working when it's cold

i've heard rumor that it is still hot in parts of the country, but montana...not so much. fall is in the air and although refreshing...can make getting into the shop at night a touch difficult. i hate being cold and am not in the mood (or awake enough) to start a fire. beginning the work day at 5pm (other commitments all day) is tough enough but if it's cold out there....forget it. summer nights are light until 10pm but now it's dark by 8, sigh. tomorrow is a bookstore day (thursdays and saturdays) so my casseroles will have to wait for their bottoms to be rolled and attached.

soon the hose will have to be put away which is a sad day for me. all you heat wave folk...send it our way when you're done with it.

later.

long studio days

big hours in the shop this week. 15 hours in the studio is a super long day for me. i know clay folk who regularly put in those kind of hours but not this potter. i usually work most every day in the shop (and on my 2 bookstore days, i'm either in there before or after or both)..but rarely more than 8 actual hours in the shop with hands in clay. glazing days are always long as are firing (because i'm usually unloading and glazing one last desperate load before i start the kiln).

having my shop at home means always having work 75 feet away but also always having home only 75 feet from work. i've found a bit of a happy balance over the last decade, but always tell myself i could be working harder. summers are more challenging to stay in the shop with all of the outdoor weeding, walking, painting, etc.

these long, intense days are a great reminder of what is possible though...production wise. i'm off to start my glazing marathon (hoping i can get my load glazed in the next 10 hours so i can start the kiln around 6pm and fire through the night (first time for that).

as usual...stay tuned.