Waiting for ...

My 'happy place' in the woods.

It is a good thing that the firing marathon leaves my wiped out...2 and a 1/2 days of waiting could be an eternity, but mostly for the first day I'm too tired to care. But today was day # 2 and I spent most of it poking around the kiln, peeking in the spy holes trying to get a read on the results. There are a number of questions that need answering, but if my tiny windows into the interior are any indication, unloading tomorrow should be a happy occasion.

The sounds of big tractors are the background music these days...harvesting beans and planting winter wheat. I watched a big wind gather leaves from trees that stand on the far edge of my field and spread them across the tall grass and expired wildflowers...it was a quintessential autumnal moment and I was in just the right state of mind to see it properly.

I haven't fired my kiln with a show looming in many a year and it brings with it a different level of stress because we all want to look good amongst our peers, don't we? So, with a little extra pressure it was a good time to change bagwalls and exit flues and employ a new (untested) batch of wood ash in my favorite glaze. You've gotta love living on the edge!

Just the right mix of pickling and kosher salt.

Ellie's depiction of the firing

 I asked Ellie about what appears to be a beret on my head...she said that this is how she draws short hair. That's Jason on the left, myself, the kiln (both chambers!) and the door to my studio...excellent perspective for a 5 year old! ) I do like the french bohemian artist look she has given me.

Part of last firing's log and the frontespiece of Ellie's card

Salt delivery system

Fire in the hole!