No Beads Today

Fun In Clay

   Yesterday my oxygen tanks ran out so as I can't change them until Monday morning it means today is a ceramic day, no bead making in my flame but lots of messy clay to play with. My sunday treat was to watch the England rugby match with a coffee and toast before I head off to the clay room where my notes await with many ideas to play with.
   The most beautiful morning moon stands high in the clear blue sky this morning, a sure sign of autumn and a stunning sight to start off the day. The goldfinches are feeding along with their young family who have yet to get their red face masks but have the most wonderful clean fresh yellow wing lines, I watch and wonder where these young will end up, will I be watching them feeding their own young next year or will they be feeding out in the hedgerows finding their own natural wild foods.
   Soon it will be time to hang the sunflower heads in bunches for the finches, of course after I have saved a couple for seed collection ready to sow next spring. I just love this time of year, it's a real change of seasons, a slow but assertive introduction to winter yet still we get these remarkable bright mornings to remind us of summer past.
   Last night I was sent some pictures from a great friend who has been using the disc beads in her jewellery and wow! I was so pleased to see how good they looked. I just love those little beads and they are such fun to make, I kept telling people they could work really well if used the right way and boy those pictures proved my point, I'm very happy, thank you Joy.
   Friday I had a great time taking my aunt out for a ride in the car, she may be 80 but the stories she tells are as always great entertainment and after she agreed to let me tape some of them to keep for the future I look forward to more visits. I love to learn about the past, how my home village looked and how my family lived within it. At school I have to say history was one of the only lessons I looked forward to, I was ok at most other subjects but history always had a hold over me, I even remember Mrs Tudor the teacher, a slight lady who wore glasses. Now with the marvellous supply of facts and information found online I'm often found reading about the past from the Roman and Saxon periods to local history and I'd love to go back in time to the Ashwell of 18th century, how would they speak and look, how hard was their daily life, I don't think we will ever truly realise just what a struggle it was to live then. After tracing our family tree back well over 200 hundred years I would love to watch them, just for a day, wouldn't that be amazing.
   Well I better get back to the clay room, I need to get lots made ready to fire later in the week. I have to say I'm trying some really strange ideas but hey, you never know one may work and be a real hit, fingers crossed. Enjoy your sunday and keep an eye on the nature around you.