No new blog posts since February? Well, yeah. There's a reason for that. My wife, Valerie, spent over three months this summer away, taking care of her parents post-surgery while I stayed home with our grown daughter, Audrey, whose steady presence (and knowledge about where to find things) kept me largely out of trouble. Thanks to unlimited texting, we all managed to stay in touch despite the distance.

Absence may make the heart grow fonder, but I prefer growing relationships in person if possible. Especially after living through 2020.

I’ve discovered that as I’ve gotten older I’ve learned to appreciate relationships more than I did when I was younger.

It was hard to spend such a long time away from my wife. But I was able to send my love with her while her love stayed here. Together (though apart) we were able to focus on appreciating friends and family more deeply than we have before. Giving and receiving multiple kindnesses. Our personal variation on a "summer of love."

… It was a productive summer

I spent studio time throwing and sculpting, making pieces for several summer exhibitions and shows.

Pottery friends Nora Ruth Amstutz and Peter Fauver came over and helped me film footage for an online seminar for The Ceramic School later this fall (I’ll post more about it when I have a link). Thank you, Nora and Peter.

Outside of work, Audrey and I have also been cooking and gardening. Audrey made ice cream and I made bread. Yet I still lost over twenty pounds this summer by enjoying the fruits (actually vegetables) of our gardening labors.

Oh, and we cut and split firewood.

A LOT of firewood.

We had a major storm blow through, which created an abundance of trees down for us to clean up.

On the eastern side of the state, Valerie was doing many home improvement projects, landscaping and a garage sale for her parents. I dropped in a few times to help with the heavy stuff.

… It was a low tech summer, but also a high TECH summer

I have a longtime friend who set up his camper in my studio driveway and kept us company most of the summer with BBQ and starlit campfires.

In addition, he gifted us with a personal weather station! He knows how much my wife and I like weather-watching, so he and I installed the system to surprise my wife with a way to know what the weather was like at home by using an app. She loves it. Thanks, Jon.

… It was a sociable summer

The highlight of my summer was being able, once again, to host friends and visitors to my studio (thanks to the covid vaccination and continuing precautions).

Besides my friend (the camper) and my local pottery friends, I also hosted a brief visit from another Valerie: our family friend Valerie Walchek from Florida, who took time out of her summer studio and show schedule to plant a flower garden to welcome my wife home. A labor of love. Thank you, Valerie.

And summer is now over.

Yes, my wife Valerie made it home, albeit with a broken arm from tripping while sorting stuff for the garage sale at her parents' house!

Now we're harvesting tomatoes and getting ready to kick off Fall with the Michiana Pottery Tour, which is celebrating its 10th year.

Speaking of milestones, I turn 59 this week. I have one year before I’m an “old man,” and I’m going to make the most of the year ahead.

No matter how old I get, I am determined to enjoy - and keep enjoying - the people in my life. My family, my friends, my pottery people. Giving and receiving as many kindnesses as we can all create together. Because love knows no season. It’s there for us winter, spring, summer or fall.

Troy Bungart is a potter who makes tools and brushes for artists and collectors. He also makes a really good vegetable stir fry with naan bread.

Valerie Bungart is Troy’s wife. She puts Troy’s writing ideas into blog form and appreciates being back home with him.