frost!

Last night was cold!

This morning all is chilly and white, and even though the mountain is getting more sun than the valley, it is seriously cold up there.

Now I must contemplate a chilly studio...but at least this morning it is not raining, so that pots can be brought into the frost free house to dry safely

Kiln Opening

Heavy rain, hailstorms, and a massive rainbow on the way to the kiln opening!

Steadily unbricking the wicket, with the inner hard bricks as warm as toast, keeping our hands warm in the cold and damp....

To see a kiln full of cracking good pots!!!

firing day

The kiln was packed a week ago, and fired on low to dry out for four hours last night.

This morning I rose at 5am, to start the bread for lunch, whilst in Abergavenny at nearly 6.30 am the kiln was re-lit for the firing in earnest.

As forecast the rain came back before lunchtime, and as forecast it eased in the afternoon ready for the salting of the kiln.
This happens every ten minutes for two hours, when a large serving spoonful of damp salt is put into the fireboxes through two spyholes each side. The salt vapourizes and reacts with the pots to form a glaze.

We tried different burners this time, using the gas at a lower pressure....and it fired better, quicker, more controlledly and also.....cheaper!!
This also meant that after a twelve hour firing we had supper and could relax, instead of firing into the late night or early morning.

Kiln opening next Wednesday...........

Pots again!!

There will be no gardening today, the weather is cold,wet and foggy on the mountains.

On the mountain itself it is raining.

So today I am making more pots- cream jugs and bud vases, perhaps some soup bowls.

It is disconcerting , however, when one washes one's hands after a throwing session, and the water from the cold tap feels warmer than one's hands.....