Home again

Home again after a wonderful holiday in the Lake District. I needed the break so badly, I just hadn't realised how much. Now I feel fully refreshed and ready to get back in to making again in a big way. The Lake District is such a beautiful region - I love the countryside that surrounds my home and workshop in Devon, but it was great to see some different terrain - and to come back to my own again afterwards too of course. While we were away, I dropped off some more pots to the exhibition at the Castlegate House Gallery. The show runs until 8th September and is the first exhibition to be put on by new owners, Steve and Christine Swallow. It comprises of paintings and pots which they feel particularly passionate about, so it's a delight to have my work included, along with Hannah's and Paul Young's pots. I was pleased to be able to take some more pots along, as TNT destroyed a number of key pieces that I'd sent by courier a couple of weeks ago, with their careless handling, grrrrrrrrrrr. You can see all the work if you click on the gallery link above.

The workshop garden has been rather neglected this year but my blousey gladioli are giving me a bit of late summer colour. I seem to have been so busy this year, that I just haven't had the time to keep on top of it.

The apples in the orchard appear to be plentiful again this summer, they've certainly had a good drop of rain to drink in recent weeks. These will be used for making 'Irish' cider

A few more weeks and we'll be in to blackberry season.

'Lords and Ladies'

 I'll not bore you all with my holiday snaps, but if you're interested in seeing where we went to, here's a little film of our adventures in the Lakes. Luke has a job at the moment, so he opted not to come with us on holiday for the first time this year so we took Joe's buddy Albert along, to keep Joe company. It's less than a month now before Luke goes off to Bath and to art college - it seems like a blink of the eye since he was a baby.
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This is a badly chopped together film I made yesterday of the day's making. I should have been at work today really, but I gained another year today, so had a day off with Hil and the boys instead. We're off to the pub tonight for my birthday celebrations, so I'll be handling pots tomorrow with a cider head no doubt!

Bye for now