Back in the saddle

We’ve not got many pots made in recent days, because we’ve had a builder in the workshop. He’s built a new hearth ready to fit a wood burner, which will go in next week. As you can see from the video, Pippin thinks she has a new stage to perform on! It’s impossible to concentrate with all the building work, so we’ve been trying to get the place organised so that it will function more efficiently when we’re up and running again properly.

We did get making again today though, in spite of the chaos. Hannah threw a batch of plates for an order that is going to Paris and I made mugs on the old kick wheel that I rescued from Michael Cardew’s defunct pottery at Wenford Bridge in Cornwall. It’s the first time in several years that I’ve used the wheel, in fact, it’s the first time that I’ve thrown pots on it in Scotland. It’s great to be using it again, although it will take a bit of getting used to.

Life has been busy in the garden. I’ve always enjoyed planting flowers and the workshop beds and planters are just bursting in to colour. This year we’ve also started growing vegetables. It’s our plan to try and grow as much of our own food as we can, so we’re currently building raised beds, as well as tending a vegetable plot in the back garden. A chicken coop is on order and in the forthcoming weeks, we’ll be rescuing some battery hens and giving them a new free-range lease of life.