Snow!

Mummy pulling a sledge

A dove on a lamp post

Camelia

Whippet foot print and tail print!

Whippet foot print and tail print (front)

Happy Mike

Cordyline in the snow

Mike and girls

Run!(Topaz chasing Pearl)

On the campus

Two laughs, and how to make a carrot cake without carrots

When I woke up this morning, there was a bit of snow on the ground. Mike told me that the ground was very slippery, obviously there is ice below the snow, when he took our dogs out first in the morning.

Pigeon's foot print

I looked out of the window, and remember that when I was a very sleepy child, my mother used to say ' It's snow!' to wake me up. It did work for a while, I used to jump out of the bed to run to a window. When she said 'It's snow!' in July, I finally realised that I grew up, and said 'Whatever!'. That morning was the beginning of my adulthood.

Brrr Cold!

When we took dogs for morning walk, Mike made some noise. I looked back, Mike was on his bottom! I laughed out loud. He seems to be likely to fall often. He insisted it wasn't a fall, but he was pulled over by excited Topaz....

How to make a carrot cake without carrots

After having had pasta in leek and bacon cream sauce at lunch, Mike started baking carrot cake. He measured ingredients and mixed some, then shouted into the fridge, 'Where are those carrots?'. Ahhh, I used them to cook fried rice a couple of days ago. 'But there were loads!' I used them all. 'How could I make a carrot cake without carrots?' he moaned. I laughed out loud again. Today must be my laughing day! I suggested that him to used sultanas and apple instead. It was delicious, and I didn't find much difference from genuine carrot cake in taste!!! We have already had a half.

Mike threw cups on the wheel, and I started decorating two my models. I continued for about three hours, had a rest watching a rugby match (England won!), and continued until now, half past nine in the evening. I will do the rest tomorrow.

10cm snow is forecast here in Kent. I will take some photos of snow tomorrow. Now I peeked from the window, snow has already started. Keep warm, everyone! Good night.
       
 

Loose threads in 'The winding-up bird chronicle'

Hello everyone! It was even a colder today. Maximum temperature was 0. I gave some biscuits crumbs to wild birds. They must be struggling. Mike takes his lunchbox to work when max temperature is below 4. I made delicious fried rice in tomato sauce for four dishes yesterday. So he took some of it and the most favoured food in England. A sandwich!

A welcome rabbit in the hallway

I was busy at home again. I worked hard from 8:30 to 11:30. It was a busy day for company results. None of them was brilliant though. It is a challenging time we are in. Although there were lots of news, I didn't need to digest all details this morning; I will read them over the weekend, and crunch numbers. I managed to do laundry, cooking, vacuuming, dishwasher and recharging a laptop on solar power in the afternoon. I also took care of our dogs, parrots and Pumpkin the chicken. Phew.

I finally finished 'The winding-up bird chronicle' by Haruki Murakami this evening. It is an intriguing ending. Most of threads a kind of got together in the end, but there are still loose ones. Is Malta on Wataya's side? How did Creta meet Mamiya? etc.

A funny thing is that because of this story is so odd that I could relax and go to sleep so easily after reading it. Some books keep me awake for a long time, but not this one. I would love to read another one of Murakami soon. I will pop in the library this weekend if snow is not too bad. 
 

Another oribe pot and crocus creamer

Here is my favourite pot fired last year. I took this photo when I took the photos of other pots showed you yesterday. The rim is metallic black. Oribe green has two layers. So upper part is darker than its lower part. I love it. Unfortunately window is reflecting on the glaze.

Oribe bowl side view

This lovely dots appeared where the second layer of oribe glaze ran onto the first layer. So pretty.

Oribe bowl - another side view

It has been cold today. Ice in a plant saucer didn't melt a whole day. Our crocuses seem to be suffering from this bitterly cold easterly wind. I like crocuses. They look so cheerful. I made this little creamer inspired by our crocuses in the garden. I am thinking to develop a line for tableware inspired by our garden flowers. It would be a fun!
 

Little crocus creamer

Crocus creamer

New pots from a kiln

We had a bit of snow here in Canterbury this morning. But in mid afternoon, weak sunshine appeared. So I took some photos of the pots in this feeble winter light. Our windows are reflecting on the glaze, but these are the shots I can share with you today. 

Oribe bowl detail

What is really endearing about this pot to me is that it shows every detail of how it was made. I left throwing marks as usual, as you can see from the side of the pot. Glaze become thicker there, and it gives depth to the colour. The places where green oribe glaze meets cream glaze become elegant metallic grey, brown and black in such delicate patterns. They remind me of the parts where the brown parts and white parts of faun's furs meet.
 

Oribe bowl

The black part inside the rim is where I poured out the cream glaze. It is a bit like looking at the strata of earth. The bowl shows its own story. I dare say that is very much Japanese spirit. 

My pots are thin. So it restricts the amount of glaze bisque fired pots can absorb. As a Japanese, I reject any thick pots. We say,'there are no good thick pots'. In Japan, we handle pottery a lot. Its table manner requires you to lift your bowls, small dishes elegantly while you eat food with chopsticks. Only tableware we don't lift are serving dishes and plate. You see, in Japan, all foods are usually served individually in each dish or plate for each person. Every bowl, cup and dish have to be light weight enough for willowy Japanese ladies to be able to lift. You also have to mix the different pottery to present well. It shows seasonality and cook's aesthetic. Using matching table set, like English tableware, are not chic. I know you have seen old Japanese Imari dinner sets before. But those were only made for exports, and I am afraid to say, but not by the best craftsmen, but by their apprentice.

Yunomi

This is a small lady's yunomi (cups for green tea) made for our friend, Anne. Although I call it yunomi, but she is going to use it as guinomi (cups for 'sake'). Although I love this yunomi, but I will send this to re-firing. Cream glaze inside seems too thin. This is our new batch of the glaze, and we probably made it too watery.   If re-firing fails, I will make a new one for her.

Yunomi