It was still so hot we paced ourselves loading by putting in the back stack one day and then finishing up the whole thing on Friday.
The fact that we have a/c makes this a bit easier. There was a time when we were younger that we did not have a/c and summer firings were all about fans and lots of fluids.
We realized at some point if we were going to make pots in the summer we had to cool things off for ourselves. We tried working from 6 am until 2 pm and going back in the evenings as things cooled off, but really, this was getting old.
So we went for a/c and it sure does make it easier than baking away as the day goes on.
This allows Mark to cool off between turn ups.
On firing days we tend to go our separate ways.
He fires, reading, playing his guitar, listening to music while I wait customers, read, clean, maybe do bookwork or something in the kitchen.
I spent some time messing around making jelly from blackberry and blueberry juice.
I call this my bruiseberry jelly, black and blue. The tartness of the blackberries is set off by the undertones of the blueberries. Believe me you it is tasty.
I have found I can not read even a good book without taking a little cat nap or two.
Mark loaded my small netbook with a kindle app and I am learning how to borrow books on line.
It's different but at the same time I like having a book there I can read. The only draw back is it is not so cozy in bed and if I nod off it might just give me a good knock on the head.
The kiln is cooling and from what I hear so are the temperatures. I am sitting here in the basement and the door is open, the birds having been singing and it has a quiet feel.
We noticed with the 100 degree days even the bugs and frogs were laying low.
I would love to think that is it for the highs but summer is no where near over.
Cheers for now!
M
AC in the studio is a wonderful thing. The increase in comfort and productivity makes it worth every penny.
ReplyDeletei'm sorry...i got to the "in the basement" and you kind of lost me there for a minute. yeah. basements are somethings we just don't have over here. i miss that coolness you can find in one.
ReplyDeletethe berry concoction sounds wonderful and cat naps? i'm all for 'em!!!
have a great day....
your bruisberry jelly sounds wonderful, once we lived where we had a bedroom on the lower floor and it never needed air conditioning. it sure is hot early this year ugh.
ReplyDeleteYour jelly sounds scrumptious! AND yes. AC in the studio is a must in the South. I would get nothing done without it. Kindle! Greg got one and I have been using it, you know, to decide if I like it. It doesn't have that new book smell, and I keep trying to turn the page like I would with a REAL book...but I think I am liking it!
ReplyDeleteThank goodness for AC! We used to live in the central valley of California. Hot! But we would always comfort ourselves by saying: yes, it's hot - but it's a dry heat. Had a swamp cooler in my studio, but the pots would still dry soooo quickly (and crack) if I wasn't super-doper attentive... Your bruise berry jam sounds wonderful!
ReplyDeleteHi Dennis- yes to a/c just wish my 84 year old mother would say yes, never has had it does not want it.
ReplyDeletedk - welcome and thanks for traveling over- no basements there? this i did not know.
Hey anna- it was good to see you on the blog- kindle is going on the wish list
PG- dry heat is still heat! a/c cool is nice cool.
and the jelly- fab!
It has been so so hot! We picked the hottest weekend on record to move! I've drank a gazillion gallons of water. Thank goodness for AC or these boxes would never get unpacked.
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to see those beautiful pots!
I love my e-reader!
And I want some of that bruiseberry jelly! - sounds yummy!
I need a jelly sammich. Do you deliver?
ReplyDeleteLovely kiln. It is funny, but seven months of our year here are spent wondering how to stay warm enough. Now we're in the middle of winter, even though we haven't seen a drop of rain for many days, you can't get washing to dry at all outside on the line, and it has to be hung in my studio over the pot belly stove when we are not open to the public. Ah, the wonders of blogging and glimpsing life all around the planet! Hope the firing has gone really well, it must always be a bit of an anxious wait as the kiln cools.
ReplyDeletebruiseberry- never heard of it until now. all was beautifully written. all the best for great firing results!
ReplyDeleteJudy- how is the unpacking going? You do need some jelly!
ReplyDeleteSS you know you can have some- come on down.
Peter - I love seeing your life and others. Please send some cooler weather- still hot and muggy today.
Thanks Amy!
I think I'd have to take up throwing pots in the middle of the night if I didn't have AC in the studio.
ReplyDeleteBruiser Jelly sounds really good. Janet made fig & thyme preserves this weekend, yum!
I'm looking forward to seeing the results of the firing.
1) you are truly crazy potters to fire with 100+ degrees!
ReplyDelete2) Yeah, Naps!!
3)That is a stunning kiln, I am in love (don't tell Lucille!!)
:)
Such a nice neat stack. Thanks for posting the pics. And what else is there to do in this weather!? Might as well fire pottery. Yay. This business is not for the faint at heart or heat.
ReplyDeleteLori- I have a very small fig tree that I got 1 fig from last year. I had such hopes for at least 2 this year- looks like I will get not one- one day I hope to make fig jam.
ReplyDeleteKathy - sometimes you just have to do it. The best thing was the a/c-cooler temps are coming.
It is a great kiln just big! We use to fir it every 3 weeks- no more.
Hi Susan- it's hot,hot,hot and I am chilling in the house. Are you ready for this weeks cooler temps???
Hi M- would you be willing to send me your bruise berry recipe? I would love to try it out!!
ReplyDeleteI have a portable swamp cooler that I use in my studio here. Central air doesn't work well in the desert because of the low humidity but the swamper sure makes it lovely and cool. (plus the humidity from the evaporative cooler helps with summer nose bleeds from the dry air)!
really simple Julia no recipe, as usual I am winging this stuff.
ReplyDelete