I saved a homestead... Day 1

Me with our beagles 1959

Ok. So last week, I got a notice from our property tax man that my house would go up for tax sale July 1, 2011.  Had I noticed that my grip on the tax bill was slipping away? Oh yah. About 20 years ago, when I was challenged to pay for the house and raise the two girls by myself. I could have put the girls in day care and got a new career, but I was living in fantasy land and thought I could keep everything going on a potters salary.  So I was here for my girls, and lived a charmed life holding down the fort. Things got a little behind.

This is not a sob story. I don't want a handout. I want people to buy my pottery!  (http://www.eastknollpottery.com/... if you want to help out right away). 

I came up with an idea for a piece of clay... dirt and clay being the basis for my whole life... I will make a clay object and sell it by sharing and publishing my plight. People will love the little object and want one for their own. They will put it on the coffee table or under the Christmas tree or in their yard... they will brighten their house with this object and know that they helped someone fulfill her dream to own this special spot on the planet.

What special spot? What is so special about this house? Well, this is it.....

East Knoll 1910.  Built circa 1820 on the knoll east of the highway.

My Grampa, he is the one over their on the right with one of his calves,

was a florist. His father came from Germany in 1881 at 16 years old and settled in Brooklyn NY.  He and his brother had greenhouses there, back when Brooklyn was more countrified.  Frank fought in WWI and then bought this farm in the village of Torringford in 1927. He raised chickens and cows, veggie plants and flowers and I heard his brother had homing pigeons here.

Phyllis 1946

 This is my mom on the left in front of our barn.  She was born here in 1930, the product of a short and mostly unhappy marriage. My grandparents divorced when she was about 5 years old and grew up here on the small farm.

Dave and me 1958

She married my dad in 1948, and my brother, me and my little sister grew up here too.  Here's my brother and me in front of the greenhouse. It was really cool to grow up in a greenhouse. We played with trucks in dirt piles in the middle of winter. My love of dirt may have started here.

 So here is the background... now what object should I make that people will want to buy for their own?

All I ask from you is to become a follower for my blog up there over on the right and I will keep you posted on what's going on.  Pass this on to your friends too. Don't forget to comment on what's going on. Sharing is good. I like to hear your challenging story too.... really!