Me the Potter
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Hi! You can contact me at: haruspruce1@gmail.com
I DO ship some pots. I have had trouble with breakage in shipping lately, so I will have
to consider shipping future pots, especially large ones, on a case-by-case basis.
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Hi! You can contact me at: haruspruce1@gmail.com
I DO ship some pots. I have had trouble with breakage in shipping lately, so I will have
to consider shipping future pots, especially large ones, on a case-by-case basis.
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Welcome!
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2022
Favorites!
Favorites!
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I love making simpler teapots and mugs, concentrating on making strong and beautiful forms and using classic stoneware glazes. Here we have Malcolm Davis Shino (left and center photos, above) and Shaner Red glazes (right). Unfortunately, pots like this do not seem to sell well here in T or C. I want to continue making them. Perhaps they will sell better as my forms improve, or perhaps I shall find a better market for them.
And, to close, a few more teapots and mugs.
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October, 2021
It is Fall Again!
Time flies! We T or C-ans have at last made it through a HOT HOT summer and it is beautiful, beautiful colors, crisp nights, and soft sunny days now. Such blessings!
It is Fall Again!
Time flies! We T or C-ans have at last made it through a HOT HOT summer and it is beautiful, beautiful colors, crisp nights, and soft sunny days now. Such blessings!
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My son, Jonathan Veenker, and I collaborated to make this recording, below. The song gives me strange comfort during this time, and I offer it to you. --Haru
Summer, 2021
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I love this new-to-me glaze, mixed from the John Britt glaze book. It is called Purple Haze, but on my buff stoneware clay, fired in reduction, it comes out rich, deep red.
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****New Song Post****
This is a vision song that I wrote. It is about why we are here. I performed it (voice, guitar, violins), and posted it on YouTube on July 3, 2021. If you would like to see the lyrics and photo credits, please go to the actual YouTube page. --Haru
This and some of my other songs and videos are posted here on my website under the tab that says, "My YouTubes."
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April, 2021...Spring!
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Mugs are little works of art. You can hold them in your hand, there are so many ways to make them... and people can afford to buy them and USE THEM A LOT! I love to make mugs! Here are some of my spring crop. You can see them either at my home studio or at Martha's (Heart to Hand, T or C), corner Broadway and Foch. Most of my mugs are $12 to $16.50 each. If you'd like to visit my studio, love to see you! Just send me an email at the address at the top of this page!
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....Hooray!....
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Winter, 2020 -2021
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Two items of BIG NEWS! 1) I got my own space at Martha's Heart to Hand, Foch and Broadway, downtown T or C-- I was sharing, so this is great ! My booth is WAY over in the back corner on the Foch Street side. I think you can find it...or just ask Patty or Cindy, who work there. 2) I am making a small gallery at my home, in a darling little cabin at the back of my place. Double doors open onto the alley for easy access/ pickup. Photos soon! All is well! |
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Some lovely teapots happened in December.
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September, 2020.
Tea weather is coming.
September, 2020.
Tea weather is coming.
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Sometimes these Artisan bread bakers just come out so beautiful.
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August, 2020:
Still too hot to glaze much outside...but Fall is coming! I've got LOTS OF NEW POTS TO GLAZE AND FIRE...you shall see them here SOON!
Still too hot to glaze much outside...but Fall is coming! I've got LOTS OF NEW POTS TO GLAZE AND FIRE...you shall see them here SOON!
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BIG NEWS OF THE SUMMER: My pots have come to MARTHA'S! (Now called Heart to Hand; corner Foch and Broadway, T or C, NM) Same prices as always. Come on down to Martha's...or you can make an appointment to come see more pots at my local home studio.
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Lessons of the Retreat
The world is changing-- we all know it. I wonder if you are changing too? I know I am.
With the quarantining, or whatever you want to call it, this spring, I have no idea where I am going to sell these pots that I am making. I guess you would call that a negative thing. But deeper than that, as the world slows down around me, I am re-evaluating my work direction. For many years I have lived my life by multi-tasking, cramming as much activity as I could into every minute of life-- exhausting! Now, slowing down, I am noticing the most wonderful spring I could imagine. I am breathing and noticing that I am breathing. I am appreciating each moment as it passes as I have never done before. It is almost as if I just arrived here on the planet, and I am astonished at its beauty. The air, the light, the sun, the rain. The sound of my guitar when I touch it to play. The curve and grace of the pots that I am making.
I have made pots for over 40 years, squeezing in time around kids, career, life. With retirement-- freedom! I jumped into pottery-making with both feet. Part of me wanted to make up for all that lost time I spent working on everything BUT pottery, this love of my life. Fantastic. I felt like I was doing an apprenticeship, aided by all the great pottery teachers on the internet, making the same forms over and over, and slowly getting better. So exciting!
Of course all this effort resulted in a rather large number of pots piling up. With great trepidation, in the fall of 2016, I set out for my first crafts fair, the local Farmer's Market. Some pots sold! Before I knew it I was signing up for this fair and that fair all over New Mexico, very excited about building my skill and building a business at the same time. It was wonderful. After a few years of this I found myself working almost as hard as I had worked on my job! Oops.
But now, due to changes inner and outer, I find myself looking at my pottery much like I am looking at the sun, the air, the rain, the beautiful spring. I am spending more time with each creation, falling in love , taking risks, exploring. I want my life to be fun.
So, with the probable looming paucity of crafts fairs, an opening arises for me to create more slowly, with more joy. I hope you can see a little joy in these pots.
It is now warm enough to glaze outdoors. From January through March, I have been throwing. Now I am just starting the process of bisquing, glazing and firing these new children. As they come out of the kiln, I'll be posting them here.
The world is changing-- we all know it. I wonder if you are changing too? I know I am.
With the quarantining, or whatever you want to call it, this spring, I have no idea where I am going to sell these pots that I am making. I guess you would call that a negative thing. But deeper than that, as the world slows down around me, I am re-evaluating my work direction. For many years I have lived my life by multi-tasking, cramming as much activity as I could into every minute of life-- exhausting! Now, slowing down, I am noticing the most wonderful spring I could imagine. I am breathing and noticing that I am breathing. I am appreciating each moment as it passes as I have never done before. It is almost as if I just arrived here on the planet, and I am astonished at its beauty. The air, the light, the sun, the rain. The sound of my guitar when I touch it to play. The curve and grace of the pots that I am making.
I have made pots for over 40 years, squeezing in time around kids, career, life. With retirement-- freedom! I jumped into pottery-making with both feet. Part of me wanted to make up for all that lost time I spent working on everything BUT pottery, this love of my life. Fantastic. I felt like I was doing an apprenticeship, aided by all the great pottery teachers on the internet, making the same forms over and over, and slowly getting better. So exciting!
Of course all this effort resulted in a rather large number of pots piling up. With great trepidation, in the fall of 2016, I set out for my first crafts fair, the local Farmer's Market. Some pots sold! Before I knew it I was signing up for this fair and that fair all over New Mexico, very excited about building my skill and building a business at the same time. It was wonderful. After a few years of this I found myself working almost as hard as I had worked on my job! Oops.
But now, due to changes inner and outer, I find myself looking at my pottery much like I am looking at the sun, the air, the rain, the beautiful spring. I am spending more time with each creation, falling in love , taking risks, exploring. I want my life to be fun.
So, with the probable looming paucity of crafts fairs, an opening arises for me to create more slowly, with more joy. I hope you can see a little joy in these pots.
It is now warm enough to glaze outdoors. From January through March, I have been throwing. Now I am just starting the process of bisquing, glazing and firing these new children. As they come out of the kiln, I'll be posting them here.
A couple of the guys (there are 5)
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April and May Firings, 2020
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First April firing, 2020
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Holiday Pots, 2019
Festival of the Cranes, Socorro, New Mexico, November, 2019
Festival of the Cranes, Socorro, New Mexico, November, 2019
October 2019: Fall is here!
The weather is gorgeous! Time to carry boxes of pots to sell at the Sierra County Farmer's Market.
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Jo Murray, from Elephant Butte, stopped by my booth and took these great photos.
The weather is gorgeous! Time to carry boxes of pots to sell at the Sierra County Farmer's Market.
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Jo Murray, from Elephant Butte, stopped by my booth and took these great photos.
Center: mug sharing sunny window with Jo's sculpture, "Lady in Red. " Elegant company!
September... I love these new brushwork pie plates.
July, 2019
I am so pleased. Two customers from the Santa Fe show have recently sent me photos of their new pots! I am showing them below. On the right, looks like she baked a magnificent kneaded-recipe loaf in the bread baker. How beautiful!
I am so pleased. Two customers from the Santa Fe show have recently sent me photos of their new pots! I am showing them below. On the right, looks like she baked a magnificent kneaded-recipe loaf in the bread baker. How beautiful!
Hot!
July, 2019
I've been creeping outside some mornings, before it gets too hot, to glaze, which I have to do outdoors. I've done a few recent firings ...but no summer shows. Mostly I am making things on my wheel, trying some new ideas, while sitting in front of my swamp cooler inside my shop! I do have some new pots made, though, including these, below! You can contact me (see above) if you'd like to make an appointment to come see them.
I've been creeping outside some mornings, before it gets too hot, to glaze, which I have to do outdoors. I've done a few recent firings ...but no summer shows. Mostly I am making things on my wheel, trying some new ideas, while sitting in front of my swamp cooler inside my shop! I do have some new pots made, though, including these, below! You can contact me (see above) if you'd like to make an appointment to come see them.
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Ah, Spring, 2019!
I have been making pots all winter, experimenting with some new ideas...and now I am firing them-- like crazy! getting ready for:
Northern New Mexico Fine Arts and Crafts Fair
Cathedral Park, Santa Fe
(beautiful little park next to St. Francis Cathedral, Just off the Plaza)
May 25, 26, 27
If you are in the area over Memorial Day, love to see you there!
Northern New Mexico Fine Arts and Crafts Fair
Cathedral Park, Santa Fe
(beautiful little park next to St. Francis Cathedral, Just off the Plaza)
May 25, 26, 27
If you are in the area over Memorial Day, love to see you there!
Lots of (T) pots!
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Here are some of the other new ideas I am exploring, below.
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After the fair, you can come to my house to buy pots, or I may be able to ship some. Contact me by email: haruspruce1@gmail.com
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After the fair, you can come to my house to buy pots, or I may be able to ship some. Contact me by email: haruspruce1@gmail.com
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Christmas pots, 2018
These are some of my pots, above, that will be at this year's Holiday Crafts Fairs!
October, 2018-- A Magical Fall Firing
Close up....
Late September, 2018
Perhaps you can see why I call me SHINING ROCKS POTTERY....this set, to my eyes, shines like beach rocks. These are sold, but there will be more!
Here is what I am learning: making peace with life means, somewhere down deep, accepting all changes, comfortable or not, with a small kernel of joy.
Three of the photos here are mine. The fourth photo was sent to me by a friend, and I do not know whose photo it is. Per my friend, it is an artist's rendition depicting a black hole swallowing a galaxy. For me, it depicts almost exactly a vision I had. The colorful flat surface, spinning like a top, is the 3-D world we mostly live in, in our current state of consciousness. The axis perpendicular to the flat plane and extending infinitely in both directions, depicts my actual true self, constantly arising in infinite dimensions; this is my connection to God.
Thank you for my Mother Earth
Thank you for the rain.
Thank you for the challenges
Thank you for the pain.
I am an eagle,
My wings spread like flames.
Thank you Mother and Father,
This is why I came.
Thank you for the spaces
In this heart of mine.
I can hold a planet
I can hold all time.
Thank you for the chance to live
Beyond all loss and gain.
Thank you Mother and Father,
This is why I came.
Three of the photos here are mine. The fourth photo was sent to me by a friend, and I do not know whose photo it is. Per my friend, it is an artist's rendition depicting a black hole swallowing a galaxy. For me, it depicts almost exactly a vision I had. The colorful flat surface, spinning like a top, is the 3-D world we mostly live in, in our current state of consciousness. The axis perpendicular to the flat plane and extending infinitely in both directions, depicts my actual true self, constantly arising in infinite dimensions; this is my connection to God.
Thank you for my Mother Earth
Thank you for the rain.
Thank you for the challenges
Thank you for the pain.
I am an eagle,
My wings spread like flames.
Thank you Mother and Father,
This is why I came.
Thank you for the spaces
In this heart of mine.
I can hold a planet
I can hold all time.
Thank you for the chance to live
Beyond all loss and gain.
Thank you Mother and Father,
This is why I came.
September, 2018
Whew! It's ALMOST FALL! it has been so horribly hot here this summer that glazing outside (the only place where I can make the mess that glazing entails) has been unthinkable. I have spent most of my time sitting about 12 feet in front of a small swamp cooler in my throwing room creating a mountain of unfired pots. Now, with the slight cooling over the past couple of weeks I can begin to glaze and fire again. Here are some of the first things out of the kiln last week:
Some of these pots have already sold. But if you see anything you like, let me know via my email at the top of this site. And STAY TUNED for more pots!
I'll be at Sierra County Farmer's Market starting mid-October Socorro Cranes Festival November 16 - 18 Elephant Butte Christmas Fine Arts and Crafts Fair November 24 (Saturday after Thanksgiving) Christmas in the Foothill Fair, Hillsboro, NM, Saturday, December 1 More details soon! Summer:
Mid-July: The rains have come! Beautiful rain. Reminds me of a sweet little ditty I wrote years ago. A friend unearthed the recording somewhere on the internet. Here it is: June, 2018
Upcoming shows: Eagle Nest, NM town center park July 1 - 4 Taos, NM Community Against Violence Craft Show, Kit Carson Park, July 7 - 9 It is 105 degrees at the moment and I am firing one of quite a few loads to take to two craft shows flanking the July 4 holiday! Whew! I've been making pots like crazy which is quite a FEAT in the HEAT! It must be 130 degrees in the kiln room! It's cool inside here by the computer so I am going to upload some photos of the last big load of pots I made-- these pots went to shows in Taos and Santa Fe around Memorial Day. And...I'll run outside every so often to check the progress of the firing. Stay cool! Here is my kiln room where the pots are getting fired at this moment! You can see the kiln peeking out through the doorway. I think this used to be an old car repair garage.
......................................................................................................Jammin' tonight!...................................................................................................................
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Late Spring Pots for Taos and Santa Fe:
This is my booth at the Taos Lilac Festival, May 17 - 19. 2018. Not very fancy but cheerful.
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It's Spring!
April, 2018 Handy: here's something you can do in case your teapots come out of the kiln with cracks in their bottoms!
New Song! I wrote this little song a few years ago and rejected it as too simple. I am simpler now, and I love it. Love to share it with you on YouTube here:
Flowers In The Spring
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February, 2018
Bit of a wintry cast to the colors in this firing. Or maybe it's the pale February sunlight. I really like the plain rocklike teapot. I'd like to make a lot more like this. That is a BIG BEANPOT sitting there, special order I made for someone.
Pots go to San Francisco!
My son, Jonathan Veenker, is head chef at WorkofArt Catering Company in San Francisco, CA. His company recently bought some of my pots to use for their buffet presentations.
You can visit his website here: http://www.woacatering.com/ It is winter.
January 14, 2018: I am excited! This is the first year I have gotten it together to continue a nice rhythm of firings into January. (Traditionally, I have collapsed after Christmas and slowly built up momentum for a first firing in April or so. ) The very mild weather here is helping. Anyway, I unloaded the kiln today and here is what came out.
Not being in a rush (the first craft show is a few months away), I did some experimenting. Some experiments were flops but I particularly liked these, below.
This is a new-to-me-but-classic glaze called Coleman Tea Dust. I did not think it would make those delightful glitters because supposedly it needs "slow cooling," and my little kiln cools down relatively fast in only about 18 hours or so. But....VOILA!
On the left: A few years ago I made some wonderful pots with these same glazes. Every batch I mix up (I make nearly all my glazes from scratch) is different and for a long time BOTH glazes had problems and were giving me fits! These latest iterations of the glazes came out beautifully, and I am going to make more pots like this while the current glaze buckets last.
Right: I tried the little heart mugs, which people seem to like, in a few different colors-- the first ones were all white. I like them all! |
Whew! This fall was beautifully busy with several crafts fairs. I did not have a chance before now to post pix of work! But here is some of what came out of the kiln here from August to Christmas.
September 2017...tea on the patio.
September 1
Bean pots and casseroles!
There will be more....
Bean pots and casseroles!
There will be more....
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You could definitely make artisan bread in these casseroles, below, as well as many other things. The bean pots will cook baked beans and also are great serving dishes, bakers for deep casseroles...
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Early August
August. Ah, summer. Perhaps the worst of the heat is over-- only 95 degrees today! But the monsoons have come and things are greening up....
August. Ah, summer. Perhaps the worst of the heat is over-- only 95 degrees today! But the monsoons have come and things are greening up....
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August 10
August 10, 2017 kiln opening. Practice, practice, practice! My Labor Day show in Taos got canceled so I am not sure what I am going to do with these pots. I'll just keep on making them. Paying for motels, food, and travel was pretty expensive anyway. Wonder what's next? I'll probably do some shows closer to home this fall.
That big red bean pot needs a little grinding but it'll be OK.
August 10, 2017 kiln opening. Practice, practice, practice! My Labor Day show in Taos got canceled so I am not sure what I am going to do with these pots. I'll just keep on making them. Paying for motels, food, and travel was pretty expensive anyway. Wonder what's next? I'll probably do some shows closer to home this fall.
That big red bean pot needs a little grinding but it'll be OK.
Making bread bakers!
I think pots are most beautiful and alive when they are still wet, fresh off the wheel. Here they are on my workbench! These pots are destined to become artisan bread bakers.
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Glazed and ready to fire. This is not QUITE the ugliest phase! The ugliest phase is when they come out of the bisque (preliminary firing) kiln, sickly pink, stiff, and naked. You might not want to see that! But here-- The big casserole in front on the left became the blue casserole (pictured right and in the big photo above of todays firing). In the back on the right you can see the big red beanpole, also pictured above.
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TA DAH! Opening the kiln this morning, August 10, 2017.
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This big blue casserole is an artisan bread baker! (good for any casserole dish, too, and for serving).There will be many more of these-- they are in the making!
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Spring Firings 2017
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And...Look what you can make in a stoneware casserole!
Artisan Bread! 
My neighbor, Annie Whitney, made this test loaf, pictured, in her kitchen this morning, in my new casserole pot. Artisan bread is a NO-KNEAD, NO GREASE-THE-PAN very simple yeast bread with a super-crunchy crust. To make artisan bread in a stoneware casserole, place the empty casserole dish in a cool oven then heat to 500 degrees. Once the oven AND the empty casserole dish are up to temperature, open the oven. Carefully place the casserole dish either on the hot oven door or up on the very warm stovetop which has been heated by the 500 degree oven- DO NOT PLACE ON S COOL SURFACE! Gently plop the loaf you have had rising for the past 18 hours into the hot casserole, no grease needed-- replace the casserole lide, and slide back into the oven. Bake for 15 min covered at degrees, then remove casserole lid, and cook for 30 minutes longer until bread is crusty and brown. Take casserole out of the oven and set on warm stovetop as before. Pop out loaf and let it cool SO SIMPLE! Here are some recipes for Artisan Bread from Judith Motzkin's website. http://www.breadpots.com/no-knead-bread-recipes/ Judith is a potter in Cambridge, Massachusetts, whose whole business seems to be about making what she calls "breadpots." Check her out! So, in addition to making lovely casserole dishes in these pots you can make this easy and delicious bread in your stoneware casserole. Enjoy. I am making a whole bunch of new covered casseroles of various sizes, small to BIG-- I'll post photos of them when they come out of the kiln! |
Me, the potter and the singer.
NEW RECORDING OF A LIFE'S WORTH OF MY MUSIC WITH SOUND LEVELS BETWEEN SONGS EQUALIZED!! SUCH A BLESSING. LOOK UNDER MY SONGS. LYRICS CAN BE FOUND UNDER LYRICS TAB.
LOVE TO ALL, HARU
SONGS!
The songs here are mostly mine. I have provided links to many of them which I have recorded on YouTube but also, here I have put together continuous recordings of many of the songs which I have performed so that you can listen to them one after the other without interruptions.
POTS!
Please enjoy looking at my pots. If you like what you see, you can email me at
haruspruce1@gmail.com
to inquire about specific pieces. I show at crafts fairs around New Mexico and at my home studio here in Truth or Consequences, NM.
VISIONS!
My Visions came through me. Visions of the Day are important thoughts
expressed by other writers. Enjoy!
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Hey! This is the video I was talking about up above there. But please do visit the My Songs tab, too. There are lots of pretty YouTube videos there.
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Look under POTS and you'll see lots more!
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"The capacity to become consciously vulnerable leads, not to impotence and defeat, but to a power so refined by the fierce fire of Truth that it never needs to harm. This is freedom to be truly innocent."
William M. Schafer, Ph.D., from Roaming Free Inside the Cage.
William M. Schafer, Ph.D., from Roaming Free Inside the Cage.
