So awake this morning at around 5:30am and went for a wander around. The retreat is a bit of a work in progress in places but still nice and relaxed. There are 3 1/2 dogs on site, a Doberman, a Labrador, a cross between those two and a tiny Jack Russell pup barely 3 months old. Bit of fun, I have become the dog whisperer, they were all over me like a rash last night and today. Most of you know that I ‘tolerate’ dogs.
The walk before breakfast this morning up the road to have a look at the local kiln and brick works.
We wandered in and it looked cool the way they were making the clay on the bare earth in spaces. We didn’t get up to the kiln but I have been told that some of the staff will organize a tour for me.
You can just see the men to the right of the trees, on the flat where they were making the clay. So if those were men at around say even 1.5m measure the chimney which was around 100 m beyond where the men are standing!
A couple of trucks came roaring up the road and I waved and got a huge smile and wave back from them both.
A lovely breakfast of eggs on toast with vegetable roti was delicious but will have to adjust my internal clocks as breakfast served at 9:30am, lunch at 2:30pm and dinner at 7:30pm. I will adjust.
Anyway so today I just had a play with clay, they have a very smooth grey colored stoneware that bisque fires to a lovely soft pink but then glaze fires white.
The clay needs some grog as it doesn’t work well for learner throwers as it softens quickly.
They also have another earthenware clay which I am going to have a go with, they don’t like it but I will try and see if it works for me.
I started a couple of boxes just to get the feel of the clay doing something I know just to start off and then started to make a 4 sided twisted vase, tall and slender similar to the pic below.
Will show the results tomorrow....forgot to take pics today.
The walk before breakfast this morning up the road to have a look at the local kiln and brick works.
We wandered in and it looked cool the way they were making the clay on the bare earth in spaces. We didn’t get up to the kiln but I have been told that some of the staff will organize a tour for me.
A couple of trucks came roaring up the road and I waved and got a huge smile and wave back from them both.
A lovely breakfast of eggs on toast with vegetable roti was delicious but will have to adjust my internal clocks as breakfast served at 9:30am, lunch at 2:30pm and dinner at 7:30pm. I will adjust.
Anyway so today I just had a play with clay, they have a very smooth grey colored stoneware that bisque fires to a lovely soft pink but then glaze fires white.
The clay needs some grog as it doesn’t work well for learner throwers as it softens quickly.
They also have another earthenware clay which I am going to have a go with, they don’t like it but I will try and see if it works for me.
I started a couple of boxes just to get the feel of the clay doing something I know just to start off and then started to make a 4 sided twisted vase, tall and slender similar to the pic below.
After lunch we went for a wander down to the local village back on the main road where I was dropped off yesterday.
On the way.....
So yes all those YouTube videos are actually true, great smile and waves in return for my smile and wave. I think I am going to meet some wonderful people here. They mostly seem very friendly and react to head nods, smiles and waves. The truck drivers are the best so far though. They have wonderful horns and so when I turn around to let them know I heard, I wave and the huge smile and wave back are great.
Right! I have just realized that I need to catch you up on last nights excitement, sorry for my FaceBook friends as I posted it on FaceBook earlier, so here goes.
There is a lovely English lady here as well, she has been here for 2 weeks with another week to go, so we were chatting away last night and the dogs started to bark like crazy. We thought that it was just because we wouldn’t let them inside, but I head out to see what they were up to and they have a snake bailed up in the garden.
So of course I go over and take a couple of pics......
Turns out it is a Russell’s Viper, only the snake responsible for more snakebites and deaths than any other snake in this country..... mmmmm Frederick keep your distance!
So did well today, managed to keep going til 5 when I started to fade, so quite happy with the lack of jet lag. Now waiting for dinner to arrive then shower and bed. Another day beckons tomorrow.
Safe travels everyone.
Namaste.
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