Guess What, It's Raining !!
Well the plans to place the first plants out for sale at the gate are put on the back burner as yet again we woke to more rain, what a great weekend it's been, rain, rain and more bloody rain, when the hell will we get a dry day ?
This will be the third day I've sat working at my torch with no hours spent in the garden, yes I managed to do a few jobs in the greenhouse but that's not really exercise is it and exercise is what I need. I have more seedlings to plant into trays today so I'll be in the greenhouse later this afternoon with radio and a cuppa to keep me company.
Yesterday was the first day of the gluten free diet and I must say this morning I feel normal, I can't believe how gluten can effect your life and the way you feel. The idea is to check for Coeliac Disease with is often mistaken for IBS by doctors, around four weeks ago I had a week where I felt back to normal, I felt the best I've felt in years and it just happened that I had stopped eating bread or any baked foods like biscuits, pies etc so it was mentioned to me that I should try a gluten free diet for a week to see if it made any difference, if it works then I will get a Coeliac blood test at my doctors to make sure thats the problem and not IBS.
After checking every packet in the kitchen cupboards and fridge, it amazed me how many food products include gluten, yes there are the clear foods that stand out from the start, bread being the most common but also so many every day foods we eat also contain gluten, so the good news is I'll be eating one very health diet, the bad news is Yvonne has a lot of produce to get through in the fridge including one small pork pie which was to be my treat for the weekend with my salads, oh well, tuna will be ok I'm sure.
So with it being very early days yet we'll have to see how things go, but I must say going by how I feel this morning it's looking promising that we may have found the reason behind all those months of feeling crap.
I sit here with my cuppa looking out over the most stunning dark skies, black with rain and as normal here in the fens there is no rain without strong winds, so dancing conifer trees protect our cottage as best they can. It's such a quiet morning with hardly a car passing, it feels like the whole world is staying in the dry, no sunday carboots or garden centre visits, no sunday morning walks or jogging and no trips to the coast, no, it seems everyone is spending this Sunday inside away from the weather.
I better get back to my torch, I have beads to clean and photograph ready to list this evening plus lots of beads to make including some from recycled wine bottles and all before I can play in the greenhouse. Enjoy your Sunday even if you can't get out and about.
Sunday, 29 April 2012
Friday, 27 April 2012
Unwanted Treasure
It's Amazing What You Find.
As some of you may have seen by the first few books I've listed on ebay, I've started clearing out the barn, a big tidy up with the hope of a fresh lick of paint to follow, an all round make over after which I hope to once again start welcoming visitors back here, that's if anybody is interested.
It's amazing how much stuff you find that you forgot you even had, I guess after seven years you would expect forgotten treasures and that's what we are finding, some useful for future use others now redundant. I have a large amount of jewellery making books and tools, not bead jewellery making but silver work, I had this idea that I would teach myself some silversmith techniques and as I always did, I jumped in at the deep end buying all the tools and books I needed. But now I realise I just don't have the time so I thought it would be a good idea to list some of the books on ebay, you never know there may be somebody out there who is thinking of starting up silver work who could give them a home, fingers crossed they won't just get put back on a quiet shelf.
Yet again the rain has returned this morning and it very much looks like we are in for another wet weekend, no full beaches this week here in the east, surely those warm summer days will be here soon, I think most of us are now getting a little fed up with dark skies and wet days.
Today I'm working on more gravity beads, I really enjoy making this type of bead and I get to use up lots of odd pieces of glass, as a lot of you already know I love just closing my eyes and picking out three or four different coloured pieces, whatever colours they turn out to be I gravitate them over a plain base bead, you would be amazed at some of the effects they produce, yes a very simple bead to make but a bead that can carry lots of interest in the colours it can produce.
I remember laying out eight different coloured rod ends one day, colours that lets say were not very rich in colour, in fact they were really boring pale shades. I closed my eyes and selected three of them, then I made a plain cobalt blue base bead onto which I placed three strips of glass, one from each of the chosen pieces. I then melted in those additional strips and gravitated the surface of the bead in my flame, I have to say the next morning when I opened my kiln I was stunned when I saw the set I had produced, in fact I wasn't sure they were the beads I had made that way, the plain boring colours had mixed together into the most wonderful effects I had seen for a long while and from that day I was addicted to gravity beads.
Over time I've found that by adding silver, iris glass or indeed silver glass to the chosen strips I can add even more interest to the beads, so any of you out there who make beads give it a go, you really will be pleased and in some cases shocked at the results you can get, one friend calls them Johnson blind beads as she enjoys the fact I never see what colours I'm picking, but remember, once you pick the colours never ever swap them, no cheating, you always stick with those pieces you pick, that's part of the fun.
Right back to my torch and another long day making beads while watching the rain dance on the surface of the pond, roll on those days when we moan about the heat in the barn being too much !
As some of you may have seen by the first few books I've listed on ebay, I've started clearing out the barn, a big tidy up with the hope of a fresh lick of paint to follow, an all round make over after which I hope to once again start welcoming visitors back here, that's if anybody is interested.
It's amazing how much stuff you find that you forgot you even had, I guess after seven years you would expect forgotten treasures and that's what we are finding, some useful for future use others now redundant. I have a large amount of jewellery making books and tools, not bead jewellery making but silver work, I had this idea that I would teach myself some silversmith techniques and as I always did, I jumped in at the deep end buying all the tools and books I needed. But now I realise I just don't have the time so I thought it would be a good idea to list some of the books on ebay, you never know there may be somebody out there who is thinking of starting up silver work who could give them a home, fingers crossed they won't just get put back on a quiet shelf.
Yet again the rain has returned this morning and it very much looks like we are in for another wet weekend, no full beaches this week here in the east, surely those warm summer days will be here soon, I think most of us are now getting a little fed up with dark skies and wet days.
Today I'm working on more gravity beads, I really enjoy making this type of bead and I get to use up lots of odd pieces of glass, as a lot of you already know I love just closing my eyes and picking out three or four different coloured pieces, whatever colours they turn out to be I gravitate them over a plain base bead, you would be amazed at some of the effects they produce, yes a very simple bead to make but a bead that can carry lots of interest in the colours it can produce.
I remember laying out eight different coloured rod ends one day, colours that lets say were not very rich in colour, in fact they were really boring pale shades. I closed my eyes and selected three of them, then I made a plain cobalt blue base bead onto which I placed three strips of glass, one from each of the chosen pieces. I then melted in those additional strips and gravitated the surface of the bead in my flame, I have to say the next morning when I opened my kiln I was stunned when I saw the set I had produced, in fact I wasn't sure they were the beads I had made that way, the plain boring colours had mixed together into the most wonderful effects I had seen for a long while and from that day I was addicted to gravity beads.
Over time I've found that by adding silver, iris glass or indeed silver glass to the chosen strips I can add even more interest to the beads, so any of you out there who make beads give it a go, you really will be pleased and in some cases shocked at the results you can get, one friend calls them Johnson blind beads as she enjoys the fact I never see what colours I'm picking, but remember, once you pick the colours never ever swap them, no cheating, you always stick with those pieces you pick, that's part of the fun.
Right back to my torch and another long day making beads while watching the rain dance on the surface of the pond, roll on those days when we moan about the heat in the barn being too much !
Thursday, 26 April 2012
At Last A Sunny Morning
Sunny Fresh Start To The Day
After the last two weeks having bought us so much unsettled weather here in the fens, it's nice to wake to some spring sunshine, the garden is still very damp but the promise of a day without rain is one to look forward to. For the last three days I've sat working at my torch wondering when I'll manage to start completing some of the garden jobs, there are plants to set out and nets to erect to protect against the doves, not to mention the first weeding session of the season, everybody says how lucky we are in this part of the country having the rich dark soil in which we can grow anything, they forget this means the weeds grow with amazing speed too, so owning a good onion how is a must for any veg grower here in the flat lands.
Yesterday my oxycon arrived so on Monday I'll be returning those heavy old oxygen tanks for, I hope the last time, the good news is that this means in just the first year I'll save over £700 which to us is a small fortune at the moment. It's all part of the larger plan to try and make life a bit easier here so we can afford to carry on making a living doing the job we love, it's going to mean us giving up a lot but if we manage to keep our heads above water then it will all be worth it.
I hope the first of the plants will go out on sale at the gate this weekend, the bench and sign are both finished and money box just needs attaching then it's all lights on go and we'll see if we get any extra pennies coming in, I don't care how much we make but any amount is better than just throwing these extra plants away as in years past.
On the bead side of things I've been melting a lot of the rod ends this last day or two forming usable rods out of those little wasted ends that we all seem to cast to one side when busy working, it's yet another way of saving a few bob, yesterday I managed to form nine rods just in the few minutes between making sets and focals, I guess if I spent an hour or two doing the same then the results would be a few kilo of glass rods ready to use.
I must say, over the seven or eight years I've been a full time bead maker I've never known things this difficult, only a lucky few are not finding things hard and as yet there seems to be no signs of improvement. It effects everyone from those who make and sell the jewellery, the bead producers and those who supply the bead makers with the materials, lets all just hope we get through it to fight another day, I'm sure we will all be trying.
Well I better get back to my torch I need to get some focals made to list in my etsy shop, they seem to sell well there at a fixed price so worth listing a few more, a lot of the etsy customers don't see many of my focals so it's always nice to get feedback from those seeing your beads for the first time.
I hope you enjoy your day and the sunshine warms your garden as it is here, fingers crossed it will stay with us today, I think we really do need a rest from the rains now.
After the last two weeks having bought us so much unsettled weather here in the fens, it's nice to wake to some spring sunshine, the garden is still very damp but the promise of a day without rain is one to look forward to. For the last three days I've sat working at my torch wondering when I'll manage to start completing some of the garden jobs, there are plants to set out and nets to erect to protect against the doves, not to mention the first weeding session of the season, everybody says how lucky we are in this part of the country having the rich dark soil in which we can grow anything, they forget this means the weeds grow with amazing speed too, so owning a good onion how is a must for any veg grower here in the flat lands.
Yesterday my oxycon arrived so on Monday I'll be returning those heavy old oxygen tanks for, I hope the last time, the good news is that this means in just the first year I'll save over £700 which to us is a small fortune at the moment. It's all part of the larger plan to try and make life a bit easier here so we can afford to carry on making a living doing the job we love, it's going to mean us giving up a lot but if we manage to keep our heads above water then it will all be worth it.
I hope the first of the plants will go out on sale at the gate this weekend, the bench and sign are both finished and money box just needs attaching then it's all lights on go and we'll see if we get any extra pennies coming in, I don't care how much we make but any amount is better than just throwing these extra plants away as in years past.
On the bead side of things I've been melting a lot of the rod ends this last day or two forming usable rods out of those little wasted ends that we all seem to cast to one side when busy working, it's yet another way of saving a few bob, yesterday I managed to form nine rods just in the few minutes between making sets and focals, I guess if I spent an hour or two doing the same then the results would be a few kilo of glass rods ready to use.
I must say, over the seven or eight years I've been a full time bead maker I've never known things this difficult, only a lucky few are not finding things hard and as yet there seems to be no signs of improvement. It effects everyone from those who make and sell the jewellery, the bead producers and those who supply the bead makers with the materials, lets all just hope we get through it to fight another day, I'm sure we will all be trying.
Well I better get back to my torch I need to get some focals made to list in my etsy shop, they seem to sell well there at a fixed price so worth listing a few more, a lot of the etsy customers don't see many of my focals so it's always nice to get feedback from those seeing your beads for the first time.
I hope you enjoy your day and the sunshine warms your garden as it is here, fingers crossed it will stay with us today, I think we really do need a rest from the rains now.
Monday, 23 April 2012
A Drought, Who They Kidding !
Can You Buy New Legs ?
Well now I know for sure that I'm getting old, my legs are killing me, I feel like I could sleep for a week and boy do I need a bike haha ! I think I over did it a bit with the walking, I checked the mileage to the garage and it was three and a half miles, so the two walks today mean I walked seven miles, not a huge distance to those who walk often, but when you have been used to a bike for exercise then doing that kind of mileage is silly on the first day, yes I had to get the car sorted but wow, am I paying for it tonight.
So now at least I get to see how much my fitness can improve over the coming weeks, I'll be taking a walk every lunch time from now on, not big distances to start with but like the bike rides I'm sure it won't be long when seven miles is a breeze.
As I walked along one of the narrow back roads in Upwell I couldn't help but notice how wet the dyke's were, they keep telling us about the drought we are suffering but I can tell you that's not the case around this part of the world. Every drain ditch is wet, some with moving water and all with young rich green reeds and other water plants starting their summer season, all the orchards I passed were looking great, budding up and standing in lush long grass, that ripe green that only spring grass holds.
Every plum or greengage tree was full of blossom, some spoilt by the recent rains but most covered in what looked from afar like wonderful snow lined branches, spring jewellery hanging on these amazing old trees, trees protected with thick rough bark, grey green in colour and textured with valley and mountains weathered over winters and summers in the wild fenland.
I remember my grandad telling me years ago who some people go for a walk and some go to enjoy the countryside, me, well I'm one of the later, I'm amazed when I see people out walking, head down, arms swinging like a marching soldier, passing field after field and hedgerows by the mile yet taking notice of nothing, he always told me how some could walk past the same field a hundred times yet if asked wouldn't be able to tell you what crop was growing in it, not because they didn't know the crops but because they did want to know, sad I guess and it still goes on, it seems like you need bright sports wear and some kind of musical device in your ears to go walking, thank god there are still people who want to learn about the nature that we live alongside.
Well now I know for sure that I'm getting old, my legs are killing me, I feel like I could sleep for a week and boy do I need a bike haha ! I think I over did it a bit with the walking, I checked the mileage to the garage and it was three and a half miles, so the two walks today mean I walked seven miles, not a huge distance to those who walk often, but when you have been used to a bike for exercise then doing that kind of mileage is silly on the first day, yes I had to get the car sorted but wow, am I paying for it tonight.
So now at least I get to see how much my fitness can improve over the coming weeks, I'll be taking a walk every lunch time from now on, not big distances to start with but like the bike rides I'm sure it won't be long when seven miles is a breeze.
As I walked along one of the narrow back roads in Upwell I couldn't help but notice how wet the dyke's were, they keep telling us about the drought we are suffering but I can tell you that's not the case around this part of the world. Every drain ditch is wet, some with moving water and all with young rich green reeds and other water plants starting their summer season, all the orchards I passed were looking great, budding up and standing in lush long grass, that ripe green that only spring grass holds.
Every plum or greengage tree was full of blossom, some spoilt by the recent rains but most covered in what looked from afar like wonderful snow lined branches, spring jewellery hanging on these amazing old trees, trees protected with thick rough bark, grey green in colour and textured with valley and mountains weathered over winters and summers in the wild fenland.
I remember my grandad telling me years ago who some people go for a walk and some go to enjoy the countryside, me, well I'm one of the later, I'm amazed when I see people out walking, head down, arms swinging like a marching soldier, passing field after field and hedgerows by the mile yet taking notice of nothing, he always told me how some could walk past the same field a hundred times yet if asked wouldn't be able to tell you what crop was growing in it, not because they didn't know the crops but because they did want to know, sad I guess and it still goes on, it seems like you need bright sports wear and some kind of musical device in your ears to go walking, thank god there are still people who want to learn about the nature that we live alongside.
A Day For Walking
Two Long Walks Ahead This Morning.
It's Monday morning and after a nice weekend including a visit from friends yesterday, which was a great way to spend a few hours, I'm off to take the car to the garage for repairs. The great thing about it is that the garage is in the next village so after dropping it off I get a long walk back home and again the same long walk to go fetch it later. I think this calls for my camera in case I see anything interesting in the back lanes, I would have been nice if the promised sunshine had been here but I guess I should be happy it's not raining.
The kiln is on ready for Yvonne to start work and I hope I'll be back at my torch in a hour unless I get lost in the fens or distracted, thank god I'm feeling more like the old Rob, a few weeks back there would have been no way I could have walked a few miles, it just shows how much my health as improved, touch wood it carries on that way.
I'm looking forward to the walk for many reasons, yes it's great exercise but also so much is going on this time of year in nature, it seems like every tree is coming into leaf and blossom is everywhere you look, both fruit trees and shrub look superb in there spring jewellery, pinks of every shade line our village lanes and wild hedgerows are in full glory telling of the wonderful summer fruits they are willing to hand us in the coming months.
The river that runs through our village has banks alive with interest, late carpets of daffodils still dance in the winds of the fens while reeds grow inches every day bringing cover for water birds, it's amazing how quick things change, just like our lives, some changes people notice and some are never seen unless those looking take the time and care to find them.
Ok I better get off, I'll update you on how the walks went this evening, I'm sure there will be something that catches my eye and you know me, I will just have to share it with you.
It's Monday morning and after a nice weekend including a visit from friends yesterday, which was a great way to spend a few hours, I'm off to take the car to the garage for repairs. The great thing about it is that the garage is in the next village so after dropping it off I get a long walk back home and again the same long walk to go fetch it later. I think this calls for my camera in case I see anything interesting in the back lanes, I would have been nice if the promised sunshine had been here but I guess I should be happy it's not raining.
The kiln is on ready for Yvonne to start work and I hope I'll be back at my torch in a hour unless I get lost in the fens or distracted, thank god I'm feeling more like the old Rob, a few weeks back there would have been no way I could have walked a few miles, it just shows how much my health as improved, touch wood it carries on that way.
I'm looking forward to the walk for many reasons, yes it's great exercise but also so much is going on this time of year in nature, it seems like every tree is coming into leaf and blossom is everywhere you look, both fruit trees and shrub look superb in there spring jewellery, pinks of every shade line our village lanes and wild hedgerows are in full glory telling of the wonderful summer fruits they are willing to hand us in the coming months.
The river that runs through our village has banks alive with interest, late carpets of daffodils still dance in the winds of the fens while reeds grow inches every day bringing cover for water birds, it's amazing how quick things change, just like our lives, some changes people notice and some are never seen unless those looking take the time and care to find them.
Ok I better get off, I'll update you on how the walks went this evening, I'm sure there will be something that catches my eye and you know me, I will just have to share it with you.
Saturday, 21 April 2012
Big Tidy Up
My Health And The Barn
It's been a busy few days here at the barn with a mixture of fortunes, most I'm glad to say of a positive nature, the visit to my GP was a good one with him being pleased with the progress we are making with my IBS and now armed with more fact sheets on the foods I can eat safely and my new medication I'm hoping for an even greater improvement in the coming weeks.
Thank god for the fact sheets as it was taking me ages to figure out which foods were playing my up and it turns out some I was eating are far from good for me including onions, garlic, bread and apples and pears, but at least now I know and I can concentrate on only eating those that are proven to be ok for my condition.
On the bead side of things, well sales are still very slow as they are with other sellers but I'm still enjoying my work, I find that magical flame that burns in front of me most days helps take away some of that stress caused by lack of custom, I guess I go into that little world of fire and glass where nobody can reach me, my safe little haven where I can only learn and watch in amazement as the flame teaches me how it's marriage with glass can produce such effects that I would never find possible, in my mind that makes me one very lucky person.
This evening I will be listing new focal beads in the ebay shop so I hope some customers may find them interesting enough to use in their jewellery and this afternoon I need to sort out yet more of the hundreds of spacer beads into sets ready to list.
Some of the day will be taken up with a good tidy up in the barn as things are getting really untidy out there plus we have friends visiting tomorrow so that's the kick up the arse we need to get things back on the right tracks, I've lost count of how many jars of glass rods stand around and the collection of coffee mugs is one of the biggest in the country !
So Henry the hoover will be busy this afternoon and I'm guessing that will be my job tho I don't mind and it beats washing up all those mugs. I often feel really lucky that we have such a great space in which we can work, I know some who have small garden sheds or spare box rooms in which they make their beads, so having such a large barn is a real pleasure and one we really appreciate.
I'm hoping we can have a big sort out and start working on the idea of taking visiting customers again, years ago I enjoyed having buyers come along to the barn, it was fun meeting those who were using my beads and indeed we even held the odd open day where customers and those who were interested in making beads would come along and see for themselves how the beads were made, It would be real fun if we could get those days back here at the barn.
This last couple of years we have paid more attention in online sales and not sales from here but I think now would be a great time to start filling those display cabinets again and welcoming customers and friends here again, to bring more fun and life back into the old barn would be a real pleasure and something that I've really missed.
Well, I better get back to my torch before the duster is thrust into my hand, enjoy your weekend and if your lucky enough to have sunshine in your part of the world, then make sure you enjoy every minute.
It's been a busy few days here at the barn with a mixture of fortunes, most I'm glad to say of a positive nature, the visit to my GP was a good one with him being pleased with the progress we are making with my IBS and now armed with more fact sheets on the foods I can eat safely and my new medication I'm hoping for an even greater improvement in the coming weeks.
Thank god for the fact sheets as it was taking me ages to figure out which foods were playing my up and it turns out some I was eating are far from good for me including onions, garlic, bread and apples and pears, but at least now I know and I can concentrate on only eating those that are proven to be ok for my condition.
On the bead side of things, well sales are still very slow as they are with other sellers but I'm still enjoying my work, I find that magical flame that burns in front of me most days helps take away some of that stress caused by lack of custom, I guess I go into that little world of fire and glass where nobody can reach me, my safe little haven where I can only learn and watch in amazement as the flame teaches me how it's marriage with glass can produce such effects that I would never find possible, in my mind that makes me one very lucky person.
This evening I will be listing new focal beads in the ebay shop so I hope some customers may find them interesting enough to use in their jewellery and this afternoon I need to sort out yet more of the hundreds of spacer beads into sets ready to list.
Some of the day will be taken up with a good tidy up in the barn as things are getting really untidy out there plus we have friends visiting tomorrow so that's the kick up the arse we need to get things back on the right tracks, I've lost count of how many jars of glass rods stand around and the collection of coffee mugs is one of the biggest in the country !
So Henry the hoover will be busy this afternoon and I'm guessing that will be my job tho I don't mind and it beats washing up all those mugs. I often feel really lucky that we have such a great space in which we can work, I know some who have small garden sheds or spare box rooms in which they make their beads, so having such a large barn is a real pleasure and one we really appreciate.
I'm hoping we can have a big sort out and start working on the idea of taking visiting customers again, years ago I enjoyed having buyers come along to the barn, it was fun meeting those who were using my beads and indeed we even held the odd open day where customers and those who were interested in making beads would come along and see for themselves how the beads were made, It would be real fun if we could get those days back here at the barn.
This last couple of years we have paid more attention in online sales and not sales from here but I think now would be a great time to start filling those display cabinets again and welcoming customers and friends here again, to bring more fun and life back into the old barn would be a real pleasure and something that I've really missed.
Well, I better get back to my torch before the duster is thrust into my hand, enjoy your weekend and if your lucky enough to have sunshine in your part of the world, then make sure you enjoy every minute.
Tuesday, 17 April 2012
Rain, Sunshine And One Scruffy Dog !
Another Busy Day And Still Not over.
A real mixed day here today, the most amazing skies passed over heading for the coast, blues, greys and sheets of lightening made for one very special show, all day long this Oscar winning production entertained us plain folk and while all this was going on the best collection of goldfinches ever to grace our garden were feeding on seeds.
It was another early start for me and again another late finish but what a day, lampwork beads, greenhouse jobs, packing orders and a visit to the local post office were managed all before dinner, this evening was spent making ceramic pendants sorting out bead photographs. Now at last I can relax for an hour before bed while I plan my jobs for tomorrow.
As you can see by the picture I had some rather unwanted help in the garden today, yes Sam decided he should lend a paw and how could I say no to that face. I must say rain, garden and Sam really don't mix that well and a big clean up was needed as normal, I think he does it on purpose just to give me something to do, little bugger !
Tomorrow I'll be sorting out more spacer sets to place in my ebay shop so if anyone is interested in cheap spacers you very welcome to take a look, I listed a few sets last night but they were gone by lunch time so I'm guessing they come in handy for some customers.
I had fun making focals today and using up some of the many rod ends that I have boxed, it's a great way to use up all those odd pieces of the more uncommon colours, when I look at the thousands of rod ends I have I wonder just how much money is sitting there and how many beads I could possibly make with them, I guess most beadmakers have the same thoughts.
Ok, think it's time for this beadmaker to get to bed, it will be an early start tomorrow on what I'm sure will be yet another wet morning this week.
A real mixed day here today, the most amazing skies passed over heading for the coast, blues, greys and sheets of lightening made for one very special show, all day long this Oscar winning production entertained us plain folk and while all this was going on the best collection of goldfinches ever to grace our garden were feeding on seeds.
It was another early start for me and again another late finish but what a day, lampwork beads, greenhouse jobs, packing orders and a visit to the local post office were managed all before dinner, this evening was spent making ceramic pendants sorting out bead photographs. Now at last I can relax for an hour before bed while I plan my jobs for tomorrow.
Tomorrow I'll be sorting out more spacer sets to place in my ebay shop so if anyone is interested in cheap spacers you very welcome to take a look, I listed a few sets last night but they were gone by lunch time so I'm guessing they come in handy for some customers.
I had fun making focals today and using up some of the many rod ends that I have boxed, it's a great way to use up all those odd pieces of the more uncommon colours, when I look at the thousands of rod ends I have I wonder just how much money is sitting there and how many beads I could possibly make with them, I guess most beadmakers have the same thoughts.
Ok, think it's time for this beadmaker to get to bed, it will be an early start tomorrow on what I'm sure will be yet another wet morning this week.
Monday, 16 April 2012
Yet Another Frost
Where The Hell Is Spring ?
Again we wake to another frost here in the fens, fourth morning in the last five that the garden is covered in those tiny ice buds, not the weather I would expect for Spring. At least the veg garden is covered and protected so touch wood everything will be ok there and the garden birds seem to happy at the small amount of sun we are getting, the finches are busy feeding and what seems like every dove in Upwell is using this place for courting, at least they think it's spring.
Is it me or does it seem quiet this last week or two, do you ever get spells when you think your the only person around, if I didn't know better I'd think I'd upset everybody or maybe I have ! One week you get lots of emails from friends, bead orders come in at a steady rate and everything feels ok, then it all stops and you wonder why, those friends are all too busy to chat, the bead sales slow down to a crawl and even spring can't be bothered to cheer you up with some nice warm weather, oh well I guess life is like that sometimes.
Yet more ceramics to sort later today and lots more to list also, I have been asked if I'll be listing more orphan sets of ceramic beads and so some will be listed this evening, also I want to get a good amount of pendants made this week ready to do my first pit firing in my new pit in the garden, this perfect round hole sits there waiting to be used yet I haven't got enough hours to make everything at once, so now I have a good amount of glazed items to list I'll be working on the pit items.
I'm really hoping the weather warms up soon as I have it in my head that I'll take two days off to sit throwing pots at my wheel in the garden, after watching the weather forecast I'm guessing it won't be for a week or two yet tho.
Today I'm making focal beads on my torch, I need some to list on ebay, it means I get a few hours letting my flame go mad and that means one happy old bead maker, if only people knew how much pleasure a flame and some glass can produce.
I felt really sorry for all those children returning to school this morning, I remember too well that feeling we all got waking up on the first day back after the holidays, some of the faces of those walking past our cottage this morning were far from happy but I'm sure they will soon get back into the hang of things, I know a friend of mine who teaches wasn't looking forward to today but I'm sure she will be enjoying seeing all those little angels already, that's one job I don't think I could handle, it takes a special kind of person to put up with some of the children they face each day.
Well time I got back to my torch and I need to unload the ceramic kiln also ready to list more beads later tonight, enjoy your day.
Again we wake to another frost here in the fens, fourth morning in the last five that the garden is covered in those tiny ice buds, not the weather I would expect for Spring. At least the veg garden is covered and protected so touch wood everything will be ok there and the garden birds seem to happy at the small amount of sun we are getting, the finches are busy feeding and what seems like every dove in Upwell is using this place for courting, at least they think it's spring.
Is it me or does it seem quiet this last week or two, do you ever get spells when you think your the only person around, if I didn't know better I'd think I'd upset everybody or maybe I have ! One week you get lots of emails from friends, bead orders come in at a steady rate and everything feels ok, then it all stops and you wonder why, those friends are all too busy to chat, the bead sales slow down to a crawl and even spring can't be bothered to cheer you up with some nice warm weather, oh well I guess life is like that sometimes.
Yet more ceramics to sort later today and lots more to list also, I have been asked if I'll be listing more orphan sets of ceramic beads and so some will be listed this evening, also I want to get a good amount of pendants made this week ready to do my first pit firing in my new pit in the garden, this perfect round hole sits there waiting to be used yet I haven't got enough hours to make everything at once, so now I have a good amount of glazed items to list I'll be working on the pit items.
I'm really hoping the weather warms up soon as I have it in my head that I'll take two days off to sit throwing pots at my wheel in the garden, after watching the weather forecast I'm guessing it won't be for a week or two yet tho.
Today I'm making focal beads on my torch, I need some to list on ebay, it means I get a few hours letting my flame go mad and that means one happy old bead maker, if only people knew how much pleasure a flame and some glass can produce.
I felt really sorry for all those children returning to school this morning, I remember too well that feeling we all got waking up on the first day back after the holidays, some of the faces of those walking past our cottage this morning were far from happy but I'm sure they will soon get back into the hang of things, I know a friend of mine who teaches wasn't looking forward to today but I'm sure she will be enjoying seeing all those little angels already, that's one job I don't think I could handle, it takes a special kind of person to put up with some of the children they face each day.
Well time I got back to my torch and I need to unload the ceramic kiln also ready to list more beads later tonight, enjoy your day.
Sunday, 15 April 2012
Listing Sunday
Day Of Photography And Listing.
A quick cuppa before I start a long day of photographing and listing ceramic and lampwork beads and pendants, I was up and about early this morning with the excitement of opening the ceramic kiln and after a quick look I'm very happy with the results. Yet more ceramic beads will be fired this evening so touch wood there will be more for me to list tomorrow evening too.
Again we are lucky here to have another bright sunny morning tho it's a touch cold, we had no frost so all looks well in the kitchen garden with the freshly planted beetroot seedlings looking well and getting stronger each day.
It's bright spring mornings like these that remind me so much of those Sunday mornings I spent as a kid helping my grandad in his garden. I would often arrive at hid wonderful old thatched cottage to find him standing at the kitchen mirror having a wet shave, braces hanging down each hip wearing a white vest this tall strong hero of mine would cover that bristled face with thick white shaving soap and start shaving it away using an old silver razor that looked a hundred years old, I still to this day remember wondering how long it would be before I too could shave and if I would own such a razor married to that little stumpy brush with soft bristles and wooden handle.
The radio would always be playing in the corner of the kitchen and the sounds of Sunday service would fill the room until it was time for the Archers. The large range would always be lit keeping those large kettles warm on the top ready to fill the teapot at any time of day, it was a large range around five or six feet long, it had two or three ovens and what seemed like five or six rings on the top where those kettles would live their lives. The fire box had a small grate that allowed you to sit and watch the flames on a cold winter evening, a place where I sat to listen to many a tale about the village characters of the past.
These Sunday mornings were spent in that fantastic old garden, the most wonderful place for any child to learn about growing and nature, from the hard jobs like carting dung around the beds to watching the wildlife on the river that ran through the bottom of this haven of peace. Jobs for this time of year were often those that including building frames of some sort, frames for the sweet peas and french beans, the runner bead poles were taken from the shed and cleaned down ready to support this years crop. I remember sowing huge long rows of veg such has peas, beetroot and carrots, I would use that old string line that was wound around two ancient sticks to guide my rows and mark their position with yet more sticks pushed into the ground.
I would learn about the fruit blossom, which flowered first, how it was pollinated and shown where the fruit formed, it was explained to me at a very early age how all flowers are just blossom that produced what we call fruits but what is really just a case in which the plant keeps it's seeds safe until it's time to let them drop to the soil where they will grow new offspring, it was all explained very simply so I could understand it and remember it, isn't it a pity the schools these days don't have gardens like they did in the 50's and 60's to show the children how to grow veg, to think there are indeed some children who only see veg coming from bags in the freezer or from tins and that is such a real shame and that fried chips is the nearest some get to veg is a crime. I guess I was lucky having a family that worked the soil and living the life of a village boy and I'll always thank my family for bringing me up that way, not only did I learn so much about the countryside around me but also I have so many happy memories that will stay with me forever, maybe now at my age it's time I started writing them all down.
A quick cuppa before I start a long day of photographing and listing ceramic and lampwork beads and pendants, I was up and about early this morning with the excitement of opening the ceramic kiln and after a quick look I'm very happy with the results. Yet more ceramic beads will be fired this evening so touch wood there will be more for me to list tomorrow evening too.
Again we are lucky here to have another bright sunny morning tho it's a touch cold, we had no frost so all looks well in the kitchen garden with the freshly planted beetroot seedlings looking well and getting stronger each day.
It's bright spring mornings like these that remind me so much of those Sunday mornings I spent as a kid helping my grandad in his garden. I would often arrive at hid wonderful old thatched cottage to find him standing at the kitchen mirror having a wet shave, braces hanging down each hip wearing a white vest this tall strong hero of mine would cover that bristled face with thick white shaving soap and start shaving it away using an old silver razor that looked a hundred years old, I still to this day remember wondering how long it would be before I too could shave and if I would own such a razor married to that little stumpy brush with soft bristles and wooden handle.
The radio would always be playing in the corner of the kitchen and the sounds of Sunday service would fill the room until it was time for the Archers. The large range would always be lit keeping those large kettles warm on the top ready to fill the teapot at any time of day, it was a large range around five or six feet long, it had two or three ovens and what seemed like five or six rings on the top where those kettles would live their lives. The fire box had a small grate that allowed you to sit and watch the flames on a cold winter evening, a place where I sat to listen to many a tale about the village characters of the past.
These Sunday mornings were spent in that fantastic old garden, the most wonderful place for any child to learn about growing and nature, from the hard jobs like carting dung around the beds to watching the wildlife on the river that ran through the bottom of this haven of peace. Jobs for this time of year were often those that including building frames of some sort, frames for the sweet peas and french beans, the runner bead poles were taken from the shed and cleaned down ready to support this years crop. I remember sowing huge long rows of veg such has peas, beetroot and carrots, I would use that old string line that was wound around two ancient sticks to guide my rows and mark their position with yet more sticks pushed into the ground.
I would learn about the fruit blossom, which flowered first, how it was pollinated and shown where the fruit formed, it was explained to me at a very early age how all flowers are just blossom that produced what we call fruits but what is really just a case in which the plant keeps it's seeds safe until it's time to let them drop to the soil where they will grow new offspring, it was all explained very simply so I could understand it and remember it, isn't it a pity the schools these days don't have gardens like they did in the 50's and 60's to show the children how to grow veg, to think there are indeed some children who only see veg coming from bags in the freezer or from tins and that is such a real shame and that fried chips is the nearest some get to veg is a crime. I guess I was lucky having a family that worked the soil and living the life of a village boy and I'll always thank my family for bringing me up that way, not only did I learn so much about the countryside around me but also I have so many happy memories that will stay with me forever, maybe now at my age it's time I started writing them all down.
Friday, 13 April 2012
A Very Enjoyable Week
Lots Done And Lots To Do.
It's been a busy week here at the barn, the veg garden is come alive with those first rows of green seedlings looking stronger every day and under the fleece there are many healthy new shoots on the potatoes, well protected from any late frost that linger in early morning. Lots of salad leaves are growing along with the radish and spring onions, so fingers crossed this summer will be spent enjoying many fresh salad lunches and if I keep sowing salads every few weeks we'll be lucky enough to have a good supply well into the coming autumn.
The greenhouse is full to the brim with young plants waiting for their turn out in the kitchen garden, french beans, cabbage, courgettes, runner beans and a small army of tomato and pepper plants. The cape gooseberries are getting bigger ever day and will I hope in a few weeks be big enough to pot up and cane, there are pots of herb seedlings on every bench, some of which will go into the planned herb garden and the rest will be place at the gate for sale. Talking of selling at the gate, all we need to do is fix up a sign and we should be ready to place the first few plants out, maybe next weekend could be a good time giving us this coming week to make sure the bench is finished and also giving the plants another weeks to grow.
On the bead side of things there are plans afoot to get an oxy con for me to use instead of the tanked oxygen, it would cost me around £250 to obtain one but by doing so will save me over £600 a year which is a huge amount of money for us at the moment, so I need to get selling a lot of beads to afford it, fingers crossed things may pick up in the next month, if not then I just stick with the tanks until we can afford to do otherwise.
Yesterday I got to list the first of my lampwork stone effect pendants in my etsy shop and they were sold within an hour of listing, I was over the moon as I really like then, in fact I made myself one to hang around my neck on leather. I'll be making a few more today so hope to list those tomorrow or Sunday.
This morning I need to empty the ceramic kiln, I did a bisque firing over night in which is a huge number of pendants, so I'm hoping to get most glazed and fired tomorrow ready to start listing on Sunday, it's the first of the stoneware items so at last I get to try out the new stoneware glazes, fingers crossed they will turn out as good as I hope.
Ok cuppa time over and I need to get back to my torch there is so much to do and so many things to try today plus the hours sorting through the ceramics later.
It's been a busy week here at the barn, the veg garden is come alive with those first rows of green seedlings looking stronger every day and under the fleece there are many healthy new shoots on the potatoes, well protected from any late frost that linger in early morning. Lots of salad leaves are growing along with the radish and spring onions, so fingers crossed this summer will be spent enjoying many fresh salad lunches and if I keep sowing salads every few weeks we'll be lucky enough to have a good supply well into the coming autumn.
The greenhouse is full to the brim with young plants waiting for their turn out in the kitchen garden, french beans, cabbage, courgettes, runner beans and a small army of tomato and pepper plants. The cape gooseberries are getting bigger ever day and will I hope in a few weeks be big enough to pot up and cane, there are pots of herb seedlings on every bench, some of which will go into the planned herb garden and the rest will be place at the gate for sale. Talking of selling at the gate, all we need to do is fix up a sign and we should be ready to place the first few plants out, maybe next weekend could be a good time giving us this coming week to make sure the bench is finished and also giving the plants another weeks to grow.
On the bead side of things there are plans afoot to get an oxy con for me to use instead of the tanked oxygen, it would cost me around £250 to obtain one but by doing so will save me over £600 a year which is a huge amount of money for us at the moment, so I need to get selling a lot of beads to afford it, fingers crossed things may pick up in the next month, if not then I just stick with the tanks until we can afford to do otherwise.
Yesterday I got to list the first of my lampwork stone effect pendants in my etsy shop and they were sold within an hour of listing, I was over the moon as I really like then, in fact I made myself one to hang around my neck on leather. I'll be making a few more today so hope to list those tomorrow or Sunday.
This morning I need to empty the ceramic kiln, I did a bisque firing over night in which is a huge number of pendants, so I'm hoping to get most glazed and fired tomorrow ready to start listing on Sunday, it's the first of the stoneware items so at last I get to try out the new stoneware glazes, fingers crossed they will turn out as good as I hope.
Ok cuppa time over and I need to get back to my torch there is so much to do and so many things to try today plus the hours sorting through the ceramics later.
Tuesday, 10 April 2012
Beetroot And Ducks !
Rural Life, I Love It.
Some would say my life is just one of work and worry, by no means a secure way of making a living and I would be a fool to deny it, but there are times when living a more rural life can make up for such a life style and this afternoon was one such moment.
The sun was shining over the fens, the birds were singing their spring song and I was in my garden setting out beetroot seedlings, now how on earth could I ever want to swap my life for a safe reliable one. I have to say the sun makes one hell of a difference to the way I've been feeling and the fact I was able to get out in the garden really does help take my mind off things, it gets me thinking of those childhood days helping my grandad in that wonderful old veg garden that surround the thatched cottage in the heart of Ashwell, the river running through the bottom of the garden where watercress grew in huge patches and willow trees hung over the banks, now that was what you call a dream way of living.
People think of those days being simple with no modern gadgets or laptops taking up hours of our time, they say they were times that lacked excitement and luxury but believe me, if I could live such a life now with none of the stress that modern life brings with it, I'd be one very happy man. I often mention on here and to family and friends how I would love to live a more self sufficient life and as you already know we are slowly getting there, this being the first year that I'm really trying to grow most of our veg and partly because of the lack of funds and partly because of our health we have cut done big time on any rubbish foods such as processed and alike. Our shopping bill is now a good third of what it was and to be honest I really don't miss any of those foods we now go without, yes it would be nice to have a treat odd times and I'm sure when we afford it we will, but I now enjoy my food more, I taste the flavours and not just flavourings and salt which fills so much of our food these days.
I really can't wait for those first early potatoes from the garden or those first salads that taste like no other, your own fresh produce has the most amazing flavours and is on your plate within minutes of cutting, no bags of salad that are days old, no tomatoes that have no flavour or cucumbers that taste like cold water, all just beautiful flavours that you have produced from those tiny seeds and some hard work.
I did manage to sit by the ponds with a cuppa while watching the pair of ducks that we seem to have adopted, it's amazing how quick they seem to take over the place, they sit in the sun looking like they own the place and every time I stopped work they sat there watching me as if to say, come on get more done !
Some would say my life is just one of work and worry, by no means a secure way of making a living and I would be a fool to deny it, but there are times when living a more rural life can make up for such a life style and this afternoon was one such moment.
The sun was shining over the fens, the birds were singing their spring song and I was in my garden setting out beetroot seedlings, now how on earth could I ever want to swap my life for a safe reliable one. I have to say the sun makes one hell of a difference to the way I've been feeling and the fact I was able to get out in the garden really does help take my mind off things, it gets me thinking of those childhood days helping my grandad in that wonderful old veg garden that surround the thatched cottage in the heart of Ashwell, the river running through the bottom of the garden where watercress grew in huge patches and willow trees hung over the banks, now that was what you call a dream way of living.
People think of those days being simple with no modern gadgets or laptops taking up hours of our time, they say they were times that lacked excitement and luxury but believe me, if I could live such a life now with none of the stress that modern life brings with it, I'd be one very happy man. I often mention on here and to family and friends how I would love to live a more self sufficient life and as you already know we are slowly getting there, this being the first year that I'm really trying to grow most of our veg and partly because of the lack of funds and partly because of our health we have cut done big time on any rubbish foods such as processed and alike. Our shopping bill is now a good third of what it was and to be honest I really don't miss any of those foods we now go without, yes it would be nice to have a treat odd times and I'm sure when we afford it we will, but I now enjoy my food more, I taste the flavours and not just flavourings and salt which fills so much of our food these days.
I really can't wait for those first early potatoes from the garden or those first salads that taste like no other, your own fresh produce has the most amazing flavours and is on your plate within minutes of cutting, no bags of salad that are days old, no tomatoes that have no flavour or cucumbers that taste like cold water, all just beautiful flavours that you have produced from those tiny seeds and some hard work.
I did manage to sit by the ponds with a cuppa while watching the pair of ducks that we seem to have adopted, it's amazing how quick they seem to take over the place, they sit in the sun looking like they own the place and every time I stopped work they sat there watching me as if to say, come on get more done !
Now You Decide We Need Sunshine !!
At Least The Garden Gets A Drink
What a weekend, the weather was what you would call a little mixed and I'm guessing thousands of families were stuck sheltering in the dry for the last couple of days while trying to enjoy the first real holiday weekend of the year. At the coast row upon row of caravans were full of grumpy parents wanting to get the children out on the beach rather than being cooped up watching rain run down the windows and now when most are back home we get the sunshine, is that sods law or what.
For me it was also a very mixed weekend, I had planned to spend the whole four days with my ceramics and had hoped the sunny weather would mean I could get my wheel outside in the garden to throw pots, but those plans were as normal ruined and I just had to play it by ear from day to day. We managed to get a good amount of garden and greenhouse jobs sorted, two out of the four days were spent working on my torch and yes I did even manage to get ceramic pendants and beads made, all round a very busy weekend and tho the weather was crap I really enjoyed it, the fact I've been feeling a lot better helped and touch wood that will continue.
This week we hope to get everything ready for selling some plants at the gate, just a few jobs to complete then we can put the first few out, I know we may not get any joy but it's worth a try and I can't stand another year throwing away perfectly good surplus plants.
On the bead front of things some of you may have seen the summer party beads I've started listing on ebay, just a few sets of fun beads that may help with the summer jewellery, some mixed bright colours, others in colour matched sets but all just a bit of summer fun, I just felt with the thoughts of those long hot days at the beach heading our way it would be great to enjoy myself for a few hours and produce some beads that shout out summer, already some people seem to like them so maybe I'm not the only one with pictures of those long hot July days going through my mind.
The ceramics are coming on ok and I think I'm on target to do a bisque firing at the end of this coming week, the first of the stoneware pendants and beads will be ready to list and fingers crossed they go down well with customers. I'm hoping I'll be able to get tomorrow off from my torch to spend the day with clay after all I owe it a few days from the weekend, well thats my excuse any way !
Ok off back to the barn and my flame, it seems like weeks since the sun was beating down on the garden this early in the morning and to be honest I for one have missed it.
What a weekend, the weather was what you would call a little mixed and I'm guessing thousands of families were stuck sheltering in the dry for the last couple of days while trying to enjoy the first real holiday weekend of the year. At the coast row upon row of caravans were full of grumpy parents wanting to get the children out on the beach rather than being cooped up watching rain run down the windows and now when most are back home we get the sunshine, is that sods law or what.
For me it was also a very mixed weekend, I had planned to spend the whole four days with my ceramics and had hoped the sunny weather would mean I could get my wheel outside in the garden to throw pots, but those plans were as normal ruined and I just had to play it by ear from day to day. We managed to get a good amount of garden and greenhouse jobs sorted, two out of the four days were spent working on my torch and yes I did even manage to get ceramic pendants and beads made, all round a very busy weekend and tho the weather was crap I really enjoyed it, the fact I've been feeling a lot better helped and touch wood that will continue.
This week we hope to get everything ready for selling some plants at the gate, just a few jobs to complete then we can put the first few out, I know we may not get any joy but it's worth a try and I can't stand another year throwing away perfectly good surplus plants.
On the bead front of things some of you may have seen the summer party beads I've started listing on ebay, just a few sets of fun beads that may help with the summer jewellery, some mixed bright colours, others in colour matched sets but all just a bit of summer fun, I just felt with the thoughts of those long hot days at the beach heading our way it would be great to enjoy myself for a few hours and produce some beads that shout out summer, already some people seem to like them so maybe I'm not the only one with pictures of those long hot July days going through my mind.
The ceramics are coming on ok and I think I'm on target to do a bisque firing at the end of this coming week, the first of the stoneware pendants and beads will be ready to list and fingers crossed they go down well with customers. I'm hoping I'll be able to get tomorrow off from my torch to spend the day with clay after all I owe it a few days from the weekend, well thats my excuse any way !
Ok off back to the barn and my flame, it seems like weeks since the sun was beating down on the garden this early in the morning and to be honest I for one have missed it.
Thursday, 5 April 2012
Sunshine Returns To The Fens
A Far Better Day All Round
The sunshine returned today tho it was still rather cold, maybe we were just spoilt last week and greedy for more, I must say it's nice sitting here writing while looking out at a stunning low sun across the fens, hardly a cloud in the sky and dark damp fenland soil running on for miles.
At last I managed to replace the wild bird seed so the feeders are again full and after a couple of days without it the garden birds are once again happy, there was no way I was going to let them go without any longer, they keep me entertained all winter while I'm working at my torch so the least I can do is keep them feed, all it means is I wait a bit longer for clay and that's no problem at all.
On the health front, touch wood I feel 100% better today which not only means I can enjoy doing things like garden jobs, but also I feel more relaxed which helps a great deal, I guess it's a big circle, worry means stress, stress upsets my stomach, so if anyone has some good tips on relaxing they would be very welcome.
Well with Easter weekend upon us I hope everyone has a great time and not too much chocolate, at least that's one food I don't have to worry about playing me up as I've never really had a sweet tooth. Lets hope we get some nice bright Easter weather so we can all enjoy the countryside or a trip to the coast, to me there is no better way to enjoy a bank holiday than walking on the beach, sitting with a picnic and watching the sea.
Me, well I hope to spend the weekend with my torch cold and my potters wheel warm, I have a long list of ceramic items I want to make including beads and pendants too, I feel I need to give myself a few days to really get on top of the ceramics and this weekend is ideal, by Sunday I'll be covered in clay but boy I'll be happy plus by Monday morning I'll be ready for a fresh week on my torch, at last I'll find out what having a weekend off work really feels like.
So I hop you all enjoy tomorrow and get some warm hot cross buns eaten and I wish all of you a very happy Easter with your families.
The sunshine returned today tho it was still rather cold, maybe we were just spoilt last week and greedy for more, I must say it's nice sitting here writing while looking out at a stunning low sun across the fens, hardly a cloud in the sky and dark damp fenland soil running on for miles.
At last I managed to replace the wild bird seed so the feeders are again full and after a couple of days without it the garden birds are once again happy, there was no way I was going to let them go without any longer, they keep me entertained all winter while I'm working at my torch so the least I can do is keep them feed, all it means is I wait a bit longer for clay and that's no problem at all.
On the health front, touch wood I feel 100% better today which not only means I can enjoy doing things like garden jobs, but also I feel more relaxed which helps a great deal, I guess it's a big circle, worry means stress, stress upsets my stomach, so if anyone has some good tips on relaxing they would be very welcome.
Well with Easter weekend upon us I hope everyone has a great time and not too much chocolate, at least that's one food I don't have to worry about playing me up as I've never really had a sweet tooth. Lets hope we get some nice bright Easter weather so we can all enjoy the countryside or a trip to the coast, to me there is no better way to enjoy a bank holiday than walking on the beach, sitting with a picnic and watching the sea.
Me, well I hope to spend the weekend with my torch cold and my potters wheel warm, I have a long list of ceramic items I want to make including beads and pendants too, I feel I need to give myself a few days to really get on top of the ceramics and this weekend is ideal, by Sunday I'll be covered in clay but boy I'll be happy plus by Monday morning I'll be ready for a fresh week on my torch, at last I'll find out what having a weekend off work really feels like.
So I hop you all enjoy tomorrow and get some warm hot cross buns eaten and I wish all of you a very happy Easter with your families.
Wednesday, 4 April 2012
Where The Hell Did Spring Go !!
Wet And Cold
I guess we all knew it was far too good to be true, warm sunny days at the end of March, well now the April showers are here to spoil our hopes and tho I too realise the gardens do need some rain it would be nice to have some gentle showers in the evenings or maybe just over night, why do we have to have 24 hours of heaven tears in one go with those cold spring nights now running again into the days, fingers crossed it won't last long and the sunshine will return.
I worry a little about my fruit trees getting attention from the insect world, with the Apricot, Peach, Greengage and Plum trees all now in blossom the last thing we need in colder weather, the warm sunshine means lots of busy bees helping pollinate all those wonderful bunches of fruit flowers that seem to be coating every branch this year, so with this in mind I hope we get the warmer days back soon, I can get a paint brush and do some pollination myself but the natural way if far better with greater results.
I'm sorry I haven't updated the blog for a few days but to be honest with you I've still not been feeling that great so the last few evenings have been spent sitting back doing next to nothing, I have still been working and trying to fit in ceramic work every day, even if just for an hour. It's funny, I get a great day when I feel like normal and full of energy then a couple of days when things are hard, I guess that's just the way things are at the moment and when I see how other people suffer with illness and disabilities then shit, what I have to manage is nothing.
I can't believe how much I'm missing my bike rides, if you had asked me two years ago if I would miss cycling miles every lunch time I would have laughed at you, but now I really do miss seeing the changes that spring brings though the countryside around me, plus I'm sure that exercise helped me control my IBS too, maybe that's part of the reason I'm feeling crap at the moment, tomorrow if the weather permits I'll get a good walk in and get some garden jobs done. Sometimes I just need a swift kick up the bum to stop me feeling down and after this last few days I think such a time is indeed here, I get told to just take a couple of days off work and rest, let my body catch up, get some good sleep but I guess you all know me well enough by now to know that just ain't me, yes I know I have to learn to respect my body and I will but when times are not so good work wise and sales are so low, the only way I know how to cope is by working harder, it's like my mind telling me that if I work hard things will be ok, tho I'm starting for the first time in years to think otherwise, I never thought you would hear me say that !
On a brighter note I'm hoping I'll be able to have a bisque firing this Sunday as I have a good amount of ceramic pendants and beads ready plus this big excited kid wants to try out his first stoneware glazes. Up until now I've been using earthenware clay with mixed results but after reading about stoneware and the more rustic effects it can produce I wanted to give it a go, I expect there will also be some failures along with successes but I'm used to those and if the successful pieces are as good as I hope then it will be a real pleasure experimenting.
The feelings I'm getting with ceramics remind me so much of those early days I had with my torch, it feels like every week you learn more and more tricks and if like my lampwork this lasts for many years to come, then boy this beadmaker will be one very happy guy. I try not to hold on to too many dreams now a days but the thought of making a living from both my lampwork and ceramics would indeed be the perfect dream and one that is worth fighting for through any low spells that life throws my way.
Ok time for a warm drink and an hour reading before bed, it's been another long day and a good nights sleep would be very enjoyable. I hope tomorrow evening I can tell of a wonderful sunny day here in the fens but I won't holding my breath.
I guess we all knew it was far too good to be true, warm sunny days at the end of March, well now the April showers are here to spoil our hopes and tho I too realise the gardens do need some rain it would be nice to have some gentle showers in the evenings or maybe just over night, why do we have to have 24 hours of heaven tears in one go with those cold spring nights now running again into the days, fingers crossed it won't last long and the sunshine will return.
I worry a little about my fruit trees getting attention from the insect world, with the Apricot, Peach, Greengage and Plum trees all now in blossom the last thing we need in colder weather, the warm sunshine means lots of busy bees helping pollinate all those wonderful bunches of fruit flowers that seem to be coating every branch this year, so with this in mind I hope we get the warmer days back soon, I can get a paint brush and do some pollination myself but the natural way if far better with greater results.
I'm sorry I haven't updated the blog for a few days but to be honest with you I've still not been feeling that great so the last few evenings have been spent sitting back doing next to nothing, I have still been working and trying to fit in ceramic work every day, even if just for an hour. It's funny, I get a great day when I feel like normal and full of energy then a couple of days when things are hard, I guess that's just the way things are at the moment and when I see how other people suffer with illness and disabilities then shit, what I have to manage is nothing.
I can't believe how much I'm missing my bike rides, if you had asked me two years ago if I would miss cycling miles every lunch time I would have laughed at you, but now I really do miss seeing the changes that spring brings though the countryside around me, plus I'm sure that exercise helped me control my IBS too, maybe that's part of the reason I'm feeling crap at the moment, tomorrow if the weather permits I'll get a good walk in and get some garden jobs done. Sometimes I just need a swift kick up the bum to stop me feeling down and after this last few days I think such a time is indeed here, I get told to just take a couple of days off work and rest, let my body catch up, get some good sleep but I guess you all know me well enough by now to know that just ain't me, yes I know I have to learn to respect my body and I will but when times are not so good work wise and sales are so low, the only way I know how to cope is by working harder, it's like my mind telling me that if I work hard things will be ok, tho I'm starting for the first time in years to think otherwise, I never thought you would hear me say that !
On a brighter note I'm hoping I'll be able to have a bisque firing this Sunday as I have a good amount of ceramic pendants and beads ready plus this big excited kid wants to try out his first stoneware glazes. Up until now I've been using earthenware clay with mixed results but after reading about stoneware and the more rustic effects it can produce I wanted to give it a go, I expect there will also be some failures along with successes but I'm used to those and if the successful pieces are as good as I hope then it will be a real pleasure experimenting.
The feelings I'm getting with ceramics remind me so much of those early days I had with my torch, it feels like every week you learn more and more tricks and if like my lampwork this lasts for many years to come, then boy this beadmaker will be one very happy guy. I try not to hold on to too many dreams now a days but the thought of making a living from both my lampwork and ceramics would indeed be the perfect dream and one that is worth fighting for through any low spells that life throws my way.
Ok time for a warm drink and an hour reading before bed, it's been another long day and a good nights sleep would be very enjoyable. I hope tomorrow evening I can tell of a wonderful sunny day here in the fens but I won't holding my breath.
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