Back to school

This week marks two full week back to school of my last undergrad semester!  After many years of going to school and working on my BFA degree, I am finally going to graduate!  I am taking 12 hours of classes, Sr. ceramics, life drawing, art history and business communication.  It is going to be a busy semester taking 12 hours and teaching classes and workshops at Hodges, but I have a feeling it will be a great fall at Texas Tech. 

My 100 day summer challenge was not met this summer.  I made 45 pieces this summer which have already been bisque fired and all the pottery is currently cooling in a soda kiln.   It was a great challenge and I am glad I attempted it.  It will push me harder for next time.  I learned I need to overestimate time per piece when trying to figure out the time and the number of pieces I need to be working on per week.  I also realized I produced more when I devoted a large chunk of time to working vs working just a short time everyday.  I did better giving myself a little time off each week then working consecutively for a week or so and then taking off for a longer chunk of time.

Cooler weather is already rolling through the Texas panhandle, with hints of fall everyday.  Labor day weekend was great!  I took a day trip to Carlsbad Caverns with friends and spent 7 hours underground.  I had been once before, but I took in so much more this time I feel and we took an additional ranger guided tour of the King's Palace.  It was so breathtaking.  They were working on one of the elevators though and so instead of waiting forever to leave we did the natural entrance path out of the caverns.  It was a little tough with my knee bothering me but we made it out and stayed to watch the bat flight at dusk.  

Just a glimpse of our trip to Carlsbad Caverns!  Next time I go, I want to do the lantern ranger guided tour!  There is always something new to see and experience.  It is just too much to take in on one visit.