We were surprised to realize snow was falling on the afternoon we arrived in Nice, California, for our holiday in March 2021. The rest of our stay offered sunny spring weather, but that snow storm was amazing! And this year we expect temperatures in the high 80s (F). No, I didn’t bring my bathing suit; but clearly some folks did!
One final look inside the Gladding McBean factory during Feats of Clay XXIII, March 2010.
Many years ago, this spot along a busy road near Lake Natoma was destined to be the home of a large office building; but the structure was never built, because homeowners up the hill from the site complained, protested, and generally made life miserable for the property owner. Ever since then, the lot has been fenced in and more or […]
Here is the rest of my around-the-house collection of images from our recent trip to the Mendocino Coast.
One of the best things about doing a vacation rental is checking out the fun little details in and around the house. That might include yard decorations, unusual architecture, or colorful plants and flowers. I’ve gotten into the habit of doing this in every place we stay, and I love it for a few reasons. It helps me keep my […]
I have returned many times to Rattlesnake Bar on Folsom Lake for the hike to Avery’s pond. Last Thursday I shared a few 2006 images from this beautiful area, so this week I’m jumping ahead 10 years with photos from a hike we took on April 1, 2016. I previously posted some of these pictures back in May 2018 (see […]
I don’t do this very often, but this week I’ve decided to repeat an episode — one that I originally featured way back in May 2017. For the past few Mondays I’ve been sharing photos with you that I found in the Hicks Album from the Feats of Clay XXIII exhibition, one of the last years the event was held inside Gladding McBean. The images have raised a few questions about the terra cotta factory; and the fact that the company no longer offers tours to the public makes this look inside all the more wonderful. I hope you enjoy seeing Huell’s visit to Gladding McBean as much as I have. My original post: Lincoln is a little town not too far up the road from my house, and I’ve never spent much time there at all. So I was very surprised when I first saw this episode of California’s Gold to realize there is such an important and historical company located there. From the Brooks Brothers emblem to light standards for a bridge in Moosejaw, Canada, these guys create art for public spaces, and every piece is created by hand. Step back in time with Huell to the olden days of making pottery the Gladding McBean way. The 118-year-old company in rural Lincoln, near Sacramento, is the nation’s only remaining major manufacturer of terra cotta. From decorative to functional, McBean’s terra cotta is acclaimed for its distinctive style which graces […]
I’ve been doing a little early spring cleaning around my house lately. So much of the stuff I keep is of no real use to me anymore, but I’m attached to it out of either nostalgia or the fear that I may suddenly find a purpose for it after it’s gone. So I shuffle things around and try to make […]
The Gladding McBean company has a long and fascinating history. Over many decades of the factory’s existence, their artists have created miles of clay sewer pipe, tons of decorative tableware, and countless pieces of architectural ornamentation in terra cotta. To walk through the factory even today is to discover bits and pieces of history lying about in every room.