that was New Year's eve's eve....and the best of 2010?

(me and the wife, Kerry, Brett and us, and Stev0 in his BABB punk bunny tee)
As you know, I belong to a secretive art blog bunch...the BAMF ART BLOG BUNCH, actually.
The Ithaca chapter held a small get together last night, Kerry and Stev0 came along....we have been wondering about a new CLUBHOUSE, due to the um, unpleasantly large number of hobos at our former clubhouse. We went to Bandwagon Brewpub..a new beer joint that brews its own, and HOLY CATS it is superb.
Anyway, my main goal in 2011 is more punk, more skulls, and in that spirit, the wife wore her kickass skull bracelet....








You could say "who cares what happened to Gary in 2010?" and I would agree, who cares what is in the past? But I do admit that my TV appearance last January was pretty darn cool. It set off an awesome chain of events: shows, openings, and being invited to the NY State Vessel Invitational in Cooperstown in August (which was followed by a Christmas show in Cooperstown which was tres successful). So, basically, in modest terms, it was a wonderful year with some good fortune and I am very grateful for all of it :)

noodles + peanut butter + ketchup

Ever read the recipes atop your jar of peanut butter? I do! Whereas I am NEVER gonna make peanut butter pork chops* or a peanut butter smoothie*, I like Thai peanut noodles, for example, and here is a groovy variation that I have been making daily since first trying it early this week. Each time it is easy, perfect, and ...I like it better than mac and cheese!*
*= I don't eat meat or dairy, but use substitute cheese sometimes, like here

from Smuckers natural PB: easy peanut pasta twists
1 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup warm water
tablspoon soy sauce
1/2 cup ketchup, although chili sauce and BBQ sauce = delish variations
teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 tablespoon rice vinegar, although I use red wine vinegar
1 pound pasta, like corkscrews
1/2 cup diced red pepper
shredded cheddar cheese (optional)*

1. combine pb, H2O, ketchup, soy sauce, garlic powder, and vinegar in bowl, whisk nice and smooth
2. cook and drain pasta
3. toss pasta and sauce and diced pepper, top each plate with cheese*, yum!

when Georges met Georgine

(my rotton French sock monkey Georges Le Soq is introduced to Georgine, with predictably LEWD results...)

Leslie down in Virginia is like
"have I got something for YOU" and this box arrives, and its like "holy CATS, look, she made a lapis necklace for the wife! Matches her sweater today too!!!!" and Leslie had also made this sassy purple lei and......sexy sock monkey. Georges was like
"meoooowwwwrrrrr!"
Thanks Leslie :)

starring Jen Mecca!

(jen made these tumblers and gave them to me, hot dAMN!)
My pal Jen Mecca down in the Carolinas is an interesting story. She grew up HERE, in this village, but has been in the south for her whole adult life. Her book group is doing a book by Amy Dickinson, the newspaper columnist, who also happens to be from HERE and who still lives HERE and writes her column from HERE. We know some people in Amy's family and where the houses and other sights are, which also happen to be the sights from Jen's childhood. So Jen asked me for a bunch of photos, promising pottery in exchange, which is a pretty big deal. Jen was just featured in Ceramics Monthly and here is her etsy gallery. I love her porcelain, so curvy and whimsical and masterful. Thanks JEN!!!!!

(teapot by Jen Mecca)

2 of my ladies....

(pottery by Gary Rith, Emily, our elderly kitten and The Wife)
Emily, as a matter of fact, is asleep on my lap right now. I think, at the age of 16.5 years, that she must be about 90-100 or more in cat years. She has slowed down a LOT in recent weeks. Still has a beastly big appetite though. I told you a couple of weeks ago that I wanted to paint her sleeping on the wife's sweater, a typical napping spot, and this mug just came out of the kiln. I was gonna put it right up for sale but I like it too much so I am gonna stare at it a bit. Other cat poses on the reverse, as you see.
Yesterday, the wife is like
"I got an appt to see Rachel. I am having ALL my hair cut off" and you KNOW as a husband that there is only one response to that "Oh, OK!" and I get a couple of pics (against her will, I should add--she is a reluctant model, but I am an enthusiastic snap shot taker, as you know--when she sees this she is going to complain "why do you post ALL of the pics?" and I am like "keep throwing spaghetti at the wall, see what sticks!") and then later she comes in with "I look SASSY!" and its def. a cute cut...and she got herself a green purse! I am like "let me take charge of the purse and pay for it from my piggy bank: your birthday is in the spring!" 'cause I was thinking that a bright green purse is ideal for a spring birthday... (and you know that is how we shop here---no surprises, or at least, as few as possible :) I gotta think of fun things to stuff into the purse....

Don't you love NEW WAVE?

babies yesterday, going goth metal today?

(pottery by Gary Rith)
You know I have wide interests. People think I am this puppy dog and baby and kitten lover, and I am! But people wonder where this badass heavy metal dark side comes from? I think my brand of badass is fun and cuddly, in its way. A person has to sprinkle a few cute skulls into their life, here and there.
Pics above showing some small mug shapes I have been working on and then I have been trying to get that teapot together--its a lot of pieces! You see the working doodle for it on my calendar from last week...I think the cups will go well with the teapot, which will be glazed the same....



Dig these goth skull goblets. They could be YOURS, for sale now at my etsy shop!

Golly this is a great tune...not exactly wholsome and uplifting, but fits today's theme, eh?

new year new baby!

(this picture of baby Alex cracks me up--he did not like his new Christmas sled too much, but with all the snow today, he prob. likes it better--pic below from 2 weeks ago)


(mug by Gary Rith, and Gary with baby Alex----baby mugs are for sale at my etsy shop!)
Here is the wife with 3 of our babies....


Awesome video, esp. when you look at all the wintry scenes outside....

UNboxing day, the aftermath....

(Penny is hopeful that the wife received pork chops for Christmas....)
Twas a most good day. Below you see our elderly kitten Emily stretched out, all comfy. Spike cat and Penny were pretty helpful with the unwrapping....





we made all these tasty and spicy Indian dishes here, for a very merry vegan Christmas, lotsa V. yummy leftovers today :)


dig STARS, A plus awesome video here, will make ya most happy :)

Christmas postcard from Etna, NY

Merry Christmas!
I remember years ago you would be watching a football game and this ad for Bud would come on, big horses pulling a cart full of beers through pretty little hill towns. Its like that cart full of beers was going down our street, it looks exactly like that here. Above, walking Penny at our park. Below, across the river looking back at our purple house there and our back yard. You can see all kinds of ducks and geese down there, our house up the slope a bit.

Looking toward the bridge and Mt Pleasant in the distance.
Etna has a post office, bus stop, a park, a cemetery and a church. I do not go to this church, but it is simple and pretty looking, about 200 years old.
I made my wife's aunt Connie's plum torte with apples...actually, probably her grandmother's recipe. Copy of it below....


The lions shall lie down with lambs, OR the beagle will lie down with the grey tiger and use him for a pillow......


Rudolf the red nosed Gary. had a one day cold. Good excuse to do NOTHING.

BTW, sez here bake about an hour. More like 30-35 minutes, until golden brown!