Hello, how has your week been?
It has been a short week for me having only returned from my throwing course in Sussex on Monday evening. I thoroughly enjoyed the whole weekend, it reminded me once again of just how much I enjoy being creative amongst the company of others. For those subscribers who are relatively new here (thank you for dropping by) you may not know that I once ran a business hosting creative workshops, firstly around my kitchen table and then at Oak Tree Barn where we lived prior to moving here. I met so many lovely people through The Simpson Sisters and learned many new skills too, and I do occasionally ponder beginning something similar again…but time is so short and the list of things to do around here very long!
In The Garden
The garden is full of life, in every direction there is something shaking off its winter coat and turning its face to the sun (yes, it’s actually sunny here this afternoon). I know there are always signs of life if one looks for them, but perhaps I need the screamingly obvious to allow me to start believing that this long, wet winter is receding.
Another new border planted this week with Josh and Betty’s help, the plants are alarmingly small but provided Gertie resists burying her chews in the bark and accidentally upending them I think they’ll put some growth on quickly enough. This border surrounds a swimming pool, a luxury which I feel slightly embarrassed by, it was here when we bought the house and in truth is better sized for a dunk than a swim. While I’d quite like to convert it to a wildlife pond and fondly imagine frogs and dragonflies, Mike is brave enough to jump in briefly on the mornings he’s at home - perhaps there’s scope for all of it!
Mud, Fire & Smoke
The pots below are a few from a bisque firing this week, glazing next. I actually have quite a lot of pots hanging around now and am pondering whether I might begin selling some of them. The question though is where and how, and in truth whether I am brave enough. I am however trying to embrace the idea of asking myself what a potter would do; this is a suggestion I read in a newsletter from Do Lectures by David Hiatt, the idea of reframing a question or choice by thinking about what someone else (a wise person/patient person/someone who does whatever it is often) would do. It’s so simple, and along with some of his other suggestions I will endeavour to remember them at salient moments.
This week at pottery group I met someone I hadn’t bumped into there before, we were chatting for a while, mostly with our backs to one another as I was on the wheel, when I suddenly realised that we had been friends at school! I suppose it must be 35 years since our last encounter so no surprise that it took a while, but it was so lovely to catch up and reminisce.
Voluntarily
Over the years I have spent many, many hours in numerous voluntary roles but last year saw me spend more time than ever before supporting local asylum seekers and photographing for Remember My Baby. I had to step back at the beginning of this year since I was unable to drive following my foot surgery, I had thought I might appreciate a break and in some ways I did, but in truth I missed it too. I have the luxury of time that I’m able to offer in various ways and this morning I played removal/delivery driver for a family whom I’ve known for at least 18 months now. It was truly a pleasure to be able to help them and I was richly rewarded not only with smiles and hugs but a delicious serving of a dessert that was worth abandoning my car on double yellows, hazard lights flashing, for 5 minutes.
What use is an empty stable?
This paragraph is likely to have my mother calling me the moment she has read it, she will likely say “Vanessa what are you thinking? Are you mad?!”.
I’m sad and sorry to say that the ewe who gave birth to the sweet twins I photographed a couple of weeks ago developed mastitis and died this morning, so her orphans will require bottle feeding for a few weeks. The chap whom these sheep belong to is still lambing and when I asked what would happen to the lambs I sort of knew what might be coming next. But we have an empty stable (or at least it will be by later this evening) and since I have no plans to ever own sheep myself this may be my one and only chance to care for orphan lambs right?! And it’s just for a couple of weeks… You can expect photographs next time and before then on Instagram I expect.
I hope you have a happy weekend and, as ever, if you have a moment to comment or respond I’d love to hear from you.
With love,
Vx
🍀🌷bjr! Hello dear Vanessa always so pleased to read you ! I do agree with your sentence " I'd rather regret..." and would add " Faites des bêtises mais faites les avec enthousiasme " Colette [ my free translation : " do stupid*silly things*acts but do them*same with enthusiasm " 🍀I also like your " Wisteria ~ Hysteria " ....so very true but aren t they gorgeous? Looking forward reading you soon🫠 take care love🌷Edwige
I have an orphan lamb story this week too - bless their poor little souls - it’s heartbreaking isn’t it ! Handfuls of sweet soft wooly loveliness..! I’m envious Vanessa..!
And those thumb prit receptacles are gorgeous… I can think of many uses!
Have a great weekend xxx