Going back in time. My first gas kiln.

I'm on the laptop, so I don't have access to newer photos, so here's a picture of me, going back to the mid 70's, when I built my first gas kiln in Campbellville, Ontario. It was a great little (20cu feet or so), hard brick, downdraft plan from Daniel Rhodes book. I could fire that dead even top to bottom - great kiln.

We expecting a "no rain", day, so I'm going to try to get some planting in before it warms up.

I'm also expecting some workers this morning and hope they arrive soon, so I can give them my "to do" list, and then get on with my planting. Part of my list is to get the pug mill ready to use. There's some others studio equipment that needs moving, large shelf unit that needs taking down and installed elsewhere, etc.

They have some household things to take care of as well - pick up work from a couple of earlier projects, so it may take more than one day to do everything on the list; but I am going to see if they can at least get the pug mill ready and get the treadle wheel on to Shane's truck so I can do some other studio re-arranging on my own this afternoon.

The gallery needs a quick tidying up because a visiting, fellow potter, may be in the area and stopping by today - a large variety of things on the agenda today.

Latest batch of potatoes

Pulled some of the older potato vines and dug up the remaining potatoes. I had already gotten some of the early potatoes from these vines; but there were still enough remaining to fill my harvest basket. Then I smoothed the area and planted a package yellow wax bush beans in the their place. The bean are only 55 days to harvest so I should get another batch for the freezer by the end of September. There are another couple of rows of later planted potatoes that I'll be digging later this month or next. I also weeded and picked 4 more squash. Every year about this time I scratch my head, wondering why I've planted so much.

After breakfast I'll be heading back out to the garden to plant a few perennials and maybe get a couple of the pot bound annuals planted as well. I have to figure out what to do with the small box of peaches I bought the other day. They've ripened and have to be used. It's either going to be peach ice cream or peach cobbler or both, depending on how much energy I have left after planting.

My friend Jim and his assistant came by yesterday but couldn't stay to do some of the household pick up work or any of my studio jobs; but he promised to be back Thursday morning.

We tried an Italian primativo type wine, (around $9) and it was excellent. So he's heading back up to Banner Elk to buy a case and to replenish the tasty cakes (comfort food from our youth) that I found for him up there.