On the last Tuesday of October I took advantage of Canada Post’s offer to ship one parcel free, within Canada, on a Tuesday in October. Actually my parcel weighed 12 lbs instead of the 11 lb limit but mailing five more pots to Jonathon’s Gallery in London, Ontario cost me only $4! Jonathon had noticed that I had two new jugbirds in the recent soda firing (the third has flown to his new home here in Port Moody) and also requested that I send him some of my ridiculous Rhytons.
At nine o’clock this morning I was notified that Jonathon would be opening the parcel right away. It seems that my over-zealous packing with double paper, bubble wrap and boxes is rather frustrating, but never mind. The pieces travelled safely. Here are the three Rhytons (Jonathon prefers to call them the British moniker.. Stirrup Cups) and the two jugbirds. If you’d like to watch the unwrapping look for ‘Canadianceramics’ on Instagram. The stands were fabricated by our son Stephen.
If you ever need to mail a parcel to Ireland and don’t want to pay exorbitantly, surface mail is an option.. ie $26 with no tracking. I sent a Blue Tit to County Dublin on July 17th and had begun to think it had lost its way, but no, I have heard from his new owner. He’s migrated and is loved. That was 3 1/2 months!
Meanwhile we carry on with our isolated life. On a few days recently we elected to take advantage of some Fall sunshine, strolling in a couple of our local really spectacular parks to elevate our spirits. I also was inspired to tackle the garden clean-up chores.. lots are done, lots more await some dry days, but it’s astonishing how tidying up the plants and considering how they’ll perform next year made me so much more content. And hooray, we had a family visit in the garden on Halloween when a moth, a caterpillar and a dragon entertained us. We hadn’t seen the grand-boys since they started kindergarten and Grade 2 in September.
Yesterday the monsoons returned and it was a super day to get back to work in my cosy studio. I threw jugbird bodies, yunomi and plates with my red earthenware, with the idea that they’ll fill my kiln. Again, I am looking forward to seeing how new designs look. Then I have only a couple of weeks to make some more stoneware pieces for an upcoming soda firing. As I threw and then painted one plate the US election results were being considered. My family and friends down there must be feeling very anxious.
I returned to the rain forest idea with another paper resist plate. The green jagged leaf motif appeals to me and I want to see how much the underlying tree forms show through the last slip layer.
The carved jar which needed a lid now has a perfect cork, courtesy Greenbarn Pottery Supply. Here it is in front of an Eric Metcalfe Jazz Festival poster and alongside the gorgeous Fall colour leaves on a Stewartia Pseudocamellia.
I’ve just been notified that the larger Beastly Bird Rhyton is going to fly to Monkton, NB!
