Milhouse Barks
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milhousebarks.bsky.social
Milhouse Barks
@milhousebarks.bsky.social
60 followers 100 following 77 posts
I am, therefore I garden.
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milhousebarks.bsky.social
I usually try not to listen, but I'm listening now through @bloomberg.com since I feel I should try to keep up to date ... it is a frightening stream of babble and lies. Time to go looking at my beautiful flowering apple trees to restore my soul.
#trumpandnetanyahu
MonArk apple tree in bloom. A lovely old southern variety developed by the University of Arkansas back in the 60s. That apple breeding program closed in the 90s and this one remains their best known.
April 7, 2025 at 8:02 PM
Reposted by Milhouse Barks
juliusgoat.bsky.social
The very act of posing this as a question is a shameful capitulation to and collaboration with the forces of fascism.
From the New York Times morning newsletter. Subject line: The Morning: Do immigrants have freedom of speech?
March 24, 2025 at 11:00 AM
Reposted by Milhouse Barks
krassenstein.bsky.social
March 23, 2025 at 7:13 PM
milhousebarks.bsky.social
Day 20 of 20 pots. Porcelain platter with glaze developed by Brother Thomas Bezanson. Cone 10 reduction. More on the glaze in the alt tag.

#20pots #pottersofbluesky #ceramics
I worked for a while with a potter on Cape Cod who had provided housing and studio space to Brother Thomas Bensazon, an amazing potter who created some spectacular glazes based on his research of ancient glazes from Asia. As a thank you he gave her one of his glaze formulas which was this really rich copper red with purple and lilac highlights. She honored his request not to share the glaze recipe, but others were allowed to use the glaze when working in her studio. I treasure the pieces I created with this glaze.
March 23, 2025 at 3:31 AM
milhousebarks.bsky.social
Day 19 of 20 pots. A fruit bowl in action. Cone 10 reduction.

#20pots #pottersofbluesky #ceramics
March 21, 2025 at 9:30 PM
milhousebarks.bsky.social
Day 18 of 20 pots. Porcelain platter glazed with Wally’s Sea Wonder. Reduction fired to cone 10. Glaze info in the alt tag.
#20pots #pottersofbluesky #ceramics
This is a glaze I experimented with years ago by increasing the copper slightly in a copper red glaze. The turquoise green is areas of less reduction. Close up on the glaze showing how the copper seems to crystallize during kiln cool down.
March 21, 2025 at 12:47 AM
milhousebarks.bsky.social
My apricots are in bloom and the early pollinators are thrilled.
March 19, 2025 at 9:26 PM
milhousebarks.bsky.social
Day 17 of 20 pots. Fresh out of the kiln a new set of 6 bowls. Cone 6 oxidation fired. Glaze info in the alt tag.
#20pots #pottersofbluesky #ceramics
Currently I use a community studio with very limited hours and a collection of glazes that are often a bit unexciting, but reliable which you need when many people are glazing and you don't want to be cleaning kiln shelves constantly. This time I tried a clear that seems to have some nice flux and some motion and put it over a glaze called Caribbean Blue. That blue is usually more greenish blue and rather flat and bland, but I thought that the clear over it might alter it pretty dramatically which it did. To set off the edge I also added a little red iron oxide wash to the rim. Overall I'm pleased, but I'll try to refine how these are applied. It looks like the Caribbean Blue has iron or something in it that can break a little yellowish if it is too thick which you can see in the bowl that is on its side, so I'll have to watch out for that. The combination also crawled a little on a 7th bowl that had the thickest application, so that didn't make the grade.
March 19, 2025 at 5:16 PM
milhousebarks.bsky.social
Day 16 of 20 pots. The lone survivor of a group of 7 bowls with a “dragon eye” glaze. Stoneware, oxidation fired to cone 6.

#20pots #pottersofbluesky #ceramics
March 19, 2025 at 3:01 AM
milhousebarks.bsky.social
Day 15 of 20 pots. Porcelain bud vase. Reduction fired to cone 10.
#20pots #pottersofbluesky #ceramics
I love this vase with a few of the first dandelions of spring. Perhaps not the most popular as cut flowers, dandelions are a nice way to celebrate spring is here. I'll try to remember to post this little porcelain vase with some dandelions in a few weeks.
March 17, 2025 at 9:06 PM
milhousebarks.bsky.social
Day 14 of 20 pots. Porcelain vase with tenmoku glaze and splashes of Albany slip. Who else remembers Albany slip? it hasn't been available for a while now.
#20pots #pottersofbluesky #ceramics
A 10" porcelain vase with Tenmoku glaze and splashes of Albany slip. Tenmoku is usually black with brown breaks, but I sometimes like a thin application that shows varying shades of brown like it did on this vase. Albany slip was only mined in one place (in Albany, NY of course) and is no longer available, but I've been told Alberta slip is a reasonable substitute although I haven't tried it myself. Albany slip on its own is usually glossy when fired to cone 10, but in this use, it comes out matte and almost metallic.
March 16, 2025 at 8:07 PM
milhousebarks.bsky.social
Day 13 of 20 pots. Porcelain teapot with bamboo handle. Reduction fired to cone 10. A glaze we called Annie’s chun - wish I still had the recipe.

#20pots #pottersofbluesky #ceramics
One of my favorite teapots because it poor beautifully.
March 15, 2025 at 8:49 PM
milhousebarks.bsky.social
Day 12 of 20 pots. The final in my green streak, this large mug is one of my favorite shapes for tea - a larger mug with round sides for a nice warming fit in the hand. Full of hibiscus tea I'm about to enjoy. Cone 6 oxidation. #20pots #pottersofbluesky #ceramics
March 14, 2025 at 9:51 PM
milhousebarks.bsky.social
Day 11 of 20 pots. Continuing the green theme today’s pot is a stoneware planter with integrated saucer. I’ve learned the hard way to dry these slowly since the extra thickness where the pot and saucer meet can lead to uneven drying. Cone six oxidation.

#20pots #pottersofbluesky #ceramics
Stoneware planter with saucer glazed in a green glaze with iron oxide wash on the rim. Overlay of a runnier clear glaze or the rim and inside the saucer add some flux and float.
March 13, 2025 at 3:18 PM
milhousebarks.bsky.social
Day 10 of 20 pots. Stoneware teapot with bamboo handle. Handle offset toward the back for easier pouring. Cone six oxidation.

#20pots #pottersofbluesky #ceramics
I like experimenting with small changes in form. For this teapot I angled the rear lug back away from the body of the teapot so that the handle sits further back. This makes the teapot a little front heavy so it is easier to “tip me over and pour me out”.
March 12, 2025 at 7:55 AM
milhousebarks.bsky.social
Day 9 of 20 pots. If Winnie-the-Pooh had a honey pot that was pretty small and only used for sugar it might look like this. Cone 6 oxidation, white stoneware.

#20pots #pottersofbluesky #ceramics
March 11, 2025 at 5:23 PM
milhousebarks.bsky.social
Day 8 of 20 pots. Sometimes even a simple piece can be so satisfying when it works. This little stoneware bowl was reduction fired to cone 10 with a copper red glaze. The glaze is a Tom Coleman recipe.

#20pots #pottersofbluesky #ceramics
White stoneware bowl glazed in Coleman Red. Inside view of white stoneware bowl glazed with Coleman Red.
March 10, 2025 at 8:57 PM
milhousebarks.bsky.social
Day 7 of 20 pots. Just a simple bowl. Cone 6 oxidation.
March 9, 2025 at 9:28 PM
milhousebarks.bsky.social
Day 6 of 20 pots. Bud vase - porcelain with tenmoku glaze, reduction fired to cone 10. 10” tall.

#20pots #pottersofbluesky #ceramics
March 8, 2025 at 4:53 PM
milhousebarks.bsky.social
Day 5 of 20 pots. One of the many kiln gods made over the years. Cone 6 oxidation.

#20pots #pottersofbluesky #ceramics
March 7, 2025 at 12:29 PM
milhousebarks.bsky.social
Day 4 of 20 pots. White stoneware pitcher with a kaki red glaze and celadon splashes and rim dip overlay. Cone 10 reduction fired.

#20pots #pottersofbluesky #ceramics
March 6, 2025 at 4:41 PM
milhousebarks.bsky.social
Day 3 of 20 pots. White stoneware vase glazed with a simple opaque white glaze and then a handprint from each of my kids after they dipped their hands in a wash of iron oxide and water. Two of these made, one for each grandmother. Kids in grade school then, college and grad school now.

#20pots
March 5, 2025 at 6:22 PM
Reposted by Milhouse Barks
reana.bsky.social
#agsky 🌱
March 4, 2025 at 3:34 AM
milhousebarks.bsky.social
Day 2 of twenty pots. Stoneware teapot with bamboo handle. Cone 6 oxidation.

#20pots #ceramics #pottersofbluesky
March 4, 2025 at 1:08 PM
milhousebarks.bsky.social
Dog goes mu
March 3, 2025 at 6:48 PM