May 2012

May 22nd

What was I saying about interuptions .....

Someone dropped off some mature clumps of ornamental grasses this morning so I had to get them a home promptly. Fortunately this border was new and empty. Now I have just to find the time to gravel it at some stage. At least the sun is driving me into the cool of the studio more often now, so that's a good thing.

Yes they do look like a set of 'Gonks', do you remember them?

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May 21st

More wood arrived today, as has the sun. and customers from the canal at last. Possibly summer will arrive this year after all. I am doing an hour in the garden an hour in the studio and so on now in a bid to keep a balance on things. I am determined to make it work, problem is you forget that customers take time to serve and friends call round. But it all makes for enoyable times.

I really don't know when I will get this lot logged up and stored.

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May 20th

A quite enjoyable day at Loughborough. A Potters Market organised by David and Louise Salbury as part of British Ceramics Week and the Craft & Design Month sponsored by the Magazine Craft & Design. It was a damn cold day but I had decent sales and hope to have some new visitors to the studio from there. Unfortunately the battery on my camera ran out after one photo. I was good to see old friends, and yes we are all getting older.

 Market stands provided cover but not shelter from the cold breeze.

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May 14th

Raising the boards to increase the depth of the last veg plot, more compost and soil to be dug in and still waiting for seeds to start showing in the green house. It has been just too cold for germination.

At least some of the plant splitting has been successful. I am getting plenty of pots made and the rack for kiln firing is filling up well.

 Yes the seats in the garden are essential!

Problem is having divided up the plants I know I have to plant them at some stage.That means more work out of the studio. Good or bad thing?

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May 12th

Well a few days grafting in the studio and the weather is getting a tiny bit warmer more gardening tasks have been tackled and I am hoping the honeysuckle I trained around the hazel frame will thicken and make sitting atop the septic tank in the sun for breakfast a more pleasurable experience than it sounds.

 There really is no odour from the working tanks.

Four fat Blackbirds nesting in one of the conifers in the garden.

There are a other blackbirds nest in the garden and I discovered the nest of a pair of Yellow Wagtails in the top of an empty propane bottle at the side of the studio.

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May 3rd

Teapots glazed yesterday and medium plates thrown, I have to get my head down and work through the list of stock needed for the year. With all the wet weather drying times are long but I just know that as soon as it warms up I will be chasing to keep up with catching pots at the right condition for handling and glazing.

Plates low down turned awaiting glazing, more plates to turn and teapots lids to hole and fit.

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