in his room, was discovered chewed and clawed at on the dining room table downstairs later in the day.
How Sunny got past a tightly closed door to enter the upstairs loft-style room is a mystery. He would have had to get past a “wall” of storage boxes piled up at the upstairs railing outside the room and at the same time leap two feet diagonally across a 16’ drop to the 1st floor, land at and squeeze past an iron railing and closed vertical blinds.
It’s worth noting that Sunny and his brother Butch are named after outlaws Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.
In another irony, Sunny’s owner was watching dogs at her doggie daycare business when the incident occurred, while no one was at home watching the cats.
Neither cat is talking, and both owners decided not to file a police report.
—Lynn Ohl

 

Who can ever forget the extraordinary scene in the movie Ghost where Demi Moore and Patrick Swayze overcame time, space and death via a potter’s wheel? I know it made me want to go right out, throw a mass of clay on a wheel and do something creative and delightfully sensuous.
Of course, I never did, but for all of you still haunted by that scene and eager to try your skills with clay, there is a wonderful place in Decatur called Mudfire Clayworks. Located on Laredo Drive, Mudfire combines a beautiful gallery space and a huge area for potters to learn and create.
The Mudfire Gallery hosts regularly rotating shows of nationally known potters while also showing the works of local artisans. It is a beautiful space with an array of creative designs—both functional and decorative and for sale.
Mudfire provides space and lessons for beginners on up to the more advanced potters. For a fairly modest monthly fee (ranging from $109 to $139), you get unlimited studio access which includes instruction as desired or needed, as well as 16 “wheels”, slab roller, work tables and extruder. There are also hundreds of glazes, washes, slips and stains available along with daily firings in the various kilns.
I was lucky enough to chat with several potters while visiting and got the impression that Mudfire nurtures a creative and friendly atmosphere including a lounge area for breaks or snacks. Various group activities were also mentioned.
To learn more, visit Mudfire’s website, www.mudfire.com, or drop by the clayworks and gallery at 175 Laredo Drive. Laredo is just off Ponce De Leon Ave. at the entrance to the DeKalb Farmers Market. Hours are generally 12:00 noon to 8:00 p.m. (weekdays) or 10:00 p.m. (weekends), except for Wednesdays, when it is closed. You can take a trial, one month membership for $99 and release your inner potter. You might be surprised at what hidden talents you possess or just whom you might commune mysteriously with while structuring your own artworks.
–Dick Funderburke