When you see the word "gumbo", do you think about food? Well, here in the Arkansas Delta, we think of gumbo as that stuff that you don't want to walk through when it's wet because you'll probably lose you're shoes! And, you sure don't want to drive through it either. It's more than dirt. It's more than mud. Gumbo is a very thick, sticky clay that frustrates farmers and gardeners alike. Nothing will grow in it.
There's an old saying, "If life gives you lemons, make lemonade." Well, I have a cousin who did just that, except life didn't give him lemons, it gave him gumbo! Back in the 1980s, Bobby took that sticky, blue-gray goo and made beautiful pottery from it, just like the Native Americans living here centuries ago did. I'm lucky to own several pieces that have been stored for years. This year, out of their boxes they're coming! I want to enjoy and appreciate them once again! I've only found these three pieces, so far. More to come later. They're just what I need for the rustic look of our keeping room. And, I love that there's a history and connection between my cousin's pottery and the very soil I walk on every day.
Isn't this piece great!?!
4 comments:
LOL, the jokes on me. I thought I'd found a recipe for gumbo. But, I did enjoy the post, too.
Did your cousin sell his pots? Does he now?
Yes, he sold his pots back in the 60s-70s. He no longer makes them. I've bought a few pieces in antique malls.
Those are beautiful! Is there a particular trick to it? I've got some rather nasty gumbo over here and I was thinking of giving pottery a whirl for at least some planting pots and maybe further on a cob oven. Any suggestions when working with it?
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