High Test

It's Saturday morning and it is cold blowing snow today. Usually I like my greasy spoon breaky on the weekend but I'm off bacon. Dang! So I made myself a good cup of high test in my little coffee machine I bought in Italy. Yep, fresh ground beans are a must for a good cuppa brew. I choose the little Oaxaca lead glazed cup I picked up in an antique store while doing a workshop in Texas. Gee it even has spashes of copper lead glaze. Oh god, I'm about to die!
Now what was the potter thinking when they put this teenie weenie handle on? Ya have to grip it tight between the thumb and forefinger and hang on tight. I am more than willing to do this. What was I attracted to when I bought this cup? The shape, the ladled green glaze or was it the weenie handle? It also has a nicely trimmed foot ring that is almost Oriental. I guess it was all of these things. I have enjoyed that coffee so much I think I'll brew another.

FYI My aunt and uncle made lead glazed earthenware for 47 years and never killed themselves or anyone else. Our local clay supplier is now making a silica free clay so that the school boards will keep their clay programs. Stay away from the sand box kids. There is silica in that sand!!!!!