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gemmy.bsky.social
Lotta
@gemmy.bsky.social
270 followers 250 following 940 posts
Swede in D.C. Hockey, ceramics, nature, kayaking, Taiwan. Tolkien nerd, brassica fan. www.lottaworld.com Pottery pics: www.instagram.com/lottainvirginia/
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gemmy.bsky.social
One fun thing this weekend was sitting down to rest on the mountain by a leaning rock cave and pulling a complete Owens-Illinois bottle, complete w Bakelite (?) cap, out of the sand. Likely from 1943, if I read it right. Neat!
Bottom of an apothecary/prescription bottle w a mold suction scar, ”Owens” text, the Owens-Illinois embossed logo, a mold number of 8 with one dot (second mold cavity), and a ”3” in the year spot. Since it says Duraglas on it as well (used starting in the 1940s), that would likely mean made in 1943. A view of the whole bottle with the screw-top on. It also says ”Duraglas” and has the oz symbol and two ”ii” which means 2 oz size. There would have been a paper label on it. I wonder who brought this up in the mountain and why? Was it reused as a hip flask by some 50s/60s teenager? This exact bottle is shown in the company’s catalog from 1930! (See figure 33 at https://bottleinfo.historicbottles.com/pdffiles/OwensIllinois2018Part2.pdf. The leaning rocks, forming a dry cave underneath, where I took a fika break and found the bottle. It was maybe 2+ hours of climbing the Rose River trail from the bottom.
December 16, 2025 at 11:24 PM
gemmy.bsky.social
Shenandoah 3.5 hour hike today was lovely!
Selfie of me standing by the Rose River A waterfall on the Rose River, long exposure. View from my rest spot on the mountain. The Rose River. Water flowing on rocks and bare trees on the banks. It loops cold, but wasn’t bad.
December 13, 2025 at 9:23 PM
gemmy.bsky.social
Morning on December 13 means watching a replay of the Lucia celebrations from back home. Always fun to both get the traditional songs and a few new-to-me ones. Makes me nostalgic for the many Lucia choirs I’ve participated in.
Screenshot from Swedish television at the SVT Play app, showing the Lucia in front and her maidens in the back in a delayed playing of the ”Lucia morning” broadcast from Visby on Gotland.
December 13, 2025 at 12:31 PM
gemmy.bsky.social
Spur of the moment AB&B in the mountains for the weekend. Hoping to catch some Geminid meteors!
The view from the room over a balcony railing and the sun setting over a line of trees. In the background you can see the foothills of the Appalachians. A large room with a bed and chairs. Windows to the ceiling and nature outside.
December 12, 2025 at 10:15 PM
gemmy.bsky.social
Last day of the Art League student holiday sale. Open 10am-5pm today, I’ll be around there all afternoon. Been a good weekend so far, make it even better by shopping early for pottery Christmas gifts!!
(800 Slaters Lane in Alexandria, Virginia )
The items left on my table. I have sold all my robots and a few other pieces, so I’m pretty happy about it! One of the two studios packed to the gills with student and instructor created ceramics for sale. Flyer for the sale with representative photos and date time info and address at 800 Slaters Lane in Alexandria.
December 7, 2025 at 2:40 PM
gemmy.bsky.social
Happy to pick up my newest pottery items from the kiln last night. Also including a new metal wire Christmas tree with a ceramic base. Just in time for the student ceramic sale this weekend!!
8 small pottery figurines of a singing choir with little red noses, crosshatching as ”buttons” on their clothes, and some embroidery thread as scarves A silver metal wire tree, built on top of two ceramic ”boulders.” The tree has green and red beads, and a few nail polish leaves. Art League holiday ceramics sale, December 5-7, 2025 at 800 Slaters Lane Alexandria, VA 22314. Hours are Friday 5-8pm, Saturday 10am - 8 pm, and Sunday 10am-5pm. Hope to see you at my table!!
December 4, 2025 at 4:29 PM
gemmy.bsky.social
Looking for cool Christmas gifts in the Washington, D.C. area? Come to the #AlexandriaVA Art League student ceramic sale this weekend! I will have a table to sell some of my pottery, and some much better creators will be there too! Hope to see you there! (I'll be there Friday eve/Sunday pm)
Poster for the Alexandria Art League Student Holiday Ceramic Sale. December 5-7, 2025. Friday 5pm-8pm, Saturday 10am-8pm, Sunday 10am-5pm. It's at 800 Slaters Lane, Alexandria, VA. Not too far for Arlington, VA, D.C. and Maryland folks too! The top right hand photo of little tiki-looking vases are mine. They will be for sale at this event!
December 2, 2025 at 4:00 PM
gemmy.bsky.social
Happy First of Advent!
An Advent Star lamp hanging in my window. In the front are two white curtains and in the back are the lights from the high-rises at Skyline. South Arlington, Virginia.
December 1, 2025 at 2:02 AM
gemmy.bsky.social
Decided I have too many things to do, so I took a hike instead of taking the kayak out. Regretting my choice right now, it is gorgeous (albeit chilly) on the Potomac.
The Potomac River with the Wilson Bridge in the background. The blue of the water meets the blue of the sky, with the white bridge between them. In the foreground is driftwood along the bank, and some anchored boats.
November 29, 2025 at 4:20 PM
gemmy.bsky.social
Do you play the accordion? Does someone you know? I’m looking for someone to record a few bars of accordion music as a gift to my mom. Happy to pay. Story in photos.
Musical notation in a childish hand in Swedish. I think maybe the first bar is something else? ”My Waltz” is written between bars 1-2. Lyrics are ”now we will sing a little song that all birds will listen to” followed by two instrumental bars, and then the final ”thus I can end my waltz” Text on a white background. My dad, who passed away suddenly a few years ago, played the accordion when he was a kid. Recently, mom gave his accordion away to a local music school. In the process, she discovered a booklet where he had composed "my waltz" when he was maybe 12/13. As a Christmas present for my mom, I was hoping to have someone record the snippet of music on an accordion so I can send it to her. Final output would be an mp3 file of his composition, played on an accordion. Difficulty: Old-school Swedish musical notation (not sure if that matters), a pretty fuzzy photo of the page of notes. Happy to pay for the help. Flexible on the amount. My dad in between bouts of playing the accordion (fairly poorly if I recall correctly!) many years after composing the waltz. It’s a beautiful old school accordion, he is sitting in a white chair and looks really content.
November 25, 2025 at 12:29 PM
gemmy.bsky.social
Vad gjorde du 17 juli 2018? (What did you do July 17, 2018?)

Såg Joywave på Broadberry i Richmond, Virginia. Dom spelade "Blastoff" live för första gången någonsin.

(I saw Joywave at the Broadberry in Richmond. First live performance of "Blastoff")
The band Joywave performing on a stage, taken from the railing. Joey playing guitar on the left, Paul on the drums, Daniel singing. (On the bass is Jeremiah and Ben on keyboards. Both of them are no longer members of the band.) In the back is a big lit-up sign that says "Broadberry" and the lights are purple and orange.
November 21, 2025 at 7:46 PM
gemmy.bsky.social
Got to pick up my kittycat luminary this week. Happy that it turned out! Also picked up a little face bud vase. I didn’t mean for him to be crying!! 😂
Blue luminary shaped like a cat, with holes where the light will emanate out through the body and face. A little face on a bud vase. Looks like a cartoonish face with the eyes crying.
November 20, 2025 at 3:57 PM
gemmy.bsky.social
No, not true. There was no additional arms sale to Taiwan this week (so far!). This was a contract award announcement to Raytheon for the NASAMS that were notified to Congress on October 25, 2024. Two completely different things.
Acre magic of text from https://www.war.gov/News/Contracts/Contract/Article/4333778/ Raytheon Co., Tewksbury, Massachusetts, was awarded a $698,948,760 firm-fixed-price contract for the procurement of National Advanced Surface to Air Missile System fire units. Work will be performed in Tewksbury, Massachusetts, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 28, 2031. Fiscal 2026 Foreign Military Sales (Taiwan) funds in the amount of $698,948,760 were obligated at the time of the award. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W31P4Q-26-C-0002).
November 19, 2025 at 4:58 AM
gemmy.bsky.social
Productive day at pottery open studio today. Stuck 4 bisqued raku clay items in my car, ready for my February workshop. Threw the remaining class clay a bit bigger than normal to get rid of it before my class breaks for the holidays, then used the leftover raku clay for a little figurine choir. :)
A little figurine clay choir using groggy raku clay on the slab roller. A buff clay bottle. I usually do rounded forms, so it was a challenge to get the edges. Large tapered vase on a purple 12-inch bat. Buff clay, lilac bat. :) Bisque fired bottle in raku clay, ready for the raku workshop I’m signed up to take in February!
November 15, 2025 at 11:25 PM
gemmy.bsky.social
I hate that DSCA insists on posting Taiwan arms sales notices at like 9 pm. Don’t they know I’m not at work then!! 😂
(Yea, yea it’s morning in Taipei. Still annoyed for myself!)
Text from an arms sales notice. Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States – Non-Standard Spare and Repair Parts DoD News Feed (DSCA) / by Pentagon News / Nov 13, 2025 at 9:14 PM WASHINGTON, November 13, 2025 - The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States of Non-Standard Spare and Repair Parts and related equipment for an estimated cost of $330 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress.
November 14, 2025 at 12:47 PM
gemmy.bsky.social
Good day at the studio today. Put my kitty cat lantern out to dry before bisque, picked up a finished spout tester bowl, and threw a few pieces in a new Raku Clay in preparation for my Raku workshop in February.
My little soy sauce bowl with a failed spout - my first ever. Too short so it spills liquid if you put too much in the bowl, and it dribbles a bit too. But at least he’s cute! Another figurine luminary, a bit larger than my last three, and my first ever cat! There is a hole at the top of the body, in the hopes that he will have glowing eyes and mouth when lit. A thick-bodied vase in Clayworks’ raku clay, which should withstand the thermal shock better in the raku firing environment. Will need to be bisque fired before the workshop. I have three types of clay in my cubbie at the moment, which makes me feel like I may be an actual potter now. 😂
November 1, 2025 at 10:29 PM
gemmy.bsky.social
Yay, #ALLCAPS hockey with @msewb.bsky.social for the first time this season. Psyched!!
View of the Capital One Arena rink from the 400s. The Zamboni’s are making the ice pretty in preparation for the Caps vs Isles.
October 31, 2025 at 10:53 PM
gemmy.bsky.social
Purity Ring at 9:30 Club. Sublime show, only marred by the super tall guy ahead of me on the rail. I’m still obsessed with Fineshrine after 13+ years! Weirded out by so many people standing stock still with arms crossed during the entirely of this danceable show…
Silhouette of Megan James in front of a screen with sparks both behind and in front A blurry Megan James in front of a screen with video game imagery The tall guy blocking my view of the stage, with cool fiery faces off to the side. The stage show is fabulous
October 30, 2025 at 2:41 AM
gemmy.bsky.social
Problem with hiking in the mid-Atlantic in the fall is spending 20 minutes clearing stick-tights off your clothes in the parking lot before you can leave!
Several strands of tick trefoil seeds stuck to my clothing after hiking today. Fern Pass at Mason Neck state park. Very green glass on the ground beneath the stems of trees, with sun shining in the background, making sharp shadows.
October 23, 2025 at 9:31 PM
gemmy.bsky.social
Can’t believe I’m back here again. Late night omelette while making to do lists for my conference. Year 24. Surreal to have every year pass so quickly…
A diner table with an omelette and hash browns, a hot tea cup and a notebook with lists of things to do tomorrow to prep for conference start on Sunday. So much work, but worth it!
October 18, 2025 at 1:07 AM
gemmy.bsky.social
Picked up some of my finished pieces - a set of figurine luminaries- at my pottery class last night. I’m so so happy with how they turned out! May have to make some more for the holiday sale in early December.
A luminary shaped like a deer. Buff clay, Blue Black glaze. A luminary shaped like a moose. Buff clay, Panama Red glaze (turns green in the electric kiln) A luminary shaped like a robot. Buff clay, Blue Amber (adulterated Honey Amber) glaze. His ”hair” is high temp wire. The tree luminaries lit last night. I had intended for the robot’s eyes to serve as holes, but sadly, it didn’t work out so well and one of the eyes got glazed shut.
October 15, 2025 at 1:26 PM
gemmy.bsky.social
The deluge of completely unhinged GOP spam continues to to my work email spam. 75+ since 10 am. If it's not warnings about Dems in Congress, it's the money they are promising me, or the propping up of candidates. Poor Nancy seems desperate... It's hard to imagine how anyone would find it persuasive.
The NEW Trump White House: See the Gold & Marble - VIRTUAL TOUR OF TRUMP'S NEWLY RENOVATED WHITE H .. . SIGN YOUR NAME: Remove llhan Omar from Congress - llhan Omar celebrates the deaths of slain Americans and .. . Thank you for your donation to Rep. AOC. - BREAKING: AOC just grabbed Schumer by the b*lls! It's Dem-on-Dem .. . I recorded this just for you - Patriot, It's Senator Mike Lee of Utah. In light of recent events, I felt it was important to .. . Patriot - I'm making my final plea to you. - Patriot - I'm making one final plea for help before it's too late. My situat .. . Confirm your MAGA STATUS RIGHT NOW>> - NEED YOUR IMMEDIATE ACTION RIGHT NOW! 0 CONFIRM NOW if .. . Patriot, I just got a phone call about you. - Hey Patriot, it's Jimmy - Funny enough, I actually just got a phone call .. . If Jesus hadn't saved me, I might not be here today ... - YES! I want to share Isaiah 45:7 with you, Patriot. "I form Ii .. . You're normally on time, so I'm worried! - Patriot, you're really a last minute nelly. They say the early bird gets the .. . She was 17, pregnant, and told to GIVE UP. She FOUGHT instead. - Patriot, This is Zak Daniel - I want to share so .. . You're legendary, Patriot! - You're an absolute legend, Patriot. You've been selected as a recipient of our Golden Ga .. . My daughter is in the fight of her life - Hi, This is Brigadier General James Emory Mace, US Army (Retired). Today, I .. . I'm being hunted. Stalked. Threatened. But that doesn't scare me. THIS does: - Patriot, this is my final email toy .. . URGENT: Confirm Your $5,000 D.O.G.E. Refund Eligibility. - 475B in waste cut. Should Americans qet 5K back You ..
October 13, 2025 at 5:52 PM
gemmy.bsky.social
First some work partying with 2000 of Taiwan’s closest friends in DC at the 10/10 day celebration at Twin Oaks. Now some hockey on my TV! Yay the boys of winter are back! Go #ALLCaps
10-10 in Chinese characters carved in clear ice, standing on a table in a party tent. Photo of my TV. The Capitals are losing 0-1 against the Bruins at the end of the second period.
October 9, 2025 at 1:16 AM
gemmy.bsky.social
The spam replies are getting out of hand, honestly. But I think what bothers me most is that many of them even fail to spam tag right! Which Sean do you mean? Which Jacob are you talking about? The lack of a link to click means it's more than useless!! I hate it so much.
Spam replies where half of them actually tag someone so you could see what they are trying to do by making people click the handle, but some of them are just "Sean" with no link. Which account are you even trying to spam tag here? It's beyond stupid. I'm guessing maybe the linked accounts have already been taken down?
October 2, 2025 at 9:45 PM
gemmy.bsky.social
Sad to see that Jane Goodall passed away. She was a giant in her field, and will be missed. I saw her speak once, and it was super inspirational. A huge loss to the world. RIP.
Jane Goodall alone by a podium standing on a giant stage speaking. You can see her trademark grey ponytail. It’s at the DAR Constitution Hall in Washington, DC.
October 1, 2025 at 9:36 PM