Not a lot

 Being so near to firing the kiln is a scary thing.

Rain definitely scuppered that today. The bottles are outside in a gas cage (for security) and the doorway to the kiln is not ideal especially when wet. I'm not brave and have no wish to be foolhardy especially in cold wet weather.

So..late up..and eventually plait the garlic and get a batch of pears in the dehydrator.

(I'd picked up three 1kilo bags of small Williams pears for 99p each yesterday)

I would love to know how they make dried pears and peaches!!!

By 5pm the sky was clear which meant that I could go for a walk (to assist sleep) and check my foraging spots.

The brambles are still red. The apples are ripening, but look to have not had the "June drop" The wild pears haven't been pollinated

well, nothing on two trees but a little on the sweeter variety..first time in two years..and some on the other.

I did manage to get the ends on the hose that will link the two gas bottles...with  instructions messaged by the Oily One!

Packed and ready...

 A short road trip this morning to see a friend who sold me his old spare pyro and thermocouple...and I gave him a mug as well!

On the way back I made a visit to Nae Sae New ...just in case....as you do!!

Result, one chisel for kiln shelf cleaning if needed and a small balance with weights from 5 to 50g.  No batteries to fail!!

After the trip, a good blether with "Nan over the Road", putting the world to rights..and after supper, packing the kiln.

And now I could really do with a relaxing bath.....unfortunately there is only a shower!

Garden and good news

My garden....then those to the left and right

A bit higgledy piggledy..definitely not manicured!

pyrometric cone stash!! 

The four orange boxes are from the 1980s so should be for lower glaze temperatures 

The others should be for bisque firing (pre glaze) and stoneware glaze temperatures..probably only (!) 20 years old... 

 I've been offered a thermocouple and pyrometer by another potter over by Hamilton....only an hour or so's drive tomorrow! He also fires with Propane, so I can refresh my memory on hoses, bottles and spanners....

I went to an Italian evening in Ayr tonight..a couple of us from the French conversation class went to support the Italian learners!

Some Italian people turned up as well, these evenings aren't limited to class attendees.

They are meeting in an old shop which has been taken over by a community arts venture....called "Narture"...a combination of Nature, Art and Nurture.  They bake real bread to raise money for community art projects.

This was the first meeting...not a bad start..and French next month,!!

garden growing

 At last...a little progress in the garden.

I did an hour's weeding before supper.

That was after "weeding" bathroom cupboard, a windowsill and the top section of the desk in the lobby.

Otherwise, apart from getting the washing done, dried, iron the few things that needed that, and keeping everything....mojo has been lacking.

Hoping the birds don't find the blueberries

Cavolo Nero Kale

Broad Bean seeds to sow before too long

Borage...Bzzzzzz!!

and beans

tatties....hope the tubers live up to the show on top!

beetroot

leeks

greenhouse

squash!!!

Tomato...I think there has been pollenation

All a bit late....better late than never....possibly!!

An the wind do blaw!!!

 Today has been rather wet....and cold....and windy. 

I'm glad that I lifted a short row of red tatties yesterday.."Rooster".. not prolific but nice.

Hot water bottle and early night cold!! Better than putting the heat on....in August !!!!

The good news is that the shorter and even shorter kiln props have turned up..but the pyro hasn't!!

Tomorrow's job is list the pyrometric cones which measure temperature and heatwork in a kiln. Small triangular section jobs which start melting at a given temperature...but if you give a kiln a "soak" i.e. hold it at a certain temperature the heatwork will make the cone bend further and glazes melt and mature more .

Rainshowers... And shifting Stuff

 There have been showers on and off all day... Well they wouldn't be showers without the off!! It feels quite warm between showers.

I sorted more and more that I could do without... But they only took two large  boxes plus two large Buckley pancheons (or "mugs")... One wider one would have been for settling cream, the taller one would have had a wooden lid and been probably for storage.

I received a fair price for it all. I know they should make money on this, but they have to make a living. 

So I've packed a box of crockery and a box of glassware. I haven't packed the earthenware yet. I brought down a glass topped coffee table... The legs are like a flattened upside-down U.... But the side stretchers are missing. I was sure that they were all in the same corner of the sewing room... But the cardboard box stash is there too, so perhaps that needs reducing... Again!!

A few more pot portraits... Some didn't go because it isn't their thing to sell, some because of a small chip... So they couldn't sell it. These things happen in the life of a pot after 50-70 years!! None of these are my work. 

This jug is from Ewenny near Bridgend.. that has gone with them